The Sun.
London, England, 1861-02-06 00:00:00

THE ADDRESS.

Her Majesty's spee:Contheopening of Parliament hay.
ing been read by the Lord Chancellor, as follows :

MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,
It is with great satisfaction that I meet you
again in Parliament, and have recourse to your
assistance and advice.
My relations with Foreign Powers continue to
be friendly and satisfactory ; and I trust that the
moderation of the Powers of Europe will prevent
any interruption of the general peace.
Events of great importance are taking place in
Italy. Believing that the Italians ought to be left
to settle their own affairs, I have not thought it
right to exercise any active interference in those
matters. Papers on this subject will be laid before
yen.
I announced to you, at the close of the last
session of Parliament, that the atrccities which
had then recently been committed in Syria had 11
induced me to concur with the Emperor of Austria,
the Emperor of the French, the Prince Regent of
Prussia, and the Emperor of Russia, in entering
into an engagement with the Sultan by which
temporary military assistance was to be afforded to
the Sultan for the purpose of establishing order in
that part of his dominions.
That assistance has been afforded by a body of
French troops who have been sent to Syria as re-
presenting the allied Powers. The Sultan has
also placed a considerable military force in Syria
-under the direction of an able officer; and I trust
that tranquillity will soon be re-established in that
province; and that the objects of the Convention
will have been fully attained.
I announced to you also, at the close of the last
session of Parliament, that the pacific overtures
which my Envoy in China had made to the Imperial
Government at Peking having led to no satisfac-
tory result, my naval and military forces, and those
of my Ally the Emperor of the French, were to
advance towards the Northern Provinces of China,
for the purpose of supporting the just demands of
the Allied Powers, and that the Earl of Elgin had
been sent to China as Special Ambassador to treat
with the Chinese Government.
I am glad to inform you that the operations of
the allied forces have been attended with complete

success. After the capture of the forts at the
mouth of the Peiho, and several engagements with
the Chinese army, the allied forces became masters
of the Imperial city of Peking; and the Earl of
Elgin and Baron Gros, the Ambassador of the
Emperor of the French, were enabled to obtain an
honourable and satisfactory settlement of all the
matters in dispute.
Throughout these operations, and the negotia-
tions which followed them, the Commanders and
Ambassadors of the Allied Powers acted with the
most friendly concert. Papers on this subject will
be laid before you.

The state of my Indian territories is progressively
improving, and I trust that their financial condition
will gradually partake of the general amendment.
An insurrection of a portion of the natives of
New Zealand has interrupted the peace of a part
of that colony ; but I hope that the measures which
have been taken will speedily suppress these dis-
turbances, and enable my Government to concert
such arrangements as may prevent their recurrence.i
Serious differences have arisen among the States
of the North American Union. It is impossible
for me not to look with great concern upon any
events which can affect the happiness and welfare
of a people nearly allied to my subjects by descent,
and closely connected with them by the most inti-
mate and friendly relations. My heartfelt wish is
that these differences may be susceptible of a satis-
factory adjustment.
The interest which I take in the well-being
of the people of the United States can-
not but be increased by the kind and cordial
reception given by them to the Prince of Wales
during his recent visit to the Continent of. America.
I am glad to take this opportunity of expressing
my warm appreciation of the loyalty and attach-
ment to my person and Throne manifested by my
Canadian and other North American subjects on
the occasion of the residence of the Prince of Wales
among them.
I have concluded with the Emperor of the French
Conventions supplementary to the Treaty of Com-
merce of the 23d of January, 1860, and in further-
ance of the objects of that Treaty.
I have also concluded with the King of Sardinia
a Convention for the Reciprocal Protection of
Copyright.
These Conventions will be laid before you.
GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS,

I have directed the Estimates for the ensuing
year to be laid before you. They have been framed
with a due regard to economy and to the efficiency
of the several branches of the public service.
MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,

Measures will be laid before you for the consoli-
dation of important parts of the Criminal Law ; for
the improvement of the Law of Bankruptcy and
Insolvency ; for rendering more easy the Transfer
of Land ; for establishing a uniform system of
Rating in England and Wales ; and for several
other purposes of public usefulness.
confidently commit the great interests of my
Ernpiro to your wisdom and care ; and I fervently
pray that the blessing of the Almighty may attend
your Councils, and may guide your deliberations
to the attainment of the object of my constant
solicitude—the welfare and happiness of my
Ipeople.
Tho Earl of SEFTON, who wore a full military
nt tiform, then rose to move an humble Address to her
314 jetty, in answer to her most gracious Speech.
He said he hoped that the house would extend
that indulgence which was always awarded to those
who addressed their lordships' house for the first time.
Ha should not have to trespass upon their lordships' patience
for ally considerable time. At another time he would
have eizpressed a hope that his motion would have met with
unanimous approvel, but under the present circumstances
the plea ure of seeing the noble earl opposite sufficiently
restored to health to deal with any question, forbid him to
auticipecte such a course. (Hear, and cheers.) It was a
great pleasure to find that her Majesty still con-
tinued to be on the most Nendly and satisfactory footing
with othor nations. (Hear, hear.) The first paragraph
to the Royal Speech referred to Italy, and he could not but
think that. tho course that had been adopted by this coun-
try had to len the right one, and bocominga great and power-
ful natiou. Tho operations that had taken place in China
had proved that the old spirit of military ardor- still
continued unimpaired, end the great results that had
been obtained with so small a loss from either death
or sickness was a source of great gratification. The arms
of England had proved tc the Emperor of China that
atrocities like those that had been committed under the
observation of the highest in that distant land could not go
stnpunished. (Hear.) The state of the Indian terri-
tories had also been referred to in the Royal Speech. Her
Majesty expressed a hope that the present condition of
that great country would continue to improve. (Hear.)
There were, however, those who thought that such could
not be the case for a corsiderable period; but when
they considered the vast extent of the resources of that
immense empire, he thought that the hope expressed by
her Majesty was most likely to be fulfilled. He felt that all
their lordships would agree with her Majesty in the hopes
she expressed relative to the troubled state of America. It
was to be regretted that such a state of things had arisen,
but he would have their lordships to remember that this
touttry was not entirely dependent on that country for
'me of its staple commodities—viz., cotton. The possibility
of gruwittg it elsewhere was at the present moment occupying
a great deal of attention, and ho thought it would prove
successful. With respect to the supplemental Treaty
concluded between Her Majesty and the Emperor of the
French, he must say that the opinion that much of
the distress that at present existed in Coventry was
to be attributed to the treaty with France was sh
ared
In shar d
In by him. (Hear.) The measure referred to as being about
to be tntroduca.iedphasefea, felt sure
sure_ would receive the best consi-
deration,ab,
f passed, would
and ueeffect great good. He thanked
them for their
begged to move the usual
address to her Majesty.
Lord LISMORE seconded trc-e;: otionitin a speech 7hich
was quite inaudible in the repot
The Earl of DERBY, who rose amid cries of
'
om both sides of the house, said,—my lords, it is at all
times a great gratification to me, upon whichever side of
the house I may happen to be sitting, when the terms of
the Address moved' In answer to her Majesty's t ion,
Speech froth the Throne are such as do not render neces-
sary any interruption of that general harmony and unani-
mity with which it is always desirable at the commence-
ment of the Sessitm that both this and the other House of
parliament should express its loyalty to the Sovereign,
My noble friend who has moved the Address has been
kind enough to allude to me in terms for which I ant most

grateful—(hear, hear)—aed, if he imagines that I am I
actuated by any settled purpose of hoetilit) to her Ma-
jesty's Government, or have any desire to offo an amend-
ment to this Address, I can assure him he ha greatlymis-
taken the course which I am disposed to tak on this occa-
sion. My lords, we must recollect that a S, eech from the
Throne is a very different thing from an . 1 dinary message
delivered by the President of the United E tates of America
to Congress. It does not assume to be an exposition of the
general principles of the Government fbr the time being,
much less does it assume to be an exposition in detail of the
manner in which they intend to carry out those principles.
No doubt there are occasions when a Ministry finds it
needful to give to Parliament a general Indication of the
leading principles of their policy, and when they may also
think it necessary to frame the Address as to compel an
expression of opinion favourable or unfavourable to that
policy from both branches of the Legislature. On the other
hand, therehave been times when the views of the Oppo-
sition on vital questions were so decidedly at variance with
1 those of the Ministry, and when they were so strongly con-
vinced that the Government of the country ought to be in
other hands, that an amendment to the Address has been
called for and has been proposed. But, my lords, these are
exceptions to the general rule; and I think it is wise on
the part of the Government to confine the Address to that
which is its most legitimate character--namely, a brief
reference to the events which have occurred during the
Parliamentary recess, accompanied by an intimation
that papers explanatory of their details will in due time be
presented to both Houses, and also by a general indication
of the principal measures which it is the intention of the
Government to bring in upon their responsibility in the
course of the session. My lords, regarded in this point of
view, the present Speech appears to me to be quite unex-
ceptionable. And, although there are topics introduced
into this Speech which are of deep importance and the
highest political interest, and topics, too, on some of which
it is impossible for me to forbear from now offering a few
observations, yet I conceive that neither in the Address
itself, nor.in the speeches of. the mover and seconder, is
there anything which calls upon your lordships to depart
from the unanimity usual on these occasions. (Hear, hear.)
My lords, it may perhaps be more convenient, in commen t-
ing en the Speech, if I deal with its paragraphs ratherin
the reverse order to that in which they are submitted to us.
I shall refer, in the first place, to the paragraph in which
leer Majesty's Ministers put forward the principal and most
important measures which they intend to propose to Par-
liament in the present session. And I here cannot help
congratulating her Majesty's Ministers, the two Houses of
Parliament, and the country at large that the programme
appears to be of a much more practical; if of a somewhat
less ambitious character than that which was presented to
us in the corresponding paragraph of the Speech of last
year. (Hear, hear.) My lords, the leading measures to
which reference is made as those which the Government
intend to bring forward are measures which, if carefully
and wisely arranged in their principles and details, will,
when passed, constitute a valuable addition to our legisla-
tion. In the present absence of party bitterness and party
acrimony it is to be hoped that these measures will receive
from both Houses of Parliament that calm and impartial
consideration which they might under other circumstances
not be so likely to command. My lords, although the present
,scheme of the Government promises much less than their
scheme of last year, I must be permitted to say that I
think it a much more promising one. (Hear, hear.) The
measures they intend to propose are " for the consolida-
tion of important parts of the criminal law; the improve.
ment of the law of bankruptcy and insolvency; 'rendering
more easy the transfer of land; establishing a uniform sys-
tem of rating in England and Wales; and for several ether
purposes of public usefulness." My lords, I hope I shall
not be thought hypercritical if, in passing, I say I think
one of those measures is not quite accurately described in
the Speech. The phrase " uniform rating" should be
" uniform assessment." (Hear, hear.) so A uniform system
of rating exists at present. What is complained of is the
want of uniformity in the assessment for the purpose of im-
posing the rates. And if you can make the law and prac-
atice of the eountry correspond you may certainly obtain a
great advantage by the introductionand extension of a uni-
form system of assessment for the purposes of rating. There
is a little supplementary clause added with reference to the
introduction of measures that will be convenient for several
other purposes of public usefulness. The form of the Speech
is somewhat colloquial—perhaps too colloquial for a Queen's
Speech ; but I imagine that the measures thus referred to
are of the same nature, just as a kind of et cetera. And yet
I nay be told by a noble and learned lord that there is a
great deal involved in et cetera. I think " Lord Coke upon
Littleton" says it comprehends almost every diverse ques-
tion, diverse points of commercial law, diverse diversities ;
and in one case et cetera stands for six subjects, which oc-
cupy five pages. Such was the at cetera of Lord Coke, and
it may be the Royal et cetera introduced in the Queen's
, Speech may be equally comprehensive. (A laugh.) Still, I
conjecture the measures referred to are of a more humble
class, and of the same denomination with the leading mea-
sures of the session. I must confess there is one point on
which I feel some surprise that no notice is taken in her Ma-
jesty's Speech. Without adverting to the causes which
may have produced it, I think it would have been judicious
if some expression had been given:of sympathy for the _deep
distress which existed in some parts of England ; nor would
it have been ungracious to indicate something like a Royal
approval of the beneficence which it has called forth.
(Hear, hear.) That distress may not be referable to any
special cause, but it certainly suggests matter for serious
consideration that it could not be met by the ordinary ma-
chinery of the Poor Laws. No doubt it was an exceptional
case, but the operation of the Poor Laws was found totally
inadequate to deal with it. I may be permitted to take
this opportunity of saying that I hope the working- classes
will take a useful lesson with regard to provident habits
from the distress which some of them have been called to
endure. (Hear, hear-) No doubt many of them are ut-
terly unable to do more than provide for their wants from
week to week, and if an immediate failure of employment take
place severe pressure must be the result ; but it is a matter of
notoriety that a large body, not merely of skilled artisans,
but of the working classes generally, earn on an average
245. to 288. for four days' work, and could very much in-
crease their means by working the additional two days.
(Hear, hear.) They might be in the receipt of 303. a-week
—an income equal to that of many who occupy a higher
station, and have to keep up a better appearance; yet they
waste their whole earnings in drink and idleness, and a
week or fortnight's want of work throws them and their
families into destitution, for which they have themselves
only to blame. (Hear, hear.) My lords, I must also observe
that no notice is taken in her Majesty's Speech of the finan-
cial condition of the country. (Hear, hear.) I should cer •
tainly have expected that we should be informed that the
Chancellor of the Exchequer had succeeded to his most
sanguine expectations in those sources of increased revenue
which he anticipated from the operation of the commercial
treaty with Francc—(hear, hear) —end particularly in the
increase of revenue he calculat:d upon in the reductions
effected last year. We may be told that questions of finance
are not questions with which this house ought to dee! or on
which we should make any observations, although I do not
know that there are any financial operations proposed by
the Chancellor of the Exchequer by which the members of
this houseare unaffeeted. (A laugh.) But we have this
year an opportunity which rarely occurs for considering and
examining two Royal Speeches, and comparing the results
of the policy followed in either case. I do find in the speech
addressed on Monday by the Emperor of the French to the
legislative body what has been the result of the commercial
treaty of France, and I menet do better than draw your
lordships' attention to this paragraph. Ho says, "At the
least we ought to endeavour to make objects of the first
necessity as cheap as possible. It is with this view that
we have lowered the duties on certain articles and signed a
treaty with England." He also says that they have dimi-
nished the taxation on articles of prime necessity; and in
his commercial treaty he proceeded on the principle not of
abolishing but of reducing as far as possible all taxes on the
raw material of manufacture, the greater use of which might
make up for the deficiency in the revenue. He proceeded
on the principle laid down by Sir Robert Peel in 1841 of
making the greatest re luction on at tides of prime neces-
sity, and secondly, on articles of raw material, to promote
the indus y of the country. Now see the result. The
Emperor of the French informs us that "to realise these
economical reforms we have had to renounce 90 millions of
annual receipts"—between £3,000,000 and £4,000,000 ster-
ling—" but, nevertheless, the budget will be presented to
you in equilibi:um without its having been necessary to
obtain.resou me by the creation of new imports or by trench-
ing on the public credit, es 1 had to annoince to you last
year." My lord 9, I can imagine the Chancellor of the
Exchequer reading this paragraph with very peculiar feel-
ings. (A laugh.) How he must envy the state of things
described. (A laugh.) But I will draw a veil over the
financial sorrows of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. As
to the paragraph relating to reduction and economy I hope
it will satisfy the members of the House of Commons,
ivelaugh)—d
delicate aza
and more especially those 60 gentlemen who addressed a
who recesd
memorial to the Premier
repl
reply ion
this
in subject—(ath most
conciliatory language combined with tho strongest expres-
sions of friendship. (A laugh.) As I read the
answer of the Prime Minister, it amounts to this—
" Gentlemen, economy is a
good thing, but efficiency is a
better thing still; and as her Majesty's Ministers are much
better judges than you are how far economy and
can be combined, I recommend you not to trouble efficiency
u
s
with,
your crude
speculations, but be satisfied with the estimates
we propound." (Hear, and a laugh.) Following the in-
verse order I have already indicated, the next paragraph
refers to the serious differences which have arisen among
the States of the North American Union. It is impossible
not to feel the deepest concern at the threatened disruption
of that great Union, as it must affect the happiness and
wesseee of that country. (Hear, hear.) There is no man
in this country who would not view with the deepest
anxiety and regret the disruption of a community which,
'without claiming perfection for its institutions, and cer-
tainly wider various disadvantages, has yet procured for its
people an amount of prosperity almost unparalleled in the
Istsl. I think it is inferior—(hear, hear)—to that enjoyed in
world, and an amount of personal freedom only infeeior—
this country. Near, hear.) But it is impossible to look
at that threatenbd disruption—only possible to be effectual
at the cost of the horrors of civil war—without Whilst also