trict, comprising certain parts of Lancashire, and the West Riding of Yorkshire, and certain parts of Cheshire bordering upon Lancashire. That the outrages in the above district, brought to the notice of your committee, commenced about the end of February last, and continued (though not without occasional variation and temporary abatement) to the latest period (the 23d of June) at which any information has been received. During this period, rioters in large numbers have assembled in the night-time; some of them disguised by blackened faces, some armed with guns and pistols, and others with the implements of their trade, to be used as offensive weapons, have broken into various houses, particularly those of the manufacturers who made use of shearing frames, have destroyed the machinery, sometimes plundered the inhabitants, and burnt their houses and factories, exciting and keeping up perpetual terror in the country, by threatening letters and other means of intimidation, occasionally executing their threats against proprietors and others, not only by the destruction of the property, but by firing into the houses. It appears also, that in some instances attempts have been made on the lives of those who had been actively employed in endeavouring to suppress the tumults; and the atrocious murder of Mr. Horsfall, a very respectable manufacturer in the neighbourhood of Huddersfield, in the month of April, by four men, who fired at him with slugs in the public road, in broad day, together with the other acts of violence, caused a great and general consternation over all the district. It may be proper to add, that parties of the rioters assembled, have, in several instances, demanded and obtained money from individuals by threats and terior. Your committee do not think it necessary to describe the numerous acts of outrage that have been committed, conceiving it sufficient for the purposes of the report, to inform the house of the general state of the disturbed parts, without any parti cular detail of specific facts. The object of these lawless proceedings at the commencement of them, appears to have been the destruction of machinery: but very early in their progress, another object, still more formidable to the public security, has been developed; large bodies of men having assembled in the night, breaking open houses, and demanding aims with threats and violence. This practice has been actively persevered in; and though in some cases the plunder of property has accompanied both the destruction of machinery and the demanding of arms, yet it is material to observe, that in general these two objects seem exclusively to have been aimed at; and when these had been attained, every other species of property, though within their reach, has, in most instances, remained untouched. It is stated, that in the neighbourhood of Huddersfield, all the arms have been taken; and that in other parts the seizure of them has been considerable; and there is reason to apprehend, that the rioters have different sorts of arms concealed. It appears evident to your committee, that these outrages have not been committed from any sudden impulse of unconnected individuals, but have been the result of organized systems of unlawful violence; that language of the most mischievous nature bas been used among the rioters, and a sort of military training and discipline has been established. In making attacks upon houses, they sometimes appear to have been under the control of leaders, and to have acted upon signals. Rolls have been called over, distintinguishing every man, not by his name, but by a number; rockets and blue lights have been seen at night, which are stated, by the persons making the communications, to have been signals made use of by the rioters. It is also represented, that there are establishments of committees, under the name of local committees, secret committees, and executive committees, that they use signs and countersigns, to guard them against the intrusion of informers; and that they carry on their proceedings with the greatest secrecy and caution. It appears that delegates for various places have been appointed, and meetings of those delegates occasionally held; that there is a frequent communication between the several committees and towns, not through the ordinary conveyance of the post-office, but through the medium of delegates; and that the following oath has been extensively administered: “I, A. B. of my own voluntary will, do declare, and solemnly swear, that I will never reveal to any per-. son or persons, in any place or places under the canopy of heaven, the names of the persons who compose the secret committee, either by word, deed, or sign; their proceedings, meeting-place, abode, dress, features, marks, complexion, connections, or any thing else that may lead to the discovery of the same; on the penalty of being put out of the world by the first brother that shall meet me, my name and character blotted out of existence, and never be remembered but with cortempt and abhorrence. I further swear that I will use my best endea vours to punish by death any traitor or traitors, should any rise up amongst us, he or them: aud though he should fly to the verge of nature, I will pursue him with unceasing vengeance. So help me God, to keep this oath inviolable." It appears that they who were sworn in, were to pay the weekly sum of twopence; and that in the meetings of delegates at Manchester, from the neighbouring towns, discord has occasionally arisen, from some of the delegates not bringing from their respective districts, the contributions. that were due. No evidence or information, that has been laid before your committee, justifies the supposition, that any sums of money have been distributed among the rioters. It appears also, that attempts have been made to create a persua sion amongst the persons engaged in these disturbances, that their proceedings are likely to be supported by similar combinations in London and in other parts of Great Britain, as well as in Ireland; and that they are countenanced by individuals of a higher class and description, who are to declare themselves at a future time. But no evidence has been laid before your committee to sanction any such reports. It appears to your committee, that even in the cases in which the outrages have been most clearly ascertained, it has been found extremely difficult, and in some instances impossible, to obtain evidence as to the persons by whom they were committed. Of the numbers associated in the different partsof the disturbed district, your committee have not any information that can be satifactorily relied upon; but that it is considerable, the papers laid before them give sufficient ground ground to think. Neither can they presume to state what is the ultimate object, the persons thus associated have in view, nor for what precise purpose it is, that these extensive combinations have been formed. But whatever may be object, or whoever may be the secret movers, whether these combinations are confined to purposes relating exclusively to trade, or whether advantage has been taken of the distresses of the times to draw together, under that pretence, all discontented persons, with views hereafter to be developed; yet the secrecy and method apparent in the whole arrangement, the system of terror so industriously enforced by threats, assassination, and attempts at assassination, the oath administered, the eagerness and activity in procuring arms, and the training before-mentioned, are all circumstances which have not failed to impress upon the minds of your committee, a strong sense of the danger arising from such combinations, to the peace and security of the country. TREATY OF PEACE BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN AND RUSSIA. 1. There shall be between his majesty the emperor of all the Russias, and his majesty the king of the united kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland, their heirs and successors, and between their kingdoms and subjects respectively, a firm, true, and inviolable peace, and a sincere and perfect union and amity; so that, from this moment, all subjects of disagreement that may have subsisted between them shall cease. 2. The relations of amity and commerce between the two countries shall be re established on each side, on the footing of the most favoured nations. 3. If, in resentment of the present re-establishment of peace and good understanding between the two countries, any power whatsoever shall make war upon his imperial majesty, or his Britannic majesty, the two contracting sovereigns agree to act in support of each other for the maintenance and security of their respective kingdoms. 4. The two high contracting parties reserve to themselves to establish a proper understanding and adjustment, as soon as possible, with respect to all matters which may concern their eventual interests, political as well as commercial. 5. The present treaty shall he ratified by the two contracting parties, and the ratification shall be exchanged in six weeks; or sooner, if possible: and for the due performance of the same, we sign, in virtue of our full powers, and have signed the present treaty of peace, and have thereto affixed our seals. Done at Orebro, the 6th (18th) HOUSE OF LORDS. BY COMMISSION. Thursday, July 30. At a quarter past three o'clock the lord chancellor took the Woolsack, together with lords Liverpool, Harrowby, Walsingham, Westmorland, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, and sent the gentleman usher of the black rod to summon the commons, to hear two commissions read; the one for passing the English insolvent debtors' bill, the other for the prorogation of parliament. The commons came accordingly in the usual manner, with the speaker at their head. The commission for passing the bill was read, and the same was passed accordingly. The commission for proroguing parlia ment was next read: after which the the lord chancellor delivered the following speech: My lords and gentlemen, In terminating the present session of parliament, his royal highness the prince regent has commanded us to express to you the deep concern and sorrow which he feels at the continuance of his majesty's lamented indisposition. His royal highness regrets the interruption which has occurred in the progress of public business, during this long and laborious session, in consequence of an event which his royal highness must ever deplore. The zeal and unwearied assiduity with which you have persevered in the discharge of the arduous duties imposed upon you by the situation of the country, and the state of public affairs, demands his royal bighness's warmest acknowledg ment. The assistance which you have enabled his royal highness to continue to the brave and loyal nations of the peninsula, is calculated to produce the most beneficial effects. His royal highness most warmly participates in those sentiments of approbation which you have bestowed on the consummate skill and intrepidity displayed in the operations which led to the capture of the important fortresses of Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz, during the present campaign; and his royal highness confidently trusts, that the tried valour of the allied forces, under the distinguished command of general the earl of Wellington, combined with the unabated spirit and steady perseverance of the Spanish and Portuguese nations, will finally bring the contest in that quarter to an issue, by which the independence of the peninsula will be effectually secured. The renewal of the war in the north of Europe furnished an additional proof of the little security which can be derived from any submission to the usurpations and tyranny of the French government. His royal highness is persuaded that you will be sensible of the great importance of the struggle in which the emperor of Russia has been compelled to engage, and that you will approve of his royal highness affording to those powers who may be united in this contest, every degree of co-operation and assistance, consistent with his cther engagements, and with the interests of his majesty's dominions. His royal highness has commanded us to assure you, that he views with most sincere regret, the hostile measures which have been recently adopted by the government of the United States of America, towards this country. His royal highness is nevertheless willing to hope, that the accustomed relations of peace and amity between the two countries may yet be restored: but if his expectations in this respect should be disappointed, by the conduct of the government of the United States, or by their perseverance in any unwarrantable pretensions, he will most fully rely on the support of every class of his majesty's subjects, in a contest in which the honour of his majesty's crown, and the best interests of his dominions, must be involved. Gentlemen of the house of commons, We have it in command from his royal highness, to thank you for the liberal provision which you have made for the services of the present year. His royal highness deeply regrets the burthens which you have found it necessary to impose upon his majesty's people; but he applauds the wisdom which has in duced duced you so largely to provide for the exigencies of the public service, as affording the best prospect of bringing the contest in which the country is engaged to a successful and honourable conclusion. My lords and gentlemen, His royal highness has observed, with the utmost concern, the spirit of insubordination and outrage which has appeared in some parts of the country, and which has been manifested by acts, not only destructive of the property and per. sonal safety of many of his majesty's loyal subjects in those districts, but disgraceful to the British character. His royal bighness feels it incumbent upon him to acknow. ledge your diligence in the investigation of the causes which have led to these outrages; and he has commanded us to thank you for the wise and salutary measures which you have adopted on this occasion. It will be a principal object of his royal highness's attention, to make an effectual and prudent use of the powers vested in him for the protection of his majesty's people; and he confidently trusts, that on your return into your respective counties, he may rely on your exertions for the preservation of the public peace, and for bringing the disturbers of it to justice. His royal highness most earnestly recommends to you, the importance of inculcating, by every means in your power, a spirit of obedience to those laws, and of attachment to that constitution, which proves equally for the happiness and welfare of all classes of his majesty's subjects, and on which have hitherto depended the glory and prosperity of this kingdom. Then a commission for proroguing parliament was read. After which the lord chancellor said, At the court at Carlton House, the 31st of July, 1812: present, his royal highness the prince regent in council:-It is this day ordered, by his royal highness the prince regent, in the name and on the behalf of his majesty, and by and with the advice of his majesty's privy council, that no ships or vessels belonging to any of his majesty's subjects, be permitted to enter and clear out for any of the ports within the ferritories of the United States of America, until further order; and his royal highness is further pleased, in the name and on the behalf of his ma jesty, and by and with the advice aforesaid, to order, that a general embargo or stop be made of all ships and vessels whatsoever, belonging to the citizens of the Uited States of America, now within, or which shall hereaftr come into auy of the ports, harbours, or roads, within any part of his majesty's dominions, together with all persons and effects on board all such ships and vessels; and that the commanders of his majesty's ships of war, and privateers, do detain and bring into port all ships and vesse's belonging to the citizens of the United States of America, or bearing the flag of the said United States, except such as may be furnished with British licences, which vessels are |