2] 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. 



arras in the reduction of Java, and 

 the capture of the isles of Bourbon 

 and Mauritius ; and of the gallant 

 conduct of the army under sir 

 Samuel Achmuty, and the navy 

 by which it was seconded. His 

 Royal Highness proceeded to re- 

 commend to parliament the con- 

 sideration of proper measures for 

 the future government of the Bri- 

 tish possessions in India; and ex- 

 pressed his regret, that important 

 differences between this country 

 and the United States of America, 

 remained unadjusted, at the same 

 time assuring the Houses, that all 

 means of conciliation would be 

 employed consistent with the ho- 

 nour and dignity of the crown, 

 and the maritime and commercial 

 rights and interests of the British 

 empire. The usual address was then 

 made to the House of Commons, 

 trusting in their zeal to provide the 

 '^jjiecessary supplies, and also recom- 

 mending their resumption of the 

 consideration of the Irish finances, 

 ■which were, however, declared to 

 be improved. The whole con- 

 cluded with a sentiment of the ar- 

 duous duties which his Royal 

 Highness had been called upon to 

 fulfil, and his reliance on the ex- 

 perienced wisdom and public spi- 

 rit of both Houses in assisting him 

 to discharge the functions of his 

 high trust. 



In the House of Lords, the ac- 

 customed echoing address was 

 moved by the earl of Shaftesbury, 

 and seconded by lord Brownlow. 

 Lord Grenville then rose, and after 

 observing, that he should have 

 been happy if the address proposed 

 had been so worded as to procure 

 unanimity, he remarked, that no 

 outline of intended measures, no 

 view of intended proceedings, had 



been submitted to their lordships ; 

 and yet they were called upon to 

 pledge themselves to a system 

 which bad brought the country into 

 its present alarming situation. He 

 said, he retained his ob^ctions to 

 every part of the system he had so 

 often condemned ; and he particu- 

 larly requested their lordships to 

 consider the portentous way in 

 which the state of Ireland had 

 been alluded to in the speech ; the 

 attention of parliament was not 

 directed to the oppressions and 

 grievances of which the Irish com- 

 plained, but solely to the revenue 

 to be drawn from them. He con- 

 cluded by giving notice, that this 

 subject would in a short time be 

 brought distinctly before their lord- 

 ships. 



The earl of Liverpool, in reply, 

 contended, that the system thus 

 condemned had justified itself by 

 experience ; and professed his own 

 readiness, and that of his col- 

 leagues, to defend their conduct 

 when the day should come for 

 canvassing the subject. He thought 

 there was nothing in the address 

 which could prevent any member 

 from concurring in the assurance 

 given to the regent of assistance 

 in the discharge of his arduous du- 

 ties. 



Earl Grey went over the same 

 ground with lord Grenville, and 

 denied that opposing measures of 

 administration fraught with ruin 

 to the country would be withhold- 

 ing the support to the Regent ne- 

 cessary for the conduct of his go- 

 vernment. 



Some other lords spoke on the 

 occasion ; but the address was 

 agreed to nemine dissent lent e. 



The proceedings respecting the 

 speech in the House of Common* 



were 



