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there were old barracks for holding 20,000 men, and the new would contain no more than 15,000. He reprobated the argument of Lord Lansdowne, in contemning precedents. He admired an obfervation which he had often heard from Mr Fox, " that the conftitution was a practical one, and there were many things to blame in it in theory. It was not a conftitution made by a national affembly, but growing out of practice to its prefent perfection." He next adverted to the revival of the office of third fecretary of ftate, and said it was more beneficial to the country than any other he could name. He vindicated the creation of the new transport broad, on the very statement of Lord Lanfdowne, as to the difficulty of procuring tranfports. He allo vindicated the Weftminfter police bill, and the act empowering the Bank of England to lend money to Government. In a word, he combated the multifarious propofitions of Lord Lanfdowne one by one.

The Earl of Lauderdale fupported the motion, in a fpeech of confiderable length; in the course of which, he declared he could not, in his conscience, say the country was at this moment free.

The Lord Chancellor faid, that the words of the motion called on the House to affert the very thing that was to be made out, by the inquiry which the Noble Marquis demanded. It called upon them to affert this, in contradiction to the uniform language and refolutions they had held on the subject.—The House then divided :-Contents 9 Proxies

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3-12 72 32-104 Majority- -92. 10. Earl Guilford rofe to make his promifed motion, regarding the state of the nation. In his speech he took a review of the war from its commencement, and expatiated on its ruinous confequences. He arraigned the conduct of ministers in its management, and pointed against them the most severe reprehenfions for their attempt at negotiations for peace lately at Bafle. He concluded by a motion, (in length 13 pages) for addreffing his Majeity to declare, that minifters had forfeited their confidence, and praying his Majefty to bring about a radical reform in his councils..

The Lord Chancellor remarked, that it would have been more confiftent to have

made a motion for the removal of his Majefty's minifters, if they merited the epithets bettowed on them.

Lords Hawkesbury and Grenville defended their conduct, which was also attacked by Earl Lauderdale, Marquis Lanfdowne, and others. When the Houfe divided, there were for the motion, Contents

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Majority-90.

Earl Lauderdale called the attention of their Lordships to the fubject upon which he had moved, that the House should be fum noned-the state of the finances of the country. Upon no occa fion had he entered upon any difcuffion with fo much awe as on the prefent occafion, nor had he any difficulty in dif covering the fource of his feelings, fince the magnitude of the undertaking, the alarming aspect which it prefented to him, the want of habit which he confeffed he had in the difcuffion of queftions of finance, and ftanding oppofed in his ideas on the fubject to noble lords whofe lives had been spent in fuch inveftigations, it was natural that he should approach the subject with seriousness and

awe.

In his mind, it was the most important difcuffion upon which he ever presented himself to their Lordships. He explained how this task fell to his lot, and paid a high and most merited compliment to Lord Lansdowne, for the part of the fubject which he had fo ably taken up. The noble Marquis had difcuffed the abuses which had taken place in the administration, and had developed the foundations of expence. The noble

Lord had traced and expofed the causes; it fell to his lot to difplay the effects: and this he should do in as short and per fpicuous a way as poffible. Here his Lordship had recourfe to his figures, which he pursued in minute detail, but which are greatly too long for infertion,

Lord Hawkesbury rofe to controyert the principles of the noble Lord, in his reference to the customs, and alleged his mode of calculation was disguised. The way in which he propofed to controvert these principles, was by looking at the taxes, and taking the average of the permanent revenue. First, the diftilleries, although they were not then reftrained by act of Parliament from working, had in a great measure ceafed to do fo, on account of the high price of grain Se condly, the malt-breweries were checked 3 M 2 by

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by the fame caufe, and thirdly, the immenfe diftrefs of the community, occafioned by the exceffive high price of provisions in general, had a bad effect on the revenues, though at the fame time he bestowed his commendation on the people, for the temper and the spirit with which they ftruggled through these unforefeen inevitable difficulties. Thefe were the reasons, he obferved, why the revenues of last year ought not to be compared with thofe of 1791. To thefe the draw-backs upon fugars, being a confiderable fum, might be added, and of all the new taxes in 1794 and 1795, few, except the duty upon wine, were fubject to pay duties. He now came to the intereft of the debt, and the 1 per cent capital. The amount of the taxes and the eftimate, in the first year of the war, were nearly equal. In the fecond year of the war the taxes were more than the estimate, though fome did not begin till March, till April, and July, and what the produce of the taxes of the prefent year might be, could not be yet precifely told, though he had every reason to be. lieve they would be both competent and productive. As to the estimate of the peace establish ent in 1791, he remarked that it was not the declaration of a committee in the usual way, but of a committee fitting in judgment upon one that had preceded it-What the peace eftablishment after the prefent war would be, it was idle to prognofticate, because it depended on the fecurity and permanency of the treaty; but whatever it might be, the finking fund would continue to be paid, together with the interest of 3,500,000l. at 4 per cent. amounting to 140,000l. more. He had great pleafure in obferving the ftrength and nerve of our refources. One per cent. was paid lefs for intereft laft year than during former wars. All public works continued and increased their vigour. In 1792, the year before the war, no more than nine and twenty navigation bills were paffed, and laft year there were fortyfeven, and but one hundred and nine inclosure bills were påffed in 1792, and last year there were 217. Our commerce, contrary to experience, had encreased, although we had no commerce with France, which formerly amounted to 800,000l. although our commerce with Flanders was impeded, which formerly amounted to 1,100,000l. and although our commerce was deftroyed with Holland, amounting to 1,600,0col. De

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prived of these refources, ftill our commerce had encreased, and by the wonderful activity and energy of our merchants, although it was hut out of one fource, it had forced a paffage to another. Inftead of being blamed, he thought that minifters fhould be commended for expofing to view the whole of our burdens as they did, and for providing the capi. tal of one per cent. They had moreover anticipated a provision for funding 4,000,000l. more of navy debt, and had adopted fuch measures, that the 27,000,000l. of the unfunded debt for peace was now provided for. This appeared to him to be the real flate of our finances. If he deceived their Lordfhips, he was deceived himself. It appeared to him alfo, that fo far from being depreffed, the country was likely to continue in this profperous fituation, and on that account he moved the previous queftion.

18. Lord Lauderdale prefented a bill for the purpose of suspending the personal eftate collateral fucceflion bill, till the 1ft of January 1797. His Lordship propofed it, on the grounds that the real and perfonal eftate fucceffion bills being founded on the fame principle, and it having been intended that they should go together. It therefore appeared to him, that the one should not be allowed to have effect, fince the other had been given up. His Lordship then recapitulated feveral of his former arguments against the perfonal fucceffion bill, and moved, "That the act for suspending it for a limited time be received."

The queftion was put and negatived without a divifion.

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19. At three o'clock the King arrived at the Houfe of Lords; when the Commons were commanded to attend his Majesty foon as the Speaker, with the Commons, had entered, his Majefty delivered the following Speech from the Throne

"My Lords and Gentleman,

"The public business being now concluded I think it proper to close this Seffion, and at the fame time to acquaint you with my intention of giving immediate directions for calling a new Parliament.

"The objects which have engaged your attention during the prefent Seffion, have been of peculiar importance; and the measures which you have adopted have manifefted your continued regard to the fafety and welfare of my people.

"The happieft effects have been experienced from the provisions you have made for

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repreffing fedition and civil tumult, and for reftraining the progrefs of principles fubverfive of all established Government.

"The difficulties arifing to my fubjects from the high price of corn, have formed a principal object of your deliberation; and your affiduity in investigating that fubject has ftrongly proved your anxious defire to omit nothing which could tend to the relief of my people, in a matter of fuch general concern. I have the greatest fatisfaction in obferving, that the preffure of thofe difficulties is in a great degree removed.

"Gentlemen of the House of Commons, "I muft, in a more particular manner, return you my thanks for the liberal supplies which you have granted, to meet the exigencies of the War. While I regret the extent of those demands which the prefent circumftances neceffarily occafion, it is a great confolation to me to obferve the increasing refources by which the Country is enabled to support them. These resources are particularly manifested in the state of the feveral branches of the Revenue, in the continued and progreffive extenfion of our Navigation and Commerce, in the fteps which have been taken for maintaining and improving the Public Credit, and in the additional provifion which has been made for the reduction

of the National Debt.

"My Lords and Gentlemen,

"I fhall ever reflect with heart-felt fatisfaction on the uniform wisdom, temper, and firminefs, which have appeared in all your proceedings fince I first met you in this place. Called to deliberate on the public affairs of your Country in a period of domeftic and foreign tranquillity, you had the happiness of contributing to raise this Kingdom to a ftate of unexampled profperity -You were fuddenly compelled to relinquish the full advantages of this fituation, in order to refift the unprovoked aggreffion of an enemy, whofe hoftility was directed against all civil fociety, but mere particulary against the happy union of Order and Liberty established in thefe kingdoms. The nature of the fyftem introduced into France afforded to that country, in the midst of its calamities, the means of exertion beyond the experience of any former

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"You have omitted no opportunity to prove your juft anxiety for the re establishable terms: but you have, at the fame time, ment of General Peace on fecure and honourrendered it manifeft to the world, that, while our enemies fhall perfift in difpofitions infources nor fpirit of Englishmen will be compatible with that object, neither the rewanting to the fupport of a just cause, and to the defence of all their deareft interefts.

"A due fenfe of this conduct is deeply impreffed on my heart. I truft that all my fubjects are animated with the fame fentiments, and that their loyalty and public fpirit mutual confidence between me and my Parwill enfure the continuance of that union and liament, which beft promote the true dignity and glory of my Crown, and the genuine happiness of my people."

Then the Lord Chancellor, by his Majefty's command faid

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My Lords and Gentlemen,

"It is his Majefty's royal will and pleafure, that this Parliament be prorogued to Tuesday, the 5th day of July next, to be then here holden; and this Parliament is accordingly prorogued to Tuesday, the 5th day of July then next.”

The Speaker addressed his Majefty in a concife fpeech, in which he took a retrofpect of the Seffion: paid a compliment to the loyalty of the late Parliament, and bestowed a panegyric on the mildness of his Majesty's reign, and then retired.

Two proclamations were iffued, one diffolving the Parliament-the other for the election of the fixteen Peers for Scotland.

MONTHLY REGISTER.

ITALY.

On the 20th ult. a fufpenfion of hoftilities was agreed upon between Buonaparte te and the Duke of Parma, as appears from the following letter: "Citizen Pre

fident, You will find fubjoined the arti cles of the fufpenfion of arms that I have agreed to with the Duke of Parma. I will fend you, as foon as poffible, the finest pictures of Corregio; among o

thers.

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Since then the following events have taken place: Beaulieu again attempted to try the fate of a battle; he has been, however, completely beaten at Lodi on the 9th of May, and driven from that place; he paffed the Adda, and entrenched himself with 10,000 horfe and foot. Buonaparte in perfon marched through a fhower of grape fhot, and at the head of 4000 grenadiers attacked and carried the bridge at the point of the bayonet. Buonaparte's corps killed and took 3000 Auftrians; he alfo took 20 pieces of cannon, and 400 horfes. Night faved the remains of the Auftrian army.

18.The directory received the following letter from Buonaparte.-"I announced to you, citizens directors, in my laft letter, the retreat of the Auftrian army, which repaffed the Po at Valence. It fortified itself along the Loggona, from Terdoppio and Tefin, on purpose to defend the entrance of the Milanefe. After different marches and movements, to make him think I wished to pafs at Valence, I went by a forced march to Caftel St Gioamei with 3000 thousand grenadiers and 1500 horfe. At 11 o'clock at night the chief the battalion of artillery, Andreoffy, and the adjutant-general Frontine, marched with 100 cavalry along the banks of the Po to Placenza, and stopped five boats laden with rice, officers, 500 fick, and all the medicines of the army. At nine in the morning we arrived on the Po, oppofite Placenza. On the oppofite fide there were two fquadrons of huffars, who appeared determined to difpute the paffage. We leaped into the boats, failed acrofs, and after fome charges of mufquetry, the enemy's cavalry retired. The chief of brigade, Lafue, was the firft who put foot on earth. The divifions of the army, who were all at different diftances, quickened their march the moment they faw this movement take place, and passed at the fame time. Beaulieu, informed of our march, was convinced, too late, of the inutility of his fortifications at Tefin, and his redoubts at Pavia, that the French republicans were not fo filly as Francis the first. He ordered a

body of 6000 men and 2000 horfe to meet us, to oppose our debarkation, and to attack us before we should be formed. He deceived himself in his calculations. At noon, apprised that a division of the enemy was near us, we marched; the enemy had 20 pieces of cannon, and were entrenched in the village of Fombio. Gen. Dallemague, with the grenadiers, made the attack on the right; the adjutant-general Lanus on the road; the chief of brigade Lafne on the left. After a fmart cannonade and a vigorous refiftance, the enemy began to think of retreating; we purfued them to l'Alcida; they loft a part of their baggage, 300 horfe, and 500 killed or prifoners, among whom are many officers. During the night, another body of Auftrians of 5000 men, who were at Cafal, departed at four, to go and affift thofe at Fombio, arrived at Codogno the head-quarters of Gen. Laharpe, which place they reached at midnight; they sent forth fome men, who put our centinels to flight. Gen. Laharpe mounted his horse to know exactly what was the matter. He made a half brigade advance; the enemy were put to the route and disappeared; but by an irreparable misfortune for the army, Gen. Laharpe, struck by a ball, fell inftantly dead. Gen- Berthier went inftantly to Codogno; he put fued the enemy and took Cafal, and a great quantity of baggage."

May 24. Buonaparte writes to the di rectory, that after the combat of Fombio, we pursued the enemy as far as Pizzighitone, but were unable to crofs the Adda.. After the battle of Lodi, Beaulieu retired upon Pizzighitone, and on the 22d Floreal, fell back to Cremona. The former place we invested, and after a smart cannonade, they opened their gates; we made 300 prifoners, and took five pieces of brais cannon. Our cavalry is fent in purfuit of the enemy. The city of Cremona has opened its gates, and all Lombardy now belongs to the republic.

25. Letters of this date ftate, that the city of Bologna, belonging to the Pope, the largest, after Rome, in the Ecclefiaftical States, is in the poffeffion of the French. The French advanced posts penetrated as far as Urbino, to which place the Pope has fent deputies to make remonftrances against these hoftile proceedings in his dominions, and to declare his pacific fentiments. The French General

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Art. I. There fhall be a fufpenfion of arms between the army of the French republic and the Duke of Parma, till a peace can be concluded between the two ftates. The Duke of Parma fhall fend plenipotentiaries to Paris, to the executive directory.

II. The Duke of Parma fhall pay a military contribution of two millions of livres of French money; to be paid either in bills of exchange on Genoa, or in ready money. Five hundred thousand livres fhall be paid in five days, and the remainder in the following decade.

III. Twelve hundred draught horfes, harnaffed, with their collars, fhall be fent; alfo 400 for dragoons, harneffed, and 100 faddle horses for fuperior of ficers.

IV. There fhall also be sent 20 pictures, to be chofen by the commander in chief, from among thofe now in the duchy.

V. Ten thousand quintals of wheat, and 5000 of oats, fhall be fent to the magazines of the army at Tortone, within 15 days; and at the same time there fhall alfo be fent 2000 bullocks for the fervice of the army.

VI. Provided the above contributions are made, the dominions of the Duke of Parma fhall be treated like neutral ftates, till the conclufion of the negotiations about to be entered into at Paris.

BUONAPARTE.
ANTONIO PALLAVICINI.
FILIPO DALLA ROSA.

Head-quarters, Placenza, 2d Floreal.

June 6. Intelligence have been received at Paris, of an infurrection having broke out in Lombardy againft the French, particularly at Pavia, Milan, and Placentia.

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timents, and to refume hoftilities, in order to put a period to an unfortunate war, which fo much hurts his feelings. In confequence hereof, I have the honour to acquaint you, that pursuant to the ftipulated conditions of the armiftice, the officer who delivers this letter is ordered to remain with you until the expiration of the term of ten days, to be computed from his arrival at your advanced pofts; and that the fufpenfion of arms is to ceafe the moment when that' term is to elapfe. You will be so good as to certify the arrival of the faid officer, and the receipt of this notification. I have the honour to be, &c. &c. May 21, 1796. "BARON DE KRAY," The French papers announce that three actions have taken place on the Rhine. The firft action appears to have happened on the 31ft of May, in the Hundfruck, between the army of the Sambre and Meufe, commanded by Gen. Jourdan, and the Auftrians. This in the French accounts is more flightly spoken of than the others. Jourdan took the firft opportunity of attacking the enemy's army, and according to the official report, the Auftrians were driven from pofitions which they in vain attempted to recover the following day. The next is mentioned as the more brilliant. This was the victory obtained by Gen. Kleber on the 1ft of June.

Another engagement happened on the 4th of June, at Altenkirchen, between the forces under Gen. Kleber and the Auftrian army, which he had defeated on the ift. This is briefly described as a victory, no lefs decifive than the former. When the fe accounts came away, the official details had not been publifhed at Paris; but it was ftated, on the authority of private letters, that General Kleber had attacked an entrenched camp of the Austrians, and completely routed them, making 3000 prifoners, and taking 12 pieces of cannon.

PARIS.

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