{JUNE 21} confident that in any measures which you | may prepare for its adjustment, you will carefully adhere to the acknowledged principles of the Constitution, by which the prerogatives of the Crown, the authority of both Houses of Parliament, and the rights and liberties of the people are equally secured.

"The assurances of a friendly disposition which I continue to receive from all foreign Powers, encourage the hope that notwithstanding the civil commotions which have disturbed some parts of Europe, and the contest now existing in Poland, the general peace will be maintained.

"To the preservation of this blessing my most anxious care will be constantly directed.

"Gentlemen of the House of Commons, "I have ordered Estimates of the expenses of the current year to be laid before you, and I rely with confidence on your loyalty and zeal to make adequate provision, for the public service, as well as for the farther application of the sums granted by the last parliament; always keeping in view the necessity of a wise and wholesome economy in every branch of the public expenditure.

"My Lords and Gentlemen,

"It gives me great satisfaction to state to you, that the large reduction of taxes which took place in the last and in the present year, with a view to the relief of the labouring classes of the community, has not been attended with a proportionate diminution of the public income. I trust that such additional means as may be required to supply a part of the deficiency occasioned by these reductions may be found, without any material abridgement of the comforts of my people. "To assist the industry, to improve the resources, and to maintain the credit of the country on sound principles, and on a safe and lasting foundation, will be at all times the object of my solicitude, in the promotion of which I look with confidence to your zealous co-operation.

66

"The discussions which have taken place on the affairs of Belgium have not yet been brought to a conclusion; but the most complete agreement continues to subsist between the Powers whose plenipotentiaries have been engaged in the conferences of London. The principle on which those conferences have been conducted has been that of not interfering with the right of the people of Belgium to regulate their internal affairs, and to establish their government according to their own views of what may be most conducive to their future welfare and independence, It is with deep concern that I have to under the sole condition, sanctioned by announce to you the continued progress of the practice of nations, and founded on a formidable disease, to which my attenthe principles of public law, that in the tion had been early directed, in the eastexercise of that undoubted right the secu-ern parts of Europe. Information having rity of neighbouring States should not be been more recently received that it had endangered. extended its ravages to Ports in the Baltic, "A series of injuries and insults, for from whence there is a great commercial which, notwithstanding repeated remon-intercourse with my dominions, I have distrances, all reparation was withheld, com-rected that all the precautions should be pelled me at last to order a squadron of taken which experience has recommended my fleet to appear before Lisbon, with a as most effectual for guarding against the peremptory demand of satisfaction. A introduction of so dangerous a malady prompt compliance with that demand pre-into this country. vented the necessity of further measures; but I have to regret that I have not yet been enabled to re-establish my diplomatic relations with the Portuguese Government.

"Great distress has unhappily prevailed in some districts, and more particularly in a part of the western counties of Ireland, to relieve which, in the most pressing cases,

I have not hesitated to authorize the ap-jesty's Speech, which was afterwards again plication of such means as were immediate-read by the Clerk.

The Duke of Norfolk said-" My Lords, ly available for that purpose. But assistin rising to move that an humble Address ance of this nature is necessarily limited be presented to his Majesty, expressive of in its amount, and can only be temporary the hearty concurrence of this House in in its effect. The possibility, therefore, of the sentiments and views expressed in his introducing any measures which, by as- Majesty's most gracious Speech, this day delivered from the Throne, I feel that I stand sisting the improvement of the natural re-in need of your Lordships' kind indulgence sources of the country, may tend to prevent the recurrence of such evils, must be a subject of the most anxious interest to me, and to you of the most grave and

cautious consideration.

which I trust will be extended to me. I claim it, my Lords, on stronger grounds than are usually alleged on such occasions; because till, by an act of justice of the Legislature, I was restored to the full enjoyment of the blessings of civil and reli"Local disturbances, unconnected with gious liberty-the pride of Englishmenany political causes, have taken place I had been little accustomed to address any both in this part of the United Kingdom public Meetings, much less such an Assemand in Ireland. In the county of Clare, bly as that in the presence of which I now stand. Attached, as I have been from and in the adjoining parts of Roscommon the earliest period of my life, to the instiand Galway, a system of violence and out-tutions of my country, I have now, rage had for some time been carried n to fore, the additional ties of gratitude to an alarming extent, for the repression of which the constitutional authority of the law has been vigorously and successfully exerted. By these means, the necessity of enacting new laws, to strengthen the Executive Government with further powers will, I trust, be prevented.

"To avert such a necessity has been, and ever will be, my most earnest desire; but if it should unfortunately arise, I do not doubt your firm resolution to maintain the peace and order of society, by the adoption of such measures as may be required for their more effectual protection." His Majesty retired, the House separated, and met again at five o'clock.

ADDRESS IN ANSWER TO THE KING'S SPEECH.] The Lord Chancellor was about to read a copy of the King's Speech, when

there

support and defend those institutions. I take this occasion, my Lords, to give my cordial support to his Majesty's Ministers, by whom I am convinced those institutions will be faithfully supported and restored to their original purity. The first topic to of the late Parliament-a measure renderwhich the Speech relates is the dissolution ed necessary by the constitutional desire of his Majesty's Ministers to obtain a thorough knowledge of the state of public opinion upon the great question of Parliamentary Reform. That opinion has been strongly-I may say irresistibly-expressed in favour of that measure. I will refrain, at present, from entering on any lengthened argument on this subject, but I must be permitted to express my firm conviction, that infinitely more danger is to be apprehended to the stability of our institutions by a pertinacious adherence to the abuses which time has introduced, than by a salutary and efficient reformation. To say that the people of England seek for revolution, is a most unjustifiable libel upon them. They seek for a restitution of their rights, and a restoration of the Con

Lord Ellenborough observed, that it had been usual to move the first reading of some bill previously to reading his Majes-stitution. The next topic in his Majesty's ty's Speech.

Earl Grey acknowledged that such was the practice of the House. The noble Earl then moved the first reading of the Select Vestries Bill. The Bill read a first time.

The Lord Chancellor then read his Ma

Speech to which I shall briefly allude is, the satisfactory assurance of his Majesty's Ministers of a determination to preserve peace, so long as peace can be preserved consistently with the honour of the country and the dignity of the Crown; to avoid interfering with the concerns of

The Duke of Buckingham moved that the Address might be read. [Cries of "read," and " Order."]

Lord Ellenborough rose to order. The motion that the noble and learned Lord on the Woolsack was reading was not a motion that an humble Address be presented to his Majesty, it was the address. itself. The motion made by the noble Duke opposite was, that an Address be presented to his Majesty. It was usual for all Addresses in answer to the Speech from the Throne to be referred to a Com

other States, but to resist, with becoming spirit, any indignity offered to British subjects. To advert more immediately to our domestic concerns, it is satisfactory to The Lord Chancellor said, that he had learn that our finances, notwithstanding at no objection to read the Address, but great reduction of taxation, are in an im- being ignorant of their Lordships' mode of proving state, and that a rigid system of proceeding, he was at a loss to know how economy will continue to be enforced in to act, while one noble Lord cried out every department. His Majesty's kind" read," and another "no, no;" and a third promise, that it shall be the object of his "Order." solicitude to assist the industry, to improve the resources, and to maintain the credit of the country, will, I am confident, be felt and appreciated as it ought to be by a people already attached to him by his numerous acts of paternal care and beneficence. Another subject of great importance remains for me to advert to-I mean the state of Ireland-to which subject I am sure the most serious attention of the Legislature will be turned. It is impossi-mittee, and reported to the House; but ble that a remedy can at once be found for all the evils under which Ireland labours evils so deeply rooted, as to be almost identified with the state of society there; much, however, may be done by the full determination of Ministers and of Parliament to probe those evils to the core, and to administer in every instance all the relief that legislative interference can bestow. To secure the affections of the Irish people by the mild administration of equal law, is the first object to be attained; and to its attainment, the steady endeavours of the noble Marquis at the head of his Majesty's Government in Ireland seem to be directed with consummate ability. I consider it no small merit due to the noble Marquis, as well as to those who conduct the Administration, that the constitutional authority of the laws has been vigorously and successfully exerted without the necessity of further powers being demanded." The noble Duke concluded by moving an Address which was as usual an echo of the Speech.

The Lord Chancellor began to read it, and it commenced as follows :-" We, your Majesty's loyal and dutiful subjects, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, humbly assure your Majesty." The noble and learned Lord had no sooner pronounced these few words, when he was interrupted by calls to "Order," which were followed by cries of "proceed!" His Lordship discontinued reading, apparently in doubt as to the cause of the interruption which he had experienced.

The Earl of Mulgrave rose to second the Address.

the form and terms of the Address now moved being exactly similar to those which were presented to his Majesty after coming from the hands of the Committee, would, if adopted by the House, of course remove the necessity of a reference to a Committee.

Earl Grey said, that an Address had been moved and proposed for their Lordships' adoption. That Address would, of course, be referred to a Committee, and he saw nothing in its form to prevent the Committee considering it, and reporting it for the adoption of the House, if they so thought fit. If, however, it were thought necessary, it would be very easy to alter the words of the Address] to the usual form.

Lord Ellenborough said, that the usual form in which an Address was moved was, that "a humble Address be presented to his Majesty, assuring his Majesty, &c." The Address was then referred to a Committee, and by them converted into the ordinary language in which an Address was presented to his Majesty. The noble Lord concluded by repeating, that the terms of the proposed Address would prevent their Lordships from referring it to a committee.

The Earl of Shaftesbury concurred in opinion with the noble Lord (Ellenborough) as to the usual form of an Address in answer to the Speech from the Throne, and supposed the noble Duke opposite had, through mistake, moved the Address in a different manner.

Earl Grey repeated, that it would be very easy to alter the term of the Address.