ANNUAL REGISTER, OR GENERAL REPOSITORY OF HISTORY, AND LITERATURE, TO WHICH IS PREFIXED, The HISTORY of KNOWLEDGE, LEARNING, and TASTE, in GREAT BRITAIN, during the Commonwealth, and the Ufurpation Of CROMWELL. LONDON, Printed for G. G. and J. ROBINSON Pater-noster-Row. MDCCXCVII. 1 PREFАСЕ. As S no alteration has taken place in the conduct of the New Annual Register; and as the little cavils which have been raised against it by interested persons, have been completely filenced by time and experience, which have sanctioned our opinions, there is little to be faid in presenting to our readers a new volume. Our Domestic History will be found to be chiefly occupied, this year, by the very interesting debates of parliament on the celebrated bills which produced so material an alteration in our system of law concerning treason and sedition, -on the conduct of the war,-and on the finances of the nation. In this department of the work, we have pursued our usual mode, that of bringing together all the debates on every particular topic, in order to present to the reader the most complete and fatisfactory view of the arguments on every subject. The flightest inspection of our Foreign History will convince our readers that it is not compiled from newfpapers, or from any common fources of intelligence. It will, therefore, in many respects, be found to differ from the accounts now generally received. We can, however, assure the public, that it is not the less genuine and authentic for that; and we can further assure them, that we have never presumed to differ from the common and official accounts, but where our information proceeded from so superior an authority as to leave not a doubt but that it was right. Some explanation will also be found in this volume, of certain political tranfactions, which have appeared in a mysterious light to most persons; but these affairs will be still more amply elucidated in our next volume. On the literary parts of this volume, the usual at tention has been bestowed; and we trust they will not be found inferior to our former endeavours in these departments. 1 CON Great Britain. Short Retrospect of political Transactions from the Commence. ment of the War. Humiliating Proposals of the French Republic to appeafe the Resentment of the British Cabinet. Offer on the Part of the Republic to relinquish her Colonies to Great Britain, as the Price of Neutrality. State of Affairs at the Conclufion of 1795. Meetings of the Corresponding So- ciety. Outrages offered to the King in his Way to and from the House of Lords. Examination of Witnesses at the Bar of the House. Proclamation Majesty's Perfon and Government. Debate on that Motion. Bill read a Second Time. Mr. Pitt's Motion in the House of Commons for a Bill to prevent Seditious Meetings and Assemblies. Warm Debate on that Bill. Mr. Fox's Motion for a Call of the House. Mr. Dundas's Declaration that the two Bills had been in Contemplation before the Outrage against the King. Debates in the Lords on the Commitment of Lord Grenville's Bill. Amendments proposed by the Duke of Leeds and Earl of Lauderdale. • Lord Grenville's Bill paffed in the House of Lords. Public Meetings in Oppofition to the two Bills. Lord Grenville's Bill read a first Time in the House of Commons. Mr. Sheridan's Motion for an Inquiry concerning Seditious Meetings. Further Debates in the Commons on Lord Grenville's Bill Debates on Mr. Pitt's Bill in the House of Commons in the House of Lords. Reflections on these Bills. Never yet acted upon by Ministry, 3 |