PARLIAMENT. King's speech 561. Lords addrefs 562. Commons address 563. Debate in the House of Lords on the motion for an addrefs 564-569. Protest 569.

-Commons on the address 569.-572. On knowing the WORLD at an early age

572.

IRISH PARLIAMENT. On the trade with Portugal $77. Altercation $78. On the mutiny-act 579.

AMERICA. Particulars of the naval engagement off the Chesapeak 583. Wathington's movements $86. Expedition to New London ib. American account of the taking of Fort Griswold $89. Adm. Digby arrives at New York 590. The fleet fails for the Chesapeak 591. Clinton's account of Cornwallis's deplorable fituation ib. Cornwallis's letter to Clinton ib. Operations of the French fleet 592. Count de Graffe to the Chevalier de la Luzerne ib. Rochambeau's journal ib.

Some account of the Manners of the NEAPOLITANS $74.

JOHN BULL to be cognofced for an Idiot

593.

Account of the NARROWS in Connecticut river 594.

Account of a fingular custom kept up at SALENCY in Picardy $95.

State of SMUGGLING in 1777 $91. EXPENCES of the election of a member of parliament 597.

POETRY. Elegiac verfes $98. Ode for the year 1981 599. Defcription of Chloe, a fong 600. Caftles in the air ib. The firft English epigram ib.

HISTORICAL AFFAIRS. Ruffia and United Provinces 601. Germany 603. Italy, Switzerland, France, and Portugal 60s. England 606.

LISTS. Captures 613. Marriages 614. Birth, Deaths, and Preferments 615. Prices of Grain, Meal, and Stocks, and Mortality-bill 616.

PARLIAMENT, Seff. 1781-2.

I

N pursuance of a Royal proclamation, dated, Oct. 12. the parliament met, at Westminster, on Tuesday, Nov. 27.The King opened the feffion with the following fpeech.

"My Lords and Gentlemen, WHEN I laft met you in parliament, I acquainted you with the arduous fituation of public affairs at that time, and I reprefented to you the objects which I had in view, and the resolution with which I was determined to persevere in the defence of my dominions against the combined power of my enemies, until fuch a pacification could be made as might confift with the honour of my crown, and the permanent intereft and VOL. XLIII.

fecurity of my people. The war is ftill unhappily prolonged by that restless ambition which firft excited our enemies to commence it, and which ftill continues to disappoint my earnest defire and diligent exertion to restore the public tranquillity: But I fhould not answer the truft committed to the fovereign of a free people, nor make a fuitable return to my fubjects for their conftant, zealous, and affectionate attachment to my perfon, family, and government, if I confented to facrifice, either to my own defire of peace, or to their temporary ease and re. lief, thofe effential rights and permanent interefts, upon the maintenance and prefervation of which the future ftrength and fecurity of this country must ever principally depend.

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The

The favourable appearance of our affairs in the East Indies, and the fafe and profperous arrival of the numerous com mercial fleets of my kingdoms, muft have given you fatisfaction; but, in the course of this year, my affiduous endeavours to guard the extenfive dominions of my crown have not been attended with fuccefs equal to the juftice and uprightness of my views; and it is with great concern that I inform you, that the events of war have been very unfortunate to my arms in Virginia, having ended in the lofs of my forces in that province.

No endeavours have been wanting on my part to extinguifh that fpirit of rebellion, which our enemies have found means to foment and maintain in the colonies, and to restore to my deluded fub. jects in America that happy and profper ous condition which they formerly derived from a due obedience to the laws; but the late misfortune in that quarter calls loudly for your firm concurrence and afliftance to fruftrate the defigns of our enemies, equally prejudicial to the real interefts of America and to thofe of Great Britain.

In the ìafl feffion you made a confiderable progrefs in your inquiries into the ftate and condition of our dominions and révenues in the Eaft Indies. You will, I am perfuaded, refume the profecution of that important deliberation with the fame fpirit and temper in which it was begun, and proceed with the fame attention and anxiety to confider how thofe remote provinces may be held and governed with the greateft fecurity and advantage to this country, and by what means the happinefs of the native inhabitants may be beft promoted.

Gentlemen of the House of Commons,

I will order the eftimates for the enfuing year to be laid before you. I rely on your wisdom and public fpirit for fuch fupplies as the circumftances of our af fairs shall be found to require. Among the many ill confequences which attend the continuation of the prefent war, I moft fincerely regret the additional burdens which it muft unavoidably bring upon my faithful fubjects.

My Lords and Gentlemen, In the profecution of this great and important conteft in which we are engaged, I retain a firm confidence in the protection of Divine Providence, and a perfect conviction of the juftice of my cause; and I have no doubt, but that by the concurrence and fupport of my par

liament, by the valour of my fleets and armies, and by a vigorous, animated, and united exertion of the faculties and refources of my people, I shall be enabled to reftore the bleffing of a safe and honourable peace to all my dominions.” The Lords address, presented Nov. 28. "Moft Gracious Sovereign,

WE, your Majetty's moft dutiful and loyal fubjects, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in parliament affembled, beg leave to return your Majefty our humble thanks for your moft gracious speech from the throne.

It is with equal concern and indignation that we fee the war prolonged by that reftlefs ambition which firft excited your Majefty's enemies to commence it, and which ftill continues to difappoint your Majefty's earneft defire and diligent exertion to restore the public tranquillity.

We acknowledge, with the fincereft and warmeft gratitude, your Majesty's wifdom and conftant attention to the real welfare of your people, equally confpicuous in your earnest desire of peace, and in your fixed and unalterable resolution never to facrifice, either to that defire, or to the temporary eafe and relief of your fubjects, thofe effential rights and permanent interefts, upon the maintenance and prefervation of which the future ftrength and fecurity of this country must ever principally depend.

We feel great fatisfaction in the favourable appearance of our affairs in the Eaft Indies, and in the safe and profperous arrival of the numerous commercial fleets of these kingdoms; but we regret that in the course of this year your Majefty's affiduous endeavours to guard the extenfive dominions of your crown have not been attended with fuccefs equal to the juftice and uprightness of your Majefty's views; and we lament that the events of war have been so unfortunate to your Majefty's arms in Virginia.

We are gratefully fenfible of the parental folicitude your Majefty has fhewn for the general happinefs of your people, in the endeavours your Majefty has used to extinguifh that spirit of rebellion which our enemies have found means to foment and maintain in the colonies, and to reftore to your deluded fubje&s in America that happy and profperous condition which they formerly derived from a due obedience to the laws; and we beg leave to affure your Majesty of our firm con

currence

currence and affistance to fruftrate the defigns of our enemies, equally preju dicial to the real interefts of America and to thofe of Great Britain.

We will, without lofs of time, refume the deliberation upon the ftate and condition of the British poffeffions and revenues in the East Indies, will carry it on with the fame fpirit and temper in which it was begun, and proceed with the fame attention and anxiety to confider how those remote provinces may be held and governed with the greateft fecurity and advantage to this country, and by what means the happiness of the native inhabitants may be best promoted.

Firmly refolved to decline no difficulty or hazard in the defence of our country, and for the preservation of its effential rights and interefts, we shall continue to give our moft hearty concurrence and fupport in the profecution of the great and important contest in which we are engaged.

We rely upon the protection of Divine Providence in fo juft a caufe, and fully trust that by the concurrence and fupport which we fhall moft chearfully give, by the valour of your Majesty's fleets and armies, and by the vigorous, animated, and united exertions of the faculties and refources of your people, your Majefty will be enabled to disappoint the ambitious defigns of your enemies, and to reftore the bleffing of a fafe and honourable peace to all your dominions."

The Commons address, prefeated Nov. 29.

"Moft Gracious Sovereign, WE, your Majefty's moft dutiful and loyal fubjects, the Commons of Great Britain in parliament affembled, return your Majefty the thanks of this Houfe, for your moft gracious fpeech from the throne.

We affure your Majefty, that we fee with concern that the war is ftill unhappily prolonged by that reftlefs ambition which firft excited our enemies to commence it, and which ftill continues to difappoint your Majefty's earnest defire and diligent exertion to reftore the public tranquillity.

We are fenfibly affected by your Ma. jefty's paternal expreffions of concern for the real welfare of your fubjects; and we receive with the ftrongest emo'tions of duty and gratitude your Majefty's gracious and endearing, declaration, that you should not anfwer the trust

committed to the sovereign of a free people, nor make a fuitable return to your fubjects for their constant, zealous, and affectionate attachment to your perfon, family, and government, if you confented to facrifice, either to your own defire of peace, or to their temporary ease and relief, those effential rights and permanent interests, upon the mainte nance and prefervation of which the future ftrength and fecurity of this country must ever principally depend.

We declare on our part, that we know no means of making to your Majefty any return fo fuitable and fo juft, and of anfwering the great truft committed to us by thofe whom we reprefent, as by giving your Majefty this firm affurance, that we are refolved to affift and fupport your Majefty to the utmost of our power, in maintaining and preferving the effential rights and permanent interefts of your crown and people.

The favourable appearance of affairs in the Eaft Indies, and the safe and profperous arrival of the numerous commercial fleets of your kingdom, have given us great fatisfaction; but we fincerely regret, that your Majesty's affiduous endeavours to guard your extenfive dominions have not in all places been attended with fuccefs; and we learn with the deepest concern, that the events of war have been very unfortunate to your Majesty's arms in Virginia, and have ended in the lofs of your forces in that province.

We are fully perfuaded, that the principal view of the confederacy of our enemies, was to foment and maintain the rebellion in North America; and, under the fpecious delufion of the establishment of an independent empire, to render your Majesty's colonies fubfervient to the power and influence of the crown of France but your Majesty may rely on our steady affiftance to fecond your Ma jefty's endeavours to defeat the dangerous defigns of our enemies, equally prejudicial to the real interests of America and to thofe of Great Britain.

We will not fail to refume the great and momentous confideration of the state and condition of the dominions and revenues which this country poffeffes in the Eaft Indies; and we trust that, in our deliberations on thefe important matters, we fhall proceed with the fame fpirit and temper in which they were begun, and with the fame care and anxiety to confi der how those remote provinces may be 4 B 2

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