The Sun.
London, England, 1845-02-04 00:00:00

HER MAJESTY'S
SPEECH.

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT

MT LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,
I rejoice that lam enabled, on again meeting you
in Parliament, to congratulate you on the improved
condition of the country.
Increased activity pervades almost every branch
of manufacture. Trade and commerce have been ex-
tended at home and abroad, and among all classes of
my people there is generally prevalent a spirit of
loyalty and cheerful obedience to the law.
I continue to receive from all Foreign Powers
and States assurances of their friendly disposition.
I have had much satisfaction in receiving at my
Court the Sovereigns who in the course of the last
year visited this country.
The journey of the Emperor of Russia, under-
taken at a great sacrifice of private convenience, was
a proof of the friendship of his Imperial Majesty
most acceptable to my feelings.
The opportunity of personal intercourse thus
afforded to me may; I hope, be the means of still
further improving those amicable relations which
have long existed between Great Britain and Russia.
The visit of the King of the French was ren-
dered especially welcome to me, inasmuch as it had
been needed by discussions which might have im-
paired the good understanding happily established
between the two countries.
I regard the maintenance of this good un-
derstanding as essential to the best interests of
both ; and I rejoiced to witness that the senti-
ments so cordially expressed by all classes of my
subjects on the occasion of his Majesty's visit were
entirely in unison with my own.
GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS,
The estimates for the ensuing year have been
prepared, and will forthwith be laid before you.
The progress of steam navigation, and the demands
for protection to the extended commerce of the coun-
try, will occasion an increase in the estimates con-
nected with-the naval service.
Mr LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,
I have observed with sincere satisfaction that
the improvement which is manifest in other parts
of the country has extended to Ireland.
The political agitation and excitement, which I
have had heretofore occasion to lament, appear to
have gradually abated, and, as a natural result, pri-
vate capital has been more freely applied to useful
public enterprises, undertaken through the friendly
co-operation of individuals interested in the welfare
of Ireland.

I have carried into effect, in the spirit in which it
was conceived, the Act for the more effectual applica-
tion of charitable donations and bequests.
I recommend to your favourable consideration
the policy of improving and extending the opportu-
nities for academical education in Ireland.
The Report of the Commission appointed to in-
quire into the law and practice, in respect to the
occupation of land, is nearly prepared, and shall be
communicated to you i:nmediately after its pre-
sentation.

The state of the law in regard to the privileges
of the Bank of Ireland, and to other banking estab-
lishments in that country, and in Scotland, will, no
doubt, occupy your attention.
The health of the inhabitants of large towns and
populous districts in this part of the United Kingdom
has been the subject of recent inquiry before a Com-
mission, the report of which shall be immediately
laid before you.
It will be highly gratifying to me if the informa-
tion and suggestions contained in that,Report shall
enable you to devise the means of promoting the
health and comfort of the poorer classes of my sub-
jects.

I congratulate you on the success of the mea-
sures whicb, three years since, were adopted by
Parliament for the purpose of supplying the defi-
ciency in the Public Revenue, and arresting the
accumulation of debt in the time of peace.
The Act which was passed at that time for im-
posing a Tax upon Income will shortly expire.
It will be for you in your wisdom to determine
whether it may not be expedient to continue its ope-
ration for a further period, and thus to obtain the
means of adequately providing for the Public Service,
and at the same time of making a:reduction in other
taxation.
Whatever may be the result of your delibera-
tions in this respect, I feel assured that it will be
your determination to maintain an amount of re-
venue amply sufficient to meet the necessary expendi-
ture of the country, and firmly to uphold that public
credit which is indispensable to the national welfare.
The prospect of continued peace, and the general
state of domestic prosperity and tranquillity, afford a
favourable opportunity for the consideration
of the important matters to which I have directed
your attention, and I commit them to your delibe-
ration with the earnest prayer that you may
be enabled, under the superintending care and pro-
tection of Divine Providence, to strengthen the feel-
ings of mutual confidence and goodwill between
different classes of my subjects, and to improve
the condition of my people.

PARLIAMENTARY ENTERTAIN-

MENTS.

As is usual on the eve of the assembling of Parliament,
the customary political dinners were given yesterday
by the respective party leaders of both Houses. We
subjoin the particulars regarding each of those meetings.
The Duke of Wellington, as leader of the House of
_

Lords, received a numerous party of the Conserva-
tive Peers at dinner last evening at Apsley House. The
mover and seconder of the Address (Marquis Camden
and Lord Glenlyon) and the following noblemen were
present:—The Dukes of Buccleuch, Beaufort, Montrose,
Cleveland, and Rutland ; the Marquises of Salisbury
and Exeter; the Earls of Aberdeen, Bathurst, Liverpool,
Delawarr, Jersey, Wilton, Shaftesbury, Dalhousie, Had--
dington, Ellenborough, Beverly, Brownlow, Rosslyn,
Lonsdale, Eldon, Clare, Wicklow, Verulam, and Hard-
wicke; Viscounts Strangford, Canterbury, Hawarden,
and Canning; the Lord Chancellor, Lords Wharncliffe,
Colchester, Redesdale, Abinger, De Ros, and Forester.
Lord Stanley was obliged to send an excuse for his ab-
sence, his Lordship labouring under an attack of gout.
Covers were laid for upwards of forty guests. The
Queen's Speech to be delivered to-day was read to the
company by the Noble and. Gallant Duke, previous to the
party separating.
The Right Hon. Sir R. Peel, Bart., gave the customary
full-dress Parliamentary dinner last evening at the family
mansion in Whitehall-gardens, when a distinguished
party of the supporters of the Government assembled.
At the removal of the cloth, her Majesty's Speech, to be
delivered by the Sovereign at the opening of Parliament
to-day, was read to the guests by the Right Honourable
Baronet. In addition to the Hon. F. Charteris and Mr.
T. Baring, the mover and seconder of the Address the
Right Hon. the Speaker of the House of Commons, and
the following Members of that branch of the Legislature
' were present:—The Right Hon. Sir J. Graham, the
Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lord G.
Somerset, the Earl of Lincoln, the Hon. b. Herbert, the
Right Hon. Sir T. Fremantle, Sir G. Clerk, Mr. Young,
Mr. H. Baring, Mr. Milnes Gaskell, Mr. Pringle, the.
Hon. W. B. Baring, Mr. E. Tennent, the Hon. H. M.
Sutton, the Hon. Henry Corry, Admiral Sir G. Cock-
burn, Rear-Admiral Bowles, the Hon. Captain Gordon,
Mr. G. W. Hope, the lion. C. Hope, the Hon. Lieut-
Colonel D. Darner, Earl Jermyn, Lord E. Bruce,
Lieutenant-Colonel Peel, Captain Boldero, Sir F. Trench,
the Solicitor-General (Sir. F. Thesiger), the Attorney-
General for Jteland, the Lord Advocate, the Judge
Advocate-General, Mr. H. Greene, Viscount Jocelyn,
and Mr. Cardwell. The whole of the noblemen and
gentlemen were attired in uniform or court dress.
Lord C. Wellesley, the Attorney-General (Sir William
Follett), Lord A. Lennox, and Capt. Meyaell, were un-
avoidably prevented from dining with Sir R. Peel on this
occasion.
Lord John Russell, as leader of the Opposition party
in the House of Commons, entertained the following
party of his supporters last evening at his Lordship's
private mansion in Chesham-place :—Viscount Palmer-
ston Viscount Howick, the Right Hon. Sir John Cam
Hobhouse, Lord Marcus Hill, the Right Hon. T. B. Ma-
caulay, the Right Hon. Sir George Grey, Sir Thomas
Wilde Col. Fox, the Right Hon. Richard Lalor Sheil,
the Right Hon. George' Stevens Byng, Mr. Vernon
Smith, Mr. Parker, Mr. Bernard, Mr. Charles Wood,
Mr. B. Hawes, Mr. C. Buller, Mr. Wyse, 84e. Covers
vivo WI for 22.