CONTENTS

OF

THE FIRST VOLUME.

FEB. 26. 1781. Mr. Burke's bill for regulating the civil

May 31.

list

List of Administration ......................................................................................

Bill for continuing the commission of pub-

lic accounts......

Dec. 6. 1782. Debate on the report of the address to His

Page

ment .................

43

Jan. 12. 1784. Debate on postponing the bringing up of a

Page

message from the King.....

66

14.

Mr. Pitt's motion for leave to bring in his

East India bill.......

71

23.

Second reading of Mr. Pitt's East India

bill.................

84

29.

Feb. 20.

Mar. 1.

June 8.

July 6.

Mr. Fox's motion for adjourning the com-
mittee on the state of the nation............ 91
Motion by Mr. Powys, that the House

relies on His Majesty's readiness to
comply with the wishes of His Com-

Mr. Fox's motion for an address to the

King............

Further considerations of the Westminster

election

Mr. Pitt opens his new system for the

government of India

93

... 118

Feb. 22. 1785. Debate on the resolutions of the Irish par-

liament................................................................................................................................ 132

Mar. 9. Motion by Mr. Fox for expunging from

the journals the resolutions respecting

the Westminster scrutiny

Mr. Pitt's motion for a reform in the re-

April 18.

presentation of the people

Motion for a committee on the East India

148

company statements............................... 177

Irish commercial regulations............................................ 183

Mr. Pitt's motion relative to fortifying the

dock-yards.................................................................................................. 198

Reduction of the national debt

217

Feb. 12. 1787. Commercial treaty with France........................................... 237

Charges against Mr. Hastings.................. 254

Mr. Gray's motion for an enquiry into

abuses in the Post Office............................... 263

Page

Dec. 10. 1788. Proceedings during the King's illness......... 266

Ditto................................................................................................................................................. 271

12.

16.

Ditto.........

Jan. 16. 1789.

Ditto

.......... 298

Mar. 2. 1790. Mr. Fox's motion to repeal the test and

corporation acts ................................................................................................ 313

Dec. 22. 1790. Motion relative to the impeachment of Mr.

Hastings......

Feb. 17. 1792. Consideration of the state of the public re-

Feb. 1. 1793. His Majesty's message respecting an aug-

mentation of the naval and military

12.

forces

324

337

363

397

Ditto, announcing war with France .......... 413

May 7. Motion by Mr. Grey respecting a reform

-

in parliament

.... 437

MR. PITT'S

PARLIAMENTARY SPEECHES.

February 26. 1781.

THE House having proceeded to the order of the day on the second reading of Mr. Burke's bill for the better regulation of His Majesty's civil list revenue, and for abolishing several useless, expensive, and inconvenient places, and for applying the monies arising therefrom to the public service,

Mr. PITT rose on this occasion for the first time; and, in a speech in answer to matter that had fallen out in the course of the debate, dis played great and astonishing powers of eloquence. With a voice rich and harmonious; an easy and elegant manner; and language beautiful and luxuriant, he exhibited, in this first essay, a specimen of oratory worthy the son of the immortal Chatham.*

He said, that he gave the most hearty consent to what had fallen from his honourable friend on the other side of the housethat a proposition for the retrenchment of the civil list revenue ought to have come from His Majesty's ministers. He gave his entire approbation to this sentiment. It would have come with more grace; it would have come with more benefit to the public service, if it had sprung from the royal breast. His Majesty's ministers ought to have come forward and proposed a reduction in the civil list, to give the people the consolation of knowing

Mr. Pitt entered parliament in his 22d year. He was born the 28th of May, 1759; and took his seat in the House of Commons as representative for the borough of Appleby on the 23d of January, 1781. The Administration at this time consisted of

Lord North

{First Lord of the Treasury and Chancellor

of the Exchequer.