natural fecurity against the mifmanagement of them by others. The prince has difcharged an indifpenfable duty, in thus giving his free opinion on the plan fubmitted to his confideration. His conviction of the evils which may arife to the king's interefts, to the peace and happinefs of the royal family, and to the fafety and welfare of the nation, from the government of the country remaining longer in its prefent maimed and debilitated fate, outweighs in the prince's mind, every other confideration, and will determine him to undertake the painful truft impofed upon him by the prefent melancholy neceffity (which of all the king's fubjects he deplores the moft) in full confidence, that the affection and loyalty to the king, the experienced attachment to the house of Brunswick, and the generofity which has always diftinguifhed this nation, will carry him through the many difficulties, infeparable from this moft critical fituation, with comfort to himself, with honour to the king, and with advantage to the public. (Signed) ESOLVED, that for the pur ftances and the urgent concerns of the nation appear to require, it is expedient that his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, being refident within the realm, fhall be empowered to exercife and adminifter the royal authority, according to the laws and conftitution of Great Britain, in the name and on the behalf of his majesty, and under the ftyle and title of regent of the kingdom; and to use, execute, and perform, in the name and on the behalf of his majesty, all authorities, prerogatives, acts of government, and administration of the fame, which belong to the king of this realm to use, execute, and perform, according to the laws thereof, fubject to fuch limitations and exceptions as fhall be provided. Refolved, that the power, fo to be given to his Royal Highnes the Prince of Wales, fhall not extend to the granting of any rank or dignity of the peerage of the realm to any perfon whatever, except to his majefty's royal iffue who fall have attained the full age of twenty-one years. Refolved, that the faid powers fhould not extend to the granting of any office whatever in reverfion, or to the granting of any office, falary, or penfion, for any other term than during his majesty's pleafure, except fuch offices as are by law required to be granted for life, or during good beha viour. Refolved, that the faid powers Role of providing for the exer- fhould not extend to the gras pofe cife of the royal authority, during the continuance of his majefty's illnets, in fuch manner, and to fuch extent, as the prefent circum ing of any part of his majesty's real or perfonal eftate, except fo far as relates to the renewal of leafes. Refolved, Refolved, that the care of his majefty's royal perfon, during the continuance of his majefty's illnefs, fhould be committed to the queen's most excellent majefty; and that her majefty thould have power to remove from, and to nominate and appoint fuch perfons as the fhall think proper, to the feveral offices in his majesty's houfehold; and to difpofe, order, and manage all other matters and things relating to the care of his majefty's royal perfon, during the time aforefaid: and that, for the better enabling her majefty to discharge this important truft, it is also expedient that a council fhould be appointed, to advise and affift her majefty in the feveral matters aforefaid, and with power from time to time, as they may fee caufe, to examine upon oath the phyficians and others attending his majefty's perfon, touching the ftate of his majesty's health, and all matters relative thereto. Die Mercurii, 28° Januarii, 1789. Refolved, that a committee be appointed, to attend his Royal Highnefs the Prince of Wales with the refolutions which have been agreed to by the lords and commons for the purpose of fupplying the defect of the perfonal exercile of the royal authority during his majefty's illness, by empowering his royal highnefs to exercife fuch authority in the name and on the behalf of his majefty, fubject to the limitations and reftrictions which the circumftances of the cafe appear at prefent to require; and that the committee do exprefs the hope which the lords fpiritual and temporal, and commons, entertain, that his royal highnels, from his regard to the interefts of his majefty and the nation, will be ready to undertake the weighty and important truft propofed to be invefted in his royal highnets, as foon as an act of parliament fhall have been pafled for carrying the faid refolutions into effect. Proteft of the Lords, who voted on Friday, Jan. 23, against agreeing to the aforefaid Refolutions, delivered at a Conference on the preceding Tuesday. lft. Diffentient. BECAUSE we firmly ad here to the principles and arguments, on which we dilapproved the refolutions formerly pail ed by this houfe, efpecially when the legislative power of the two houfes of parliament, unconftitutionally affumed by thofe refolutions, is meant to be employed to reftrict or fufpend many important and elfential branches of the royal power, at the moment of the declared incapacity of the king. 2dly. Becaufe we think the power of conferring the rank and privileges of the peerage, as a reward to merit, is neceffary to the royal authority, in order to afford an incitement to vigorous exertions in the fervice of the ftate, and is more peculiarly neceffary (like all other parts of the prerogative) when the regal power is to be exercised by a fubftitute, with an authority uncertain and precarious in it duration: but especially on the prefent occafion, as it is the only branch of the prerogative fufficiently power ful 1 full to afford a remedy against such a combination in this house, as other parts of this fyftem of reftrietion and mutilation, have a natural and obvious tendency to produce. And because we conceive that this reftriction may create an intereft in the members of this houfe, to withhold their affent to restored the ancient powers of the crown in this refpect. 3dly. Because we conceive, that by the fubfifting law of the land, his majesty's property is fufficiently fecured from any undue difpofition and alienation, and the refolution on that fubject can have no other effect, but to convey to the public injurious fufpicion, and unjuft imputation, on the character and intentions of his Royal Highnefs the Prince of Wales. 4thly. Becaule we are of opinion, that in order to maintain the proper dignity of the crown, and preferve the due influence and respect which arifes from the great offices of the state, it is necessary that the perfon exercifing the royal authority in the name and on the behalf of his majefty, fhould be attended by thofe diftinguished fervants, whofe functions have been established for the purpose of adding weight and fplendor to the regal office. We cannot agree to a divifion of the royal power; to the creation of a fourth eftate, unknown to the conftitution of this country. FREDERICK HENRY LOTHIAN DEVONSHIRE AUDLEY CRAVEN BEDFORD CARLISLE PORTCHESTER PELHAM BREADALBANE CASSILIS ABERGAVENNY LOUGHBOROUGH SCARBOROUGH ST. JOHN R. LLANDAFF CHOLMONDELEY HEREFORD PETERBOROUGH STAWELL SOUTHAMPTON PORTLAND CLIFTON SPENCER SUFFOLK and BERKS Diff. For all the reasons given in this proteft, except thole in the latter parts of the 2 reafon, viz. beginning at these words, "but elpecially on," &c. and thence to the end of that second reason. SELKIRK. Anfier of the Prince of Wales to the Lords and Gentlemen appointed to deliver to him the foregoing Refolu tions. My lords and gentlemen, THANK you for communicating to me the refolutions agreed upon by the two houfes; and I requeft you to affure them, in my name, that my duty to the king my father, and my anxious concern for the fafety and interefts of the people, which must be endangered, by a longer fufpenfion of the exercife of the royal authority; toge ther with my refpect for the united defires of the two houfes, outweigh, in my mind, every other confideration, and will determine me to undertake the weighty and important truft propofed to me, in conformity to the refolutions now communicated to me. I am fenfible of the difficulties that must attend the exe cution of this truft; in the peculiar circumftances in which it is committed to my charge, of which, as I am acquainted with no former example, my hopes of a fuccefsful adminiftration cannot be founded on any paft experience. But confiding that the limitations, on the exercile of the roval authority, deemed VOL. XXXI. neceffary for the prefent, have been approved by the two houfes only as a temporary measure, founded on the loyal hope, in which I ardently participate, that his majesty's dilorder may not be of long duration, and trufting, in the mean while, that I fhall receive a zealous and united fupport in the two houses and in the nation, proportioned to the difficulty attending the dif charge of my trust in this interval, I will entertain the pleafing hope, that my faithful endeavours to preferve the interefts of the king, his crown, and people; may be fuccefs ful.* Refolutions agreed to by the Lords and Commons, prefented to her Majefty on Friday, Jan. 30, 1789. his majefty's royal perfon, RESOLVED, that the care of during the continuance of his majetty's illness, fhould be committed to the queen's most excellent ma jesty, and that her majefty fhould have power to remove from, and to nominate and appoint fuch perioas as the fall think proper, to the feveral offices in his majesty's household, and to difpofe, order, and manage all other matters and things relating to the care of his majesty's royal perfon, during the time aforefaid. And that, for the better enabling her majefty to difcharge this important truft, it is alfo expedient that a council should be appointed, to advile and affift her majefty in the feveral matters, and with power, from time to time, as they may fee caufe, to examine upon oath the phyficians and others attending his majesty's perfon, touch[0] ing ing the ftate of his majefty's health, and all matters relative thereto. Refolved, that the refolution agreed to by the lords and commons, refpecting the care of his majetty's roval perfon, and the direction of his majesty's household, be laid before her majefty, with a humble addrefs, expreffing the hope which the lords fpiritual and temporal and commons entertain, that her majefty will be gracioufly plealed to undertake the important truft proposed to be invested in her majefty, as foon as an act of parliament fhall have been paffed for carrying the faid refolution into effect. Her Majefy's Anfwer to the Lords and Gentlemen, who delivered the foregoing Refolutions. My lords and gentlemen, MY Y duty and gratitude to the king, and the fense I must ever entertain of my great obligations to this country, will certainly engage my moft carneft attention to the anxious and momentous trust intended to be repofed in me by parliament. It will be a great confolation to me to receive the aid of a council, of which I fhall ftand fo much in need, in the difcharge of a duty wherein the happinefs of my future life is indeed deeply interefted, but which a higher object, the happiness of a great, loyal, and affectionate people, renders ftill more important. Speech of Earl Bathurst, in the Name of the Lords Commiffioners, appoint ed by his Majefty's Commiffum, under the Great Seal, to declare cer tain Causes of the Meeting of Parliament, Tuesday, Feb. 3. My lords and gentlemen, IN purfuance of the authority given to us by his majefty's commiffion under the great seal, which has been read, amongst other things, to declare the causes of your prefent meeting, we have only to call your attention to the melancholy circumftances of his majefty's illness; in confequence of which, it becomes neceflary to provide for the care of his majesty's royal per fon, and for the administration of the royal authority, during the con tinuance of this calamity, in fuch manner as the exigency of the cale feems to require. Speech of the Lord Chancellor to bath Houfes of Parliament, Tuesday, March 10. My lords and gentlemen, be prefent here this day in IS majefty, not thinking fit to his royal perlon, has been pleased to caufe a commiffion to be iffued under his great feal, authorizing and commanding the commiffioners, who are appointed by former letters patent to hold this parliament, to open and declare certain farther caufes for holding the fame: which commiffion you will now hear read. (The commiffion stated, that whereas his majefty had found it convenient to call his parliament in May, 1784, and that it had afterwards been adjourned and prorogued, from time to time, until the 20th of November laft; and that, |