200] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813, 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



Meeting of Parliament. — Regent's Speech and Addresses. — Conventions 

 with Russia and Prussia.— ^Augmentation of disposable Force. — Local 

 Militia BiU. — The Loan. — Foreign Subsidies. — Unanimity in Parlia- 

 ment.— Qitestions concerning the Prince of Orange s new Title and 

 Authority; and the Declaration of the Allied Powers.— Motion for 

 Adjournment. 



ON November 4th Parliament 

 assembled after its adjourn- 

 ment, when the Prince Regent de- 

 livered a speech from the throne. 

 It began with a commemoration of 

 the splendid successes which had 

 attended the allied arms in the 

 present campaign. Those in Spain 

 were first touched upon, and the 

 highest encomium was given to 

 the marquis of Wellington and the 

 troops under his command. The 

 termination of the armistice in the 

 North, and the declaration of Aus- 

 tria, were next noticed, with all the 

 victories succeeding that period ; 

 and due applause was given to the 

 spirit of union and co-operation 

 displayed by the allied potentates, 

 and the personal appearance in the 

 field of the respective sovereigns. 

 Mention was then made of the 

 conventions and treaties entered 

 into by this cabinet with the con- 

 tinental powers, which were to be 

 laid before the Parhament, and 

 confidence was expressed of its 

 support in the great cause of 

 Europe. In adverting to the war 

 still unhappily subsisting with the 

 United States of Ameiica, his Royal 

 Highness expressed " deep regret 

 to find an additional enemy in the 

 government of a country whose 



real interest in the issue of this 

 great contest must be the same as 

 our own ;" and declared his readi- 

 ness at all times to enter into dis- 

 cussions for the adjustment of the 

 subsisting differences, " upon prin- 

 ciples of perfect reciprocity not 

 inconsistent with the established 

 maxims of public law, and with 

 the maritime rights of the British 

 empire." In the concluding part 

 of his speech, after exhortations 

 to perseverance in the purpose of 

 defeating the views of universal 

 dominion which have actuated the 

 Ruler of France, his Royal High- 

 ness affirms, that " no disposition 

 to require from France sacrifices of 

 any description inconsistent with 

 her honour, or just pretensions as 

 a nation, will ever be on his part, 

 or on that of his majesty's allies, 

 an obstacle to peace." 



The corresponding address was 

 moved in the House of Lords by 

 Earl Digby,iaxid ^seconded by the 

 Earl of Clare ; who was followed by 

 Marquis Wellesleu, and Lord Gren- 

 ville, both of whom declared their 

 entire concurrence in the senti- 

 ments expressed in the speech. 

 The latter nobleman touched upon 

 the condition of Holland, and 

 the obligation lying upon this 



