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The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III. / From the Accession of George III. to the Twenty-Third Year of the Reign of Queen Victoria cover

The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III. / From the Accession of George III. to the Twenty-Third Year of the Reign of Queen Victoria

Chapter 557: MEETING OF PARLIAMENT.
By Edward Farr
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About This Book

The volume traces British political, parliamentary, and military developments from the accession of George III through the early nineteenth century, chronicling changes of ministry and cabinet, debates over colonial taxation and the American conflict, parliamentary controversies involving figures such as Wilkes and Warren Hastings, questions of Catholic relief and slave-trade abolition, and responses to the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars, including major naval and continental campaigns, the union with Ireland, and domestic legislation on finance, civil liberties, and parliamentary reform.

MEETING OF PARLIAMENT.

In the midst of these foreign reverses—for such many of the events may be termed—the scarcity of grain still continued in England. The national spirit was greatly depressed by these circumstances, and notwithstanding the hand of charity was active in the alleviation of distress, several riots took place throughout the kingdom. London was much agitated: but the Lord Mayor, Mr. Combe, by the aid of volunteers, succeeded in repressing the commotion without bloodshed. In order to obtain relief, the city of London and other places petitioned the King to convene parliament; and it assembled in the month of October, and passed in rapid succession a number of acts, granting bounties on the importation of foreign corn, enjoining the baking of mixed and inferior flour, &c. The distillation of spirits from grain was also suspended. But the hand of private charity did more good than all this legislation: it was opened wide, and the sufferings of the poor were thereby greatly alleviated.