STATE PAPERS. 



ISS 



branches of the public service in 

 the present year. His majesty has 

 also witnessed with pleasure, that 

 wise liberality which will enable 

 him to make a just and equitable 

 retribution to those bodies and in- 

 dividuals, whose privileges and in- 

 terests are affected by the union ; 

 and he has also seen with satisfac- 

 tion that attention to the internal 

 prosperity of this country, which 

 has been so conspicuously testified 

 by the encouragement you have 

 given to the improvement and 

 extension of its inland naviga- 

 tion. 



My lords and gentlemen, 



I have the happiness to acquaint 

 you, that the country in general 

 has, in a great measure, returned 

 to its former state of tranquillity. — 

 If in some districts a spirit of plun- 

 der and disaffection still exists, these 

 disorders, I believe, will prove to 

 be merely local, and will, I doubt 

 not, be soon effectually terminated. 

 The pressure of scarcity on the 

 poorer classes, much relieved by 

 private generosity, and by the salu- 

 tary provisions of the legislature, 

 has been long and unusually severe; 

 but I trust that, under the favour 

 of Providence, we may draw a 

 pleasing prospect of future plenty 

 from the present appearance of the 

 harvest. I am persuaded that the 

 great measure which is now accom- 

 plished, could never have been ef- 

 fected but by a decided conviction 

 on your part, that it would tend to 

 restore and preserve the tranquillity 

 of this country, to increase its com- 

 merce and manufactures, to perpe- 

 tuate its connection with Gr6at 



Britain, and to augment the re- 

 sources of the empire. You will 

 not fail to impress these sentiments 

 onthemindsofyourfellow-subjects; 

 you will encourage and improve 

 that just confidence which they^ 

 have manifested in the result of 

 your deliberations on this arduous 

 question ; above all, you will be 

 studious to inculcate the full con- 

 viction, that, united with the peo- 

 ple of Great Britain into one king- 

 dom, governed by the same sove- 

 reign, protected by the same laws, 

 and represented in the same legisla- 

 ture, nothing will be wanting on 

 their part but a spirit of industry 

 and order, to ensure to them the full 

 advantages under which the people 

 of Great Britain have enjoyed a 

 greater degree of prosperity, secu- 

 rity, and freedom, than has ever 

 yet been experienced by any other 

 nation. 1 cannot conclude without 

 offering to you, and to the nation 

 at large, my personal congratula-« 

 tions on the accomplishment of this 

 great work, which has received the 

 sanction and concurrence of our so- 

 vereign on that auspiciou s day which 

 placed his illustrious family on the 

 throne of these realms. The em- 

 pire is now, through your exertions, 

 so completely united, and by union 

 so strengthened, that it can bid de- 

 fiance to all the efforts its enemies 

 can make, either to weaken it by 

 division, or overturn it by force.— 

 Under theprotection of Divine Pro- 

 vidence, the united kingdoms of 

 Great Britain and Ireland will, I 

 trust, remain in all future ages, the 

 fairest monument of his majesty's 

 reign, already distinguished by so 

 many and such various blessings 

 conferred upon every class and 

 description of his subjects. 



