caufe, and to procure to their Republic due fatisfaction and indemnity for the loffes occafioned by an attack equally unjust and violent; and that the faid powers will moreover, in conjunction with the States General, take fich farther meafures, as the exigences of the prefent circumftances may require. This their High Mightineffes folicit with great earnestnefs, and rely upon it with fo much more confidence, as they are firmly perfuaded, that the gencrous and equitable fentiments, which actuate their imperial and royal majefties, will not fuffer them to let the Republic fall a victim to a fyftem of politics, not lefs glorious than founded in equity, and established for the fecurity of the rights of neutral nations; and efpecially as the Republic, if left fingly expofed to the iniquitous and violent attacks of England, would hardly be able to cope with that overbearing power, and thus run the hazard of becoming totally useless to the faid confederation. For thefe reafons, the underwritten envoy extraordinary, infifting on the motives urged here above, and fully perfuaded that the ratifications of the treaty figned at Petersburgh, will take place as foon as pofiible, has the honour, in the name and by exprefs order of his mafters, to claim the performance of the engagements ftipulated in the Articles VII. Vill. and IX. of the faid treaty, and to require, in virtue thereof, a fpeedy and adequate affiftance from his Swedish majefty, whofe noble and equitable fentiments, acknowledged by all Europe, will not permit him to abandon the A' My Lords and Gentlemen," LTHOUGH the bufinefs of this feffion has required a longer attendance than may have been confiftent with your private convenience, yet I am perfuaded that you look back with fatisfaction on the time you have employed in a faithful difcharge of your duty to your country, in the prefent arduous and critical state of public affairs. I cannot let you depart into your refpective counties, without affuring you of my entire approbation of your conduct, and of my perfect confidence in the loyalty and good affections of this parliament. The zeal and ardour which you have fhown for the honour of my crown; your firm and steady sup port of a juft caufe, and the great efforts you have made to enable me to to furmount all the difficulties of this extenfive and complicated war, must convince the world that the ancient fpirit of the British nation is not abated or diminished. In the midst of these difficulties, you have formed regulations for the better management and improvement of the revenue; you have given additional ftrength and ftability to public credit; and your deliberations on the affairs of the Eaft-India Company, have terminated in fuch meafures as will, I truft, produce great and effential advantages to my kingdoms. I have obferved, with much fatisfaction, that during the courfe of that important bufinefs, your attention was not more anxioufly directed to the benefits to be derived from the territorial acquifitions, than to the happiness and comfort of the inhabitants of thofe remote provinces. Whatever may remain to be done for fecuring thofe valuable poffeffions, and for reftraining the abufes to which they are peculiarly liable, you will, I doubt not, proceed to provide for at your next meeting, with the fame wifdom and temper that have governed your late proceedings and enquiries. Gentlemen of the Houfe of Commons, My particular thanks are due to you for the ample provifion you have made for the fervice of the current year, I fee with great pleafure, that you have had it in your power to apply fo large a fum to the difcharge of the debt of the navy, and that the supplies which you have granted have been raifed in a manner the leaft bur thenfome to the property and induftry of my faithful people. My Lords and gentlemen. While I lament the continuance of the prefent troubles, and the extenfion of the war, I have the confcious fatisfaction to reflect, that the conftant aim of all my councils has been to bring back my deluded fubjects in America, to the happiness and liberty they formerly enjoyed, and to fee the tranquillity of Europe restored. To defend the dominions, and to maintain the rights of this country, was, on my part, the fole caufe, and is the only object of the war. Peace is the earnest with of my heart: but I have too firm a reliance on the fpirit and refources of the nation, and the powerful affiftance of my parliament, and the protection of a juft and allruling Providence, to accept it upon any terms or conditions than fuch as may confift with the honour and dignity of my crown, and the permanent intereft and fecurity of my people. Then the lord chancellor, by his majesty's command, faid, My Lords and Gentlemen, It is his majefly's royal will and pleafure, that this parliament be prorogued to Thurfday, the thirteenth day of September next to be then here holden; and this parliament is accordingly prorogued to Thurfday, the thirteenth day of September next. Anfaver given by Lord Stormont to Monf. Simolin, the Ruffian Minifter with refped to the Mediation offered by the Empress be tween tween Great Britain and the United Provinces. THE HE alliance which has fubfifted fo many years between Great Britain and the States General, has always been confidered by his majesty as a tie, formed by the most natural caufes, and not only agreeable to the intereft of both nations, but abfolutely effential to their mutual welfare. The king has done every thing in his power to preferve this tie unbroken, and even to strengthen it; and if the conduct of their High Mightineffes had at all anfwered to that of his majesty, they would still have remained in their utmost force. But fince the commencement of the prefent troubles, the only return made by the Republic to this conftant friendship, has been the total relinquishment of the principles of an alliance, the prime object of which was the mutual defence of the two nations; an obftinate refufal to fulfil the moft facred obligations; a daily violation of the most folemn treaties; an affistance given to the very enemy, against whom he had a right to demand fuccour; an afylum granted to the American pirates in the Dutch ports, in open violation of the cleareft ftipulations; and to complete the whole, a denial of justice and fatisfaction for the affront given to the dignity of the king, by a fecret league with his rebellious fubjects. All these accumulated injuries rendered it impoffible for the king to take any other part than that which he has done. When the motives which rendered this rupture inevitable were explained to the public, the king afcribed the conduct of the Republic to the true caufe; that is to fay, to the unhappy influence of a faction, which facrificed the intereft of the nation to their own private views. But the king at the fame time, manifefted the most fincere defire to bring back the Republic to that fyftem of ftrict union, efficacious alliance and recip ocal protection, which has fo much contributed to the welfare and glory of the two states. When the emprefs offered her good offices to effect a reconciliation by a particular peace, the king teftified his gratitude to her for that fresh proof of a friendship which he values fo highly, and avoided expofing the mediation of her majefty to the danger of a fruitless negociation. He explained his reafons, which perfuaded him, that in the prefent disposition of the Republic, governed by a faction, all reconciliation, during the war with France, would be merely fuperficial, and would afford an opportunity to the party which fways the Republic, to act as fecret auxiliaries of all the king's enemies, under the mask of a pretended alliance with Great Britain, But if there are any indications of change in this difpofition, if the powerful intervention of her imperial majesty should be able to effect any alteration, and induce the Republic to return to those principles which the moft difcerning part of the nation have never forfaken, his majesty will be ready to treat with their High Mightineffes on the fubject of a feparate peace; and it is his wifh, that the Empress of all the Ruffias may be the fole mediatrefs of this peace, eace. She has been the first to offer her good offices, and fo powerful an intervention as hers, cannot gain any thing either in weight or influence by the acceffion of the most respectable allies. The friendship of the emprefs to both nations, the intereft which her empire has in their reciprocal welfare, her known impartiality, and elevated views, are fufficient pledges of the manner in which fhe will conduct this falutary work: and in a negociation, the whole object of which is to terminate a war, caused by a violation of the treaties, and by an affront offered to his crown, his majesty relies, with the utmoft confidence and fatisfaction, upon the mediation of a fovereign, who holds facred the faith of treaties, who knows fo well how to estimate the dignity of fovereigns, and who has maintained her own, during her glorious reign, with fo much greatness and refolution. (Signed) STORMONT. defires, dictated by his natural sentiments of humanity, have not been fulfilled.-The flame of war, kindled in another hemifphere, has communicated to Europe; but the king still flattered himself, that this conflagration would not extend beyond its firft bounds, and particularly that a nation, entirely commercial, which have made neutrality the invariable foundation of its conduct, would not have been enveloped in it; and yet, nevertheless, this has happened, almoft in the very moment when that power had entered into the most inoffenfive engagements with the king and his two nothern allies. If the moft exact impartiality that was ever observed, could not exempt the king from immediately feeling the inconveniences of war, by the confidérable loffes fuftained by his commercial subjects, he had much greater reafon to apprehend the confequences, when those troubles were going to be extended; when an open war between Great Britain and the Republic of Holland multiplied them; and, to conclude, when neutral commerce was about to endure new fhackles by the hoftilities committed between those two powers. king could not fail to perceive thefe evils, and to wifh fincerely that the measures taken by the Empress of Ruffia, for extinguifhing this new war, in its beginning, might be crowned with the most perfect fuccefs; but as this falutary work has not been brought to perfection, the king has refolved to join with his allies, the Empress of Ruffia, and the King of Denmark in endeavouring to dispose his Britannic majesty to listen to the pacific fentiments which their The High Mightineffes the State General have already made known, by their confenting to open a negociation for peace. If fuch are the inclinations of that Monarch, which ought not to be doubted, it appears that a fufpenfion of hoftilities would be the moft effential prelude to their accomplishment, as military operations accompanying a negociation of that nature, can only ferve to embarrass and retard the matter, whilft the allied courts with for nothing more than to be able to accelerate it by every method that may tend to the advantage and fatisfaction of the two belligerent powers. object of his majesty's care, during the whole courfe of his reign; the commencement of that reign was fignalized by the restoration of peace. The king made very great sacrifices to humanity, to procure that bleffing, and he had reason to flatter himfelf that, by fuch moderation, in the midst of victory, he fhould fecure the public quiet, upon the most folid and durable foundations; but thofe hopes have all proved fallacious, and those foundations have been fhaken by the ambitious politics of the Court of Verfailles. This court, after having fecretly fupported the rebellion kindled in America, openly joined his majefty's rebellious fubjects; and on account of this violation of public faith, and this direct act of hoftility, he commenced the prefent war. In the fincerity and rectitude which animate his majefty and his two allies, he cannot conceal the apprehenfion which he feels from the report of the continuation of the war, which may be productive of the most fatal confequences, and may revive a variety of controverties and difputes. This motive, and more particularly a defire to prevent a farther effufion of blood, are confiderations which The conduct of the Republic of ought to operate on the mind of Holland, through the whole courfe the King of Great Britain; and in of the prefent war, has excited a the entire confidence which his ma- general indignation.-This nation jefty places in thofe circumftances, prefents itself under a very differhe would receive the trueft fatisent afpect from that of a nation faction, if, by his interpofition and merely commercial; it is a refpectmediation, joined to that of his able power, for a long time bound allies, he should fucceed in termito Great Britain by the closest alnating the differences which have liance. The principal object of taken place between Great Bri- that alliance was their common tain and the United Provinces. fafety, and exprefsly the mutual (Signed) protection of each other against The BARON de NOLKEN. the ambitious defigns of a dangerous neighbour, which their united, efforts have fo often defeated, to their reciprocal advantage, and to that of all Europe. Copy of the Anfwer given to the foregoing Paper, by Lord Stor The |