"Because we cannot look upon the raifing to the peerage a perfon fo circunftanced in any other light, than as a measure fatal to the interests as well as the glory of the crown, and to the dignity of this Houfe, infulting to the memory of the late fovereign, and likewife to every furviving branch of the illustrious house of Brunfwick; repugnant to every principle of military difcipline, and directly contrary to the maintenance of that House, which has Addrefs of the House of Commons to bis Majefty, against the further Profecution of the American War; with his Majefty's most gracious Anfwer. RESOLVED, Wedn, Feb. 27, in the Houfe of Commons, "That an humble addrefs be prefented to his Majefty, moft humbly to repre fent to his Majefty that the further profecution of offenfive war on the continent of North America, for the purpofe of reducing the revolted colonies to obedience by force, will be the means of weakening the efforts of this country against her European enemies, tends, under the prefent circumftances, dangerously to increafe the mutual enmity fo fatal to the interests both of Great Britain and America, and, by preventing an happy reconciliation with that country, to fruftrate the earnest defire graciously expreffed by his Majefty to restore the bleffings of public tranquillity." Refolved, "That the faid addrefs be prefented to his Majefty by the whole Houfe." Ordered "That fuch members of this House as are of his Majefty's most honourable privy council, do humbly know his Majefty's pleasure when he will be attended by this Houfe." March March 4. His Majefty was graciously pleafed to return the fol lowing Answer to the above to mentioned Address of the Houfe. I Gentlemen of the Houle of "You may Commons, "THERE are no objects nearer my heart than the cafe, happinefs, and profperity of my people. be affured that, in purfuance to your advice, I thall take fuch measures as fhall appear to me to be most conducive to the restoration of harmony between Great Britain and the revolted colonies, fo effential to the profperity of both; and that my efforts fhall be directed in the most effectual manner against our European enemies, till fuch peace can be obtained as fhall confift with the interefts and permanent welfare of my kingdoms." the foregoing moft gracious Au fwer to their Addrefs. was refolved nemine contra I dicente, "That an humble addrefs be prefented to his Majesty, to return his Majefty the thanks of this House for his most gracious anfwer to their addrefs, prefented to his Majefty on Friday laft, and for the affurances his Majesty has been pleased to give of his intention, in the pursuance of the advice of this Houfe, to take fuch measures as fhall appear moft conducive to the restoration of harmony between Great Britain and the revolted colonies; and that his efforts fhall be directed, in the most effectual manner, against our European ene mies, until fuch peace can be ob tained as fhall confift with the permanent welfare and profperity of his kingdom; this House being convinced nothing can, in the prefent circumftances of this counatry, fo effentially promote those great objects of his Majesty's paternal care for his people, as the measures which his most faithful commons have most humbly and earnestly recommended to his Majefty." Befides the addrefs of the Houfe of Commons, the following were alfo prefented to his Majefty; at the fame time praying for fpeedy conclufion of the American war: The addrefs, remonftrance, and petition of the county of Middlefex, prefented by John Wilkes and George Byng, Efqrs. Ditto of Surry, by Admiral Keppel and Sir fofeph Mawbey, Bart. Ditto of London, by the Right The fame being read, was ordered to be delivered to his Majefty by the privy counsellors members of the House. Address of the City of London to his Majefly; with bis Majesty's moft gracious Answer. St. James's, April 12. HIS day the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, the TH An Address of Thanks to his Ma- Aldermen, Sheriffs, and Common jefly by the House of Commons for Council of the city of London, Moft gracious Sovereign, "WE, your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal fubjects, the lord mayor, aldermen, and commons of the city of London, in common council afiembled, beg leave to approach your throne with fentiments of the most fincere loyalty and attachment to your royal per fon and family, and humbly to exprefs our warmeft thanks to your Majefty for having gracioufly complied with the wifes of your people, in making a change in your Majesty's councils, and taking thofe perfons into your Majefty's confidence who are refpected by their country for their conftitutional principles and diftinguished abilities, and whofe endeavours, we truft, with the bleffing of Providence, will reftore the dignity of your Majefty's crown, union among your people, and promote the intereft and profperity of all your dominions. Signed by order of the court. WILLIAM RIX." To which his Majefty was pleafed to return the following moft gracious Answer: "The affurances given me by the city of London, of their loyalty and attachment to my perfon and family, cannot fail of giving me the highest fatisfaction. The dignity of my crown, the union of my people, and the interefts and profperity of all my dominions, nuft ever be the principal object of my care." Memorial of Prince Gallitzin and Monf. de Marcoff, Minifiers of the Empress of all the Ruffas, prefented to the States General; with Mr. Secretary Fox's Letter to Monf. Simolin, Ruffian Minifter at the Court of London. Hague Gazette Extraordinary, April 3d. RINCE Gallitzin and Monf. PR de Marcoff, joint minifters of the Emprefs of all the Ruffias, States-General, the following mehave prefented, this day, to the morial: "The underwritten, joint mi nifters of the Empress of all the Ruffias, in confequence of the orders given them to accelerate, as much as in them lies, the falutary work of the mediation en. trufted to her Imperial Majefty, think it their duty to lofe no time to communicate to your High Mightineffes a copy of a letter written to Monf. Simolin, their fovereign's minifter at the court of London, by Mr. Fox, fecretary of ftate to his Britannic Majefty. It will convince your High Mightineffes of the intentions of his Britannic Majefty to be fincerely reconciled to the republic, on the conditions by yourselves established, in your refolution of the 14th ult. by which you again accept of the emprefs's mediation; the preliminary conceffion, made on the part of Great Britain, concerning the principal article of the treaty of of 1674, feems to level all the obftacles which had hitherto prevented your entering upon a negociation for a final peace. If, in the interim, the propofal made in the faid letter, of a fufpenfion of hoftilities, fhould be thought conformable to the interefts of the nation, nothing could be more fo to the principles of humanity in general, which actuate the emprefs, and to her private fentiments of benevolence and affection for this ftate; efpecially as fuch a measure has the double advantage of preventing the ufelets effufion of blood; and from this inftant reftoring to the republic, the enjoyments of the rights of freedom in trade and navigation, which fall to the fhare of neutral nations, and especially thofe that have acceded to the principles of the armed neutrality. Full of confidence in the difpofition equally peaceful, and conformable to the real welfare of the ftate, which your High Mightineffes have always manifefted in the most folemn and pofitive manner, the underwritten flatter themfelves that you will not hefitate to make a proper ufe of the letter they have the honour to communicate, in order to take a quick and decifive refolution, that may tend to restore peace and harmony with your old friend and ally, upon terms as honourable as they are advantageous. which you did me the honour, Sir, of communicating from Prince Gallitzin, and Monf. de Marcoff, I have his Majefty's commands to inform you, that the King, de firous of teftifying his intentions towards their High Mightineffes, and of renewing that friendhip which has been fo unfortunately interrupted between old allies, who ought to be united in the bonds of mutual intereft, is ready to enter into a negociation, for the purpofe of fetting on foot a treaty of peace, on the terms and conditions of that which was agreed to in 1674, between his Majefty and the republic; and that the better to facilitate the execution of a plan which his Majesty has fo much at heart, the King is willing to give immediate orders for a fufpenfion of hoftilities, if, on their part, the Lords the States General fhould think fuch a meafure fuitable to the object in view. "I am commanded by his Ma jefty to explain to you, Sir, 'his fentiments on fo important a sub. ject, and defire you will impart the fame to the minifters of her Imperial Majefty to their High Mightineffes, that they may be conveyed, without the least delay, to the minifters of the republic; being of opinion that it is the most convenient step, with the mediation and good offices of her Im. perial Majefty, to put an end to the fcourge of that war which unfortunately fubfifts between the two nations. I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) C. J. Fox," The The following is a Copy of the Earl of the town, of which you are of Shelburne's Letter to the Lord Mayor, relative to arming the People, together with the Heads of the Plan therein inclofed. H liance Whitehall, 7th of May, 1782. (Circular Copy.) Sir, IS Majesty has commanded me to express his firm reupon the fpirit and loyalty of his people, and his royal confidence, that, during this feafon of difficulty, their utmost endea vours will not be wanting to give unquestionable proofs of their attachment and emulation for his fervice; and foreseeing that by wife, ftrenuous, and timely preparations, he may not only difappoint or defeat any hoftile attempts, but, by appearing frong and united at home, he may be enabled to make the more power ful efforts for maintaining his honour and the public interefts abroad, and thereby lay the furest foundations for a fafe, an honourable, and a lasting peace; and as the populoufnefs of the principal towns and cities of Great Britain naturally offers the greatest facility, as well for forming into corps as for learning the military exercife, without lofs of time, interruption of labour, or any confiderable fatigue, his Majefty has commanded me to tranfmit to you the inclofed propofitions, which have been fubmitted to his Majefty, as at least a temporary plan for augmenting the domeftic force of the nation; which being a dopted or improved, according to the circumftances and fituation the chief magiftrate, may tend to the immediate formation of a great and refpectable addition to the national force at home, on the most natural and conftitutional principles. For this purpose, I bave his Mar jefty's commands to fignify to you his defire and recommendation, that you should take the fame into immediate confideration, and after having confidered it, report to me whatever obfervations may occur to you for the carrying into execution a plan, the purpose of which is to give fecurity to your own perfons and property, and to the general defence of the kingdom, I am, Sir, Heads of a Plan for raifing Corps in the feveral Towns in Great Britain. Ift. The principal town in Great Britain to furnish one or more battalions each, or a certain number of companies each, in proportion to their fize and num, ber of inhabitants. 2d. The officers to be appointed from among the gentlemen of the neighbourhood, or the inhabitants of the faid town, either by commiffion from his Majesty, or from the lord lieutenant of the county, upon the recommendation of the chief magiftrate of the town in which the corps are raised. 3d. They are to be poffeffed of fome certain eftate in land or money, in proportion to their rank. 4th, An adjutant or town mayor |