332 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1814. 



necessary qiders may be j^iven, 

 that all his Majesty's ships of war, 

 which may have been stationed at 

 the mouth of the Elbe for the pur- 

 pose of blockading the same, may 

 be immediately withdrawn. 



The Prince Regenfs Speech, 

 Ju!t/ 30th. 



" My Lords and Gentlemen ; 



" I cannot close this Session of 

 Parliament without repeating the 

 expression of my deep regret at 

 the continuance of his Majesty's 

 lamented indisposition. 



*' When, in consequence of that 

 calamity, the powers of Govern- 

 ment were first intrusted to me, I 

 found this country engaged in a 

 war with the greater part of Eu- 

 rope. 



" I determined to adhere to that 

 line of policy which his Majesty 

 had adopted, and in which he had 

 persevered under so many and such 

 trying difficulties. 



" The zealous and unremitting 

 support and assistance which I 

 have received from you, and from 

 all classes of his Majesty's sub- 

 jects ; the consummate skill and 

 ability displayed by the great com- 

 mander, whose services you have 

 8o justly acknowleged ; and the 

 valour and intrepidity of his Ma- 

 jesty's forces by sea and land, have 

 enabled me, under the blessing of 

 Divine Providence, to surmount 

 all the difficulties with which I 

 have had to contend. 



" I have the satisfaction of con- 

 templatingthefull accomplishment 

 of all those objects for which the 

 war was either undertaken or con- 

 tinued ; and the unexampled ex- 

 ertions of this country, combined 



with those of his Majesty's allies, 

 have succeeded in effecting the 

 deliverance of Europe from the 

 most galling and oppressive tyran- 

 ny under which it has ever la- 

 boured. 



" The restoration of so many of 

 the acient and legitimate Govern- 

 ments of tlie Continent affords the 

 best prospect of the permanence 

 of that peace, which, in conjunc- 

 tion with his Majesty's allies, I 

 have concluded ; and you may rely 

 on my efforts being directed, at 

 the approaching Congress, to com- 

 plete the settlement of Europe, 

 which has been already so auspi- 

 ciously begun, and to promote, 

 upon principles of justice and im- 

 partiality, all those measures 

 which may appear best calculated 

 to secure the tranquillity and hap- 

 piness of all the nations engaged in 

 the late war. 



" I regret the continuance of 

 hostilities with the United States 

 of America. Notwithstanding the 

 unprovoked aggression of the go- 

 vernment of that country, and the 

 circumstances under which it took 

 place, I am sincerely desirous of 

 the restoration of peace between 

 the two nations upon conditions 

 honourable to both. But until this 

 object can be obtained, I am per- 

 suaded you will see the necessity 

 of my availing myself of the means 

 now at my disposal to prosecute . 

 the war with increased vigour. 



" Gentlemen of the House of i 

 Commons; 



" I thank you for the liberal ' 

 provision which you have made 

 for the services of the present '> 

 year. 



•* The circumstances under li 

 which the war in Europe has been j 



