to possess those securities which have been the boast of the British government, and are essentially in herent in every free constitution. "That we entreat his majesty to be assured, that in recommending these measures with all the earnestness which a conviction that they are indispensable for the salvation of the country inspires, we never can lose sight of our obligation to support the just prerogatives and useful splendour of the crown, the venerable establishments of our holy religion, and the ancient and essential rights and privileges of parliament. "In our firm resolution to main tain these, under all circumstances, and with all our authority and power, we are well assured that we shall not fail to receive the active concurrence and support of all ranks of his majesty's faithful people, convinced as they must be, that it is no less their interest than their duty faithfully to adhere to those fundamental principles of our government, which, assigning to its various institutions, rights peculiar to each and necessary for the preservation of all, secure, by their happy combination and harmony, to the executive power sufficient strength; to the legislature its necessary independence; and to the whole community the blessings of a well regulated freedom." PROTEST AGAINST THE EAST-INDIA COMPANY'S LOAN BILL. Because to us it appears, that before passing this bill into a law, the opinion of the judges on the legality of the East India company's declaring a dividend in the present state of their affairs is high ly desirable. For whilst we know, from the accounts on the table of the house, that they have continued to divide annually ten and a half per cent. on their capital stock, we are convinced that the house of commons would not have abandon. ed the wise and prudent system they had formerly pursued, when in chapter 64 of the 13th of George the Third, they limited the dividend on the company's stock to six per cent. till the sum of fourteen hun. dred thousand pounds, advanced to relieve them from difficulties simi lar to those they now experience, was repaid, had they not thought it unnecessary, seeing that, in their opinion, the East India company are, in the present situation of their affairs, by law precluded from as, signing to the proprietors any dividend in their capital stock. Secondly, Because the doubt that must naturally arise on the right of the company to declare a dividend, from the difference of opinion thus disclosed to us by the conduct of the East India company, and by the provisions of the bill sent up by the commons, are greatly increased by the following considerations; First, The accounts of stock per computation on the table of this house-1st of March, 1806; 1st March, 1807; 1st March, 1808; and 1st March, 1809; far from showing any profit, after the pay ment of bills of exchange accepted, and of debts, interest, and other out-goings, exhibit in that short space of time a loss to the enor mous amount of twelve millions five hundred and seventy-one thou sand and twenty-two pounds; whilst by the 111th clause of the 334 of George III. chap. 52, the company have only a right to declare a dividend "out of their profits in Great Britain, after providing for pay ment ment of bills of exchange already accepted by the company, as the same shall become due, and for the current payment of other debts, interest, and other out-goings, charges, and expenses." Secondly, Both the East India company and the legislature seem to have formerly given a most decided opinion on this subject; for when, by the 65th chapter of the 21st of George III. the company were, as at present, precluded from dividing the sum then permitted by law, of eight per cent. on their capital stock, till they had provided for the current payment of interest, out-goings, and other expenses; they, in the year after passing of that act, petitioned to be empower ed by law to divide the said sum of eight per cent. per annum, notwithstanding that their net profits fell short of what was necessary to discharge such a dividend by twenty two thousand and twenty-three pounds; and parliament actually gave such powers in chapter 51 of the 22d George III. HIS MAJESTY'S SPEECH. "My lords, and gentlemen, "His majesty has commanded public business is now concluded, us to acquaint you, that, as the he thinks it proper to put an end to the present session of parliament. "We are commanded by his ma jesty to express the satisfaction he derived from the reduction of the island of Guadaloupe by his majesty's arms; an event which for the first time in the history of the wars of Great Britain, has wrested from France all her possessions in that quarter of the world; and which, together with the subsequent capture of the only colonies in the West-Indies which remained in the possession of the Dutch, has de Thelly, Because, under these circumstances, whatever may be the opinion of the judges concerning the right of the company to deprived his majesty's enemies of eve clare a dividend, it seems to us imperiously necessary, for the public interest, that the house should be in possession of it. For if the judges should pronounce it to be illegal for the company to declare any dividend in the present situation of their affairs, the authority of such an opinion would prevent a large portion of the sum about to be lent from being illegally transferred into the pockets of the proprietors of India stock; and if, on the contrary, the judges should declare that such a dividend was legal, it would certainly suggest to the house the propriety of following the wise example ry port in those seas from which the interests of his majesty, or the com. merce of his subjects, can be mo lested. "Gentlemen of the house of commons, "His majesty has commanded us to thank you for the liberal and ample supplies which you have granted for the services of the present year. "His majesty deeply regrets the necessary extent of the demands which those services have created; but we are commanded to express to you the consolation which he has derived from observing that the re sources of the country, manifesting themselves by every mark of prosperity, by a revenue increasing in almost all its branches, and by a commerce extending itself in new channels, and with an increased vigour in proportion as the enemy has in vain attempted to destroy it, have enabled you to provide for the expenses of the year without imposing the burden of any new taxation on Great Britain; and that, while the taxes which have been necessarily resorted to for Ireland, have been imposed upon articles which will not interfere with the growing prosperity of that country, you have found it consistent with a due regard to its finances to diminish some of those burdens, and relax some of those regulations of revenue, which had been felt the most inconvenient in that part of the united kingdom. "His majesty further commands us to return you his thanks for the provision which you have enabled him to make for the establishment of his serene highness the duke of Brunswick. My lords, and gentlemen, "His majesty has directed us to acquaint you, that Portugal, rescued from the oppression of the enemy, by the powerful assistance of his majesty's arms, has exerted herself with vigour and energy in making every preparation for repelling, with the continued aid of his majesty's forces, any renewed attack on the part of the enemy; and that in Spain, notwithstanding the reverses which have been experienced, the spirit of resistance against France still continues unsubdued and unabated : and his majesty commands us to assure you of his firm and unaltered conviction, that not only the honour of his throne, but the best interests of his domi nions, require his most strenuous and persevering assistance to the glorious efforts of those loyal nations. "His majesty has commanded us to recommend to you, upon your return to your respective counties, to use your best exertions to promote that spirit of order and obedience to the laws, and that general concord amongst all classes of his majesty's subjects, which can alone give full effect to his majesty's paternal care for the welfare and happiness of his people. His majesty has the fullest reliance upon the affections of his subjects, whose loyalty and attachment have hitherto supported him through that long and eventful period during which it has pleased Divine Providence to commit the interests of these dominions to his charge. His majesty feels that the preservation of domestic peace and tranquillity, under the protection of the law, and obedience to its authority, is amongst the most important duties he owes to his people. "His majesty commands us to assure you, that he will not be wanting in the discharge of that duty; and his majesty will always rely with confidence on the continued support of his loyal subjects, to enable him to resist with success the designs of foreign enemies, and to transmit unimpaired to posterity the blessings of the British constitution." my or hear, or read these presents, health.-Hollanders! being convinced that nothing more for your interest or your welfare can be effected by me; but, on the contrary, considering myself as an obstacle which may prevent the good will and intentions of my brother to wards this country; I have resigned my rank and royal dignity in favour of my eldest son, Napoleon Louis, and of his brother, prince Charles Louis Napoleon. Her majesty the queen being of right, and according to the constitution, regent of the kingdom, the regency shall, till her arrival, be vested in the council of ministers. -Hollanders! never shall I forget so good and virtuous a people as you are. My last thought, as well as last sigh, shall be for your happiness. On leaving you, I cannot sufficiently recommend to you to receive well the military and civil of ficers of France. This is the only means to gratify his majesty the emperor, on whom your fate, that of your children, and that of your whole country depends. And now, as ill-will and calumny can no longer reach me, at least so far as relates to you, I have a well-founded hope, that you will at length find the reward for all your sacrifices, and for all your magnanimous firmness. Done at Haarlem, July 1, 1810. LOUIS NAPOLEON." "Louis Napoleon, by the grace of God, and the constitution of the kingdom, king of Holland, constable of France.-Considering that the unfortunate state in which this country now is arises from the displeasure which the emperor my brother has conceived against me; -considering that all endeavours and sacrifices on my part to support this state of things have been fruit. less; considering lastly, that it can not be doubted that the course of the present state of things is to be attributed to my having been unfortunate enough to displease my brother, and to have lost his friendship, and that I therefore am the only ob stacle to the termination of these incessant differences and misunderstandings-We have resolved, as we, by these letters, published by our own free will, do resolve, to resign, as we do from this moment resign, the royal dignity of this kingdom of Holland, in favour of our well-beloved son, Napoleon Louis; and in failure of him, in favour of his brother, Charles Louis Napoleon-We further desire that, according to the constitution, under the guarantee of his majesty the emperor, our brother, the regency shall remain with her majesty the queen, assisted by a council of regency, which shall provisionally consist of our ministers, to whom we commit the custody of our minor. king till the arrival of her majesty the queen.-We further order, that the different corps of our guard, under the command of lieut.-general Bruno, and general Bruno, second in command, shall render their service to the minor king of this kingdom; and that the great officers of the crown, as well as the civil and military officers of our household, shall continue to render their cus tomary services to the same high personage. The present act, done and concluded, and signed by our hand, shall be transmitted to the legislative body, and then deposited copies shall be taken, and these letters be published in a legal manner, and in the customary form. "LOUIS NAPOLEON, "Haarlem, July 1, 1810." "In the name of his majesty, Napoleon Louis, by the grace of God, and the constitution of the kingdom, kingdom, king of Holland, the provisional council of regency of the kingdom of Holland, to all those who may see, hear, or read these presents, makes known, "That, in consequence of the resignation of the royal dignity and authority made by his majesty, Louis Napoleon, in favour of the crown prince, his majesty's eldest son, Napoleon Louis, and of his brother, prince Charles Louis Napoleon, and by virtue of his majesty's authority contained in the open and sealed letters published by him on the 1st of July, 1810, the provisional regency has this day constituted itself, under the presidency of the minister Van Der Heim, waiting the arrival of her majesty the queen, as constitutional regent of the kingdom, and guardian of the minor king, and in expectation of the measures which her majesty shall be pleased to adopt relative to public affairs. VAN DER HEIM. "Amsterdam, July 3, 1810. "By order of the provisional council of regency, "A. J. J. H. VERHEIJEN, "First secretary of the cabinet of the king." HOLLAND ANNEXED TO FRANCE. Extract from the registers of the office of the secretary of state. Palace of Rambouillet, July 9, 1810. We, Napoleon, emperor of the French, king of Italy, protector of the confederation of the Rhine, mediator of the Swiss confederation, &c. have decreed, and hereby decree, as follows: .Title I. Art. 1. Holland is united to France.-2. The city of Amsterdam shall be the third city of the empire.-3. Holland shall have six serators, six deputies to the council of state, 25 deputies to the legislative body, and two judges in the court of cassation.-. The officers by sea and land, of whatever rank, shall be confirmed in their employments. Commissions shall be delivered to them, signed with our hand. The royal guard shall be united to our imperial guard. Title II.-Of the administration for 1810.-5. The duke of Placentia, arch-treasurer of the empire, shall repair to Amsterdam in the capacity of our lieutenant-general.He shall preside in the council of ministers, and attend to the dispatch. of business. His functions shall cease the 1st of January, 1811, the period when the French administration shall commence.-6. All the public functionaries, of whatever rank, are confirmed in their employments. Title III.-Of the finances.-7. The present contributions shall continue to be levied until the 1st of January, 1811, at which period the country shall be eased of that burden, and the imposts put on the same footing as for the rest of the empire. -8. The budget of receipts and disbursements shall be submitted to our approbation before the 1st of August next. Only one-third of the present amount of interest upon the public debt shall be carried to the account of expenditure for 1810. The interest of the debt for 1808 and 1809, not yet paid, shall be reduced to one-third, and charged on the budget of 1810.-9. The custom-houses on the frontier, other than those of France, shall be organized under the superintendance of our director-general of the cus tom-houses. The Dutch customhouses shall be incorporated therewith. The line of custom-houses now on the French frontier shall be kept |