Parliamentary Register; OR, HISTORY OF THE PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS; CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF The moft interefting SPEECHES and MOTIONS; accurate DURING THE FIFTH SESSION of the FOURTEENTH PARLIAMENT OF GREAT BRITAIN. VOL. XI. BLONDON: Printed for J. ALMON, oppofite BURLINGTON-HOUSE, in PICCADILLY. MDCCLXXIX. HISTORY OF THЕ PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES Of the FIFTH SESSION of the HOUSE of COMMONS OF THE Fourteenth Parliament of Great-Britain, Appointed to be held at WESTMINSTER, On Thursday, the 26th Day of November, 1778. IS Majefty opened this feffion with the following speech from the throne. My Lords and Gentlemen, I have called you together in a conjuncture which demands your moft ferious attention. In the time of profound peace, without pretence of provocation or colour of complaint, the court of France hath not forborne to disturb the public tranquility, in violation of the faith of treaties, and the general rights of fovereigns, as first by the clandeftine fupply of arms and other aid to my revolted fubjects in North America, afterwards by avowing openly their fupport, and entering into formal engagements with the leaders of the rebellion, and at length by committing open hoftilities and depredations on my faithful fubjects, and by an actual invafion of my dominions in America and the Weft Indies. It is, I truft, unneceffary for me to affure you, that the fame care and concern for the happiness of my people, which induced me to endeavour to prevent the calamities of war, will make me defirous to fee a reftoration of the bleffings of peace, whenever it can be effected with perfect honour, and with fecurity to the rights of this country. VOL. XI. B In |