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contracting powers fhall be at liberty, in the refpective dominions, to affemble together with their conful, in body, as a factory, and make anongft themselves, for the common interest of the factory, fuch arrangements as they fhall judge proper, provided they are in no refpect contrary to the laws, ftatutes, and regulations of the country or place where they fhall be established. XXVI. Peace, friendship, and good intelligence fhall continue for ever between the high contracting parties; and, as it is cuftomary to fix a certain period to treaties of commerce, the above-mentioned high contracting parties have agreed that the prefent fhall laft eight years, reckoning from the expiration of the convention concluded between them on the 25th of March 1793; and this treaty fhall have effect immediately after its ratification: this term being elapfed, they may agree together to renew or prolong it.

XXVII. The prefent treaty of navigation and commerce fall be approved and ratified by his Britannic majefty and his imperial majefty of all the Ruffias, and the ratifications, in good and due form, fhall be exchanged in the fpace of three months, or fooner if it can be done, reckoning from the day of the fignature.

In faith of which, the refpective plenipotentiaries have caufed two copies of it to be made perfectly conformable to each other, figned with their hands, and have thereunto affixed the feal of their arms. Done at St. Petersburgh the 10-21ft

of February, 1797. (L.S.) ALEXANDER count of Besborodko. (L. S.) Prince ALEXANDER of Kourakin.

(L. S.) PETER of Soimonow. (L. S.) C. WHITWORTH,

DECLARATION.

We, the undersigned, being furnifhed with the full powers of his majesty the king of Great Britain on one fide, and his majefty the emperor of all the Ruffias on the other, having, in virtue of thofe full powers, concluded and figned, at St. Petersburgh, on February the 10-21ft, 1797, a treaty of navigation and commerce, of which the 9th article ftates, "The fubjects of the high contracting parties fhall not pay higher duties, on the importation and exportation of their merchandise, than are paid by the fubjects of another nation, &c." declare by these presents, in virtue of those fame full powers, that by the words other nations, European na tions alone are to be understood.

The prefent declaration fhall be confidered as making part of the above-mentioned treaty of naviga. tion and commerce, figned February 10-21, of the present year, and this day ratified.

In faith of which, we, the refpec

tive plenipotentiaries, have caufed two copies of it, perfectly conformable to each other, to be made, have figned them with our own hand, and have thereunto affixed the feal of our arms. Done at Mofcow, on the 30th April, 11th May, 1797. ALEXANDER Count of Befborodko. Prince ALEXANDER of Kourakin.

(L. S.)

(L. S.)

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seven householders for that purpofe,

PETER MOORE, efq. in the chair, It was refolved unanimously, That the following addrefs and petition be prefented to his majesty. To the king's most excellent majefty.

We your majefty's noft dutiful fubjects, the inhabitants householders of the city and liberty of Westminster, humbly beg leave to approach your majefty in a crifis of the greatest danger to our country, that it has experienced fince the revolution.

Your majefty's minifters have involved us in a war, in the profecution of which they have already fquandered upwards of one hundred and thirty millions of money. They have already laid taxes upon the people to the amount of fix millions and a half annually; and the lives which they have facrificed, and the fum which they have added to human mifery, exceeds all calculation or belief.

We humbly reprefent to your majefty, that in the hands of those minifters nothing has fucceeded.

Instead of reftoring monarchy in France, they have been compelled to recognise the republic there established, and to offer propofals of peace to it. Inftead of difmembering the territories of that republic, they have fuffered it to add to them the Netherlands, Holland, and a great part of Italy and Germany; and even a part of these kingdoms, which the fleets of that republic have infulted, have only been preferved from the calamities of an invafion, by the accidents of the seasons.

In their negotiations for peace, they have been equally unfuccefsful. It was to be expected. When they asked peace, they were abject, but not fincere; they acknowledg.

ed their impotence, but not their errors: they difcovered their most hoftile difpofitions towards France, at the very time they proved their utter inability to contend with her.

When they wanted to obtain our confent to the war, they affured us that it was neceffary for the fafety of our commerce.-At this moment most of the ports of Europe are fhut againft us; goods to an immenfe amount are lying upon the hands of our merchants; and the manufacturing poor are starving by thousands.

They affured us the war was neceffary for the prefervation of property and public credit. They have rendered every man's property fubject to an order of the privycouncil, and the bank of England has ftopped payment.

They affured us the war was neceffary for the preservation of the conftitution.-They have deftroy. ed its beft part, which is its liberty, by oppreffive reftrictions upon the right of petitioning, and upon the freedom of the prefs; by profecuting innocent men, under falfe pretences; by fending money to foreign princes, without confent of parliament; while, by erecting barracks throughout the kingdom, they give us reafon to fufpect their intention of finally fubjecting the people to military defpotifm.

They affured us that the war was neceffary for the prefervation of the unity of our empire.-But they have fo conducted, and are ftill fo conducting themselves in Ireland, as to alienate the affections of that brave, loyal, but oppreffed and perfecuted nation; and to expofe the most flourithing of its provinces to all the horrors of lawless, military violence.

Thefe are not common errors. They are great crimes and of thefe crimes, before God and our country, we accufe your ministers.

Our

Our affections to your majesty's perfon, our loyalty to your government, are unabated: your majefty's virtues are a pledge for the one; the conftitution which makes you king, for the other. But duty to our fellow countrymen, and to our pofterity, which is but another name for that affection and loyalty, impels us to reprefent to your majefty, that your minifters are defrauding us of the benefit of those virtues, by deftroying the channels through which they flow. They have tarnished the national honour and glory. They have oppreffed the poor with almost intolerable burdens. They have poisoned the intercourfe of private life. They have given a fatal blow to public credit. They have divided the empire; and they have fubverted the conftitution.

We humbly pray your majefty, therefore, to difmifs them from your prefence and councils for ever. Refolved unanimoufly, That the thanks of this meeting be given to the right hon. Charles James Fox, one of the reprefentatives of this city in parliament, for the firm and faithful difcharge of his public duty, in the most trying times, and for his oppofition to that calamitous fyftem, of which he with prophetic fagacity forefaw and foretold the ruinous confequences.

That the faid addrefs and petition be presented by the chairman and by the feveral gentlemen who called this meeting, and the right hon. Charles James Fox.

That his grace the duke of Norfolk, his grace the duke of Bedford, his grace the duke of Northumberland, the earl of Derby, the earl of Thanet, the earl of Lauderdale, lord Robert Spencer, and the hon. Mr. Petre, be requested to accompany them,

1797.

That the thanks of this meeting be given to the feven independent inhabitants who called this meeting.

Refolved, That the thanks of this meeting be given to the chairman, for his able conduct in the chair.

Refolved, That these resolutions be printed in the morning and evening papers, figned by the chairman.

PETER MOORE, chairman.

Speech of his Excellency the Lord. Lieutenant of Ireland, to both Houfes of Parliament, July 3.

My lords and gentlemen,

I have the fatisfaction of being at length enabled to relieve you from your laborious attendance in parliament; and am commanded by his majefty to express the just fenfe he entertains of that firm temper and vigorous determination which you have uniformly mani fefted in fupporting his majesty's government, and protecting our happy conftitution from the attempts of every foreign and do meftic enemy.

I have much pleasure in an nouncing to you, that the British parliament has paffed acts for abo lifhing the bounty on fail-cloth exported to Ireland, and for prohi biting the importation of cambric from all countries except this king. dom.

Gentlemen of the house of

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may have been rendered from the ftate of public credit, you have wifely attended to the fuperior confideration of national fafety. Such an exertion is the fureft proof that you are truly fenfible of the invaluable bleffings which we are contending to preferve; and that the beft means of effecting an honour able peace, and of reftoring all the comforts of tranquillity, are by difplaying at once your determination and your power, and by convincing your enemies of the extent of your refources as well as of the fteadiness of your courage.

The ready atfiftance which has been received from the fifter kingdom in facilitating the loan of the year, while it is a fure demonftration of her friendly cordiality, cannot fail to fhow how infeparable are the mutual interefts of the two kingdoms, and how neceffary their connection is for their mutual profperity.

Your humanity in directing your attention to the prefent diftrefs among the manufacturers, does not lefs command my approbation than your prudence in the mode of conveying relief, by increasing the means of their employment.

My lords and gentlemen, The powers with which you entrufted me by the fufpenfion of the Habeas Corpus act, have enabled me to bring to light, and to difconcert the fecret confpiracy which had been formed for the total over throw of your establishments, the deftruction of property, and the diffolution of government. This confpiracy has been fo fully unfolded by your wifdom, that it can no longer fpread itself under the infidious pretence which it had art fulle afmed, of improving the conftitution In the measures, whether of vigilance or coercion,

which you have recommended for its extinction, 1 fhall not relax. It will be my ftudy to temper the neceffary acts of feverity and rigour by conciliatory offers of clemency and pardon, to exhort the infatuated and deluded to abandon their deceivers, and to fummon the guilty to repentance; but, at the fame time, it is, and will be my fixed purpose, to proceed with vigour against thofe who,, regardless of every warning and admonition, fhall continue their defperate efforts to involve this nourishing country in all the horrors of infur rection and invasion, of bloodshed and of anarchy.

I have already the fatisfaction to acquaint you, that great numbers who had been unfortunately fe duced, have returned to a sense of their duty, and have been admitted to his majefty's clemency; and I truft that, by perfeverance and energy, every veftige of difaffection will be effaced, and univerfally give way to the return of that fpirit of loyalty which has fo long been the diftinguished characteristic of this kingdom.

I cannot omit to congratulate with you on the unimpaired luftre of that spirit which fo confpicu. oufly fhone forth when the enemy's fleet appeared on our coasts, nor can I too often repeat my full fenfe of your wifdom in the establishment of district corps: I have the most fatisfactory accounts of their improvement in difcipline, as well as of their exertions in quelling and preventing infurrection, and I have myself witneffed the un exampled exertions, good conduct, and military appearance of the corps of the metropolis, whofe unceafing and unwearied vigilance, at a most important crifis, checked every attempt to produce contufion

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by riot and tumult, at the fame time that it deftroyed the hopes of our enemies, and restored confidence to the country in general.

Your judicious augmentation of pay to his majesty's regular and militia forces, which must render their fituation fo highly comfortable, is at once a seasonable and honourable acknowledgment of their steadiness and loyalty.

The traitorous efforts which have been made to entice them from their allegiance, have had a fatal effect in a few lamentable examples. I trust, however, that they have excited in the minds of others fo timely a repentance, and in the rest fuch indignation and abhorrence, that no future danger can be apprehended.

Your wife institution of a finking fund, in the midst of financial difficulties, cannot be too much applauded, and will prevent any ruinous depreciation of funded stock, and being established before the national, debt had accumulated to any oppreffive magnitude, will tend to prevent its becoming dangerous. A measure fo truly calculated for preferving the resources of the state, and fupporting public credit, muft fecure to you the gratitude of an enlightened people.

His majefty is exerting every pro per effort to produce a speedy and fecure peace. It will be our duty to affift thofe efforts by convincing our enemies, from the state of our preparation, and the unanimity of our fpirit, that they can hope for no advantage by prolonging the calamities of war.

Wherever your abilities, your influence, and exertions, can be most advantageously employed on your return to the feveral counties, I

am confident they will be moft confpicuously difplayed. A conftant intercourfe with your immediate neighbourhoods, muft give you the opportunity of affording to the people both affiftance and example, of reclaiming thereby the deluded and ill-difpofed, and confirming the well-affected in their fidelity and allegiance. A forward spirit of loyalty, which in most parts of the kingdom has fuccefffully checked the progress of treafon, will be ftrengthened and dif fufed by your prefence and exertions. It will be my ambition to fecond your activity and zeal, and to co-operate with your efforts for reftoring the tranquillity and profperity of the kingdom.

We have a facred caufe to defend, the independence and conftitution of Great Britain and Ireland, from which both kingdoms have derived innumerable bleffings under his majefty's aufpicious reign.They were purchased by the dear eft blood of your ancestors, in a crifis not lefs formidable than the. prefent. I truft we shall not fail to imitate their great example, and that we fhall be enabled, by fimilar courage and continued firmness, to tranfmit to our pofterity, inviolate, that invaluable inheritance which their valour rescued, and their feverance preferved.

After which the lord chancellor, by his excellency's command, faid,

My lords and gentlemen, It is his excellency the lord lieutenant's pleasure, that this parliament be prorogued to Thursday, the 10th day of Auguft next, to be then here holden: and the parliament is accordingly prorogued to Thursday, the 10th day of Auguft next.

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