afterwards re-entered the House in his robes, and said from the Woolsack, "My lords, a Commission has issued under the Great Seal, for giving the Royal Assent to an Act which has passed both Houses of Parliament." The archbishop of Canterbury, the Lord Chancellor, the Lord President of the Council (earl Camden), the Lord Privy Seal (earl of Westmoreland) and the Duke of Montrose, took their seats as Commissioners, for giving the Royal Assent to the Regency Bill. Mr. Quarme the Deputy Usher of the Black Rod was sent to desire the attendance of the Commons. Shortly afterwards the Speaker and a great number of Members of the House of Commons came to the bar. The Lord Chancellor said, " My Lords and Gentlemen of the House of Commons, inasmuch as for certain causes, his Majesty cannot conveniently be present here this day, a Commission has issued under the Great Seal, to us and other Lords directed [reciting the Letters Patent, of the 15th of January,] for opening and holding this present Parliament, and the passing of an Act agreed upon by both Houses, and notifying the Royal Assent to the said Act, which Commission you will now hear read." -The Commission having been read, The Lord Chancellor said, "My Lords and Gentlemen-in obedience to the commands, and by virtue of the powers and authority to us given by the said Commissions, one of which you have now heard read, we do declare and notify his Majesty's Royal Assent to the Act in the said Commission mentioned, and the clerks are required to pass the same in the usual form and words.' " Mr. Rashleigh, the Deputy Clerk of the Crown, then read the title of the Act, and Mr. Cowper, the Clerk Assistant of the Parliaments, passed the Act in the usual words, viz. "Le Roi le veut.” The Commons withdrew from the bar, and the Lords Commissioners quitted their Bench. HOUSE OF COMMONS. Tuesday, February 5. Mr. Lushington informed the House, that the Lords had agreed to hold the Conference requested by the Commons, in the Painted Chamber, immediately.-On the motion of Mr. R. Dundas it was ordered, that the Lords should be informed that the Commons had consented to their Resolution, and filled up the Blank with the words" and Commons."-The managers of the last Conference, with the addition of the Lord Advocate of Scotland and Sir J. Nicholls, were ordered to manage the Conference then to be held. On the return of the persons appointed to hold the Conference, Mr. R. Dundas informed the House, that the Conference had been held, and the assent of the Commons to the Resolution communicated, in obedience to the order of the House. The Deputy Usher of the Black Rod summoned the House to the House of Peers, to hear the Royal Assent to the Regency Bill. The Speaker on his return reported, that the House, at the desire of the Lords, authorized by virtue of his Majesty's Commission, had been at the House of Peers, where a Commission under the Great Seal was read, giving, declaring, and notifying, the Royal Assent to the Bill therein mentioned; and that the Lords thereby authorized had declared the Royal Assent to the said Bill. [THE REGENCY BILL AS PASSED.] The following is a copy of the Regency Bill as it passed the two Houses: An Act to provide for the Administration of the Royal Authority, and for the Care of His Majesty's Royal Person, during the Continuance of his Majesty's Illness; and for the Resumption of the Exercise of the Royal Authority: by His Majesty. WHEREAS by reason of the severe Indisposition with which it hath pleased God to afflict the King's most excellent Majesty, the personal exercise of the Royal Authority by his Majesty is for the present so far interrupted, that it becomes necessary to make provision for assisting his Majesty in the administration and exercise of the Royal Authority, and also for the Care of his Royal Person during the continuance of his Majesty's Indisposition, and for the Resumption of the exercise of the Royal Authority by his Majesty; Be it therefore enacted by the King's most excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commous, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, That his Royal Highness George Augustus Frederick Prince of Wales shall have full Power and Authority, in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, and under the Stile and Title of Regent of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland," | to exercise and administer the Royal Power and Authority to the Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland belonging, and to use, execute, and perform all authorities, prerogatives, acts of government and administration of the same, which lawfully belong to the King of the said United Kingdom to use, execute, and perform; subject to such Limitations, Exceptions, Regulations, and Restrictions, as are herein-after specified and contained; and all and every act and acts which shall be done by the said Regent, in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, by virtue and in pursuance of this Act, and according to the powers and authorities hereby vested in him, shall have the same force and effect to all intents and purposes as the like acts would have if done by his Majesty himself, and shall to all intents and purposes be full and sufficient warrant to all persons acting under the authority thereof; and all persons shall yield obedience thereto, and carry the same into effect, in the same manner and for the same purposes as the same persons ought to yield obedience to and carry into effect the like acts done by his Majesty himself; any law, course of office, or other matter or thing to the contrary notwithstanding. II. And be it further enacted, That as to all authorities given and appointments made in the name and in the behalf of his Majesty, and all other acts, matters, and things usually done under the authority of the Royal Sign Manual, the Signature of the Regent in the form following, that is to say, " George P. R." or in cases where the Royal Signature has usually been affixed in initials only, then in the form "G. P. R.," shall be as valid and effectual, and have the same force and effect as his Majesty's Royal Sign Manual, and shall be deemed and taken to be to all intents and purposes his Majesty's Royal Sign Manual, and be obeyed as such. III. And be it further enacted, That when his Majesty shall by the blessing of God be restored to such a state of health as to be capable of resuming the personal exercise of his Royal Authority, and shall have declared his Royal Will and Pleasure thereupon, as herein-after provided, all and every the powers and authorities, given by this Act, for the exercise and administration of his Royal Power and Authority, or for the using, executing, and performing the Authorities, Preroga tives, Acts of Government, and Administration of the same, which belong to the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland to use, execute, and perform, or for the care of his Majesty's Royal Person, shall cease and determine; and no act, matter, or thing, which, under this Act, and previous to such declaration might be done in the administration of his Majesty's Royal Power and Authority, or in the using, exercising, or performing any such Authorities, Prerogatives, Acts of Government, or Administration as aforesaid, or in the care of his Majesty's Royal Person, by virtue and in pursuance of this Act, shall, if done after such declaration of his Majesty's Royal Will and Pleasure, be thenceforth valid or effectual. IV. Provided always, and be it further enacted, That all persons holding any Offices or Places, or Pensions, during his Majesty's Pleasure, at the time of such declaration, under any appointment or authority of the Regent, or her Majesty, under the provisions of this Act, shall continue to hold the same, and to use, exercise, and enjoy all the powers, authorities, privileges, and emoluments thereof, not. withstanding such declaration of the resumption of the Royal Authority by his. Majesty, unless and until his Majesty shall declare his Royal Will and Pleasure to the contrary; and all Orders, Acts of Government, or Administration of his Majesty's Royal Authority, made, issued, or done by the said Regent, before such declaration, shall be and remain in full force and effect, until the same shall be countermanded by his Majesty. V. Provided also, and be it further enacted, That no Acts of Regal Power; Prerogative, Government, or Administra tion of Government, of what kind or nature soever, which might lawfully be done or executed by the King's most excellent Majesty, personally exercising his Royal Authority, shall, during the continuance of the Regency by this Act established, be valid and effectual, unless done and executed in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, by the Authority of the said Regent, according to the provisions of this Act, and subject to the Limitations, Exceptions, Regulations, and Restrictions. herein-after contained. VI. And be it further enacted, That the said Regent, before he shall act or enter upon his said Office, of Regent, shall take the following Oaths: I do sincerely promise and swear, That So help me GOD. I do solemnly promise and swear, That I will truly and faithfully execute the ⚫ Office of Regent of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, according to 'an Act of Parliament passed in the 51st year of the reign of his Majesty King George the Third, intituled, An Act [here insert the title of this Act;] and that I will administer, according to law, the power and authority vested in me by vir'tue of the said Act; and that I will in all things, to the utmost of my power and ability, consult and maintain the safety, honour, and dignity of his Majesty and the welfare of his people. So help me GOD. I do faithfully promise and swear, That I shall inviolably maintain and preserve the Settlement of the true Protestant Religion, with the Government, Worship, Discipline, Rights, and Privileges of the • Church of Scotland, as established by the Laws made there in prosecution of the Claim of Right, and particularly by an "Act, intituled, " An Act for securing the Protestant Religion, and Presbyterian Church Government," and by the Acts passed in the Parliament of both Kingdoms, for Union of the Two Kingdoms. So help me GOD." Which Oaths shall be taken before his Majesty's most honourable Privy Coun. cil; who are hereby required and empowered to administer the same, and to enter the same in the Books of the said Privy Council. VIL. And be it further enacted, That the said Regent shall, at the time of his taking such Oaths as aforesaid, and before the members of the Privy Council administering the same, make, subscribe, and audibly repeat the Declaration mentioned in an Act made in the 30th year of King Charles the Second, intituled, An Act for the more effectual preserving the King's Person and Government, by disabling Papists from sitting in either House of Parliament;' and shall produce a Certificate of his having received the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper in any of the royal chapels, signed by the person administering the same; which Certificate shall be sufficient evidence of the said Regent's having received the Sacrament; and such Declaration and Certificate shall respectively be registered in the Books of the Privy Council. VIII. Provided always, and be it enacted, That until after the 1st day of February 1812, if Parliament shall be then assembled, and shall have been sitting for six weeks immediately previous to the said 1st day of February 1812, or if Parliament shall be then assembled, but shall not have been so sitting for six weeks, then until the expiration of six weeks after Parliament shall have been so assembled and been sitting; or if Parliament shall not then be assembled, then until the expiration of six weeks after Parliament shall have been assembled and sitting, next after the said 1st day of February 1812, the Regent shall not have or exercise any power or authority to grant, in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, any Rank, Title, or Dignity of the Peerage, by Letters Patent, Writ of Summons, or any other manner whatever, or to summon any person to the House of Lords, by any Title to which such person shall be the Heir Apparent, or to determine the Abeyance of any Rank, Title or Dignity of Peerage, which now is or hereafter shall be in Abeyance, in favour of any of the Cobeirs thereof, by Writ of Summons or otherwise. IX. Provided also, and be it further enacted, That the said Regent shall not, until after the said 1st day of February 1812, or the expiration of such six weeks as aforesaid, have power or authority to grant, in the name or on the behalf of his Majesty, any Office or Employment whatever, in Reversion, or to grant for any longer term than during his Majesty's Pleasure, any Office, Employment, Salary, or Pension whatever, except such offices and Employments in Possession for the term of the natural life, or during the good behaviour of the grantee or grantees thereof respectively, as by law must be so granted: Provided always, that nothing herein contained, shall in any manner affect or extend to prevent or restrain the granting of any Pensions under the provisions of an Act passed in the 39th year of the reign of his present Majesty, intituled, An Act for the Augmentation of the Salaries of the Judges of the Courts in Westminster Hall, and also of the Lords of Session, Lords Commis'sioners of Justiciary, and Barons of Exchequer in Scotland; and for enabling his Majesty to grant Annuities to per'sons in certain Offices in the said Courts of Westminster Hall, on their resignation of their respective Offices;' and of another Act passed in the 48th year of the reign of his present Majesty, intituled, An Act for enabling his Majesty to grant Annuities to the Judges of the Courts of Session, Justiciary, and Exchequer in Scotland, upon the resig'nation of their offices;' and of another Act, passed in Ireland, in the 40th year of the reign of his present Majesty, intituled, An Act to enable his Majesty to 'grant Annuities to the Lord High Chancellor, and to the Judges of the Court of 'King's Bench, Master of the Rolls, Judges of the Courts of Common Pleas and Exchequer, Judge or Commissary of the Court of Prerogative, the Judge 'of the Court of Admiralty, the Chair'man of the Quarter Sessions of the 'County of Dublin, and Assistant Barris⚫ters of the several other Counties, on the resignation of their respective Offices;' and to amend an Act passed in the 36th year of his present Majesty, intituled, An Act for encreasing the Salaries of the Chief and other Judges of the Courts of King's Bench and Common Pleas, and of the Chief Baron and other Barons of the Court of Exchequer in this Kingdom; or to prevent or restrain the granting of any pensions out of the revenues of the British territories in the East Indies, under the provisions of any Act or Acts of Parliament now in force, to such persons as may have held the office of Chief Justice or other Judge in the Supreme Courts of Judicature at Fort William in Bengal and at Madras, and the Office of Recorder of Bombay, other Act passed in the 45th year of his present Majesty, intituled, An Act for 'the encouragement of Seamen, and for the better and more effectually manning of his Majesty's Navy.' XI. And be it enacted, that nothing in this Act contained shall extend or be construed to extend to empower the said Regent, in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, to give the Royal Assent to any Bill or Bills in Parliament for repealing, changing or in any respect varying the Order and Course of Succession to the Crown of this Realm, as the same stands now established by an Act passed in the 12th year of the reign of King William the Third, intituled, An Act for the further Limitation of the Crown, and better securing the Rights and Liberties of the Subject; or to any Act for repealing or altering the Act made in the 13th year of the reign of King Charles the Second, intituled,An Act for the Uniformity of Public Prayers and Administration of Sacraments, and other Rites and Ceremonies, and for establishing the Form of making, ordaining, and consecrating Bishops, Priests, and Deacons in the 'Church of England :' or the Act of the 5th year of the reign of Queen Anne, made in Scotland, intituled,' Ah Act for securing the Protestant Religion and Presbyterian Church Government.' XII. Provided also, and be it enacted, That if his said Royal Highness George Augustus Frederick Prince of Wales shall not continue to be resident in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, or shall at any time marry a Papist, then and in either of such cases, all the powers and authorities vested in his said Royal Highness by this Act, shall cease and determine. X. Provided also, and be it further enacted, That nothing in this Act contained shall in any manner affect or extend to prevent or restrain the granting of any Pensions under the provisions of an Act XIII. And whereas it is expedient that passed in the 41st year of the reign of his the Care of his Majesty's Royal Person present Majesty, intituled, An Act for should be committed to the Queen's most the better regulation of his Majesty's excellent Majesty, together with the sole Prize Courts in the West Indies and direction of such portion of his Majesty's • America, and for giving a more speedy Household as shall be deemed requisite and effectual execution to the Decrees of and suitable for the due attendance on his the Lords Commissioners of Appeals,' Majesty's Sacred Person, and the mainand of another Act passed in the 43d year tenance of his Royal Dignity; Be it thereof his present Majesty, intituled, 'An Act fore enacted, That the Care of his Mafor the encouragement of Seamen, and jesty's Royal Person, and the disposing, for the better and more effectual man-ordering and managing of all matters and 'ning his Majesty's Navy; for regulating the payment of Prize Money, and for 'making provision for the Salaries of the Judges of the Vice Admiralty Courts in the Island of Malta, and in the Bermudas, and Bahama Islands;' and also of an things relating thereto, shall be, and the same are hereby vested in the Queen's most excellent Majesty, during the continuance of his Majesty's Indisposition; and that the sole direction of his Majesty's Household, except the Lord Chamberlain of his Majesty's Household, the Captain of the Yeomen of his Majesty's Guard, and the Captain of the Honourable Band of Gentlemen Pensioners, shall be and is hereby vested in her Majesty; and her said Majesty shall have the full and sole power and authority, by any Instrument or instruments in writing signed and sealed by her Majesty, to nominate and appoint, in case of any vacancies arising by resignation or death, all the Officers and Persons belonging to his Majesty's Household, in the respective departments thereof, whose appointment, nomination, or removal have heretofore been made by his Majesty; except the Lord Chamberlain of his Majesty's Household, and the Gentlemen and Grooms of his Majesty's Bedchamber, his Majesty's Equerries, the Captain of the Yeomen of his Majesty's Guard, and the Captain of the honourable Band of Gentlemen Pensioners; and the nomination and appointment by her Majesty, in manner and form aforesaid, shall be valid and effectual to all intents and purposes as if the same had been made or done by his Majesty in the accustomed manner; and the several persons so appointed shall be entitled to the like precedence, privileges, salaries, wages, profits, and all other emoluments, as the several persons now holding and enjoying the same offices are respectively entitled to: Provided always, That the power and authority given by this Act to her Majesty to nominate and appoint such persons of his Majesty's Household as are not herein before excepted, shall continue in force until the said 1st day of February, or the expiration of such six weeks as aforesaid, and no longer Provided also, That her said Majesty shall not have any power or authority to remove any officer in any department of his Majesty's Household, by this Act made subject to the nomination or appointment of her Majesty, who shall have been nominated and appointed by his Majesty Provided also, That until the expiration of such period as aforesaid, no appointment shall be made to the Office of Lord Chamberlain of his Majesty's Household, now vacant, but that all the duties of the said Office shall be performed by the Vice Chamberlain; and that during such period as aforesaid, no person holding the Office of Gentleman or Groom of his Majesty's Bedchamber, or being one of his Majesty's Equerries, shall be subject to be removed; and no vacancy which shall arise by death or resignation : of any of the Grooms or Gentlemen of his Majesty's Bedchamber, or of his Majesty's Equerries, shall be supplied or filled up, or any appointment or nomination made to supply any such vacancy. XIV. Provided always, and be it further enacted, That it shall not be lawful for any Officer in his Majesty's Household who is by this Act put under the direction of her Majesty, to make any appointment to any Office to which such Officer may have the power of appointment for any longer period than during his Majesty's Pleasure. XV. And whereas the execution of the weighty and arduous trusts by this Act committed to the Queen's most excellent Majesty, may require the assistance of a Council, with whom her Majesty may consult and advise; Be it therefore enacted, That in order to assist and advise her said most excellent Majesty, in the several matters aforesaid, there shall be, during the continuance of his Majesty's Illness, a Council, consisting of Charles lord archbishop of Canterbury, Edward lord archbishop of York, James duke of Montrose, George earl of Winchelsea and Nottingham, Heneage earl of Aylesford, John lord Eldon, Edward lord Ellenborough, and the right hon. sir William Grant; which Council shall from time to time meet as her Majesty shall be pleased to direct, and shall also have power to meet in manner by this Act directed; and if it should happen that any of them the said Charles lord archbishop of Canterbury, Edward lord archbishop of York, James duke of Montrose, George earl of Winchelsea and Nottingham, Heneage earl of Aylesford, John lord Eldon, Edward lord Ellenborough, or the right hon. sir William Grant, should depart this life, or by instrument in writing communicated to her Majesty, signify their intention to decline to act, then and in such case it shall be lawful for the Queen's most excellent Majesty, from time to time, by an Instrument in writing signed and sealed by her Majesty, revocable at her will and pleasure, to nominate and appoint some one person, being or having been a member of his Majesty's most hon. Privy Council, to be a member of the said Council, to advise and assist her Majesty as aforesaid, in the room and place of each and every of the said Councillors, so departing this life, or declining to act as aforesaid; which nomination and appointment shall be forthwith certified by an Instrument in writing, signed and sealed |