THE

Parliamentary Register;

OR,

H IS TO RY

OF THE

PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES

OF THE

HOUSE OF COMMONS;

CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF

The most interesting Speeches and MOTIONS;
Accurate Copies of the most remarkable Letters and PAPERS ;
of the most material EVIDENCE, PETITIONS, &c.

laid before and offered to the House,

LONDON:
RE-PRINTED FOR JOHN STOCKDALE, PICCADILLY,

By Burner & GOLD, Shoe Lane.

1802,

10.2.3

THE

Н H I S
I S T

T OR Y

Fourteenth Parliament of Great-Britain; Appointed to meet at Westminster, the 25th of November, 1779.

AS

S soon as the Commons had returned from the House

of Lords, and the Speaker had read the King's speech, Ffor which see the Lords debates of this day)

Lord Lewisham moved the usual address. His Lordship began with lamenting that na brilliant circumstances, no very remarkable or interesting events had distinguished the operations of the summer campaign; at least, none such as could invite that House of Parliament to carry their congratulations to the foot of the throne. The summer, he ob- . served, had been marked rather with inactivity, an inactivity however not wholly confined to our fleets and armies. Inferior to the enemy, and consequently less fitted for enterprize, active or offensive operations could hardly be expected from us. The superiority of our enemies, on the other hand, should have inspired in them a spirit, proportioned to their apparent prospects of success. Was that the case ? No; the combined powers of France and Spain seemed to have been seised with a torpor, which either proved the deficiency of their plans, or their total incapacity in carrying them into execution. A powerful and numerous fleet had been equipped ; a considerable land force had been assembled seemingly with an intention, to invade this country; and the flag of Bourbon displayed along our coasts, in an empty VOL. XV. B

and