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nation; mutual preparation for invafion and for defence on the coafts of France and England; engagements on the French fhores, feen or heard from the Cliffs of Dover.-All thefe objects naturally aroufe the attention of the English reader, and may be fuppofed to occupy, in his imagination, more than their juft proportion in that of a citizen of the world.

To the extraordinary labours of this year, we have added a deduction of the facts and queftions that had, for fome time, agitated and divided the India-House, and has ferioufly engaged the attention of the legiflature.

THE

THE

ANNUAL REGISTER,

For the YEAR 1801.

THE

HISTORY

OF

EUROPE.

CHAP. I.

Meeting of the British Parliament.-His Majefty's Speech from the Throne refpecting the high Price of Provifions-and recent Communications from the French Government.-Addresses of Thanks.-Amendments propofed.— Debates.-Proceedings relative to the Dearth of Provifions.-Divers Bills. -Royal Proclamation.-Industry and Zeal of the Legislature in devifing Means for alleviating the public Difirefs.

TH

HE riots which had taken place in many parts of England and Scotland, on account of the high price of provifions, and which have already been noticed in our last volume, were neither fo violent nor obftinate as they would have been in countries where there is lefs moderation of character in the people, and lets confidence in means of conftitutional relief. The privations and fufferings of the lower orders, VOL. XLIII.

that is, of the great mafs of the people, and indeed of many who ought rather to be claffed in the middling rank, were fo great, that every candid mind was lefs offended at the commotions of the populace, than ftruck with their forbearance and patience. There were, indeed, not a few men in the enjoyment or expectation of places under government, who prefented to the fuffering multitude a frowning and hoftile [B]

afpect,

afpect, and who fhewed a difpofition rather to maintain the public tranquillity by that mighty armed force which was now on foot, and diftributed in all parts of the united kingdoms, than by the lenient methods of due fympathy, confideration, and affifiance. Among the zealots for ftrengthening the hands of government, at all adventures, by all forcible means, murmurs were heard, that it was now high time for all men of property to look well to their own interefts; nor did they befitate to affirm, that the numerous bodies of volunteers in arms, were fully as neceflary for the prevention of internal infurrection, as the repulfion of foreign invation. Sufpicions were entertained by thofe men, of the alacrity of common foldiers in this caufe of coercion. They placed their chief confidence in the volunteers: among whom, indeed, there were not wanting individuals who would have been as ready inftruments in the hands of the fevereft government, for the purpofe of reftraining and fubduing their own countrymen, as for that of repelling external aggreffion. In fhort, there were fome fymptoms of a tendency to a marked and fatal divifion between men of property or of hopes, and men of no property and no hopes. And if the vigilance, prudence, and moderation, which was exercifed, in the prevention or quel ling of mobs by the acting magif trates, had not formed a counterbalance to the spirit of violence that was manifefted, not by government, but by fome of the retainers, and what may be termed the expectants of government, an afpect of affairs might have been fuddenly prefent ..ed, more terrible than any that has menaced this country fince the full

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establishment of regular law and government. For commotions excited by extreme want, however inconfiffent with political order, and however fraught with future evils, have nothing in their nature that fhocks humanity. All queftions of right, and all prefages of future calamities, might have been loft in the general tide of fympathy and compaffion; which would have given to the popular fide the force of moral, perhaps even religious, fentiment.

The folicitude that was fhewn by individuals of all ranks to alleviate the fufferings of the poor, and the care of government to provide as much, and as fpeedily as poffible for their wants, gave confolation and hope to the people. The hand of private charity was ftill, as it had been, opened liberally. Aflociations, in cities and parishes, were every where formed, and refolutions taken for the relief of those who stood in most need of affiftance. In the month of October, 1800, petitions from the city of London and other places were prefented to his majefty to convene the parliament, without delay, that meafures might be taken for relieving the diftrels of the people. The king graciously intimated that he had already given orders for an early meeting of the legiflature for the difpatch of bufinefs. The parliament accordingly affembled on the 11th of November. The king, in a speech from the throne, declared that it was a tender concern for the welfare of his fubjects, and a fenfe of the difficulties with which the poorer classes particularly had to ftruggle, from the prefent high price of provifions, that had induced him to call them together at an earlier period than he

had

hd intended. He expreffed an Ernest desire, that, by their care and wifdom, all fuch measures might be adopted, as might appear beft calculated to alleviate this fevere preffure, and to prevent the danger of its recurrence, by promoting the permanent extenfion and improvement of agriculture. For prefent relief, he recommended the most ample encouragement for the importation of grain from abroad; attention to frugality, and economy in the confumption of corn; and alfo to the ftate of the laws refpecting the commerce in the various articles of provifion. If it fhould appear that the evil neceffarily arifing from unfavourable feasons, had been increased by any undue combinations or fraudulent practices, they would feel an earneft defire of effectually preventing fuch abufes; at the fame time, he was fure, that they would be careful to diftinguish fuch practices from that regular and long-experienced courfe of trade, which experience had fhewn to be indifpenfable, in the prefent ftate of fociety, for the fupply of the markets, and for the fubfiftence of his people. He expreffed his concern at the temporary disturbances which had taken place in fome parts of the kingdom, which he afcribed to the inftigation of malicious and difaffected perfons, whofe conduct was doubly criminal: as fuch proceedings muft necellarily and immediately tend to increafe the evil complained of, while they, at the fame time, endangered the permament tranquillity of the country, on which the well-being of the induftrious claffes of the community muft always depend. His majefty, paff

ing to the fubject of the recent communication between him and the French government,* afferted his earnest defire of peace, and lamented that his wishes had been fruftrated by the determination of the enemy to enter only on a separate negotiation, in which he could not engage confiftently with public faith, or with a due regard to the permanent fecurity of Europe.Whenever the difpofition of the French fhould afford a prospect of an honourable peace, he would promote it to the utmoft of his power; but while fuch a peace was unattainable, he trufted that his parlia ment would fupport him with the fame firmnefs and loyalty which had been fignally evinced during the whole progrefs of a very important conteft.-An addrefs of thanks to his majefty for this fpecch was moved, in the HOUSE OF LORDS, by

The duke of Somerfet, who recommended a review of those laws, which either directly or indirectly affected the production and the vending of corn, and, if neceffary, to repeal, amend, and improve, fuch parts of them as might be any ways defective. He had heard it faid, that the legislature fhould let trade take its courfe, and not endeavour to improve that which always fucceeds beft, if left entirely to the management of thofe individuals who are immediately interested in its fuccefs. There might, perhaps, he obferved, be fome foundation for this remark, had the legislature always been indifferent, and confe. quently impartial to the concerns of agriculture and commerce; but where much has been done, fome

• Of which an account has been given in our last volume. [B 2]

thing

thing more must frequently be done, to render what is already done effectual. Where medicine has been administered, it must be frequently continued. The numerous regulations established in this country with regard to agriculture and commerce, required the frequent attention of the legislature, either to enforce thofe regulations, or to refcind, amend, and alter them, as a change of circumftances and different ftates of fociety might require. With regard to the riots, the pretence for which had been the extreme fcarcity, the duke observed, that the folly of fuch proceedings, on fuch grounds, might excite pity rather than indignation; but yet that it was for the intereft of fociety, that, if perfevered in, the authors of them fhould not escape. It might perhaps be neceffary for their lordships in the courfe of the feffion to confider of fome means for the conviction, or the more easy fuppreffion of popular tumults. He was confident that the farming capital of the kingdom might be increased, agriculture improved, and provifions brought cheaper to market, if the property of the farmer were rendered more fecure, by the more effectual prevention of riot, theft, and conflagration; but of thefe milchiefs he confidered theft, though the leaft confpicuous, as the moft prejudicial. The duke, after going over all the topics touched on in the fpeech from the throne, propofed, or, in parliamentary phrafeology, moved an addrefs, containing affurances, correfponding to the obfervations and fentiments expreffed-The motion for an addrefs to his majesty was feconded by

Lord Hobart. With refpect to the leading topic of the fpeech, the

high price of provifions, his lordship obferved, that fuch was the deficiency of the harvest in 1779, that, if the alarm of fcarcity had not been rung in the laft feffion, and a motion of a right reverend prelate for leffening the confumption of private families acceded to, the evil felt at that hour would have been confiderably aggravated: for, although the agreement propofed in that motion was not figned by all of their lordships, the fpirit of it was followed by many who did not fign it, and was attended by the very heft effects throughout the country. To that alarm, to the voluntary economy produced by it, and to the compulfory reduction by the increase of price, he afcribed our efcape from the fevereft difirefs: for it was now known, that had not the harveft of the current year, 1780, been much earlier than ufual, the granaries were fo completely exhaufied, that, in many parts of England, the condition of the people would have been moft dreadful. From the extenfion of agriculture, recommended from the throne, much was to be expected; but this was a distant remedy. Prefent relief was the object to which their lordships attention was more particularly directed; and the most immediate relief that occurred was importation, in vited by encouragement: but that allo, he obferved, was precarious; and, therefore, what he should rely upon, was, economy at home, and the fubftitution of other grains to make up the deficiency of wheat. Lord Hobart had feen with concern, in the public prints, and particularly in refolutions of the county of Middlefex, that the high price of corn had been attributed to the war. This he confidered as an un

founded

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