The Sun.
London, England, 1868-01-25 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, JANUARY 25, 1868.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.—This Day.

EQUITY.

TEE TICHBORICT nARONETCY.—A summons from Cham-
bers on the disputed Tichborne baronetcy case was set
down for argument before Vice-Chancellor Wood. When
the case was called on for hearing, Mr. Giffard, Q.C.,
stated that the object of the summons was to enforce the
production of certain documents necessary for the further,
ance of the cause, but as all parties had not been served.
which was essential, he should ask that the matter might
be postponea till Thursdai,, the next motion-day. To this
course the Nice-Chancellor agreed.

OPENING OF THE SWEDISH DIET.

The King opened the Swedish Diet on the 18th
inst., with the following speech from the Throne :
" I warmly appreciate at this moment the pre-
scription recently introduced into the fundamental
law, by which, without the delay that has hitherto
prevailed, I see you again assembled around me to
participate with me in the measures suitable to as-
sure the welfare of the country.
"My relations with all foreign Powers continue
to be satisfactory, and characterised by sincere
friendship. The general political situation, and the
eagerness displayed in almost all the countries of
Europe in the augmentation of their armed forces,
however, impose upon us equally the duty of or-
ganising our means of defence in conformity with
the requirements of the age. •
" The constantly-increasing multiplicity of ad-
ministrative affairs gives rise to the want of a
more appropriate distribution of subjects to be re-
ferred to the Council, especially if it is intended to
arrive at a desirable simplification of the prepara-
tory labours in the subordinate branches of the ad-
ministration. I have consequently deter Mined to
propose to you a change in the constitution, by
means of which a new Ministerial department for
agriculture, trade, and.public works would be insti-
tuted, with other prescriptions relating thereto.
" The mixed commission for the revision of the
Act of Union between Sweden and Norway has
submitted its important labours to me, and the bill
it has drawn up now forms the subject of prepara-
tory deliberation.

4‘ A harvest of low average generally, and abso-
lutely insufficient in the northern province of the
kingdom, has produced considerable scarcity in the
means of prime necessity, threatening even the
existence of the poorer classes of the population.
I have sought to come to their assistance by employ-
ing the funds you had placed at my disposal, and
private benevolence, not only in the country itself
and among a neighbouring people, but -also in
generously hastened to succour
foreignt
e i distressed. r e lands,ssed: has

"Notwithstanding the difficulties which unfor-
seen expenses and the diminution of revenue, re-
sulting from the dearness of provisions, have not
failed to produce, the general position of the finances
nevertheless enables the abolition, after next year,
of the special tax which you voted at the last Diet
for the armament of our military forces, without
any increase of the other taxes becoming necessary
to meet the wants of the State. The decrease in
revenue, which, owing to the circumstances I have
pointed out, it has been impossible to avoid in the
current year, can be supplied in part from disposable
funds, and could have been made good altogether
if the surplusage of preceding years had not been
absorbed by our requiring for the construction of
railways sums exceeding the total of the loan con-
tracted for that purpose.

" I have not ceased to devote active solicitude to
the organisation of our means of defence, and I hope
to be able in the course of this session to lay before
you the plan upon which I think they ought to be
based and established. Starting from the principle also
expressed by yourselves, that it is the duty of every
citizen to take part in the defence of his native land,
I have, in conformity with your advice, and with
the view of alleviating the sacrifices which result
from this general duty in time of peace, adopted
the preservation of permanent and well-drilled
cadres to form the nucleus of our army. As the re-
result of mature deliberation, I have found that
cadres, in every respect satisfactory, with the least
sensible expense, and without hurtful injustice,
might be most suitably formed upon the basis of
the old national institutions special to our country
and adopted in our customs. Part of my plan,
therefore, consists in retaining them in their fun-
damental principles while proposing to introduce
into them useful reforms.

" With the object of furnishing our troops with
firearms of improved construction, I have adopted
measures which, although the supply of the orders
sent abroad has been subjected to unexpected delay,
have nevertheless given satisfactory assurance of
uninterrupted manufacture of these arms in the
country itself.

" The bills for changes in important branches of
legislation, and for the more equitable distribution
of taxation, which have long been under considera-
tion, are not yet sufficiently matured to enable them
to be laid before you. I have,: however, resolved to
submit to you a proposal for the abolition of impri-
sonment in the case of bona fkle debtors.
" I shall ask of you supplies for public works,
especially with the object of coming immediately
to aid the provinces where the employment of
labour also offers the advantage of assisting a large
number of distressed persons, and I shall also ask
your support for the vote of the funds necessary to
an active continuance of the railway works re-
quired to connect the capitals of united kingdoms.
" Sweden has worthily maintained her rank by
by the side of the countries which march at the
head of the development of peaceful occupations at
the general industrial competition opened at Paris
in the course of the past year, So far as statistics
have been able to register the progress of our
trades, it has not ceased to acquire progressive ex-
tension, notwithstanding the difficulties against
which manufacturers have had to struggle in recent
years. Taking our stand upon this fact, and upon
the multipliel indications denoting that the Swe-
dish people continues to place itself upon the most
assured basis of economic independence —that,
namely, of proportioning wants to resourc s, and of
renouncing expenses neither indispensable nor jus-
tifiable—we are able to look forward to the fu-
ture with the full conviction that the vicissitudes
to which we have been exposed will have taught us
salutary lessons, and that they will thus become
the source, not of discouragement or prostration of
forces, but of their new development for solid pros-
perity.

" Convinced of your enlightened zeal for every-
thing that may secure the public welfare, I invoke
the blessings of Divine Providence upon your labours;
and while declaring, in conformity with the consti-
tution, the session to be now opened, I renew to
you, gentlemen, the assurance of our entire good-
will and royal affection."