will rather diminish than increase the public revenue, and as to others, though they may add a little to the finking fund in one way, yet they will probably in another way diminish it as much, if not more; efpecially fome of thofe taxes impofed upon our people in North America; for from experience we know that before any of the late taxes were impofed upon them, the ballance of trade between North America and Great Britain was always fo much against them, that they could never keep any ready money amongst them, but were obliged to fend it to . Great Britain as fast as they could procure it by their trade with foreign countries, or with our fugar iflands. This was occafioned by their having almoft all their mas nufactures and all their utenfils, as well the coarfe as fine fort of every kind, from Great Britain: If we by taxes increase their expence of living in their own country, how fhall they fave money to purchase from us thofe manufactures, and thofe utenfils? They muft make a fhift with those of the coarseft fort: In the mean time they certainly will encourage the fetting up of fuch manufactures and mechanical trades amongst themfelves, and for that purpose will give encouragement and employment to every poor manufacturer and mechanic who tranfplants himself from this to that country. 4 STATE PAPERS. His Majesty's most gracious Speech to both boufes of parliament, on Thursday the 2d day of July, 1767. T My Lords, and Gentlemen, HE advanced feafon of the year, joined to the confideration of the inconvenience you must all have felt from fo long an abfence from your feveral countries, calls upon me to put an end to the prefent feffion of parliament; which I cannot do, without returning you my thanks for your diligent application to the public bufinefs, and the proofs you have given of your affection for me and my family, and for my government: and although, from the nature and extenfiveness of the feveral objects under your confideration, it could not be expected that all the great commercial interefts fhould be compleatly ad jufted and regulated in the courfe of this feffion, yet I am perfuaded, that, by the progrefs you have made, a folid foundation is laid for fecuring the most confiderable and effential benefits to this na tion. As no material alteration has happened in the ftate of foreign affairs fince your firft meeting, I have nothing to communicate to you on that fubject. The fixed objects of all my measures are, to preferve the peace, and, at the fame time, to affert and maintain the honour of my crown, and the just rights of my fubjects. Gentlemen of the houfe of I thank you for the neceffary fupplies which you have fo chearfully granted for the public fervice; and my particular acknowledgments are due to you, for the provifion you have enabled me to make for the more honourable fupport and maintenance of my family. My Lords, and Gentlemen, The great attention which you have thewn to the particular purpefe, for which I called you fo early together, and the very whole, fome laws paffed for relieving my fubjects from the immediate dif trefs which the great fcarcity of corn threatened to bringe upon them, give me the most fenfible pleasure. I rely upon you for the exertion of your utmost endeavours to convince my people, that no care has been wanting to procure for them every relief which has been poffible; and that their grateful fenfe of provifions fo wifely made for their prefent happiness and lafting profperity cannot be so fully expreffed, as by a ftrict ohfervance of that order and regulanity, which are equally neceffary to the fecurity of all good government, as well as to their real wel, fare. fY that my parliament might have full time for their deliberations upon all fuch branches of the public fervice as may require their immediate attention, without the neceffity of continuing the feffion beyond the time moft fuitable to my people for the election of a new parliament; and I doubt not but you will be careful, from the fame confiderations, to avoid, in your proceedings, all unneceffary delay. Nothing in the prefent fituation of affairs abroad gives me reason to apprehend, that you will be prevented, by any interruption of the public tranquillity, from fixing your whole attention upon fuch points as concern the internal welfare and profperity of my people. Among these objects of a domestic nature, none can demand a more speedy or more ferious at. tention, than what regards the high price of corn, which neither the falutary laws paffed in the laft feffion of parliament, nor the produce of the late harveft, have yet been able fo far to reduce, as to give fufficient relief to the diftreffes of the poorer fort of my people. Your late refidence in your feveral counties must have enabled you to judge, whether (and I have no other to ask of you,) renders it unneceffary for me to add any exhortations upon this head; and I doubt not, but the fame public confiderations will induce you to pertevere, with equal alacrity, in your endeavours to diminish the national debt; while, on my part, no care fhall be wanting to contribute, as far as poflible, to the attainment of that most effential object, by every frugal application of fuch fupplies, as you fhall grant. My Lords, and Gentlemen, The neceffity of improving the prefent general tranquillity to the great purpose of maintaining thẹ Arength, the reputation, and the profperity of this country, ought to be ever before your eyes. To render your deliberations for that purpofe fuccefsful, endeavour to cultivate a fpirit of harmony among yourselves. My concurrence in whatever will promote the happinefs of my people, you may always depend upon: and in that light, I fhall ever be defirous of encouraging union among all thofe, who with well to their country. The address of the haufe of Lords. Moft gracious Sovereign, E your Majefty's most du. any farther provifions can be made, tiful and loyal fubjects the conducive to the attainment of so defirable an end. Gentlemen of the house of I will order the proper officers to lay before you the estimates for the fervice of the ensuing year. The experience I have had of your conftant readiness to grant me all fuch fupplies as fhould be found neceffary, for the fecurity, intereft, and honour of the nation, Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament affembled, return your Majefty our humble thanks for your most gracious fpeech from the throne. We acknowledge with gratitude, your Majefty's tender regard and concern for your people, in affembling the parliament at fuch a feafon, as, whilft it provides for the convenience of your people, will allow fufficient time for our deliberations on the feveral branches of the public fervice that may require our immediate attention: And we beg leave to affure your Majefty, that it fhall be our hearty defire to forward your Majefty's most gracious purpofe, by avoiding in our proceedings all unneceffary delay. We fincerely rejoice in the profpect of the continuance of the general tranquillity; and it is our firm refolution to give, at a time fo favourable for fuch confiderations, our strictest attention to all thofe objects that may more immediately affect the internal wel fare and happiness of your people. We affure your Majefty, that our earnest endeavours fhall not be wanting for the relief of the diftreffes, which the poor labour under from the high price of corn, if any farther provifions can be made conducive to fo defirable an end. Permit us, Sir, to congratulate your Majesty on the fafe.delivery of the Queen, and the birth of a Prince; and to affure your Majefty of our unfeigned joy on any increase of your domeftic felicity at the fame time that we confider every addition to your illuftrious houfe as a further fecurity of our religious and civil liberties. Werbegoleave to condole with your Majesty on the death of his Royal Highnefs the Duke of York, and to testify our fincere concern for the lofs of a Prince, whose virtues and amiable qualities, as they distinguished his life, will ceffity of improving the prefent tranquillity to the purpose of mains taining the ftrength, the reputation, and profperity of this coun try, we will cheerfully contribute, on our part, to the fuccefs of fachTM measures as fhall be thought most expedient for the attainment of that great end: And that, with this view, we fhall endeavour to cultivate that fpirit of harmony and union, which your Majeftyf in your paternal care for the hap pinefs of your people, has moft graciously recommended from the throne; and on which the fuccefs of our councils, and the public welfare, fo effentially depends M His Majefty's most gracious anfwer. My Lords, Your readinefs to provide for the public fervices with the unanimity and difpatch fone ceffary at this juncture, as well as to avail yourselves of the present general tranquillity, in order to promote the internal profperity of my people, is highly agreeable to me; and I rely upon your affurances, that you will use your endeavours to relieve the diftreffes which the poor labour under from the high price of corn. I thank you for the joy you exprefs on the increase of my royal family; and I feel for the part you take in my concern for the unexpected lofs of r my late brother the Duke of York. Buod The addrefs of the house of Commons, quam vuq od Moft gracious Sovereign, bn A your Majesty's most dus ever be held in the moft grateful W tiful and loyal fubjects, remembrance. Your Majefty may be affured, that being fully fenfible of the ne the Commons of Great Britain in parliament affembled, returns your Majefty our humble thanks for your your-moft gracious fpeech from, the throne. We beg leave most gratefully to acknowledge your Majesty's goodnefs, and attention to the convenience of your people in calling your parliament together at this time and to affure your Majefty, that we will endeavour to improve the opportunity which the prefent happyftate of peace and tranquillity affords, by exerting our utmoft abilities in the profecution of fuchs measures as may moft effectually promote the public wel-. fare and profperity. We are equally fenfible of your Majesty's paternal care, in the measures already taken by your Majefty to alleviate the diftreffes of the poor; and of your royal wisdom, in recommending the fame interefting and important object to the confideration of your parliament; and we will not fail to stake into our most attentive deliberation all fuch measures as fhall appear, conducive to the accomplishment of that great and most desirable end. It is with unfeigned joy that we prefume to offer our congratulations to your Majesty on the late increase of your royal family, by the birth of a Prince; and to affure your Majesty that we regard as an addition to the welfare and happiness of this nation, every increase of that illuftrious houfe, under whofe mild and aufpicious government our religious and civil liberties have been fo happily maintained and protected. And it is with equal grief and anxiety that we reflect on the late untimely lofs of your Majefty's royal brother, the Duke of York; whofeearly, and ready zeal in his country's caufe fhewed him worthy of the heroic race he fprang from; and whofe amiable virtues, in the more private fcenes of life, muft. ever make his memory dear to all who had the happiness of approaching him. We beg leave most humbly to affure your Majefty, that this houfe will, with a zeal and alacrity becoming the representatives of an affectionate and grateful people, readily grant fuch fupplies as fhall be requifite for the fupport of your Majefty's government, for advancing the honour and intereft of this country, and effectually providing for the pub lic fafety. And that our regard to your Majefty's recommendation, as well as the indifpenfable duty we owe to thofe whom we reprefent, will make us earnestly attentive to the great object of diminishing the national debt; being convinced that' nothing can fo effectually tend to add real luftre and dignity to your majesty's government, or to give folid and permanent ftrength to thefe kingdoms. With thefe views, and in these fentiments, we will endeavour, with the utmost unanimity and difpatch, to promote the public fervice, and to deserve, by our fin cere and unwearied labours for the general good, that confidence which it has pleased your Majesty. to repofe in us; not doubting of your Majesty's gracious difpofition to confirm and perfect what our true zeal may fuggeft, for the lafting advantage and happiness of your people. His Majesty's most gracious anfwer. |