CHRONICLE. 



247 



Bovereign, and insensible or indif- 

 ferent to the surrounding dangers 

 and impending fate of the country, 

 havebeen engaged in the most dis- 

 graceful squabbles, intrigues, and 

 cabals, that ever disgraced the 

 councils of any nation ; and which 

 cannot but be as disreputable to 

 your majesty's government, as they 

 are ruinous and dishonourable to 

 the country. 



" While we disclaim all interest 

 in the views of contending parties, 

 from a firm conviction that we can- 

 not look for a reformation in the 

 abuses of the state, from any per- 

 sons or parties interested in the pre- 

 sentation of them ; we cannot but 

 express our ardent hope, that your 

 majesty will be more fortunate in 

 the choice of the men to whom 

 you may hereafter confide the 

 conduct of affairs; and that your 

 councils will be no longer embar- 

 rassed, nor the country insulted 

 and dishonoured, by those dis- 

 graceful occurrences; which, while 

 they have exposed us to the ridi- 

 cule of surrounding nations, may 

 embolden the enemy to look for- 

 ward with confidence to the sub- 

 jugation of a nation so distracted 

 in her councils, and so improvi- 

 dently governed. 



" That while we forbear enume- 

 rating along train of internal griev- 

 ances, we cannot but attribute such 

 a series of failures and disasters to 

 the abuses and corruptions of the 

 state, and the consequent want of 

 constitutional cont rol over the pub- 

 lic expenditures, and the servants 

 of the crown, whereby the respon- 

 sibility of ministers appears to 

 exist only in name. 



" We, therefore, humbly pray 

 that your majesty will be gracioubly 

 pleased to assure your loyal and 

 afleciionatc people, that the object 



to which their wishes are directed, 

 is neither to be abandoned nor 

 eluded ; and that your majesty will 

 be pleased to institute a rigid, im- 

 partial, and general inquiry into 

 thesenational misfortunes; intothe 

 plansupon which theseexpeditions 

 were undertaken, and into the con- 

 duct of the commanders to whom 

 they were intrusted. 



" Signed, by order, 

 " Henry WooDXHORpa," 



1 1 . The directors of the East 

 India Company gave a splendid 

 entertainment to the Persian am- 

 bassador. 



15. Berkshire County Meeting. 

 —At a very large meeting of the 

 freeholders of Berkshire the fol- 

 lowing address was voted : 



*' We, your majesty's most du- 

 tiful and loyal subjects, the nobi- 

 lity, clergy, gentlemen, and free- 

 holders of the county of Berks, 

 beg leave to approach your ma- 

 jesty's throne with feelings of sin-. 

 cere attachment and devotion to 

 your royal person, of anxious so- 

 licitude for the honour of your 

 crown and the safety of your do- 

 minions, and at the same time 

 with sentiments of the deepest 

 affliction at the perilous situation 

 of the public affairs of these king- 

 doms. 



" It is unnecessary to remind 

 your majesty of the enormous 

 burdens imposed upon your peo- 

 ple for supporting the war in which 

 we are engaged ; of the species of 

 taxation it has given rise to, novel 

 in its principle, offensive and 

 invidious in its collection, and 

 oppressive beyond all example in 

 its magnitude. 



" Your majesty has neverthe- 

 less seen that your subjects have 

 patiently and even cheerfuUy sub* 



