STATE PAPERS. as very considerable military preparations are carrying on in the ports of France and Holland, he has judged it expedient to adopt additional measures of precaution for the security of his dominions; though the preparations to which his majesty refers are avowedly directed to colonial service, yet, as discussions of great importance are now subsisting between his majesty and the French government, the result of which must, at present, be uncertain, his majesty is induced to make this communication to his faithful commons, in the full persuasion that, whilst they partake of his majesty's earnest and unvarying solicitude for the continuance of peace, he may rely, with perfect confidence, on their public spirit and liberality, to enable his majesty to adopt such measures as circumstances may appear to require, for supporting the honour of his crown, and the essential interests of his people. His Majesty's Message for calling out the Militia, March 10, 1803. In consequence of the preparations carrying on in the ports of France and Holland, whilst important discussions are subsisting between his majesty and the French government, his majesty thinks it due to the care and concern which he feels for his faithful people, to omit no means in his power which may may contribute to their security.In pursuance, therefore, of the acts of parliament, enabling his majesty to call out and assemble the militia of the united kingdom, his majesty has thought it right to make this communication to the house of commons, to the end that his majesty may cause the said militia, or such part thereof as his majesty shall think necessary, to be forthwith drawn out and embodied, and to march as occasion shall require. His Majesty's Message, announcing War with France, May 16, 1803. GEORGE R. His majesty thinks it proper to acquaint the house of commons, that the discussions which he announced to them in his message of the 8th of March last, as then subsisting between his majesty and the French government, have been terminated; that the conduct of the French government has obliged his majesty to recal his embassador from Paris, and that the embassador from the French republic has left London. His majesty has given directions for laying before the house of commons, with as little delay as possible, copies of such papers as will afford the fullest information to his parliament at this important conjuncture. It is a consolation to his majesty to reflect that no endeavours have been wanting, on his part, to preserve to his subjects the blessings of peace; but, under the circumstances which have occurred to disappoint his just expectations, his majesty relies, with confidence, on the zeal and public spirit of his faithful commons, and on the exertions of his brave and loyal subjects, to support him in his determination to employ the power and resources of the nation in opposing the spirit of ambition and encroachment which, at present, actuates the councils of France; in upholding the dignity of his crown; and in asserting and maintaining the rights and interests of his people. His Majesty's Message, announcing War with Holland, June 17, 1803. GEORGE R. His majesty thinks it right to inform the house of commons, that, from an anxious desire to prevent the calamities being extended to the Batavian republic, he communicated to that government his disposition to respect their neutrality, provided that a similar disposition was manifested on the part of the French government, and that the French forces were forthwith withdrawn from the territories of the republic: this proposition not having been admitted by the government of France, and measures having been recently taken by them in direct violation of the independence of the Batavian republic, his majesty judged it expedient to direct his minister to leave the Hague, and he has since given orders that letters of marque and general reprisals should be issued against the Batavian republic and its subjects. His majesty has, at all times, manifested the deepest and most lively interest for the prosperity and independence of the United Provinces; he has recourse, therefore, to these proceedings with the most sincere regret, but the conduct of the French government has left him no alternative; and, in adopting these Tt 4 measures, measures, he is actuated by a sense of what is due to his own dignity, and to the security and essential interests of his dominions. Ilis Majesty's Message for arming the Country, June 18, 1803. GEORGE R. His majesty thinks it proper to acquaint the house of commons, that, for the more effectual defence and security of the United Kingdom, against the avowed designs of the enemy, and for the purpose of providing such means as may be best calculated for a vigorous prosecution of the war, his majesty deems it important that a large additional force should be forthwith raised and assembled. His majesty recommends this subject to the consideration of his faithful commons; and relics, with confidence, on their zeal and public spirit, that they will adopt such measures as, upon this occasion, shail appear to them to be most effectual, and for carrying the same into execution with the least possible delay. His Majesty's Message, requiring a Supply, July 20, 1803. His majesty, relying on the zealous support of his faithful commons in the vigorous prosecution of the war in which his majesty is engaged, recommends it to this house to consider of making provision towards enabling his majesty to defray any extraordinary expences which may be incurred for the service of the present year, and to take such measures as the urgency of affairs may require. His Majesty's Message respecting the House of Orange, July 21, 1803. GEORGE R. His majesty, having taken into consideration the situation of the illustrious house of Orange, the bonds of alliance and affinity which subsist between his majesty and that house, the important services which have been rendered by them to this country, on so many occasions, and the losses which they sustained in the course of the last war, recommends these circumstances to the serious attention of the house of com mons; and his majesty relies on the justice and liberality of this house, to enable him to make such pecuniary allowances to this illustrious family, as may appear to be warranted by a consideration of their present situation, and of their claims on the generosity of this country. His Majesty's Message on the Irish Insurrection, July 28, 1803. GEORGE R. His majesty feels the deepest regret in acquainting the house of commons, that a treasonable and rebellious spirit of insurrection has manifested itself in Ireland, which has been marked by circumstances of peculiar atrocity in the eity of Dublin. His majesty relies, with perfect confidence, on the wisdom of his parliament, that such measures will be forthwith adopted as are best calculated to afford protection and security to his majesty's loyal subjects in that part of the United Kingdom, and to restore and preserve general tranquillity. Ilis His Majesty's Speech on the Prorogation of Parliament, August 12, 1803. My lords and gentlemen, I am at length enabled, by the state of public business, to release you from your long and laborious attendance in parliament. In closing the session, I have the utmost satisfaction in expressing the strong sense which I entertain of that zealous and unwearied regard for the welfare and honour of your country which has distinguished all your proceedings. During the continuance of peace, your conduct manifested the just view which you had taken of our actual situation, and of the dangers against which you were peculiarly called upon to provide; and, since the recurrence of hostili ties, you have displayed an energy and promptitude which have never been surpassed, in the means which you have supplied for the defence of the country, and for the vigorous prosecution of the war. Your proceedings, in consequence of the late treasonable and atrocious Occurrences in Ireland, will, I trust, have the effect of preventing any further interruption of its internal tranquillity, and of convincing my loyal subjects, in that part of the United Kingdom, that they may confidently rely on that protection to which they are so justly entitled. In the midst of the deliberations, which were occasioned by the immediate exigency of the times, you have not been unmindful of other objects to which I had directed your attention; and I have great satisfaction in observing that you have completed a system for consolidating the duties, and regulating the collection and management of the several branches of the revenue; and that you have adopted measures which are calcu lated to afford material accommodation to the mercantile part of the community, and to encourage and extend the navigation and commerce of my dominions." Gentlemen of the house of commons, I return you my particular thanks for the liberality and readiness with which you have granted the supplies for the public service. It is painful to me to reflect, that the means of necessary exertion cannot be provided without a heavy pressure upon my faithful people. But I cannot sufficiently applaud that wisdom and fortitude which have' led you to overlook considerations of temporary convenience, for the purpose of preventing a large accumulation of debt, during the continuance of the war. You may be assured, that there shall be as strict an attention to economy on my part as may be consistent with those preparations and exertions which will be best calculated to frustrate the designs, and to weaken the power of the enemy, by whose arrogant pretensions and restless ambition alone these sacrifices have been rendered unavoid, able. My lords and gentlemen, I am fully persuaded, that, dur ing the cessation of your parliamentary duties, you will continue to be actuated by the same spirit which has been uniformly displayed in your councils. It will be your duty to assist in carrying into effect those important measures which your wisdom has matured for the defence and security of the realm; and particularly to give the most beneficial direction to that ardour and enthusiasm, in the cause of their country, which animate all classes of my peo ple. ple. Justly sensible of the state of pre-eminence, in which it has pleased the Almighty to support us, for so many ages, amongst the nations of Europe, I rely with confidence, that, under the continuance of his divine protection, the exertions of my brave and loyal subjects will prove to the enemy and to the world, that an attempt to subvert the independence, or impair the power of this United Kingdom, will terminate in the disgrace and ruin of those by whom it may be made; and that my people will find an ample reward for all their sacrifices, in an undisturbed enjoyment of that freedom and security, which, by their patriotism and valour, they will have preserved and ensured to themselves and their posterity. Resolutions moved by Earl Fitzwilliam, in the House of Peers, on the 2d of June, 1803, on the conduct of Ministers*. 1st. Resolved-That it appears to this house, from the declaration issued by his majesty, on the 18th instant, and laid before this house by his majesty's command, That the conduct of the French republic towards this country, during the whole period which has elapsed since the conclusion of the definitive treaty of peace, is considered by his majesty's ministers as having exhibited one continued series of aggression, violence, and insult," and as necessarily creating a thorough conviction" of a system deliberately adopted by France, for the purpose of degrading, vilifying, and insulting his majesty and his government." 66 66 2d. Resolved-That his majesty's ministers having, throughout the whole period, from the definitive treaty of peace to the breaking out of the present war, neither communicated to parliament any knowledge of the sense which they now appear to have entertained respecting the conduct and system of France, nor any regular information of the particulars on which the same was founded, or of the steps taken by his majesty's government thereupon, have thereby withheld from this house the necessary materials for the due and full discharge of its constitutional functions; and that, by encouraging throughout the country an unfounded security and confidence in the permanence of peace, they have embarrassed and perplexed our commerce; have deceived the expectations, and unnecessarily harrassed the spirit of the people; and have materially increased and aggravated the difficulties of our actual situation. 3d. Resolved-That it was the duty of his majesty's ministers to make timely and adequate representations against all such acts as have, in their judgment, constituted a series of systematic "aggression, violence, and insult," on the part of France. That, by dignified and temperate remonstrances, followed up with consistency, and sustained with firmness, either the course and progress of such acts would have been arrested without the necessity of recurring to arms, or the determination of the French government to persist therein would have been distinctly ascertained, before his majesty had proceeded so far, both in the reduction of his forces, and the surrender of his conquests. That this essential duty appears to have been, in a very great degree, neglected by his majesty's ministers, Vide page 160, and |