The Sun.
London, England, 1869-02-16 00:00:00

OPENING

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

The interior of the House of Peers to-d:iy, on
the occasion of the formal opening of the Parlia-
mentary Session of 1869, presented the usual ap-
pearance when the ceremony is performed "by
Royal Commission." A small assemblage of ladies
in morning dresses occupy the back benches, and
a few Peers take their accustomed seats, and then
enters the Lord Chancellor and four members of
their lordships' house habited in the scarlet robes.
The Royal Commissioners take their seats on a
form placed in front of the Throne, and the Usher
of the Black Rod is at once despatched to the House
of Commons to request the attendance of the

Speaker at the bar of the House of Peers to hear
her Majesty's Speech read. In a few minutes the
Speaker, attended by Mr. Gladstone, Mr. Lowe,
Mr. Bright, Mr. Foster, Mr. Layard, and the other
members of the Government, by Mr. Disraeli, Sir
S. Northcote, Mr. Hardy, and a great many other
members appears at the bar, and then the Lord
Chancellor having informed the faithful Commons
that her Majesty
having thought fit to open Parlia-
ment by commission the Royal Speech on the occa-
sion would be:read to them.
The Lord Chancellor then read

THE QUEEN'S bPEECH.
MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,

I recur to your advice at the earliest period per-
mitted by the arrangements consequent upon the
retirement of the late Administration.
And it is with special interest that I commend to
you the resumption of your labours at a time when
the popular branch of the Legislature has been
chosen with the advantage of a greatly enlarged
enfranchisement of my faithful and loyal people.
I am able to inform you that my relations with
all Foreign Powers continue to be most friendly ;
and I have the satisfaction to believe that they cor-
dially share in the desire by which I am animated
for the maintenance of peace. 1 shall at all times
be anxious to use my best exertions for the promo-
tion of this most important object.
In concurrence with my Allies I have endeavoured,
by friendly interposition, to effect a settlement of
the differences which have arisen between Turkey
and Greece ; and I rejoice that our joint efforts
have aided in preventing any serious interruption of
tranquillity in the Levant.

I have been engaged in negotiations with the
United States of North America for the settlement
of questions which affect the interests and interna-
tional relations of the two countries ; and it is my
earnest hope that the result of these negotiations
may be to place on a firm and durable basis the
friendship which should ever exist between Eng-
land and America.

I have learnt with grief that disturbances have
occurred in New Zealand, and that at one spot they
have been attended with circumstances of atrocity.
I am confident that the Colonial Government and
people will not 'be wanting either in energy to re-
press the outbreaks, or in the prudence and mode-
ration which I trust may prevent their recurrence.
GENTLEMEN OF TILE HOUSE OF COMMONS,

The Estimates for the expenditure of the coming
financial year will be submitted to you. They have
beec framed with a careful regard to the efficiency
of the Services, and they will exhibit a diminished
charge upon the country.
MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,

The ever-growing wants and diversified interests
of the Empire will necessarily bring many ques-
tions of public policy under your review.
The condition of Ireland permits me to believe
that you will be spared the painful necessity which
was felt by the late Parliament for narrowing the
securities of personal liberty in that country, by
the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act.

I recommend that you should inquire into the pre-
sent modes of conducting Parliamentary and Muni-
cipal Elections, and should consider whether it
may be possible to provide any further guarantees
for their tranquillity, purity, and freedom.
A measure will be brought under your notice for
the relief of some classes of occupiers from hard-