In the Course of our Inquiry we have found that many of the Public Buildings allotted to those Uses, and especially those Buildings which belong to Your Majesty’s Exchequer in all its Branches, comprehending the ancient Records and Muniments of the Rights and Possessions of the Crown, and the Vouchers and Accounts of the Public Revenues and Expenditure, are in a State so incommodious and insecure, as to require immediate Attention.
It has also appeared to us, that the salutary Measures heretofore adopted by Your Majesty’s Authority, for methodizing the Contents of some of the principal Repositories of Your Majesty’s Records and Papers of State, might also be extended to many other Repositories, with Consequences highly beneficial to the Public Service.
And the same Motives which encouraged our Predecessors to intreat Your Majesty’s Directions for printing the ancient Records of Domesday, and the Rolls of Parliament, have also induced us to submit to Your Majesty’s Wisdom, our Desire of extending the same Measures to other ancient and valuable Monuments of our History, Laws, and Government.
Your Faithful Commons do therefore most humbly beseech Your Majesty, that You will be graciously pleased to give such Directions as Your Majesty, in Your great Wisdom, shall think fit, for the better Preservation, Arrangement, and more convenient Use of the Public Records of this Kingdom.
And we beg leave further to assure Your Majesty that whatever extraordinary Expences may be incurred by the Directions which Your Majesty, in Your great Wisdom, shall think fit to give on this Occasion, shall be chearfully provided for and made good by Your faithful Commons.
JOURNAL OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS,
Jovis, 17° die Julii;
Anno 40° Georgii IIItii Regis, 1800.
Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer reported to the House, That their Address of Friday last, (that His Majesty would be graciously pleased to give such Directions as He shall think fit, for the better Preservation, Arrangement, and more convenient Use of the Public Records of this Kingdom, and to assure His Majesty, that whatever extraordinary Expenses may be incurred by the Directions which His Majesty shall think fit to give on this Occasion, shall be made good by His faithful Commons,) had been presented to His Majesty; and that His Majesty had commanded him to acquaint this House, that He will give Directions as desired by the said Address.
