English News. House of Lords. Thursday, January 22.

New Zealander, Volume 2, Issue 56, 27 June 1846, Page 3

English News. House of Lords. Thursday, January 22.

Her Majesty , accompanied by the Prince Consort, went in state to the House of Peers to open the session of Parliament. The day was unpiopitions dining the early part, but a little after one the sun sent forth his beams, and gave a eheeiful colour lo proceedings to which moie than usual interest was attached. At twelve o'clock the doors were opened, and the foreign ambassadors and their suites, all in full state d» esses, and a great number of peereses, ,who attended by right, and ladies who had been fafavoured with invitations, begau rapidly to arrive. By nine o'clock the side benches and galleries allotted to these personages were nearly fully occupied. About this time also the members of the peerage, in their robes, began to drop in, and lo wards, tw'oo'clcrck they had ai rived

in such numbers that the bod y of the House was crowded with them. The Judges had, by thi« tune, also anived, and completely occupied the cross woolsacks, lhere were several bishopa also present. Almost the first of the peers to enter the House was the Duke of Wellington, who looked extremely well, and conversed cheerfully with many ladies and others around him. The Lord Chancellor arrived about half-past one, and seemed in -excellent health and spiiits. Amongst the others which made their appearance early were the Duke of JBeaufort, the Duke of Buccleuch, the Duke of Norfolk, the Marquis of Aylesbury, the Earl of Cardigan, the Earl of Ellenborough, the Marquis of Clanrir.avde, the Earl of Zetland, Lord Eldon, Lord Campbell* Lord Monteagle, Lord Redesdale, Lord Haddington, Lord Stanley, the Earl of Devon, the Earl of Charleville, and the Earl of Aberdeen. The Duke of Cambridge and Prince George, the latter in militaiy uniform, arrived about twenty minutes before two. The foimer shortly afterwards placed himself upon the woulsack beside the Lord Chancellor, with whom and others around he entered into lively conversation. At five minutes past two o'clock the sound of cannon announced that her Majesty and her Consort had alighfed at the door of the House* and after a lapse of five minutes, her Majesty having robed, the royal procession entered the House under a flourisa of trumpets, preceded by the heralds in their state dresses — the Lord Chancellor bearing the great seal, the Duke of Wellington the sword of state, the Earl of Zetland>the cap of maintenance, the Duke of Argyll the crown, and the Duke of Norfolk as hereditary Earl Marshal. Her Majesty, who looked in good health, though (perhaps a little fatigued, having taken her seat on the throne (Prince Albert occupying' the chair of state on her left) and having desired the peers and others, who bad risen ai her entrance, 1 to be seated, the Black Rod was directed to command the immediate attendance of the House of Commons at the bar. Tins summon** after 4he lapse of a few minutes having beenobeyed — a large number of the Lower Housa ciowding below the bar, her Majesty delivered the following gracious speech :—: — "My Lords and Gentlemen, " It gives me great satisfaction again to meet youin Parliament, and to have the opportunity of recurring* to your assistance and advice. " I continue to receive from my allies, and from other foreign powers, the strongest assurances or! the desive to cultivate the most friendly relations with this country. " I rejoice that, in concert with the Emperor of Russia, and through the success of our joint mediation, 1 have been enabled to adjust the differences which had long prevailed between the Ottoman. Porte and the King of Persia, and had seriously endangered the tranquility of the East. " For several years a desolating and sanguinary warfare has afflicted ihe States of tne Rio de U Plata*. The commerce of all nations has been interrupted, and acts of barbarity have befcn curamitted, unkuovm to the practice of a civilised people, in conjunction, with the King of the French, 1 am endeavouring to effect the pacification of those States. "The Convention concluded with France in the course of last year ,for the more ettectual suppression of the slave trade, is about to be earned into immediate executiou by the active co-operatiou of the two powers on the coast of Attica. " It is my desire that our present union, and the good understanding which so happily exists between us, may alway-. be employed to promote the interests of humanity, and to secure the peace of the world. " 1 reg-ies that the conflicting claims ot Great Britain and the United States in respect of the territory ou the North-Western Coast of America, although they have been made the subject of repealed negotiation, still remain unsettled. " You may be assured that . no effort consistent with the national honour shall be wanting on my part to bring this questiou to an early and peaceful termination. "GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, "The estimates for the year will be laid before you at au early period. Alttiough lam deeply sensible of the in portance ol enforcing economy in all branches of the expenditure, yet 1 have be^n com* pelled by a due regard to the exigencies of the publi© service, and to the state of our naval aud military, establishments, to propose some increase in the estimates which provide for their efficiency. "My Louds and Gentlemen, " I have 6bserved with deep regret, the very frequent instances in which the crime of deliberate assassination has been of late committed in Ireland. "It <will be your duty to consider whether any measures can be devised calculated to give increased protection to life, aud to bring to justice the perpetrators of so dreadful a crime. "I have to lameut that, in consequence, of a failure of the potato crop in several parts of the United Kingdom, there will be a deficient supply of an article ot food, which forms the chief subsistence of great numbers of my people. The disease by which the plant has been effected has prevailed to the utmost extent m Ireland* «'I have adopted all such precautions as it was, in my power to adopt for the purp.se of alleviating the sufferings which may be caused by this calamity ; and 1 shall confidently rely on your co-operatiou iv devUing such other means tor ettecting the same beuevoleut purpose as may require the sanction of the Legislature. " i have had great satisfaction in giving my assent to the measures which you have presented to me from time 10 time, calculated to exteud commerce, and to stimulate domestic skill aud industry, by the repeal of prohibitory, and the relaxation of protective duties. "The prosperous state of the Revenue, the in creased demand lor labour, and the general improvement which has taken place internal coudition oft'icountry, are strong testimonies in iavour of the. course you have pursued. "I recommend you to take into your early con - sideratiou whether the principles on which you have' acted may not with advantage be yet more extensively applied, ami whether it may not be in your power, alter a careful review of the existing 1 duties upon many articles, the produce or manufacture of other countries, to make such further reductions and remissions as may tend to insure the continuance of the great benefits to which I have adverted, and by enlarging our commercial in tei course, to strengthen the bonds of amity with foreign powers. " Any measures which you may adopt for effecting these great objects will, 1 am convinced, bo accompanied by such precautions as shall pi event permanent loss to the Revenue, or injurious results to any of the great interests of the country.

" I have full reliance on your just and dispassionate consideration of matters so deeply affecting; the public •welfare. . . . " Jt is my earnest prayer that, with the blessing of Divine Providence on your councils, you may be enabled to promote friendly feelings between different classes of my subjects, provide additional security lor the continuance of peace, and to maintain conirntment and happiness at home, by increasing the comforts and bettering the condition of the great body of »ny people."