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majesty will be graciously pleased not to impute to them, but to me alone, any involuntary errors or failings on my part, whilst employed in their service."

The Lord Chancellor, in reply, confirmed, in the name of his majesty, all the privileges claimed.

The Commons then retired, and the House sat until four o'clock, when several Peers took the oaths and their seats. Adjourned till the next day.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

TUESDAY, JUNE 23.

Upon returning from the House of Lords, the Speaker addressed the House as follows:

It is my duty to acquaint the House, that this House has been in the House of Peers, where his majesty by his royal commissioners has been pleased to approve of the Speaker chosen by this House; and I have there, in the name, and on the behalf of this House, by humble petition to his majesty, laid claim to all their ancient rights and privileges, more especially freedom from arrest, and all other molestation of their persons, servants, and estates; freedom of speech in debate; free access to his majesty's royal person, as occasion shall require; and that all their proceedings may receive from his majesty the most favourable consideration: all which his majesty by his commissioners has confirmed to this House; and granted and allowed in as ample a manner as ever they were granted and allowed by his majesty, or any of his royal predecessors.

And now, placed in this chair by the favour of the House, for the fourth time, I have to repeat my humble and heartfelt acknowledgments for the highest honour which any of its members can receive, the delegation of its authority, and the special charge of its privileges. In my endeavours to discharge the trust committed to my hands, I must intreat and rely upon the continual as-istance of the House, for the support of its own authority, the maintenance of order in its proceedings, and the transacting of its business with regularity, correctness, and dispatch.

At present, the first thing to be done, is for each member to take the oaths, and make and subscribe the oaths of abjuration and qualification by law required.

The House then proceeded to swearing in the members; after which an adjournment took place till twelve o'clock the next day.

HOUSE

HOUSE OF LORDS.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24.

The House met about three o'clock. The oaths were administered to several Lords, amongst whom were the Dukes of York, Cambridge, Grafton, Rutland; the Mar quises of Winchester, Abercorn; the Earls of Cardigan, Fitzwilliam, Aylesbury, Malmsbury, Abergavenny, Aber deen, Fortescue; Lords Grenville, Boston, &c. &c. Adjourned till the next day.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24.

About twelve o'clock the Speaker took the chair, and the House immediately proceeded to the swearing in of those members who had not taken the oaths. About 250 members were sworn in, when the Speaker stated that he should take the chair the next day, a quarter of an hour before twelve o'clock. Adjourned.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

THURSDAY, June 25.

The oaths were administered to several Peers, amongst whom were the Marquises of Ely, Wellesley, Thomond, the Earls of Derby, Crayen, Romney, Besborough, Leicester; Lord Viscount Grimston; the Bishops of Durham, Carlisle; Lords St. John, Holland, Scarsdale, Carrington, &c. &c.-Adjourned till the next day.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

THURSDAY, JUNE 25.

The Speaker took the chair this day, at twelve o'clock, and the swearing in of members immediately commenced, and was continued till four o'clock. About 170 members were sworn in.

The Speaker informed the House that he would take the chair the next day at one o'clock, for the purpose of swearing in such members as had not yet taken the oaths. Adjourned.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

FRIDAY, JUne 26.

The House met about half past two, when the oaths were administered to several Lords. The House afterwards ad

journed to robe.

VOL. I.-1807.

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About three o'clock the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lord Chancellor, the Earls of Aylesford and Dartmouth, took their seats, as his majesty's commissioners.

Mr. Quarme, the deputy usher of the black rod, was sent to the House of Commons to require their attendance. Shortly after the Speaker, and a great number of members of the House of Commons came to the bar.

The Lord Chancellor in his majesty's name delivered the following speech:

"MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,

"We have it in command from his majesty to state to you, that, having deemed it expedient to recur to the sense of his people, his majesty, in conformity to his declared intention, has lost no time in causing the present Parliament to be assembled.

"His majesty has great satisfaction in acquainting you that, since the events which led to the dissolution of the last Parliament, his majesty has received, in numerous addresses from his subjects, the warmest assurances of their affectionate attachment to his person and government, and of their firm resolution to support him, in maintaining the just rights of the crown, and the true principles of the constitution; and he commands us to express his entire confidence, that he shall experience in all your deliberations a determination to afford him an equally loyal, zealous, and affectionate support, under all the arduous circumstances of the present time.

"We are commanded by his majesty to inform you, that his majesty's endeavours have been most anxiously employed for the purpose of drawing closer the ties by which his majesty is connected with the powers of the continent; of assisting the efforts of those powers against the ambition and oppressions of France; of forming such engagements as may insure their continued co-operation; and of estab lishing that mutual confidence and concert, so essential, under any course of events, to the restoration of a solid and permanent peace in Europe.

"It

"It would have afforded his majesty the greatest pleasure, to have been enabled to inform you, that the mediation undertaken by his majesty for the purpose of preserving peace between his majesty's ally, the emperor of Russia, and the Sublime Porte, had proved effectual for that important object; his majesty deeply regrets the failure of that mediation, accompanied as it was by the disappointment of the efforts of his majesty's squadron in the sea of Marmora, and followed as it has since been by the losses which have been sustained by his gallant troops in Egypt.

"His majesty could not but lament the extension of hostilities in any quarter which should create a diversión in the war, so favourable to the views of France; but lamenting it especially in the instance of a power with which his majesty has been so closely connected, and which has been so recently indebted for its protection against the encroachments of France, to the signal and successful interposition of his majesty's arms.

"His majesty has directed us to acquaint you, that he has thought it right to adopt such measures as might best enable him, in concert with the emperor of Russia, to take advantage of any favourable opportunity for bringing the hostilities in which they are engaged against the Sublime Porte to a conclusion, consistent with his majesty's honour, and the interests of his ally.

"GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS,

"His majesty has ordered the estimates for the current year to be laid before you, and he relies on the tried loyalty and zeal of his faithful Commons to make such provision for the public service, as well as for the further application of the sums which were granted in the last Parliament, as may appear to be necessary; and his majesty, bearing constantly in mind the necessity of a careful and economical admi

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administration of the pecuniary resources of the country, has directed us to express his hopes that you will proceed, without delay, in the pursuit of those inquiries connected with the public economy, which engaged the attention of the last parliament.

"MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,

"His majesty commands us to state to you, that he is deeply impressed with the peculiar importance, at the present moment, of cherishing a spirit of union and harmony amongst his people; such a spirit will most effectually promote the prosperity of the country at home, will give vigour and efficacy to its councils and its arms abroad, and can alone enable his majesty, under the blessing of Providence, to carry on successfully the great contest in which he is engaged, or finally to conduct it to that termination which his majesty's moderation and justice have ever led him to seek; a peace in which the honour and interests of his kingdom can be secure, and in which Euxope and the world may hope for independence and repose."

The commons retired from the bar, and the lords adjourned to unrobe.

The House having resumed, the oaths were administered to several lords. At four o'clock an adjournment took place during pleasure.

ADDRESS ON THE SPEECH.

The House again assembled at five, when the usual bill was read pro forma, after which his majesty's speech was read by the Lord Chancellor, and again by the clerk at the

table.

The Earl of Mansfield rose to move the address. At a crisis like the present, he wished it had fallen to the lot of some lord more able and experienced than himself, to move an address to his majesty, he felt himself incompetent to the task, and hoped to meet with the indulgence of the House. He did not come forward upon this occasion with any party views, and whilst he disdained to be a servile tool of any administration, so on the other hand he was equally inimical to a systematic opposition to the measures of government,

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