Star.
London, England, 1808-01-21 00:00:00

mei

. • •

MEETING OF PARLIAMENT.

THE KING'S SPEECH.

We have already stated that Parliament met this
afternoon, and that it was opened by Commission.-
-- = is his Majesty's most gracious Speech,
to both Houses of ParlialUent by the

IRDS AND GENTLEMEN,

---
tileceived his Majesty's commands to

, in calling you together at this
im-
tcture of affairs, he entertains the
,viction that he shall find in you the

with which his Majesti, himself is
uphold the 'honour of hiS Crowii, and
and interests of his People.

commanded by his Majesty to inform
sooner had the result of the Negocia-
!onfirmed the influence and controul of

Powers of the Continent, than his
tipprised of the intention of the enemy
Powers in one general confederacy,
either to 'the •catitire subjugation of this

the imposing upon his Majesty an
ignominious Peace.
purpose it was determined to force
against his Majesty, States which had

Lowed by France to maintain or to
teurrality, and to bring to bear against
d his Majesty's dominions the whole
.e of Europe, and specifically the
and Denmark.

)se fleets out of the power of such a
:ame therefore the indispensable duty

ttion of this duty, so far as related
et, his Majesty has commanded us
that it was with the deepest reluctance,
- found himself compelled, after his

ivours to open a negotiation with the
Government had failed, to authorize his Corn-
_ to the extremity of force, but that
greatest satisfaction in congratulating you
successful execution of this painful but tie-

further commanded to acquaint you,
;hich his Majesty had to pursue with
'ortugal, was happily of a nature more
Majesty's feelings. That the timely
)mmunication by ele Con •t of Lis-
demands and designs of France, while
Majesty the authenticity of the ad-
had received from other quarters,
to his Majesty's confidence in the
assurances by which that communica

Portugal was destined by France to
an instrument of vengeance against
That fleet has been secured from the
, and is now employed in conveying
Dominions the hopes and fortunes of
Monarchy. His Majesty implores
Divwx PROVIDENCE upon that en-
in the preservation of a Power so

d ally of Great Britain ; and, in the
establishmen.in the New World, with
and splendour.

in command from his Majesty to

the determination of the enemy to
between his Majesty and his late allies,
- Russia and Austria, and the King of
but too successful, and that the Mi-
Powers have demanded and received

measure on the part of Russia has been at-
tstified by a statement of wrongs and
have no real foundation. The Em-
had indeed proferred his mediation
ijesty and France ; his Majesty did
mediation, but he is confident you will
,ropriety of its not having been ac-
Majesty should have been enabled to
ussia was in a condition to mediate
until the principles and the basis on
was ready to negotiate were made

jesty.

xnce of justificationhasbeen alledged
conduct of the Emperor of Austria,
; Prussian Majesty ; his Majesty has
ast ground of complaint to either of
Is ; nor, even at the moment when
ectively withdrawn their Ministers,
igned to his Majesty any distinct cause
'ing.

•
" His Majesty has directed that espies of the cor:
respondenie betireen his Majesty's' trthal sad& and
the Minister for Foreign Affairs oitii Imperial Ma-
ieity the Emperor of luisja,,dujipg. the negotiation
at Tilsii, and Hof the official note Of ,the Russian. Mihio
ster at thii Couri, containing the offer of his Imperial!
Majesty's Mediktion between his Majesty and France,'
together with the answer returned to thif *tee by,
his Majesty's commands, And also copies of the *IL;
vial notespresented by the Austrian Minister at this
Court, and of the answers which hiiMajesty comman-
ded to be returned to them,, should be laid before you.

44 It is with concern that his Majesty commands
us to inform you, that, notwithstanding his earnest
wishes to terminate the war in which he is engaged
with the Ottoman Porte, his Majesty's endeavours,
unhappily for the Turkish Empire, have been defea-
ted by the machinations of France, not less the enemy
of the Porte than of Great Britain.

a But while the influence of France has been thus
unfortunately successful in preventing the terminat ion of
existinghostflities, and in exciting new war against this
country, his Majesty commands us to inform you, that
the King of -Sweden has resisted every attempt to induce
him to abandon his alliance with Great Britain ; and that
his Majesty entertains no'doubt That you will feel
with him the sacredness of the duty which the firm-
ness and fidelity of the King of Sweden impose upon'
his Majesty, and that you will concur in enabling his
Majesty to discharge it in a manner worthy of this
country.
a It remains for us, according to his Majesty's
commands, to state to you that the Treaty of Com-
merce and Amity between his Majesty and the United
States of America, which was concluded and signed
by Commissioners duly authorized for that purpose,
on the 31st of December, 1806, has not taken effect,
in consequence of the refusal of the President of the
United States to ratify that instrument.

" For an unauthorized act of force committed
against an American ship of war, his Majesty did not
hesitate to offer immediate and spontaneous repara-'
tion ; but an attempt has been made by the Ameri-
can Government to connect with the question which
has arisen out of this act, pretensions, inconsistent
with the maritime rights of Great Britain ; such pre-
tensions his Majesty is determined never to admit.—
His Majesty nevertheless hopes that the American
Government will be actuated by the same desire, to
preserve the relations of peace and friendship between
the two countries, which has ever influenced his Ma-
jesty's conduct, and that any difficulties in the dis-
cussion now pending, may be effectually removed.
His Majesty has commanded us to state to you,
that in consequence of the decree by which France
decla red the whole of his Majesty's dominions to be
in a stateof blockade, and subjected to seizu re and con-
fiscation the produce and manufactures of his kingdom,
his Majesty resorted in the first instance to a measure
of mitigated retaliation; and that this measure having
proved ineffectual for its object, his Majesty has since
found it necessary to adopt others of greater rigour,
which he commands us to state to you will require
the aid of Parliament to give them complete and
effectual operation.
His. Majesty has directed copies of the Orders
which he has issued with the advice of his Priyy Coun-
cil, upon this subject, to be laid before you ; and he
commands A; to recommend them to your early at-
tention.•

The following is his
delivered to bot
Lo CHANCELLOR
My LORD 6 A
• We have blecei
assure. you, that in
t Cottjuncturt
most perfect convict
same determination
animated, to uphol
the just rights and i,
• We are comm
ix, that no sooner
;inns of Tilsit confir
Rance over the Pc
Majesty was bPPriR
°combine thOse Po
to be directed either
'jogdom, or to dm
insecure and ignomi
a That for this p
into hostility agains
.itherto been allow
.I,.chre their neutr
cierent points of h
the naval force
tit Ices of Portugal an
" To place those
confederacy became
• his Majesty.
" In the execution
o the Danish feet,
ea assure you, that i
" his Majesty fou
endeavours
• 1, ,• , Government
..CTS to resort to
• has the greatest st
the successful •
service.
.4 We are further
• the course whici
t to Portugal,
i • genial to his Majt
• d unreserved comr
‘n of the demands
onfirmed to his Maj
ices which he had
. title that Court to
• erity of the assurt
• was accompanies
" The fleet of Por
employed as an it
t Britain. Tha
•• of France, anc
, its American Don
ei• Portuguese Moi
protection of Di
•rize, rejoicing in
cl
'O, the friend and
e 'pest of its establ
• , ented strength
We have it in
• you, that the
, • nthostilities beta
Emperors of Ru
• sia, has been but
' from those Po
Passports.
This measure
•ted to be justifi
o aces which ha
, • rof Russia had
rm
een his Majesty
refuse that medi
%pc of the prof
until his Ma
er
in that Russi
rd ' 'ay, and unt
t Prance was
pirf
ily 'to his Majest
,test That no proton
outs• the hostile cond'
rititg that of his PI
dire nt to
Ven the least
:e Sovereigns;
barn respect'
e ''heY assigne(
tat Oroeteding
•