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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 come Over indicate the marvellous growth of wealth . The South Australian market was recently glutted with goods ; a novel complaint , but it is scarcely uttered before the goods are nearly all worked off , and . Australia wants more . In Melbourne , a little five or sik roomed house is rented at 350 Z . or 400 ? . 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 5 / . 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 refusa 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 not 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 .
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THE PARLIAMENT OF THE WEEK . . Till-: ROYAL OPENING . Dreahv weather , with : m east wind blowing , keen and damp , ; uid : t drizzling mist settling- down into a steady lull of rain , made the royal opening 1 of Parliament extremely discoinlbrtable ( o all . There were few persons visible on the line of the procession from Huekingham Palace ; and for once the Queen drove alongtin ; route , , so often thronged by her cheering . subjects , amidst " the pelting- of tlio pitiless . storm . " Tint . she arrived in the House of Lords punctually at the appointed lime ; and the Commons having been . summoned , she delivered the following- Sri : i : cn : — -
"Mv Lords and (« i : mtij < : mi : n , " I cannol , mod . you Cor the lirsl . time after thu dissolution of Parliament , without expressing my deep sorrow , in -which I am sure you will participate , that your deliberations can no longer be aided by the counsels of thai ; illustrious man , whoso grout achievements have oxalled the name of Miighind , and in whoso loyally and put riot ism the interests of my Throne and of my people ever found an unfailing support . I rely with confidence on your desire to join me in lulling' such Hteps an may mark your sense of the irreparable loss which tho country has huhI allied by the death of Arthur Duke of Wellington . —
------ - n "I am Imppy to acknowledge the readinesH with which my subjects in general Imvo come forward , in pursuance of the Act of last session , to join the ranks of the Militia . ; and I confidently trust that Ihe forco thus rained by voluntary enlistment will he calculated to give elfeotive aid to my regular army for tho protection ami security of the country " I continue to receive from all Foreign Powers assurances of their anxious de . niro to maintain tho friendly relations now happily subsisting with my ( JoveriinmiiL
" I'Yoquent and woll-fouinleil complaints on Mm purl , ol my North American ColonieN , of infractions , by citizens ol tho United Htalea , of tho Fiahory Convention of IBIB ,
induced me to despatdn for ihb protection of tlieir interests a class of vessels better ao a |> ted to the service than those which had been previously employed . This step has led to discussions with the Government of the United States ; and while the rights of my subjects hate been firmly maintained , the friendly spirit in which the question has heen treated induces me to hope that the ultimate result may be a mutually beneficial extension , and improvement of our commercial intercourse with that great Republic .
" The Special Mission , which in concert with the Prince President of the French Republic , I deemed it right to send to the Argentine Confederation , has been received with the utmost cordiality , and the 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 had been 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 which were commenced by the late Parliament , with a view to legislation on the subject of the future government of my East Indian possessions . " Gentlemen of the Hottse 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 comprehensive scheme shall be laid before you , having in view the promotion of these objects , towards which I invite your aid and co-operation . " Mt Lords 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 he practicable equitably to mitigate that injury , and to enable the industry of the country to meet successfully that unrestricted comjjetition to which Parliament , in its wisdom , has decided that it should bo subjected .
" I trust that the general improvement , notwithstanding many obstacles , has extended to Ireland ; and while I rely with confidence on your aid should it be required , to restrain that unhappy spirit of insubordination and turbulence which produces many , and aggravates all of the evils which afflict that portion of my dominions , 1 recommend 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 she has been . sunk by the sufferings of late years .
"Anxious to promote the efficiency of every branch of our National Church , I have , thought fit to ihsuo a Commission to inquire and report to me how far , in their opinion , the Capitular Institutions of the country aro capable of being made more effective for the great objects of religious worship , religious education , and ecclesiastical discipline . " I have directed that tho Reports of the Commissioners for inquiring into the system of education pursued at Oxford and Cambridge ; should bo communicated to the governing bodies of those Universities for their consideration , and I rely upon your readiness to remove any legal difliciill . icH which may impede the desire of the Universities at large , or of the several Colleges , to introduce such amendments into their existing system as they may deem to lie mom in accordance with tho requirements of tho present t nne . " The system of Secondary Punishments has usefully occupied the labours of successive Pnrliuuienl s , and I shall rejoice if you shall find it possible to doviso means by which , without , giving encouragement ; to crime , transportation to Van Dioiiicn ' s Land may at jio distant period ho altogether discontinued . " 'fhe subject of Legal Reform continues to engage my anxious attention . Tho Acts passed in the hint Session of I ' nrliamoiil , have been followed up by tho orders necessary for putting them in operation ; inquiries nro in progress , by my direction , with a , view of bringing into harmony the testamentary jurisdiction of my several Courts ; and liillti will hi ) submitted to you for affecting further improvements in tho administration of the luw .
" To these , hM . other measures affecting- the sru ^ i dition of the coufc&yj I am persuaded that you will your earnest fend feealous attention ; and I prav tl tT the blessing of Almighty God , your deliberations mat h guided to the well-being and happiness of my people . " After the members of the Commons returned fr the House of Lords , the House adjourned until f ^ o ' clock , when members assembled in great force to h *" what Government had to say for itself . ar As was anticipated , Lord Lovaine moved and M Egcrfcon seconded the address in reply to the Speec h ' Both gentlemen creditably performed their task , and both admitted that they were averse to clisturbin 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 sembled at an unusual season , and the country was anxiously waiting for information on topics of great im . portance , 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 , and 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 tho vague , and he might say deceptive , language of the Address did not clear up the difficulty . It was , he 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 inalt-tax . Mr . Secretary Walpole had waited to know whether any amendment were to be moved .
Ho admitted that tho House had met at an unusual period , and for a special purpose , which was that the financial and commercial policy of the country should be finally settled and decided , lieither 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 cither side . If the other side wished to move their amendment , Government was ready to take the discussion at once .
Lord John Rttsseix thought th .-it there should be no division or long discussion on an address which commenced with a tribute to the Duke of Wellington , ujjon whom lie proceeded to pass a eulogy . Hut ll (! participated in the disappointment expressed by Mr . Villiers , and rejoiced in the course that gentleman proposed to adopt . Two courses- hud been open to Ministers — either t <> maintain the old Protection policywhich Lord -I * ' ' ''/ »"
, ho long advocated with such energy , or to admit thai uh \ had been mistaken , and to manfully avow that they «<»"' adopt Free-trade principles for the future . He « - »"' I > ' 111 " 1 " of the continuance of an ambiguity which had l « r '' months vexed the country . Alluding to i \ u > ynryi ^ durations which had been made by various MlIIISl (' V lordship dwelt upon the important Kree-lmde mwihi _ which had been passed . luring the hist ten . yearn cli H £ ; more imnorfanl , than anvthintr which had been < lon < * in
K 5 HB . Ho could not but " complniii that these great , ^ sures had been mixed up with nameless ' oilier ( 1 " - ' . prosperity , and described this as oviidintf tho qj" ^ , " Moreover , there wore bints in the Speech lendmtf I »« " ^ artificial props and prices , which actually menu ; , ¦ lion . He objected to heing enveloped in tho " ^ . J ' ,. . was so much liked by tho Chancellor of lh <> I a « ' ¦< I ^ Lord John briell y touched upon some other I «>»!» ' ( ii || , Speech , will , which be found no great limit , '" ' , ; that he hoped there would be little disagreement an I'Yce-lradc quoHlioii should be settled . .. , The CiiANOioi . i . OK . of the Kxciiiujiiki mIhI not ^ . that if there had really been the evasion comp lain' constitutional delicacy would have prevented an a )
inenl . from the oilier side . | , ; , i He could not agree in tho version of the I " A . £ ., „! ,,, ouestion discovered by Lord John Russell nixl IIH rtill u paragraph which could leave no mistake m | i » I ( , u , mind . One doctrine bad been laid down j . osi liv t ^ . ^ Speech namely , tho principle of unrosl r . ci . jl « ,. Alluding to an address by Lord John I ussc (* | lllIltH didnto for tho City ) , in which ho ad . nil . to ( Uiih- ,,. „„ , nnd shipowners liad a right to complain ol K ||(( , „ he asked whether it went a , Protection move i ^ (| ll , sufferings which thai , noble lord bail enuWHe <« r ^ . . intention of ( Jovernment to tako such elm "'» ' ro duto ution , and ho believed that they should bo « W 0 l
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1078 THE LEADER . [ Saturday . ¦ 11 f i ¦ i i -i . i I . i * % * —r— ' ¦ ' *
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Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 13, 1852, page 1078, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1960/page/2/
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