The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1849-02-06 00:00:00

Vrortaings in partiamtnt. 1

THE OPENING.

At a quarter before two o'clock on Thursday her Ma-
jesty left Buckingham Palace and proceeded in State to
open Parliament in person. Her Majesty was much
cheered in her progress to the House of Lords, where
there was a full attendance of Peers. The Members of
the Lower House were summoned in the usual form, and,
with the Speaker at their bead, took their station at the
bar of the House of Lords, when her Majesty delivered
the following most gracious speech :

MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,
The period being arrived at which the business of Par-
liament is usually resumed, I have called you together for
the discharge of your important duties.
It is satisfactory to me to be able to state, that both in
the North and in the South of Europe the contending
parties have consented to a suspension of arms for the
purpose of negotiating terms of peace.
The hostilities carried on in the island of Sicily were
attended with circumstances so revolting, that the British
and French admirals were compelled, by motives of
humanity, to interpose and stop the further effusion of
blood.

I have availed myself of the interval thus obtained to
propose, in conjunction with France, to the King of Na-
ples, an arrangement calculated to produce a permanent
settlement of affairs in Sicily. _ _

ratters is still pending. It
_
Las been my anxious endeavour, in offering my good
offices to the various contending powers, to prevent the
extension of the calamities of war, and to lay the founda-
tions of lasting and honourable peace.
It is my constant desire to maintain with all Foreign
States the most friendly relations
A,

ation on t►h

soon as the interests of the public service will per-
mit. I shall direct the papers connected with these trans-
actions to be laid before you.
A rebellion of a formidable character has broken out in
the Punjaub, and the Governor-General of India has been
compelled, for the preservation of the peace of the coun-
try, to assemble a considerable force, which is now en-
gaged in military operations against the insurgents ; but
the tranquillity of British India has not been affected by
these unprovoked circumstances.
I again commend to your attention the restrictions im-

posed on commerce by the navigation laws.
If you shall find out that these laws are, in whole or in
part, unnecessary for the maintenance of our maritime
power, while they fetter trade and industry, you will, no
doubt deem it right to repeal or modify their provisions.
GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS,

I have directed the estimates for the service of the year
to be laid before you. They will be framed with a most

anxious attention to a v

economy

irs has enabled me to ma

large reds
My l

of last year

DRDS AND UENTL

tisfaction that this portion of the
United Kingdom has remained tranquil amidst the con-
vulsions which have disturbed so many parts of Europe.
The insurrection in Ireland has not been renewed, but a
spirit cf disaffection still exists, and I am compelled, to
my great regret, to ask for a continuance. for a limited
time, of those powers which, in the last session, you
deemed necessary for the preservation of the public tran-
quillity.
I have great satisfaction in stating that commerce is
reviving from those shocks which, at the commencement
of last session, I had to deplore.

n of the manufacturing districts is like-
uraging than it has been fora considerable

wise more e

period

- It is also gratifying to me to observe that the strte of
the revenue is one of progressive improvement.
_

I have to lam

however, that another failure in the
potato crop has caused very severe distress in some parts
of Ireland.

The operation of the laws for the relief of the poor in
Ireland will properly be a. subject of your inquiry, and
any measures by which those laws may be beneficially
condition of the people may be im-

amended, and ti

proved, will receive my cordial assent

It is with pride and thankfulness that I advert to the
loyal spirit of my people, and that attachment to our in-
stitution-5 which has animated them during a period of
commercial difficulties, deficient production of food, and
political revolution.
I look to the protection of Almighty God for favour in
our continued progress, and I trust that you will assist me
in upholding the fabric of the Constitution, founded, as it
is, upon the principles of freedom and justice.