The Sun.
London, England, 1865-06-20 00:00:00

Closing of the Frussian Chambers•

The following is the full text of the speech of
de Bismark on the closing of the Session of the
Prussian Legislature :
" Gentlemen, Members of both Houses,—His Majesty
has deigned to charge me to close, in his name, the two
Houses of Parliament. The country is indebted to the
united efforts of the Parliament and of the Government,
during the session which has just terminated, for the re"
newal of the Zollverein, the conclusion of treaties of cora-
merce with France, England, and Belgium, a new law on
mines, the settlement of the land tax in Silesia, the ll;
provement of the condition of invalids, the construction of
various lines of railway, and many other useful laws.
66 But the united efforts of the representatives of the
country and of the Government could not achieve any de-
cisive and complete results unless the welfare of the cone"
try, even amidst political differences, had been the Diems
point in view for all parties. It has not been so. The in-
tention clearly Manifested by the majority of the House of
Deputies to throw difficulties in the way of the councillors
of the Crown has led to the rejection of a law on banks of
a bill for the construction of railways in Eastern Prussia/
and has, consequently,been detrimental to the material pro-
sperity of the country.

_
"By the rejection of the Army Bill the new organisation
of the army, which was introduced with the consent of
preceding Parliaments, and which showed its value in tli°
last campaign, has again been challenged to the detriment
of the external situation of the country.
"The House of Deputies has refused to allow the Go-
vernment to form a fleet in keeping with present times and
wants. It has refused the support which it asked for to
cull the fruits of the victories earned by the precious blood
shed lest year. It has even alienated itself from our bril-
liant deeds of arms by refusing to vote the war expenses'
" The Budget, which must be established according t°
Artioles 62 and 99 of the Constitution, with the co-operators
in common of all bodies that participate in the framing of
laws, has failed this year on account of the refusal of the
House of Deputies to vote the indispensable estimates.
"The House has rejected the demands which the Govern-
ment found it necessary to make. It has adopted resolu-
tions which the Government cannot carry out. Instead of
desirable harmony, the session closes again amid a recipro-
cal coldness between parties which ought to act together'
The Government of his Majesty has only one object in
vie w—to shield the rights and the honour of the King and
of the country, such as they are laid down in the Constitu-
tion, such as they may and ought to exist side by side.
It cannot be of any service to the country that its
elected representatives should endeavour to seize upon
rights which are denied to them by their legal position in
the constitutional path ; it is only by devoting that position
to co-operate in the work commenced by our Sovereign/
and continued by him up to this day—a work the object of
which is to make Prussia great and happy under future
Princes—that they will fulfil the mission entrusted to
them by the King's subjects.
"The Government of his Majesty has exerted all its
efforts to fulfil the mission given to it by his Majesty in
this sense, without allowing itself to be deterred by hostile
and wanton attacks, in speech and writing. Strong in its
conscience of right and good intentions, the Government
of his Majesty will maintain the regular march of publie
affairs, and will energetically represent the interests of the
country at home as well as abroad. It is convinced that
the line of conduct it has hitherto followed is just tula
salutary, and that the day cannot be far off when the natt°lli
as it has already done spontaneously by thousands °
voices, will address through the house of its represents-
tives its thanks to our august Sovereign. fo
" I have yet to thank the House of Lords, in the nano
the King, for its fidelity and devotion.
" In the name of his Majesty, I declare the Session to be
closed."

GREENWICH PENSIONERS.—When the Sylph °r
Waterman, No. 1, takes you down the river, do
not imagine that the magnificent frontage of Greenwich
Hospital—more worthy of the name of a palace than nit's" 4,
buildings in England usually known by that designation"'
exhibits the windows of the old seamen's rooms. '11(3,,
officials can tell you better than that. Bounded on ti"
west by the temple of whitebait called the Tr 3;
falgar, the façade is so managed that the nicest
bits fall to the lot of those who, really or Pr°;
fessedly, look after the old men. Passing a piece
--
,
garden ground, we come to the north-westernmost of 0
clusters or quarters of building, named after four 6°1,.,°'
reigns who mainly supplied the funds for erecting thel
This is King Charles's Quarter, the whole river frontage Gl'
which is given up to the Governor and Lieutenant-Governi°f
—lucky fellows ! Then comes a beautiful open quadrat:oe'
the view of which is bounded southward by the Naval S clic
and the Observatory. Then another cluster called Queen
Anne's Quarter, the frontage of which is in like manner
given up wholly to officials. The south frontage of both f
these clusters tell the same story.— official ; while the wards
the old salts occupy the lateral portions. Then, still further
south, are the other two clusters known as King Willis
and Queen Mary's Quarters; one containing the Faintie,
Hall, the other the Chapel, and each comprising ofaeial).
apartments, pensioners' wards, a kitchen, and a dining-b°o
Then, round about in other places are the infirmary, t'a
helpless ward, the brewery, the bakery, the gasworks, 'II,
other departments. And, as a background to the whole,
the Royal Naval Schools, with the play and drill ground:,
the ship in which the boys play at shrouds and main
and the residences and pleasant gardens of the offiel3o
View it whence we may—east, west, north, or south--"t 1
ld
whole group is a noble one. Foreigners marvel when but
that we lodge our old seamen better than our Queen. )",,,at
do we ? It has been ascertained by actual measurement
not only do the officials take the best bits, but they 013
almost exactly one-half of all the cubical space of the elltna
buildings—buildings which cover seven acres of gr°%o
beside the open quadrangles and gardens. Here they :1,e4
in comfort with their wives and families; but the wire.
and families of the old pensioners—well, we shall see

sently.—Dickens's All the Year Round.
THE LAST WHIG APPOINTMANT.—We have wo- ecio
some time in expectation of seeing in some one
other of our contemporary papers an enumeration e'
numerous Government appointments which have been
cessively lavished on the successful Whigling, gr.
Wyndham West, a junior counsel on the northern eirefit;
and the present candidate for Ipswich. We now sul'pill
the void. Mr. West is junior counsel to the AdraireitY
London, counsel to the Admiralty on the northern ciree,
attorney-general of the duchy of Lancaster,
general of the county of Lancaster, attorney general co eve
palatine of Durham, Mint prosecutor at the West Rnd
sessions, ditto Yorkshire, junior counsel for the Pest-67
ccii
in Lancashire, and ditto Yorkshire. Mr. West Wag 13,.e 4
recorder of the borough of Scarborough, but ree'Very
that post on being very recently appointed to the ;ire
important and lucrative recordership of Manchester. •
not go so far as to say that Mr. West has net },e
do
e
appointed to all the above Government posts solely ert
ground of professional merit, but certainly he never, - -
bra
joyed practice at the bar except such as arose directly a. t,
his official appointments. The latest rumour in )
minster Hall (which we are not in a position to contra
is that Mr. West hasbeen appointed to the vacant bisboP;(l-r.
of Chester. That Lord Palmerston has the power and
West the inclination we are perfectly aware.—lleraa
THE EASTERN FISHERIES.—The prospects of last
mackerel fishery have materially improved during' o'l° lA,
few days, so far as the Great Yarmouth boats are coecerr4,;
most of the boats engaged having sent in daily a fair
ply of fine fish. Prices have varied for fresh fish at
lir"
245. to 28s. and for over-day at from 225. to 255. Per fso
dred. A report to band from Lowestoft is scarcely °
favourable a character.

'-~- ~:~

110

GUai

There I
coonnodat:
have again
IQ, no dc
few days, i
of the quf
become du

The bul
comprised
8;000 Bove

The Cre
the Inver
invited sul
preference
graph COD
had £4 on
therefore
shares, ho'
be limited
Priated to
Credit Foi
10,000 sh
Who are
Credit Ass
aPPropriat
the Atlan
Cares will
thareholde
4aintenan

At the I
Renter's t
66f• 30c.
The EN
Pressed qu
tress has IA
money, an
,01s, andl Redu
1
28.
.
Foreign
111 g, are no
1-862) are
,
;
passive, 3
654 66 ;
usinesk
rather dui'
shown a sl

BRI

6 15 et ro. C°A
.ev
etl;.o
g)er Cent. ]
4e: 32 per C
APo.l,lrr
Floe;
tkel° (Red F.
quer I

-,ot