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immenfe an establishment of cavalry ought to be kept up, more efpecially at a period like the prefent, when the militia, the natural military ftrength of the country, never was in fo formidable a ftate; when, in addition to the army of the line, fo many corps of fencibles, fea fencibles, and of volunteers, both cavalry and infantry, have ftepped forward with fo much zeal and 'fpirit in the public defence; and when the British navy, furpaffing, if it is poffible, its former ftrength and glory, is adequate of itfelf to defend the dominions of the British crown from the attack of the enemy,

[The motion was not perfevered in.]

On Monday, the 1st of December, in the Houfe of Commons, Mr. Sheridan moved,

THAT an humble addrefs be prefented to his Majefty, humbly

to affure him that we have taken into our moft ferious confideration the papers relative to the negotiation for peace with France; and that the refult of our reflections on this important fubject, founded as well on due examination of the documents now referred to us, as on experience of the paft conduct of most of your Majefty's allies, is an humble but earnest defire that your Majefty will omit no proper opportunity which may arise, confiftently with the good faith ever preferved on the part of your Majefty, of entering into a feparate negotiation with the government of France for a speedy and honourable peace: and further, we implore your Majefty not to fanction any new engagements which thall preclude fuch a mode of negotiation.

[After a debate the House divided; Ayes 35-Noes 155. Majority 120.]

On Tuesday, the 2d of December, in the Houfe of Lords, the Earl of Suffolk moved,

THAT a copy of the monthly returns of the army employed in Holland, from the 1ft of August 1799, to the ift of December in the fame year, be laid before the Houfe.-Agreed to.

His Lordship then moved, That copies of all the letters which paffed between Lord Elgin and Sir Sidney Smith, relative to the convention with General Kleber, be laid before the House.

The motion was negatived without a divifion.

His Lordship then moved, That Sir John Douglas be requested to attend at the bar of the House,

The motion was withdrawn.

On

On Thursday, the 4th of December, in the House of Commons, Mr. Jones moved,

THAT an humble addrefs be prefented to his Majesty, earnestly imploring his Majefty, that, taking into confideration the fufferings of his loyal and affectionate people, he will be graciously pleafed no longer to listen to the councils of his prefent minifters, who, by their profufion and extravagance, have brought their country to the brink of famine and ruin; and who, by their incapacity, have thown themselves unequal to conduc the war with effect, or enter into negotiations of peace with honour.

[After a debate the Houfe divided; Ayes 13-Noes 66. Majority 53.]

On Tuesday, the 23d of December, in the House of Lords, Lord

FOR

Holland moved

OR a variety of papers which had paffed between the British government, Lord Keith, and General Kleber, relative to the violation of the treaty of El-Arisch.

[After a debate the Houfe divided; Contents 2-Non-contents 12.]

On Wednesday, the 31st of December, in the House of Commons, Mr. Nicholl moved,

THAT

HAT an humble addrefs be prefented to his Majefty, humbly requesting that he would be graciously pleased to take into confideration the unhappy condition of his subjects suffering from famine, the confequence of thofe meafures which his minifters have adopted in the profecution of the prefent war: that peace alone can afford immediate and complete relief from this calamity: that he would take into confideration the decrease of the gold coin, and the imminent danger of national bankruptcy, from the iffue of paper money: that his faithful Commons fee with much anxiety, the profpect of new contests with other powers: that they are penetrated with the deepest affliction, when they behold his Majelty's minifters, alike regardless of the honour and fafety of the King, and the welfare of his people, obftinately perfevering to refift every offer from the enemy to treat for peace. That his faithful Commons have therefore thought it their duty to recommend to his Majefty immediately to take measures for opening a negotiation for peace with France.

[A divifion took place, when the votes appeared, for the motion 1-against it 42.]

The

The Speech of the Speaker of the House of Commons, at the Bar of the Houfe of Lords, on Wednesday, 31st December 1800.

Moft Gracious Sovereign,

THE bill now tendered to your Majefty by your faithful Commons, completes the provifion which has been made for the feveral branches of the public fervice, till that period when your Majefty will receive the advice and affiftance of your Parliament of the united kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Impreffed with a well-grounded confidence in the ftrength and refources of the empire, and partaking, as they earneftly do, of that folicitude for the restoration of peace, of which your Majefty has given a recent though unavailing proof, your Commons are convinced that nothing can contribute more effectually to the accomplishment of that great object, than to manifeft the ability and determination of this country to be fully prepared for the further profecution of a conteft, the continuance of which may justly be afcribed to the unwarrantable pretenfions of the enemy.

But on no occafion has the attention of your Parliament been more deeply and anxiously engaged, than by thofe important confiderations to which it was peculiarly directed at the opening of the prefent feffion, in confequence of your Majefty's paternal con cern for the welfare and comfort of your people. To alleviate, to the utmost of their power, the preffure upon all defcriptions of their fellow-fubjects, and upon the poorer claffes in particular, your Commons have deemed to be the first and most urgent of, their duties. The meafures adopted for this purpose are those which, they truft, are beft calculated to afford fubftantial and extenfive relief, and to provide for the neceffary demands of the year. Much of their efficacy muft, however, depend upon that temper, good fenfe, and fortitude, which this country has difplayed under the fevereft trials, and which were never more confpicuous than at the prefent conjuncture.

Thefe, Sire, the laft proceedings of your Parliament, previous to the great æra now on the point of commencing, are the indication and refult of that common intereft and fellow-feeling with the people, by which it has ever been actuated, and which are the best fafeguard of all that is most valuable in fociety. To that æra your Commons look forward with a confident expectation, that the confolidated wifdom and authority of the legislature of Great Britain and Ireland, under the aufpicious government of your.. Majefty, and of your illuftrious Houfe, will diffufe throughout every part of the united kingdom, the full benefits of that conftitution which has been proved to be favourable, in an unexampled degree, to the enjoyment of civil liberty and public profperity;

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and which cannot, therefore, fail to animate the zeal and determination of those who may fhare its bleflings, to cherish and maintain it in their own times, and to tranfmit it as the best inheritance to their pofterity.

His Majefty's Speech to both Houfes, on the fame Day, on concluding the laft Seffion of the British Parliament.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

I CANNOT clofe this fellion of Parliament without returning you my particular acknowledgments for the distinguished induftry and zeal with which you have applied yourfelves to the interefting object which, at the commencement of the feflion, I moft efpecially recommended to your attention. It has been my earnest wish that nothing fhould be omitted which could tend to relieve the preffure occafioned by the prefent dearth of provifions, and to infure a fufficient fupply till the produce of the next harveft can be brought into ufe.

The diligence with which your inquiries have been conducted, has afforded you the best means of afcertaining the true circumftances of our prefent fituation; and the extenfive measures which you have wifely adopted in confequence, for diminishing the confumption of grain, and procuring an increafed fupply, will, I doubt not, be found productive of the moft falutary effect.

Much, however, muft depend on the difpofition which will, I am confident, be manifefted by all those who have the means of carrying into execution my folemn recommendation and injunction, ilued at your defire, for the adoption of all practicable economy in the ufe of thofe articles which are neceffary to the fubfiftence of the poorer claffes of my fubjects.

The time fixed for the commencement of the Union of Great Britain and Ireland will neceffarily terminate your proceedings on this important fubject; but I am perfuaded that the confideration of it will be refumed with the fame zeal and temper, on the first meeting of the Parliament of the united kingdom.

The early period which I have appointed for that meeting will afford a fpeedy opportunity of completing whatever you may have left unfinished, and of confidering what meafures may tend further to alleviate the preffure on my people, or to prevent the danger of its renewal.

Gentlemen of the Houfe of Commons,

I thank you for the readinefs with which you have granted the fupplies neccffary, under the prefent circumftances, for the public fervice.

My

My Lords and Gentlemen,

The detention of the property of my fubjects in the ports of Ruflia, contrary to the moft folemn treaties, and the imprifonment of British failors in that country, have excited in me fentiments, in which you and all my fubjects will, I am fure, par, ticipate.

I have already taken fuch steps as this occafion indifpenfably required; and it will afford me great fatisfaction if they have proved effectual; but if it fhall be neceffary to maintain, against any combination, the honour and independence of the British empire, and thofe maritime rights and interefts on which both our profperity and our fecurity muft always depend, I entertain no doubt either of the fuccefs of thofe means which, in fuch an event, I shall be enabled to exert, or of the determination of my Parliament and my people to afford me a fupport proportioned to the importance of the interests which we have to maintain,

After which the Lord Chancellor announced his Majefty's defire to have his royal proclamation read, appointing the Lords and Commons of the prefent British Parliament to be members of their respective Houses on the part of Great Britain in the Imperial Parliament, and fixing the meeting of the faid Imperial Parliament on Thursday, the 22d of January. The proclamation was accordingly read, and which concluded the proceedings of the British Parliament.

* Proclamation iffued by the French General on his entering Salzburg. INHABITANTS of Salzburg, the bloody engagements which have happened under the walls of your city, have made you acquainted with the horrors of war, and must have alarmed you. Banish your fears; from this moment your dangers are paft. Victory conducts the French within your walls; be affured that the foldiers of a nation which, in triumphing over its enemies, continually holds cut to them the olive of peace, have no intention of carrying terror and difmay into your peaceful habitations. Be tranquil therefore; your properties, your cuftoms, your religious opinions, fhall be refpected. The garrifon occupying your city will preferve good order. The principles of juftice entertained by the General in Chief, Moreau, are already known to you. The first injunction which he laid upon me, in confiding to me the command of this place, was, to provide for your fecurity. I fhall strictly attend to it.

The following papers did not arrive in time to be inferted in their proper places. VOL. X.

3 A

Armistice

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