Lords Sitting of 14 January 1819

MEETING OF THE NEW PARLIAMENT.
This being the day appointed for the meeting of the New Parliament, several Lords came down to the House, and the clerks and officers resumed their respective stations. Soon after two o'clock the earl of Liverpool announced, that the Prince Regent had been graciously pleased, acting in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, to cause letters patent to be issued under the Great Seal, appointing sir Richard Richards, Lord Chief Baron of his Majesty's Court of Exchequer, to sit in the place of the Lord Chancellor and Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, during the absence of such Lord Chancellor and Lord Keeper. The said letters patent being read, on the motion of the earl of Liverpool, it was ordered that the Lord Chief Baron should have the mace carried before him, and laid upon the woolsack. Lord Chief Baron Richards then advanced from towards the centre of the House, with the mace carried before him to the Woolsack, upon which the mace was laid, according to the accustomed form. His lordship stated, that the Prince Regent, acting in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, had been graciously pleased to cause a commission to be issued under the Great Seal, appointing certain Lords therein named to declare the causes for holding this Parliament, and put the question of adjournment during pleasure, which was agreed to. Shortly afterwards the Lords Com-
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missioners, namely, the Lord President of the Council (the earl of Harrowby), the Lord Privy Seal (the earl of Westmorland), the duke of Wellington, the earl of Shaftesbury, and the earl of Liverpool, entered the House in their robes, and took their seats, the Lord Chief Baron in the meantime retiring behind the throne. The Lord President, in the name of the Lords Commissioners, ordered the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod to proceed to require the attendance of the Commons. The Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod went forth, and shortly afterwards returned with Mr. Dyson, the deputy clerk of the House of Commons, accompanied by a great number of members. On their coming to the bar, the Lord President said, "My Lords and Gentlemen, it not being convenient for the Prince Regent to attend here this day in person, his Royal Highness, acting in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, has been graciously pleased to cause a Commission to be issued under the Great Seal, to us and other lords directed, authorizing us to open this Parliament, which Commission you will now hear read."—The Commission having been read by the clerk, the Lord President said,—"My Lords and Gentlemen, by virtue of the Commission which has been now read, and in pursuance of the commands of his royal highness the Prince Regent, acting in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, we have to announce to you, that as soon as a sufficient number of members of both Houses shall be sworn, the causes for holding this parliament will

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be declared. In the mean time, it is necessary that a Speaker of the House of Commons should be chosen. You, Gentlemen of the House of Commons, will therefore repair to the usual place of your sittings, and proceed to elect a fit and proper person to be your Speaker, which person you will present at this bar tomorrow, at two o'clock, for the purpose of his receiving the approbation of his royal highness the Prince Regent, acting in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty:"—Then the Commons withdrew, and the House was adjourned during pleasure.