estates, may be free from arrests and all other molestation. That they may enjoy freedom of speech in their debates, and have liberty of access to your royal person on all occasions; and that all their proceedings may receive from your Majesty the most favourable interpretation.

Which done,

The Lord, Chancellor, by his Majesty's further command, said,

Mr. Speaker:

The King has the greatest confidence in the' duty and affection of this House of Commons to his person and Government, and an high opinion of that wisdom, temper, and prudence, which they will use in all their proceedings; and his Majesty does most readily grant and allow to them all their privileges, in as full and ample a manner as they have at any time been granted or allowed by his Majesty, or any of his royal predecessors.

There is one suit, sir, which you have made on your own behalf. His Majesty has received the surest pledge that no person in your station ever stood less in need of it than yourself; but that you may want no support in sustaining the burden of that important trust which is reposed in you, his Majesty has directed me to assure you, that he will put the most favourable construction both on your words and actions.

Then his Majesty was pleased to speak as follows:

My Lords and Gentlemen:

It gives me much concern that I am obliged, at the opening of this Parliament, to inform you that a most daring spirit of resistance and disobedience to the law still unhappily prevails in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay, and has in divers parts of it broke forth in fresh violences of a very criminal nature. These proceedings have been countenanced and encouraged in other of my Colonies, and unwarrantable attempts have been made to obstruct the Commerce of this Kingdom, by unlawful combinations. I have taken such measures, and given such orders as I judged most proper and effectual for carrying into execution the laws which were passed in the last session of the late Parliament, for the protection and security of the Commerce of my subjects, and for the restoring and preserving peace, order, and good Government in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay. And you may depend on my firm and steadfast resolution to withstand every attempt to weaken or impair the supreme authority of this Legislature over all the Dominions of my crown, the maintenance of which I consider as essential to the dignity, the safety, and the welfare of the British Empire, assuring myself that, while I act upon these principles, I shall never fail to receive your assistance and support.

I have the greatest satisfaction in being able to inform you that a treaty of peace is concluded between Russia and the Porte. By this happy event the troubles which have so long prevailed in one part of Europe, are composed, and the general tranquillity rendered complete. It shall be my constant aim and endeavour to prevent the breaking out of fresh disturbances, and I cannot but flatter myself I shall succeed, as I continue to receive the strongest assurances from other Powers of their being equally disposed to preserve the peace.

Gentlemen of the House of Commons:

I have ordered the proper Estimates for the service of the ensuing year to be laid before you; and I doubt not but that, in this House of Commons, I shall meet with the same affectionate confidence, and the same proofs of zeal and attachment to my person and Government, which I have always, during the course of my reign, received from my faithful Commons.

My Lords and Gentlemen:

Let me particularly recommend to you, at this time, to proceed with temper in your deliberations, and with unanimity in your resolutions. Let my people, in every part of my Dominions, be taught by your example to have a due reverence for the laws, and a just sense of the blessings of our excellent Constitution. They may be assured that, on my part, I have nothing so much at heart as the real prosperity and lasting happiness of all my subjects.

Then his Majesty was pleased to retire, and the Commons withdrew.

The Lord Chancellor reported his Majesty's Speech,

And the same being read by the Clerk,

The Earl of Hillsborough rose, and in a long and able speech, set forth the situation of the Colonies with the mother country, highly disapproving of the refractory spirit of the Americans, and hoping that, with temper and unanimity, such measures might be adopted as to bring about a reconciliation. His Lordship then moved, "That an humble Address be presented to his Majesty, to return his Majesty the thanks of this House for his most gracious Speech from the throne.

To declare our abhorrence and detestation of the daring spirit of resistance and isobedience to the laws, which so strongly prevails in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay, and of the unwarrantable attempts in that and other Provinces of America to obstruct, by unlawful combinations, the trade of this Kingdom.

To return his Majesty our humble thanks for having been pleased to communicate to us, that he has taken such measures and given such orders as his Majesty hath judged most proper and effectual for the protection and security of the Commerce of his Majesty's subjects, and for carrying into execution the laws which were passed in the last session of the late Parliament, relative to the Province of the Massachusetts Bay. To express our entire satisfaction in his Majesty's firm and steadfast resolution to continue to support the supreme authority of the Legislature over all the Dominions of his crown, and to give his Majesty the strongest assurances that we will cheerfully co-operate in all such measures as shall be necessary to maintain the dignity, safety, and welfare of the British Empire.

That as this Nation cannot be unconcerned in the common interest of Europe, we have the greatest satisfaction in being acquainted with the conclusion of the peace between Russia and the Porte; that we confide in his Majesty's endeavours to prevent, as far as possible, the breaking out of fresh disturbances; and from the assurances given to his Majesty by other Powers, we have the pleasing expectation that nothing is likely to intervene that may interrupt the present happy tranquillity in Europe.

That it is no less our duty than our inclination to proceed with temper and unanimity in our deliberations and resolutions, and to inculcate, by our example, a due reverence for the laws, and a just sense of the excellency of our Constitution; and, impressed with the deepest gratitude for the many blessings we have enjoyed during the course of his Majesty's reign, to testify with unaffected zeal at this conjuncture our inviolable fidelity to his Majesty, and our serious attention to the publick welfare."

The Earl of Buckinghamshire seconded the motion.

The Duke of Richmond spoke strongly against the measures, which he imagined were intended to be taken, and moved that an amendment be made to the said motion, by inserting, after the word throne, at the end of the first praragraph, these words:

"And to desire his Majesty would be graciously pleased to give direction, for an early communication of the accounts which have been received concerning the state of the Colonies, that we may not proceed to the consideration of this most critical and important matter, but upon the fullest information; and when we are thus informed we shall, without delay, apply ourselves with the most earnest and serious zeal, to such measures as shall tend to secure the honour of his Majesty's Crown, the true dignity of the mother country, and the harmony and happiness of all his Majesty's Dominions."

Lord Lyttelton replied to him, and, amongst other things, urged the necessity of asserting the sovereign right of Great Britain over the Colonies by the most speedy and resolute measures. His Lordship declared that it was no longer a question whether we should relinquish the right of taxation, but whether that commerce, which had carried us triumphantly through the last war, should be subject to the wise and necessary regulations prescribed by the Act of Navigation, and confirmed by many subsequent Acts of Parliament, or at once laid open at the will of the factious