THE LORDS COMMISSIONERS—namely, The LORD CHANCELLOR, The LORD PRIVY SEAL (The Duke of Argyll), The LORD STEWAED of the HOUSEHOLD (The Earl of St. Germans), The LORD CHAMBERLAIN of the HOUSEHOLD (The Viscount Sydney), and the LORD STANLEY of ALDERLEY (Postmaster General)—being in their Robes, and seated on a form placed between the Throne and the Woolsack, commanded the Gentleman Usher of the 2 Black Rod to signify to the Commons "The Lords Commissioners desire their immediate attendance in this House."
§ Who being at the Bar, with their Speaker;
THE LORD CHANCELLOR,in pursuance of Her Majesty's Commands, delivered the Speech of THE LORDS COMMISSIONERS to both Houses of Parliament, as follows:—
§ My Lords and Gentlemen,
§ "WE are commanded to assure you that Her Majesty has great Satisfaction in recurring again to the Advice and Assistance of Her Parliament.
§ "HER Majesty is confident that you will share Her Peeling of Gratitude to Almighty God on account of the Princess of Wales having given birth to a Son; an Event which has called forth from Her faithful People renewed Demonstrations of devoted Loyalty and Attachment to Her Person and Family.
3§ "THE State of Affairs on the Continent of Europe has been the Cause of great Anxiety to Her Majesty. The Death of the late King of Denmark brought into immediate Application the Stipulations of the Treaty of May 1852, concluded by Her Majesty, The Emperor of Austria, The Emperor of the French, The King of Prussia, The Emperor of Russia, The King of Sweden, The King of Denmark, and afterwards acceded to by The King of Hanover, The King of Saxony, The King of Wurtemburg, The King of the Belgians, The King of the Netherlands, The Queen of Spain, The King of Portugal, and The King of Sardinia.
§ "THAT Treaty declared that it is conducive to the Preservation of the Balance of Power, and of the Peace of Europe, that the Integrity of the Danish Monarchy should be maintained, and that the several Territories which have hitherto been under the Sway of The King of Denmark should continue so to remain; and for this Purpose it was agreed that in the event of the Death of the late King and of His Uncle Prince Frederick without Issue, His present Majesty King Christian IX. should be acknowledged as succeeding to all the Dominions then united under the Sceptre of His Majesty The King of Denmark.
§ "HER Majesty, actuated by the same Desire to preserve the Peace of Europe which was One of the declared Objects of all the Powers who were Parties to that Treaty, has been unremitting in Her Endeavours to bring about a Peaceful Settlement of the Differences which on this Matter have arisen between Germany and Denmark, and to ward off the Dangers which might follow from a Beginning 4 of Warfare in the North of Europe; and Her Majesty will continue Her Efforts in the Interest of Peace.
§ "THE barbarous Murders and cruel Assaults committed in Japan upon Subjects of Her Majesty rendered it necessary that Demands should be made upon the Japanese Government, and upon the Daimio by whose Re-tainers some of those Outrages were committed.
§ "THE Government of the Tycoon complied with the Demand made upon them by Her Majesty's Government, and full Satisfaction having been made, the friendly Relations between the Two Governments have continued unbroken,- but the Daimio Prince of Satsuma refused to comply with the just and moderate Demands which were made upon him.
§ "His Refusal rendered Measures of Coercion necessary, and Her Majesty regrets that while those Measures have brought this Daimio to an Agreement for Compliance, they led incidentally to the Destruction of a considerable Portion of the Town of Kagosima.
§ "PAPERS on this Subject will be laid before you.
§ "THE Insurrection which broke out last Year among some Portion of the Native Inhabitants of New Zealand still unfortunately continues, but there is Reason to hope that it will, before long, be put down.
§ "HER Majesty commands us to inform you that She has concluded a Treaty with The Emperor of Austria, The Emperor of the French, The King of Prussia, and The Emperor of Russia, by which Her Majesty consents to give up the Protectorate of the Ionian Islands, and also agrees to 5 the Annexation of those Islands to the Kingdom of Greece. This Treaty shall be laid before you. Her Majesty is also negotiating a Treaty with The King of the Hellenes for regulating the Arrangements connected with the Union of the Ionian Islands with the Kingdom of Greece.
§ "Gentlemen of the House of Commons,
§ "HER Majesty has directed the Estimates for the ensuing Year to be laid before you. They have been prepared with every Attention to Economy, and with a due Regard to the Efficiency of the Public Service.
§ "My Lords, and Gentlemen,
§ "HER Majesty commands us to inform you that the Condition of the Country is, on the whole, satisfactory. The Revenue has fully realised its expected amount; the Commerce of the United Kingdom is increasing; and while the Distress in the Manufacturing Districts has been in some Degree lessened, there is Reason to look forward to an increased Supply of Cotton from various Countries which have hitherto but scantily furnished our Manufacturers with this Material for their Industry.
§ "HER Majesty has directed that a Commission shall be issued for the Purpose of revising the various Forms of Subscription and Declaration required to be made by the Clergy of the Established Church. A Copy of that Commission will be laid before you.
§ "VARIOUS Measures of public usefulness will be submitted for your Consideration.
6§ "HER Majesty commits, with Confidence, the great Interests of the Country to your Wisdom and Care; and She fervently prays that the Blessing of Almighty God may attend your Deliberations and prosper your Councils for the Advancement of the "Welfare and Happiness of Her loyal and faithful People."
§ Then the Commons withdrew.
§ House adjourned during pleasure.
§ House resumed.