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The humble Addrefs of the House of Commons to the King.

Moft Gracious Sovereign,

W

tiful and loyal fubjects, the Commons of Great-Britain in parliament aflembled, beg leave to return your majefty our humble thanks, for your moft gracious fpeech from the throne.

We acknowledge, with the warmeft gratitude, your majefty's great goodnefs, in your conftant attention to whatever concerns either the commerce and revenue of your kingdom at large, or the private rights and interefts of confiderable numbers among your peo ple. And we return our moft dutiful thanks to your majefty, for having giving us an early opportunity of informing ourfelves fully of the true ftate of the affairs of the Eaft-India Company: and we affure your majefty, that, impreffed with a due fenfe of the great importance of the bufinefs, we will, without delay, proceed to the confideration of it; and endeavour to provide, in the most effectual manner, that the nature of the cafe will admit, for the common benefit and fecurity of all the great and weighty intereffs recommended to our care by your majefty.

Your faithful commons cannot but rejoice to hear that your majefty has reafon to hope that the war, which has fo long unhappily prevailed in one part of Europe, is now drawing to a conclufion: and that the favourable profpect of the duration of peace, which the probability of this event affords us, will not be affected by the alterations which have lately happened;

and we feel the highest fatisfaction, at the assurances, which your majefty continues to receive from fo. reign powers, of their pacific dif

at the fame time we most gratefully acknowledge your majefty's gracious declaration, that it will be your conftant endeavour to preferve the general tranquillity, as far as is confiftent with the honour of your crown, and the interests of your people.

Your majefty may be affered, that your faithful Commons will chearfully grant fuch fupplies as the fervices of the enfuing year fhall require and although we are convinced, that it muft ever be for the intereft and reputation of this country, to have a confiderable ftrength at fea; yet we learn with much fatisfaction, that your ma jefty has been enabled, during the courfe of this year, to proceed in the reduction of your naval eftablishment.

Permit us to offer to your ma jefty our most humble and unfeigned thanks, for the paternal and affectionate concern, which your majefty has expreffed, for the diftreffes which the poor continue to fuffer from the dearnefs of corn. And, we affure your majesty, that a diligent attention fhall not be wanting, on our part, to confider of the moft proper means for preventing the increafe of the evil; and for alleviating the prefent diftreffes, as far as they are in their nature capable of relief; being perfuaded, that we cannot render any service more acceptable to your majefty, than by contributing to the happiness of all your people.

His

His Excellency George Lord Viscount Townshend, Lord Lieutenant-General, and General Governor of Ireland, his Speech to both Houses of Parliament, at Dublin, on the Sth of October, 1771.

My Lords, and Gentlemen,

Y experience of your attachment to his majefty's perfon, and of your zeal for the public fervice, affords me the beft grounded hopes, that nothing will be wanting on your part to co-operate with his majefty's gracious intentions to promote the welfare and happiness of this kingdom; and when to this confideration I add my remembrance of your kind regard to the eafe and honour of my administration, I feel the most fenfible pleasure in the prefent opportunity which his majesty has given me of meeting you a fourth time in parliament,

The prefent profpect of public affairs, feems to afford you the fulleft opportunity for deliberation on fuch fubjects as immediately relate to your own domeftic happinefs; I must therefore recommend to your confideration, whatever tends to promote and ftrengthen the interior police of this kingdom, and fuch laws as may be falutary and for the benefit of the lower orders of the community, for thefe have ever been found the most effectual means of binding their affections to their country, and fecuring their allegiance to one common parent.

Gentlemen of the House of

but folely to comply with the wishes of his people, it was not thought proper to call upon you, at that time, for any further aid: but as in the ordinary course it now becomes neceffary to provide for the expences of the ensuing two years, your last grants being nearly expired, I have no doubt of your turning your thoughts to that important fubject, and of your granting fuch fupplies as fhall be found neceffary for the honourable and firm fupport of his majefty's government, the fecurity of this kingdom, and for the maintenance of the public credit.

I have ordered the proper efti mates and accounts to be laid before you, from which you will find, not only that the revenue has fallen confiderably short of former years, but that the deductions made therefrom for payment of different grants for premiums, bounties, and public works, have been so very great, that it has not been nearly fufficient to defray the charges of his majefty's eftablishments, and other neceffary expences of government, and that a large arrear has been incurred on that account. If fuch grants are judged proper to be continued, either for thefe or other public ufes, you will obferve, that it is impoffible that the revenue, as it now ftands, can answer those fervices, and alfo the support of government: I therefore think it incumbent upon me to recommend this fubject to your ferious confideration.

It is with concern that I must ask a fum of money to discharge the arrears already incurred on his majefty's eftablishment; but you will find that they have been unavoidable, for that the ftricteft economy [Q]

has

has been used, not only in the charges of the late augmentation, upon which a very large faving has been made, but in the reduction of the staff, which is now diminished to the number directed by his majefty.

My Lords, and Gentlemen, The birth of another prince is fuch an addition to his majesty's happiness and our fecurity, that it muft afford us the trueft fatisfaction.

It is my indifpenfable duty to recommend particularly whatever interefts the proteftant religion : there can be no provifion in its favour, which fhall tend to carry into execution the good effects of that important law for limiting the duration of parliaments, and are, at the fame time, confiftent with the principles of humanity, and the natural rights of mankind, which shall not have my hearty concur

rence.

The illegal affociations, and audacious outrages committed in dif. ferent parts of the kingdom, particularly in the North, deserve your most serious attention: they are as deftructive to commerce, as difgraceful to liberty.

The wisdom of former parliaments, and the affection of my predeceffors in this high fltation for your interefts, have uniformly cooperated in fupport of your charterfchools, and your linen manufacture: I am perfuaded our zeal for thefe national objects will equal theirs.

His majefty has the firmeft reliance on your loyalty and duty: and is perfuaded that your proceedings will be no lefs confiftent with your own dignity, than with the true

interests of your country. For my part, I have fo long refided among you, that I trust it will be needless for me to make any new declarations to you of my attachment and affection.

The Addrefes of both Houses of Pare liament in Ireland to his Majefis.

To the King's most excellent Majefty.

The humble Address of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, in parliament affembled.

Moft Gracious Sovereign,

your majesty's most du-tiful and loyal fubjects, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in parliament affembled, beg leave to exprefs the grateful fenfe we have of your majefty's goodness, and of our firm confidence in your paternal attention to the happiness of your majefty's people, and your gracious difpofition to promote the welfare and profperity of this kingdom.

We alfo beg leave to affure your majefty, that we fhall endeavour to make fuch a ufe of the opportunity, which the prefent pro. fpect of public affairs affords us, as may best answer your majesty's gracious purpofes of calling us together: and that we fhall chearfully concur with his Excellency Lord Viscount Townfhend, our chief governor, whom your ma jefty is gracioufly pleafed to continue amongst us, in whatever may promote the great and important matters recommended at this time to our confideration; and that we will, to the utmost of our power, endeavour fo to conduct our pro

ceedings

eeedings, that they may confift with our own honour, and the true intereft of our country.

We most fincerely congratulate your majefty on the happy event of the birth of another prince; and du affure your majefty, that we fhall always confider every addition to your royal family, as a further fecurity to sof our religion, laws, and liberties.

And we beg leave to declare our readiness chearfully to contribute, as far as poffible, to whatever may ftrengthen and fupport the religious and civil rights of mankind, and to whatever may give effect to the important and conftitutional law for limiting the duration of parliaments.

As we have an abhorrence of thofe audacious outrages, which of late have appeared in different parts of this kingdom, we do affure your majefty, that we fhall not fail ferioufly to deliberate upon them, and to concur in every wife provifion that can be formed to remedy so great an evil.

We humbly acknowledge to your majefty the unfeigned pleafure we feel in the opinion you are gracioufly pleased to entertain of our loyalty and dutiful attachment to your royal perfon and family; and do affure your majefty that we will ever by our conduct, endeavour to merit and preferve your majefty's gracious favour and protection.

To the King's most excellent Majefty. The humble Addrefs of the Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses in parliament affembled.

Moft Gracious Sovereign, WE your majefty'smoft dutiful and loyal fubjects,the Com

WE your majefty's moft dutiful

mons of Ireland, in parliament affembled, beg leave, with the fincereft affection, to affure your majefty of our firm attachment to your facred perfon, royal family, and government.

We return our humble thanks to your majefty for continuing his Excellency the Lord Viscount Townfhend in the government of this kingdom; from whofe long experience of our loyalty and zeal for your majefty's fervice, from whofe approved integrity, and from whofe fincere wishes for the profperity of this country, manifefted during a refidence of four years amongst us, we have every reafon to expect that the bufinefs of this feffion will be carried on with candour, temper, and unanimity.

Permit us to congratulate your majefty upon the further addition to your majefty's royal houfe, by the birth of another prince; an event which must give the highest pleasure to a people deeply interefted in every thing that can contribute to your majesty's happiness. We bring with us every difpofition topromote the honour of the crown, and the fervice of the public; and your majefty may be affured, that we fhall take into our most serious confideration, thofe important objects recommended to us from the throne, and chearfully make every provifion for the honourable fupport of your majefty's government, the fecurity of this kingdom, and the maintenance of public credit; confiftent with the ability, and the effential intereft of this country.

We have seen with extreme concern, the illegal affociations, and audacious outrages committed by the lower order of people, in different counties in this kingdom;

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