carried of late, and the obftruction which the revenue officers frequently meet with in the execution of their duty, require fome effectual remedy. The fuppreffion of thefe abufes will have a double effect; as, at the fame time that it increases the public flock and national ftrength, it will afford a just and equitable afiftance to the honeft citizen and fair trader. In thefe and all your confultations, I am perfuaded you will proceed with that unanimity and wifdom which matters of fuch high importance require. You cannot fail by fuch conduct to meet with his majesty's most favourable countenance and approbation; and you may in every thing rely on my beft affiftance, not only from the duty I owe to the king, but from the fincere affection which I bear to this kingdom. The humble addrefs of the lords Spiritual and temporal, in parliament affembled. To the king's most excellent W majefty. Moft gracious fovereign, E your majefty's most dutiful and loyal fubjects, the lords fpiritual and temporal, in parliament affembled, beg leave to approach your throne, with our grateful acknowledgement of the many inestimable bleflings which we have enjoyed during your majefty's most aufpicious reign. Permit us to affure your majefty, that we are come together with the jufteft fentiments of duty and affection to your majefty, who has gratified the earneft wishes of your faithful fubjects of Ireland with that great improvement of our confti tution, the act for limiting the duration of parliaments. We trust, the proteftant interest has already experienced its falutary effects; and we are happy in the confideration that his excellency, our prefent chief governor, that faithful fervant of the crown, and affectionate friend to this country, who has the fatisfaction of meeting, in obedience to your majefty's commands, the first parliament, limited in its duration, that ever affembled in this kingdom, hath, through your majefty's goodness to your people here, been continued amongst us, not only to be a joyful witnefs of thofe happy effects, but to afford us the welcome opportunity of conveying, through him, to your majefty, our thanks for that invaluable benefit, which, by your majesty's grace and favour, he was made the happy inftrument of conferring upon us. We should be unworthy of the many gracious marks which we have experienced of your majefty's paternal regard, if it did not animate our deliberations, and direct them to all fuch measures as may fecure the continuance of those bleffings which we enjoy. Interested, as we are, in the domeftic happiness of your majefty, and your royal and moft excellent confort, and in whatever contributes to the ftrength of your illuftrious houfe, we have received. with the fincereft pleasure the communication of an increase of your royal family, fince the laft feffion of parliament, by the birth of another princefs. As we are taught, by the examples of the wifeft nations, as well as by the nature and reafon of things, that times of peace are the belt beft feafons for improving the civil polity of a nation, and providing for its fecurity; we beg leave to affure your majefty, that we shall not be regardless of the opportunity which Providence is now pleafed to favour us with. Permit us, royal fir, further to affure your majefty, that in all our confultations upon thofe great and national objects which have been recommended to us in his excellency's fpeech from the throne, we will proceed with that diligence and unanimity which matters of fuch high importance require, and which may procure to us, what we most ardently wish to obtain, a continuance of your majefty's favourable countenance and approbation. The bumble address of the knights, citizens, and burgefes in parliament affembled. To the king's most excellent majefty. Moft gracious fovereign, WE E your majefty's most dutiful and loyal fubjects, the commons of Ireland, in parliament afTembled, humbly beg leave to affure your majefty of our firm attachment to your facred perfon, royal family, and government. We beg leave to express the jufteft fentiments of duty and affection to your majefty, for having gratified the earnest wishes of your faithful fübjects with that great improvement of the conftitution, the law for limiting the duration of parliaments; the happy effects of which begin already to appear, in ftrengthening and extending the proteftant religion in this kingdom. We moft thankfully acknowledge the many gracious marks we have experienced of your majefty's pa ternal regard to your fubjects of this kingdom; the fenfe of which must at all times animate our deliberations, and direct them to all fuch measures as may fecure to us the bleffings we enjoy under your aufpicious government. Permit us to congratulate your majesty on the further addition to your illuftrious houfe by the birth of another princefs; an event which muft give the highest fatisfaction to a people fo deeply interested in the happiness of fo excellent a fovereign,, adorned with every virtue that constitutes the great king and the amiable father of a family. We return our moft fincere thanks to your majesty, for giving the first parliament limited in duration an opportunity of meeting his excel-* lency lord Townfhend, a chief governor, under whofe administration we obtained that excellent law; from whofe experience of our loyalty and zeal, and from whofe mild and prudent government we have the higheft expectations, that the honour of the crown and the liberties of the people will be duly attended to. The great affection which your loyal and faithful commons of Ireland have ever teftified for your facred perfon,and the fucceffionof your illuftrious houfe, will always induce them, to the utmoft of their abilities, to grant fuch fupplies as may be neceffary for the fupport of your majefty's government, and the fafety of this kingdom. Fully fenfible that times of peace are the best feafons for improving the civil polity, and providing for the fecurity of a nation, and that the ftrength and riches of a coun.. try muf be in proportion to the the number of its induftrious inhabitants, and the purity of their morals, we affure your majefty, that we fhall be particularly attentive to that useful and charitable inftitution, the proteftant charter fchools, fo as that the fame fhall be rendered as advantageous as poffible to this country; and that we fhall, to the utmost of our power, promote and extend the linen manufacture of this kingdom, and provide fuch farther laws as may be neceffary to prevent the pernicious practice af the clandeftine running of goods: and that, in thefe and all our other confultations, we fhall proceed with that unanimity and wifdom, which matters of fuch high importance require. Addreffes to the lord lieutenant. The bumble addrefs of the lords Spiritual and temporal, in parliament affembled. May it pleafe your excellency, E his majesty's moft dutiful and loyal fubjets, the lords fpiritual and temporal,in parliament affembled, do, with the utmost fatisfaction, offer your excellency our fincereft thanks for your moft excellent fpeech from the throne. We beg leave to affure your excellency, that we confider it as a great proof of his majesty's goodnefs to us, that he hath been pleased to continue your excellency our chief governor, to meet us in this first parliament limited in its duration, that ever affembled in this kingdom. We cannot but have obferved, in the courfe of your excellency's refidence amongst us, how much your excellency'sthoughts andendeavours have been employed to acquire a true knowledge of the circumftances, affairs, and true interests of this country, from whence, and from a reflection upon the integrity with which you have ferved his majefty, and the eminent fervices which you have done your country in the great ftations to which you have been called, we have the most pleafing hopes, and faireft profpect, that your exellency's adminiftration here will proceed in fuch a manner, as to render it throughout glorious to his majefty, honourable to yourfelf, and moft propitious and fortunate to this kingdom. Your benevolence and affection for us, manifefted by the many inftances which you have given us of it, inspire us with an earnest defire to render your government as easy to yourself as fo arduous and important a concern can be. We beg leave to add our affurances to your excellency, that all our deliberations upon thofe great and important matters, recommended to us with great force and energy in your fpeech, fhall be conducted by us in fuch a manner as may recommend us to, what we ever with above all things to obtain, his majefty's gracious approbation, and as may preserve to us your excellency's favourable opinion. His excellency's answer. I am truly fenfible of the honour you have done me by this kind and affectionate addrefs; and I fhall flatter myfelf, that a conftant obedience to the juft and gracious commands of my royal master, and a warm attachment to your interefts and profperity, will continue to me the invaluable poffeffion of your confidence and approbation. The The humble addrefs of the knights, citizens and burgefes, in parliament affembled. WE May it please your excellency, E his majesty's most dutiful and loyal fubjects, the commons of Ireland, in parliament affembled, return your excellency our most humble thanks for your most excellent fpeech from the throne, and beg leave at the fame time to exprefs our fincere and hearty congratulation on this parliament being appointed to meet your excellency, under whofe administration this kingdom has been made happy in the acquifition of that great improvement to our constitution, the law for limiting the duration of parliaments; and as we are the first parliament that has ever affembled in this kingdom in confequence of that law, we confider it as a particular mark of his majesty's goodness, that he has been pleafed to give us this opportunity of affuring your excellency, that we entertain the justest fenfe of and gratitude for your excellency's effectual endeavours in favour of that meafure; among the many happy effects of which, the increafe and strengthening of the protestant interest begin already to take place. When we reflect on this, and the many other convincing proofs which this kingdom has received of your excellency's true regard to its welfare and happiness, we have the fullest confidence that under your excellency's administration, the honour and dignity of the crown, and the just rights and liberties of the people, will be maintained and protected. We beg leave to affure your excellency, that we fhall chearfully concur in granting fuch fupplies as 3 fhall be neceffary for the fupport of We return your excellency our We shall not neglect the favour, able opportunity which this time of peace affords us to attend to those objects which your excellency has been pleased to recommend to us; and as we are fully confident that the strength and riches of a country are in proportion to the number, industry, and good morals of the inhabitants, we fhall ufe our utmost endeavours to make that useful and charitable institution, the protestant charter fchools, effectually correfpond with its original defign and great end. The linen manufacture is an object which fhall always engage our earnest attention; and it shall be our care, as far as in us lies, to preferve that important branch of our trade in its fullest credit and extent. We shall takeinto our most ferious confideration, what further laws may be neceffary, to prevent theclandestine running of goods; a practice fo injurious to the public revenue, and detrimental to the fair trader. We beg leave to return our warmest acknowledgements to your excellency, for the affection you have been pleafed to exprefs for this kingdom; now do, for your conduct in these particulars. Gentlemen of the houfe of commons, It is with great pleasure that I thank you, in his majesty's, name, for the fupplies which you have granted, and the provifion which you have made, for the prefent establishment, the public credit, and the fafety of this kingdom. When I first met you in parliament, as I knew and could rely upon it, that nothing could move from his majesty but what would be expreffive of his constant and ardent defire to maintain and preferve every constitutional right to his people, I little thought that any thing would happen, during the courfe of this feflion, that could pofiibly affect the just rights of his majesty, and of the crown of Great Britain, fo as to afford his majesty any just caufe of diffatisfaction, and make it neceflary for me, fpecially to affert and vindicate thofe rights. It is therefore with great concern that I have feen and obferved, in the votes and journals of the house of commons, printed by your order, a late proceeding by you, of fuch a nature, and of fuch effect, with refpect to the rights of his majesty, and the crown of Great Britain, as to make it neceffary for me, on this day, and in this place, to take notice of, and animadvert thereupon; I mean, the vote and refolution of the twenty-first day of November last, by which you, gentlemen of the houfe of commons, declare, that a bill, intituled, An act for granting to his majesty the feveral duties, rates, impofitions and taxes, therein particularly expreffed, to be applied to the payment of the interest of the fums therei pro vided |