§ Her Majesty, being seated on the Throne, adorned with Her Crown and Regal Ornaments, and attended by Her Officers of State, (the Lords being in 2 their robes)—commanded the Yeoman Usher of the Black Rod, through the Deputy Lord Great Chamberlain, to let the Commons know "It is Her Majesty's Pleasure they attend Her immediately, in this House."
§ Who being come, with their Speaker;
THE LORD CHANCELLOR,taking directions from Her Majesty,deliveredHer Majesty's most gracious Speech to both Houses of Parliament, as follows:—
§ "My Lords, and Gentlemen,
§ "IT is with much satisfaction that I again resort to the advice and assistance of my Parliament.
§ "My relations with all the Powers continue to be friendly. The course of events since the prorogation of 3 Parliament has tended to furnish additional security to the maintenance of European peace, on the principles laid down by the Treaty of Berlin. Much, however, still remains to be done to repair the disorder with which the late war has affected many parts of the Turkish Empire.
§ "A Convention for the suppression of the Slave Trade has been concluded between my Government and that of His Imperial Majesty the Sultan.
§ "At the close of your last Session I expressed my hope that the Treaty of Gundamak had happily terminated the war in Afghanistan. In conformity with its provisions, my Envoy, with his retinue, was honourably received and entertained by the Ameer at Cabul. While engaged, however, in the exercise of their duty, he and those connected with the Embassy were treacherously attacked by overwhelming numbers, and, after an heroic defence, were almost all massacred. An outrage so intolerable called for condign chastisement, and my troops, which, pursuant to the stipulations of the Treaty, either had withdrawn or were withdrawing from the territories governed by the Ameer, were ordered to retrace their steps. The skill exhibited in the rapid march upon Cabul, and in the advances upon the other lines of action, reflects the highest credit upon the officers and men of my British and native forces, whose bravery has shone with its wonted lustre in every collision with the enemy.
§ "The abdication of the Ameer and the unsettled condition of the country render the recall of my troops impossible for the present; but the principle on which my Government has hitherto 4 acted remains unchanged, and while determined to make the frontiers of my Indian Empire strong, I desire to be in friendly relations alike with those who may rule in Afghanistan and with the people of that country.
§ "My anticipations as to the early establishment of peace in South Africa have been fulfilled. The capture and deposition of the Zulu King, and the breaking up of the military organization on which his dynasty was based, have relieved my possessions in that part of the world from a danger which has seriously impeded their advancement and consolidation. In Basutoland, a native outbreak of considerable importance has been effectually quelled by my Colonial forces; while the Transvaal has been freed from the depredations of a powerful Chief, who, having successfully resisted the former government of the country, had persistently rejected our attempts at conciliation. I have reason to hope that the time is now approaching when an important advance may be made towards the establishment of a Union or Confederation under which the powers of self-government, already enjoyed by the inhabitants of the Cape Colony, may be extended to my subjects in other parts of South Africa.
§ "Papers on these and other matters will be forthwith laid before you.
§ "Gentlemen of the House of Commons,"I have directed the Estimates of this year to be prepared and presented to you without delay.
§ "My Lords, and Gentlemen,"
§ The Commission which, at the close of the Session, I informed you I had issued to inquire into the causes 5 of agricultural depression throughout the United Kingdom, is pursuing its labours. In the meantime, the serious deficiency in the usual crops in some parts of Ireland has rendered necessary special precautions on the part of my Government to guard against the calamities with which those districts were threatened.
§ "With this view, they have called upon the authorities charged with the duty of administering relief to make ample preparations for the distribution of food and fuel, should such a step become necessary, and they have also stimulated the employment of labour by advances on terms more liberal than those prescribed by the existing law.
§ "I feel assured that you will give your sanction to the course which has been adopted where it may have exceeded the power entrusted by Parliament to the Executive Government.
§ "A proposal will be submitted to you for providing the funds required for these exceptional advances on the security of the property administered by the Church Temporalities Commissioners.
§ "I trust you will be able to resume the consideration of the Criminal Code, and of the Improvement of the Law of Bankruptcy.
§ "Bills will be laid before you, for enlarging the powers of owners of Settled Land, for consolidating and amending the Lunacy Laws, and for simplifying the practice of Conveyancing.
§ "I commend to you these and other measures which may be submitted for your consideration, and I trust that 6 the blessing of the Almighty will attend and direct your labours."
§ And then Her Majesty retired. And the Commons withdrew.
§ ROLL OF THE LORDS—Garter King of Arms attending, delivered at the Table (in the usual manner) a List of the Lords Temporal in the Seventh Session of the Twenty-first Parliament of the United Kingdom: The same was ordered to lie on the Table.