The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

LONDON.

His MAJESTY's most gracious SPEECH to both Houses of PARLIAMENT, on Thursday, January 13, 1774.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

The unusual Length of the last Session of Parliament made me desirous of giving you as long a Recess as the public Service would admit.--I have therefore, been glad to find myself under no Necessity of calling you from your respective Counties at an earlier Season '; and I doubt not but you are now met together in the best Disposition, for applying yourselves to the Dispatch of Public Business.

You will I am persuaded agree with me in regretting, that the Peace so long expected, and so very desirable, is not yet effected between Russia and the Porte ; but it is with real Satisfaction. I can repeat, that the other foreign Powers continue still to have the same pacific Disposition with myself. I can have no other Wish than to see the general Tranquility restored: For the Establishment and subsequent Preservation of which, no Endeavours of mine, consistent with the Honor of my Crown and the Interests of my People, shall ever be Wanting.

In the state of foreign Affairs, you will have full Leisure to attend to the Improvement' of our internal and domestic Situation; and to the Prosecution of Measures more immediately respecting the Preservation and the Advancement of the Revenue and Commerce of the Kingdom.-... Among the Objects which, in this View, will come under Consideration, none can better deserve your Attention than the State of the Gold Coin ; which I must recommend to you in a more particular Manner. as well on Account of it's very high Importance, as of the peculiar Advantages which the Present Time affords, for executing with Success such Measures as you may find it expedient to adopt with respect to this great National Concern.

The Degree of Diminution which that Coin had actually suffered, and the very rapid Progress which the Mischief was daily making, were truly alarming. It is with much Satisfaction that I have seen the Evil, in a great Measure, checked by the Regulations made in the last Sessions of Parliament.---I trust, however, that you will not stop here, nor think that you have discharged your Duty, either to your Country or to your Fellow Subjects, without using your best Endeavours for putting the Gold Coin upon such a Footing, as may not only completely remove the present Grievance, but render the Credit and Commerce.of the Kingdom sufficiently secure from being again exposed to the like Danger.

Gentlemen of the House of Commons,

I have ordered the proper Estimates for the current Year to be laid before you ; and rely on your Readiness to grant me such Supplies as shall be found requisite in the present Situation. of Affairs.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

The Experience I have had of your. past conduct leaves me no Room to doubt, either of your Zeal or Prudence, in your Endeavours to promote the Welfare of your Country. You will not suffer any Parts of the public Service to escape your Attention ; but, various and extensive as those are, you will be careful to select, for your immediate deliberation, such of them as shall appear, to be most important : And you can propose no Measures, that will serve either to secure or advance the Happiness and :Prosperity of my People, in which you may not always depend on my most hearty Concurrence,