The Virginia Gazette

WILLIAMSBURG, January 5.

The Parliament having met on the 8th of November last, at Westminster, his Majesty went with the usual state to the House of Lords, and opened the session with the following most gracious speech from the throne.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

The opportunity which the late General Election gave me of knowing, from their Representatives in Parliament, the more immediate sense of my people, has made me desirous of meeting you as early as could be consistent with your own convenience. The shortness of the last session of the late Parliament prevented their prosecuting the consideration of those great commercial interests which had been entered upon in the preceding session. You will, I am persuaded, agree with me in opinion that your deliberations on those very important objects ought to be resumed without loss of time, and I trust that they will terminate in such measures as may be productive of the most considerable and essential benefits to this nation.

It would have given me great satisfaction to have been able to acquaint you, that all the other powers of Europe had been as careful as I have ever been, to avoid taking any step that might endanger the general tranquility. I have constantly received, and do still receive, from them, the strongest assurances of their pacific dispositions towards this country. No assurances however, shall divert my constant resolution to steadfastly attend to the general interests of Europe; nor shall any consideration prevail over me to suffer any attempt that may be made derogatory to the honour and dignity of my Crown, or injurious to the rights of my people.

At the close of the last Parliament, I expressed my satisfaction at the appearances which then induced me to believe that such of my subjects as had been misled in some part of my dominions, were returning to a sense of their duty; but it is with equal concern that I have since seen that spirit of faction, which I had hoped was well nigh extinguished, breaking out afresh in some of my colonies in North America; and, in one of them, proceeding even to acts of violence, and of resistance to the execution of the law: the capital town of which colony appears, by late advices, to be in a state of disobedience to all law and government; and has proceeded to measures subversive of the constitution, and attended with circumstances that manifest a disposition to throw off their dependence on Great-Britain. On my part, I have pursued every measure that appeared to be necessary for supporting the constitution, and inducing a due obedience to the authority of the Legislature. You may rely upon my steady perseverance in these purposes, and I doubt not but that, with your concurrence and support, I shall be able to defeat the mischievous designs of those turbulent and seditious persons who, under false pretences, have but too successfully deluded numbers of my subjects in America, and whose practices if suffered to prevail, cannot fail to produce the most fatal consequences to my colonies immediately, and in the end to all the dominions of my Crown.

Gentlemen of the House of Commons,

The proper estimates for the service of the ensuing year, I have ordered to be laid before you, fully relying on your readiness to grant me the necessary supplies. Indeed I cannot have a doubt of finding, in this House of Commons, the same affectionate attachment to my person and government as I have always hitherto experienced from my faithful Commons.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

It is with great satisfaction that I now find myself enabled to rejoice with you upon the relief which the poorer sort of my people are now enjoying, from the distress which they had so long laboured under from the high price of corn. At the same time that we are bound devoutly to acknowledge, in this instance, the gracious interposition of Providence, it will become us to apply the best precautions that human wisdom can suggest for guarding against the return of the late calamity. In the choice, however, of proper means for that purpose, you cannot proceed with too great circumspection.

I have nothing further to recommend to you, than that in all your deliberations you keep up a spirit of harmony among yourselves. Whatever differences of opinion may prevail in other points, let it appear, that wherever the interest of your country is immediately concerned you are all ready to unite. Such an example from you cannot fail of having the best effects upon the temper of my people, in every part of my dominions, and can alone produce that general union among ourselves, which will render us properly respected abroad, and happy at home.

To which the House of Lords returned the following ADDRESS.

Most Gracious Sovereign,

We your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, in Parliament assembled, beg leave to return your Majesty our humble thanks for your most gracious speech from the throne.

We desire, with hearts full of gratitude, to acknowledge that Royal goodness so evidently manifest to your people, by your Majesty's constant attention to the great commercial interests of this country. We shall be wanting on our part if we did not apply to the consideration of them with that alacrity which objects so very important, and capable of producing the most essential benefits to the nation, demand of us. The resolution which your Majesty is pleased to express that you will not suffer any attempt to be made derogatory to the honour and dignity of your Crown, or injurious to the rights of your people, does, and ever will, call from us the assurances of our most cheerful support; nor do we conceive that any conduct can contribute more than this will to render all the other powers of Europe as careful as your Majesty has ever been to avoid taking any step that may endanger the general tranquility.

We feel the most sincere concern that any of our fellow-subjects in North-America should be misled, by factious and designing men, into acts of violence, and of resistance to the execution of the law, attended with circumstances that manifest a disposition to throw off their dependence upon Great-Britain. At the same time that we shall be always ready to contribute to the relief of any real grievance of your Majesty's American subjects, we most unfeignedly give your Majesty the strongest assurances that we shall ever zealously concur in support of such just and necessary measures, as may best enable your Majesty to repress that daring spirit of disobedience, and to enforce a due submission to the laws, always considering that it is one of our most essential duties to maintain inviolate the supreme authority of the legislature of Great-Britain, over every part of the dominions of your Majesty's crown.

We thankfully adore the merciful interposition of Providence in the relief which the poorer sort of your Majesty's subjects have received from the distress they have so long laboured under from the high price of corn. We shall apply our utmost attention to prevent, as far as in human prudence lies, the return of such a calamity and shall give so important a subject that full consideration which the nature of it necessarily requires.

Engaged in the deliberation of so many important matters, we beg leave to assure your Majesty that we shall
Assiduously endeavour that our proceedings may testify our readiness to unite, wherever the interest of our country, and our attachment to your Majesty, is concerned; Happy if by such an example the deluded part of your Majesty's subjects may be induced to return to their duty, and gratefully feel the blessings of the mildest government and most perfect constitution.
His Majesty's most gracious ANSWER.

My Lords,

I RECEIVE with great satisfaction the assurances you give of your resolution to pursue the commercial interests of this country, and your readiness to support the honour of my Crown, and the rights of my people.

Your zealous concurrence in every measure, that can bring relief to my people is well known to me, nor do I doubt of the attention that you will always give to any real grievances of my American subjects. The strong assurances I receive from you, at the same time, of your determination to vindicate the just legislative authority of Parliament, over all the dominions of my Crown, deserve my warmest approbation.