The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1783-02-25 00:00:00, page 2

Profpe& of Peace.
From the New-York Royal Gazette.
NEW-YORK, February 12.
His Majesty's most gracious SPEECH to both
Houses of Parliament, on Thursday, Decem
ber 5, 1782.
Received on Sunday last, by the Brigantine
Peggy, Captain M'Neil, in nineteen Days
from Tortola.'
Which was brought to,Tortola, from Windward
by Captain Rodney, Son of Lord Rodney.
My Lords and Gentlemen,
SINCE the close of the last feihons, I have em
ployed my whole time in the care and atten
tion which the important and critical conjunc
ture of public affairs required of me.
I loft no time in giving the necessary orders to
prohibit the further prosecution of offenfive war
upon the Continent of North-America. Adopt
ing, as my inclination will always lead me to do,
with-decision and eft'eft, whatever I collected to
be the sense of my Parliament and my people ; I
have pointed all my views and raeafures, as well
in Europe as in North- America, to an entire and
cordial reconciliation with those colonies.
Finding it indifpenfible to the attainment of
this obje& I did not hesitate to go the full length
of the powers veiled in me, and offered to de
clare them Free and Independent States, by an
article to be inserted in the treaty of peace. Pro
visional articles are agreed upon, to take effect
whenever terms of peace shall be finally fettled
with the Court of France.
In thus admitting their separation from the
Crown of these kingdoms, I have facrificed every
consideration of my own, to the wishes and opi
nion of my people.. I make it my humble and
earned prayer to Almighty God, that Great-
Britain may not feel the evils which might result
from so great a dismemberment of the empire ;
and, that America may be free from those cala
mities, which have formerly proved in the Mo
ther Country, how essential Monarchy is to the
enjoyment of constitutional liberty. Religion,
language, interest, affections may, and I hope
will, yet prove a bond of permanent union be
tween the two countries :To this end, neither
attention nor disposition shall be wanting on my
part.,
While I have carefully abstained from all of
fenfive operations against America, I have di
rected my whole force by land and sea against
the other powers at war, with as much vigour as
the situation of that force, at the commencement
of the campaign would permit. I trust that you
feel the advantages resulting from the fafety of
the great branches of our trade. You must have
seen with pride and fatisfadion the gallant de
fence of the Governor and garrison of Gibraltar -,.
and my fleet, after having effected the object of
their destination, offering battle to the combined
force of France and Spain on their own coasts ;
those of my kingdoms have remained at the fame
time perfectly secure, and your domestic tran
quility uninterrupted. This refpettable Rate,
under the blessing of God, I attribute to the en
tire confidence which subsist between me and my
people, and to the readiness which has been
(hewn by my fubjeds in my city of London, and
in other parts of my king, doms, to stand
'forth in the general defence. Some proofs
have lately been given of public spirit in private
men, which would do honor to any age, and
any country.
Having manifefted to the whole world, by the
most lading examples, the signal spirit and bra
very of my people, I conceived it a moment not
unbecoming my dignity, and thought it a regard
due to the lives and fortitude of such brave and
gallant subjects to shew myfelf ready on my,part
to embrace fair and honorable terms of accom
modation with all the powers, at war.
I have the fatisfa&ion to acquaint you, that
riegocitations to this effeft are considerably ad
vanced, the result of which, as soon as they are
brought to a conclusion, shall be immediately
communicated to you.
I have every reason to hope and believe, that I
fliall have it in my power, in a very short time, to
acquaint you, that they have ended in terms of
pacification, which, I trust, you will fee just
cause to approve. I rely, however, with perfect
confidence on the wisdom of my parliament,
and the spirit of my people, that if any unfore
feen change in the disposition of the belligerent
Powers, Should fruftrate my confident expecta
tions, they will approve of the preparations I
have thought it advifeable to ms' % and be ready
to second the molt vigorous effort in the further
prosecution ofthe war.
Gentlemen of the House of Commons,
I have ordered enquiry to he made into the ap
plication of the sum voted in support of the A
merican fufferers ; and I trust you will agree
with me, that a due and generous attention ought
to be shown to those who have relinquished their
properties or profeffions from motives of loyalty
to me, or attachment to the mother country.
As it may be necessary to give stability to some
regulations by aft of parliament, I have ordered
accounts ofthe several establishments, incidental
expences, fees and other emoluments of office to
be laid before you.
Regulations have already taken place in some
which itis my intention to extend to all, and
which, besides expediting all public bufinefs,muft
produce a very considerable saving, without tak
ing from that ample encouragement, whichought
to be held forth to talents, diligence and integri
ty, wherever they are to be found.
Ihave directed an enquiry to be made into
whatever regards the landed revenue of my
crown, as well as the management of my woods
and forefts, that both may be made as beneficial
as possible, and that the latter may furnifh a cer
tain resource for supplying the navy, our great
national bulwark, with its firft material.
Ihave directed an investigation into the de
partment of the mint, that the purity ofthe coin,
of so much importance to commerce, may be
always adhered to ; that by rendering the diffi
culty of counterfeiting greater, the lives of num
bers may be saved, and every needless expence in
it suppressed.
I must recommend to you an immediate atten
tion to the great objects of the public receipts
and expenditure ; and above all, to the Rate of
the public debt. Notwithstanding the great in
crease of it during the war, it is to be hoped that
such regulations may Rill be established, such
savings made—and future loans so conducted, as
to promote the means of its gradual redemption
by a fixed course. of payment.-—I must, with par
ticular earneitnefs, distinguish for your ferrous
consideration, that part of the debt which consists
of navy, ordnance and victualing bills ; the enor
mous difeount upon some of the bills thews this
mode of payment to be a most ruinous expendi
ture.
Ihave endeavoured by every measure in my
power to diminish the burthens of my people.
I have loft no time in taking the most decided
measures for introducing a better ceconomy in
the expenditure of the army.
I have carried into ftri& execution the several
reductions in my civil lift expences, directed
by an aft of the last sessions. I have introduced a
further refo rm into other departments, and sup
pressed several sinecure places in them. I have by
this means so regulated my establishment, that
my expence shall not infuture exceed my income.
I have ordered the estimate of the civil lift
debt, laid before you the lalt sessions, to be com
pleated. The debt proving somewhat greater
than could then be correctly stated, and the pro
posed reduction not'immediately taking place, I
trust you will provide for thedeficiency, securing
as before, the repayment out of my annual in
come.
I have ordered the several estimates, made up
as correctly as the present practice admits, to be
laid before you,, I hope that such further cor
rections as may be neceflary, will be made before
the next year. It is my desire that you fnould be
apprized of every expence before it is incurred,
as far as the nature of each service will admit.
Matters of account can never be made too public..
My Lords and Gentlemen,
The scarcity and consequent high price of corn,
requires your instant interposition.
The great excess to which the crimes of theft
and robbery in many instances accompanied
with personal violence, particularly in the neigh
bourhood of this metropolis, has called of late for
adrift and severe execution of the laws. It were
much to be wished, that these crimes could be
prevented in their infancy, by correcting the
vices become prevalent in a most alarming de
gree. .
The liberal principles adopted by you, con
cerning the rights and the commerce of Ireland,
have done you the highest honor, and will, I
t r ust, ensure that harmony which ought always
to subsist between the kingdoms. lam persuad
ed that a general increase of commerce through
out the empire, will prove the Wisdom of your
measures with regard to that objea. I would
recommend to you a revision of our whole trad
ing system upon the fame comprehensive princi
ples, with a view to its utmost possible extention.
The regulation of a vast territory in Asia,
opens a large field for your wisdom, prudence,
and forefight ; I trust that you will be able to
frame some fundamental laws which may make
their connection with Great-Britain a blessing
to India, and that you will take therein proper
measures to give all foreign nations, in matters
of foreign commerce, an entire and perfect con
fidence in the probity, punctuality, and good
order of our government. You may be aflured
that whatever depends upon me, shall be execu
ted with a readiness, which can alone preserve
that part of my dominions, or the commerce
which arises from it.
It is the fixed objeCtof my heart to make the
general good, andthe spirit of the constitution,
the invariable rule of my conduct, and on all oc
cations to advance and reward merit in every
profeffion.
To ensure the full advantage of a government,
conducted on such principles, depends on your
temper, your wisdom, your disinterestedness, col
lectively and individually.
NE W-Y OR K, Feb. IZ.
By the Brig Ranger, Captain Roger Boyce,
who left France on the 23 of Dec. 1782, and
was captured on the 6th inst. by the Eagle Pri
vateer, Capt. George Bennifon, which arrived
here last night, the following letter was received.
Extract of a letter from the Right Hon. T.
Townsend, Esq; Secretary of State, to the
Lord Mayor of London, dated the 3d of De
cember, 1782.
" My Lord,
By letters received in the above vessel, dated
at Nantz as late as December 22, we are inform
ed, that since the signing the Preliminaries for
a Peace betwen Great-Britain and the Thirteen
Statesof America, as intimated in theabove-men
tioned Notification, the Ambassadors of France,
had not then acceded to them.—They add, that
the French express the most ardent Wishes for an
end of the TV ar, and a return of the Olive
Branch.
My people exped these qualifications of you ;
and I call for them.
" In consequence of my letter to your Lord
fliip, ofthe 22d oflaft month, I take the earliest
opportunity to inform your Lordship, that an
express has just arrived from Paris, who brings
the preliminary articles for a peace, signed on
the 30 of November, by the ambassadors on the
part of England, and those on the part ofthe Uni
ted States of America, it now only remains to
fgn the fame articles between Great-Britain and
France, to constitute a general peace, and this
notice you will give to the public as soon as pos
sible."
—^ Public yluffion—
On Tuesday of every Week from the Date
hereof,
—Will be expafedfer Sale to the bigLeJl Bidder
(At the fecondDoOrSouthofthePrinting-Office^
A VARIETY of
European and other GOODS.
Alfa most KINDS of
Houfhold FURNITURE,
ft Goods deposited for Sale will befaifa.
torily accounted for by'
' °SKINNER, Auctioneer.
Hartford, February 2;, 1783.
TO BE S O L~D,~
To the highest Bidder,
BY the fubteriber, at the house of Licut. Phineas Lew%
inholder in Farmington,on Thursday the 13th of March
next, at one o'clock, P. M. a lot of Land lituate about &
quarter of a mile north of Farmington meeting house, op
polite to Mr. Samnel Smith's, butting east on the public road,
weft on the river, containing § acres, on the front of said
lot there is two convenient building places, with an excel
lent well, two acres of fa id land is mowing and yields annu
ally 7 or 8 tons of hay ofthe best kind, the other three arc
plowland, the whole contains apple-trees thatyicld fufficiene
f,r thirty barrels of cider yearly, for particulars enquire ot
THOMAS NORTH.
Farmington, February |s, r,B.
TO BE SO L D,
By JAMES MOOKLAR y
6 by 8 and 7 byg Window Glass, and a guan',
tity of Cordage.
Hartford, Feb. 22, 1783.