MONDAY, DEC. 1.

THE Bills on the Table were read in their respective stages.

Lord Warwick gave notice, that he fhould, on Thursday, bring forward a motion relative to the high price of provifions; and moved, that the Lords be fummoned for that day. Ordered. Weltjie's Naturalization Bill was brought up from the Commons, and read a first time.

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TUESDAY, DEC. 2. The Duke of Bedford, pursuant to notice which he had given yefterday, called the attention of their Lordships to the fubject of his motion, which he faid applied to the prefent alarming ftate of the country, in confequence of the actual scarcity of grain which unfortunately prevailed almoft throughout the whole kingdom. The object he had in view, was the application of fubftitutes for the ufe of Bread Corn. He had no doubt of the falutary effects of the principle of economy fo ftrongly recommended; and he was convinced the effect of example in the higher claffes would operate confiderably to fpread its beneficial effects; but he thought that fomething further was required; and that the people, who naturally in the hour of peril and of difficulty looked up to the Legislature for afliftance, would expect laws, and not mere proclamations, to effectuate the purposes of fuch affiftance. His Grace did not mean to derogate from the labours or merits of their Lordfhips' Select Committee; yet, without any intention of that kind, he confidered it his duty to fubmit the adoption of a measure which would tend moft materially to alleviate the forrows of the poor. His

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ufe and confumption of the parish poor throughout the kingdom; that a Bill fhould be framed upon whatever refolution their Lordfhips Committee fhould think fit to adopt accordingly. After noticing, in very pointed terms, the fufferings, but at the fame time the patient loyalty of the poor throughout the kingdom, he concluded with moving, that the paragraph to alluded to fhould be referred to their Lordships Select Committee, then fitting.

Lord Grenville paid many compliments to the good and humane intentions of the Noble Duke; but observed, that the motion was altogether unnecellary, for as the Report alluded to was now before the Committee, it would be unfair not to fuppofe that they of themselves might adopt the very fyl tem fubmitted by his Grace.

After a few words between the Duke, the Chancellor, and Lord Grenville, the motion was withdrawn.

The Earl of Suffolk faid, that the country was in a moft alarming way, and nothing thort of prompt and strong meafures could poffibly fave the coun try. It was high time to take fuch fteps; one he thought would be ferviceable, and that was, to reduce the number of cavalry in the kingdom'; for fuch purpofe he intended to move their Lordships, and thould therefore now call for papers' ers to that effect; he accordingly moved, that an account of the cavalry now ferving in Great Britain fhould be laid on the Table.

Lord Grenville faid, though he did not mean to oppofe the motion, yet he thought it very unparliamentary according to the etiquette of that House.

Lord Holland laid a few words in fupport of the motion, and it was car

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WEDNESDAY, DEC. 3.

The Marquis of Salisbury (Lord Chamberlain) delivered his Majesty's

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anfwer to the late Addrefs of both "Houfes of Parliament, which, in fubitance, expreffed his Majefty's fatisfaction at that additional proof of the anxiety of his faithful Parliament to the welfare of his fubjects, and on occafion of grievances, the removal of which was the object nearest to his heart. Ihat his Majeity would give directions for the flue of the Proclamation, to the effect, and in the way recommend ed by Parliament, which he trusted would be attended with the most beneficial confequences.

The Poors' Rate Bill went through a Committee, without amendment.

THURSDAY, DEC. 4.

The Bill for amending the 22d of the King, relative to the better maintenance of Parish Poor, was read a third time, and paffed.

Several Bills were brought up from 'the Commons, and read a first time, and thofe already on the Table were forwarded in their refpective ftages.

FRIDAY, DEC. 5.

The Earl of Warwick, in purfuance of his notice, addreffed their Lordthips on the fubject of the prefent fcarcity, and moved, That the Magiftrates, in their respective counties, thould have the power of fixing the value of corn in their diftricts, and alfo of rating the value of agricultural labour therein which was negatived without a divifion. MONDAY, DEC. 8.

The Bill for afcertaining the Population of Great Britain was brought up by Mr. Abbott from the Commons, and read a first time.

The Royal Affent was given by commiffion to the Penfion Duty Bill; to that for granting and continuing the ufual Duties on Malt, Mum, Cyder, and Perry; the Corn Importation Bill; that for regulating the making of Malt from damaged Barley; and the Poors' Bill.

TUESDAY, DEC. 9.

Bill was, on the motion of Lord Walfingham, further postponed till to-mor

row.

FRIDAY, DEC. 12.

The Houfe, in a Committee on the Population Bill, adopted a great number of amendments.

SATURDAY, DEC. 13.

The Nova Scotia Fishery Bill, and feveral others, were read a third time.

The Duke of Portland prefented a Proclamation or Order of his Majefty, of the 10th inft. in purfuance of the powers vefted in him by an Act of this Seffion, relative to the prohibition of the exportation of corn and other provifions. It was ordered to be laid on the Table.

MONDAY, DEC. 15.

The Royal Affent was given, by Commiffion, to the Bill for encouraging by Bounty the Importation of Corn; to the Bill for authorifing and encouraging the Importation of Foreign Herrings; and to a private Bill.

The Bills on the Table were all forwarded in their respective stages.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 17.

Upon the report of the Bill for afcertaining the Population of this Country being made,

Lord Grenville made fome objections to thofe parts of the Bill which impli cated the Clergy in making returns'; and moved, that all the parts in the Bill which related to the Clergy's being concerned in making the fame be omit ted; which was agreed to.

The Bill for empowering Magiftrates to enforce Overfears, &c. to deliver out one part of their parochial relief in fome whole fome provifion, bread made entirely of wheaten flour excepted, was read a firft time.

THURSDAY, DEC. 18. The Bill for afcertaining the Popu lation of this Country was read a third time, and paffed.

FRIDAY, DEC. 19.

The Bill to continue in force the Act to fufpend the Habeas Corpus A&t until fix weeks after the meeting of the next Seffions of Parliament, was ordered to be read a fecond time to-morrow. SATURDAY, DEC. 20.

Upon the Motion for the third reading of the Poor Relief Bill, the Duke of Bedford oppofed it. His Grace recapitulated moft of his former arguments against the Bill; the principal point he referred to was, that the Bill had had, and still would have, the effect of mate

MONDAY, DEC. 22.

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TUESDAY, DEC. 23.

On the Motion for the Houfe to refolve itself into a Committee upon the Alien Bill, Lord. Holland rofe to oppofe it; but, after a few words from Lord Grenville, it paffed the Committee without any amendment.

Lord Holland moved for papers relative to the Treaty of El Arifch. A hort debate enfued; and, on the queftion, there appeared for the motion, 2; against it, 12.

The Army and Navy Seduction Bill went through a Committee. The Report to be reccived to-morrow.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 24.

The various Bills on the Table were forwarded in their respective stages, and their Lordships adjourned till

Commons was ordered; which House immediately appeared at the Bar, with the Speaker at their head.

Bill, the Speaker made the following On prefenting the Exchequer Loan speech:

Moft Gracious Sovereign,

"The Bill now tendered to your Majefty, by your faithful Commons, completes the provifion which has been made for the feveral branches of the public fervice, till that period when your Majefty will receive the advice and affiftance of your Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Impreffed with a well. grounded confidence in the ftrength and refources of the Empire, and partaking, as they earnestly do, of that folicitude for the restoration of Peace, of which your Majefty has given a re cent, though unavailing proof, your Commons are convinced that nothing can contribute more effectually to the accomplishment of that great object, than to manifeft the ability and determination of this country to be fully prepared for the further profecution of à conteft, the continuance of which may justly be afcribed to the unwarrantable pretentions of the enemy.

"But on no occafion has the attention of your Parliament been more deeply and anxiously engaged, than by thofe important confiderations to which it was peculiarly directed at the opening of the prefent Seffion, in confequence of your Majefty's paternal concern for the welfare and comfort of your people. To alleviate, to the utmost of their power, the preffure upon all defcriptions of their fellow-fubjects, and upon the poorer claffes in particular, your Commons have deemed to be the first, and most urgent of their duties. The meafures adopted for this purpose are thofe which, they truft, are beft calculated to afford fubftantial and extenfive relief, and to provide for the neceffary demands of the year. Much of their efficacy muft, however, depend upon that temper, good fenfe, and fortitude, which this country has difplayed under the feverest trials, and which were ne ver more confpicuous than at the prefent conjuncture.

Thefe, Sire, the laft proceedings of your Parliament, previous to the great era, now on the point of commencing, are the indication and refult of that common, interest and fellow feeling

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with the people, by which it has ever *been actuated, and which are the best fafeguard of all that is most valuable in fociety. To that æra, your Commons look forward with a confident expectation, that the confolidated wisdom and authority of the Legislature of Great Britain and Ireland, under the aufpicious Government of your Majelty, and of your illuftrious House, will diffufe, throughout every part of the United Kingdom, the full benefits of that Conftitution, which has been proved to be favourable, in an unexampled degree, to the enjoyment of civil liberty and public profperity; and which cannot therefore fail to animate the zeal and determination of thofe who may fhare its bleffings, to cherish and maintain it in their own times, and to tranfmit it as the best inheritance to their pofterity."

His Majefty then notified his Royal Aflent to twenty three Bills among which were, the Bread Regulation, the Population, Habeas Corpus Sufpenfion, Annual Indemnity, Exchequer Bills, Aliens' Regulation, Weft India Army Accounts, and Weltjie's Naturalization Bills.

The King was then pleafed to make the following moft gracious Speech

from the Throne :

"My Lords and Gentlemen,

"I cannot fuffer this Seffion to clofe without returning you my most particular acknowledgments for the diftinguifhed induftry and zeal with which have applied yourfelves to the you interefting object which, at the commencement of the Seffion, I moft ef pecially recommended to your atten tion.

"It has been my earnest with that nothing should be omitted which could tend to relieve the preffure occafioned by the prefent dearth of provifions, and to infure a fufficient fupply till the produce of the next harvest can be brought into use.

"The diligence with which your enquiries have been conducted has afforded you the best means of afcer. taining the true circumftances of our prefent fituation; and the extenfive meatures which you have wifely adopted in confequence, for diminishing the confumption of grain, and procuring an encreafed fupply, will, I doubt not, be found productive of the most falu. tary effect

"Much, however, muft depend on the difpofition which will, I am confident, be manifefted by all thofe who have the means of carrying into execution my folemn recommendation and injunction, iffued at your defire, for the adoption of all practical economy in the ufe of thofe articles which are neceffary to the fubfiftence of the poorer claffes of my fubjects.

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"The time fixed for the commence. ment of the Union of Great Britain and Ireland will neceffarily terminate your proceedings on this important fubject; but I am perfuaded that the confideration of it will be refumed with the fame zeal and temper on the firft meeting of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

"The early period which I have ap pointed for that meeting will afford a fpeedy opportunity of completing whatever you may have neceffarily left meafures may tend further to alleviate unfinished, and of confidering what the preffure on my people, or prevent the danger of its recurring.

"Gentlemen of the House of Commons, "I thank you for the readiness with which you have granted the fup-| plies neceffary, under the prefent cir cumftances, for the public fervice.

"My Lords and Gentlemen, "The detention of the property of my fubjects in the ports of Ruffia, contrary to the moft folemn Treaties, and the imprisonment of British failors in that country, have excited in me fentiments, in which you and all my fubjects will, I am fure, participate.

"I have already taken fuch fteps as this occation indifpenfably required; and it will afford me great fatisfaction, if they prove effectual, but if it shall be neceffary to maintain, against any combination, the honour and independence of the British Empire, and thofe maritime rights and interests on which both our profperity and our fecurity muft always depend, I entertain no doubt either of the fuccefs of thofe means which, in fuch an event, I thall be enabled to exert, or of the determination of my Parliament and my People, to afford me a fupport propor tioned to the importance of the inte

refts which we have to maintain."

After which the Lord Chancellor an. nounced his Majesty's defire to have his Royal Proclamation read, appointing the Lords and Commons of the prefent

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