Page images
PDF
EPUB

duties due thereon; for further continuing certain temporary acts for the encouragement of trade; and to repeal an act, made in the 22d year of his majefty's reign, for allowing the importation of

pher, Nevis, and Montferrat, into any of his majefty's dominions in Europe or America.

touched with these favours, they will be fenfible of the value of this fortunate revolution, which removes them from a convulfed ftate of disturbances and diffenfions to one of entire fecurity and perfect tranquillity under the pro-goods the growth of St. Chriftotection of the laws; and that, ftriving to imitate the fubmiffion, zeal, and fidelity of thofe who have long had the happiness of living under our government, they will render themfelves worthy of our imperial favour, beneficence, and protection. Given at our imperial refidence of St. Petersburgh, the 8th of April, in the year of Grace 1783, and in the 21ft year of our reign.

An act to repeal so much of two acts, as prohibits trade and intercourfe with the United States of America.

An act for removing and preventing all doubts which have arifen, or might arife, concerning the exclufive rights of the parlia ment and courts of Ireland, in (Signed with her Imperial mamatters of legiflation and judicajefty's own hand) ture; and for preventing any writ of error or appeal from any CATHERINE. (L. S.) of his majefty's courts in that kingdom from being received, heard, and adjudged, in any of his majefty's courts in the kingdom of Great Britain.

Heads of the principal Acts of Parliament paffed during the prefent Seffion.

AN

N act for allowing the importation of goods from Europe in neutral hips into the iflands of St. Chriftophor, Nevis, Montferrat, Dominica, St. Vincent, Grenada, and the Grenadines; and of goods the produce or manufacture of the faid iflands, and of Tobago and St. Lucia, from thence into this kingdom, in fuch fhips, upon payment of the British plantation duties, for a limited time; for permitting certain goods, the produce of thofe iflands, fecured in warehouses in this kingdom, to be taken out, on payment of the British plantation duties, and to cancel certain bonds entered into for payment of the

[ocr errors]

An act to discharge and indemnify the united company of merchants of England trading to the East Indies, from all damages, intereft, and loffes, in refpect to their not making regular payment of certain fums due, and to become due, to the public, and to allow further time for fuch payment; and to enable the company to borrow a certain fum of money; and to make a dividend of 41. per cent. to the proprietors at Midfummer, 1783.

An act for preventing certain inftruments from being required from fhips belonging to the United States of America; and to give to his majefty, for a limited time, certain powers for the better carrying on trade and commerce be

tween

tween the fubjects of his majefty's dominions and the inhabitants of the faid United States.

An act for the better regulation of the office of the paymaster-general of his majefty's forces, and the more regular payment of the army; and to repeal an act, intituled, "An act for the better regulation of the office of paymaftergeneral of his majesty's forces."

An act for appointing and enabling commiffioners further to examine, take, and ftate the public accounts of the kingdom.

An act for the more effectual preventing the illegal importation of foreign fpirits, and for putting a ftop to the private diftillation of British made fpirituous liquors; for explaining fuch part of the act, impofing a duty upon male fervants, as relates to the right of appeal from the juftices of the peace; to amend and rectify a mistake in an act of the last fes fion of parliament, with refpect

to the removal of tea from one part of the kingdom to other parts thereof; and for preventing vexatious actions against officers of excife acting in pursuance of the authority given by excise ftatutes.

An act for establishing certain regulations in the receipt of his majefty's exchequer.

An act for granting relief to the united company of merchants of England trading to the Eaft Indies, by allowing further time for the payment of certain fums due, and to become due to the public, and by advancing to the said company, on the terms therein mentioned, a certain fum of money to be raised by loans or exchequer bills; and to enable the faid company to make a dividend of four pounds per cent. to the proprietors at Chriftmas, one thousand feven hundred and eighty-three; and to regulate the future payment of debentures of drawbacks on Eaft India goods.

CHARAC.

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

HIS great princefs, whofe

fperous, had through her whole life enjoyed uninterrupted health, which he had been careful to preserve by regular exercife, and the ftricteft temperance. But towards the end of the preceding year, having been feized with a cold, which confined her for feveral days, fhe found her ftrength confiderably impaired; and, in the hopes. of deriving benefit from a change of air, the removed from Weltminfter to Richmond; but there The grew daily worfe, could neither fleep nor eat as ufual, and though her pulfe was regular, fhe complained of a burning heat in her ftomach, and a perpetual thirft. Both her looks and fpirits had from the beginning been greatly affected; bufinefs of every kind had become an intolerable burthen to her; and at length fhe funk into a deep melancholy, expreffing the anguish of her mind by tears and groans, and obftinately refufing nourishment, as well as all the medicines which the phyficians prefcribed for her recovery. VOL. XXVI.

This melancholy might have entirely proceeded from her bodily indifpofition, although, from fome late difcoveries, there is ground to believe that it was greatly heightened, if not principally occa

by remorie

ceived on account of her having ordered the execution of her favourite, the Earl of Effex. But to whatever cause her dejection of mind was owing, it preyed upon her exhaufted frame, and in a few weeks put a period to her life, in the feventieth year of her age, and the forty-fifth of her reign.

It is not furprising that we meet with fuch contradictory defcriptions of the character of this princefs in the cotemporary historians, whofe paffions were too much inflamed to fuffer them to juge impartially of her character: but it thould feem impoffible for any perfon, who is not blinded by prejudice, to refufe her a place among the moft illuftrious princes of whom we read either in ancient or in modern times.

She was not indeed exempt from the imperfections that are incident to humanity, and the was fubject to feveral of thofe weakneles which chara&erife her fex. cannot be vindicated from the imputation of female vanity, and

B

She

the

the love of admiration on account of her exterior accomplishments. We fhould have loved her more if fhe had been more gentle and indulgent, lefs imperious and violent, or more candid and fincere. From natural temper, her paffions of every kind were ftrong and vehement, and, among her courtiers, they fometimes betrayed her into improprieties; but they were almost never permitted to influence her public conduct, which was uniformly regulated by the principles of prudence, and a regard for the public good; even her ambition was controlled and governed by these principles, of which he gave a rare and fignal proof, when the refused to accept of the fovereignty of the United Provinces. Her penetration and fagacity, her prudence and forefight, her intrepidity in the midft of danger, her activity and vigour, her fteadiness and perfeverance, and her wife economy, which prompted her to fave every unneceffary expence, however fmall, while it permitted and enabled her to undergo the greateft, when neceffity required; the fe qualities in her character, which are acknowledged by her enemies, as well as her admirers, no prince, of whom we read in hiftory, appears to have poffeffed in a more eminent degree. Few princes have been placed in fo difficult circumftances, or have had fo many, and fuch for midable enemies to oppofe; yet almost no prince ever enjoyed a reign fo long and profperous. While the neighbouring nations were almost continually involved in the calamities of war, fhe was able, notwithstanding the unre

mitted attempts of her foreign enemies, and her popish fubjects, to preferve her dominions in almost uninterrupted peace. Nor did her own fubjects only reap the fruits of her great abilities, bat her friends were every where fupported and protected by her power; while her enemies, though poffeffed of much greater refources, were either checked and restrained, or humbled and overcome: without her judicious interpofition, the reformation in Scotland must have been extinguifhed; a race of popish princes must have inherited the crown of that kingdom; and the difference of religion there, and in England, joined to the hereditary right of the Scottish princes to the English throne, whilft it must have proved a copious fource of difcord, would long have prevented the union of two nations, which must have of ten been unhappy while they remained divided, and were, by na. ture, deftined to be one. Nor were the benefits which mankind derived from her wife and active reign confined to Britain; but it is likewife probable, that without her aid and her exertions, the proteftants in France must have been extirpated; the best and greatest of the French monarchs must have been excluded from the throne France itfelf must have funk under the Spanish yoke; the republic of the United Provinces muft have been cruthed in its infancy; and an overgrown and enormous power established, which must have overwhelmed the liberties of Europe, and prolonged the reign of ignorance, bigotry, and fuperfti

tion.

Cba

« PreviousContinue »