§ THE QUEEN being seated on the Throne, and the Commons being at the Bar, with their Speaker, HER MAJESTY was pleased to make a most Gracious Speech to both Houses of Parliament as follows:—
§ "My Lords, and Gentlemen,
§ "I CANNOT meet you for the first Time after the Dissolution of Parliament without expressing My deep Sorrow, in which I am sure you will participate, that your Deliberations can no longer be aided by the Counsels of that illustrious Man whose great Achievements have exalted the Name of England, and in whose Loyalty and Patriotism the Interests of My Throne and of My People ever found an unfailing Support. I rely with Confidence on your Desire to join with Me in taking such Steps as may mark your Sense of the irreparable Loss which the Country has sustained by the Death of Arthur Duke of Wellington.
§ "I AM happy to acknowledge the Readiness with which My Subjects in general have come forward, in pur- 18 suance of the Act of last Session, to join the Ranks of the Militia; and I confidently trust that the Force thus raised by voluntary Enlistment will be calculated to give effective Aid to My regular Army for the Protection and Security of the Country.
§ "I CONTINUE to receive from all Foreign Powers Assurances of their anxious Desire to maintain the friendly Relations now happily subsisting with My Government.
§ "FREQUENT and well-founded Complaints on the Part of My North American Colonies, of Infractions, by Citizens of the United, States, of the Fishery Convention of 1818, induced Me to despatch, for the Protection of their Interests, a Class of Vessels better adapted to the Service than those which had been previously employed. This Step has led to Discussions with the Government of the United States; and while the Rights of My Subjects have been firmly maintained, the friendly Spirit in which the Question has been treated induces Me to hope that the ultimate Result may be a mutually beneficial Extension and Improvement of our Commercial Intercourse with that great Republic.
§ "THE special Mission which, in concert with the Prince President of the French Republic, I deemed it right to send to the Argentine Confederation, has been received with the utmost Cordiality; and the wise and enlightened Policy of the Provisional Director has already opened to the Commerce of the World the great Rivers, hitherto closed, which afford an Access to the Interior of the vast Continent of South America.
§ "I HAVE the Satisfaction of announcing to you that the sincere and zealous 19 Efforts of the Government of Brazil for the Suppression of the Slave Trade, now nearly extinguished on that Coast, have enabled Me to suspend the stringent Measures which I had been compelled reluctantly to adopt, a Recurrence to which I anxiously hope may be proved to be unnecessary.
§ "THE Government of Her Most Faithful Majesty have fully recognized the Justice of the Claim which My Government have long Urged for the Abolition of the discriminating Duties on the Export of Wine, and have passed a Decree for giving complete Effect to the Stipulations of the Treaty on this Subject.
§ "You will probably deem it advisable to resume the Inquiries which were commenced by the late Parliament with a view to Legislation on the Subject of the future Government of My East Indian Possessions.
§ "Gentlemen of the House of Commons,
§ "THE Estimates for the ensuing Year will in due Time be laid before you.
§ "THE advancement of the Fine Arts and of Practical Science will be readily recognized by you as worthy of the Attention of a great and enlightened Nation. I have directed that a comprehensive Scheme shall be laid before you, having in view the Promotion of these Objects, towards which I invite your Aid and Co-operation.
§ "My Lords, and Gentlemen,"
§ IT gives Me Pleasure to be enabled, by the blessing of Providence, to congratulate you on the generally improved Condition of the Country, and 20 especially of the Industrious Classes; If you should be of opinion that recent Legislation in contributing, with other Causes, to this happy Result, has at the same time inflicted unavoidable Injury on certain important Interests, I recommend you dispassionately to consider how far it may be practicable equitably to mitigate that Injury, and to enable the Industry of the Country to meet successfully that unrestricted Competition to which Parliament, in its Wisdom, has decided that it should be subjected.
§ "I TRUST that the general Improvement, notwithstanding many Obstacles, has extended to Ireland; and while I rely with Confidence on your Aid, should it be required, to restrain that unhappy Spirit of Insubordination and Turbulence which produces many and aggravates all of the Evils which afflict that Portion of My Dominions, I recommend to you the Adoption of such a liberal and generous Policy towards Ireland as may encourage and assist her to rally from the Depression in which she has been sunk by the Sufferings of late Years.
§ "ANXIOUS to promote the Efficiency of every Branch of our National Church, I have thought fit to issue a Commission to inquire and report to Me how far, in their Opinion, the Capitular Institutions of the Country are capable of being made more effective for the great Objects of Religious Worship, Religious Education, and Ecclesiastical Discipline.
§ "I HAVE directed that the Reports of the Commissioners for inquiring into the System of Education pursued at Oxford and Cambridge should be communicated to the governing Bodies of those Universities, for their Consideration; and I rely upon your Readi- 21 ness to remove any legal Difficulties which may impede the Desire of the Universities at large, or of the several Colleges, to introduce such Amendments into their existing System as they may deem to be more in accordance with the Requirements of the present Time.
§ "THE System of Secondary Punishments has usefully occupied the Labours of successive Parliaments; and I shall rejoice if you shall find it possible to devise Means by which, without giving Encouragement to Crime, Transportation to Van Diemen's Land may at no distant Period be altogether discontinued.
§ "THE Subject of Legal Reform continues to engage My anxious Attention. The Acts passed in the last Session of Parliament have been followed up by the Orders necessary for putting them in operation. Inquiries are in progress, by My Direction, with a view of bringing into Harmony the Testamentary Jurisdiction of My several Courts; and Bills will be submitted to you for effecting further Improvements in the Administration of the Law.
§ "To these and other Measures affecting the Social condition of the Country I am persuaded that you will give your earnest and zealous Attention, and I pray that by the Blessing of Almighty God your Deliberations may be guided to the Well-being and Happiness of My People."
§ HER MAJESTY then retired.