"My Lords, and Gentlemen, "We are commanded by his Royal High new the Prince Regent to inform you, that it is with great concern that he is obliged to announce to you the continuance of his Majesty's lamented indisposition. "The Prince Regent is persuaded that you will deeply participate in the aflic. tion with which his Royal Highness has been visited, by the calamitous and untimely death of his beloved and only child the Princess Charlotte. been in a state of progressive improvement in its most important branches. "My Lords, and Gentlemen, "We are commanded by the Prince Regent to inform you, that he has concluded Treaties with the courts of Spain and Portugal, on the important subject of the Abolition of the Slave Trade. "His Royal Highness has directed that a copy of the former Treaty should be immediately laid before you; and he will order a similar communication to be made of the latter treaty, as soon as the_ratification of it shall have been exchanged. "Under this awful dispensation of Providence, it has been a soothing consolation to the Prince Regent's heart, to receive" In these negociations it has been his from all descriptions of his Majesty's sub- Royal Highness's endeavour, as far as cir jects the most cordial assurances both of cumstances would permit, to give effect to their just sense of the loss which they have the recommendations contained in the joint sustained, and of their sympathy with his Addresses of the two Houses of Parlia parental sorrow : And, amidst his own ment: And his Royal Highness has a full sufferings, his Royal Highness has not been reliance on your readiness to adopt such unmindful of the effect which this sad event measures as may be necessary for fulfilling must have on the interests and future Pros the engagement into which he has entered for pects of the kingdom. that purpose. "We are commanded to acquaint you, that the Prince Regent continues to receive from Foreign Powers the strongest assurances of their friendly disposition towards this Country, and of their desire to maintain the general tranquillity. "His Royal Highness has the satisfaction of being able to assure you, that the confi dence which he has invariably felt in the stability of the great sources of our national prosperity has not been disappointed. The improvement which has taken place in the course of the last year, in almost every branch of our domestic industry, and the present state of public credit, afford abundant proof that the difficulties under which the country was labouring were chiefly to be ascribed to temporary causes. "So important a change could not fail to withdraw from the disaffected the principal means of which they had availed themselves for the purpose of fomenting a spirit of discontent, which unhappily led to acts of insurrection and treason: And his Royal Highness entertains the most confident expectation, that the state of peace and tranquillityto which the country is now restored, will be maintained against all attempts to disturb it, by the persevering vigilance of the Magistracy, and by the loyalty and good sense of the people. "Gentlemen of the House of Commons, "The Prince Regent has directed the Estimates for the current year to be laid before you. "His Royal Highness recommends to your continued attention the state of the Public Income and Expenditure of the country; and be is most happy in being able to acquaint you, that, since you were last auembled in Parliament, the Revenue has "The Prince Regent has commanded m to direct your particular attention to the deficiency which has so long existed in the number of places of public worship belonging to the Established Church, when compared with the increased and increasing population of the country. "His Royal Highness most earnestly recommends this important subject to your early consideration, deeply impressed, as be has no doubt you are, with a just sense of the many blessings which this country by the favour of Divine Providence has enjoyed; and with the conviction, that the religious and moral habits of the people are the most sure and arm foundation of national prosperity." The usual adjournment took place after the speech was read. At five o'clock their Lordships again assembled, when Lord Holland said, he hoped that some one of his Majesty's ministers intended to move the repeal of the Habeas Corpus Suspension Act, as a kind of act of grace, after they had so wantonly and so unnecessarily saspended so great a protection of the freedom of the subject. If this subject was not brought forward by some other noble lord, he should at an early period of the session, bring it under the notice of the house himself.-The Earl of Liverpool stated, that the repeal of the Act in question would be moved by Lord Sidmouth. The customary address to the Prince Regent was then moved by the Earl of Aylesford, and was seconded by the Lord Selsey: both of these noblemen, after dilating on the general grief evinced by the nation on the loss of the Princess Charlotte, congratulated the house on the information that the prospects of the country were brightening. Our commerce, foreign and domestic, was rapidly improving; our revenue was increasing, and public credit stood again on the most satisfactory and anshaken basis.-The Marquis of Lansd wne would not propose any amendment, though he could concur with only that part of the address which related to the death of the Princess Charlotte. He insisted that no evidence of any thing like an organized conspiracy had been discovered, which called for the suspension of the constitution. -The Earl of Liverpool shortly replied, when the address was agreed to. In consequence of Mr. Rose, who has succeeded bis father as clerk of parliament, being abroad, Mr. Henry Cooper was authorized to sign papers and bills in his stead. WEDNESDAY, Jan. 28.-Lord Sidmouth presented a bill for repealing the Habeas Corpus Suspension Bill, which was read a first time. His lordship then moved, to suspend the standing orders (forbidding the passing a bill through more than one stage in the same day) with reference to this bill. Ordered. SATURDAY, Jan. 31.-The Royal Assent was given, by commission, to the bill for the repeal of the Act of last Sesssion, entitled, an Act for the Repeal of the Habeas Corpus Act. The Commissioners were the Lord Chancellor, the Earl of Shaftesbury, and Lord Melville.-The Lords adjourned to Monday. MONDAY, Feb. 2.-Lord Sidmouth preseated certain papers relative to the past and present state of the country. His Lord ship would not then move for the appointment of a Secret Committee to examine, owing to the absence of Lord Holland and the Marquis of Lansdown, who were prevented from attending by the death of the Earl of Upper Ossory. Sidmouth TUESDAY, Feb. 3.- Lord moved the appointment of a Committee, which was opposed by the Earl of Carnarvon and the Marqus of Lansdowne, on the ground that it would be a mere mockery to confine the inquiry to the papers furnished by ministers themselves.-The Secret Committees of last Session, their Lordships observed, had made their Report upon e-parte evidence-and upon ex-parte evidence ministers might get what Report they pleased. The papers were then referred to a Committee of Secrecy-to consist of seven lords to be chosen by ballot. On Thursday, the following Peers were appointed Members of the Secret Committee:-The Lord Chancellor, Earl of Harrowby, Duke of Montrose, Earl of Liverpool, Marquis Camden, Marquis Lansdown, Bar! Fitzwilliam, Earl Powis, Viscount Sidmouth, Lords Grenville and Redesdale.* The present number of Peers is three hundred and sixty eight; Thoir numbers are as follow. HOUSE OF To the Throne being taken into con sideration, the customary Address was proposed by Mr. Wodehouse, and seconded by Mr. Windham Quin. Lord Althorpe agreed with every part of the Address, excepting that which ascribed the present tranquillity of the country to the measures of Govern ment; yet on that subject he should not now enter. After a few words from the Lord Advocate of Scotland, Lord A. Hamilton, Messrs. Bennet and Brougham, the address was carried unanimously.— WEDNESDAY, Jan. 28,-Lord Castlereagh, after an introductory speech, moved addresses of condolence to the Queen and to Prince Leopold, on the loss which the Royal Family and the country had sustained in the death of the late, Princess Charlotte of Wales. On the question being put for an address to the Queen, no numerical division took place on the subject; but it is remark- THURSDAY, Jan. 29--A Bill to repeal the Act for the Suspension of the Habeas Corpus, was brought from the other House and read a first and second time.-On the third reading Lord Folkstone proposed a clause to the following effect: "That all persons bound by recognizances under the Suspension Act, be henceforth completely discharged from these recognizances, but that this clause should not apply to any other recognizances." Further conversation took place, which terminated in the Attorney-General undertaking that the recognizances of these men should forthwith discharged, on which Lord Folkestone withdrew the proposed clause. SATURDAY, Jan. 31.-The House was summoned to the House of Peers, to hear the Royal Assent given by commission to the Bill for repealing the Habeas Corpus Suspension Act. The Speaker on his return, acquainted the House that the Royal Assent had been given to the said Act. Mr. Arbuthnot moved that there should be laid before the House an account of all Exchequer Bills issued under the 57th Geo. III. c. 2.; entitled an Act for Raising 24 millions for the Service of His Majesty for the year 1817, outstanding and unprovided for.-Ordered. A similar account respecting 9-millions of Exchequer Bills, issued at a later period of the same year, was also ordered. The COMMONS. accounts were immediately brought up, and laid on the Table. The House then resolved into the Committee. The estimates for the current year were laid before the Committee; and on the motion of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, it was resolved, “That a supply be granted to his Majesty.-The House then resumed.— Report to be received on Monday. TUESDAY, Feb. 3.-Mr. W. Smith moved for an account of the monies paid by Mr. Hone for copies of the information against him. His object was to make some change, In the practice of the Crown-office on this subject. The motion was resisted by Lord Castlereagh and the Attorney General, who urged that it was unnecessary, and that if persisted in, the motion should be generally for papers. After a few words from Sir F. Burdett, Lord Folkestone, and Mr. Brougham, Mr. Smith withdrew the motion, expressing his intention to bring it forward in another shape... THURSDAY, Feb. 5.-The motion for halloting the Committee, was carried by Ministers by 102 to 29. MONDAY, Feb. 9.-On the motion of Lord Castlereagh a committee of the whole house was formed to take into consideration the Treaty with Spain for preventing Spaniards from engaging in an illicit traffic. in slaves-and granting 400,000. 10 Ferdinand, as an indemnification for losses incurred by his subjects.-The noble Lord. concluded by moving, that "a provision be made for carrying into execution the treaty concluded between bis Britannic Majesty and the Court of Spain, at Madrid, on the 28th September, 1817." The resolution was very slightly opposed, and was ultimately carried by only four opposing voices. TUESDAY, Feb. 10.- Lord Archibald Hamilton made his motion for the production of the papers connected with the trial of Alexander M'Kinlay, in Scotland, on the 19th July, 1817.-The motion for papers was opposed by the Lord Advocate of Scotland (who entered into an exculpation of his conduct). Mr. A. Colquhoun, Lord Castlereagh, the Attorney General, and was supported by Mr. Wyon, Sir S. Romilly, Mr. J. P. Grant, and Mr. Pinlay. On a division the motion, was negatived by 136 to 71, WEDNESDAY, Feb. 11.-Mr. Ogle brought in a hill whose provisions tended to legalize gaming.-Mr. Lyttleton protested against the provision in this bill with respect to licences, declaring that as it now stood, it proposed, upon the same principle that the lottery was supported by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, that gaming should be tolerated for the sake of revenue. He would never acquiesce in such a proposition as that for a little filthy, profit, country should descend to imitate the this An Account of the Amount of Balances of Sums issued for the Payment of Dividends due and not demanded, and for the Payment of Lottery Prizes or Benefits which had not been claimed, and which remained in the hands of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England, on the under mentioned days, being those next before the issue from the Exchequer of Money for the payment of Dividends on account of the National Debt, for each of the four preceding quarters respectively.-[ Pursuant to 48 Geo. III. cap. 4.] On 1st April, 1817, £. 8. d, .1,255,908 3 Dividends due and not demanded 12,263 0 1,268,171 8 Advanced to Government, pursuant to 31st and 48th £. S. d. Geo. III. Ditto, 56th ditto ...876.63900 |