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as are most conducive to the honour and happiness of my kingdoms, will always meet with my warmest approbation and concurrence,

The fpeech of his excellency Hugh earl of Northumberland, lord lieutenant of Ireland, to bath boufes of parliament, Oct. 11, 1763.

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My lords and gentlemen, T is with the utmost fatisfaction, that, in obedience to his majesty's commands, I am now to meet a parliament which has already given fo many and fuch very diftinguished proofs of its zeal and unanimity in the fupport and fervice of the crown.

I have it expressly in command from his majefty to declare to you his intire approbation of your paft conduct, and to affure you, that the whole courfe of your late proceedings has filled his royal mind with every fentiment of regard which can flow from a juft and gracious fovereign towards a dutiful and loyal people.

It is with particular fatisfaction I communicate to you, at the opening of this feffion of parliament, thofe great and important events which have occurred fince our laft meet ing.

By the conclufion of a general peace, the tranquility of every part of Europe is perfectly re-established; his majefty's dominions are enlarged; the commerce of his fubjects is extended; and you are at length relieved from thofe burthens which are unavoidable in the progrefs even of the moft fuccefsful

war.

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Interested as you are, in the happinefs of fo excellent a fovereign, and fenfible, as you have ever been,

of the inestimable public bleffings which you have enjoyed, under his illuftrious houfe; you will receive with pleasure, the information of the aufpicious birth of the prince, of Wales, and the further increase of the royal family by the birth of a fecond prince: events, which promife fuch an addition to his majef ty's domeftic felicity, and fuch a lafting fecurity to our happy conftitution.

Gentlemen of the houfe of commons,

I have ordered the proper officers to prepare the feveral accounts and eftimates, that they may be laid, in due time, before you: you will obferve that, although, from the exigences of feveral extraordinary fervices, the expences of the two preceding years have confiderably exceeded what was ufual in times of peace, yet they are fallen far fhort of the fums which were fo liberally voted in the laft feffion; a great part of which ftill remains unborrowed; his majefty having determned to make ufe of the credit given to his government in no other proportion than as the neceffity of his fervice exactly required. I confider it as extremely fortunate that I enter upon the government of this kingdom, at a time, when the fituation of public affairs will permit fo very confiderable a diminution of the public expence; and when I am commanded by his majefty to thank you only for your past efforts, without again having recourfe to the experienced liberality of parliament. I have nothing to afk but the continuance of the fupplies for the fupport of the ordinary eftáblifhments, which, it is hoped, will not exceed the produce of the ordinary revenue; and

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under mine be affured

recommend to you a proper attention to the reduction of the public debt.

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My lords and gentlemen, Not only my duty, but my earneft good wishes for the profperity of Ireland, oblige me to take this opportunity of mentioning to you the only unpleafing circumftance which has occured fince my entrance upon this government; the tumultuous rifings of the lower people, in contempt of laws, and of magiftracy, and of every conftitutional fubordination, must, if not duly attended to, be productive of the most fatal confequences: they are a difgrace to a country of liberty; they are ruinous to a country of commerce; and must be ticularly fatal here, where the leaft check to the rifing fpirit of industry is fo very fenfibly felt, and fo very difficult to be retrieved: no means can serve more effectual to prevent thefe diforders for the future, than the encouragement of fuch inflitutions as tend to imprefs on the minds of the lower order of people early habits of induftry, and true -principles of religion: for this purpofe your protefiant charter-fchools were establiffied; to which I therefore recommend the continuance of your care, encouragement and fupport: your linen manufactory demands and will reward every intance of public attention; there is nothing which can more properly excite your future endeavours, and nothing has more fully answered your former expectations this manufacture has been, at all times, the favourite object of parliamentary encouragement; and I fall be concerned that any national advantage which has been cultivated under the administration of my predeceffors should be neglected

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not take any meafures which will be more grateful to his majefty, or which I fhall be more follicitious

to forward, than those which may, in any refpect, advance the growing profperity of this very improveable country: If therefore, any of your manufactures may be further extended; if any thing can be done towards exciting the fpirit, or providing the means of induftry; if any improvements in agriculture can be introduced, upon wife and practicable principles; and in every thing that tends to the encouragement of virtue, or the promoting of true religion, you will have towards the attainment of thofe ends, not only my zealous co-operation, but his majefty's fteady and willing protection. I come to this government with the king's exprefs commands, and my own very warm inclination to recommend and to fupport fuch meafures: his majefty has the firmeft reliance on your experienced duty and loyalty, on your unbiaffed regard to the public: and he doubts not that this feffion of parliament will be carried on in a manner fuitable to your own dignity, and to the unanimity of your pail proceedings.

If the most inviolable attachment to his majefty, and zeal for his fervice; if a firm adherence to thefe principles, by which the proteftants of Ireland have ever been diftinguished, were qualifications fufficient for the difcharge of the high and arduous truft committed to my hands, I might enfure myfelf an administration not unacceptable to parliament: and I fill flatter myself that as the only ends I have in purfuit, are, the king's fervice, and the public welfare, I

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may obtain the only rewards I have in view, his majesty's favourable acceptance of my fervices, and your intire approbation of my conduct.

To the king's most excellent majefty. The bumble addrefs of the lords fpiritual and temporal, and the knights, citizens, and burgefjes, of Ireland, in parliament affembled.

Moft gracious fovereign, WE your majefty's moft dutiful

and loyal fubjects, the lords fpiritual and temporal, and the commons of Ireland, in parliament affembled, beg leave to renew our unfeigned profeffions of the most zealous and affectionate attachment to your majefty's royal perfon and government, which we have been, upon all occafions, forward to exprefs; and, we truft, have manifested by our conduct.

We now think ourselves, in a very particular manner, called upon to make the most folemn and public declarations of our inviolable duty and attachment to your majefty, when the most infamous and flagitious libels have been published and circulated through your kingdoms, filled with the groffeft infults to your majesty's facred perfon aud royal authority; violating every rule of decency, order, and government; and tending to ftir up, through all ranks of your majefty's fubjects, a spirit of difcontent and of difobedience to their prince, the laws, and the conftitution.

As thefe audacious and outrageous attempts have been deemed fitting objects for the juft and exemplary cenfure of the legislature of Great Britain, we think it cannot be unreasonable, and we hope it

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And we beg leave, at the fame time, humbly to affure your majesty, that these fentiments proceed, not only from thofe principles of duty,

but from the moft cordial affection by which we are bound as fubjects, and reverence for those refpectable and amiable virtues, which are the objects of the love and admiration

of all your people.

We therefore intreat your majefty, graciously to receive these declarations from us; that we are fully fenfible of the many and great bleffings we enjoy under your ma jefty's mild and aufpicious reign; that we are truly thankful to your majefty for the honourable and ad vantageous peace which your ma jefty, through your great wisdom and paternal concern for your fub jects, hath happily concluded for the benefit of your kingdoms; that it is our firm and unalterable refolution, to fupport the dignity and authority of your majefty's government, wherefoever our influence can extend, againft all who fhall prefume to disturb it; and that it is our most fincere and ardent with, that your majefty may reign through a long courfe of years, bleffed with the increase of every public and domestic felicity, and fupported by the unanimous voice of all your fubjects.

Tonus who, by our fituation, must be deprived of your majesty's immediate influence, it is of the utmoft confequence, that your ma jefty's royal power fhould be delegated to perfons fenfible of the importance of that high truft, and by their capacity, probity, and

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moderation, fitted for the execution of it. And we cannot omit this occafion of affuring your majetty, that the rights and dignity of the crown can never be more faithfully maintained nor more honourably fupported, nor the adminiftration of your majefty's government carried on, upon principles more agreeable to the conftitution, nor in a manner more entirely acceptable and fatisfactory to the people, than by the earl of Northumberland.

His majesty's most gracicus answer.

GEORGE R.

HIS
IS majefty has received with
the most entire fatisfaction, the
dutiful and loyal addrefs of the
lords and commons of Ireland: and
affures them, that this very dif-
tinguishing proof of their zeal,
their warm and affectionate con-
gratulations upon the re-establish-
ment of public tranquility, upon
terms of honour aud advantage to
his kingdoms; their abhorrence of
that licentious fpirit, which tends
alike to the fubverfion of the
government, the laws, and confti-
tution; and their firm refolution to
exert themselves fo far as their in-
fluence extends, in difcouraging and
reftraining it, are moft peculiarly
acceptable to his majefty,

Such a full and affectionate declaration of the fentiments of the parliament of Ireland, of whofe fidelity his majefty has always been entirely convinced, recommends them most effectually to his royal favour and protection, upon which his majefty affures them that they may always depend. G. R.

To the king's most excellent majefty.
The bumble address of the archbishop,
bishops, and clergy, of the pro-

vince of Canterbury, in convocation
affembled.

Moft gracious fovereign,
WE your majesty's most loyal

and dutiful fubjects the archbishop, bishops, and clergy, of the province of Canterbury, in convocation affembled, humbly beg leave to congratulate you on the good fuccefs with which Providence hath graciously crowned your humane and chriftian labours, for putting an end to the late neceffary, but expenfive and bloody war, by the conclufion of a juft and honourable peace.

It adds greatly to our joy, that your majesty's influence and example have been happily inftru mental to restore tranquility throughout the rest of Europe. And our fatisfaction is still further heightened by the profpect, that all our fellow-fubjects, in your wide extended American dominions, will, by means of the acquifitions, which the British arms have made, and your majefty hath fo prudently retained, live hereafter fecure from favage incurfions and alarms.

We truft alfo, that a door will thus be opened to fpread the gofpel of Jefus Chrift in its native purity, by the only allowable method, rational and benevolent perfuafion, amongst those who have hitherto either been ignorant of it, or mixed it with dangerous errors.

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We earnestly pray God to direct and bless your majefty's counfels to the complete attainment of these falutary ends; and grant you long to fee every part of the feveral nations under your government flourishing in the full enjoyment of all their religious and civil rights;

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and

and fhewing their thankfulness for fuch ineftimable bleffings, by a chearful and uniform obedience to God and your majesty.

Whatever we can do for the promotion of the public felicity, we fhall always diligently endeavour, animated to it in the ftrongest manner, both by confcience and inclination.

His majefy's most gracious answer. My lords, and the rest of the clergy, THIS fresh teftimony of your duty and affection to my perfon and government, is very highly agreeable to me. It will ever be my fincere endeavour to extend our moft holy religion throughout the vaft dominions added to my crown by the late honourable and advanzageous peace: In this pious work, I am perfuaded, I fhall have the hearty aud zealous affiftance of my faithful clergy; and they may be affured of my conftant protection and fupport.

To the king's most excellent majefty. Address of the univerfity of Oxford

on the peace.

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ceffary, but expensive and deftruâive war; and your first care hath been to ease your fubjects from this burthen, and restore them the bleffings of peace. Your majefty's prudent and vigorous measures have compelled the enemy to accept of reasonable terms of accommodation, and happily put an end to a glorious and fuccefsful war, by a most advantageous and honourable peace.

We have likewife the further fatisfaction, through your majefty's wife counfels and negotiations, to fee this bleffing become general; and all Christendom, which had long groaned under the calamities of war, enjoying the benefits of quiet and repofe.

Such an event, however exten: fively beneficial and universally interefting, is in a more particular manner favourable to nurseries of religion and learning: that religion, whofe peculiar characteristic is peace and benevolence, thofe arts and fciences, which chiefly delight in peace, and always flourish moft in times of public tranquility.

ful occafion, to give the strongest Permit us, dread fir, on this joy

affurances of our inviolable attachment to your majesty's person and government: and we promife ourfelves all happiness and profperity under your majesty's mild and impartial adminiftration, by being in peace with the neighbouring kingdoms, and at unity among ourfelves. That your majefty may enjoy a long and happy reign, that the bleffings of peace may attend it, and the arts of peace adorn it, is the ardent with and earnest prayer of your ever grateful and loyal univerfity...

Given at our houfe of convocation, this 31ft day of March, in the year of our Lord 1763.

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