The Sun.
London, England, 1850-11-06 00:00:00

SPAIN.

OPENING OF THE CORTES-THE SPEECH
FROM THE THRONE.

Madrid journals of the 31st ult. have been received.
On that day the QUEEN opened the Cortes in per-
son, and delivered the following speech from the
throne :
" My Lords and Gentlemen,
" I always experience great pleasure in finding myself
among you. I had, however, hoped that today my hap-
piness would have been qt.( ater than usual. I bad hoped
to have appeared here with a new title, with a new pledge
of love and of cot fi deuce in the future. But Provi-
dence has denied to us that gratification. Let us respect
his decisions, and trust to the wisdom of his impenetrable
designs.

`• I am happy to inform you that diplomatic relations
with Great Britain have been• happily renewed in a man-
ner honourable to the dignity of both nations.
Our relations with thy other Powers remain on
te same footing of good understanding and of friend-
ship.

6: The expedition which I dispatched to the Pontifical
States, in order to assist those of the other Catholic
Powers in re•establishing the temporal authority of the
Holy See, has safely returned, after having attained
that end. It has left in Italy lasting remem-
brances of its brilliant conduct and of its discipline,
and has drawn on itself the benedictions of the Church,
and the most lively gratitude of the provinces which it
occupied. _

" in the interior, public order, the first necessity of
nations, has not for a single moment been disturbed, and
in consequence the sources of wealth and prosperity
which our country contains are being developed and
augmented under the vigilant protection of the ad-
ministration. At the same time old discords are for-
gotten, party dissensions are disappearing, and the
country is able to avail itself of the services of all its
children; and the policy most conformable to my de-
sires, the policy of forgiveness, of tolerance, and of true
liberty, is established and consolidated.

" The provinces beyond sea, which so frequently en-
gage my attention and that of my Government, have en-
joyed peace equally with the peninsula. In the island of
Cuba, nevertheless, foreign pirates surprised some of the
maritime towns, and occasioned deplorable scenes; but
in a few hours these wretches were forced to fiy before
the presence of our people and the courage of our troops,
renouncing their criminal attempt.
" My Government occupies itself without relaxation
with the improvement of those important provinces.
The most available measures have been taken for
their security, their defence, and the perfecting of all the
branches of their administration. A line of steam-
boats has been established between Cuba and Porto
Rico, in order to render the communications more fre-
quent and more direct, and to draw closer the Spanish
countries of both hemispheres. In the Asiatic pro-
vinces the Government continues to occupy itself ac-
tively in securing the safe passage of the seas, and in
promoting the civilisation of the aboriginal tribes.
" The army has taken, and continues to take, a warm
interest in producing these great results by its exem-
plary conduct and its severe discipline, which entitle it
more and more to ray esteem, and likewise the incessant
zeal of my Government to maintain it in the elevated
position which is occupies.
" The Royal marine, likewise every way worthy, every
way deserving, has attracted in an especial manner the
attention of my Government. It was, in fact, indispen-
able and urgent to maintain it is readiness for the de-
fence of our coasts and our possessions, and to protect
our commercial marine in its progressive march. It was
with this view that orders have been given for the con-
struction of several steam and sailing vessels,
and other
dispositions have also been taken to advance its improve-
ment, as far S 3 the exigencies of the public service and
the power of the Treasury would permit.
" The lessons of experience and the demands of the
tribunals have inducA my Government to introduce
some modifications in our penal code, in virtue of the
powers given by the law for that purpose. My Govern-
ment will state these reforms to you, and will propose to
you besides a new code of procedure rind a law on the
organisation ihe tribunals, which will have for object
to corn pi:4e the important ameliorations cfLeted lately in
the ne?ministration of ju,tice.

" From the peace enjoyed by the country, consieer-
able reforms have been introduced in important branches
under the adrninietratinn ( f the Ministers ot the Interior
and of Commerce, as well by the improvement of roids
and other interior communications, the transport of cor-
respondence, telegraphs, and lighthouses, in .the public
health, the public chari►ties and education, as to Bur-