I must beg leave to congratulate the whole House on this occasion; the elder part, who would always be ready to lend you assistance and support in arduous and difficult points, on the ease they will find in your being able, in so masterly a manner, to clear up and elucidate any thing that might appear doubtful; the younger, and those gentlemen who have never sat in parliament before, on the favour and indulgence they will be sure to meet with from you.

House; of which, as no one ever stood in greater need, so no one ever had a greater share, and which I shall ever remember with the greatest gratitude. It would be as unreasonable in me to ask, as for this House to grant, the same: and therefore, that their proceedings may receive no detriment from my defects; that their weight, their authority, and the reverence which is due to them, may be preserved; I hope they will permit me to enjoy the satisfaction, as a private member, of seeing my past conduct thus approved; and that, among so many gentlemen of greater knowledge and experience, they will turn their thoughts upon one every way worthier of their choice than myself."

The House again calling sir John Cust to the Chair, he was taken out of his place by lord Charles Spencer and lord viscount Palmerston, who led him from thence to the Chair; where, upon the first step, he said,

"I must beg leave to remind gentlemen, that they have yet an opportunity to re-consider a resolution, which I am afraid they have too hastily taken, and to recall me to do my duty as a private mem ber."

But the Members cried, 'No, No.' Whereupon sir John Cust ascended the upper step of the Chair; and standing there, said,

"It would ill-become me to dispute any longer the commands of this House, to which I shall at all times pay an implicit obedience. I cannot sufficiently express my acknowledgments for their favourable acceptance of my past endeavours to do my duty in this place; but I hope they will permit me to lay my imperfections before his Majesty to-morrow."

And thereupon he sat down in the Chair; and then the mace, which before lay under the table, was laid upon the table.

Then the right hon. John Shelley said,

Mr. Speaker; the deference and dutiful respect I wish always to pay to the proceedings of this House, will not permit me to be satisfied with only making the usual motion for adjournment, after the election of a Speaker: I cannot therefore deny myself the pleasure of testifying the high satisfaction I feel on seeing you again called upon to that important trust; as I am happy of this opportunity of shewing you personal regard and attention.

The fortune, Sir, you not only have in possession, but still so great in reversion, is an additional circumstance that must add weight and dignity to the Chair you now fill, as well as be a security to the public of your being above the temptation of little worldly allurements: as to your integrity, it would be presumption to mention it; as your actions, in the course of the last parliament, gave the strongest demonstrations of it; so that a repetition of them, if spoke with truth, must look like flattery.

I will now, Sir, detain you and the House no longer, than to move to adjourn; and therefore I move you, that this House do adjourn till to-morrow morning, eleven of the clock.

The Speaker's Speech on being presented and approved of.] May 11. The Lords Commissioners sent for the Commons, who being come,

The Speaker-Elect said,

"My Lords,

"His Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Commons of Great Britain, in parliament assembled, have, in pursuance of his royal directions, and according to their undoubted rights, proceeded to the election of one of their members to be their Speaker, among so many of them better qualified for this high and important trust, their choice has again fallen upon me.

"His Majesty must, I am afraid, have observed so many imperfections in my conduct during the last parliament, that I need urge no other reasons to induce his Majesty to give his faithful Commons an opportunity of presenting one worthier of their choice, and his Majesty's royal approbation."

Then the Lord Chancellor said,

"Sir John Cust;

"Your conduct, during the last par

liament, in that important trust to which you are now again called, hath given his Majesty the fullest and most convincing proof of your great knowledge, wisdom and sufficiency: and his Majesty hath commanded us to let you know, that he entirely approves the choice which his Commons have made; and we do, by virtue of his Majesty's commission, and in his name, allow and confirm you to be their Speaker."

Then Mr. Speaker said:

"My lords; it is my duty to resign myself, as I do, to his Majesty's determination, and to beseech his Majesty's acceptance of my most humble and dutiful acknowledgements for this fresh mark of his grace and favour. I have had such ample experience of his Majesty's goodness, that, for my encouragement in the execution of this great trust, I cannot doubt of his Majesty's making all just allowances for my failings, of his pardon for all my future involuntary errors, at least that they may not be imputed to his faithful Commons. That they may be the better enabled to do their duty to his Majesty, and their country, I do, in their name, and on their behalf, by humble petition to his Majesty, lay claim to all their ancient rights and privileges, particularly that their persons, their estates, and servants, may be free from arrests and all molestations; that they may enjoy liberty of speech in all their debates; may have access to his Majesty's royal person whenever occasion shall require; and that all their proceedings may receive from his Majesty the most favourable construction."

Then the Lord Chancellor said:

"Mr. Speaker;

"We have it in command from the King, to acquaint you, that his Majesty is fully persuaded of the prudence and temper of this House of Commons, as well as of their duty and loyalty.

"And we do, by virtue of his Majesty's commission, and in his name, declare to you, that the King grants and allows to them all their privileges in as full and ample manner, as they have at any time heretofore been granted or allowed by his Majesty, or any of his royal predeces

sors.

"As to what concerns yourself, Sir, though his Majesty is convinced that a person of your wisdom and discretion can never stand in need of that pardon which

| your modesty hath induced you to ask, yet his Majesty hath commanded us to assure you, that you may rely upon his gracious support and acceptance in your execution of this high and important charge, and that he will put the most favourable construction upon all your words and actions."

The Lords' Commissioners Speech on opening Session.] After which, the Lord Chancellor made the following Speech to both Houses;

"My Lords, and Gentlemen,

"In pursuance of the authority given us by his Majesty's commission, under the great seal, amongst other things, to declare the causes of your present meeting: we are, by the King's command, to acquaint you, that his Majesty has not called you together at this unusual season of the year, in order to lay before you any matters of general business, but merely to give you an opportunity of dispatching certain parliamentary proceedings, which his Majesty's desire of providing, at all events, for the welfare and security of his good subjects, makes him wish to see completed as soon as possible, and with that dispatch which the public convenience, as well as your own, required. His Majesty, at the same time, has commanded us to assure you of his perfect confidence in this parliament, and that he has the strongest reason to expect every thing from their advice and assistance that loyalty, wisdom, and zeal for the public good, can dictate or suggest."

Joint Address of Thanks.] Then the Commons withdrew; and the following Joint Address, moved in the Lords by the duke of Northumberland, was agreed to, and ordered to be sent down to the Commons; by whom it was also approved of:

"Most Gracious Sovereign,

"We your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Lords spiritual and temporal, and Commons, in parliament assembled, beg leave to return your Majesty our most hearty thanks for that gracious and paternal attention to the welfare of your people, which has induced your Majesty at this time to interpose your own more immediate authority for putting an end to that dangerous disturbance of the public peace, those outrageous acts of viofence to the property of your Majesty's subjects, and that most audacious defiance of the authority of the civil magistrates,

against the late attempts to disturb it: and that yesterday he received a Letter from the said lord mayor, in which he returned an answer to the said Resolutions :"

Which was read by the Clerk as follows; "My lord; I must desire your lordship to communicate to the House of Lords, the high sense I have of the distinguished honours repeatedly conferred upon me by that august assembly, which far exceed any merit I have in endeavouring to preserve the peace of the city of London.

"It has ever been my ambition to enforce a due respect and obedience to the law, as the only means to preserve the constitution and liberty of my country.

"Encouraged by this mark of their lordships' approbation, I shall persevere in exerting every endeavour to maintain the constitutional authority of the civil magis. trate, and to preserve the peace of this great city against all attempts to disturb

it.

"My lord; permit me to add my acknowledgments to your lordship, for the obliging manner in which your lordship has communicated to me this distinguished honour, and the applause which your lordship is pleased to express in your private as well as public capacity of my conduct. I have the honour to be, &c.

"THOMAS HARLEY." "Mansion-house, 15th May 1768."

The Thanks of the Commons given to the Lord Mayor of London for his Conduct during the late Disturbances.] May 16. The Lord Mayor of London being come into the House, Mr. Speaker acquainted him, that the House had, upon Friday last, unanimously resolved, That the Thanks of this House be given to him, for his vigilant and active conduct, in support of the laws, and for the preservation of the public peace, during the late disturbances:" and Mr. Speaker gave him the Thanks of the House accordingly, as follows:

"My Lord Mayor of London, "The spirit of licentiousness, which unhappily prevails in this kingdom, has lately broke out into such outrageous acts of violence, and such daring insults upon civil authority, in and about this great metropolis, that, unless the salutary laws for the preservation of peace and good order are strictly put in execution, consequences of the most alarming nature are to be apprehended, anarchy and confusion

must ensue, which can only end in tyranny and despotism. No man therefore can do a more essential service to his country, than a civil magistrate, who, by time, firm and vigorous, exertion of the a prudent, temperate, but, at the same powers, with which the laws of the land entrust him, suppresses all riots and tumults, and resolutely resists those lawless and desperate practices, which tend to deprive every individual of the rights and privileges to which he is entitled by our excellent constitution. This eminent service has your lordship performed to your country: your conduct upon the late occasions shew how right a judgment your fellow citizens formed of you, when they called you to your present high and important station. The beneficial effects of this conduct are not confined to the me. tropolis, over which you so worthily preside: they extend to the whole kingdom. By your example, every other civil magistrate will be convinced, that he has sufficient power, by the laws, to prevent every disturbance of the public peace; and that it is a duty incumbent upon him to exert those powers. By the success which has attended your lordship's vigilance and activity, the factious and seditious will learn, that they cannot offend the laws with impunity. Those who have been seduced, under false pretences of liberty, to join in tumults and disorders, will be made sensible, that nothing is so subversive of that very liberty, as acts of outrage and violence; and that perfect obedience to lawful authority is the only security which they can have for the enjoyment of every thing which is dear and valuable to them.

"Your lordship has already experienced, that this House will not permit signal merit to pass undistinguished or unrewarded by them. You had the peculiar honour of receiving their thanks, on a former occasion. In considering the great service which you have now done the public, they have come to an unanimous resolution, that the thanks of this House be given to your lordship, for your vigilant and active conduct in support of the laws, and for the preservation of the public peace, during the late disturbances.

"I sannot sufficiently express my satisfaction, that it has a second time fallen to my lot to be an instrument of conveying to your lordship (for whom I ever had the highest personal respect) this very honourable testimony of the approbation which the Commons of Great Britain have