§ This day being appointed for the Prorogation of the Parliament by THE QUEEN in Person, HER MAJESTY entered the House soon after Two o'clock, accompanied by the Prince Albert, and attended by the Great Officers of State.
§ The QUEEN being seated on the Throne, and the Commons (who were sent for) being come, with their Speaker,
§ "MOST GRACIOUS SOVEREIGN,
§ "We, your Majesty's dutiful and loyal subjects, the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, attend your Majesty with our concluding Bill of Supply.
§ "In obedience to your Majesty's gracious recommendation, signified in the Speech 1073 of the Lords Commissioners at the commencement of the Session, we at once addressed ourselves to the consideration of a Bill for the better Government of the Australian colonies; and, in furtherance of this important object, we have invested the Colonial Legislatures with such powers as will enable them to establish (subject to the approval of your Majesty) those forms of representative Government which may be best adapted to their wants and circumstances. We confidently look forward to the gradual development of the vast resources of those distant portions of the empire, and to their increasing attachment to this country and its institutions, as the happy and beneficial result of this measure.
§ "We have made a considerable advance in sanitary improvement, by prohibiting interments in the metropolis, and by giving the sanction of law in certain districts to those regulations which past experience has proved to be protective of the public health.
§ "Aware of the growing competition to which our Merchant Navy is exposed in consequence of the recent alterations in the Navigation Laws, we have devoted much time and attention to those supplementary measures which have become necessary to give greater efficiency to our mercantile marine. A Bill in connexion with this subject has lately received your Majesty's assent, by which we have endeavoured to elevate the character of the commanders of merchant vessels, to en. force a better discipline amongst their crews, and at the same time to promote the general comfort and welfare of British seamen.
§ "The state of the Parliamentary Franchise in Ireland, the extraordinary diminution in the number of electors, and the defects in the existing system of registration in that country, have received from us, as they deserved, the most careful and patient consideration. By the remedies we have provided for these acknowledged evils, we hope to have secured to the people of Ire- 1074 land an electoral body sufficiently numerous and independent for the due and faithful discharge of the important trust of returning representatives to the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
§ "These are the most prominent measures of the present Session, and it would be tedious to enumerate various others of minor importance, but of great practical utility, to which our attention has been equally directed.
§ "It has been our pleasing duty to reduce the amount of taxation, whilst carefully providing the Supplies requisite for the public service, and for the support of the honour and dignity of the Crown; and we have been sustained during a Session of almost unexampled labour by a feeling of unfeigned loyalty and attachment to your Majesty, by an earnest desire to uphold and improve the institutions of the country, and to maintain, under the blessing of Providence, the increasing prosperity of the people.
§ "We have now to crave your Majesty's most Gracious Assent to our last Bill of the Session, which is to apply and appropriate the Consolidated Fund."
§ MR. SPEAKER delivered the Money Bill to the clerk.
§ The Royal Assent having been then given to several Bills,
HER MAJESTYwas then pleased to make a most Gracious Speech to both Houses of Parliament, as follows:—
§ "My Lords, and Gentlemen,
§ I HAVE the Satisfaction of being able to release you from the Duties of a laborious Session.
§ "THE Assiduity and Care with which you have applied yourselves to the Business which required your Attention merit My cordial Approbation.
§ "THE Act for the better Government of my Australian Colonies will, I trust, improve the Condition of those rising Communities, It will always 1075 be gratifying to Me to be able to extend the Advantages of Representative Institutions, which form the Glory and Happiness of My People, to Colonies inhabited by Men who are capable of exercising with Benefit to themselves the Privileges of Freedom.
§ "IT has afforded Me great Satisfaction to give My Assent to the Act which you have passed for the Improvement of the Merchant Naval Service of this Country; it is, I trust, calculated to promote the Welfare of every Class connected with this essential Branch of the National Interest.
§ "THE Act for the gradual Discontinuance of Interments within the Limits of the Metropolis is in conformity with those enlightened Views which have for their Object the Improvement of the Public Health. I shall watch with Interest the Progress of Measures relating to this important Subject.
§ "I HAVE given my cordial Assent to the Act for the Extension of the Elective Franchise in Ireland. I look to the most beneficial Consequences from a Measure which has been framed with a view to give to My people in Ireland a fair Participation in the Benefits of our Representative System.
§ "I HAVE observed with the greatest Interest and Satisfaction the Measures which have been adopted with a view to the Improvement of the Administration of Justice in various Departments, and I confidently anticipate they will be productive of much public Convenience and Advantage.
§ "Gentlemen of the House of Commons,
§ "THE Improvement of the Revenue, and the large Reductions which 1076 have been made in various Branches of Expenditure, have tended to give to our Financial Condition Stability and Security. I am happy to find that you have been enabled to relieve My Subjects from some of the Burthens of Taxation, without impairing the Sufficiency of our Resources to meet the Charges imposed upon them.
§ "My Lords, and Gentlemen,
§ I AM encouraged to hope that the Treaty between Germany and Denmark, which has been concluded at Berlin under my Mediation, may lead at no distant Period to the Restoration of Peace in the North of Europe. No Endeavour shall be wanting on My Part to secure the Attainment of this great Blessing.
§ "I CONTINUE to maintain the most friendly Relations with Foreign Powers, and I trust that nothing may occur to disturb the general Peace.
§ "I HAVE every Reason to be thankful for the Loyalty and Attachment of My People; and, while I am studious to preserve and to improve our Institutions, I rely upon the Goodness of Almighty God to favour my Efforts, and to guide the Destinies of this Nation."
§ Then the LORD CHANCELLOR, by Her Majesty's Command, said—
§ "My Lords and Gentlemen,
§ "It is Her Majesty's Royal Will and Pleasure that this Parliament be prorogued to Tuesday, the 15th day of October next, to be then here holden; and this Parliament is accordingly prorogued till Tuesday, the 15th day of October next."
§ HER MAJESTY and Prince Albert, attended by the Officers of State, as before, then retired, and the rest of the Assembly immediately dispersed.