The Speaker's Speech to the King on presenting the Money Bills.] May 26. The King being come to the House of Peers, to put an end to the session, sent for the Commons: the Speaker, with the House, went up, and previous to the royal assent being given to the Bills which were ready, The Speaker delivered himself to the following purport;

Sir; your faithful Commons present to you three Money Bills; the first for raising money by loans of Exchequer bills for the service of the year 1775; the second for establishing a lottery, and for paying off 1,000,000l. 3 per cent. annuities, and for other purposes therein mentioned; and the other for appropriating the surplusses of the sinking fund for the service of the current year. These are all necessary grants, but they are yet very heavy, and are what nothing but the particular exigencies of the times could justify, in a time of profound peace. The unhappy differences in America, have been the chief cause of this expence; and I trust, that when the people of America see, in a proper light, the conduct of this country, they will learn to pay proper obedience to the laws; if, on the contrary, they should persist in their resolutions, and that the sword must be drawn, your faithful Commons will do every thing in their power to maintain and support the supremacy of this legislature. A great part of the session has been taken up in determining complaints respecting controverted elections. I cannot but admire the wisdom of the last parliament in enacting that law; neither can I withhold the praise justly due to the committees who have acted so much to the satisfaction of the public, and so fully in discharge of their own consciences. On the whole, Sir, I make no doubt but you will faithfully apply the money thus granted to the purposes for which it was appropriated.

The King's Speech at the Close of the Session.] His Majesty, after giving the royal assent to several Bills, put an end to the Session with the following Speech to both Houses:

"My Lords, and Gentlemen, "I cannot, in justice to you, forbear to express my entire satisfaction in your con

duct, during the course of this important session.

"You have maintained, with a firm and steady resolution, the rights of my crown and the authority of parliament, which I shall ever consider as inseparable. You have protected and promoted the commercial interests of my kingdoms; and have at the same time given convincyou ing proofs of your readiness (as far as the constitution will allow you) to gratify the wishes and remove the apprehensions of my subjects in America; and I am persuaded, that the most salutary effects must in the end result from measures formed and conducted on such principles.

"The late mark of your affectionate attachment to me and to the Queen, and the zeal and unanimity which accompanied it, demand my particular thanks.

"I have the satisfaction to acquaint you, that, as well from the general dispositions of other powers, as from the solemn assurances which I have received, I have great reason to expect the continuance of peace. Nothing, on my part, consistent with the maintenance of the honour and interest of my kingdoms, shall be wanting to secure the public tranquillity.

"Gentlemen of the House of Commons, "It gives me much concern, that the unhappy disturbances in some of my colonies have obliged me to propose an auged me from completing the intended rementation of my army, and have preventduction of the establishment of my naval forces. I cannot sufficiently thank you for the cheerfulness and public spirit with which you have granted the supplies for the services of the current year.

"My Lords, and Gentlemen,

"I have nothing to desire of you, but to use your best endeavours to preserve and to cultivate in your several counties the same regard for public order, and the same discernment of their true interests, which have in these times distinguished the character of my faithful and beloved people; and the continuance of which cannot fail to render them happy at home, and respected abroad.”

The Parliament was then prorogued to the 27th of July, and was afterwards further prorogued to the 26th of October.

SECOND SESSION

OF THE

FOURTEENTH PARLIAMENT

OF

GREAT BRITAIN.

The King's Speech on Opening the Session.*] October 26, 1775. The King came to the House of Peers, and opened the Session with the following Speech:

"My Lords, and Gentlemen; "The present situation of America, and my constant desire to have your advice, concurrence, and assistance on every important occasion, have determined me to call you thus early together.

"Those who have long too successfully laboured to inflame my people in America, by gross misrepresentations, and to infuse into their minds a system of opinions repugnant to the true constitution of the colonies, and to their subordinate relation to Great Britain, now openly avow their revolt, hostility, and rebellion. They have raised troops, and are collecting a naval force; they have seized the public revenue, and assumed to themselves legislative, executive, and judicial powers, which they already exercise in the most arbitrary manner over the persons and properties of their fellow subjects. And although many of these unhappy people may still retain their loyalty, and may be too wise not to see the fatal consequence of this usurpation, and wish to resist it, yet the torrent of violence has been strong enough to compel their acquiescence till a sufficient force shall appear to support them.

"The authors and promoters of this desperate conspiracy have, in the conduct of it, derived great advantage from the difference of our intention and theirs. They meant only to amuse, by vague expressions of attachment to the parent state, and the strongest protestations of loyalty to me, whilst they were preparing for a general revolt. On our part, though it was declared in your last session that a rebellion existed within the province of the Massachuset's Bay, yet even that province we wished rather to reclaim than to subdue. The resolutions of parliament

*For a summary view of the General State of Public Affairs in England and America, previcus to and about the time of the Meeting of Parliament, see Annual Register for 1776, p. 36-55.

breathed a spirit of moderation and forbearance; conciliatory propositions accompanied the measures taken to enforce authority, and the coercive acts were adapted to cases of criminal combinations amongst subjects not then in arms. I have acted with the same temper, anxious

to

fusion of the blood of my subjects, and the prevent, if it had been possible, the efcalamities which are inseparable from a state of war; still hoping that my people

in America would have discerned the traitorous views of their leaders, and have been convinced, that to be a subject of Great Britain, with all its consequences, is to be the freest member of any civil society in the known world.

"The rebellious war now levied is become more general, and is manifestly carried on for the purpose of establishing an independent empire. I need not dwell upon the fatal effects of the success of such a plan. The object is too important, the spirit of the British nation too high, the

resources with which God hath blessed her too numerous, to give up so many colonies which she has planted with great industry, nursed with great tenderness, encouraged with many commercial advantages, and protected and defended at much expence

of blood and treasure.

"It is now become the part of wisdom and (in its effects) of clemency, to put a speedy end to these disorders by the most decisive exertions. For this purpose I have increased my naval establishment, and greatly augmented my land forces; but in such a manner as may be the least burthensome to my kingdoms.

"I have also the satisfaction to inform you, that I have received the most friendly offers of foreign assistance; and if I shall

make

any treaties in consequence thereof, they shall be laid before you. And I have, in testimony of my affection for my peo ple, who can have no cause in which I am not equally interested, sent to the garri of my electoral troops, in order that a sons of Gibraltar and Port Mahon, a part larger number of the established forces of this kingdom may be applied to the main tenance of its authority; and the national militia, planned and regulated with equal regard to the rights, safety, and protection of my crown and people, may give a farther extent and activity to our military operations.

"When the unhappy and deluded multitude, against whom this force will be directed, shall become sensible of their

"To the King's most excellent Majesty, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons of Great Britain in Parliament assembled. The Address, Petition, and Memorial of the Representatives of the Freeholders of the province of Nova Scotia, in General Assembly.

"Your loyal and ever dutiful House of Assembly of the province of Nova Scotia, most humbly beg leave to address our gracious sovereign, and both Houses of Parliament, at this dreadful and alarming crisis, when civil discord, and its melancholy consequences, are impending over all British America.

"Actuated by the warmest ties of duty and affection to the person and family of our most gracious sovereign, animated with the firmest attachment to the mother country, zealous to support her power and consequence, over all the British dominions, and dreading a separation from her government and protection, as the greatest political evil which can befall us or our posterity.

"Influenced by the principles of humanity and the just rights of mankind in civil society, we tremble at the gloomy prospect before us, we feel for our gracious King, we feel for our mother country, of which many of us are natives, we feel for the British American race, once the most loyal, virtuous, and happy of mankind; animated with such principles, may we not approach the supreme legislature of the British empire, and as dutiful children of just and indulgent parents, may we not most humbly solicit for such regulations as we conceive most likely to preserve the inhabitants of this province in duty and allegiance to our King, in rendering permanent their connection with, and dependence on the supreme legislature of Great Britain, and preserving inviolably to us, and our posterity, the just rights of men in civil society.

tish dominions, and that it is our indispen sable duty to pay a due proportion of the expence of this great empire.

"Having thus, as obedient subjects, acknowledged our duty to our King, and our willing submission to the supreme legislature of the British empire, we humbly request the right of being heard in respect of our grievances or wishes; and as our proceedings in this assembly may possibly have some influence with other assemblies in America, we humbly hope it will not seem presuming if we enter on the subject.

"We humbly conceive it will be necessary to the peace and happiness of the British empire, that the tax to be raised in the colonies, and which shall be at the disposal of the British parliament, and the proportion of each colony toward the imperial expence, should be of such a nature, as it may never after be necessary to alter it.

"We are also humbly of opinion, that this tax should be of such a nature as should not depreciate, but should increase in the same ratio with the affluence of the inhabitants of this province.

"We are also humbly of opinion, that the tax should be of such a nature, as not to be liable to be affected by the increase or diminution of the metals of gold and silver in the world.

"From these considerations we humbly offer it as our opinion that the fittest tax for this purpose would be a duty of so much per cent. upon all commodities imported into this province, not being the produce of the British dominions in Europe and America, (except the article of bay salt): this tax will include almost all the luxuries made use of, and will increase in an equal ratio with the affluence of the inhabitants; and if the rates of the several articles are fixed every ten years, for the future and subsequent ten years, it will not be liable to depreciate in value by the increase of the metals of gold and silver.