Star.
London, England, 1830-05-28 00:00:00

HIS MAJESTY'S ROYAL. SIGNATURE.

The following is a copy of the bill introduced by the
Lord Chancellor on Tuesday, intitled a bill " to enable
his Majesty to appoint certain persons to affix his Ma-
jesty's royal signature to instruments requiring such
signature."
Most Gracious Sovereign,—Whereas your Majesty has
been graciously pleased to communicate to your parlia-
ment, that your Majesty is labouring under severe indis-
position, which renders it /painful and inconvenient to
your Majesty to sign, with your own hand, those instru-
ments which require the sign manual ; and that your Ma-
jrzdy relies upon the dutiful attachment of parliament to
consider, without delay, of the means by which your
majesty may be enabled to provide for the temporary dis-
charge of this important function of the crown, without
detriment to the public service : we, your Majesty's most
dutiful and loyal subjects, the Lords Spiritual and Tem-
poral, and Commons, in Parliament asembled, have taken
your Majesty's gracious Message into our immediate
consideration ; and, although trusting in the Providence
of ALMIG lITY GOD that your Majesty may be speedily
restored to health and strength, we feel it our duty to your
Majesty and to the people of these realms to comply with
your Majesty's most gracious recommendation ; and we do
therefore humbly beseech your Majesty that it may be
enacted, and be it enacted by the King's most excellent
Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords
spiritual and temporal, and the Commons, in this present
Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same,
That it shall and may be lawful for his Majesty, by any
warrant or commission under his Majesty s royal sign
manual, to appoint one or more person or persons, to be
therein named, each of whom shall have full power and
authority to affix, in his Majesty's presence, and by his
Majesty's command, his Majesty's royal signature, by
means of a stamp, to be prepared for that purpose in the
form following ; that is to say, " George R.' or or in cases
where the royal signature has usually been by initials
only, then by means of a certain other stamp, to be pre-
pared for that purpose in the form following; that is to
say, " G. R." to any warrant, commission, or other
writing or instrument, subject to the provisions and re-
gulations herein-after contained; and his Majesty's royal
signature, so affixed, shall be valid and effectual, and
have the same force and effect as his Majesty's sign ma-
nual, and shall be deemed and taken to be, to all intents
and purposes, his Majesty's royal sign manual, and be
obeyed as such.
Provided always, and be it enacted, That no person so
to be appointed shall affix his Majesty's signature as
aforesaid to any such warrant, commission, or other writ-
ing or instrument, without a memorandum in writing
previously endorsed thereon, describing the nature and
object of such warrant, commission, or other writing or
instrument, signed by the Lord High Chancellor, the
First Lord Commissioner of his Majesty's Treasury, the
President of his Mqiesty's Most Honourable Privy Coun-
cil, the Keeper of his Majesty's Privy Seal, and his Ma-
jesty's three Principal Secretaries of State for the time
being, or any three or more of them ; Provided also, that
the person affixing his Majesty's Royal Signature, shall
subjoin thereto the words following; that is to say, " In
his Majesty's presence, and by his Majesty's command,"
and subscribe the same with his own name.
And be it further enacted, That the said stamps so to
be prepared as aforesaid shall be prepared by the order
and under the direction of the Lord President of his Ma-
jesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, and shall be kept
in the custody of the Lord High Chancellor, the First
Lord Commissioner of his Majesty's Treasury, or the
President of his Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Coun-
cil, or the Keeper of his Majesty's Privy Seal, or one of
his Majesty's three Principal Secretaries of State for the
time being, and shall not be affixed to any such warrant,
commission, or other writing or instrument, except in
their presence, or in the presence of one or more of them,
who shall attest the same accordingly.
And be it further enacted, that each of the persons so
authorised to affix his Majesty's Royal signature, shall,
before he shall presume to act under his Majesty's war-
rant or commission authorising him so to do, take and
subscribe the following oath—that is to say,

" I A. B. do swear that I will not affix the Royal signature to
any warrant, commission, or other writing or instrument, under and
by virtue of an Act intituled, An Act to enable his Majesty to ap.
point certain persons to affix his Majesty's Royal signature to in.
struments requiring such signature, except in his Majaty's presence
and by his Majesty's command ; and will truly and faithfully per.
form the duty entrusted tome by the said Act. So help me Bon."
which oath shall be taken before the Lord High Chan-
cellor, who is hereby authorised and required to admi-
.nister the same.

Provided always, that nothing herein contained shall
be construed to prevent his Majesty from signing any
warrant, commission, or other writing or instrument, with
his Majesty's Royal sign manual in the usual and accus-
tomed manner, or to prevent any warrant, commission,
or other writing or instrument so signed by his Majesty
from having the same validity and effect as if this Act
had not passed.
And be it further enacted, that this Act shall continue
and be in full force until the expiration of one mouth
after the meeting of the next Session of Parliament ; but
the same may be altered or repealed by any Act or Acts
to be passed in the present session of Parliament.