§ The Lords Commissioners having taken their places according to the usual forms, and the Commons having come to the bar, the Lord Chancellor read the following Speech:—
§ "My Lords and Gentlemen,
§ "We are commanded by her Majesty to acquaint you, that her Majesty has availed herself of the earliest opportunity of resorting to jour advice and assistance after the dissolution of the last Parliament.
§ "Her Majesty continues to receive from Foreign Powers gratifying assurances of their desire to maintain with her Majesty the most friendly relations.
§ "Her Majesty has the satisfaction of informing you, that the objects for which the Treaty of the 15th of July, 1840, was concluded between her Majesty, the Emperor of Austria, the King of Prussia, the Emperor of Russia, and the Sultan, have been fully accomplished, and it is gratifying to her Majesty to be enabled to state, that the temporary separation which the measures taken in the execution of that treaty, created between the contracting 14 parties and France, has now ceased.
§ " Her Majesty trusts that the union of the principal Powers upon all matters affecting the great interests of Europe, will afford a firm security for the maintenance of peace.
§ " Her Majesty is glad to be able to inform you, that, in consequence of the evacuation of Ghorian by the Persian troops, her Majesty has ordered her Minister to the Court of Persia to return to Teheran.
§ " Her Majesty regrets that the negotiations between her plenipotentiaries in China, and the Chinese government, have not yet been brought to a satisfactory conclusion, and that it has been necessary to call into action the forces which her Majesty has sent to the China seas; but her Majesty still trusts that the Emperor of China will see the justice of the demands which her Majesty's plenipotentiaries have been instructed to make.
§ " Her Majesty is happy to inform you, that the differences which had arisen between Spain and Portugal, about the execution of a treaty concluded by those Powers in 1835, for regulating the navigation of the Douro, have been adjusted amicably, and with honour to both parties, by the aid of her Majesty's mediation.
§ " The debt incurred by the Legislature of Upper Canada, for the purposes of public works, is a serious obstacle to further improvements which are essential to the prosperity of the United Province. Her Majesty has authorised the Governor-General to make a communication on the subject to the Council and Assembly of Canada. Her Majesty will direct the papers to be laid before 15 you, and trusts that your earnest attention will be directed to matters so materially affecting the welfare of Canada, and the strength of the empire.
§ " Gentlemen of the House of Commons,
§ " We have to assure you, that her Majesty relies, with entire confidence, on your loyalty and zeal to make adequate provision for the public service, as well as for the further application of sums granted by the last Parliament.
§ " My Lords and Gentlemen,
§ " We are more especially commanded to declare to you, that the extraordinary expenses which the events in Canada, China, and the Mediterranean have occasioned, and the necessity of maintaining a force adequate to the protection of our extensive possessions, have made it necessary to consider the means of increasing the public revenue. Her Majesty is anxious that this object should be effected in the manner least burdensome to her people, and it has appeared to her Majesty, after full deliberation, that you may, at this juncture, properly direct your attention to the revision of duties affecting the productions of foreign countries. It will be for you to consider whether some of these duties are not so trifling in amount as to be unproductive to the revenue, while they are vexatious to commerce. You may further examine whether the principle of protection, upon which others of these duties are founded, be not carried to an extent injurious alike to the income of the state, and the interests of the people.
§ " Her Majesty is desirous that you 16 should consider the laws which regulate the trade in corn. It will be for you to determine whether these laws do not aggravate the natural fluctuations of supply, whether they do not embarrass trade, derange currency, and, by their operation, diminish the comfort, and increase the privations of the great body of the community.
§ " Her Majesty feeling the deepest sympathy with those of her subjects who are now suffering from distress and want of employment, it is her earnest prayer that all your deliberations may be guided by wisdom, and may conduce to the happiness of her beloved people."
§ The Commons withdrew.
§ Adjourned.
§ Their Lordships re-assembled at five o'clock.
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cc16-109
- ADDRESS IN ANSWER TO THE SPEECH. 38,938 words, 1 division cc109-10
- PROTEST. 614 words cc110-1
- PROTEST. 589 words