The Express.
London, England, 1867-08-21 00:00:00

PROROGATION

PARLIAMENT.
(THIS DAY.)

This afternoon parliament was prorogued by com-
mission. Therewere not many peers present, and only •
very few ladies. The House of Commons having been
summoned in the usual form at 2 o'clock, the Lord Chan-
cellor, one of the commialioners, read the following Royal
Speech :
" LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,

"I am happy to be enabled to release you from the la-
bourn of a long and more than usually eventful session,
and to offer you my acknowledgments for the successful
diligence with which you have applied yourselves to your
parliamentary 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 be-
tween France and Prussia might have led to a war of
which it was impossible to foresee the ultimate result.
Happily the advice tendered by my government, and by
those of the other neutral States, aided by the moderation
of the two powers chiefly interested, sufficed to avert the
threatened calamity ; and I trust that no ground at pre-
sent exists for apprehending any disturbance of the general
peace.

"The communications which I have made to the
reigning monarch of Abyssinia with a view to obtain the
release 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 address
to him a peremptory demand for their immediate libera-
tion, 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 was suppressed, almost without bloodshed, is due
not more to the disciplined valour of my troops, and to
the admirable conduct of the police, than to the general
loyalty of the population and the absence of any token of
sympathy with the insurgents on the part of any con-
siderable portion of my subjects. I rejoice that the
supremacy of the law was vindicated without imposing on
me the painful necessity of sacrificing a single life.
"The bill for the abolition of certain local exemptions
from taxation enabled me to avail myself of a liberal con.
cession made, in anticipation, by the Emperor of the
French, whereby several taxes were removed which 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 coon tiies will be diminished by one-half, and further
arrangements are in progress for increasing the intercourse
between this country and the Continent of North America.

" The act for the union of the British North American
Provinces ie the final accomplishment of • scheme long
contemplated, whereby those colonies, now combined in
one dominion, may be expected not only to gain
additional strength for the purposes of defence against
external aggression, but may be united among themselves
by fresh ties of mutual interest, and attached to the
mother country by the only bonds which can effectually
secure such important dependencies—those of loyalty to
the crown and attachment to British connexion.

" GENTLEMICY or THE Houst or Commoms,
" I thank you for the liberal supplies which you have
voted for the public service.
"DIY LORDS AND GENTLE/DM

" I have had great 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 a question which has long engaged
public attention ; and that the large number of my sub-
jects who will be for the first time admitted to the exec•
ciao of the elective franchise may, in the discharge of the
duties thereby devolved upon them, prove themselves
worthy of the confidence which parliament has reposed in
them.

" It is gratifying to me to find that the lengthened con-
sideration which you have necessarily given to this im-
portant question has not prevented your entering on many
subjects to which your attention was directed at the omn-
menoement of the session, and particul►rly to such as
have immediate reference to the well-being of the Indus.
tile] claws.

" I have had especial pleasure in giving my assent to
bills for extending to vs' ious trades, with such modifies.
lions as have been found neoessavy, the provisions of the
Factory Acts, the success of which has proved the pawl_
bility of combining effectual protection to the labour of
women and children with a due consideration for the
interests of the trades immediately concerned.
_ _ _

" I confidently anticipate from the operation of the pre-
sent 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 set to those
trades to which they have been hitherto confined.
" The restraints alleged to be imposed on workmen and
their employers by trade unions and other associations ap-
peared to me to call for inquiry ; and the revelations de-
rived from the examinations before the commission, to
which you gave your legislature sanction, have disclosed
a state of things 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 assented to a bill which, applied to the
metropolis alone, will tend to equalise the pressure of tax-
ation, and improve the treatment of the sick poor, whose
condition will be greatly benefited by your well-considered
legislation.

"The bill for the regulation of the merchant shipping
contains important provisions calculated to add to the
health and comfort of those engaged in the mercantile
marine.

" The.. and other valuable amendments of the law have
been the result of your labours during the present session;
and in returning to your homes you will carry with you the
gratifying consciousness that your time and pains have not
been misapplied, and that they have resulted in a series of
measures which I hope, and earnestly pray, may contribute
to the welfare of the country, and the contentment and
happiness of my people."