It gives me the most fincere fatisfaction to be authorized to inform you, that notwithstanding the advantages which the enemy poffeffed at the commencement of the last year, and the fucceffes which attended their operations in the former parts of the campaign, the general fituation of affairs is on the whole moft effentially improved. The continued and brilliant fucceffes of the Austrian armies upon the Rhine; the important captures of the Cape of Good Hope and of Trincomale by his majefty's forces, and the decided fuperiority of his fleets, are circumftances of the utmost importance to the common caufe; and their effect is ftrengthened by the internal diftreffes, the ruined, commerce, and increafing financial embarraffments of the enemy. The crifis lately depending in France has led to an order of things in that country, fuch as will induce his majefty to meet any difposition to negotiation on the part of the enemy with an earnest defire to give it the fulleft and fpeedieft effect, and to conclude a treaty of general peace when it may be effected on juft and fuitable terms for himself and his allies. The treaty of commerce between his majefty and the United States of America having been mutually ratified, I have ordered copies of it, by his majefty's command, to be laid before you. I have the pleasure to announce to you, that her royal highnets the princefs of Wales has been happily delivered of a princefs; an event, which, by giving additional ftability to his majefty's auguft houfe, cannot fail to afford you the highest fatisfaction. Gentlemen of the House of I obferve with the fincereft pleafure that notwithstanding the continued preffure of the war, the commerce and revenues of this kingdom have not in any degree fallen from that flourishing ftate of advancement, which in the last feffion of Parliament was a subject of fuch juft congratulation. This circumftance affords a decifive proof that your profperity is founded on a folid bafis, and leads me to indulge the flattering hope, that whatever additional burthens you may find it neceffary to impofe, will not be materially felt by the people. I have ordered the public accounts and eftimates for the enfuing year to be laid before you, and have no doubt of your readinefs to provide fuch fupplies as a due fenfe of the exigencies of the kingdom fhall fuggeft, and the wife policy of ftrengthening his majefty's exertions for procuring a folid and permanent peace fhall appear to render neceffary. My Lords and Gentlemen, It is with regret that I feel myfelf obliged to advert to those fecret and treafonable affociations, the dangerous extent and malignity of which have in fome degree been difclofed on feveral trials, and to the difturbances which have taken place in fome parts of the kingdom. It has at the fame time been a fource of great fatifaction to me to obferve the fuccefsful and meritorious exertions of the magiftrates in feveral parts of the kingdom, and the alacrity which his Majefty's regular and militia forces have univerfally manifefted in aid of the civil power, whenever they have been called upon for the prefervation fervation of the peace, and fupport of the laws. It remains for your prudence and wisdom to devife fuch measures as, together with a continuance of thofe exertions, and the additional powers, which, by the advice of the privy council, I have thought it neceffary to eftablith in different counties, will prevent the return of fimilar exceffes, and reftore a proper reverence for the laws of the country. The fuperior and increafing im portance of the agriculture and manufactures, and particularly of the linen manufacture of the kingdom, will command your utmoft fupport. Under the prefent fituation of Europe you cannot fail to attend with peculiar vigilance to the general ftate of provifions; and if circumftances fhall at any time render your interpofition advifable, I have no doubt of your adopting fuch measures as fhall beft apply to the exifting neceffity of the times. I am defirous of pointing your attention to the proteftant charter fchools, and other inftitutions of public charity and improvement. Your unanimity and zeal can never be of more importance than at the prefent crifis, in order to imprefs the enemy with a thorough conviction of the refources of his Majefty's kingdoms, and to procure a favourable termination to your honourable efforts. His Majefty has the fulleft reliance on your firmness and attachment, and on the fortitude, fpirit, and perfeverance of his people. It will be my ambition, as it is my duty, to represent your zeal to his Majefty's fervice; and it will be my perfonal and most anxious wish to co-operate with your efforts in the common caufe in which we are all equally engaged and inte" refted, and my utmoft endeavours fhall be used to fecure the happinefs and profperity of this kingdom, and to protect and maintain its moft excellent conftitution. Speech of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland to both Houses of Parliament, April 15, 1796. My Lords and Gentlemen, IN releafing you from farther attendance in parliament, I am peculiarly commanded by his majefty to thank you for that confpicuous zeal and unanimity, fo honourable to yourselves and fo impreffive on our enemies, which have marked your conduct through the whole. feffion, in promoting by your energy and temper the interests of your country, and in fupporting by your fpirit and liberality the common caufe of the empire. His majefty has taken the steps which appeared moft proper for fetting on foot a negotiation for general peace, if the enemy should be difpofed to enter into fuch negotiation on grounds confiftent with the fafety, honour and intereft of his majefty's kingdoms and of his allies. If his majefty's views in this refpect fhould fail, he has no doubt. that the valour of his fubjects, the refources of his kingdoms, and the exertions of the powers engaged with him, will ultimately produce this defirable end. the year, and it affords me the higheft fatisfaction to reflect that thefe objects have been attained by burthens, fo judiciously impofed, that they can fcarcely affect the lower orders of the people. It is equally fatisfactory to obferve that your ftrength and profperity remain undiminished, notwithstanding the preffure of the war, and it will be my endeavour to cherish your refources, and apply your liberality with economy and prudence. My Lords and Gentlemen, The inquiries I had ordered to be made with regard to the produce of the laft harveft, and the measures taken by you to prevent the export of grain, muft relieve the public mind from an apprehenfion of fcarcity. If any illicit means fhould be attempted, to evade the provifions of the laws, which have been enacted upon this important fubject, I fhall not be inattentive in exercifing those powers with which I am entrusted. The vigorous meafures you have adopted for the fuppreflion of infurrection and outrage, and the wife provifions you have made for preventing the extenfion of fimilar offences, must have the moft falutary effects. The new regulation of licences under the fuperintendence of magiftrates, will tend to promote tranquillity and fobriety. The eftablishment of more frequent feffions of the peace will afford an eafy and expeditious adminiftration of juftice in the different diftricts throughout the kingdom. The liberal increase of the falaries of the judges, and the alteration of the civil bill jurifdiction, for the convenience of the lower ranks of the people, will enfure the conftant and regular attention of his majef These measures cannot but demonftrate to the people at large the firmnefs and the temper of parliament, which, whilft it is determined to reprefs the exceffes of licentioufnefs and outrage, is at the fame time anxious to ensure to the country thofe permanent advantages of fecurity, peace and good order, which are to be derived from a prompt and upright adminiftration of justice. I cannot too ftrongly recommend it to you to give effect to thefe benefits by your example and prefence, and I am confident, that when you are relieved from your duty in parliament, all ranks and defcriptions of his majefty's faithful fubjects will feel themfelves protected by your exertions and authority in your different counties. Your kind declarations in favour of my administration make the deepest impretlions upon my feelings. If I have any claim to your confidence and good opinion, it arifes from the fidelity with which I have reprefented to his majefty your loyalty and zeal, and from the fincere defire I feel to conform my conduct to your fentiments.-Great Britain and Ireland form one empire; they are infeparably connected; they muft ftand or fall together; and we are all equally engag ed, becaufe we are all equally interefted in the common cause of defending and upholding our religion, our laws, and our conftitution. Speech of Earl Camden Lord Lieut. of Ireland to both ticnfes of Parliament, October 13, 1796. My My Lords and Gentlemen, I have his majefty's commands to acquaint you, that he has thought it neceflary to require your attendance in parliament at this early period, and to refort to your deliberative wifdom at a time when the ambitious projects of our enemies have threatened to interrupt the happiness and profperity of his people, by making a defcent on this kingdom and Great Britain. And although his majefty looks forward with the utmost confidence to the fpirit, loyalty, and ability of his faithful people of Ireland to repel fuch an attack, it will yet become your wifdom to neglect no precautions which may preclude the attempt, or fecure the speedieft means of turning it to the confufion of the enemy. His majefty has been graciously pleafed to direct an addition to be made to the regular forces in this kingdom, by troops fent from Great Britain, the greater part of which is already arrived; and in purfuance of his majefty's commands, I have alfo encouraged the loyalty and zealous difpofition, which has generally difplayed itfelf, to affociate in arms, under his majefty's authority, for the better fecurity of property, and the prefervation of tranquillity and good order. In confequence of the fteps which his majefty has taken to refiore peace to Europe, and fecure its future tranquillity, a way has at length been opened for an immediate and direct negotiation; and I am commanded to acquaint you, that it is his majefty's intention to fend a perfon to Paris, with full powers to treat for the refloration of general peace. The apparently hoftile difpofi tions and conduct of the court of Spain has led to difcuffions, of which I am not able to acquaint you with the final refult; but, whatever may be their iffue, they cannot but afford to Europe a further proof of his majesty's moderation and forbearance, and cannot fail to animate your utmost exertions in defending the dignity, rights, and intereft of the empire against every aggreffion. In reviewing the events of this year, it muft afford you the greatest fatisfaction to obferve, that by the fpirit and exertions of his majesty's navy, the commerce of this kingdom has been protected in a degree almoft beyond example; and in no part more completely, than by the ikill, activity, and bravery of the fquadron ftationed on the coafts of this kingdom. The fuccefs of his majefty's arms in the Eaft and Weft Indies, has been highly honourable and advantageous to the empire; and evinces, in the strongest manner, the valour and good conduct of his forces both by fea and land. The fteady and dignified conduc of the emperor, and the intrepidity of the Auftrian forces under the command of the archduke Charles, have given fo effential a change to the alpect of affairs on the continent, as to infpire a well-grounded confidence that the final refult of the campaign will be fuch as materially to promote his majefty's endeavours to obtain a fafe and honourable peace for himfelf and his allics. in the laft feffion of parliament,. has been amply proved by the outrages, which they were intended to fupprefs having in a great meafure fubfided. I am, however, to lament, that in one part of the country good order has not yet been entirely restored, and that in other diftricts a treasonable system of fecret confederation, by the adminiftering of illegal oaths, ftill continues, although no means within the reach of government have been left untried to counteract it. Gentlemen of the House of Commons, I have ordered to be laid before you an account of fuch articles of expence as are not included in the eftimate of the current year, and which the present circumstances have rendered neceffary; and when you confider the great interefts for which we are engaged, and the objects for which we are contending, I doubt not that you will grant the fupplies which may be requifite for them with your accustomed chearfulness and liberality; and when the ordinary accounts and eftimates for the ensuing year fhall be laid before you, I truft you will then proceed with the zeal you have always manifefted in providing for the exigencies of the flate, and the honourable fupport of his majefty's government. You will not fail at a proper time to continue your attention to the manufactures, the agriculture, and the commerce of the country, and to extend your accustomed benevolence to the proteftant charterfchools, and the other inftitutions of education and charity which have been fo long fottered by your liberal encouragement. The profperity and refources of the kingdom, fo highly improved by your meritorious care, ftill remain unimpaired by the pressure of war; and I trust to your unremit ting attention for the further advancement of your national prof perity. You have learnt the steps which his majefty has taken to procure the bleffings of general peace upon a folid and permanent bafis. Should thefe gracious endeavours of his majefty not be followed by the fuccefs which he has every reason to expect, he is fatisfied that the affections, courage, and prefervance, of his people, will enable him to fruftrate the defigns of our enemies, and to maintain the honour and dignity of his crown. It will afford me the highest fatisfaction to be aided at this im portant crifis by your advice, and I rely with a confidence you have taught me to indulge, upon your liberal interpretation of my conduct, and upon that fupport I have fo amply experienced fince I received his majefty's commands to repair to this country; and it will be peculiarly gratifying to me, if I fhould have the good fortune, in the adminiftration of the king's government, to imprets upon your minds the full extent of his majef ty's paternal care of this kingdom, and of my own anxiety to promote, by every means, its interefts, its fafety, and its prosperity. A Proclamation by the Lord Lieutenant and Council of Ireland. |