204] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1814. 



CHAPTER XVIII, 



Autumn Session of Parliament. — Speech of the Prince Regent. — AcU 

 dress and Debates. — Motion in the House oj" Lords relative to keeping 

 part of the Militia still embodied. — The same in the House of Com~ 

 tnons. — Motion relative to the Courl-Martial on Colonel Quentin. — 

 Amended Bill for the Preservation of Peace in Ireland. — Ad" 

 journment. 



THE autumnal Session of Par- 

 liament was 0{3ened on Nov. 

 8th by the Prince Regent in per- 

 son. The principal topic of his 

 speech was the War with the 

 United States of America, which 

 his Royal Highness affirmed to 

 have originated in the most un- 

 provoked aggression on the part 

 of their Government, and to have 

 been calculated to promote the de- 

 signs of the common enemy of 

 Europe. It was, however, his 

 sincere desire lo-bring it to a con- 

 clusion upon just and honourable 

 terms, and he was still engaged in 

 negociations for that purpose. — 

 The speech then adverted to the 

 successful operations of the war 

 during the present year; and in 

 touching on the capture of Wash- 

 ington, remarked that it had pro- 

 duced on ihe inhabitants a deep 

 and sensible impression of the ca- 

 lamities of a war in which they had 

 been so wantonly involved. A 

 slight notice was then taken of the 

 reverse on Lake Champlain ; but 

 confident expectations were ex- 

 pressed of establishing the ascen- 

 dency of his Majesty's arms in 

 Canada. The reta.dation of the 

 opening of the congress at Vienna 

 was next spoken of, as owing to 

 auavoidable causes, and assurance 



was given of his Royal Highness's 

 endeavours to consolidate the peace 

 in which he had been a party, by 

 a just equilibrium among the pow- 

 ers of Europe. Addressing the 

 House of Commons, the speech 

 informed them of the flourishing 

 state of the public revenue and 

 commerce, but expressed regret 

 for the necessity of a large expen- 

 diture in the ensuing year. It 

 concluded with an observation on 

 the state in which the late war 

 must have left the countries en- 

 gaged in it, with respect to their 

 internal condition, and their com- 

 mercial relations ; and with re- 

 com mending to Parliament great 

 caution in adopting regulations for 

 extending our trade, and securing 

 our present advantagfs. 



In the House of Lords, the cor- 

 responding address to the Prince 

 Regent was moved by the Earl of 

 Abingdon, and was seconded by 

 Earl Delaware. 



The Earl of Darnlet/ then rose 

 and said, he wished he could have 

 coincided with the last noble lord 

 in the youthful ardour with which 

 he hailed the national prospects ; 

 but on the whole view of the state 

 of the country he found no cause 

 for congratulation. He particu- 

 larly adverted to the extraordinary 



