Sitting of 5 November 1852

Preamble
The House mot—at Two o'clock.

APPROVAL OF THE SPEAKER.
The Speaker Elect took the chair at Two o'clock.
Message from the Lords Commissioners, desiring the immediate attendance of the House in the House of Lords.
The House went:—and being returned,
MR. SPEAKERsaid: I have to report to the House that the House has been this day to the House of Peers, where I have had the honour of communicating to the Lords Commissioners appointed by Her Majesty, that this House, in the exercise of its undoubted privilege, had proceeded to the election of a Speaker, and that their choice had fallen upon me; which choice Her Majesty's Commissioners were pleased to signify had received Her Majesty's Royal confirmation. Whereupon I made my humble petition to Her Majesty, in the name and on the behalf of the Commons of the United Kingdom, for all their ancient and undoubted rights and privileges,

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especially those of freedom of debate, freedom from arrest for themselves and their servants, free access to Her Majesty whenever occasion may require, and that Her Majesty would be graciously pleased to place the most favourable construction on all their proceedings. All which privileges the Lords Commissioners were pleased to signify Her Majesty conceded to as full an extent as they had ever been conceded by any of Her Majesty's Royal predecessors. Having made this communication to the House, I hope hon. Members will allow me to take this opportunity of again offering my sincere and grateful acknowledgments for the very honourable distinction they have again conferred upon me by placing me, for the fourth time, in this chair as their Speaker. I invite them to aid and assist me with their counsel and support in maintaining the authority of the chair; and I hope I may assure them that, as far as lies in my power, that authority will be exercised with perfect impartiality, and in the manner most conducive to the public interests, and to the honour and dignity of the House. I will now remind hon. Members that the only business with which we can at present proceed is to take the oaths as prescribed by law.
Mr. Speaker then took the Oaths, first alone; and after him several other Members took the Oaths.
House adjourned at a quarter after Four o'clock.

Preamble
Several Lords—Took the Oaths.
The Viscount Bolingbroke—Sat first in Parliament after the Death of his Father.

APPROVAL OF THE SPEAKER.
The Lords Commissioners — the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Privy Seal (the Marquess of Salisbury), the Lord Steward (the Duke of Montrose), the Earl of Eglinton, and Lord Colchester—being seated, and the Commons, who were summoned, being come, the Right Hon. Charles Shaw Lefevre, Speaker elect, addressing the Lords Commissioners, said: My Lords, I have to acquaint your Lordships that, in obedience to Her Majesty's commands, and in the exercise of their undoubted privilege, Her Majesty's faithful Commons have proceeded to the election of a Speaker, and that their choice has fallen upon me. Deeply impressed with a sense of my own unworthiness, I now submit myself for Her Majesty's gracious approbation.
The LORD CHANCELLOR: Mr. Shaw Lefevre, we are commanded by Her Majesty to assure you that Her Majesty is satisfied of your ample sufficiency to discharge the important duties which Her faithful Commons have elected you to perform, and that Her Majesty most fully approves and confirms their choice.
MR. SPEAKER: My Lords, I bow with all humility to Her Majesty's Royal will and pleasure. It now becomes my duty, in the name and on the behalf of the Commons of the United Kingdom, to lay claim, by humble petition to Her Majesty, to all their ancient and undoubted rights
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and privileges; more especially to those of freedom of debate, freedom from arrest for themselves and their servants, free access to Her Majesty whenever occasion may require; and that Her Majesty will be pleased to place the most favourable construction upon all their proceedings. For myself, I humbly entreat that any error which may be committed 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 from Her Majesty to inform you that Her Majesty most readily confirms all the rights, liberties, and privileges which hare ever been granted to or conferred upon Her faithful Commons, either by Her Majesty or by any of Her Royal predecessors. With respect to yourself, Sir, although Her Majesty is sensible you will stand in need of no such indulgence, we are commanded to assure you that Her Majesty will ever put the most favourable construction on your words and actions, as well as on those of Her faithful Commons.
Then the Commons withdrew.
House adjourned to Monday next.