§ His Majesty went in state to the House of Peers this day, to open the Parliament for the despatch of business. He was attended on entering the House—on his right, by the Lord Chancellor, with the Purse and Seals; the Duke of Norfolk, as Earl Marshal; the Marquess of Winchester, bearing the Cap of Maintenance; and the Marquess of Lansdown, as President of the Council: and supported on the left by Earl Grey, bearing the Sword of State; the Marquess of Cholmondeley, as Deputy Great Chamberlain; and Marquess Wellesley, as Lord Steward. His Majesty, on taking his place, said, "Your Lordships will be seated."
§ The Usher of the Black Rod having summoned the House of Commons, the 87 Speaker, accompanied by as many Members as the space below the Bar could accommodate, attended.
§ His Majesty then delivered the following most gracious Speech.
§ "My Lords and Gentlemen;
§ "The period being now arrived at which the business of Parliament is usually resumed, I have called you together for the discharge of the important duties with which you are intrusted.
§ "Never, at any time, did subjects of greater interest and magnitude call for your attention.
§ "I have still to lament the continuance of the civil war in Portugal, which has for some months existed between the princes of the House of Braganza. From the commencement of this contest I have abstained from all interference, except such as was required for the protection of British subjects resident in Portugal; but you may be assured that I shall not fail to avail myself of any opportunity that may be afforded me to assist in restoring peace to a country with which the interests of my dominions are so intimately connected.
§ "I have also to regret that my anxious endeavours to effect a definitive arrangement between Holland and Belgium have hitherto been unsuccessful. I found myself at length compelled, in conjunction with the King of the French, to take measures for the execution of the Treaty of the 15th of November, 1831.
§ "The capture of the citadel of Antwerp has in part accomplished that object, but the Dutch Government, still refusing to evacuate the rest of the territories assigned to Belgium by that treaty, the embargo which I had directed to be imposed on the Dutch commerce has been continued. Negotiations are again commenced, and you may rely on their being conducted on my part, as they have uniformly been, with the single view of ensuring to Holland and Belgium a separate existence, on principles of mutual security and independence. The good faith and honour with which the French 88 government has acted in these transactions, and the assurances which I continue to receive from the chief powers of Europe of their friendly disposition, give me confidence in the success of my endeavours to preserve the general peace. I have given directions that the various papers which are necessary for your information, on the affairs of Holland and Belgium, should be laid before you.
§ "The approaching termination of the charters of the Bank of England and of the East-India Company will require a revision of these establishments; and I rely on your wisdom for making such provisions for the important interests connected with them as may appear, from experience and full consideration, to be best calculated to secure public credit, to improve and extend our commerce, and to promote the general prosperity and power of the British empire.
§ "Your attention will also be directed to the state of the Church, more particularly as regards its temporalities, and the maintenance of the clergy. The complaints which have arisen from the collection of tithes appear to require a change of system, which, without diminishing the means of maintaining the established clergy in respectability and usefulness, may prevent the collision of interests, and the consequent disagreements and dissatisfaction which have too frequently prevailed between the ministers of the Church and their parishioners.
§ "It may also be necessary for you to consider what remedies may be applied for the correction of acknowledged abuses, and whether the revenues of the Church may not admit of a more equitable and judicious distribution.
§ "In your deliberations on these important subjects, it cannot be necessary for me to impress upon you the duty of carefully attending to the security of the Church established by law in these realms, and to the true interests of religion.
§ "In relation to Ireland, with a view of 89 removing the causes of complaint which had been so generally felt, and which had been attended with such unfortunate consequences, an Act was passed during the last Session of Parliament for carrying into effect a general composition for tithes. To complete that salutary work, I recommend to you, in conjunction with such other amendments of the law as may be found applicable to that part of my dominions, the adoption of a measure by which, upon the principle of a just commutation, the possessors of land may be enabled to free themselves from the burthen of an annual payment.
§ "In the further reforms that may be necessary, you will probably find that, although the Established Church of Ireland is, by law, permanently united with that of England, the peculiarities of their respective circumstances will require a separate consideration. There are other subjects hardly less important to the general peace and welfare of Ireland, as affecting the administration of justice, and the local taxation of that country, to which your attention will be also required.
§ "Gentlemen of the House of Commons;
§ "I have directed the Estimates for the service of the year to be laid before you; they will be framed with the most anxious attention to all useful economy. Notwithstanding the large reduction in the Estimates of the last year, I am happy to inform you that all the extraordinary services which the exigencies of the times required have been amply provided for. The state of the revenue, as compared with the public expenditure, has hitherto fully realized the expectations that were formed at the close of the last Session.
§ "My Lords and Gentlemen; "
§ In this part of the United Kingdom, with very few exceptions, the public peace has been preserved; and it will be your anxious but grateful duty to promote, by all practicable means, habits of industry 90 and good order amongst the labouring classes of the community.
§ "On my part, I shall be ready to cooperate to the utmost of ray power in obviating all just causes of complaint, and in promoting all well-considered measures of improvement. But it is my painful duty to observe that the disturbances in Ireland, to which I adverted at the close of the last Session, have greatly increased. A spirit of insubordination and violence has risen to the most fearful height, rendering life and property insecure, defying the authority of the law, and threatening the most fatal consequences if not promptly and effectually repressed.
§ "I feel confident that to your loyalty and patriotism I shall not resort in vain for assistance in these afflicting circumstances, and that you will be ready to adopt such measures of salutary precaution, and to intrust to me such additional powers, as may be found necessary for controlling and punishing the disturbers of the public peace, and for preserving and strengthening the Legislative Union between the two countries, which, with your support, and under the blessings of Divine Providence, I am determined to maintain, by all the measures in my power, as indissolubly connected with the peace, security, and welfare of my people."
§ His Majesty and the Commons withdrew.