§ The House met at Twelve of the clock.
§ The House being met, and Mr. SPEAKER ELECT having taken the Chair, a Message was delivered by the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod:
§ "MR. SPEAKER,
§ "The Lords, authorized by virtue of Her Majesty's Commission, desire the immediate attendance of this Honourable House in the House of Peers."
§ Accordingly, Mr. SPEAKER ELECT, with the House, went up to the House of Peers, where he was presented to the said Lords Commissioners for the Royal Approbation.
§ Then THE LORD CHANCELLOR, one of the said Lords Commissioners, signified Her Majesty's approbation of Mr. Speaker Elect.
§ And the House being returned;—
MR. SPEAKER (standing in his usual place) saidI have to report to the House that, in the House of Peers, Her Majesty, by Her Royal Commissioners, has been pleased to approve the choice made of myself to the Office of your Speaker, and that I have, in your name and on your behalf, laid claim by humble Petition to Her Majesty to all your ancient and undoubted Rights and Privileges—freedom of speech in debate, freedom from arrest of your persons and servants, and, particularly, of free access to Her Majesty whenever occasion may require, and that the most favourable construction may be placed upon all your proceedings. All these, Her Majesty, by Her Commissioners, has been pleased to grant and confirm, in as ample a manner as they have ever been granted and confirmed by Her Majesty, or by any of Her Royal Predecessors.
My duty now is again to repeat my deep acknowledgments to the House for the honour conferred upon me in again placing me in this Chair. I wish to repeat my acknowledgments to the House, and again to express my sense of the obligations they have imposed upon me. It only remains for me now to invite hon. 16 Members to come to the Table to take the Oath of Allegiance, and subsrcibe the Roll in the usual form; and in doing this I may be permitted to call the attention of hon. Members to a Paper which has been issued containing instructions (with the purpose of facilitating the Business). If hon. Members will kindly follow them and consent to the arrangement, I am sure it will facilitate the despatch of Business to-day and on following days.
§ Mr. SPEAKERthen took and subscribed the Oath, first alone; and after him several other Members took and subscribed the Oath, and several other Members made and subscribed the Affirmation required by Law.
Message to attend the Lords Commissioners;—
The House went;—and being returned;—
§ Mr. SPEAKERreported, That the Lords Commissioners under the Great Seal for opening and holding this Parliament, had made a Communication to both Houses, which Mr. Speaker read to the House, as follows:—
My Lords and Gentlemen,
We have it further in command from Her Majesty to acquaint you that, since the time when Her Majesty deemed it right to call you together, for the consideration of many grave and important matters, several vacancies have occurred in the House of Commons owing to the acceptance of Office from the Crown by Members of that House.
It is therefore Her Majesty's pleasure that an opportunity may now be given to issue Writs for supplying the vacancies so occasioned, and that, after a suitable Recess, you may proceed to the consideration of such matters as will then he laid before you.