His Majesty's most gracious speech to both houses of parliament, March 3d, 1761, recommending a law for making the commission of the judges perpetual, during their good behaviour, notwithstanding any future demise of the crown, &c.

My lords and gentlemen,
[PON granting new commif-

fent ftate of their offices fell naturally under confideration.

In confequence of the act paffed in the reign of my late glorious predeceffor king William III. for fettling the fucceffion of the crown in my family, their commiffions have been made during their good behaviour; but, notwithstanding that wife provifion, their offices have determined upon the demife of the crown, or at the expiration of fix months afterwards, in every inftance of that nature, which has happened.

I look upon the independency and uprightness of the judges of the land, as effential to the impartial adminiftration of juftice; as one of the best fecurities to the rights and liberties of my loving fubjects; and as moft conducive to the honour of the crown; and I come now to recommend this interefting object to the confideration of parliament, in order that fuch farther provifion may be made for fecuring the judges in the enjoyment of their offices, during their good behaviour, notwithstanding any fuch demife, as fhall be moft expedient.

Gentlemen of the house of commons; I muft delire of you, in particular, that I may be enabled to grant, and eftablifh, upon the judges, falaries as I fhall think proper, fo as to be abfolutely fecured to them, during the continuance of their commiffions. My lords and gentlemen,

I have nothing to add, but my thanks for the great unanimity and application with which you have hion

nels; and to defire you to proceed with the fame good difpofition, and with fuch difpatch, that this feffion may foon be brought to a happy conclufion.

To this fpeech the lords made the following addrefs.

Most gracious sovereign,

WE

E, your majefty's moft dutiful and loyal fubjects, the lords fpiritual and temporal, in parliament affembled, return your ma efty our humble thanks for your moft gracious fpeech from the throne.

The tender concern which your majefty is pleafed to exprefs for the rights and liberties of your people, and for the impartial administration of juftice, fill our minds with the fincereft gratitude. We look upon your wife and juft fentiments, concerning the independency and uprightnefs of the judges of the land, as the ftrougeft proof of what your majefty has formerly declared to us, in words the mott affectionate that ever came from the throne, that the civil and religious rights of your [R] 2

fubjects

fubjects are equally dear to you with the most valuable of your royal prerogatives. At the fame time, nothing can be a nobler inftance of your true greatness of mind, than to efteem thefe principles, as they truly are, the most conducive to the honour of the crown.

We will not fail to take into our confideration this important object of the continuance of the judges, notwithstanding any demife of the crown; and to do every thing, on our part, to make your majefty's public fpirited intentions effectual: happy in having an opportunity to do this by your majefty's free and voluntary recommendation; and forming the most ardent vows, that the event, wherein the effect of fuch a provifion will be experienced, may, by the goodness of Providence to thefe kingdoms, be removed for a long courfe of years.

Permit us, on this occafion, to renew to your majefty the moft unfeigned allurances of our inviolable duty and affection; and to exprefs our thankful acknowledgments for your gracious approbation of our proceedings hitherto Nothing can equal our zeal for your majefty's fupport; nor shall any thing be wanting, that depends upon us, to bring this feffion to a speedy and happy conclufion, antwerable to your majesty's juft expectations. His majesty's most gracious anfwer. My lords,

Thank you for this very dutiful, grateful, and unanimous address. I am very glad, that what I have laid before you, gives you so much satisfaction.

The commons refolved likewise, nemine contradicente,

That an humble addrefs be prefented to his majefty, to return his majesty the most humble thanks of this houfe, for his moft gracious peech from the throne.

:

To exprefs the grateful fenfe, which this houfe has of his majesty's attention to an object fo interefting to his people as the impartial adminiftration of juftice, and the integrity and independency of the judges of the land and to affure his majefty, that his faithful commons fee, with joy and veneration, the warm regard and concern, which animate his royal breaft, for the fecurity, laws, liberties, and properties, of his fubjects; and that this house will immediately proceed upon the important work, recommended by his majefty with fuch tender care of his people; and will enable his majefty to establish the falaries of the judges, in fo permanent a manner, that the fame may be enjoyed, during the continuance of their commiffions.

To return his majesty the fincere acknowledgments of this houfe, for his gracious acceptance of the fervices of his faithful commons, and to affure his majefty, that they will proceed with unanimity and difpatch to finish the remaining bufinefs of this feffion of parliament.

On the 4th of March this addrefs was prefented, to which his majefty was pleafed to give this most gracious answer:

Gentlemen of the house of commòns,

"I thank you for this dutiful and unanimous addrefs. The fenfe you exprefs of my fincere intention to do what is for the good of my people, gives me the highest fatisfaction."

during the course of it. The zeal you have fhewn for the honour of my crown, as well as for my true intereft, and that of your country, which are ever the fame, is the clearest demonstration of that duty and affection to my perfon and government, of which you fo unanimoufly aflured me at your first meeting. Nothing could fo much add to the pleafure, which these confiderations afford me, as that I am now able to acquaint you with the great progrefs made of late by the combined army in Germany, under the command of Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick. I formerly told you, that the nature of the war, in those parts, had kept the campaign there ftill depending; and it now appears, to the furprize of my enemies, that the fuperior abilities, and indefatigable activity of my general, and the fpirit and ardour of my officers and troops, have greatly profited of this perfeverance, notwithstanding all the difficulties arifing from the feafon.

By your affiftance, I have taken the belt care to recruit that army in an effectual manner; and have made fuch a difpofition of my fleet for the next fummer, as may moft advantageously defend my kingdoms; protect the commerce of my subjects; maintain and extend our poffeffions, and acquifitions; and annoy the enemy.

civil government, and the honour and dignity of the crown; and I think myfelf as much obliged to you, for the prudent ufe, which, in framing that provifion, you have made of my confent to leave my own hereditary revenues to fuch difpofition of parliament as might beft conduce to the utility and fatisfaction of the public, as for what more immediately concerns myfelf.

In making my acknowledgments for the large and extenfive fupplies which you have granted me this feffion, I am at a lofs whether moft to applaud your chearfulness in giv. ing, or your wisdom in proportioning them to the extraordinary occafions of the public, notwithstanding thofe uncommon burthens, which I heartily regret. No care fhall be wanting on my part, to see them duly applied to the national ends for which you intended them." My lords and gentlemen, The expiration of this parliament now drawing very near, I will forthwith give the neceffary orders for calling a new one: but I cannot take my leave of you, without returning my thanks for the many eminent proofs you have given of your fidelity and affection to my family and government, and of your zeal for this happy and excellent conftitution.

to our allies, as have manifefted your public fpirited concern for the honour of the nation, and the maintenance of its undoubted tights and poffeffions, and been attended [R]3

with

with glorious fucceffes, and great acquifitions, in various parts of the world; particularly the entire reduction of Canada, a conqueft of the utmost importance to the security of our colonies in North America, and to the extenfion of the commerce and navigation of my fubje&s.

May God Almighty grant continuance to thefe fucceffes! The ufe which I propofe to make of them is, to fecure and promote the welfare of my kingdoms, and to carry on the war with vigour, in order to procure to them the bleifings of peace, on fafe and honourable conditions for me and my allies; to which I have been always ready to hearken.

Firm in thefe refolutions, I do, with entire confidence, rely on the good difpofitions of my faithful fubjects in the choice of their reprefentatives; and I make no doubt but they will thereby demonftrate, the fincerity of thofe affurances, which have been fo cordially and univerfally given me, in the loyal, affectionate, and unanimous addreffes of my people.

Then the lord chancellor, by his

majefty's command, faid, My lords and gentlemen,

It is his majefty's royal will and pleasure, that this parliament be prorogued to Tuesday the feventh day of April next, to be then here held; and this parliament is accordingly prorogued to Tuefday the feventh day of April next.

ed under my authority, I with pleafure take notice of an event, which has made me compleatly happy, and given univerfal joy to my loving fubjects. My marriage with a princefs, eminently diftinguished by every virtue and amiable endowment, whilst it affords me all poffible domeftick comfort, cannot but highly contribute to the happiness of my kingdoms; which has been, and always fhall be, my first object in every action of my life.

It has been my earnest wifh, that this first period of my reign might be marked with another felicity; the restoring of the bleffings of peace to my people, and putting an end to the calamities of war, under which, fo great a part of Europe fuffers. But though overtures were made to me, and my good brother and ally the king of Pruffia, by the feveral belligerent powers, in order to a general pacification, for which purpofe a congrefs was appointed: and propofitions were made to him by an actual negotiation; yet that congrefs hath not hitherte taken place, and that negotiation with France is entirely broken off.

The fincerity of my difpofition to effectuate this good work, has been manifefted in the progrefs of it; and I have the confolation to refect, that the continuance of the war, and the farther effufion of chriftian blood, to which it was the defire of my heart to put a flop, cannot with juftice be imputed to me.

Our military operations bave been in no degree fufpended or delayed; and it has pleafed God to grant us farther important fucceffes, by the conquefts of the islands of Belleille and Dominica; and by the

reduction