§ The LORDS COMMISSIONERS—namely, The LOED PRESIDENT (Earl Granville); The LORD STEWARD OF THE HOUSEHOLD (The Earl of St. Germans); The LORD CHAMBERLAIN OF THE HOUSEHOLD (The Viscount Sydney); The VISCOUNT EVERS-LEY; and The LORD WENSLEYDALE—being in their robes, and seated on a Form between the Throne and the Woolsack; and 1179 the COMMONS being come with their Speaker, the ROYAI ASSENT was given to several Bills.
§ Then THE LORD PRESIDENT delivered the SPEECH of The LORDS COMMISSIONERS as follows:—
§ "My Lords, and Gentlemen,
§ "WE are commanded by Her Majesty to release you from further Attendance in Parliament and at the same Time to convey to you Her Majesty's Acknowledgments for the Zeal and Assiduity with which you have applied yourselves to the Discharge of your Duties in the Session now brought to a Close.
§ "WE are further commanded to inform you that, as the present Parliament has now so nearly lasted the Period assigned by Law for the Duration of Parliaments, that you could not enter upon another yearly Session with Advantage to the Public Interest, it is Her Majesty's Intention immediately to dissolve the present Parliament, and to issue Writs for the calling of a new one.
§ "BUT Her Majesty cannot take Leave of you without commanding us to express to you Her Majesty's deep Sense of the Zeal and public Spirit which, during the Six Years of your Existence as a Parliament, you have constantly displayed in the Discharge of important Functions, and tendering to you Her Majesty's warm Acknowledgment of the many good Measures which you have submitted for Her Acceptance, and which have greatly conduced to the Diminution of the public Burthens, and to the Encouragement of the Industry, to the Increase of the Wealth, and to the Promotion of the Welfare and Happiness, of Her Majesty's People.
1180§ "WE are commanded to inform you that Her Majesty's Relations with Foreign Powers are friendly and satisfactory, and She trusts that there are no Questions pending which are likely to lead to any Disturbance of the Peace of Europe.
§ "HER Majesty rejoices that the Civil War in North America has ended, and She trusts that the Evils caused by that long Conflict may be repaired, and that Prosperity may be restored in the States which have suffered from the Contest.
§ "HER Majesty regrets that the Conferences and Communications between Her Majesty's North American Provinces on the Subject of the Union of those Provinces in a Confederation have not yet led to a satisfactory Result. Such a Union would afford additional Strength to those Provinces, and give Facilities for many internal Improvements. Her Majesty has received gratifying Assurances of the devoted Loyalty of Her North American Subjects.
§ "HER Majesty rejoices at the continued Tranquillity and increasing Prosperity of Her Indian Dominions; and She trusts that the large Supply which those Territories will afford of the raw Material of Manufacturing Industry, together with the Termination of the Civil War in the United States of North America, will prevent the Recurrence of the Distress which long prevailed among the Mauufacturing Population of some of the Northern Counties.
§ "Gentlemen of the House of Commons,
§ "HER Majesty commands us to convey to you Her warm Acknowledgments for the liberal Supplies 1181 which you have granted to Her Majesty for the Service of the present Year, and towards the permanent Defence of Her Majesty's Dockyards and Arsenals.
§ "THE Commercial Treaty which Her Majesty has recently concluded with Prussia and the other States, composing the German Commercial Union, has, by Her Majesty's Commands, been laid before you. Her Majesty trusts that this Treaty will contribute to the Development of Commercial Relations between this Country and Germany, and will promote the Interests of the several Countries which are Parties to it.
§ "HER Majesty commands us to assure you that Her Attention will continue to be directed to all such Measures as may be calculated to extend and to place on a sound Footing the Trade between Her Majesty's Dominions and Foreign Countries.
§ "My Lords, and Gentlemen,
§ "HER Majesty has given Her cordial Assent to many Measures of public Usefulness, the Result of your Labours in the Session now brought to a Close.
§ "THE Act for rendering the Expenses incurred for the Support of the Poor chargeable upon the whole of a Union, instead of being confined to separate Parishes, will diminish the Hardship inflicted upon the Labouring Poor by reason of Removals from Parish to Parish.
§ "THE Partnership Amendment Act will tend to encourage the profitable Employment of Capital.
§ "THE Courts of Justice Building 1182 and Concentration Acts will, it is hoped, lessen the Expense and shorten the Duration of legal Proceedings.
§ "THE Clerical Subscription Act, founded on the Recommendation of a Royal Commission, will remove Objections which have been felt to the Number and Variety of the Forms of Subscription and Declaration hitherto required of the Clergy.
§ "THE Management and Discipline of Prisons will be improved by the Act for the Consolidation and Amendment of the Laws on that Subject.
§ "THE County Court Equitable Jurisdiction Act will give a useful Extenison to the local Administration of Justice.
§ "THE Act for consolidating the Comptrollership of the Exchequer with the Board of Audit will tend to increase the Efficiency of the Arrangements for auditing the Public Accounts.
§ "THE Act for establishing the Record of Titles in Ireland will render more easy and secure the Transfer of Land
§ "THE Act for amending the Laws which govern the Constabulary Force in Ireland will tend to prevent the Recurrence of such Disorders as happened last Year at Belfast.
§ "THE Colonial Naval Defence Act has removed Restrictions which have hitherto prevented the Colonies from taking effectual Measures for their own Defence against Attacks by Sea.
§ "HER Majesty has also gladly given Her Assent to many other useful Measures of less general Importance.
1183§ "THE Electors of the United Kingdom will soon be called upon again to choose their Representatives in Parliament; and Her Majesty fervently prays that the Blessing of Almighty God may attend their Proceedings, and may guide them towards the Attainment of the Object of Her Majesty's constant Solicitude—the Welfare and Happiness of Her People."
§ Then a Commission for proroguing the Parliament was read.
§ After which,
§ My Lords, and Gentlemen,
§ By virtue of Her Majesty's Commission, under the Great Seal, to us and other Lords directed, and now read, we do, in Her Majesty's Name, and in obedience to Her Commands, prorogue this Parliament to Wednesday the Twelfth Day of July instant, to be then here holden; and this Parliament is accordingly prorogued to Wednesday the Twelfth Day of July instant.