The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-10-17 00:00:00

THE KING OF DENMARK OPENING
THE SESSION.

The Copenhagen Correspondent of The Times writes

After the change of Ministry it was thought op-
portune that the King should open in person the new
Session of the Rigsdag, convoked for the first Monday
in October, and himself read the speech from the
throne. Accordingly the modest and unpretending
Salle, in a wing of the Christiansborg Castle, in which
the Lower House meets, was fitted out in a becoming
manner to receive His Majesty and the Royal Family.
On the throne chair, always standing behind the
Speaker's place, was spread the Royal mantle of scarlet
velvet, with golden crowns and doubled with ermine,
and the steps leading up to the throne were guarded
by three fierce silver lions, the emblems if the Danish
coat of arms, placed upon a gold-woven gobelin
carpet, and showing, with praiseworthy impartiality,
their sharp teeth, and grinning their ferocious smiles
equally at Right and Left. At eleven o'clock divine
service was performed in the chapel of the palace, and
the members attending this introductory part of the
day's solemnity had a sermon preached to them upon
the very appropriate words in St. Peter, 1., chapter
verses xiii. to xvii. :—" Submit yourself to every ordi-
nance of man for the Lord's sake, whether it be to
the King, as supreme, or unto governors, as unto
them that are sent by Him for the punishment of evil-
doers, and for the praise of them that do well; for
so is the will of God, that with well-doing ye may
put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, as free,
and not using your liberty for a cloak of malicious-
ness, but as the servants of God. Honour all men,
love the brotherhood, fear God, honour the King." A
few minutes before noon the members of both the
Houses returned from church and took their places.
All were in full dress, but scarcely a score of uniforms
enlivened the monotony of the black dresses and of
the coarse blue coats worn by the peasants numbering
nearly a third of both assemblies. The tribunes were
thronged; in the diplomatic box, just at the side of
the gallery reserved to the Royal Family, was ob-
served Sir Charles Wyke, the British Minister, in his
gorgeous uniform, with the dark red riband of the
Bath; his Secretary of Legation, Mr. Packingham,
and members of the Swedish-Norwegian Embassy.
Soon after the Queen appeared in the Royal gallery,
with her eldest daughter, the Princess of Wales,
at her side. The Princess looked healthy and
happy. Besides Princess Thyra, the two brothers
of the King, Prince Julius and Prince John of
Glucksburg, also accompanied the Queen. In
the suite was General Sir W. Knollys. A
signal from the usher at the door announced the
arrival of the King, and the members all rose from
their seats, remaining standing the whole time.
Following a cortege of gentlemen of the bedchamber,
chamberlains, adjutants, equerries, and marshals, the
King, wearing a general's uniform, with the broad
blue riband of the Elephant, and carrying his plumed
cocked hat in his hand, entered the House and stepped
up to the throne, where he sat down for a few seconds,
the Ministers ranging themselves on its right hand.
The cheers accompanying the "Long live the King "
with which his Majesty had been received, were .tin
ringing in the air when the new Prime Minister, Mr.
Fonnesbech, ascended the steps and presented the
Royal speech, which the King read out with a clear
voice, and which ran as follows:

sWp—p9- d

"Our Royal greetings and goodwill !
" Returning from our visit to the Fares Islands and to
Iceland, where we have received so many prows of the
attachment of the population aud such unambiguous demon-
strations of their satisfaction at seeing their King among
them, we have desired to bring ourselves to the Rigsdag a
brotherly greeting from those distant parts of our realm.
"We feel confident that the Sovereigns presence at the
millennium of Iceland and his partaking in the solemnities
connected with It will have contributed to discard the dis-
sensions that have, only for too long a time, been an obstacle
to the fulfilment of our gracious intentions towards Iceland,
and we indulge the hope that by the new charter we shall
have inaugurated a new era and sown a good seed in that
saga-hallowed soil. That this seed may with the blessings
of Clod, germinate and bring happy fruits to Iceland and its
people Is our ccnstant prayer.
"Since the last Session of the Rigsdag the Danish Charter
has seen its 27. th analversary. We have, with our people,
cheerfully celebrated that day faithful to the design of our
predecessor, King Frederick, when of his own free will he
shared his power with the people, and willingly we sallow-