His Majesty's Speech to both Houses of Parliament, on the Meeting of the Third Session of the Second Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and of the Kingdom of Great Britain the Nineteenth, on the 15th Day of January, (46th of the King, 1805. My lords and gentlemen, The conduct of the court of Spain, evidently under the predominant influence and controul of France, compelled me to take prompt and decisive measures to guard against the effects of hostility. I have, at the same time, endeavoured, as long as it was possible, to prevent the necessity of a rupture; but, in consequence of the refusal of a satisfac SINCE the end of the last session, tory explanation, my minister quitted the preparations of the enemy for the invasion of this kingdom have been continued with incessant activity, but no attempt has been made to carry their repeated menaces into effect. The skill and intrepidity of my navy, the respectable and formidable state of my army and militia, the unabated zeal, and improved discipline of a numerous volunteer force, and the general ardour manifested by all classes of my subjects, have, indeed, been sufficient to deter them from so presumptuous and desperate an enterprise. While this spirit continues to animate the country, and its voluntary exertions for its own defence subsist in their full vigour, we need not fear the consequences of the most powerful efforts on the part of the enemy. Brt let us never forget, that our security has arisen from the resolution with which we have met and provided against the danger, and that it can be preserved only by steady perseverance, and unremitting activity. Madrid, and war has since been declared by Spain against this coun try. I have directed a copy of the Manifesto, which I have caused to be prepared on the occasion, to be laid before you, together with such papers as are necessary to explain the discussions which have taken place between me and the Court of Madrid. You will, I trust, be convinced by them, that my forbearance has been carried to the utmost extent which the interests of my dominions would admit, and while I lament the situation of Spain, involved in hostilities contrary to its true interests, I rely with confidence on your vigorous support in a contest, which can be attributed only to the unfortunate prevalence of French councils. The general conduct of the French Government on the continent of Europe, has been marked by the utmost violence and outrage, and has shewn a wanton defiance of the rights of neutral territories, of the acknowledged privileges f My lords and gentlemen, In considering the great efforts and sacrifices which the nature of the contest requires, it is a peculiar satisfaction to me, to observe the many proofs of the internal wealth and prosperity of the country. It will, I am sure, be your great object to maintain and improve these advantages, and at the same time to take all such measures, as by enabling me to prosecute the war with vigour, may afford the best prospect of bringing it to a safe and honourable termination. privileges of accredited ministers, and of the established principles of the law of nations. Notwithstanding these transactions, so repugnant to every sentiment of moderation and justice, I have recently received a communication from the French Government, containing professions of a pacific disposition. I have, in consequence, expressed my earnest desire to embrace the first opportu. nity of restoring the blessings of peace, on such grounds as may be consistent with the permanent safety and interests of my dominions; but I am confident you will agree with me, that those objects are closely connected with the general security Message from the King to the House of Europe. I have, therefore, not thought it right to enter into any more particular explanation, without previous communication with those powers on the continent with whom I am engaged in confidential intercourse and connexion, with a view to that important object, and especially with the Emperor of Russia, who has given the strongest proofs of the wise and dignified sentiments by which he is animated, and of the warm interests he takes in the safety and independence of Europe. Gentlemen of the house of commons. I have directed the estimates for the public service to be laid before you. I regret the necessity of any additional burthens being imposed on my people, but I am sure you will be sensible how much their future safety and happiness depend on the vigour of our exertions, and that in the mode of raising supplies, you will continue to shew your anxiety for the support of public credit, and for restraining as much as possible, the accumulation of the national debt. of Lords. His majesty thinks proper to acquaint the house of lords, that the communications which have taken place, and are still depending, between his majesty and some of the powers on the continent, have not yet been brought to such a point, as to enable his majesty to lay the result of them before the house, or to enter into any further explanation with the French Government, consistently with the sentiments expressed by his majesty at the opening of the present session. But his majesty conceives that it may be of essential importance, that he should have it in his power to avail himself of any favourable conjuncture for giving effect to such a concert with other powers, as may afford the best means of resisting the inordinate ambition of France, or may be most likely to lead to a termination of the present contest, on grounds consistent with the perma nent safety and interests of his majesty's dominions, and the security and independence of Europe. His majesty, therefore, recommends it to the house of lords, to consider of making provision for enabling his majesty to take such measures, and enter into such engagements, as the exigencies of affairs may require. Speech of his Majesty on the Prorogation of Parliament. My lords and gentlemen, We have it in command from his majesty, to express the satisfaction with which he has observed the proofs you have given in the present session, of your constant regard for the honour of his crown, and the interests of his dominions; and particularly the measures which you have adopted for strengthening his majesty's hands at this important conjuncture, by the augmentation of the disposable military force of the kingdom. Gentlemen of the house of commons. His majesty has directed us particularly to thank you in his majesty's name, for the zeal and liberality with which you have granted the large supplies which the necessity of the public service has required. My lords and gentlemen, His majesty has not yet been enabled to cominunicate to you the result of the negociations in which he is engaged with powers on the continent; but you may rest assured that no step will be omitted on his majesty's part, for promoting such a concert, as may afford the best prospect of restoring general and permanent tranquillity; or may, if necessary, furnish the means of repelling with vigour the continual encroachments on the part of the French government, which threaten every day more and more, the li berty and independence of all the nations of Europe. My lords and gentlemen, By virtue of his majesty's commission, under the great seal to us and other lords directed, and now read, we do, in his majesty's name, and in obedience to his commands, prorogue this parliament to Thurs. day the 22d day of August next, to be then here holden; and this parliament is accordingly prorogued to Thursday the 22d of August next. Order of Council, dated at the Court at the Queen's Palace, the 11th of January, 1805, the King being present in Council, for granting letters of Marque against Spain. Whereas his majesty has received information that the king of Spain has issued a declaration of war against his majesty, his subjects, and people; his majesty, therefore, being determined to take such measures as are necessary for vindicating the honour of his crown, and for the vigorous prosecution of the war in which he finds himself engaged, is pleased, by and with the advice of his privy council, to order, and it is hereby ordered, that general reprisals be granted against the ships, goods, and subjects of the king of Spain, so that as well his majesty's fleets and ships, as also all other ships and vessels that shall be commissionated, by letters of marque or general reprisals, or otherwise, by his majesty's commissioners for executing the office of lord high admiral of Great Britain, shall and may lawfully seize all ships, vessels, and goods, belonging to the king of Spain, or his subjects, or others inhabiting within the territories of the King of Spain, and bring the same to judgment in any of the courts of admiralty within his majesty's dominions; and, to that end, his majesty's advocate general, with the advocate of the admiralty, are forthwith to prepare the draft of a commission, and present the same to his majesty at this board, authorising the commissioners for executing the office of lord high admiral, or any person or persons by them empowered and appointed, to issue forth and grant letters of marque and reprisals to any of his majesty's subjects, or others whom the said commissioners shall deem fitly qualified in that behalf, for the apprehending, seizing, and taking the ships, vessels, and goods belonging to Spain, and the vassals and subjects of the king of Spain, or any inhabiting within his countries, territo ries, or dominions; and that such powers and clauses be inserted in the said commission, as have been sual, and are according to former precedents; and his majesty's said advocate-general, with the advocate of the admiralty, are also forthwith to prepare the draft of a commission, and present the same to his majesty at this board, authorising the said commissioners for executing the office of lord high admiral, to will and require the high court of admiralty of Great Britain, and the lieutenant and judge of the said court, his surrogate or surrogates, as also the several courts of admiralty within his majesty's dominions, to take cognizance of, and judicially proceed upon, all and all manner of captures, seizures, prizes, and reprisals of all ships and goods that are or shall be taken, and to hear and determine the same; and, according to the course of admi ralty, and the laws of nations, to adjudge and condemn all such ships, vessels, and goods as shall belong to Spain, or the vassals and subjects of the king of Spain, or to any others inhabiting within any of his countries, territories, and dominions; and that such powers and clauses be inserted in the said commission, as have been usual, and are according to former precedents; and they are likewise to prepare, and lay before his majesty, at this board, a draft of such instructions as may be proper to be sent to the courts of admiralty in his majesty's foreign governments and plantations for their guidance herein; as also another draft of instructions for such ships as shall be commissionated for the purposes aforementioned. Declaration of War with Spain, on the Part of the King of England, laid before Parliament, and published on Thursday, the 24th of January, 1805. From the moment that hostilities had commenced between Great Britain and France, a sufficient ground of war against Spain, on the part of Great Britain, necessarily followed from the treaty of St. Ildephonso, if not disclaimed by Spain. That treaty, in fact, identi fied Spain with the republican government of France, by a virtual acknowledgment of unqualified vassalage, and by specific stipulations of unconditional offence.-By the articles of that treaty, Spain covenanted to furnish a stated contingent of naval and military force for the prosecution of any war in which the French republic might think proper to engage. She specifically surrendered any right or pretension to enquire into the nature, origin, or justice of that war. She stipulated, in the first instance, a contingent of troops and ships, which, of itself, comprised no moderate proportion of the means at her disposal; but in the event of this contingent being at any time found insufficient for the purposes of France, she further bound herself to put into a state of activity the utmost force, both by sea and land, that it should be in her power to collect. She covenanted that this force should be at the disposal of France, to be employed conjointly or separately for the annoyance of the common enemy; thus submitting her entire power and resources to be used as the instruments of French ambition and aggression, and to be applied in whatever proportion France might think proper, for the avowed purpose of endeavouring to subvert the government, and destroy the national existence of Great Britain. The character of such a treaty gave Great Britain an incon. testible right to declare to Spain, that unless she decidedly renounced the treaty, or gave assurances that she would not perform the obligations of it, she would not be considered as a neutral power.This right, however, for prudential reasons, and from motives of forbearance and tenderness towards Spain, was not exercised in its full extent: and, in consequence of assurances of a pacific disposition on the part VOL, XLVII. of the Spanish government, his majesty did not, in the first instance, insist on a distinct and formal renunciation of the treaty. It does not appear that any express demand of succour had been made by France before the month of July, one thousand eight hundred and three; and on the first notification of the war, his majesty's minister at Madrid was led to believe, in consequence of communications which passed between him and the Spanish government, that his catholic majesty did not consider himself as necessarily bound by the mere fact of the existence of a war between Great Britain and France, without subsequent explanation and discussion, to fulfil the stipulations of the treaty of St. Ildephonso, though the articles of that treaty would certainly give rise to a very different interpretation. In the month of October a convention was signed, by which Spain agreed to pay to France a certain sum monthly in lieu of naval and military succours, which they had stipulated by the treaty to provide, but of the amount of this sum, or of the nature of any other stipulations which that convention might contain, no official information whatever was given.— It was immediately stated by his majesty's minister at Madrid, to the Spanish government, that a subsidy as large as that which they were supposed to have engaged to pay to France, far exceeded the bounds of forbearance: that it could only meet with a temporary connivance, as, if it was continued, it might prove, in fact, a greater injury than any other hostility. In reply to these remonstrances, it was represented as an expedient, to gain time, and assurances were given which Rr wore |