Nov. 23. LIST of the Minority, in the House of Commons, on Sir Samuel of the Minority, in the House of Commons, on Mr. Lamb- of the Minority, in the House of Commons, on the Motion of the Minority, in the House of Commons, on Sir Samuel Romilly's Motion on continuing the Militia embodied in -- of the Minority, in the House of Commons, on Mr. Whit- -- of the Minority, in the House of Commons, on Lord Archi- Speech of Mr. Serjeant Onslow, on the 22d of November, 1814, on moving 1245 for leave to bring in a Bill for more effectually securing the Liberty of Speech of the Right Hon. William Fitzgerald, July 1, 1814, on bringing ERRATU M. In the Speech of Mr. Stephen, at p. 928, on sir John Newport's Motion respecting Courts of Justice, THE Parliamentary Debates During the Third Session of the Fifth Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, appointed to meet at Westminster, the Eighth Day of November 1814, in the Fifty-fifth Year of the Reign of His Majesty King GEORGE the Third. [Sess. 1814/15. HOUSE OF LORDS. ON THE PRINCE REGENT'S SPEECH OPENING THE SESSION.] This being the first day of the session, his royal highness the Prince Regent came down to the House in the usual state; and on entering the House, attended by the royal suite, in which the sword of state was borne by the earl of Liverpool; the cap of maintenance by the marquis of Winchester; and the imperial crown of the realm by lord James Murray; his Royal Highness took his seat on the throne. Sir Thomas Tyrwhitt, gentleman usher of the Black Rod, was then sent to command the immediate attendance of the Commons. Soon afterwards, the Speaker, accompanied by a number of members, came to the bar; when the Prince Regent delivered the following most gracious Speech from the throne : "My Lords and Gentlemen, "It is with deep regret that I am again obliged to announce the continuance of his Majesty's lamented indisposition. "It would have given me great satisfaction to have been enabled to communicate to you the termination of the war between this country and the United States of America. "Although this war originated in the most unprovoked aggression on the part of the government of the United States, and was calculated to promote the designs of the common enemy of Europe against (VOL. XXIX.) the rights and independence of all other nations, I never have ceased to entertain a sincere desire to bring it to a conclusion on just and honourable terms. "I am still engaged in negociations for this purpose; the success of them must, however, depend on my disposition being met with corresponding sentiments on the part of the enemy. "The operations of his Majesty's forces by sea and land in the Chesapeake, in the course of the present year, have been attended with the most brilliant and successful results. "The flotilla of the enemy in the Patuxent has been destroyed. The signal defeat of their land forces enabled a detachment of his Majesty's army to take possession of the city of Washington; and the spirit of enterprize which has characterized all the movements in that quarter has produced on the inhabitants a deep and sensible impression of the calamities of a war in which they have been so wantonly involved. "The expedition directed from Halifax to the northern coast of the United States, has terminated in a manner not less satisfactory. The successful course of this operation has been followed by the immediate submission of the extensive and important district, east of the Penobscot river, to his Majesty's arms. "In adverting to these events, I am confident you will be disposed to render (B) full justice to the valour and discipline | viding; and the war still subsisting with which have distinguished his Majesty's America, renders the continuance of great land and sea forces; and you will regret exertions indispensable. with me, the severe loss the country has sustained by the fall of the gallant.commander of his Majesty's troops, in the advance upon Baltimore. "I availed myself of the earliest opportunity afforded by the state of affairs in Europe, to detach a considerable military force to the river Saint Lawrence; but its arrival could not possibly take place till an advanced period of the campaign. Notwithstanding the reverse which appears to have occurred on Lake Champlain, I entertain the most confident expectation, as well from the amount as from the description of the British force now serving in Canada, that the ascendancy of his Majesty's arms throughout that part of North America will be effectually established. "The opening of the Congress at Vienna has been retarded, from unavoidable causes, to a later period than had been expected. "It will be my earnest endeavour, in the negociations which are now in progress, to promote such arrangements as may tend to consolidate that peace which, in conjunction with his Majesty's allies, I have had the happiness of concluding; and to re-establish that just equilibrium amongst the different powers, which will afford the best prospect of permanent tranquillity to Europe. "Gentlemen of the House of Commons, "I have directed the estimates for the ensuing year to be laid before you. "I am happy to be able to inform you, that the revenue and commerce of the United Kingdom are in the most flourishing condition. "I regret the necessity of the large expenditure which we must be prepared to meet in the course of the ensuing year; but the circumstances under which the long and arduous contest in Europe has been carried on and concluded, have unavoidably led to large arrears, for which you will see the necessity of pro "My Lords and Gentlemen, "The peculiar character of the late war, as well as the extraordinary length of its duration, must have materially affected the internal situation of all the countries engaged in it, as well as the commercial relations which formerly subsisted between them. "Under these circumstances, I am con fident you will see the expediency of proceeding with due caution in the adoption of such regulations as may be necessary for the purpose of extending our trade, and securing our present advantages; and you may rely on my cordial co-operation and assistance in every measure which is calculated to contribute to the prosperity and welfare of his Majesty's dominions." At the conclusion of the Speech, the Prince Regent and the royal suite retired, and the Commons withdrew to their own House. Lord Exmouth (late sir Edward Pellew) was introduced with the accustomed formalities. His lordship's supporters were lords Kenyon and Ellenborough. Lord Auckland took the oaths and his seat, on succeeding to the peerage, by the demise of his father. Their lordships then adjourned till five o'clock. When the House had resumed, the Prince Regent's Speech was read by the Lord Chancellor, and also by the Clerk at the table. The Earl of Abingdon rose, he said, to perform a part which he had, very reluctantly, undertaken; not, however, from any apprehension of difficulty in persuading the House to adopt the Address which he should have the honour of submitting for its consideration, but from a bigh sense of the importance of the occasion, and from his inability adequately to prepare himself for addressing their lordships, in consequence of the shortness of the notice which he had received upon this subject, and the various private engagements to which he was called upon to attend. This much the noble lord thought it necessary to offer, with a view to bespeak that his unprepared state was by no means the indulgence of the House, and to show the result of any wilful neglect. With respect to the first paragraph of the Prince Regent's Speech, he was persuaded that all who heard it-that all good men the disasters stated to have been met with throughout the empire-would cordially on Lake Champlain, the war would be accord with the sentiment of regret which brought, on our part, to an honourable it expressed upon the subject of our gra- and glorious termination.-The noble lord, cious sovereign's long continued illness. in adverting to that part of the speech And as to America, the feeling of that which referred to the flourishing state of House must concur with the language of our commerce, notwithstanding the exthe Speech and the opinion of the coun- traordinary length and pressure of the try; for the unprovoked aggression of the war, congratulated the House upon this American government was a matter of very grateful circumstance, and expressed undisputed fact and universal reprobation. a hope that their lordships would take It was impossible, indeed, not to repro- into their most serious consideration the bate that aggression, especially when the means of providing for our future comcircumstances under which it took place mercial prosperity; for making every newere considered; when it was recollected, cessary arrangement, to advance our trade, that the American government thought to promote the general interests, and to proper to declare against us at a time secure to the empire the full enjoyment of when she supposed that, from external the advantages of peace. Having said engagements and internal situation, we so much upon the subject of the Speech, should be reduced to the necessity of sub- the noble lord thought it proper to add a mitting to her unjust pretensions. The few words with regard to the part which treachery, however, had proved unavail- he had, on this occasion, undertaken to ing; but it was to be remembered, that perform. It might, from that part, be inAmerica had evinced no indisposition, at ferred that he was attached to the Regent a very critical period, to second the views and to his ministers. To the Regent he, of the common enemy; that that govern- no doubt, felt most forcibly that attachment had showed no repugnance to create ment which, according to the constitution a diversion in favour of that enemy. of the country, was due to his Royal Therefore, while we had to congratulate Highness: to the ministers he by no ourselves upon the total discomfiture of means felt himself bound: so long as they that enemy and the consequent deliver- should continue to support those good and ance of Europe, we must bear in mind wholesome laws which had been transthat the American government manifested mitted to us by the wisdom of our anno disinclination to prevent that discom-cestors; which had so materially contrifiture and impede that deliverance. How-buted to enable us to save Europe; which ever, notwithstanding such conduct on the part of America, it was satisfactory to witness the declared disposition of the Regent to conclude peace with that government on just and honourable terms. That the war, indeed, had no other object, in the contemplation of the British government, could not, he thought, be fairly disputed; and that that object would be fully attained, he had not the slightest doubt. The character of our army and navy he felt to be such as to justify the most sanguine anticipations; and that character was amply sustained by the gallant achieve ments of admiral sir Alexander Cochrane and general Ross, whose death every admirer of military skill and personal valour must sincerely deplore. From these achievements, from the amount and activity of our force in America, and particularly from the nature of the reinforcements sent to that country, from the army accustomed to exertion and glory under the duke of Wellington, there was every reason to calculate, that notwithstanding had, in fact, served to save the country itself from falling, these ministers might rely upon his utmost attachment. The noble earl concluded with moving an Address to the Prince Regent, which, as usual, was an echo of the Speech. The Earl of Delawar rose to second the motion in a maiden speech. He did not, he said, mean to trespass at any length upon the House; nor could he, indeed, think it necessary to offer any argument to induce their lordships unanimous acquiescence in the Address which had just been read. That Address, in fact, only stated what every one must feel. The commencement contained an expression of regret for the continued indisposition of our gracious sovereign, in which every admirer of the excellencies and virtues of human nature must cordially sympathize: it must, indeed, be a matter of deep lamentation, that such should be the melancholy close of a life so piously, so usefully, and so honourably spent; and that, amidst the cheering events in which we |