This motion paffed in the affirmative. Mr. Erskine moved laftly, that fuch members of this Houfe as are of his Majesty's mott Hon. Privy Council do wait upon his Majeity, to know when he will be pleafed to 1 receive this addrefs. This motion palled alfo in the affirmative; and concluded the bafinefs of this important day. HOUSE of LORD S. Paffed the land tax bill. HOUSE of COMMON S. Mr. Greville standing at the bar, informed the Houle that in obedience to their order, the members who were of his Majesty's most honourable Privy Council had waited upon his Majefty to learn when he would be pleafed to receive their addrefs; and that his Majetty had fignified to them, that he would receive it fo-morrow at two o'clock. HOUSE of LORD S. Wednesday, December 24 Lord Thurlow was introduced as Chancel lor, and took his feat upon the woolfack, and about four o'clock his Majelty came to the Houfe, and gave his Royal affent to the malt, land tax, and ten other bills. As foon as his Majefly had retired, and their Lordships were unrobed. Earl Gower rofe up and moved to adjourn till Tuesday the 20th of January next, which upon the question being put by the Lord Chancellor, was agreed to by the Houte. HOUSE of COMMONS. Wednesday, December 24. A new writ was moved in the Houfe of Commons, for Edinburghthire, in the room of Henry Dundas, Efq. Treasurer of the Navy. A new writ for Honiton, in the room of Sir George Yonge, appointed Secretary at War. A new weit for Wallingford, in the room of John Aubrey, Efq. Lord of the Treasury. A new writ for Saint Germain's, in the room of Edward James Eliott, Lord of the Treasury. A new writ for Dartmouth, in the room of Charles Brett, Efq; appointed a Lord of the Admiralty. A new writ for Cirencefter, in the room of Lord Aptley, appointed a Lord of the Admiralty. A new writ for Bath, in the room of the Honourable John Jeffery Pratt, appointed a Lord of the Admiralty. The Speaker after his return read to the Houte his Majefly's Anfwer to their addrefs. His MAJESTY's Anfwer. At half past two the Speaker. attended by almost the whole Houfe of Commons. attend. ed at St. James's with the Addrefs, as moved by Mr. Efkine on Monday lati, when bis Majefty being feated on his Throne in the Drawing room, the Speaker, attended by Mr. Efkine and Colonel Fitzpatrick on his right, as the mover and fconder, and by Mr. Huffey the Chairman of the Committee on his lett, #tepped up to the foot of the Throne, and read the Addrefs to the King. To which his Majelly was gracioutly pleafto make this anfwer: "Gentlemen, "It has been my confiant object to employ the authority entrusted to me by the conflitutions to its true and only end-the good of my people; and I am always happy in concurring with the wjhes and opinions of my faithful Commoni, » agree suith you in thinking that the fuppart of the public credit, and revenue, muft demand your most carnest and vigilant care. The fate of the East-Indies is alfo an object of as much delicacy and importance, as can exercife the wijdom and justice of Parliament. I truß you will proceed in thofe confiderations, with all convenient speed, after fuch an adjournment at the prefent circumflances may seem to require. And I affure you I shall not interrupt your meeting by any exercife of my prerogative, either of prorogation or diffolution." Mr. Fox faid, that though, by his Majef ty's anfwer to the addrefs, the Houfe had allorance that they thould not be prevented from meeting again, by either prorogation of diffolution of Parliament, fill the affurance went no further than the meeting after the recefs. His Majelly's prefent Minifters had been. it feemed, driven from their intention to diffolve the Parliament; none of them had been found daring enough to advife his Ma jelly to take fo defperate a fep; but how foon after the next meeting they might venture fo to do he could not forefee; they were refolved however to prevent the Houfe as long as they could from proceeding to business; for by moving writs at prefent they would make fuch a number of vacancies in it, as would fuinith themselves with an argoment against proceeding early to bufinefs; for they would have it in their power to say, that it would not be decent to proceed, during the abfence of fo many perfons, as had been fent to an election. The fate of the country, however, would not admit of a long recefs; for as the prefent Minifters could not fland long, (and indeed to talk of the flability and permanency of their government, would only be to laugh at and infult them) it would be necellary to move for another fet of writs after the holidays, in the room of thofe, who on the formation of another miniftry, thould vacate their feats. Therefore in order to prevent the calamities which had lately befallen the country, and threatened the conftitution, he would propose that the recefs fhould fhould be as thort poffible; he thought it Lord Malg, ave took notice of iome parts of Mr. Erskine faid it would have been better for the noble lord to have taken notice of his fpeech on Monday than now. He faid he did not copy the paragraph in that addrefs, merely because he found it in a former one; but approving as he did, of the feptiments contained, he had adopted it merely in com. plaifance to fuch fquamish perions as the noble lord. He faid, he did not apprehend from his Majesty's answer, that there were any intention to diffolve or prorogue the Par liament after the recefs; he would not read that anfwer with the eye of a special pleader, in order to find flaws in it; but as his Majefty admitted the preffing neceffity of vigilance and attention to public affairs, he conceived that he admitted as a jutt inference, that an jaterruption of the proceedings of the House would be prejudicial to them. Sir Edward Atley thought the adjournment too thort; he had attended his duty in Parliament from the first day of the meeting, to the great prejudice of his private affairs, which now required fome little attention from him. It would take him two days to go down to the country, and two more to return, which taken from the period between this and the 8th of January would leave it thort indeed. He faid he bad read in the newspapers this day, that Sir Edward Astley was gone over to the oppofition, he mult drink deep indeed of the waters of Lethe beface he could do that; he cared not indeed who was Minifter, he would apport no man from influence, but would be always guided by his opinion of the measure. Sir Ffeph Mawbey broke out against the coalition, which he detefted from the bottoin of his heart. In answer to an allution made by Mr. Fox, that the Ministers would employ their time during the recets to bring over members to their intereft by holding out tempting offers, Sir Jofeph faid, that if they did, they ought to employ the agent of the noble lord in the blue ribbon, who was hackpeyed in that business. Lord North fad that it was not very likely that his agent, whoever was meant, should go about to make a majority, a minority; for his part, if the prefent minifter would be bound not to attempt, daring the receis, to corrupt, by himself or any agent, any member compoling the majority of that House, be (Lord North) would confent to be locked up without pen, ink, or paper, and bind himfelf not to speak to any man until the House fhould meet again. He was of opinion, however, that no attempt would be made, for he was fore that a more fruitless one could never be undertaken. ready to bear it only he prefumed modifica. tions of the bill would be offered, and as he fhould not chufe to concede at all, it would, he thought, be better to proceed no fartber with his bill, and let Minitters bring in a blt of their own. COMMITTEE ON THE STATE of THE NATION. Lord Beauchamp, after a short preface, mov ed that the chairman, Mr. Huffey, be directed to move that it is the opinion of the Houfe that the Lords of the Treafury ought not to confent that the Directors of the East India Company do accept any, more bills, unlefs they thall be able to prove to Parliament that they have fufficient means to provide for the payment of them, after they hall have paid their dividend, and difcharged the debt. due to government. Mr. Fox Teconded the motion pro forma. Lord Mulgrave faid the Lords of the Treafury were author fed by an act of Parliament to give their confent that the Directors thould accept bills to a certain amount; it would therefore be abfurd to confine them by a'refolution of one branch of the legiflature from doing that which by law they were authorited to do in the exercife of their judgment, in obedience to an act of the legiflature, they ought to d.fregard a refolution of that Houle. This laft exprellion made.many members take fire. Mr. Burke and Mr. Fox found it perfectly confident with men who were come in under the influence of the Houfe of Lords, to d-fpife the refolutions of the Houfe of Commons: indeed the prefent Ministers thewed whofe Minifters they were; for of them all there was only one who was not a Peer! Lord North faid the refolution was neceffary. By law the Directors could accept bills to the amount of 300,000l.; for any fum beyond that, they must have the confent of the Lords of the Treafory. He underflood that bills had already arrived, or were on the point of arriving, to the amount of 2,400,000l. and others were expected to arrive from India to the amount of 2,025,000l. more. This was an immenfe fom, and therefore it ought not to be left to the difcretion of the Treafury, to bind the public by their confent to the payment of it. For his part, were he a Lord of the Treafury, he would thank the Houfe for fuch a refolution as that which was then before the Committee; as it would free him from a thousand importunities from the Company. Sir W. Dolben thought the houfe ought not to enterfere with the Lords of the Treasury in the difcharge of a truft repofed in them by the three branches of the leg flature. Mr. Scott faid he would not argue for the neceffity of the refolution, but if it was once admitted to be neceffary, he would not hefi tate to fay that it was not unconfiitutional; for that houfe had unquestionably a right to advife any executive branch of government, however legally established. Mr.Wilberforce, Mr. Bunks, and Lord Mahon spoke on the question, but not against it; they rofe merely to rescue the character of Mr. Pitt from an imputation that he intended to make any bad ufe of the poser velted by law in the Treafury. The refolution was then carried without a divifion. DUCHY OF LANCASTER. Earl of Survey then acquainted the Commitee that he had another refolution to propole. A reformation had been intended in the Duchy of Lancaster, if not an abolition of the Duchy Court; but this had been in a great meature prevented by the grant made of the office of Chancellor of that Duchy, to the last perfon who held it, for life: be moved therefore that the Chairman be directed to move the Houfe to addrefs his Majefty, that until the 20th of January next he do not grant the above office to any perfon otherwife than during pleasure. He faid he had chofen an early day, that he might not be thought to trench too much upon the prerogative. The refolution paffed without oppofition. The Chairman having been prevously directed to report progrefs, and afk leave to fit again, left the chair, and the Houfe being refumed, he reported the refolutions, which were adopted by the Houfe. Mr. Fox then faid, that in compliance with the withes of fome Gentlemen, he would not prefs the adjournment to the 8th ; but would move that the Committee do fit again on Menday the 12th of January next. This motion was carried; and it was fettled among all parties, that the Houfe fhould meer on Friday the 26th merely for the purpose of ordering fuch new writs as fhould be then moved for; after which they thould adjourn to the 12th. The Houfe then adjourned to Friday the 26th. HOUSE of COMMON S. New writs in the room of Members whe hath accepted places, &c. Hindon, in the room of Mr. Kenyon, Attorney General to his Majefly. Newton, Pepper Arden, Solicitor General. East Lose, Mr. Buller, a Lord of the Treafury. Borough of Richmond, Marquis of Graham, Lord of the Treafury. Lanneefton, Mr. Percival, a Lord of the Admiralty. Luggerthall, Mr. Selwyn, Surveyor General of the Crown Lands. Buckingham, Mr. W. W. Grenville, Joint Paymaster of the Forces. Old Sarum, Thomas Pitt, created Baron Camelford. Weftbury, Mr. Eftwick, made Secretary to Chelsea Hospital. West Looe, Sir William James, deceased, PARLIAMENTARY, HISTORICAL, POLITIçai, A TO VOLUME FIFT H. (SEE ALSO THE CONTENTS OF EACH NUMBER.) Bingdon Loid, moves fome ΤΟΙ fwain and carpenter ibid. Lords to the Lord Lieute- tive treaty with 309. full 495 Fox's propofal of a short ad- extraordinary 110 ftate of at Paris Bhama Ilands, recapture of them 1. articles of ca- Paris 492 205 327 59 evidence on it before the a by Lord Radnor 62. opinion it 188 496 10. amount of it fated to Bourne Lieut. his trial for a accourt of her lofs Brickdale Mr. his fpeech on the exportation of brais 270 merica 110 tion and revenue of 109. the 199 Carriages, new tax on figning them, ftate of the the Lords Clinton Sir Henry, his answer ibid Commerce, British declaration Sheffield's observations on 83 counts, their tenth report 138 with implements of houfe- сору |