and your influence will be happily exerted in establishing general good order and obedience to the laws. Gentlemen of the Houfe of Commons,

I am to thank you in his majesty's name for the liberal fupplies which you have given for the public fervice, and for the honourable fupport of his majesty's government. They fhall be faithfully ap plied to the purposes for which they were granted. My reliance upon your decided fupport to the execution of the laws for the juft collection of the public revenue, affords me the best founded hope, that the produce of the duties will not fall fhort of their eftimated amount.

My Lords and Gentlemen, The determined spirit with which you have marked your abhorrence of all lawlefs diforder and tumult, hath, I doubt not, already made an ufeful impreffion; and the falu tary laws enacted in this feffion, particularly the introduction of a fyilem of police, are honourable proofs of your wifdom, your moderation, and your prudence.

His majefty beholds, with the highest fatisfaction, the zeal and loyalty of his people of Ireland; and I have his majefty's exprefs commands to affure you of the moft cordial returns of his royal favour and paternal affection.

I have the deepest fenfe of every obligation to confirm my attachment to this kingdom; and it will be the conftant object of my adminiftration, and the warmeft impulfe of my heart, to forward the fuccefs of her interests, and to promote the profperity of the empire.

The Speech of the Ambasador Extraard.nary from their High Mightieffes, the States General of the

THE miffion which we had the honour of performing at your imperial court, being now completely fulfilled by the fo much wifhedfor refloration of peace and union between your imperial majefty and the republic, their high mightineffes have thought proper to recall us.

This bleffed event has given new vigour to thofe fentiments of veneration which their high mightineffes entertain for your imperial majefty, and which we had it in command to exprefs.

Those fentiments, from which they never varied, will now become indiffoluble by the new ties which the republic is happy to have entered into with your imperial majefty; we think ourfelves equally happy that it is in our power to prefent you the first homage of those fentiments, which are further confirmed in the letter we have the honour to deliver from their high mightineffes.

All that remains for us to do, is to offer to your majefty the humblet acknowledgments for the kind reception we have been honoured with, as alfo the affurances of those refpectful wishes, and of that lively fenfibility which muft imprefs every one who has the happinefs of approaching your majefty.

May the glorious reign of your imperial majefty, deftined to complete the felicity of your fubjects, daily administer to fame, the best means to extend, and perpetuate your great and awful name! May the era of Jofeph II, like that of Titus, Trajanus, and M. Aurelius, your predeceffors in the Roman em

pire, be for ever recorded as that of humanity, peace, and the happiness of mankind.

ANSWER.

Gentlemen,

You may affure their high mightineffes that I am equally pleafed the difputes that had arifen are finally fettled, as this cannot but redound to the mutual advan, tage of both nations; the more fo, that all obstacles being levelled, the old friendship which always fubfifted between them cannot again be interrupted. As to you, gentlemen, I am glad to have been acquainted with you, and fuch a million must have been very pleafing to you, fince it has been the, ground work, as as well as the means of effecting the restoration, of tranquillity.

number of days employed in the trial of felons at the Old Bailey, which, upon an average of the last three years, have been upwards of Fifty-five in the year; whereas the highest average of any Three years prior to the year 1776, was lefs than Forty-fix, and the general average of twenty years prior to that period, lefs than Thirty-four days in the year.

That the increase of the crime of burglary is become moft alarming to your majefty's fubjects, which increase your petitioners are inclined to afcribe to the great number of experienced and well practifed thieves now in the kingdom, who commit this atrocious crime with fuch art, that scarce any precautions are fufficient to guard against it. And the fame experience that enables thefe offenders to perpetrate this offence with cafe, has probably convinced them that it is attended

with lefs perfonal danger and hazard of detection than most other

offences.

That in the years from January 1766 to December 1775, both inclufive, (which time immediately preceded the ftop that was put to tranfportation) above Three thoufand one hundred perfons were tranfported from London and Middle ex alone; and having reafon to believe that all the reft of the kingdom have furnished an equal number, the whole amount of the tranfports in thefe ten years has been above Six thoufand. That the num ber of prifoners tried and convicted of felony in the ten fucceeding years, from the beginning of 1776 to 1786, having greatly increafed, there is every reafon to believe, that, if the executive justice had remained the fame, the tranfports in thofe years would have much exceeded the number of the tea (E 3) preceding;

preceding; but the regular courfe of transportation having been in terrupted during that period, and few opportunities found by government of fending convicts abroad, and thofe only in fmall numbers, your petitioners humbly fubmit to your majefty, that it neceflarily follows, that after making an allowance for the fmall number fent abroad, and for the convicts who may have died during that period, there must now remain within the kingdom, either at large, or in the different prifons, at leait Four thoufand perfons, who, in the judgment of the law, were proper to have been fent out of it.

That your petitioners humbly conceive that this dreadful accumulation is alone fufficient to account for all the evils that are fo heavily felt and fo july complained of, both as to the over-crowded flate of the gaols and the increase of crimes and of offenders.

To what extent the mischiefs that are fo feverely felt already, and the fatal confequences fo july apprehended, may be carried by a longer continuance of fo rapid and alarming an accumulation of convicts within the kingdom, no huma wisdom can forefee.

When facts fo important as thefe, and which fo materially affect the peace and fecurity of your majefty's fubjects in general, and efpecially of this great city, have come within the knowledge of your petitioners, they would ill difcharge their duty to your majefly, or the public, if they neglected moft humbly to lay them at the foot of the throne, earnestly befeeching your majefty to direct fuch measures to be taken, as to your royal wifdom fhall feem beft, for providing a fpeedy and due execution of the law, both as to capital puniflument and tranfpor

ift. That it be earnestly recommended to the principal inhabitants of all places, to agree in uniting together, under certain rules and regulations, for the better purpole of detecting felons, cheats, vagrants, nightwalkers, nightpoachers, and pawn-brokers, who are often guilty of male practices, and particularly in receiving ftolea goods, knowing them to be fuchfellers by falfe weights and mea: fures, perfons adulterating or improperly mixing meal, flour, &c. and, in fhort, all those who are in any way guilty of a breach of the law.

2d. That fome regulations ought to be made in the appointment of proper conftables, and that they be required to exert themselves in bringing to justice offenders as aforefaid, as they will antwer the contrary at their peril. And that they be alfo required to be par ticularly vigilant in the time of horse-races, fairs, feafts, markets, or other public meetings; evil difpofed perfons of different kinds

being known to refort thither, for the more convenient purpofe of carrying on their unlawful defigns.

3d. That it would be of great public benefit, if all justices of the peace would please to hold a special fellions in their feveral diftricts, once a fortnight (as it is already done in feveral parts of this Riding) or even oftener (at least for fome time) if they find occafion for fo doing.

4th. That privy fearches fhould be made in every district, as near the fame hour as may be, a day or two previous to fuch fellions, where offenders (vagrants chiefly fo) may be brought to fpeedy juftice; by being immediately corrected, or otherwife dealt with according to daw.

5th. That were this mode of proceeding to be carried into full effect, offenders would find it difficult to escape from juftice, the public peace would be greatly reitored, the office of a magiftrate would become lefs irkfome, large fums of money would be faved which are now lavished away in apprehending, keeping in prifon, conveying vagrants, and others; pariflies would be eated of the trouble and expence in relieving perfons who travel with paffes, and whofe who lives are often spent in perpetual vagrancy; and a final ftop might, in a great degree, be put to thofe numerous beggars who actually extort money by impofing, under various pretences, upon the ignorance or credulity of

others.

6th. That the great number of public houfes, and efpecially thofe which are kept by improper perfons, or in improper fituations, are productive of various mifchiefs, and therefore, until fuch time as a re

duction of them can be effected, (which is much to be defired) it is a matter of great moment that the occupiers of fuch houfes offending against the law, fhould have their licences withheld, their recognizances eftreated, or be otherwife punished, according to the nature of the offence.

7th. To prevent the increase of thefe houfes, the clergy, parifhofficers, and others, are requested not to grant any certificates, o enable perfons to obtain licences, unlefs they have full fatisfaction of the truth to which they fubfcribe, and that fuch houfe is really wanted for the public convenience: and further, that fuch certificates fhould be communicated to the juftices of the divifion four weeks previous to their holding their Biewfter feffions.

8th. That houfes of evil fame, common brothels, houses for harbouring of vagrants, and fuch like, are in many places become a notorious grievance; and that it is the interet, as well as the duty of every man, to exert himself in fuppreffing them.

9th. That as many perfons are difcouraged from apprehending and profecuting offenders, by an idea of the great expence thereof, it is proper to declare, that all judges and juftices of the peace are impowered by law to grant an adequate allowance to profecutors and witnefles; juftices of the peace alfo, out of fethions, are ready to make every liberal gratification to thofe who purfue, apprehend, or convey offenders to prifons and in many places there are fubfcriptions or monies collected by way of affeff. ment, for the above purpofes.

Toth. That in thofe places where Sunday-fchool- have been opened, their good effects are plainly per(E 4) ceived

ceived in the orderly and decent comportmment of the youth who are inftructed therein: it is therefore moft earnestly to be wifhed, that thofe virtuous citizens who have begun this good work, would continue their best endeavours to forward it with that zeal and perfeverance which its great import ance requires. And if thefe inftitutions fhould become established throughout the kingdom, there is good reafon to hope, that they will produce an happy change in the general morals of the people, and thereby render the execution of criminal justice less frequently neceflary.

It is Ordered, that the thanks of this court be given to the rev. Henry Zouch for his communication of the above propofitions; and he is requested to publifh the obfervations on which they were founded.

The Petition of the Inhabitants of the County of Middlefex, and the Cities of London and Weftminster, prefented to the House of Lord, in June, 1786, againft a Bill for regulating Lotteries, which had paled the House of Commons, but which, in the Sequel, was rejected by the Lords.

To the Right Honourable the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parlia ment affembled.

THE humble petition fheweth, that your lordships petitioners are greatly alarmed at the increafe of tatutes which abolish the inquefts by grand jury, and trial by peers, and which inveft justices of the peace with the powers of thefe great protectors of the liberties and properties of Englishmen.

"That your lordship's petitioners

That the faid bill, if carried into a law, will operate as a fevere grievance upon every defcription of his majefty's fubjects.

That faid bill invests justices of the peace with greater powers, than were ever invested in any of his majesty's courts of record, or exercifed or affumed by the court of ftar chamber.

That faid bill invests justices to grant general warrants against per. fons named or defcribed, to search their perfons, their houfes, or any other place, whether by day or night, an oath being made before them, that fuch perfons are fufpected to have in their houfes, or any other place, or concealed about their perfons, any lottery register or books, whether fuch perfons be male or female.

That faid bill takes away every protection of habitation, and leaves your peritioners, their wives, and daughters, liable to the most indecent violation of person, and their property to the mercy of every abandoned wretch who difregards the crime of perjury.

That faid bill takes away the writ of certiorari; and though it gives the fubjects a right to appeal, to the quarter feffions, yet renders that appeal nugatory, as it impowers the justice to deftroy all writings produced in evidence before him, and of courfe deprives the

party