The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

NOVEMBER 27.

The humble ADDRESS of the House of Commons to the KING.

Most gracious Sovereign,

WE, your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Commons of Great Britain in Parliament assembled, return your Majesty the thanks of this House, for your most gracious Speech from the throne.

We assure your Majesty, that we see with concern that the war is still unhappily prolonged by that restless ambition which first excited our enemies to commence it, and which still continues to disappoint your Majesty's earnest desire and diligent exertion to restore the public tranquillity.

We are sensibly affected by your Majesty's paternal expressions of concern for the real welfare of your subjects; and we receive with the strongest emotions of duty and gratitude your Majesty's gracious and endearing declaration, that you should not answer the trust committed to the Sovereign of a free people, nor make a suitable return to your subjects for their constant, zealous, and affectionate attachment to your person, family and government, if you consented to sacrifice either to your own desire of peace or to their temporary ease and relief, those essential rights and permanent interests, upon the maintenance and preservation of which the future strength and security of this country must ever principally depend.

We declare on our part, that we know no means of making to your Majesty any return so suitable and so just, and of answering the great trust committed to us by those whom we represent, as by giving your Majesty this firm assurance, that we are resolved to assist and support your Majesty, to the utmost of our power, in maintaining and preserving the essential rights and permanent interests of your crown and people.

The favorable appearance of affairs in the East Indies, and the safe and prosperous arrival of the numerous commercial fleets of your kingdom, have given us great satisfaction: but we sincerely regret that your Majesty's assiduous endeavours to guard your extensive dominions have not in all places been attended with success; & we learn with the deepest concern, that the events of war have been very unfortunate to your Majesty's arms in Virginia, and have ended in the loss of your forces in that province.

We are fully persuaded that the principal view of the confederacy of our enemies was to foment and maintain the rebellion in North-America, and, under the specious delusion of the establishment of an independent empire, to render your Majesty's colonies subservient to the power and influence of the Crown of France: but your Majesty may rely on our steady assistance to second your Majesty's endeavors to defeat the dangerous designs of your enemies, equally prejudicial to the real interests of America, and to those of Great Britain.

We will not fail to resume the great and momentous consideration of the state and condition of the dominions & revenues which this country possesses in the East Indies; and we trust that in our deliberations on these important matters, we shall proceed with the same spirit and temper in which they were begun, and with the same care and anxiety to consider how those remote provinces may be held and governed with the greatest security and advantage to this nation, and by what means the happiness of the native inhabitants may be best promoted.

In this arduous conjuncture, we consider it as our first duty to our country, to grant your Majesty such supplies as the circumstances of affairs shall be found to require. We cannot but feel that the war is burthensome and expensive: but we are convinced, at the same time, that it is just and necessary; and nothing on our part shall be wanting, to give efficacy and success to the valor of your Majesty's fleets and armies: and we shall have a firm confidence that, by a vigorous, animated, and united exertion of the resources and faculties of the nation, and of the spirit of a free people, your Majesty will be enabled, under the protection of Divine Providence, to restore the blessings of a safe and honourable peace to all your dominions."
His MAJESTY's most gracious Answer.

"GENTLEMEN,

I RETURN my most cordial thanks for this very loyal, dutiful, and affectionate address. It breathes the spirit and firmness of a brave and free people. Nothing could afford me so much satisfaction, or tend so effectually to the public safety and welfare, in this critical situation."
[The Address of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, (which is to the same purport as that of the House of Commons) we are obliged to omit this week for want of room.]

The following was the amendment moved for, to the Address, by the minority in the House of Lords, in the debate on Thursday:

"And we will without delay apply ourselves with united hearts to propose and digest such councils, as may in this crisis excite the efforts, point the arms, and by a total change of system, command the confidence of all his Majesty's subjects."