The humble address of the right honourable the lords spiritual and temporal in parliament assembled, presented to his majesty, Nov. 7. 1761. Most gracious sovereign, WE, your majefty's most du tiful and loyal fubjects, the lords fpiritual aud temporal in parliament affembled, beg leave to return your majefty our humble thanks for your moft gracious fpeech from the throne. It is impoffible to approach your royal prefence at this time, without making our firft offering to your majetty, of our most joyful congratulations on the aufpicious occafion of your royal nuptials. We want words to defcribe how warmly we are affected with an event fo highly interefting to your majefty, and to all your faithful fubjects; or to exprefs our gratitude to your majefty for giving us a queen, who, whill the compleats your happinefs, promifes by every virtue and amiable accomplishment, the greatest addition to that of your people. May heaven grant the longest duration to this felicity, and may it be attended with a numerous progeny, to tranfinit the great examples of their illuftrious parents, and perpetuate the bleflings of your reign to future ages. We thankfully acknowledge your majefty's goodnefs in communicating to us that overtures had been made by the feveral belligerent powers, in order to a general pacification; and by France, for a particular peace between your majefty and that crown, whereupon a negotiation had followed, which is ontirely broke of. No other proof could be wanting to us, that the continuance of the war, and the effufion of chriftian blood, cann with any fhadow of justice, be imputed to your majefty, besides the known generofity and benevolence of your innate difpofition. in Your royal wifdom has appeared nothing more, than in not fuf fering your military operations to be fufpended or delayed and we beg leave to congratulate your ma jefty on the prefent fignal fucceffes of your arms. Befides the impor tant conquefts with which they have been bleffed, your enemies have, in other parts, been made once more to feel, that fuperior numbers cannot avail them against the supe rior capacity and conduct of your confummate general prince Ferdinand of Brunfwick, and the unfhaken bravery of your officers and troops. We cannot fee, without admiration, thofe repeated proofs of magnanimity and ability, which your great ally, the king of Pruffia, though furrounded with fo many difficulties, has given to the world." Your majefty's fentiments cannot fail to have the greatest weight with us, because we are fure that they proceed upon wife principles, founded in the love of your people. It is therefore from conviction, that we declare our humble concurrence in your opinion, that it is neceflaryfteadily to exert our most vigorous efforts in every part, where the enemy may ftill be attacked with advantage. We beg your majesty to accept the ftrongest and most affectionate affurances, that we will, with the greateft zeal and ardour, and at the hazard of every thing that is dear to us, ftand by and fupport your majefty in profecuting the war in the most effectual manner, for the intereft of your kingdoms, and in perform performing, to the utmoft of your power, your engagements to your allies; nothing being more evident than that this is the only method to procure fuch equitable and honourable conditions of peace, as may, with reafon, be expected from our fucceffes... We should be greatly wanting to ourfelves, as well as to your majefty, if we did not teftify our particular thanks for your paternal goodness, in having to exprefly declared, that both in carrying on the war, and in making peace, no confideration whatsoever fhall make you depart from the true interefts of thefe your kingdoms, and the honour of your crown. This refolution, fo truly worthy of a British monarch, and fo engaging to all your loyal fubjects, calls for adequate returns on our part. Penetrated with the livelieft fenfe of your unbounded tenderness and concern for our welfare, we do, from the bottom of our hearts, affure your majesty, that we will, with the utmost duty and zeal, correfpond to that confidence which your majefty repofes in us, being fully perfuaded of the neceffity of unanimity, firmnefs, and difpatch, in the prefent critical fituation; and animated thereto by the gracious admonition of the best of kings. His majesty's moft gracious anfwer. My lords, Thank you for this very dutiful and loyal address. The joy which you express upon my marriage, and your affectionate regard for the queen, give me the highest satisfaction. I make no doubt but your ready concurrence in my sentiments, and the becoming zeal which you have so unanimously declared for carrying on the war with vigour will have a good effect both upon our friends and enemies, and strengthen my hands, to pursue such measures as may be most conducive to the true interests of my kingdoms. The address of the houseof commons, presented Nov. 16. Most gracious sovereign, tiful and loyal fubjects, E, your majefty's most du the commons of Great Britain in parliament aflembled, beg leave to return your majesty the most humble and hearty thanks of this house for your most gracious fpeech from the throne. Permit us, at the fame time, to offer to your majefty our warmeft congratulations on the joyful and aufpicious event of your royal nuptials, with a princefs defcended from an illuftrious proteftant line, diftinguifhed by the moft eminent graces and endowments, and worthy to be the royal partner of your throne, by poffeffing every virtue that can adorn it. We beg leave alfo to exprefs our juft fenfe of that affectionate regard which your majefty has fhewn for your people, by confulting, on this moft important and interefting occafion, as on every other, their happiness, and that of their pofterity. And we aflure your majefty that, with hearts full of gratitude, for this fignal inftance of your royal attention to the welfare of your fubjects, and thoroughly fentible of the exalted merit of your illuftrious confort, your faithful commons will not fail to make fuch honourable and ample provision, as may enable her to fupport her royal dignity with proper luftre, in cafe the thould furvive your ma jefty; jefty; for the long continuance of whofe life we fhall never ceafe to offer up to the Divine Providence our most ardent vows. Allow us, Sir, to return our fincere and humble thanks to your majefty, for your tender concern for the profperity of your people, in wifhing to reftore to them the bleffings of peace; and to declare that we cannot too much admire that humanity, fo becoming your royal breaft, which, amidft, the fucceffes of your own kingdoms, feels for the calamities of other nations. We are fully perfuaded, that thofe Beneficent difpofitions which induced your majefty to confent to the appointment of a congrefs, for a general pacification, and to enter into a negotiation with France for a particular peace, could not have failed of the defired effect, if the enemy, influenced by the fame motives, had fhewn the fame good intentions, and would have complied with fuch conditions as were requifite for the accomplishment of that falutary work. We do moft gratefully acknowledge your majefty's vigilance and firmnefs in not fuffering the hopes or expectations of peace to produce the leaft fufpenfe or relaxation in the exertion of your arms. And we congratulate your majefty on thofe happy fucceffes, which, under the good providence of God, we muft afcribe to the wisdom and vigour of your majefty's measures, to which we owe the reduction of Dominica, the conqueft of Belleifle, atchieved with fo much reputation to the British arms, and the deftruction of the enemy's power in the Eaft-Indies, by the acquifition of Pondicherry, their laft remaining fettlement of any ftrength in thofe countries. The wife and able conduct of his ferene highnefs prince Ferdinand of Brunfwick, whereby he hath fucceflively defeated the projects of the enemy, and hath prevented their making that progrefs, which, from their fuperior numbers, they expected, together with that gracious approbation which your majefly hath been pleafed to exprefs of the valour of your troops, cannot but give the highest fatisfaction to your faithful commons; and they fee, with juft admiration, the repeated procfs, in every campaign, of that unfhaken refolution, and of thofe aftonishing efforts, which alone could have enabled your majefty's great ally, the king of Pruffia, to refift the numerous forces of his enemies. We beg leave to affure your majefty, of our intire concurrence and fupport in the most effectual profecution of the war, for the intereft and advantage of thefe kingdoms; and in maintaining, to the utmost of our power, the good faith and honour of your majesty's crown, and the engagements entered into with your allies, and that we are truly fenfible, that the conftant care and attention of your majefty to purfue the most vigorous meafures in every part where any fuccefsful impreffion can fill be made upon the enemy, are the only means to attain that defirable object, an honourable and a lafting peace. We receive, with the deepeft gratitude, that most endearing expreffion of your majesty's unbounded goodnefs and affection towards this your native country, in the folemn declaration which your majefty has been pleafed to make, that, as well in the profecution of the war, as in the the conclufion of the peace, no confideration whatever fhall induce you to depart from the true interefts of thefe your kingdoms, and from the honour and dignity of your crown. Your majefty may be affured, that your faithful commons will chearfully grant fuch fupplies as the nature and extent of the feveral fervices fhall be found to require; firmly relying on your majetty's wifdom and juftice, that they will be applied with the ftricteft ceconomy, and in fuch a manner as may molt effectually anfwer the great ends for which they fail be granted. We do with great truth affure your majefty, that it is our most earneft defire, that this firft parliament convened by your royal au the queen, in a manner that so nearly concerns her, cannot but give me most sensible satisfaction. The assurances of your steady and vigorous support must add the greatestweight to my endeavours for the public good; andwill be the surest means of bringing the war in which we are engaged, to such a conclusion as is the constant object of my wishes; and will most effectually provide for the honour, happiness, and security of my kingdoms. The speech of his excellency George thority, may, by their conduct, give I your majefty a happy proof of the zeal, the loyalty, and the affection of your people. Senfible of the difficult crifis in which we are affembled, we are determined to concur, with the greatest firmness and unanimity, in whatever may contribute to the welfare, and tend to defeat the views and expectations of our enemies, and may convince the world that there are no difficulties which your majetty's wildom and perfeverance, with the affiftance of your parliament, cannot furmount. His majefty's answer. Gentlemen, Return you my hearty thanks for this very dutiful and affectionate address. The early proofs of your most cordial attachment to me and my family, upon the occasion of my marriage, and the particular regard and attention which you express for My lords and gentlemen, Have the honour of his majefty's commands, to meet his firft parliament in Ireland: I obey them with intire fatisfaction, from an affurance that your deliberations will be influenced by the fame principles of loyalty and affection to your fovereign, and of zeal for the profperity of your country, which have fo long diftinguifhed the parliaments of this kingdom. The lofs of our late moft gracious fovereign, at a time when not only the fecurity of his own dominions, but the welfare of Europe, feemed fo effentially to depend on the continuance of his life, must have affected you in the most fenfible manner. Your grief however has already been alleviated, and your lofs repaired by the fucceflion of his majefty, not, only to the throne (his legal inheritance) but to the duty, affection, and confidence of his fubjects,as unbounded as the greatest of of his predeceffors have ever poffeffed in the most fortunate periods of their reign. This parliament happily commences with the acceffion of a king bred under the influence and formed by the example of a prince, who uniformly tempered prerogativewith law; and whofe glory it was, in the exercise of his power, to pro tect the rights and liberties of his people. You can be no ftrangers to his majefty's most gracious declaration, that the prefervation of the conftitution in church and ftate, and the inforcing a due obedience to the laws (not more neceffary to his own authority than to the liberties of his people) fhall be the firft and conftant object of his care. have it particularly in command to declare to you, that his fubjects of this kingdom are fully and in refpect comprehended in thefe affurances. And I every His majefty's wife choice of a royal confort, eminent for her perfonal virtues and endowments, and defcended from an houfe fo illuftrious for its attachment to the proteftant caufe, difplays in the clearest light his paternal care, not only to preferve to us, but tranfmit unimpaired to our pofterity, the bleffings of his reign, liberty, and pure religion. When I confider the fecurity of our prefent, and the profpect of our future happiness; and when I fee you animated, as I am perfuaded you are, with every fentiment which loyalty and gratitude can infpire; I affure myself of a feffion of parfiament, that will be diftinguished by its uninterrupted harmony, and by its effective zeal for the fupport of the honour and dignity of the crown. Such difpofitions fteadily adhered to cannot fail, under his majefty's paternal influence, to preferve you an happy, and to establish you an opulent and a flourishing people. Gentlemen of the house of commons, I have ordered the proper officers to lay before you the feveral accounts and estimates: from which you will be enabled to judge of the provifions neceffary to be made for the fupport of his majefty's government, and for your own fecurity. The means of making thefe provifions (which, I hope, will be expeditioufly adjufted) I doubt not will, on your part, be fuch as fhall be moft fuitable to the circumftances of this country; on mine, you may depend upon the utmoft frugality. You will take into your confider ation the feveral incidental charges of the military eftablishment, as it now stands, of which exact estimates cannot be formed; and also that a large fum will be wanted for the effectual repair of the barracks; a work which cannot be delayed. I muft obferve to you, that notwithstanding the authority given by the vote of credit of the laft parliament, the fum of two hundred thoufand pounds only has been raifed; a circumftance of economy which cannot fail to give you fatisfaction, My lords and gentlemen, The improvement of your natu-. ral advantages ought to be the object of your moft ferious attention. Agriculture, the furest fupport of every ftate, deferves at all times your higheft regard, to the end that, through your wifdom, the fkill and induftry of the inha bitants |