Mr.T. Pitt.

chants, bent on the extenfion of mercantile objects only, to
the furprise and almoft beyond the belief of thofe now liv-
ing, and undoubtedly in a manner fo wonderful, as to ex-
ceed the poffible credibility of pofterity, as the noble Lord,
who moved for the addrefs, had declared. He admitted,
that in the fyttem purfued by that company to obtain their
acquifitions, and afterwards to govern them, there might be
fomething wrong, and fomething that called for correction;
but he cautioned Minifters against the grofs error of rejecting
the whole of their fyftem as abfurd. He reminded them,
that those who obtained the acquifitions, and had held them
fo long, could not have acted with unremitted blunders in
their conduct, and bad them recollect the fate of America,
which had begun to eftrange itself from a connection with
Great Britain, only when we began to think the government
of the colonies wholly wrong, had proceeded to violate their
charters, and to force them to fubmit to a fyftem of govern-
ing never before practifed. The Commodore faid farther,
that men of the greateft abilities could not judge of the fit-
teft mode of governing India by intuition, that men of ex-
perience in the affairs of that country must be advised with,
and that therefore he hoped, his Majefty's Minifters would
not proceed to enforce a plan of their own, without conful-
tation with thofe, who were beft able to inform them, what
fyftem was most applicable to India, and what was moft
otherwife. He expected that fome notice would have been
taken of the Governor of Bengal, or at leaft of the great
and defirable events in India-fomething of congratulation
on the accomplishment of the peace, he looked for in the
fpeech from the throne, and he trufted the Houfe would, at
a proper time, remedy the defect, by voting their thanks to
Mr. Haftings.

Mr. Thomas Pitt obferved, fhortly, in answer to Mr. Fox, that if, as he had ftated in juftification, that the definitive treaties were in fubftance the fame as the preliminary articles, that the latter were neceffarily bound by the former, and that therefore he could not alter them without breaking the faith of nations, in that cafe they were not objects of thanks to the crown, but merely of acquiefcence to thofe who difapproved of the preliminary articles by which they were controled. As to the explanations and amplifications he had ftated as having been obtained by him, not contained in the former articles, it was in the nature of a definitive treaty, to explain and elucidate preliminary articles,

ticles, and could therefore no more be claimed as merit by him, than it could be brought to detract from the merit of his predeceffors, who never could imagine, that preliminary articles, which are only the bafis of treaty, can be as precife and determinate as the definitive articles, that are to be built upon them. With regard to the motion that day fe'nnight upon Eaft India affairs, he only hoped that the whole fyftem intended would then be laid before the Houfe, when he would give it his ferious attention; but that he should expect the whole of the plan, and not to be surprised into the giving his affent or diffent to any part of it, in a previous ftep, which might embarrass him afterwards in the confequences.

General Smith faid, he would not take up two moments General of the time of the Houfe; but he could not fit ftill, and Smith. hear opinions delivered upon particular fubjects, from which he differed, without declaring that he did fo. An honourable gentleman, he observed, had expreffed his furprife, that his Majefty's Minifters had faid nothing in praise of the perfon principally concerned in concluding the Mahratta war: whenever the subject came properly before the House, he fhould ftate his reafons, why he thought that perfon entitled to no particular praife.

The motion was then read from the Chair, and agreed to nemine contradicente: a Committee was appointed to draw up an address thereupon.

November 12.

ry.

The Earl of Upper Offory reported from the Committee, The Earl of that they had drawn up an addrefs to his Majefty, which Upper Offothey had directed him to report to the Houfe; and he read " the fame in his place. He then delivered it at the table, were it was read, and agreed to by the Houfe nemine contradicente.

It was then ordered, that fuch members of the Houfe, as were of his Majefty's moft honourable Privy Cnuncil, do humbly know his Majefty's pleasure, when he will be attended by this House.

Lord George Auguftus Henry Cavendish called the attention Lord Geo. of the Houfe, to a motion which he was confident would Cavendish. meet the most cordial and heartfelt approbation of every gentleman, and as it was unneceflary to prefs it on the House by argument, he would move, and it was refolved unanimously, that a meflage be fent to the Queen, with

the

General
Smith.

the fincere and hearty congratulations of this House on the joyful event of the birth of another Princefs, and on her Majefty's happy recovery; and to affure her Majesty, of the zealous and dutiful attachment of this Houfe.

Ordered, that Lord George Auguftus Henry Cavendish, Colonel Stanhope, Lord Charles Spencer, Mr. North, Mr. Fitzwilliam, Mr. John Townfhend, and the Lord Viscount Duncannon, do attend her Majefty with the faid meflage.

The Select Committee appointed to take into confideration the state of the adminiftration of juftice in the provinces of Bengal, Bahar, and Oriffa, was revived, and the documents referred to it.

General Smith then ftated to the Houfe the fituation of India affairs, in regard to the particulars which belonged to the object of the Select Committee, and faid that it was fomething very fingular, that Sir Elijah Impey had fat as Prefident of the Court of Judicature, pofterior to the arrival of the orders of recall in India. This certainly demanded the attention of Parliament; and he hoped every. gentleman would seriously confider the fubject, and come prepared next week for a full difcuffion; and for this purpofe he moved, that an humble addrefs be prefented to his Majefty, that he will be graciously pleafed to give direction, that there be laid before this Houfe, copies of all orders that have been fent to the Eaft Indies, or to the Eaft-India Company, relating to the recall of Sir Elijah Impey, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Judicaturę in Calcutta.

November 13.

The Houfe went up in proceffion to St. James's, and prefented to his Majefty the following addrefs:

"Moft Gracious Sovereign,

"W E, your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subject‹, the Commons of Great Britain in Parliament affembled, beg leave to return your Majefty our humble thanks for your Majefty's most gracious fpeech from the throne.

"Affectionately and dutifully interested in whatever concerns your Majefty's domeftic happiness, we beg leave to offer our most fincere congratulations on the birth of another princefs, and to exprefs our unfeigned joy at the happy recovery of the Queen.

"We are gratefully fenfible of the paternal regard for the welfare of your people, which has induced your Ma

jefty

jefty to conclude definitive treaties of peace with the courts of France and Spain, and the United States of America, and to ratify preliminary articles with the States General of the United Provinces; and we beg your Majesty to accept our most humble thanks for having graciously ordered those several treaties to be laid before us. We have great fatisfaction in learning that your Majefty has no caufe to doubt but that all thofe powers agree in fincere inclination with your Majefty to keep the calamities of war at a great diftance.

"We entertain a juft fenfe of the importance of the objects which demand our attention; and we acknowledge, with thanks, the anxious folicitude for the public good which has induced your Majesty to give us, thus early, an opportunity of taking them into confideration.

Your

faithful Commons are sensible that the fruits of those enquiries, which they have fo long purfued, are now juftly expected, and that the fituation of the East-India Company claims our utmost exertions to provide, in the most effectual manner, for the maintenance and improvement of the valuable advantages derived from our Indian poffeffions, and to promote and fecure the happiness of the native inhabitants in those provinces.

"The feafon of peace will call for our attention to every thing which can recruit the ftrength of the nation, after fo long and fo expenfive a war.

"We acknowledge your Majefty's paternal goodness in recommending fuch means of increafing and fecuring the public revenue, as may be leaft burdenfome to your fubjects. The frauds which have prevailed in many of its most effential parts, as well as the outrages which have been committed, are truly alarming; and we have the fulleft confidence that no exertions have been wanting to repress this daring fpirit, nor pains to enquire into its true caufes. In thofe instances in which the powers of Government may not be found equal to its utmost care and vigilance, we shall use our utmost endeavours to provide fuch remedies as may apply to this evil, and fuch means as may be found wanting to the accomplishment of purpofes in which our material interests are fo deeply concerned.

"We beg leave to affure your Majefty, that your faithful Commons will chearfully grant your Majefty fuch fupplies as may be found neceffary for the fervice of the year; acknowledging, with the utmost gratitude, your Majesty's VOL. XII. immediate

E

immediate attention to the relief of your fubjects, in the reduction of all the establishments to as low a ftate as your Majefty, in your royal wifdom, thought prudence would admit. We take a fincere part in the fatisfaction which your Majefty feels in this ftep towards the relief of your fubjects; and we have no doubt that your people will juftify your Majefty's gracious reliance on the fortitude of this nation, by willingly bearing those burdens, which are the inevitable confequences of the war, which the prefent exigencies require, and which are so neceffary for the full fupport of the national credit.

"We feel that our fituation is, in many refpects, new; and we beg your Majefty to be affured, that we fhall ufe our utmoft diligence to provide what is called for by that fituation; at the fame time, to the extent of our power, giving permanence to whatever has been found beneficial by the experience of ages.

"The objects of our deliberations fully demand that temper and moderation which your Majefty fo graciously recommends; and we entreat your Majefty to accept our moft humble thanks for the confidence your Majesty has been pleased to exprefs in our unanimous defire to direct all thofe deliberations to the honour of your Majefty's crown, the fafety of your dominions, and the profperity of your people and we affure your Majefty, that we will ufe our beft and utmoft endeavours to demonftrate by our conduct, that a confidence so honourable to us has been well founded."

To which his Majefty was pleafed to give this most gracious anfwer:

"Gentlemen,

"I THANK you for this very dutiful and affectionate addrefs, and for the fresh mark you give of your attachment to me and my family, in your congratulations on the happy recovery of the Queen, and the birth of another princefs.

"I receive, with the utmoft fatisfaction, your affurances of promoting fuch measures as may tend to the support of the national credit, and to the welfare of my people; and I confider the unanimity with which they are offered as a happy earnest of the fuccefs of your endeavours."