Sitting of 20 August 1841

APPROVAL OF THE SPEAKER.
The Speakeraccompanied by Members present proceeded, having been summoned, to attend the Lords Commissioners.
The Speakeron his return stated, that the House had been to the House of Peers, where the Lords authorised by her Majesty's commission had signified the Royal Approval of the choice the House had made of a Speaker. He added that he had then claimed at the Bar all the usual and undoubted privileges of freedom from arrest, freedom of speech, &c. "I trust I may now be permitted," the right hon. Gentleman continued, "again to offer to the House a sincere expression of my gratitude for the honour it has conferred upon me. I cannot pretend to discharge the duties of the office in which I am placed with the ability it may require, but I feel that I shall constantly need the indulgence and assistance of the House. Without that assistance my best effort will be unavailing; but with it I hope to be able to conduct the business of the House in a manner satisfactory to it and beneficial to the country. I have now to remind the House that our first duty is to proceed to take the oaths prescribed by law, without which Members cannot be qualified to take their seats."
The Speaker then took the oaths, first alone; and after him, several other Members took the oaths in the usual manner.
Adjourned.

APPROVAL OF THE SPEAKER.
The right hon. Charles Shaw Lefevre, Speaker elect, was presented, and approved of, by the Lords' Commissioners, by command of her Majesty.
Mr. Shaw Lefevre,accompanied by a numerous body of Commoners, having come to the Bar, the right hon. Gentleman said: My Lords, I am to acquaint your Lordships that, in obedience to her Majesty's commands, her Majesty's faithful Commons have proceeded to exercise their undoubted right and privilege in the election of a Speaker. I have now to acquaint your Lordships, that their choice, however unworthy, has fallen upon me, and I now humbly submit myself to her Majesty's royal will and pleasure.
The Lord Chancellor: Mr. Shaw Lefevre, we have in command from her Majesty to assure you that her Majesty is fully satisfied of your zeal for the public service, and that it is amply sufficient for the discharge of the arduous duty imposed on you; and her Majesty, therefore, does most readily and fully approve of the choice of her faithful Commons, and confirms you as their Speaker.
The Speaker: My Lords, with most profound gratitude and humility I bow to her Majesty's will and pleasure, expressed by her royal confirmation of the choice of her faithful Commons; and it now becomes my duty, in the name and on behalf of the Commons of the United Kingdom, to lay claim, by humble petition, to the free exercise of all their ancient and undoubted rights and privileges, and more especially to those of freedom of speech in debate, freedom from arrest or molestation for their persons and their servants, free access to her Majesty at all convenient times, whenever occasion may require it, and that her Majesty will be graciously pleased to put the most favourable construction on all their proceedings: and for myself I am anxious and most earnestly entreat that whatever error may be committed the blame may be imputed to me
alone, and not to her Majesty's faithful Commons.
The Lord Chancellor: Mr. Speaker; we have it further in command to inform you, that her Majesty doth most readily confirm all the rights and privileges which have ever been granted to or confirmed on the Commons by herself or any of her royal predecessors. With respect to yourself, Sir, though her Majesty is sensible that you stand in no need of such assurance, her Majesty will ever put the most favourable construction upon your words and actions.
The Speaker and Commons retired.
The usual oaths were then taken by several Peers.
Adjourned.