The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-05 00:00:00

THE QUEEN'S SPEECH.

The SPEAKER having read the Royal Speech,
Lord RICHARD GROSVENOR, on moving an ad-
dress in reply to the Royal Speech, alluded to the do •
mestic event referred to in her Majesty's Address, and next
adverted to the Danish question. He said it was much to
be regretted that after the experience of the German coun-
tries in 1848 and 1867, they should have adopted a bully-
ing tone towards Denmark. (Cheers.) He thought it was
the duty of this country to maintain the balance of power in
Europe, and to adhere to international treaties. (Cheers.)
The next paragraph in the speech related to Japan, and he
denied that the Government was blameable for the disaster
that had occurred in that country, and defended the policy
of the Government. He expressed a hope that the natives
of that oountry would be made to feel the power of England
when exercised in the right. With regard to New Zealand,
the disaffected were confined to the northern parts, and
he made the same observations as with regard to
Japan. Having referred in terms of approval to the other
portions of the Royal Speech, he concluded by moving the
address, expressive of grateful solicitude relative to the in-
terests of her Majesty and the royal family, particularly
the marriage of the Prince of 1,9 ales and the birth of a
prince. (Cheers.)
Mr. GOSCkIEN, in seconding the address, re-echoed
the strong feelings of love and loyalty towards her Majesty
and the Royal family it expressed. He defended the policy
of the Government in regard to Schleswig-Holstein. Her
Majesty had been unremitting in her endeavours
to accomplish what was the object of all parties,
namely, peace. He trusted that object would be
eventually adopted by other countries, although there
might be some difference as to the mode of carrying it out.
This country had not made up its mind with regard to the
doctrine of non-intervention. This country was not to
isolate itself from the events of Europe on selfish grounds, or
to repudiate her own interests. A notion, however, prevailed
in Germany that this country would not interfere under
any circumstances, and that our sympathy with Denmark
merely resulted from selfish considerations as regarded our
commerce. He asserted that the present hostilities in
Europe developed the fact that war was undertaken for the
purpose of breaking treaties, which war had before been
commenced to maintain. (Cheers.) The hon. member
then referred in terms of great gratitude to the commercial
prosperity. The country had developed its elasticity by
rising superior to a failure of one branch of its industry by
its energy in others, and the only cry from Manchester
was not to interfere with this blockade which had interfered
with her local prosperity. With regard to the imports there
was a falling off in only one article, namely, wheat, to the
amount of £11,000,000, while there was an increase
which would go a great way to meet the deficit of
£18,000,000 arising from the increase in the price of cotton.
He then alluded in terms of approval to the state of India,
and expressed a hope that the principle of free trade would
be extended.

Mr. DISRAELI, who; rose amid cheers, said—Mr.
Speaker, my first impression when I read the Speech of the
Royal Commissioners was that it was a document not ad-
dressed to the times in which we live, and that it really did
not tear a true relation to the circumstances of the day ;
and, after having listened to the interesting addresses of
the mover and seconder, I still retain the first impression.
Indeed, if it were not for one paragraph in which an ap-
peal is made to the unaffected loyalty of the nation, by re-
minding us of the birth of an heir to the Prince of Wales,
I really see no reason why this document should not have
been composed in any other year than the year of our Lord
1864. (Hear, hear, and a laugh.) And yet, sir, sines we
last met in this house a great deal has happened. Indeed,
I can hardly recall more numerous and more important
subjects on which the House of Commons would have been
grateful to have been enlightened by the Crown. We are
certainly assured, and we receive the announcement with
pleasure. that, in the opinion of her Majesty's Government,
the condition of the country is, on the whole, satisfactory,
and that the distress in the manufacturing districts is in
some degree diminished. But, sir, I cannot but believe
that there are other parts of her Majesty's kingdom in
which very great distress has for a long period prevailed
and still prevails; the condition of which is by no means
on the whole satisfactory, and where the amount of dis-
tress since last we met has certainly not diminished, If,
therefore, the sympathy of the Sovereign and of Parlia-
ment be, as I believe sincerely it is, an expression of
sentiment highly valued by the nation, I think it
would have been as well if her Majesty's Government
had taken this occasion to refer to the present con-
dition of Ireland. (Hear, hear.) Last year we were all sen-
sible of the sufferings of the agricultural population of Ire-
land. They were then sustaining the unfortunate results of
three consecutive bad harvests. In England we have been
favoured with exuberant and abounding crops, but I fear
that blessing has not been extended to the sister country.
The distress in Ireland must, therefore, now be greatly ag-
gravated, and I think it would have been wise, I am sure
it would have been true, and I hold that it would have been
politic, to acknowledge not merely the existence of the dis-
tress in Ireland, but that it has been borne in a mann- r
which for patience and endurance is as exemplary as that
which has been shown by our fellow-subjects is the manu-
facturing districts. I know that there are philosophers at
present who look upon the increased emigration from Ire-
land as a proceeding which need not occasion any anxiety 1
to the State. I have no doubt that emigration has been
caused by blended causes, that it may not entirely proceed
from the agrarian distress which has so long prevailed, yet
I do not think that any sagacious Minister, particularly in
the times in which we live, can view the flitting of large
numbers of her Majesty's subjects with indifference—a race
too on which in the hour of trial and emergency we have so
much depended, and whom we have always found a gallant
and gifted people, (Cheers.) But that is not the only orris•
sien I and others have remarked in the speech of the Royal
Cemmissioners. We have been assured that the condition
of our fellow-subjects in Lancashire is, on the whole, some-
what improved; but I should like to have seen some refe-
rence to the country to the convulsions in which the distress
is entirely attributable. (Hear.) It seems to me somewhat
strange that the United States are not noticed in her Ma-
jesty's Speech. Our relations with the United States are
very intimate and have been very active, and some expres•
sion of opinion on the part of the Government as to the pro-
bable duration of that eventful struggle —(a laugh)—would
have been received with great satisfaction. It is said that the
Government have received official communications on that
subject, and we should certainly have been extremely obliged
if they had given us the results. But if they could not
venture to give an opinion as to the probable duration of the
struggle, they might have assured us that the policy they
have adopted with regard to the conteat,and which has been
sanctioned by Parliament, is at least unchanged.,(Hear.):lt
would have been satisfactory to know that the principle of
strict neutrality is still the rule of our policy, and that dur-
ing the recess it has been rigorously observed and severely
and strictly enfoiced. I say so, because much has occurred
during the interval to occasion great suspicion in the public
mini ; and though I freely own that these circumstances
may be susceptible of a satisfactory explanation on the part
of the Government, still I do not doubt that the subject is
one which will require the attention of Parliament, and I
think it would have been wiser if, at the commencement of
the Session, there had been some notice of our relations with
the United States in the speech of the Royal Commissioners.
(Hear, hear) There are some other subjects which I do not,
but which most hon. members expected to, see noticed. I
should like to have seen something about China. (Hear.)
Our relations with China, and particularly with the Chinese
Government, form a topic of great interest to the English
people. When we remember the extraordinary announce-
ment made last year of what was to be our policy towards
China, and the engagements then made by officers in our
service, with the enthusiastic sanction of the members of the
Government, and when we remember what we have recently
heard as to the result of those engagements, I think some
light might have been shed on the state of affairs in the
Speech. (Hear, hear.) In the period which has elapsed since
we met here last the subject of Poland has not been forgotten.
I believe there have been very active communication with
foreign Powers on the subject, and we all know the extreme
interest felt by her Majesty's Gavernment in Poland. It
would have been satisfactory, therefore, for us to have had
some official declaration of the views of her Majesty's Go-
vernment on the subject of the Polish insurrection. (Hear,
hear.) It is only a few weeks ago since one of the most
powerful sovereigns of Europe, who, when Parliament was
prorogued was still our cordial ally, proposed a great scheme
for the consideration of her Majesty's Government—which
no one will deny, looking to its probable consequences and
the quarter from which it came, was a political movement
of the highest character. (Hear.) It would have been as well
if that proposal had been noticed in the Speech, and in
noticing it, perhaps an opportunity might have been offered
to remove some of the irritation which, it is understood,
exists, and to explain some of the misapprehensions which
are said to prevail. (Hear, hear.) Notwithstanding all the
omissions which I have pointed out, there is yet in her
Majesty's Speech one still more significant omission. The
country is in a state of profound peace ; and this is the first