§ [From Minutes of August 9.]
§ The LORD CHANCELLORacquainted the House that he had received through the Secretary of State for the Colonies a telegram from the Governor of Bermuda, dated 1st August, as follows—
"I am desired by the Legislature of Bermuda, assembled at St. George's on the three hundredth anniversary of the first meeting of the General Assembly of their Colony, to request you to convey to His Majesty the following address unanimously adopted by all branches of the Legislature:
"Your most Gracious Majesty, we, the Governor, Legislative Council, and House of Assembly of Your Majesty's Bermudas or Somers Island, met in special Session on this three hundredth anniversary of the establishment of Parliamentary Institutions, do now present our humble duty to Your Majesty and desire to express our loyal devotion to Your Majesty's Throne and Person. It is a matter of pride to all the inhabitants of these Islands that they have for so long a time enjoyed a system of Government based on representative institutions, moulded on the Mother of Parliaments of which our Legislature can, we believe, claim to be the eldest offspring. Of that great model which has been the inspiration of the Empire, and, indeed, of the world, we entertain the deepest veneration, and we beg that Your Majesty will be pleased to cause this expression of our respect and admiration to be conveyed to Your Majesty's House of Parliament.
"We humbly desire to express our grateful thanks for the gracious message from Your Majesty and Her Majesty the Queen, communicated to us this day, which will evoke the warmest sentiment of loyalty and gratitude from the people of this ancient and loyal colony. Many of us remember with pleasure and pride Your Majesty's sojourns amongst us, and the arrival of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales is an event looked forward to with eager expectation by all.
§ "Willcocks"