The Express.
London, England, 1852-07-01 00:00:00

PROROGATION

PARLIAMENT
BY THE MEN IN PERSON.
THIS DAY.

It having been announced that her Majesty had
signified her intention of proroguing parliament in state
this day, as the precursor to the dissolution, which will take
place to-morrow, by proclamation, at an early hour the line
of route the procession was to pass through was densely
i crowded, and the windows of the Admiralty, the Horse-
Guards, and the Treasury, looking into St. James's-park,
were thronged with fashionable', and the officials had taken
their stations on the roofs of the government offices. The
police from the several metropolitan divisions were stationed
along the line from the Palace to the Houses of Parliament,
and a strong body of detectives were on duty amongst
the crowd. The bands of the various battalions of the
Foot Guards quartered in the metropolis were posted
at Buckingham-palace, the garden entrance to St. James's.
palace, at the Horse-guards, and at her Majesty's entrance
to the House of Lords. The guard of honour consisted of
a troop of the Horse Guards (blue.)
At twenty minutes before two o'clock her Majesty and
the Prince Coasort, accompanied by a very numerous
suite, left Buckingham-palace. Her Majesty and the
Prince occupied the state carriage, drawn by eight cream-
coloured horses, richly caparisoned, having new blue mo-
rocco harness. The royal suite were conveyed in seven of
the royal carriages, each drawn by six horses; her Ma-
jesty's carriage was attended by the guard of honour. On
the state carriage appearing outside the gates of Bucking.
ham-palace, her Majesty was received with every demon-
stration of loyalty, and wss greeted meet enthusiastically
along the whole line of route. On the departure of the
august procession, the bend stationed at the Palace
played the National Anthem, which was repeated by
that at St. James's-palace on the cavalcade passing.
On entering the Hone-guards, her Majesty was received
with a royal salute by the troops on duty at the Tilt-yard,
I and the cavalry of the household at the Hone-Guards, the
band playing the National Anthem. From this point to
Palace-yard, Westminster, the windows, and every place
from which the procession could be seen, were made avail-
able, and were crowded with ladies, who showed every
mark of loyalty and respect. On the cortege arriving at the
Mouse of Lords, her Majesty was received by the great
*Moen of state, who conducted her with the usual cere-
mony to the throne, from whence her Majesty read the
following speech:

TIIE QUEEN'S SPEECH.
MT LORDS AND OINTLIWIN,
I am induced by considerations of public policy to release
you at an earlier period than usual from your legislative
duties.

The seal and diligence, however, with which you have
applied yourselves to your Parliamentary labours, have en-
abled me, in this comparatively short session, to give my
meant to many measures of high importance, and, I trust, of
great and permanent advantage.
I naive from all foreign powers assurances that they are
animated by the most friendly dispositions towards this
country; and I entertains confident hope that the amicable
relations happily subsisting between the principal European
States, may be so firmly established, as, under Divine Pro-
eidetic., to secure to tbe world a long continuities of the
blessings of peace. To this great end my attention will be
unremittingly directed.
I rejoice that the final settlement of the affsirs of Holstein
and Schleswig, by the general concurrence of the powers
chiefly interested, has removed one cause of recent differ-
ence and of future anxiety.

The amicable termination of the discussions which have
taken place between the Sublime Porte and the Pasha of
Egypt, afford a guarantee for the tranquillity of the Rut,
and an encouragement to the extension of commercial
enterprise.
The refusal, on the part of the King of Asa, of redress,
Justly demanded for insults and injuries offered to my sub-
jects at Rangoon, Ins necessarily led to ass interruption of
friendly relations with that sovereign. The promptitude
and vigour with which the Ciosernor-General of India has
taken the measures thus rendered unavoidable, have
merited my entire approbation; and I am confident that
you will participate in ,the satisfaction with which I
have observed the conduct of all the naval
and military fours, European and Indian, by
whose valour and discipline the important captures of
Rangoon and Ma/tabus have been accomplished ; and in
the hope which I entertain that them signal successes may
load to an early and honourable penes.

Treaties have been concluded by my naval communkre
with the Bing of Dahomey and all the African chiefs
whose rule extends along the Bight of Benin, for the total
abolition of the slave trade, which as at present wholly sup-
pressed upon that coast.

I have had great satisfaction in giving my assent to the
measure which you have wisely adopted for the better orga-
nisation of the militia; a constitutional force, which being
limited to purposes of internal defence, can afford no just
ground of jealousy to neighbouring powers; but which, in
the event of any sudden and unforeseen disturbance of my
foreign relations, would at all times contribute essentially
to the protection and security of my ducinaions.
GENTLEMEN OF tNa Howls OF COMMONS,

I thank you for the liberal provision which you have
made fur the exigencii* of the public service. The ex-
penditure which you have authorised shall be applied with
a due regard to economy and efficiency.
The recent discoveries of extenaive gold-fields have pro-
duced, in the Australian colonies, a temporary disturbance
of society, requiring prompt attention. I have taken such
steps so appeared to me most urgently necessary fur the
mitigation of this serious evil. I shall continue anxiously
to watch the important resuita which must follow from
these discoveries. I have willingly concurred with you in
an act which, by rendering available to the service of those
colonies the portion wising within them, of the hereditary
revenue placed at the disposal of parliament on my seces-
sion to the throne, may enable them to meet their necessa-
rily increased expenditure.
MT LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,

I have gladly assented to the important bills which you
have passed for effecting reform', long and anxiou,ly
desired, in the practice and proceedings of the
superior Courts of Law and Equity, and generally for
improving the administration of justice. Every mea-
sure which simplifies the forms, and diminishes
the delay and expanse of legal proceedings, without intro-
ducing uncertainty of decision, imparing theauthority of the
courts, or lowering the high standard of the judicial bench,
is a valuable boon conferred upon the community at large.
I hope that the measures which you have adopted for
promoting extramural interment of the dead, and for im-
proving the supply of water, may be found effectual (or the
remedy of evils the existence of which has long been a
reproach to this great metropolis, mid may conduce to the
health and comfort of its inhabitants.

The extension of popular rights and legislative powers
to my subjects resident in the Colonies, is always to me an
object of deep interest ; and I trust that the Representative
institutions which, in concert with you, I have sanctioned
for New Zealand, may promote the welfare and content-
ment of the population of that distant but most interesting
colony, and confirm their loyalty and attachment to my
Crown.

It is my intention, without delay, to dissolve this present
Parliament, and it is my earnest prayer, that in the exer-
cise of the high functions which according to our free
constitution will devolve upon the several constituencies,
they may be directed by an all-wise Providence to the
selection of representatives, whose wisdom and patriotism
may aid me in my unceasing endeavours to sustain the
honour and dignity of my crown, to uphold the protebtan
institutions of the country, and the civil and religious
liberty which is their natural result ; to extend and improve
the national education; to develops and encourage industtry,
art, and science ; and to elevate the moral and social con-
dition, and thereby promote the welfare and happiness
of my people.

ghe eranelm

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

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LONDON, THURSDAY, JULY 1.

TO-DAY HER MAIEsTY is to prorogue Parliament
preparatory to its immediate dissolution. A period
will thus be put not only to the parliamentary
session of 1832, but to the fifteenth parliament
of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland. The " Moribund Parliament "—as it was
once called by the First Commissioner of Works
—has at no time since its election in 1847 been
spoken of by the public voice in very lauda-
tory terms. On the contrary the whole vocabulary
of political vituperation may be said to have been at
one time or another exhausted upon it. Without
impeaching this at least uniform and consistent ver-
dict, it may not be amiss to cast a glance backwards
upon the sayings and doings of the departing sinner,
for the purpose of asking calmly and dispassionately
whether it has been utterly and irreclaimably bad.
The first session of the expiring parliament opened
under gloomy and depressing circumstances. The worst
period of the Irish famine had passed over, but severe
distress continued to recur at intervals in Ireland
from the scarcity of food; and partly through the
pressure of want, and partly from other causes, an
alarming spirit of insubordination had mani-
fested itself in several districts. The era of
railway mania and railway bubbles had been
succeeded throughout the United Kingdom by a
period of severe commercial distress, which at
one time looked so threatening, that her Majesty
authorised her ministers to recommend to the direr
tors of the Bank of England a course of proceeding,
with a view to restore confidence, which, had it been
found necessary actually to carry into effect, must
have rendered an act of indemnity necessary. To
meet these emergencies, the new parliament was
summoned to meet at the unwonted season of No-
vember ; and though the clouds gradually, dispersed
of themselves, they were succeeded in the spring
of the year by the startling and all-pervading
revolutionary movements on the continent, and by
attempts on the part of a few maniacs at home to stir
up disturbances here, which had at least the effect of
inspiring many of the well-meaning lovers of law and
order with a very exaggerated panic.
Such a time might have tned the powers of a
strong government, and a united legislature; but at
that moment England possessed neither. In the
House of Commons the old predominating parties
had been split up into discordant sections; not
one of them commanded a majority of votes
in the house ; and ministers held office rather
ripen the sufferance of antagonists than in virtue
o their own power. As usual, a considerable
number of the Irish members were reckless
and unreasonable in their opposition to the policy
of ministers, and the numerous and wealthy
faction of the protectionists—rabidly irritated by
the recent repeal of the Corn-laws--had banded
itself into an active and unscrupulous party
under the joint leadership of Lord GEORUE
BENTINCK, a man of singular energy and daring, and
Mr. DISRAELI, who in his attacks upon the policy of
Sir ROBERT PEEL and its author was equally reckless
and severe. It is creditable to the patriotism, good
sense, and good temper of the majority in the House
of Commons, that in despite of their internal dis-
sensions, and the firebrand agitation of the two
parties that have been named, such a general pru-
dence and conciliatory disposition characterised their
proceedings as prevented any convulsion, and allowed
time for the embarrassments and irritations out of
doors to be assuaged and healed by natural process
under the auspices of a sound commercial policy.
So much for the negative merits of this much de-
cried parliament. Nor has its career been absolutely
barren in positive good actions. Its first session fol-
lowed up the removal of protection from home agri-
culture, by the initiation of a similar removal
of protection from the staple produce of our tropical
colonies. The second emancipated our trade and
marine from the obsolete shackles of the navigation
laws. The third followed up these good works with
some supplementary enactments calculated to adapt
our maritime code and modes of manaimmeut to the
new state of things. The fourth session was one of