2. That there be applied, remaining in the receipt of the exchequer, for the difpofition of parliament, the fum of Candles, one halfpenny per pound Bricks, two hillings and fix pence per thoufand; and tiles, from three to thirty fhillings per thousand Hats, from three pence to two fhillings, and licences for vending the faine Pleasure horfes, ten fhillings per head; running horfes, two guineas per head British linens and cottons, from three farthings to one fhilling per yard, and licences for bleaching and dying the fame Ribbands, from one penny for every twelve yards, to one penny per yard; and gauzes, from two pence to four pence per yard Licences for retailing beer, ale, and other excifeable liquors, and to the makers and dealers in certain excifeable commodities, from ten fhillings to fifty pounds Qualifications of fhooters, two pounds two fhillings per head; and deputations from lords of manors, ten shillings per head Paper, from one penny to ten fhillings per ream, pafteboards, millboards, and fcale boards Hackney coaches, five fhillings per week Silver plate, fix pence per ounce; and gold plate, eight fhillings per ounce ead exported, one guinea per ton Poftage of letters, one penny and two pence - Raw and thrown filk imported, three fhillings and two fhillings per pound 12,957,520 19 81 11,988,174 94's 969,346 10 3% STATE STATE PAPER S. 1784. His Majefty's most gracious Speech to both Houses of Parliament, on the opening of the Sions, Nov. 11, 1783. "My Lords and Gentlemen, HAVE the fatisfaction to inform you, that Definitive Treaties of Peace have been concluded with the courts of France and Spain, and with the United States of America. Preliminary Articles have also been ratified with the States General of the United Provinces. I have ordered thefe feveral treaties to be laid before you; and I am happy to add, that I have no caufe to doubt but that all thofe powers agree with me in my fincere inclination to keep the calamities of war at a great diftance. "The objects which are to be brought under your deliberation, will fufficiently explain my reafons for calling you together after fo fhort a recefs. Enquiries of the ut moft importance have been long and diligently purfued, and the fruit of them will be expected. The fi. tuation of the Eaft India Company will require the utmost exertions of your wisdom to maintain and improve the valuable advantages derived from our Indian poffeffions, VOL. XXVII. and to promote and fecure the happinefs of the native inhabitants of thofe provinces. "The feafon of peace will call upon you for an attention to every thing which can recruit the ftrength of the nation, after fo long and fo expensive a war. "The fecurity and increafe of the revenue in the manner leaft burthenfome to my fubjects, will be amongst your first objects. In many effential parts it has fuffered: dangerous frauds have prevailed, and alarming outrages have been committed. Exertions have not been wanting to reprefs this daring fpirit, nor pains to enquire into its true caufes. In any inftances in which the powers of government may not be equal to its utmost care and vigilance, I have no doubt that the wisdom of my parliament will provide fuch remedies as may be found wanting for the accomplishment of purpofes, in which the material interefts of this nation are fo deeply concerned. "Gentlemen of the Houfe of "Commons, before you. From these you will perceive the reduction which I have made in the establishments, which appear o me to be brought as low as prud nce will admit ; and you will participate with me in the fatisfaction which I feel in this ftep towards the relief of my fubjects. At the end of a war, fome part of its weight muft inevitably be borne for a time. I feel for the burthens of my people; but I rely on that fortitude which has hitherto fupported this nation under many difficulties, for their bearing thofe which the prefent exigencies require, and which are fo neceffary for the full fupport of the national credit. "My Lords and Gentlemen, "In many respects our fituation is new. Your counfels will provide what is called for by that fituation; and your wifdom will give permanence to whatever has been found beneficial by the experience of ages. In your deliberations you will preferve that temper and moderation which the importance of their objects demand, and will, I have no doubt, produce; and I am fure that you are unanimous in your defire to direct all thofe deliberations to the honour of my crown, the fafety of my dominions, and the profperity of my people." "Moft gracious Sovereign, WE, your Majefty's moft dutiful and loyal fubects, the lords spiritual and tempo ral, in parliament affembled, beg leave to return your majesty our most humble thanks for your moft gracious fpeech from the throne. "With the most respectful affection to your royal perfon and family, we beg leave to offer our fincere congratulations on the birth of another princefs, and the happy recovery of the Queen. Truly fenfible of the bleffings we enjoy under your Majefty's moft aufpicious government, we rejoice at every event that can add to your Majefty's domestic happiness. We congratulate your Majefty on the fuccefs of your endeavours to restore the public tranquillity.We return your Majefty our most humble thanks for having ordered the Definitive Treaty with the courts of France and Spain, and the United States of America, and the Preliminary Articles ratified with the Sates General of the United Provinces, to be laid before us; and we affure your Majefty, that we learn with the greatest fatisfaction, that all thofe powers agree with your Majefty in your fincere inclination to keep the calamities of war at a great distance. "We humbly and thankfully ac. knowledge your Majefty's royal regard to the general welfare of all your Majesty's dominions, in having called your parliament together at this early feafon; and we beg leave to affure your Majefty, that the moft diligent attention fhall be given by us to thofe objects which wait our deliberation. The fituation of the Eaft India Company will require our immediate confideration; and we beg your Majefty to be affured, that we will ufe our utmost endea vours to maintain and improve the valuable advantages derived from our Indian poffeffions, and to fecure After which his Majesty was pleased the happiness of the native inhabitants of thofe provinces. "Animated by your Majefty's example, and by the love of our country, we fhall take the earliest advantage of the feafon of peace to direct our counfels to every thing that can recruit the ftrength of the nation, after so long and fo expenfive a war; and while we exprefs the grateful fense we entertain of your Majefty's paternal care in recommending the fecurity and increase of the revenue in a manner the leaft burthenfome to your people, we shall be happy to co-operate in whatever may be found expedient for those falutary purpofes, or may tend to counteract thofe frauds, and to reprefs that spirit of outrage which has been fo alarmingly prevalent. "We humbly intreat your Majefty to be perfuaded that our utmost affiduity thall be employed in providing what is called for by the prefent fituation of this country, and that in our labours for that purpose we shall not only ufe the utmoft caution in regard to whatever the experience of paft times has fhewn to be beneficial, but shall endeavour, to the extent of our abilities, to make all fuch benefits permanent. "It will be our duty to preferve that temper and moderation in our deliberations, which your Majefty has been pleased to recommend, and which the importance of their objects will demand; and we shall be anxious not to neglect any opportunity of meriting the good opinion your Majefty has graciously expreffed of our unanimous defire to fecure and promote the honour of your Majefty's crown, the fafety of your dominions, and the profperity of your people." to Jay, "My Lords, "I thank you for this dutiful and loyal addrefs. I receive with pleafure your congratulations on the birth of a princefs, and the recovery of the Queen, as renewed proofs of your affection to my perfon and family. The affurances you give me of your attention to the objects recommended for the welfare of my fubjects, are highly acceptable; and I regard the unanimity with which they are offered as an earneft of the fuccefs which, I truft, will att nd your endeavours to establish the honour of my crown, and the profperity of my people." The humble Address of the House of Commons to the King, November 13, 1783. "Moft gracious Sovereign, WE your Majefty's moft du tiful and loyal fubjects, the commons of Great Britain in parliament affembled, beg leave to return your Majefty our humble thanks for your Majefty's most gras cious fpeech from the throne. "Affectionately and dutifully interested in whatever concerns your Majefty's domeftic happiness, we beg leave to offer our moft fincere congratulations on the birth of another princefs, and to exprefs our unfeigned joy at the happy recovery of the Queen. "We are gratefully fenfible of the paternal regard for the welfare of your people, which has induced your Majelly to conclude the Definitive Treaties of Peace with France and Spain, and the United States of [X] 2 America, America, and to ratify Preliminary Articles with the States General of the United Provinces; and we beg your Majefty to accept our moft humble thanks for having ordered those several treaties to be laid before us. We have great fatisfaction in learning that your Majefty has no caufe to doubt but that all thofe powers agree in fincere inclination with your Majefty to keep the calamities of war at a great distance fulleft confidence that no exertions have been wanting to reprefs this daring fpirit, nor pains to inquire into its true caufes. In thofe infiances in which the powers of government may not be found equal to its utmost care and vigilance, we fhall ufe our utmott endeavours to provide fuch remedies as may apply to this evil, and fuch means as may be found wanting to the accomplishment of purpofes in which our material interests are fo deeply concerned. "We beg leave to affare your Majefly, that your faithful commons will chearfully grant your Majefiy fuch fupplies as may be found neceffary for the fervice of the year; acknowledging, with the utmott gratitude, your Majefty's immediate attention to the relief of your fubjects, in the reduction of all the eftablishments to as low a flate as your Majedy, in your 10yal witdom, thought prudence would admit.— We take a finc.re part in the fatisfaction which your Majefty feels in this ftep towards the relief of your fubjects; and we have no doubt, that your people will justify your Majelty's gracious reliance on the fortitude of this nation, by wil "We entertain a juft fenfe of the importance of the objects which demand our attention; ad we acknowledge, with thanks, the anxious folicitude for the public good,, which has induced your Majefty to give us thus early, an opportunity of taking them into confideration. Your faithful commons are fentible that the fruits of hole enquiries which they have fo long purfied are now justly expected, and that the fituation of the East India Company claims our utmoft exertions to provide, in the most effectual manner, for the maintenance and improve. ment of the valuable advantages derived from our Indian poileations, and to promote and fecure the happinefs of the native inhabitants in thole provinces. "The feafon of peace will callingly bearing thofe burthens which for our attention to every thing which can recruit the ftrength of the nation, after to long and fo expenfive a war. "We acknowledge your Majefty's paternal goodne s in recommending fuch means of increating and fecuring the public revenue, as may be least burthenfome to your fubjects. The frauds which have prevailed in many of its mott effential parts, as well as the outrages which have been committed, are truly alarming; and we have the are the inevitable confequences of the war, which the prefent exigencies, require, and which are fo necellary for the full fupport of the national credit. "We feel that our fituation is, in many refpects, new; and we beg your Majelly to be affured, that we thall ufe our utmoft diligence to provide what is called for by that fituation; at the fame time, to the extent of our power, giving perma nence to whatever has been found beneficial by the experience of ages. The |