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

MPFAMIAL PARLIAMENT.

3 101 SSE OF LORDS..—(YESTERDAY.)
Th, a Lotti) CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at ilv.me o'c lock.

NEW PEER.
Lord BiBRIIMIT of lAA (late Mr. Sydney Herbert) took
the oaths and 'Ails ;Teat on his elevation to the peerage. The
noble lo:A was introduced by the Duke of Argyll and
Lord Sly .dburne,.
APT EARANCE OF THE HOUSE.
Thera wiz a very large attendance of peers present
when 11'ie Lord Chancellor rose to read the
Royal Speech. The galleries round the house
were filled by ladies, and the space before the throne was
also . densely filled.
The ministerial bench was fully occupied. Lord Herbert
'took his seat next the Duke of Newcastle, and in: a few
minutes after the Duke of Cambridge entered the
house, and commenced an animated conversation with
the noble lord. The Earl of Derby was present, and looked
remarkably well. The only thing unusual with the noble
earl was that ho used a stick in walking.
THE ADDRESS.

Her Majesty's speech on the opening of Parliament hav-
ing b'den 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 hare not thought it
right to exercise any active interference in those
matters. Papers on this subject will be laid before
you.
I announced to you, at the close of the last
session of Parliament, that the atrocities which
had then recently been committed in Syria, had
induced me to concur with the Emperor of Awitria,
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.
Serious differences have arisen among the States
of the North American Union. It in 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 tie 23d of January, 1860, and in further-
ance of fle objects of that Treaty.
I he.ee 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.
I confidently commit the great interests of my
Empire 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
people.

The Earl of SEFTON, who wore a full military
Uniform, then rose to move an humble Address to her
Majesty, 'in answer to her most gracious Speech.
Be 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.
He should not have to trespass upon their lordships' patience
for any considerable time. At another time ho would
have expressed a hope that his motion would have met with
Zuhhimous approval, but under the present circumstances
he pleasure of seeing the noble earl opposite sufficiently
restored to health to deal with any question, forbid him to
anticipate stich'a worse. (Hear, and cheers.) It was a
great pleasure to find that her Majesty still con-
tinued to be on the most faendly and satisfactory footing
with other 4atikons.. (Hear, hear.) The first paragraph
in the Royal 'S'peech referred to Italy, and he could not but
think that the course that had been adopted by this coun-
try had been the right one, and becominga great and power-
ful nation. The operations that had taken place in China
had proved that the old spirit of military ardour still
continued unimpaired, and the great results that had
been obtained with so small a loss from either death
ser sickness was a source of great gratification. The arms
of England had proved to the Emperor of china that
atrocities like those that had been committed under the
observatieu of the highest in that distant land could not go
unpunished.. (Hear.) The state of the Indian terri-
'
toilets had also been referred to in the Royal Speech. Tier
Majesty expressed a hope that the present condition of
that great ceuntry would continue to improve. (Hear.)
There were, however, those who thought that such could
not be the case for a considerable 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. lie 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
stoustry was not entirely dependent on that count' f for
one of itststaple commeiities—viz., cotton. The possibility
of growing it elsewhere was at thepresent moment occupyin g
a great deal of attention, and he thought it would prove
aleceasful., `With respect to the supplemental Treaty
e'3.L.11 erudid between Her Majesty and the Emperor of the
he must say that the opinion that much of
ta
b e digit distress that at present existed in Coventry was
to ributeri to the treaty with France was not shared
in by him. ai
• 'car.) The measure referred to as being about
to be introduced felt sure would receive the best consi-
deration,snd,if passed
ciia;•:4ld effectue great good. He thanked
them for their patien
iced to move the usual
address to her Majesty:
Lord LISMOIiE seconded the motion in a speech which
was quite inaudible in the rep' tern,
gallery
The Earl of DERBY, who rose amid
eyries of " hear"
from: both sidap 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 fir'.o_
Speech horn the Throne are such as de not render "'
nary any interruption of that general harmony and nuatii.
mitt' with which it is always desirable at the commence-
ment of the session that both this and the other Hotise of
Parliament should express its loyalty to the Sovereign.
tiebte friend who has moved the Address has been
kind enough to allude to me in terms for which I am most