The Sun.
London, England, 1866-11-15 00:00:00

Opening of the Belgian Chambers.

BRUSSELS, ov. 13.

The Belgian Chambers were opened to-day by the
King in person. His Majesty read a speech from
the throne, the full text of which is as follows :
" Gentlemen,—l have been desirous of finding
myself again in the midst of the national representa-
tives, where I encountered so sympathising a recep-
tion hardly a year ago. In each of our patriotic
provinces the entire people associated themselves
with these touching demonstrations ; they clung to
the memory of the venerated monarch whose bene-
ficent reign will :leave imperishable traces in the
existence of Belgium. (Cheers.) It is with great
satisfaction that I state the excellent condition of
our international relations. In the midst of the
grave events that have troubled a large portion of
Europe, Belgium has remained calm, confident, and
penetrated with the rights and the duties of a neu-
trality she will maintain in the future as in the past,
with sincerity., loyalty, and strength. (Loud
cheers.) Yet, although the public secnrity has not
been shaken, although our position at home has
remained comparatively satisfactory, the coun-
try has, however, not been free from the fatal
malady that has desolated other shores. Thanks
to the devotion of the local authorities and
of all classes of the population, the effects
of the scourge—which has now almost entirely dis-
appeared—have been fortunately alleviated. Let
us have words of pity for those who have suffered,
words of gratitude for those who have shown devo-
tion. We must not forget that these disasters have
especially affected our working classes. It is the
duty of us all to continue to occupy ourselves with
everything that may advance the material and moral
improvement of the labouring population. (Loud
cheers.) Among the preventive measures which
science and practice point out as the most efficacious,
figures, in the first rank, the rendering insalubrious
places healthy. This duty justly occupies both the
Government and the communes. The same solici-
tude is due to the instruction of the working classes.
The assistance of the Chambers will never fail the
Government in attaining this useful and noble ob-
ject, towards which every people jealous of its
liberty and desirous of remaining worthy of it ought
incessantly to strive. (Cheers.) The result of the
harvest has not entirely responded to the hopes of
our cultivators. Agriculture, nevertheless, has not
receded in the path of progress along which it ad-
vances with rapid strides. The energetic measures
taken by my Government have contributed to cir-
cumscribe and paraly se the effects of the cattle plague,
which has raged elsewhere with great intensity. Inde-
pendently of tasks whose accomplishment the cham-
bers have still to pursue, various bills will be sub-
mitted to their deliberation. The revision Of the
law of 1858 upon expropriations, suppression of
imprisonment for debt, improvement of the laws
upon preventive detention and extradition, aboli-
tion of article 1,781 of the civil code, revision of
the military penal code, freedom to manufactured
articles of gold and silver, river fishery, cadastal
readjustment with the object of a more just redis-
tribution of the land tax ; these are the subjects
which will be successively brought forward in the
course of this Session, and which I recommend to
the enlightened examination of Parliament. My
Government has concluded a treaty of friendship,
commerce, and navigation with Japan, which, con-
jointly with our late convention with China, is de-
stined to open to Belgium new relations towards the
countries of the extreme East, by securing to our
commerce the international guarantee of which it
has hitherto been devoid. The civic guard and the
army continue to fulfill their labours with the zeal
and the patriotism that have always distinguished
those two great institutions. (Cheers.) The
Tir National has furnished our citizen militia
with an opportunity of fraternising with the militia
of neighbouring countries. Belgium will be happy
to see renewed upon her hospitable soil those peace-
ful contests in which relations of mutual friendship
and esteem are formed, which the future can but
extend and forty. (Loud cheers.) Our artists, as
the recent Exhibition has proved, brilliantly associate
the labours which constitute its glory with the ma-
terial works that form the fortune of the country.
I hope that all Belgian workers will redouble their
efforts to occupy an honourable rank in the universal
contest a friendly great Power will soon open to all
nations. That Belgium may continue to signalise
herself by an energetic and fecund activity, by her
respect for order, and by the wise practice of her
liberties, that the elements of prosperity she con-
tains may develope themselves day by day under the
aegis of our liberal laws—these are my dearest wishes,
this is the object of our common desires. (Cheers.)
To accomplish the task incumbent upon it, my
Government, gentlemen, has need of your loyal and
hearty support, and at the commencement of this
new reign may all hearts remain united in the love
of our country and its institutions."
His Majesty was received with loud demonstra-
tions of satisfaction, amidst which he left the
chamber.