The most interefting SPEECHES and MOTIONS; accurate Copies of the most remarkable LETTERS and PAPERS; of the moft material EVIDENCE, PETITIONS, &c. laid before and offered to the HOUSE, DURING ΤΗΣ FIRST SESSION of the FIFTEENTH PARLIAMENT OF GREAT BRITAIN. Begun to be holden at Weftminster on the 31ft Day of October 1780. VOL. I. LONDON: Printed for J. ALMON and J. DEERETT, oppofite BURLINGTON HOUSE, in PICCADILLY. MDCCLXXXI. OF THE Debate on the Choice of a Speak. Examinations of George Roft, Joho er Fordyce, William Mitford, Tho. Allen, T.W. Partington, G. Row- ley, Goulfton Bruere, Richard Pa- ton, R. Richardfon, Thomas Ball, Account of the Sums total in the Hands of the feveral Receivers for twenty Years preceding 1777 Return by the Commiffioners of Ex- cife, to the Order of the Commif- Debate on the Number of Forces un- der the Command of Gen. Clinton Thanks to Earl Cornwallis, &c. 163 Debate on Navy Estimates 202, 232 of the Court-martial, on the Trial of Sir Hugh Pallifer, to be laid be- Petition of the City of London for 242, 256 Speeches of Gen. Smith, Lord North, and Mr. Boughton Rofe on Eaft- State of the British Forces in North Account of the Men loft and difabled Totals of Embarkation Returns 266 Total of the Number of Men who have died in actual Service in his Majefty's Navy fince Jan. 1. 1776 of the Men raifed for his Second Report of the Commiffioners appointed to examine and state the Lift of the Public Offices where Mo- ney is received for Taxes or Du- Account of the Public Money in the Hands of the Receiver General of Examinations of J. Powel, A. Blink- 280, &c. the Papers relating to the fame 315 horn, J. Dugdale, J. Lloyd, Mil-Manifefto against the Dutch, and all Account of Receipts and Payments by R. Trevor, Receiver General Examination of R. Chefter, Efq. ib. Account of the Tenths of the Clergy, which have been received in the 12 Years laft paft, ending at Christ- Examination of T. Aftle, Efq. Re- ceiver General of Sixpence in the Account of Monies received and paid into his Majesty's Exchequer, by T. Allen, Efq. Receiver General of the Deductions of Sixpence in Examination of R. Carter, Efq. Re- ceiver of the Deductions of One Debate on the Motion for an Ac- count of Letters of Marque to be Mr. Eftwick thanks the House for The Thanks of the Houfe to Sir F. Debate on Sir Hugh Pallifer's ap- pointment to the government of Norton, late Speaker Copies of Eaft India Petirions 458 Account of the Sums laid out on the on the first reading of Mr. on the Motion for an Account of the Number and Force of Ad- THE HISTORY OF THE PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES Of the FIRST SESSION of the HOUSE of COMMONS, O F THE Fifteenth Parliament of Great-Britain, Appointed to meet at Westminster, on Tuesday, the 31ft day October, 1780. THE new writs having having been made returnable on the 31st of October, 1780, about three hundred members met this day in the rooms adjoining to the House of Commons, and a confiderable number of them having been fworn by the Lord Steward, the King went to the Houfe of Lords about three o'clock, and fent the ufher of the black rod to the Commons, commanding their attendance in the House of Lords. When the gentlemen were come to the Lords' bar, the Lord Chancellor [Lord Thurlow] faid to them, "His Majefty has been pleafed to command me to acquaint you, that he will defer declaring the caufes of calling this Parlia ment until there fhall be a Speaker of the House of Commons. And therefore it is his Majefty's pleasure, that you, gentlemen of the Houfe of Cominons, do immediately repair to the place where the Commons ufually fit, and there chufe a fit perfon to be be your fpeaker; and that you prefent fuch perfon who fhall be fo chofen, to his Majefty here, for his royal approbation, to-morrow at two o'clock."* Accor * Extract from Elfynge's Antient method and manner of holding Parliaments in England. After relating the form ufed in chufing a fpeaker (which is the fame as that obferved at prefent) hc fays, "Here may be two queftions moved, "1. Whether the Commons might chufe their fpeaker, if the King commands them not? |