THE

PARLIAMENTARY REGISTER:

OR

HISTORY

OF THE

PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES

OF THE

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1789.

THE Houfe being met, according to the laft prorogation,

the following meffage was brought from his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant by the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod:

"Mr. Speaker,

"It is his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant's pleafure that this House do attend him immediately in the House of Peers."

The Speaker, with the House, went up to attend his Excellency; and being returned, the Speaker reported that the Houfe had attended his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant in the House of Peers, where his Excellency was pleafed to make a speech to both Houses of Parliament, of which, the Speaker faid, to prevent mistakes, he had obtained a copy; which he read to the House, and it was afterwards read by the Clerk at the table, and is as follows:

"My Lords and Gentlemen,

"With the deepest concern I find myself obliged, on opening the prefent feffion of Parliament, to communicate to you the painful information, that his Majefty has been for fome time afflicted VOL. IX.

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by a fevere malady, in confequence of which he has not honoured me with his commands upon the measures to be recommended to his Parliament.

"I have directed fuch documents as I have received refpecting his Majefty's health to be laid before you, and I fhall alfo communicate to you, fo foon as I fhall be enabled, fuch further information as may affift your deliberations on that melancholy fubject.

"Gentlemen of the Houfe of Commons,

"Deeming it at all times my indifpenfable duty to call your attention to the fecurity of the public credit, and to the maintenance of the civil and military eftablishments, I have ordered the public accounts to be laid before you.

"My Lords and Gentlemen,

"It is unneceffary for me to exprefs to you my earnest wishes for the welfare and profperity of Ireland, which in every fituation. I fhall always be anxious to promote. Nor need I declare my confidence in that affectionate attachment to his Majefty, and in that zealous concern for the united interefts of both kingdoms, which have manifefted themselves in all your proceedings."

Lord KILWARLIN faid he rofe with yery great reluctance, to trespass upon the Houfe in adverting to the diftressful situation of a revered and beloved Sovereign-a fituation which every good man throughout the empire muft deplore, but which muft, in an eminent degree, affect the fubjects of this kingdom, who have been peculiarly bleffed during his reign, who have received fuch privileges, advantages, and other marks of his royal favour, as muft excite their gratitude, and for ever confirm their love to the beft of Sovereigns.

He obferved, that the prefent feffion opened under circumftances of very great difficulty and embarraffment, and therefore gentlemen were in a more forcible manner called upon to exert themfelves, in promoting fuch means as fhould be thought neceffary for the fecurity and welfare of the country. It had been ufual for the Chief Governor, in his fpeech on the opening of the feffion, to flate the heads of the principal meafures which Government deemed neceffary for the country to pursue; but it must be obvious that, circumftanced as Government is at this day, no such outline could be given. There was, however, one meafure, in which he doubted not a general concurrence, from the high opinion which all men entertained of our prefent excellent Chief Governor, and he would therefore move, "That an addrefs of thanks be prefented to his Excellency the Marquis of Buckingham, for the fpeech this day delivered by him from the throne," and he trufted the motion would meet unanimous approbation.

Mr. TRENCH faid he rofe to fecond the motion. He faid he could not without the deepeft diftrefs reflect on the fituation of

that great and amiable Monarch, whofe public and private virtues had rendered him the object of universal love and veneration; fo good a Monarch, fo good a man, reduced to the most deplorable ftate of mifery, while it gave a melancholy proof of the inftability of human greatnefs, called loudly upon them to exert themselves to prevent, as much as poffible, the country fuffering injury through the fufpenfion of that paternal regard which he had always fhewn. Under the circumftance of peculiar difficulty in which the kingdom now ftood, the fpeech from the throne, he confidered as calculated to conciliate the minds of all men; it breathed nothing but the pureft intentions towards the public good; and he had, therefore, very great pleasure in feconding the addrefs of thanks to a Chief Governor whofe adminiftration was generally approved.

It was then refolved that an address of thanks be presented to his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant, for his fpeech from the throne, and that a committee be appointed to prepare the fame.

The House then proceeded to appoint the feveral standing com. mittees; which being done, feveral papers relative to the public accounts were, by the proper officers, prefented at the bar.-A fhort coverfation then took place, relative to the documents mentioned in the Lord Lieutenant's speech.

Mr. FITZHERBERT faid, the documents mentioned were the attested copies of the examinations and reports of the King's phyficians, taken before the British Privy Council, and before Committees of the British Parliament. If any other evidence fhould be thought neceffary by gentlemen, he could have no objection to its being produced; but for his own part, he knew of no other mode of information that could be adopted.

Mr. GEORGE PONSONBY defired to know, whether the reports and examinations, which the right hon. gentleman had fpoken of, were figned by the Clerks of the British Houfes of Parliament ?

The anfwer could not be heard, being prevented by a violent noife in the gallery; but from what followed it may be conjectured, it was in the affirmative.

The Honourable DENIS BROWNE immediately faid, that he could not think the examinations or reports of physicians taken before the British Parliament, or British Privy Council, fit evidence to be admitted here. In a cafe of such high importance as the present, the reprefentatives of the people ought to proceed with caution, and a due regard to the dignity of the nation. The Parliament of England had fet the example of caution, and a due regard to their own dignity; for they had refused to accept, as evidence, the examinations taken before their own Privy Council--a Council to which every Member had been

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