Star.
London, England, 1831-07-23 00:00:00

REGENT'S SPEECH TO THE CONGRESS.

" Gentlemen—By your decree of the 24th of February
last, and conformably to the 81itb ankle of the amelitadeo,l
yon did me the honour of appointing me Regent of Beigiont.'
On the 251 b, I had the honour of being admitted into the
bosom of the Congress, and of solemnly taking the oath pre-
scribed by the 80th article of our social compact.
" lily first cares were to compose a ministry. I called
to it the same individuals to whom the muslin pmts.
mint had Intrusted the difaent branches of the general
administration. It was in confirming in their high func-
tions the same men who had so powerfully aided in ac-
quiring and consolidating our liberty, that I wished to
give to the nation a first pledge of my entire adhesion
to the principles of our revolution, and of my firm reso-
lution to secure the enjoyment of all its consequences.

“ I caused to be notified to the Gomm:tentsof France
and England the dean of the 24th of February, which no-
minated as Regent of Belgium, and credential letters was
delivered so Belgic agents at these two courts with the tide
and yank of Ministers Plenipoteniary.

" The Yrench Government admitted, without hesitation,
oar Minister, who took rank dung with foreign diplomatic
agents accredited to the Courts of the Palals Royal. His
Majesty Louis Philip did me the honour of addressing to
me by his autograph letter of the 19th of March last, con-
gratulations on my accession to the Regency, and expressed
to me at the same time, and in formal terms, the lively and
invariable interest which he takes is Belgium.

* It was by this first act that Louis Philip began to realise
the promises which he had made me in February last, when
I bad the honour of taking leave of him. He then said on
taking me by the hand, ' Tell the &lee nation thu I give
them my baud in the person of the President of the Congress,
and that the Belgians may always reckon on my friendship.
" We were not so fortunate with the Cabinet of St.
James's. Our minister was not received dish any thing
but civility (gleiespeemest) by the English mintstry, and
the national honour am permitting me to leave hint, longer
in an equivocal situation, I ordered him to be recalled.

" The ministry, in the mean time, wishing to put an end
to the unsatisfactory resat of the provisional state of a Re-
gamy, and to dose the revolution by a definitive govern.
meet, bad lent to oar agent in London isaithetiens to sound
the dispositions of his Royal Highness the Prince ef' Sane
Coburg, but obstacles of mere etiquette paralysed the in-!
tended effects.
" In the interval other men were alba to the mWethyt
and the new ministers followed the Whom preceding& of
prodeemesea What passed en thatththjeth is known to jms.
You know. gentlemen, hew the kW, tiembodea bee bah
taught Ghent, ai whisk we as this dap ptheent.
" I lima not, podiums, deeds you with any observe .
dens en the sots of way Regency. I shall confine myself to

can ~i

wing, that the treivescence of the pauions incidentri to
our r. volutiesary state, the stagnatinn of commercial busi-
ness, anxiety about the future fortunes of our eruniry, have
brought &soot events and caused embarrassments which
have prevented the government from occupying itself as effi-
caciously as would have been desirable with the institutions
which are destined to complete the work of political rege-
-1 aeration.

" ID the state of threatened hostilities with our neighbours,
the Government was under the necessity of devoting its chief
attention to the army. The infaaterlas been considerably
increased and organised, the fermatien of the cavalry has been

coniplete, the artillery has been put ea a respectable footing,
the service of the commissariat, of the hospitals, and of
transports, has been secured; and finally, by the side of
the regular army another army is formed, in the ranks of
the t Lyle Guard, equally impatient to measure its strength
with the enemy.
" The concert of all the citizens, who, forge,ting the
spirit of party, are going to range themselves round the
throne, will not contribute less than the courage and excel-
lent spirit of our army, to support negociations, to obtain an

_
honourable peace, to consolidate our independence, and, If
need be, to defend the integrity of our territory.

" Our finances are in as prosperous a state u 'circum-
stances would permit. and the levy of tie taxes is effected
as easily as in profound peace.

M If I haws been, potlemen, happy enough to aid in lead-
ing into port the vessel o( the state—for I regard the saes.
slon of Prince Leopold to the throne of Belgium, and the

recognition of him be the majority of the great Powers of
Europe, u the termination of our glorious revolution and the

establishment of our liberties,—if I have been able to accom.
plish any good, far be it from me to ascribe the trait to
myself. No, gentlemen, I claim only the smallest share ;
for I confess, in the face of the nation and of all Europe,
that without the special ptotection of Providence, no human
prudence could have foreseen either the events or their re-
sults ; far less could it have directed them in the interest of
our country.

" It was likewise in the noble Flatness of the Con.
gnu, and in the wisdom of its deliberations, that I have
found the most powerful support. Permit me, therefore,

gentlemen, to address to you the at/ nualon of my lively
and sincere gratitude.

" But, gentlemen, let us declare tlat our task has been
rendered very easy, by the excellent qualities of the Belgic
people,—a people es submissive to the lass, as docile to the
voice of the chiefs who eeserve it, confidence, as it has shown
itself jealous of its rights, and impatient of the yoke of arbi-
trary power—of that people so courageous in battle, so firm
in its resolutions..-of that people eistntally moral, of whom
history will say that during 11 months of revolution and
of privations among the most numerous dale, (with the ex-
ception of some excess ',ideally provoLel), there were
never fewer crime; of that people whose devotion and kne
will always be the recompense of a good Government.
" It is with the most whet security, gentlemen, that
commit the destinies of this good people into the hands of a
Prince, whose noble character and private virtues are the
best guarantees for those which he shall display from the
throne.

" With the most heart-felt ertmlon, I may now my, I
have seen the dawn of happiness opening en my country.
I have lived long enough.
" I deposit in your hand., gentlemen, the powers wire!'
yogi had conlldekl to me, and I beg you t i be so good as to
record my declaratlor."
M. Gerlach, the President of the Congress, then
addressed the Regent, and, in the name of the
Congress, thanked him.
M. C. Vilain XIV. then read the whole of the
Constitution, upon which M. de Nothomb, the
youngest of the secretaries of the Congress, stood
forward and read a paper, which he then presented
to the King. Leopold read it seriously over, and
then rose from his seat, and advanced to the front.
He then slowly, seriously, and distinctly read aloud
the oath, in the following terms:—'• I swear to
observe the Constitution and the Lies of the Be'g:an
people, and to maintain the national independence
and the integrity of the territory." A table was
then brought, and Leopold signed the constitution.
Loud and continued cries of " Vive le Roi !" The
cannon fired, the trumpets sounded. The Presi-
dent, the Vice-Presidents, and Secretaries of the
Congress, signed the document as witnesses.—
Leopold, at 3 minutes past 2 o'clock, went up to the
throne, and, standing on the steps, read an address
to the Congress and people, which was beard
throughout with great attention. The loudest
applause followed this act. 101 guns were fired
off, the bells rung a merry peal, and a hundred
trumpets were sounded. The King ascended his
throne, and received the homage of all his subjects.
A new cortege was then formed to accompany his
Majesty, Leopold I. to his royal palace, thus ;

A Detachment of Cavalry.
The Carp of Musicians.
Chalk= belonging to the Civic Guard.
The Wool Med of September Wt.

llifeielped‘kb.
The Tr&Oil at
The ChM
The Civil Governor and a Deputeelen Mira tbeTteelate.
The AdministratoinAleseral.
The &aff of the Army and of the Civic Guard.
Members of the High Military Court.
TIM -4 the 1' law Courts

Judith it t.. High tw of &noel&
The Metr►hees of the Financial Cwt.
The National Convent.
The President
of the THE KING.

The Regent.

Congress.
The General of the Civic Goorti—AuWary Governor
of the Psoviisee.
The Aides deXasip of the Hill.
A Denim& of Muir,.
The cheers of the people accompanied t►eat
throughout.

Prince Talleyrand gave a grand dines, yesterday
to Don PAO. at his midenos in Portland-place, which was
attended by all the corps diplomatique.
The number of workmen left without employ-
ment by thi closing of several manufactories at Ghent lately
is stated at 17,000.
A deputation of gentlemen from the coal districts
its the north, headed by ilhe J. Wren/sky, Sir J. &bright,
and Mr. Littleton bad a conference with the CbaketUor or
the F.:chequer yesterday at the Treasury.
Most country newspapers boast, as a triumph, of
the growth of their towns. It may, perhaps, add
to their local customers, hot except in this respect,
the swaggering on the Subject is like that of the
dog in Esop, *ho strutted so' on hiring a wr
fastened to his neck. *The truth is, that large towns
are local dropsies, or wens in the body politic, and
it increase ought to he raitter of lamentatioi..
as an effect of the wicked large farm system.
Then, as half their popohnion cannot live howled% .
they are transferred to the gaols, and serve so fright
- 'iv to swell our criminal colanders.. If astpeditont
il , l's of an increase of farmbousesi- and pro-
rural population, they may tada add
their congratulations; hut it is sporting with gul-
libility teilipt or co..stantly aninnulating misery
acid crime• uteri rrown town.

SY •