The Sun.
London, England, 1853-11-10 00:00:00

BELGIUM.

•
The King of the Belgians on Tuesday opened
the session of the Chambers with the usual for-
malities. His Majesty delivered the following
speech :

" Gentlemen,—At the end of the last session, you
applauded the union of my beloved son, the Duke de
Brabant, with the Archduchess Mary Henrietta of Aus-
tria. This union has been realised as you have seen.
It is a guarantee of happiness for the heir of the throne,
a pledge of perpetuity for my dynasty, and at the same
time a bond with Europe, and a testimony of the con-
fidence which Belgian nationality inspires. My heart
has rejoiced at it, and the whole country has rejoiced
with me.
" The impartial and friendly policy which presides
over our international relations is every day better
understood. This policy secures the maintenance of
our good relations with all the powers.
" Measures which concern essential interests have
been carried into effect. The conversion of the three
loans has procured a notable saving to the State. The
organisation of our military establishment has given
the army a stable situation, and increased our means
of defence. It is a benefit which the army will appre-
ciate ; and the army shows itself worthy of it by its
discipline, its instruction, and the excellent spirit which
animates it. Its devotedness, and that of the civic
guard, will never make default.
"The constant increase in the taxes attests the pros-
perous situation of most of the branches of our industrial
and commercial wealth. My government is occupying
itself with the means of consolidating this situation.
Commercial negociations are being actively carried on.
The Society of Transatlantic Steamers has been defini-
tively constituted, and it is about to commence opera-
tions.
"The consular service has been ;reorganised. The
spirit of enterprise—that indispensable element of im-
portant affairs—reveals itself by constant progress. Our
productions reach the most distant markets, and their
consumption extends in those markets which they pre-
viously supplied. My government will demand of you
to reduce the import duties on raw materials in the in-
terest of Belgian manufacturers • it will propose to fill
up the voids and to correct the faults in the law on
patent rights.
"Some of the public works decreed less than two
years ago are being 'executed by the State, and the
others by private enterprise, in virtue of conventions
which the State has concluded. There is reason to
hope that in general the delays fixed for their completion
will not be exceeded. Let us congratulate ourselves,
gentlemen, on this application of national activity. It
will produce fortunate results. Even at present it fur-
nishes useful resources to a part of our working popula-
tion who suffer from the high price of articles of food.
This temporary calamity calls for exceptional measures.
My Government has taken the most urgent of them on
its own responsibility. It will submit them to your ex-
amination. A bill on Credit Foncier has been presented
to you. I hop‘that, by the aid of some amendments,
this question will receive a prompt and satisfactory
solution.

" You have adopted the first part of the new Penal
Code ; the second part of this vast work will doubtless
be immediately submitted to you. You will also have
to vote definitively the Forest Code as well as the law
on forced expropriation, which constitutes the comple-
ment of the mortgage regime, and is one of the elements
of the Credit Foncier. A bill modifying some parts of
the Penal Military Code may be immediately discussed.
" The examination of the reforms to be introduced
into the judicial organisation, the notariate system, and
the mendicity asylums, is going on without interrup-
tion. The Government is also preparing with all the
attention which the important subject demands, the
various enactments intended to regulate charitable in-
stitutions.

" Public instruction of every degree continues t°
assume a great development ; industrial instruction i 5
also on the increase. The teaching of the sciences con-
nected with commercial matters is founded, and a supe-
rior institute • of commerce is being organised in our
large towns, with the co-operation of the Government.
The attempts made to enlighten the progress of our
agriculture have not been sterile ; experience permits
the presentation of a definitive system of instruction,
and the plan will be shortly submitted to you for deli-
beration.

" The legislation on the various branches of the
medical profession and on the sanitary police offers
omissions which it is important to supply. A bill has
been drawn up for that purpose, and is at present being
subjected to an attentive revision.
" The moral and material well-being of our popula"
tions, and the consolidation of Belgian nationality--
such is the double object of our common task. WIY
Government supported, J hope, by your patriotic co-
operation, will devote to that object its most persever-
ingi
care, and what we aim at will not escape us, gel;I
sbtaeli
men, if Belgium, faithful to her past conduct,
enjoy its independent existence with dignity and PT ,10
dence, and in such a manner as to ensure to herself IL'
esteem and confidence of foreign nations."