The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-09-12 00:00:00

Varlianuntarp Vrorettnigcs.

HOUSE OF LORDS.-TUESDAY.
PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT.

The Imperial Parliament of the United Kingdom was
this day prorogued by her Majesty in person.
On her Majesty entering. the House of Lords, the peers
and peeresses ell rose and remained standing, until the
Queen had talon her seat on the throne.

The Lord Chancellor, kneeling, hac ing presentod the
royal speech to ht.!. Maje,4y, his lortlship directed Sir Au-
gustus Clifford, Usher of the Black Rod, to summon the
immediate attemianca of the House of Commons. In a
few minutes the Speaker, attended by a nurobe.r of mem-
bers, appeared at the bar, when her Majesty, in a clear
and distinct tone of voice, read the following most gra-
cious speech :
" MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN, •
" I am happy to he able to release you from the duties
of a laborious and protracted session.
"The Act for the Prevention of Crime and Outrage in
Ireland, which received my assent at the commencement
of the session, was attended by the most beneficial effects.
The open display of arras intended for criminal purposes
was checked : the course of justice was no longer inter-
rupted, and several atrocious murderers, who had spread
terror through the country were apprehended, tried, and
convicted.

"The distress in Ireland consequent upon successive
failures in the production of food, has been miti4ated by
the application of the law for the relief of the poor, and !,y
the amount of charitable contributions raised in ether
parts fol. the United Kingdom.
• " On the other hand, organized confederacies took ad-
vantage of the existing pressure to excite my suffering
subjects to rebellion. Hopes of plunder and confiscation
were held out to Laipt the distressed, while the most vi-
sionary prospects were exhibited to the ambitious. In
this conjuncture I applied to your loyalty and wisdom for
increased powers ; and, strengthened by your prompt con-
currence, my government was enabled to defeat, in a few
days, machinations whic:i had been prepared during many
months. Thy' energy and decision shown by the Lord
Lieutenant of Ireland in the emergency, deserve my
warmest appi alution.
"In the midst of these difficulties you have continued
your labours for the improvement of the laws. The act
for facilitating th:. sale of encumbered c states will. I trust,
gradually retr.oVe an evil of great magnitude in the social
state of frelanil. • .
"The system of perpetual entails of land established in
Scotland protluced very serious evils, both to heirs of en-
tail and to the community ; and I h!ive had great satisfac-
tion in seeing it amended upon principles Which have long
been 10110016 Operate beneficially in this part of the
United Kingdom.
" I have given my cordial assent to the measures which
hi.ve in view the improvement of the public health, and I
entertain an tartest hope that a foundation has been laid
for continual advances in this beneficial work.
, " GENTLEMEN OF TUE HOUSE OF COMMONS,_

"I have to thank you tin• the readiness with which you
have granted the supplies necessary for the public service.
I shall avail myself of every opportunity which the exigen-
ciesof the State may allow for enforcing economy.
" Mr LoaDs AND GENTLEMEN, _

"I have reneiced, in a formal manner, my diplomatic
relations with the government of France. The good un-
derstanding• between the two countries has continued
without the slightest interruption.
" Events of deep importance have disturbed the internal
tranquility of. many of the states of Europe, both in the
north and in the south. These events have led to hos-
tilities hetween neighbouring countries.
"I am employing my good offices, in concert with other
friendly powers, to bring to an amicable settlement these
differences, and I trust that our efforts may be successful.
"I am rejoiced to think that an increasing sense of the
value of peace encourages the hope that the nations of Eu-
rope may continue in the enjoyment of its blessings.
" Amidst these convulsions I have had the satisfaction
of being able to preserve peace for my own dominions, and
to uriintain our domestic tranquility. The strength of
our institutions has been tried, and has not been found
wanting, I have studied to preserve the peopte committed
to my harge in the enjoyment of the temperate freedom
which they so justly value. My people, on their side, feel
too sensibly the advantages of order and security to .al-
low the promoters of pillage and confusion any chance of
success in their wicked designs.
" I acknowledge with grateful feelings the many marks
of loyalty and attachment which I have received from all
classes of my people. It is my earnest hope that by cul-
tivating respect to the law and obedience to the precepts
of religion, the liberties of this people may, by the bless-
ings of Almighty God, be perpetuated."
. Her Majesty exhibited some emotion in reading those
parts of the speech which related to Ireland. At the con-
clusion of the speech,
The Lord Chancellor came forward and said, "It is her
Majesty's royal will and pleasure that this parliament be
prorogued to Thurilay, the 2d day of November next, to
be here holden, and this parliament stands prorogued to
Thursday, the 2d they of November accordingly."
The Queen then quitted the House.
HOUSE OF COMMONS.—TUICSDAV.

Sir G. GREY, in reply to Mr. Hume, intimated that
Captain Maconochie's system for convict discipline had
been approved by the government, but that it was found
impracticable to carry it out in all its details.
Mr. HAWES, in reply to Mr. Scott, stated that a bill
ea-riy next session, wr uw pus punt,
of giving a constitution and the elective franchise to the
inhabitants of the colony of New South Wales.
The Usher of the Black Rod having intimated his pre-
sence in the usual form, by knocking at the door, he ad-
vanced to the table and summoned the Commons to the
House of Lords, the Speaker responding thereto by im-
mediately proceeding thence ; and on his return, having
read the Royal Speech, Parliament was prorogued until
the 2d of November.

FOREIGN AND COLONIAL.

DENMARK,

The ratifications of the armistice between Denmark
and Pruss=ia were exchanged at Lubeck on the Ist instant.
The following are the terms of the armistice :—ln the
first place, seven in lieu of three months were conceded
by the Prussian Commissioners. 2. It is determined that
all acts emanating from the Provisional Government since
the establishment of that government shall be annulled.
3. Schleswig and Holstein are to be divided politically, and
the nexus socialis thus declared now existing. The troops
in the former will acknowledge the King of Denmark,
those in the latter the King of Prussia; Laucnhurg to be
placed in the status quo ante. 4. The Provisional Go-
vernment to be formed of five members, two to be chosen
' by the King of Denmark, two by the King of Prussia,
and the fifth by the four others or by the King of Prussia.
The bloc kale ceased from the day of ratificat on.
It appears, by the latest advices, that the Central Go-
vernment of Germany have refused to ratify the armistice,
and the greatest excitement prevailed in consequence.

FRANCE.—The forthcoming elections are exciting a
great deal of interest. Louis Napoleon Buonaparte has
expressed his firm resolution to take his seat if elected.
SPAIN.—It is stated that an insurrection was expected
to break out at Seville before the confinement of the
. Duchess of Montpensier. A column of 500 infantry, and
100 horse, commanded by General Lersandi, was about to
march from Madrid against the faction of Pico, in
La Mancha.
At Smyrna the cholera is raging with violence, and for
some time had carried off 50 or 60 victims a day. More
than 30,000 persons had quitted the city, which Presented
a most desolate appearance.
The Montreal Gazette states that Lord Elgin is about
to return to England, in consequence of the continued
ill-health of his lady.
In Mexico, government had completely put down in-
surrection, and order was fast being established. Paredes
was, however, still at large, having evaded the pursuit of
the government troops in search of him. A revolution
had taken place at Mazatlan, headed by one Miranda.
Government had forwarded troops to put down the revolt.
MINERAL WEALTH OF CALIFORNIA. —By accounts
recently received from this quarter, mines of quicksilver
of extraordinary wealth have been discovered, the rich-
ness of which is almost incredible. In one mine, owned
by an English house in Mexico, named Barron, Forbes,
and Co., a few workmen, with the rudest description of
mining implements,. and an expense very trifling indeed,
have been for some time past procuring quicksilver to the
value of three hundred dollars per day.
It may not be uninteresting to notice the change effected
in public opinion with respect to the Pope, as expressed
by the Italian journals, which are all unanimous in
blaming his conduct, while some attack him with a viru-
lence which appears very strange in a Catholic country.
The spirit of the Italian journals in other respects is ex-
tremely warlike. all recommending the resumption of hos-
tilities, though their belief in French intervention is con-
siderably shaken.
Austria has accepted the joint mediation of England
and- France in its dispute with the King of Sardinia.
Such, we are assured. is the fact, though not as yet offici-
ally made public. The information reaches us from such
a quarter that we can entertain but little doubt of its
truth. All the reports, therefore, of the French troops
being in momentary expectation of receiving orders to
cross the Alps, with a hundred other lying rumours, may
now be estimated at their real worth.
SPREAD OF THE TRUTH.—In the extracts of corres-
pondence published by the British and Foreign,. and also
by the Scottish Bible Societies, the most gratifying proofs
are given of the opportunities now afforded for promoting
the kingdom of our Lord on the Continent. The re-
• mewed power of the Jesuits, which had been operating
most prejudicially in France, has been checked, and col-
. portenrs and preachers are enabled without molestation to
circulate their Bibles and proclaim the Gospel. The let-
• tens of MM. Presensee and Roussell are in these respects
most satisfactory. On the other hand, letters from Ger-
many, and particularly from the agent of the Edinburgh
Bible Society, Mr. Oncken, inform us, that even in Aus-
tria lie has been enabled to preach the Gospel, and that
several converts front Popery have already testified to the
blessing attending the reading of the Scriptures and the
preaching of the word. In Italy, too, there is a growing
demand for the Bible, and we trust that every effort will
be employed to make the best use of an unexpected, and
what mnybe a brief opportunity. Very recently we learn
from a corres:iondent in the Mediterranean, that applica-
tionwas made on behalf of Sicily for 2,000 Bibles at the
depot of the British and Foreign Bible Society, and shortly
after another demand followed for 5,000. It is to be la-
mented that neither at the Bri ish and Foreign, nor at the
Christian Knowledge Scci ty's depot were there Bibles to
supply these demands. We hope, therefore, that no time
will be lost in sending out an adequate supply by the
steamers.—Record.
AN AMERICAN EXECUTION.—The Newhaven Herald
gives an account of the execution, in the past year, of Lu-
cien Hall, at Middleton, Connecticut. Some of the details