The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-12 00:00:00

OPENING

OF

PARLIAMENT.

(THIS DAY.)

HOUSE OF LORDS--(THIS DAY.)
The anxiously-looked for opening of Parliament took
place this day, her Majesty the Queen inaugurating in
person what will, in all probability, be one of the most
important and deeply interesting sessions recorded in
the Parliamentary annals of this country.
The morning was exceedingly fine, the sun shining, out
with a brilliancy rare at this period of the year. From
1.1 early hour the streets leading towards Whitehall and
the Park were crowded with persons hurrying to obtain

a good place for viewing the Royal procession; and long
before two o'clock the Malin St. James's-park, White-
h all, and Parliament-street, were so thronged with
,pectators that circulation would have been im-
possible but for the good arrangements enforced
by the police. Along Parliament-street a number of bal-
conies were erected, which were crowded with ladies.

With the well-known punctuality of the Queen, the
Royal procession left Buckingham Palace at a quarter
to two o'clock. Her Majesty wax accompanied by
Prints Albert and the usual attendants. All along the

route the manifestations of popular respect for the Queen
were warm and frequent, the cheering at various points
being loud and enthusiastic, which her Majesty and the
Prince Consort acknowledged repeatedly.
The Chamber of the House of Peers was thrown open
soon after 12 o'clock, and from that hour up till the
as-rival of her Majesty the officials of the house were
s)ccupied in finding seats for those who had obtained tickets
of admission, or ushering Peeresses to their allotted
positions in the body of the house. Very many of the
Peeresses appeared in deep mourning, too plainly indi•
eating that they had lost some relations in the terrible
struggle going on in the Crimea. All the galleries were
tilled with ladies, while, as is usual on these occasions,
t!ae bishops' benches to the right of the throne were ap-
?ropriatecl to the use of the Foreign Ambassadors. It
was observed that Mr. Bechanan, the representative of
America, a fine portly-looking man, was attired in the
simple evening dress of a gentleman. Although the scene
of the opening of Parliament was associated with mourn-
ful recollections of the past yet it had lost none of its
former splendour, and the picture which the interior of
the house presented was truly superb. Several of the
judges, attired in their state robes, surrounded the Lord
Chancellor, and some half-dozen of the bishops were in
their places, including the Archbishop of Canterbury
and the Bishop of London ; but the army was scarcely
represented indeed there seemed to be an utter
absence of military uniforms, excepting, of course,
those worn by the Ambassadors. The attend-
ance of Peers was exceedingly numerous on both
sides of the house. The Earl of Aberdeen, the Duke of
Newcastle, the Duke of Argyll, the Earl of Clarendon, and
other of the Ministers were present.
At a quarter past two o'clock the booming of cannon
announced the arrival of her Majesty, and a few
minutes afterwards her Majesty entered the
house, preceded by the Earl of Aberdeen bearing the
sword of State, the Marquis of Winchester carrying
the cap of maintenance, the Marquis of Lansdowne
carrying the crown, and the Lord Chancellor.
Her Majesty having ascended the throne, she was
graciously pleased to command her subjects to be seated.
The Usher of the Black Rod (Sir Augustus Clifford) was
then directed to summon the House of Commons to at-
tend at the bar, and immediately afterwards the Speaker,
attired in his State robes, and attended by the Serjeant-
at-Arms and a large body of members, appeared at the
bar accordingly.

HER MAJESTY'S SPEECH.
The Lord Chancellor then handed her Majesty the
Speech, which she read in her usually clear and distinct
ruice as follows :
" My LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,
" I have called you together at this unusual period of the
year, in order that, by your assistance, I may take such mea-
sures as will enable me to prosecute the great War m which
we are engaged with the utmost vigour and effect.
This assistance I know will be readily given ; for I cannot
doubt that you share my conviction of the necessity of spar-
ing no effort to augment my forces now engaged in the
Crimea. The exertions they have made, and the victories
they have obtained, are not exceeded in the brightest pages
of our history, and have filled mo with admiration ane grati-
tude.

" The hearty and efficient co-operation of the brave troops
of my ally the Emperor of the French, and the glory acquired
in common, cannot fail to cement still more closely the union
which happily subsists between the two nations.
" It is with satisfaction I inform you that, together with
the Emperor of the French, I have concluded a treaty of
alliance with the Emperor of Austria, from which I antici-
pate important advantages to the common cause.
" I have also concluded a Treaty with the United States of
America, by which subjects of long and difficult discussion
have been equitably adjusted.
" These Treaties will be laid before von.
" Although the prosecution of the War will naturally en-
:age your chief attention, I trust that other matters of great
interest and importance to the general welfare will not be
neglected.
"I rejoice to observe that the general prosperity of my
subjects remains uninterrupted. The state of the revenue
affords me entire satisfaction ; and I trust that by your wis-
dom and prudence you will continue to promote the progress
of agriculture, commerce, and manufactures.
" GENTLEMEN OF TILE HOUSE OF COMMONS,

" In the estimates which will be presented to you I trust
you will find that ample provision has been made for the
exigencies of the public service.

'AMY LORDS AND GENTLSMEN,
" I rely with confidence on your patriotism and public
spirit. I feel assured that in the momentous contest
in which we are enraged you will exhibit to the world the
example of a united people. Thus shall we obtain tho re-
spect of other nations, and may trust that by the blessing of
God we shall bring the war to a successful termination."

This closed the ceremony of opening Parliament, and
leer Majesty returned to Buckingham Palace in the same
order that aho came.

Their lordships re-assembled at 5 o'clock.
The house at this period presented a very animated ap-
pearance. A considerable number of I4dies were in the
properly so called,
Peeresses' galleries ; the space below the bar was filled
by members of the House of Commons and their friends,
exhibited a goodly
Ministers and other Peers earliest in attend-
anceatAmongstTewhilsthhGranville,dea‘i' the:
taeotnphhr
deoPueLliesert:s(A
•' :.
N Stanley,c E
L L CHANCELLOR
Rf A
roselil e r
al
ne ya .
the Earl of Aberdeen, the Duke of Newcastle,
were
the Marquis of Lansdowne, the Duke of Argyll, Earl
At 20 minutes after 5 o'clock,
read the Queen's
Speech from the Woolsack.
at
tThe It
Tie Duke of LEEDS then rose to move the Address.
He said he was sure both Parliament and the country
would gladly respond to her Majesty's appeal to the coun- ,
try for means of carrying on the war. (Hear, hear.) With
respect to the treaty which her Majesty had announced as
the taebylal Speech having been again read by the Clerke,
e,
concluded with the Government of the United States he was
sure the country would rejoice at it. As regarded that
other treaty between Austria and France and England,
which the Royal Speech also announced as concluded, it
about
an be regarded as a great step towards bringing
an honourable and a lasting peace.
Referring to that
portion of the Royal Speech which alluded to the gallantry
of our brave allies, the noble duke paid a high tribute to the
indomitable courage and bravery *four own troops and of our
allies at Balaklava.. Never had the unanimous spirit of
the country shone forth more brilliantly than now, ani-
mated by the justice of our cause. The collections now
being made for the relief of the wives and widows and
children of our brave defenders exceeded anything of the
i
kind ever before known. The noble duke (who was very '
imperfectly heard in the gallery) concluded by moving the
Address in the usual form.
h illness) seconded the address. lie
trusted the Emperor of Russia would not be so misled as
AbingdontoL Lord
rdimagineA StlithhrßaotUugill '°lC
this country (n the absence of the Earl of
wort 1 d not carry on the war
because of stint of money or stint of men. (Hear.) This was
due. both to our gallant allies the French, and to Austria,
who ran so great a risk in embarking in this contest.
It was this also to our brave army and to the entire British
people, who had shown such a readiness to sacrifice life and
fortune in the cause. (Sear')
The Earl of DERBY said if it had been his intention to
propose any amendment on this momentous occasion,
he should certainly have wished to hear some
statement first from some member of her Ma-
jesty's Government, and honoured as he was by a large
portion of this house—(hear, hear) —he should certainly at
present abstain from moving any such amendment. This
was no time to consider svhahor this war might have been
avoided or ant. (Hear, hear.) In that war we were now
embarked, and in that war were pressing forward as ono
Ilan with a .unanimity unparallelled ; and, in fact, it
might be said that it was not the Government who were
appealing to the people, but the people who were urging
on the Government. We recognised this as a great war,
calling for the united efforts of the whole country, and no
sacrifice on the part of Parliament or the country would 110
considered too great to carry this war to an honourable,
and, God grant, a successful termination. With respect
to the other portions of her Majesty's Speech, he did not
think the state of the manufacturing districts was a
fit subject for congratulation. After referring to
the treaty with the United States, the noble earl
returning to that portion of her Majesty's Speech which
referred to that subject which now engrossed all men's
minds, he
faegratihnstto
all expressed his cordial approval of that part of it
which referred to the French alliance. It was „impossible
to look at two great nations formerly acting as foes,
and now fighting side by side, without feeling that it
called up
a communion of glory between the two great
nations. And he must also pay his tribute of admiration
to our own
u
gallant army ; men of whom not perhaps one
invade
the difficultiesth e
ee country
position
in a hundred had ever before heard a shot, who had gone
o f
a
t h they pressed
on andah d
repulsed a veteran army from the heights of Alma,
and when, in a short time afterwards, suffering from cold
and hunger, and the surprise in a dense fog of an army
seven times their number, and, looking to that unfortunate
but astounding charge of our light cavalry, there was not
a
a heart but must thrill, not an eye to which tear must not
start, when we reflected that those gallant men were our
countrymen and citizens like ourselves. (Loud cheers.)
The country would know how to appreciate the services of
thole gallant men, and he would only exnro,4 a hope that,
if ha Was not out 01 orter, some mark of military di,tinc •
I tion frola this country, should be confers ed on General
ICam obei t. (Hear, hear.) Having said this much, he
felt bound to express his surprise that a new Secretary
of State having been appointed, the Government had, as
it Were, lived f.rom hand to mouth, never made any timely