Lords Sitting of 28 February 1820

THE LORDS COMMISSIONERS' SPEECH AT THE CLOSE OF THE SESSION.
After the royal assent had been given, by commission, to several bills, the following Speech of the Lords Commissioners was delivered to both Houses by the Lord Chancellor:—
"My Lords and Gentlemen;
"We are commanded by his majesty to inform you, that it is a great disappointment to his majesty, that on this first and solemn occasion he is prevented by indisposition from meeting you in person.
"It would have been a consolation to his majesty to give utterance in this place to those feelings with which his majesty and the nation alike deplore, the loss of a Sovereign, the common father of all his people.
"The King commands us to inform you, that in determining to call without delay the new parliament, his majesty has been influenced by the consideration of what is most expedient, for public business, as well as most conducive to general convenience.
"Gentlemen of the House of Commons;
"We are directed by his majesty to thank you for the provision which you

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have made for the several branches of the public service from the commencement of the present year, and during the interval which must elapse before a new parliament can be assembled.
"My Lords and Gentlemen;
"We are commanded to inform you, that, in taking leave of the present parliament, his majesty cannot refrain from conveying to you his warmest assurances of the sense which his majesty entertains of the important services which you hare rendered the country.
"Deeply as his majesty lamented that designs and practices such as those which you have been recently called upon to repress, should have existed in this free and happy country, he cannot sufficiently commend the prudence and firmness with
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which you directed your attention to the means of counteracting them.
"If any doubt had remained as to the nature of those principles by which the peace and happiness of the nation were so seriously menaced, or of the excesses to which they were likely to lead, the flagrant and sanguinary conspiracy which has lately been detected must open the eyes of the most incredulous, and must vindicate to the whole world the justice and expediency of those measures to which you judged it necessary to resort, in defence of the laws and constitution of the kingdom."
The parliament was then prorogued to the 13th of March; but it was on the same day dissolved; and a proclamation was issued for declaring the calling of a new parliament.