PARMA. On the 23d of December, 1796, the minister of foreign affairs prefented the Marquis del Campo, ambaffador of Spain, chofen by his royal highness the infant Duke of Parma as his reprefentative in quality of envoy with the French Republic. This laft prefented the prefident with his credential letters, and affured the Directory that his royal highness will always preserve the strictest connexion with the Republic. The prefident anfwered, that the Republic will always cultivate with fincerity the bonds of friendship happily established between the two ftates. ON SARDINIA. N the 23d of December, 1796, M. le Comte Balbi, ambaffador from Sardinia, prefented to the Directory a letter from the King his mafter, acquainting them with the birth of a fon to his royal highness the Duke d'Aofta, and addressed to them the following discourse: Citizens Directors, in hereditary monarchies the birth of a prince is always an event interefting to the fafety of the ftate; for that reafon, Citizen Directors, you will, no doubt, learn with pleasure that the Duchefs of Aofta has been fafely delivered of a boy. The friendship which unites you and my mafter will alfo make you fincerely partake in the confolation he receives from it, and he announces it to you in the letter I have the honour to prefent. The Prefident replied: Mr. Ambaffador of Sardinia, the Executive Directory is fenfible of the earnestness with which the King of Sardinia announces to it the birth of a prefumptive heir. The French Republic cannot learn without pleasure an event which fills the family of its ally with joy. It is another friend gained to the Republic, if the King, his uncle, fhall have him educated in the principles by which he is at present directed. TURKEY. TURKEY. N the 23d of December, 1796, Mahomet Coggea, envoy from Hamonde Pacha, Bey of Tunis, prefented by the minifter of foreign affairs, was admitted to an audience of the Executive Directory. He produced a letter from the Bey to the prefident, containing affurances of his attachment to the interests of the Republic, and his defire to efface the fubjects of complaint occafioned by fome difagreeable circumftances, and to renew the ancient friendship and confidence which connected the two ftates. The prefident replied, by affuring him of the moft perfect reciprocity of friendly fentiments on the part of the Republic. PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. GEORGE R. By the King, a Proclamation. WH Given at our Court at Weymouth, the third day of Sep. Dublin, Sept. 15. By the Lord Lieutenant-General and General Governor of Ireland, a Proclamation, CAMDEN. WHEREAS his Majefty hath fignified unto us his royal pleafure, that the Parliament of this kingdom be prorogued to Tuesday the 11th day of October next, then to fit for the dispatch of bufinefs: we do therefore publish and declare, that the faid Parliament, which now ftands prorogued to Monday the 19th day of September inft. be, and accordingly the faid Parliament is hereby farther prorogued to Tuesday the 11th day of October next, and the fame fhall be then held at Dublin, and for the difpatch of bifinefs; whereof the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and and the Commons in this prefent Parliament, are to take notice, and give their attendance accordingly. Given at his Majefty's Caftle of Dublin, the 13th day of By his Excellency's command, God fave the King. E. COOKE. His Majesty's most gracious Speech to both Houses of Parliament, an Thurfday the 6th of October, 1796. My Lords and Gentlemen, IT is a peculiar fatisfaction to me, in the prefent conjuncture of affairs, to recur to your advice, after the recent opportunity which has been given for collecting the fenfe of my people, engaged in a difficult and arduous conteft, for the prefervation of all that is moft dear to us. I have omitted no endeavours for fetting on foot negotiations to reflore peace to Europe, and to fecure for the future the general tranquillity. The fteps which I have taken for this purpose have at length opened the way to an immediate and direct negotiation, the iffue of which muft either produce the defirable end of a juft, honourable, and folid peace for us, and for our allies, or muft prove, beyond difpute, to what caufe alone the prolongation of the calamities of war must be afcribed. I fhall immediately send a perfon to Paris, with full powers to treat for this object, and it is my anxious with that this measure may lead to the restoration of general peace: but you must be fenfible that nothing can fo much contribute to give effect to this defire, as your manifefting that we poffefs both the determination and the refources to oppofe, with increased activity and energy, the farther efforts with which we may have to contend. You will feel this peculiarly neceffary at a moment when the enemy has openly manifefted the intention of attempting a defcent on thefe kingdoms. It cannot be doubted what would be the iffue of fuch an enterprize; but it befits your wifdom to neglect no precautions that may either preclude the attempt, or fecure the speedieft means of turning it to the confufion and ruin of the enemy. In reviewing the events of the year, you will have obferved that, by the skill and exertions of my navy, our extensive and increafing commerce has been protected to a degree almost beyond example, and the fleets of the enemy have, for the greatest part of the year, been blocked up in their own ports. Sf VOL. V. The The operations in the Eaft and Weft Indies have been highly honourable to the British arms, and productive of great national advantage; and the valour and good conduct of my forces, both by fea and land, have been eminently confpicuous. The fortune of war on the continent has been more various; and the progress of the French armies threatened, at one period, the utmost danger to all Europe; but from the honourable and dignified perfeverance of my ally the Emperor, and from the intrepidity, difcipline, and invincible spirit of the Austrian forces, under the aufpicious conduct of the Archduke Charles, fuch a turn has lately been given to the courfe of the war, as may inspire a well-grounded confidence that the final refult of the campaign will prove more difaftrous to the enemy than its commencement and progress for a time were favourable to their hopes. The apparently hoftile difpofitions and conduct of the court of Madrid have led to difcuffions, of which I am not yet enabled to acquaint you with the final refult; but I am confident that whatever may be their iffue, I fhall have given to Europe a farther proof of my moderation and forbearance; and I can have no doubt of your determination to defend against every aggreffion the dignity, rights, and interests, of the British empire. Gentlemen of the Houfe of Commons, I rely on your zeal and public fpirit for fuch fupplies as you may think neceffary for the fervice of the year. It is a great fatisfaction to me to obferve, that, notwithstanding the temporary embarrassments which have been experienced, the state of the commerce, manufactures, and revenue of the country, proves the real extent and folidity of our refources, and furnishes you with fuch means as must be equal to any exertions which the present crisis may require. My Lords and Gentlemen, The diftreffes, which were in the last year experienced from the fcarcity of corn, are now, by the bleffing of God, happily removed, and an abundant harvest affords the pleafing profpect of relief in that important article to the labouring claffes of the community. Our internal tranquillity has alfo continued undisturbed; the general attachment of my people to the British conftitution has appeared on every occafion, and the endeavours of those who withed to introduce anarchy and confusion into this country, have been repreffed by the energy and wisdom of the laws. To defeat all the defigns of our enemies, to restore to my people the bleffings of a fecure and honourable peace, to maintain inviolate their religion, laws, and liberty, and to deliver down unimpaired to the lateft pofterity the glory and happiness of thefe |