§ The Prince Regent being seated on the throne, the Usher of the Black Rod was sent to require the attendance of the Commons. Shortly afterwards, the Speaker, attended by a great number of members, came to the bar.
The Speakeraddressed the Prince Regent as follows:—
"In obedience to your Royal Highness's commands, we his Majesty's faithful Commons of the united kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, attend your Royal Highness with our last bill of Supply at the close of a laborious session.
"Among the numerous subjects of deep public importance to which our consideration has been called, there are none that have more anxiously occupied our attention than those which relate to the finances and internal state of the country.
"In conformity with your Royal Highness's recommendation at the commencement of the session, we took such steps as seemed best calculated to ensure a full and serious investigation into the public income and expenditure. That investigation has continued throughout the session. From that investigation much has been done; much unquestionably remains to be done; but we trust we are justified in the conviction that measuring our expenditure by what the real interests of the I empire may require, no apprehension need be entertained as to the stability of our resources.
"Deeply sensible of what we owe to your Royal Highness for having directed the estimates to be laid before us at the commencement of the session with every 1447 reduction in the establishments that sound policy would allow, we have had the satisfaction to find that the supplies might be provided without the imposition of any additional burthens upon the people; and we have the proud gratification to think, that notwithstanding the gigantic and unparalleled exertions which this county has been called upon to make, and the difficulties and pressure which must necessarily be the consequence of such exertions, at no period of its history has the public credit stood more sound, stead, and unshaken than at present.
"In considering, Sir, the internal state of the country, it has been painful to us to contemplate the attempts which have been made to take advantage of the distresses of a portion of the people to convert them to their own wicked and mischievous purposes. His majesty's faithful Commons, whilst they have been anxiously engaged in such measures as might check the farther progress of these attempts have not been unmindful of such other measures as might afford relief to the pressure of that distress. With this view we have turned our attention to the encouragement of the fisheries, to the means of providing employment for the poor, and most diligently (although the limits of the session would not allow of the completion of a measure) most diligently to a full and minute inquiry into the state and effect of the poor laws, — a question in which the wealth, the industry, and the morality of the nation are so deeply implicated.
"Whilst we have deemed it our first duty to deliberate with unremitted solicitude upon these subjects of paramount importance,—to these alone our deliberations have not been confined.
"Feeling how intimately connected the best interests of the country are with every thing that is of interest or concern to our ecclesiastical establishment, we hope that much of advantage will be derived to the public, and much of convenience to the clergy, from the revision and consolidation of the laws affecting spiritual persons.
"To Ireland also, our earnest attention has been directed in providing for the more deliberate investigation of presentments to be made by the grand juries;—a measure of the most general influence over the whole of that part of the united kingdom,—a measure which we confidently hope will prove as salutary in prac- 1448 tice, as it is unquestionably sound in principle.
"These, Sir, are the leading matters which have engrossed the labours of his majesty's faithful Commons,—and if this session has not been marked with that brilliancy and splendour which has characterized former sessions, yet we have the conscious satisfaction to reflect, that having had great duties to perform, to the performance of those duties we have applied a most faithful and indefatigable attention.
"Sir, the bill which it is my duty humbly to present to your Royal Highness, is intituled 'An Act for applying certain Monies therein mentioned for the Service of the year 1817; and for farther appropriating the Supplies granted in this session of parliament; to which, with all humility, we pray his Majesty's royal assent".
§ The royal assent was given to the said bill.