Her Majestyproceeded in state to the House of Peers, and in her progress was enthusiastically cheered by a great multitude of persons who lined the streets. At two o'clock her Majesty entered the House, preceded by the heralds and officers of state, accompanied by the Duchess of Kent, and attended by the Duchess of Sutherland, mistress of the robes, and 13 Lady Barham, lady in waiting, the Master of the Horse, the Treasurer, and other members of her household. When her Majesty took her seat on the throne, she was supported on the right by the Earl of Shaftesbury, holding the cap of maintenance, the Lord Chancellor, Earl Marshal (the Duke of Norfolk), and the Duke of Somerset, bearing the crown upon a cushion; and on the left by Lord Melbourne, holding the sword of state, the lady in waiting, and the members of the household. Behind the throne stood the Duchess of Kent, and the Mistress of the Robes, and at the foot, the Dukes of Sussex and Cambridge.
Her Majestydesired the Lords to be seated, and the Commons having come to the bar, headed by the Speaker, her Majesty took and subscribed the usual declaration, repealing every sentence after the Lord Chancellor, and then delivered the following Speech:—
§ "MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,
§ "I have thought it right to assemble you for the transaction of public business at the earliest convenient period after the dissolution of the late Parliament.
§ "It is with great satisfaction that I have received from all foreign powers the strongest assurances of their friendly disposition, and of their earnest desire to cultivate and maintain with me the relations of amity; and I rejoice in the prospect that I shall be able to promote the best interests of my subjects by securing to them the advantages of peace.
§ "I lament that civil war still afflicts the kingdom of Spain. I continue to exercise with fidelity the engagements of my crown with the Queen of Spain, according to the stipulations of the treaty of quadruple alliance.
§ "I have directed a treaty of commerce which I have concluded with the united republic of Peru and Bolivia to be laid before you, and I hope soon to be able to communicate to you similar results of my negotiations with other powers.
§ "I recommend to your serious consideration the state of the province of Lower Canada.
14§ "GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS,
§ "The demise of the Crown renders it necessary that a new provision should be made for the civil list. I place unreservedly at your disposal those hereditary revenues which were transferred to the public by my immediate predecessor, and I have commanded that such papers as may be necessary for the full examination of this subject shall be prepared and laid before you. Desirous that the expenditure in this, as in every other department of the Government, should be kept within due limits, I feel confident that you will gladly make adequate provision for the support of the honour and dignity of the Crown.
§ "The estimates for the services of next year are in course of preparation, and will be laid before you at the accustomed period. I have directed that the utmost economy should be enforced in every branch of the public expenditure.
§ "MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,
§ "The external peace, and domestic tranquillity which at present happily prevail, are very favourable for the consideration of such measures of reformation and amendment as may be necessary or expedient, and your attention will naturally be directed to that course of legislation which was interrupted by the necessary dissolution of the last Parliament.
§ "The result of the inquiries which have been made into the condition of the poor in Ireland, has been already laid before Parliament, and it will be your duty to consult whether it may not be safe and wise to establish by law some well-regulated means of relief for the destitute in that country.
§ "The municipal government of the cities and towns in Ireland calls for better regulation.
§ "The laws which govern the collection, of the tithe composition in Ireland require revision and amendment.
§ "Convinced that the better and more 15 effectual administration of justice is amongst the first duties of a Sovereign, I request your attention to those measures which will be submitted to you for the improvement of the law.
§ "You cannot but be sensible of the deep importance of these questions which I have submitted to you, and of the necessity of treating them in that spirit of impartiality and justice which affords the best hope of bringing them to a happy and useful termination. In meeting this Parliament, the first that has been elected under my authority, I am anxious to declare my confidence in your loyalty and wisdom. The early age at which I am called to the sovereignty of this kingdom renders it a more imperative duty, that under Divine Providence, I should place my reliance upon your cordial co-operation, and upon the love and affection of all my people."
§ Her Majesty then left the House attended as before.