§ Exactly at two o'clock, his royal highness the Prince Regent entered the House of Lords. The Usher of the Black Rod was immediately dispatched to the House of Commons, requiring their attendance. The Speaker and a great number of members accordingly made their appearance in a few minutes. As soon as the Speaker had reached the bar, he pronounced the following Speech:—
§ "May it please your Royal Highness:
§ "We his Majesty's faithful subjects, the Commons of Great Britain and Ireland, in obedience to your Royal Highness's commands, attend your Royal Highness; and, according to our ancient privilege, we crave leave to present with our own hands our grant of supply, which concludes the labours of the session.
§ "In the ordinary course of our proceedings, much of our time has been occupied in discussing measures of great importance to the State, with respect to its agriculture, shipping, and finances.
§ "We have endeavoured so to regulate the Corn Laws with prudence and firmness, that protection and encouragement may be given to the agricultural interests of every part of the United Kingdom, without endangering the prosperity of our trade and manufactures. We have endeavoured also to derive new means of maritime strength from the valuable resources of our Indian possessions; and, after devising and preparing such plans for adjusting the public revenue and expenditure, as might suit a period of returning peace, we have been called upon by unlooked-for events, to renew our exertions and sacrifices upon the most extended scale of war.
§ "Scarcely had we closed our contest with America, and scarcely had the Congress of Vienna laid the first foundation of those arrangements, which were destined to consolidate the peace of Europe, when, in direct contravention of the most solemn engagements, the disturber of Europe, and destroyer of the human race, repeared upon the throne of France, and the world was once more in arms.
§ "In the short space of three months, 1152 by rapid strides, the fate of Europe has been again brought to issue; and the conflict was tremendous, but the result has been glorious. The most warlike nations, headed by the most renowned commanders, have met in battle; and as Britons, we have the triumphant satisfaction to know (however much that triumph may be saddened with private grief), that it is now no longer doubtful to what name, and to what nation, the world will henceforth ascribe the pre-eminence for military skill and unconquerable valour.
§ "To consecrate the trophies, and perpetuate the fame of our brave countrymen who fell in that unrivalled victory, we have declared it to be our ardent desire, and it will be the distinguishing glory of your Royal Highness's days, to erect, in the metropolis of this empire, such a lofty and durable monument of their military renown, and our national gratitude, as may command the veneration of our latest posterity.
§ "Great, however, and glorious as this victory has been in itself, it is not to the joint exertions and heroic achievements of the British and Prussian arms in that memorable conflict, that we must limit our admiration. We have also to contemplate with equal pride and satisfaction its immediate consequences, military, political, and moral.
§ "We have seen the illustrious Commanders of the Allied Armies advancing at once into the heart of France; and Paris, twice conquered, has again opened her gates to the conquerors.
§ "The Usurper of a throne, which he has twice abdicated, has sought his safety in an ignominious flight, and the rightful Sovereign of France has once more resumed the sceptre of his ancestors.
§ "With these awful scenes passing before us, we may presume also to hope, that the period is not now distant, when the hand of Providence will finally extinguish the remaining effects of that guilty and perfidious spirit of domination which has so long raged without control, and restore to desolated Europe the blessings of peace and justice.
1153§ "But, Sir, whatever may be the final issue of these great transactions, we look forward with confidence to their satisfactory conclusion, under the auspices of your Royal Highness; and we doubt not of the happiest results, from the same councils which have planned, and the same hands that have executed those wise and vigorous measures which have hitherto been crowned with such signal success.
§ "On our part, it is our humble duty to strengthen the means of your Royal Highness's Government; and towards effectuating that purpose, we, his Majesty's faithful Commons, do this day present to your Royal Highness a Bill, intituled, 'An Act for enabling his Majesty to raise the sum of Six Millions for the service of Great Britain.'
§ "To which, with all humility, we intreat his Majesty's Royal Assent."
§ The Royal Assent was then declared to the Vote of Credit Bill, the Bread Assize Bill, and a number of minor Bills.