ADDRESS TO HER MAJESTY. (Hansard, 21 June 1897)

§ THE PRIME MINISTER (The Marquess of SALISBURY)
, who on rising was received with cheers, said: My Lords,—I rise to move that an humble Address be presented by this House to Her Majesty on the occasion of the auspicious celebration of the 60th year of Her Majesty's reign. The Address which I propose that the House shall present is as follows:— That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, to congratulate Her Majesty on the auspicious completion of the 60th year of her happy reign, and to assure Her Majesty that this House profoundly shares the great 418 joy with which her people celebrate the longest, the most prosperous, and the most illustrious reign in their history, joining with them in praying earnestly for the continuance during many years of Her Majesty's life and health. [Cheers.] My Lords, the precedents are in favour of very short speeches on the occasions of addresses, or joyful occasions, from this House to the Throne, and I shall not depart from so good a precedent. And, indeed, it would perplex me to say anything that should not have the appearance of simple iteration if I were to attempt to enlarge upon the subject which has been before the minds of the people of this country for so many months. It is, undoubtedly, a great as well as a unique occasion. Other reigns have been nearly as long, but no reign has maintained an unbroken succession of prosperous fortune and able government, and there is no reign which the Sovereign has brought to a conclusion with a higher tribute of loyalty and affection and devotion from her subjects than that with which the reign commenced. It is not only a long reign, a great reign, but it is an epoch in the history of our time and our race. It is a period in which changes of mighty import have commenced and have proceeded, bearing in them the seeds of vast developments for the greatness and happiness of our race. During this period Nature has lent new powers to men and nations, all parts of the globe have been Drought snore closely together, for evil or for good; tinder the influence of these natural aids and of the steady progress in enlightenment and knowledge which has been made by European nations, there has been a continuous advance in the from tiers of this Empire, so that many races that were formerly alien to it have been brought under its influence, many who were formerly within its boundaries have been made to. feel, in some degree for the first time, the full benefits of its civilisation and its educating influence. ["Hear, hear!"] My Lords, it has also been a period of great political change. The impulse of democracy, which began in another century in other lands, has made itself felt fully in our time, and vast changes in the centre of power and the incidence of responsibility have been made almost imperceptibly without any disturbance or hindrance in the progress 419 of the prosperous development of the nation. These things have been done during the reign of the Queen, during the reign of a Princess who began in early youth with little guidance, scarcely with any guidance except that of the great and good man whom she chose for her partner; and under her guidance, in spite of the magnitude of the events and the great changes that have affected all human beings, and this nation especially, we have passed through the period in prosperity and peace, and,. at the end of it the nation is infinitely More powerful, more united, and richer than it was at the beginning, and, above all, more knit together in their love and admiration for the Sovereign under whose care and auspices this great development has taken place. [Cheers.] When I was young it was the fashion to treat the sovereignty of the Queen as nominal, and the share which she took in public business as unreal. I hear less of that language now —["hear, hear!"]—and I speak in an Assembly where many could join with me in saying that no one could so describe the working of our institutions without an entire ignorance of the real method of their operation. The powers of the Sovereign are great; the responsibilities are enormous. That we have passed through a period of so much trial, and arrived at the height of so much greatness, is largely due to the moderating, the self-controlling, influence of the Queen, from whom, legally, all power flows. [Cheers.] We have to express on this singular occasion our deep thankfulness for the blessing that has been vouchsafed to us in this critical age of the world, and our earnest prayer that for as long as possible these benefits may flow from the same hands to a grateful and an adoring people. [Loud cheers.]

THE EARL or KIMBERLEY
, who was received with cheers, said: My Lords, if the noble Marquess felt some perplexity as to what could be said upon an occasion like the present, my difficulty must necessarily be the greater after the noble Marquess has expressed, with, I am sure, the absolute concurrence of every Member of the House—[cheers]—in terms most felicitous and most sufficient, what we all feel. It is unnecessary—the noble Marquess has, I think, 420 wisely avoided it to a great extent—to dilate upon the virtues of our Sovereign. It is known to all of us, it is known to all the people of this country, it is known to all the peoples of the vast Empire over which she rules, that there is no one throughout that Empire who could have inspired more universal respect, more universal regard, not only as a Sovereign, but as a woman, than the Queen who presides over us. ["Hear, hear!"] My Lords, the noble Marquess referred justly to the great changes which have taken place since Her Majesty's reign commenced. I am one of those, unfortunately, who can even remember when there was no railway entering the Metropolis. I well remember the opening of the London and North Western Railway, which was the first railway running out of and into London. That was one of the most momentous changes which has taken place, not only in this country, but in the world, because it is the enormous increase in the facility of communicating with each other, whether by letter, by railway, and, it is perhaps still more important, by telegraph, which has altered the whole face of every community of civilised people in the world, and it is not too much to say that there never has been in the world a period during which changes so momentous and affecting the whole of mankind have taken place as have taken place in the 60 years during which the Queen has reigned. That in itself would make a remarkable epoch. But, my Lords, there is something else important and which is personal to the Sovereign—namely, that we have never before had a Sovereign who has reigned so long and who has never for one moment forfeited the affections of the people. [Cheers.] We have never before had a Sovereign who was respected equally by all parties, who was absolutely impartial to all. [Cheers.] We have never had a Sovereign—at all events in times that any of us can well remember—so capable of aiding her Ministers with wise and prudent counsel. ["Hear, hear!"] As the noble Marquess has justly said, no mistake could be greater than to suppose that the Sovereign of this country does not exercise a constant, a wise, and a most important influence upon all the political events of the reign. If I simply make one remark, you will see at once 421 how true that must be. Ministers go and change. They are not perpetual. The one person who remains at the head of affairs, cognisant of everything that takes place, is the Sovereign, and that Sovereign obtains an experience of the highest public affairs unequalled by any Minister, however powerful. You will see, then, how great is the influence and how great is the power, though it may be an unseen power, of our Sovereign. There is further immense advantage we derive from such a head of our State. In no other way could we centre the affection of the citizens or the subjects of the Empire as we can centre it in the Sovereign at our head. She alone, being impartial, being entirely unconnected with our party struggles—she alone can be the object of that affection which exists throughout her wide dominions, and it is no mean advantage to an Empire to have, not a mere figure-head, but one personage to whom all look with equal respect, love, and affection. [Cheers.] My Lords, I leave very few more words to say. We are proud of our institutions. We are proud, I think justly, of the manner in which they have conduced to the happiness of the nation, but institutions are made for men, and it is upon men themselves that the worth of those institutions mainly depends. But what is it which we boast has specially characterised the people of this country, which, I believe, more than anything else, has made it great? It has been a prudent and calm temperament, and, above all, a sense of duty; and I venture to say that no one has been more actuated by that paramount sense of duty than the Sovereign, and none has shown it. more conspicuously through a life not unbroken by severe trials. ["Hear, hear!" and cheers.] My Lords, I am sure I express the feelings of all on this side of the House when I say that we most cordially concur in the Address the noble Marquess has moved, and that we most earnestly from our hearts wish all length of life and happiness to our Queen. [Loud cheers.]
Address agreed to nemine dissentiente.

§ THE PRIME MINISTER
I beg to move "That the Address be presented by the whole House."

THE EARL or KIMBERLEY
May I ask for how long it is proposed to adjourn the House?

§ THE PRIME MINISTER
Of course, if the House wishes, it can meet earlier; but it is proposed to adjourn until Two o'clock on Wednesday. We have to meet here, at all events technically and nominally, at Two o'clock. We have to be at the Palace at Three o'clock.

THE EARL or KIMBERLEY
When are we likely to meet after that for business?

§ THE PRIME MINISTER
We shall meet on Thursday as usual.

THE EARL OF KIMBERLEY
I have no wish on the subject; I only wanted to know.

THE EARL OF CAMPERDOWN
May I ask the noble Marquess, as several Peers on this side of the House would like to be informed, whether it is intended that when the Address is presented we should be in levee dress or what?

§ THE PRIME MINISTER
I do not know whether my noble Friend the Lord Chamberlain is here. [Laughter.]

VISCOUNT CLIFDEN
I should like to know when we are to meet for business?

§ THE PRIME MINISTER
That is a reasonable question, but before I answer it I should like to ascertain from the other House whether there is any business likely to keep us. I do not know why noble Lords should meet on Thursday if they are otherwise engaged. I should have thought Monday would be soon enough.