The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1867-08-27 00:00:00

Imperial Varltanunt.
HOUSE OF LORDS.

MONDAY. —The Archbiahop of Canterbury thstod that
the Ritual Commission had presented their fint report.
They were enjoined by her 11.jesty first to take into
oonsideration the subject of vestments, and they bad
agreed upon their report on that subject, and it would
be immediately plaited before their lordships with the
evidence. The Commons' amendments to the Consecra-
tion and Onlination Fees Bill were agreed to. The
Courts of Referees Bill, the Hours of Labour Regulation
Bill, the Church Temporalities Orden (Ireland) Bill,
and the Railway Companies' Advance. Bill, were read •
third time and passed. On the order of the day for the
second reading of the Vestments Bill, the Earl of
Shaftesbury said it was quite clear that as soon as it
was announced that • royal oommietion was to be re
pointed on the subject of this bill it would be impoest
to proceed with the bill until that oommission had re-
ported. The commission was promised them on the 14th
of May, bat it did not meet till June 17. and now they
had got the report simultaneously with the prorogation
of parliament, and of course the bill must be dropped.
He thought that the church of England stood at this
moment in a worse position than it ever stood before.
The Archbishop of Canterbury vindicated the mm-
mission from the charge the noble earl hod made
splint it of having delayed their report. They did
not get the imonniasion till the 7th of June, and the
question to be considered was one of the greatest
importance to the church of England. He should
bring in his Bill again next session. The Bishop of
Lond,m said if the noble earl had implanted to become
one of the commissioners he would have seen that
there was every desire to go on with the matter as
rapidly as pasoible. The subject then dropped, and
their lordshipe adjourned at half-past five o'clock.
TUISDAT.—The royal Una was given by commission
to a number of Bills. The Fortifications (Provisions for
Expenses No. 2) Bill was read a third time rind passed.
Wingennv.—The Imperial Parliament was
prorogued by royal commission to-day, but the ceremony
excited even less than the usual amount of interest.
In the House ofl Lords the Opposition benches were
literally empty, saving the presence of baltn-dosen
ladies, who, by favour of Black Rod, had been
aomomodated with seats there; and even the Ministerial
quarter only found • few occupants, whilst in the jaded
Commons it was with difficulty that "a house` we.
made till within a few minutes of the time appointed
for bon. member, being summoned to the bar of the
Lords. The speech from the throne is, a. usual, •
summary ot the more important proceedings of the
session. The following is the text .

" My Lords and Gentlemen,
" I am happy to be enabled to release you from the
labours of a long and more than usually eventfularenion,
and to offer you my acknowledgments for the successful
diligence with which you have applied yottnelves to your
proffer:wintery duties.
'My relations with foreign countries continue on a
friendly footing.
"At the commencement of the present year great
fears were entertained that differences which had arisen
between France and Prairie might have led to a war of
which it was impooilltle to foresee the ultimate result.
Happily the advise tendered by my Hovernment, and by
those of the other neutral States, aided by the modem.
tine of the two powers chieff: interested, sufficed to avert
the threatened calamity ; and I trust that no ground at
prevent ezista for apprehending any disturbance of the
general pence.
'The communications which I have made to the
reigning monarch of Abyssinia with a view to obtain
the reissue of the British subjects whom he detains in
his dominions, have, I regret to say, thus far proved in.
effectual. I have, therefore, found it necessary to
whirrs, to him • peremptory demand for their imme-
diate liberation, and to take measures for supporting
that demand, should it ultimately be found necessary to
resort to force.

"The treasonable conspiracy in Ireland, to which I
have before called your attention, broke out in the
early part of the present year in a futile attempt at
insurrection. That it we, suppressed, almost without
bloodshed, is due not more to the disciplined vslour of
my troops, and to the admirable conduct of the polioe,
than to the general loyalty of the population and the
absence of any token of sympathy with the insurgents
on the part of any considerable portion of my subjects.
I rejoice that the supremacy of the law was vindicated
without imposing on use the painful necessity of seat
-
Loins • single life.
"The Bill for the abolition of isertain local exemp-
tion from taxation enabled me to avail myself of a
liberal concession made, in anticipation, by the
Emperor of the French, whereby several taxes were
removed wLich pressed heavily upon British shipping.
"I have concluded a postal convention with the
United States of America, whereby the rate of postage
between the two countries will be diminished by one-
half, and further arrangements are in irogreas for
incrouing the intereour,e between this country and the
Continent of North America.
"The act for the union of the British North American
Provinces is the final accomplishment of • scheme long
contemplated, whereby those colonies, now combined
in one d ,winion, may be expect, it not only to gain
additional strength for the purposes of defence against
external aggression, but may be united among them.
selves by fresh ties of mutual interest, and attached to
the mother country by the only bonds which can
effectually secure such important dependeneies—those
of loyalty to the crown and attachment to British
*inns tion.

" Sleuth men of the House of Common%
"I thank you for the liberal supplies which you
have voted for the public service.

"My Lords and Gentlemen,
" I hove had grest satisfaction in giving my assent
to a Bill for amending the Representation of the People
in Parliament. I earnestly trust that the extensive
and liberal measure which you have passed may effect
a durable settlement of • juNitioa which kas long
engagel public attention; and that the large number
of my subjects who will be for the first time admitted
to the exercise of the elective franchise may, in the
discharge of the duties thereby devolved upon them,
prove themselves worthy of tho confidence which
parliament has reposed in them.
"It is gratifying te me to find that the lengthened
consideration which you have necessarily given to this
important question has not prevented your entering on
many subjects to which your attention was directed at
the commencement of the session, and particularly to
such as have immediate reference to the well-being of
the industrial claret.

"1 have had especial pleasure in giving my anent to
bills for extending to various trades, with such modifi-
cations as have been found necessary, the provisions of
the Factory Acta, the success of which haa proved the
possibility of combining effectaal protection to the
Labour of women and children with a duo consideration
for the interests of the trades immediately concerned.
. . . . _ .

"I confidently anticipate from the operation of the
present acts the same improvement in the physical,
social, and moral condition of the working classes,.
which has been found to accompany the application of
the act to those trades to which they have been hitherto
*refined.

"The restraints alleged to be imposed on workmen
and their employers by trade unions and other associa-
tions appeared to me to isall for inpairy ; and the revela-
tions derived from the examinations before the com:
Milleioll, to which you gave your legislature unction,
have disclosed a state of thinp which will demand your
most earnest attention.

"The administration of the poor laws, which generally
has conferred great benefit on the community, and
especially on the poor themselves, requires constant
supervision ; and I have readily accented to • Bill which,
applied to the metropolis alone, will tend to equalise
the pressure of taxation, and improve the treatment of
the sick poor, whose oondition will be greatly benefited
by your well-nousidered legislation.
' The Bill for the regulation of the merchant shipping
contains important provisions calculated to add to the
health and oninfort of those engaged in the mercantile
marine.

"These and other valuable amendments of the law
have been the result of your labours during the present
erasion ; and in returning to your homes you win carry
with you the glatifying consciousness that your time
and pains have not been miaapplied, and that they have
resulted in a series of mesaurea which I hope, and
earnestly pray, may contribute to the welfare of
the country, and the contentment and happiness of my
people."
The royal commission for the prorogation of Parlia-
ment was then read by the Clerk at the table, and the
Lord Chancellor declared that by virtue thereof Perlis.
merit stood prorogued until Wednesday, the 6th
November nest.