On this page
-
Text (2)
-
1078 THE LFADEK [Saturday,
-
THE PARLIAMENT OF THE WEEK. THE KOYAL OP...
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
-
-
Transcript
-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
The Expectation Which Awaited The Queen'...
with which the national grief , or the official vanity , is to solace itself . The Australian news does not change in character , but continues to deepen in its glowing colour . The very complaints that conie gygr jojipate th g marvellous growth of wealth . T-he Spfjth Australian market was recently glutted wijfcfj goods ; a novel complaint , but it is scarcely uttered , before the goods are nearly all worked Qff , $ nd Australia wants more . In Melbourne , a littljj * five or six roomed house is rented at 3501 . or 400 Z . a year ;
officials with fixed salaries are reduced to comparative indigence ; a gentleman with a comfortable provision of three or four hundred a year , obliged to pay 51 . a week for the humblest lodging , is fain to starve upon the remainder of his income . He must leave luxuries to navigators and other persons of the upper or working classes , who are said , however , to be very affable towards their inferiors . Unlike some other people they do not refuse to recognise a man and a brother , though he should be only a " Governor" !
The list of disasters for the week is full , and marked by an unusual event . The conspiracy to defraud emigrants at Liverpool , is but one of a thousand ; the fatal railway accident at the same town , changing the names , might do for almost any week ; the child murder in Lambeth is ifot peculiar to the time ; and the killing of a boy by an angry brother , preaches a sermon against fraternal contest , which is always ready for good boys that do not need it , and is never attended to by those that do .
The distinguishing accident of the week is one unusual in this country—an earthquake—which seems to have visited the north of England , Scotland , Ireland , and North Wales . It was sufficiently powerful to wake people out of their night ' s sleep , and it suggested the usual amount of imaginings . It does not appear that any person took it for a Chartist insurrection ; but one
thought that it was a housebreaker ; another , that it was the servant walking about his room ; a third that it was somebody upstairs , a fourth that it was somebody downstairs ; but upon the whole , the number that recognized the phenomenon was considerable . We may expect probably , to hear of volcanic commotions in Iceland , the usual source of movements like the present in those further parts of the United Kingdom .
1078 The Lfadek [Saturday,
1078 THE LFADEK [ Saturday ,
The Parliament Of The Week. The Koyal Op...
THE PARLIAMENT OF THE WEEK . THE KOYAL OPENING . PnEAitY weather , with an east wind blowing 1 , keen and damp , and a , drizzling 1 mist settling- down into a uteady i ' all of rain , made the royal opening of Parliament extremely discomfortuble to all . There were few persons visible on the line of the procession from Buckingham l ' alace ; and for once the Queen drove along the route , so often thronged l ) y her cheering 1 Hubjects , amidst " the pelting of the pitiless storm . " But she arrived in the House of Lords punctually at the appointed time ; and the Commons having been summoned , she delivered the following Simsech : — "MY IiOKDH AND GkNTIjHMKN , " 1 cannot meet you for tho first time after tlio dissolution of Parliament ; without expressing my deep sorrow , in which L urn Hiiro you will participate , that your deliberations can no longer bo aided by the counsels of that illustrious man , whoso great achievements havo exalted tlio name of Midland , and in wIioho loyalty and putriol . iniii tho interests of my Throne and of my people ever found an unfailing support . 1 rely with confidence on your desire to join mo in taking such steps a . s may mark your hoiiho of the irreparable loss which the country lias sustained by the death of Arthur Duke of Wellington . " I urn happy to acknowledge tho readiness with which my subjects in general havo come forward , in piirnuaneo of the Act <> f last mission , to join tho ranks of tho Militia ; and I confidently trust that the force thus raised liy voluntary enlistment will be calculated to givo effective aid to my regular army for tho protection and ncourrty of tho country . " I continue to receive from all Foreign PoworH iiHwiranees of their anxious desire to maintain tho friendly relations now happily subsisting with my Government . " Frequent and woll-ibundod complaiuta on the part of my North American Colonies , of infractions , by citiuoun of tho United fcftatos , of tho Fiuhery Convention of 1818 ,
induced me to despatch fgr ttiQ protecti o n of their interests a class of vessels bet ^ adapted to phe 'service than those which had been pre | rjpu 8 ly employed . This step has led to discussions with ifop Government of the United States ; apd while the ri gh ts of my subjects have been firmly maintained , the friendly spirjt in whreii the question has been treated induces pie to hope that the ultimate result may be a mutually beneficial extension and improvement of our commercial intercourse with that great Republic .
ff . The Special Mission , which in concert with the Prince President of the French Jtepubljc , I deemed it right to send , to the Argentine Confederation , has been received with the utmost cordiality , and tho wise and enlightened policy of the Provisional Director has already opened to the commerce of the world the great rivers hitherto closed , which affords an access to the interior of the vast Continent of South America . " I have the satisfaction of announcing to you that the sincere and zealous efforts of the Government of Brazil for the suppression of the Slave Trade , now nearly extinguished on that coast , have enabled me to suspend the stringent measures which I hadheen compelled reluctantly to adopt , a recurrence to which I anxiously hope may be proved to be unnecessary .
" The Government of her Most Faithful Majesty have fully recognised the justice of the claim which my Government have long urged for the abolition of the discriminating duties on the export of wine , and have passed a decree for giving complete effect to the stipulations of the treaty on this subject . " You will probably deem it advisable to resume the inquiries wliich were commenced by the late Parliament , with a view to legislation on the subject of the future government of my East Indian possessions . " Gektlemen of the House of Commons , " The estimates for the ensuing year will in due time be laid before you .
" The advancement of the Fine Arts and of Practical Science will be readily recognised by you as worthy of the attention of a great and enlightened nation . I have directed that a comproJMnsive scheme shall be laid before you , having in view t ^^) romotion of these objects , towards which I invite your aid and co-operation . " My X . OKDS and Gentlemen , " It gives me pleasure to be enabled by the blessing of Providence to congratulate you on the generally improved
condition of the country , and especially of the industrious classes . If you should be of opinion that recent legislation in contributing , with other causes , to this happy result , has at the same time inflicted unavoidable injury on certain important interests , I recommend you dispassionately to consider how far it may be practicable equitably to mitigate that injury , and to enable the industry of tho country to moot successfully that unrestricted competition to which Parliament , in its wisdom , has decided that it should be subjected .
"I trust that the general improvement , notwithstanding many obstacles , lias extended to Ireland ; and whilo I rely with confidence on your aid should it be required , to restrain that unhappy spirit of insubordination and turbulonco which produces many , and aggravates all of tho evils which , afflict that portion of my dominions , I recommond to you the adoption of such a liberal and generous policy towards Ireland , as may encourage and assist her to rally from the depression in which eho has boon sunk by the sufferings of late years .
" Anxious to promote the oflicioncy of every branch of our National Church , I havo thought fit to issue a Commission to inquire and report to me how far , in their opinion , tho Capitular Institutions of tho country aro capable of being made more effective for tho great objects of religious worship , religious education , and ecclesiastical discipline . " I have directed that tlio Reports of tho Commissioners for inquiring into the system of education pursued at Oxford and Cambridge should ho communicated to the governing bodies of those Universities for their consideration , and I rely upon your readiness to remove any legal difficulties which may impede tho desire of tho ITuivorfiities at large , or of tho several Colleges , to introduce such amendments into their existing system as they may deem to he morn in accordance with tho requirements of tho
present time . " The nvNtem of . Secondary Punishments has usefully occupied the labours of successive ParliamontH , and I . . shall rojoico if you shall find itpoHHiblo to devise means by which , without giving encouragement , to orimo , transportation to Van Diomon ' H Laud may at no distant poriod bo altogether discontinued . " Tho subject of Legal Reform continues to engage my anxious attention . Tho AhIh passed in tho last ( Session of Parliament have been followed up by tho orders necessary for putting them in operation ; inquiries are in progress , by my direction , with a view of bringing into harmony tho testamentary jurisdiction of my hovoral Courts ; and Hillu will bo Hubmittod to you for affecting farther iuiprovomontu iu the administration of the law .
" To these , aqd fl th § p measures affecting tho social condition of - the country , f am persuaded that you will giVe your eanjegfc pjid f eglous . attention ; and I pray that by the blessing of Almighty God , your deliberations may bo guidiad to the we ^ -fc ^ ing JW * d happiness of my people . " After the members of the Commons returned from the House of Lords , the House adjourned until four o ' clock , when members assembled in great force to hear what Government had to gay for itself .
As was anticipated , Lord . Lovaine moved and Mr Egerfcon seconded the address in reply to the Speech * Both gentlemen creditably performed their task , and both admitted that they were averse to disturbing Free-trade . Then uprose Mr . C . P . Villiers , who said that it was the fault of a Ministry if there were a want of unanimity in reply to a Royal Speech . " He did not complain of much that -was contained in the Speech from the Throne , but the House had been as-Bemlled at an unusual season , and the country was anxiously waiting for information on topics of great importance , and he did complain of defective information in
the Speech . After alluding to the circumstances under which the present Cabinet took office , he said that there was in the Speech no tangible and distinct avowal that Government was reconciled to a Free-trade policy , that no attempt would be made to modify it . He should not move an amendment to the Address , but called attention to the fact that the House did not know whether Ministers had given up their former opinions on Protection . The country ought to know how that was , and the vague , and he might say deceptive , language of the
Address did not clear up the difficulty . It was , lie thought , intended to confuse . Why not speak plain English ? If great advantage had been derived by the working classes from the repeal of the Corn-laws , why not say so ? Or if any party had been injured thereby , why not state that ? The House wanted to know , and would know , the opinion of Government . He begged to give most distinct notice that a motion would be submitted to the House which would leave the country in no doubt upon the question , and this motion would be made about the 22 nd of the present month . "
A long pause followed Mr . Villiers speech , and no member rising , the Speaker proceeded to put the question , when , amid considerable laughter , Mr . Hume rose and taunted the Ministerial benches with their silence . If her Majesty ' s advisers had been able to form an opinion on the question at issue , why had they not the manliness to avow it . He complained that the Speech contained no allusion to the income-tax , or a declaration one way or the other as to parliamentary reform , or as to the malt-tax . Mr . Secretary Walpole had waited to know whether any amendment were to be moved .
He admitted that the House had met at an unusual period , and for a special purpose , which was that the financial and commercial policy of the country should bo finall y settled and decided . Neither evasion nor deception had been intended , but the passage in the Speech had been worded carefully , in order to prevent a warm discussion , or the moving of an amendment from either side . If the other side wished to move their amendment , bovermnent was ready to take the discussion at once . Lord . John Uttssexi . thought that there should be no division or long discussion on an address which commenced with a tribute to the Duke of Wellington , upon whom he proceeded to pass a eulogy . ] 5 uf _ J ' participated in tho disappointment expressed by Mr . Villiers , and rejoiced in the course that gentleman
proposed to adopt . ' , Two courses had boon open to Ministers -- either _ i maintain tho old Protection policy , which Lord i ) vT y \ so long advocated with such energy , or to admit thai u y had boon mistaken , and to manfully avow that they vv adopt Free-trade principles for tho future . Ho coinpta - ^ of tho continuance of an ambiguity which had joi months vexed tho country - Alluding to tliov' \ r >"* elarations which had been mado by various Ailing ««• > lordship dwelt upon the important Free-trade " »«"'_ which had been passed during the las t , ten yearn , U iii h ^ more important than anything which had been do < * 1088 . Ifo could not but complain that thoBe gre . U ^ Hures had boon mixed up with nameless other cm - ^ proHperity , mid described this as evading tho ¦ q _ Moreover , there worn hints in the Speech tending « ' ^^ artificial props and prices , which actually m < alit ¦ . tioll . lie objected to being enveloped m tho i »« . _ w .. h s ,, muehlike . l by the Chancellor o tl >« ' ' *« ' ' „ , „ i ¦• i
Lord John briefly touched upon some « .- ; - . . m i ; , lf r Speech , with wliich ho found no great fault , " ' tll 0 thul ho hoped there would be little disagreement Kree-trado question should be settled . l . clieve The ( Jiianomi . m ) R of the ExciiiSQUKitd " " . , that if there had really been the evasion «!() 1 "I'lHl 1 i ( . . coimtitutiomd delicacy would have pi evented nu ment from tint other side . T , ara « rftP »« '" He could not ngreo in the version of I" I '" . lV f ,. ilN , quoHtion discovered by Lord John Kuhw' 11 . '» " "J mrt j , J a paragraph which could leave no mistake JI 1 ' , '; ,, tho iniud . One doctrine had been hud down j . o 11 ' ^ * , ; , ; ,,... Speech - namely , princip le of unrcstric < I , 1 H , „„ - Alluding to an address by Lord John !*""""" J ^ norcli *" " didato for the City ) , in which ho uduiiUw Uu » 1 )( ir , | ,. , and shipowners had a right t <» comp lain oi / . n- lu ( , () t 0 he ashed whether it went a Protection movo ' WJlM U ... HufleringH which that noblo lord had endorse ^ ' o ) 13 i , l , rintouLioji of Government to take such clam H . duBO ution , and ho believed that they ahuuld be tUno I
-
-
Citation
-
Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 13, 1852, page 2, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_13111852/page/2/
-