lamation. The elections proved to be much in favour of the court,
for in several places the most popular members of the opposition side of
the house lost their seats. In the whole, one hundred and thirteen new
members were elected. Burke was returned, but in consequence of his
support to the Irish Trade Acts, to the Roman Catholic Relief Bill, and
to other measures of a liberal nature, he lost his seat for Bristol, and
was compelled to be contented with the more humble one of the borough of
Malton. Mr. Fox, after a hard struggle, was returned for Westminster.

MEETING OF PARLIAMENT.

The new parliament met on the 31st of October. The first debate was
occasioned by the election of a speaker. Sir Fletcher Norton had given
offence to ministers during the last session, and Lord George Germaine,
urging the precarious state of Sir Fletcher's health, moved that Mr.
Cornwall should fill the chair. Sir Fletcher and his friends replied,
that his health was now re-established, and that Lord George Germaine's
condolence was a mockery of the house; and Dunning moved that he should
be continued speaker. The house was divided on his re-election, but
opposition were left in a minority of one hundred and thirty-four to
two hundred and three: Mr. Cornwall was therefore elected speaker. His
majesty delivered his opening speech on the following day. In it he
declared his satisfaction in having an opportunity, by the recent
election, of receiving the most certain information of the disposition
and wishes of his people; and again complained of the unprovoked
aggression of France and Spain, who were exerting all their power to
support the rebellion of his colonies, to destroy the commerce of Great
Britain, and to give a final blow to her power. He added, that the
bravery of his fleets and armies had enabled him to withstand their
hostility; and that he hoped the late successes in Georgia and Carolina
would have important consequences in bringing the war to a happy
conclusion. The opposition denied that the successes obtained in America
were likely to be decisive, and an amendment was moved in the house of
commons by Mr. Thomas Grenvilie, consisting in the omission of several
complimentary paragraphs, but it was negatived by two hundred and twelve
against one hundred and thirty. In the upper house there was but
little debate, and the original address was carried by an equally large
majority. The same success attended ministers with refer