The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-02-08
THE OPENING or
PARLIAMENT
Speech Of The Queen Outlines FOfthCOm-
Ing Legislation.
PREMIER ADDRESSES LORDS
EnslaHd'S Policy In The East hot In
imiCal to Any Ration.
PREMIER ADDRESSES LORDS
DESTINY OF CELESTIAL EMPIRE
He Declared to be Impossible to Fore
tell-Duke Of Bedford Referred to
England's Friendly Relations
With tie United States.

London, February THE queens speech
at the opening of parliament was issued
this morning She fehcttates her people on
England's continued friendly relations with
the powers. refers to the successful cam
paign in Egypt, mentions the czar's disarm-
ament scheme, recommends measures for
preventing the recurrence of the plague in
India and outlines forthcoming legislation.
A majority of both houses assembled just
before p m, when the Rock Rod, General
Sir Michael Biddulph, came from the house
of lords and with the usual ceremony sum-
moned the commons TO the house of lords
for the purpose of hearing the queens
speech read by the lord chancellor, the Earl
of Halsbury.
Both houses then adjourned until 4 p. m.
The Queens speech Read
When the session was resumed at O'Clock
the house was crowded, after the new men,
bers had taken the customary oath, the
speaker, the Right Hon. William Court
Gully, read the queens speech and Joslyn
Bagot, conservative, moved the address in
reply to the speech.
Mr.. Bagot, In moving the reply said he
mutual interest and kinship between this
country and America have, by recent
events, been drawn closer" He added:
AN alliance between the two great Eng
disappearing peoples need not necessarily
be one of offense or Defense but might be
one that would be admirably fitted to lead
the nations of the world in the direction Of
freedom. civilization and progress"
(Cheers)
The Hon. William Frederick Danvers
Smith, conservative, seconded the address
and the new liberal leader, the Rt. Hon.
Sir Henry Campbell Zimmerman, member
for the Stirling district of Scotland, re-
Piled. Among other things he said that the
prospect of an Anglo-Saxon union tended
towards the stability of peace
John Dillon Resigns
AT meeting this afternoon Of the anti
Parnellite members of parliament John
Dillon, chairman of the Irish parliamentary
party, announced his resignation of the
leadership, his motive being expectation
that the Irish national convention to be
held In March will come to a new arrange
ment for securing the unity of the national
list party.
When the session of the house of lords
was resumed there was a large attendance.
The Duke of Bedford moved the address in
reply to the queens speech, <id the Earl
of Cawder seconded the motion.
The Duke of Bedford In the course of his
remarks, cordially referred to the growing
friendly relations between the United
States and Great Britain.
The Earl of Kimberly, the liberal leader,
made a speech in which he asked for fur
Their information regarding the govern
ment's intention in the Soudan and in China
and regarding the czar's disarmament pro-
posals.
Meeting of the Arbitrator
His lordship also referred with great sat
isfaction at the meeting of the Venezuelan
arbitrator in Paris.
The premier, Lord Salisbury, followed
: Lord Kimberly and referred at length to
China He said the policy of her majesty's
government did not contemplate the acqui-
sition of territory in China or the dismem-
berment of the Chinese empire. The des-
tiny of China, his lordship added, was y
impossible to foretell as 1t was to reveal
what was occurring on certain island
within a certain palace at Pekin. All that
her majesty's government was concerned
with at present was to see that the treaties
are fully observed, that the interests of
British subjects are safeguaFded and that
nothing is done by either China or any
other nation to compromise their rights.
Referring to the Soudan, the premier said
that Great Britain held dominion and title
there by the fact that the Soudan formed
part of the territories of Egypt and also
by the less complicated and more easily
understood title of conquest. Any revival
of the claims of titles which events had
swept away could not be sustained, but his
torical precedent or international law.
The Cars Rescript
So far as the cars. rescript was con-
cerned Lord Salisbury said no one could
doubt the purity and humanity of the en-
oeror's motives. "I should heartily re-
ioice." he continued, "if the conference
achieved an humber aim and by the steady
use of the principle of arbitration we might
be able to diminish number OF the causes
by which war is produced. If by humane
Hesitation We could also diminish the hor-
rors OF war we would render an immeas-
ureable service to humanity. Meanwhile
we must follow the example of other ma
lions and be prepared for war. l do not
believe this is imminent, but the causes of
war still subsist; and while doing our best
in the blessed mission of peace we must
maintain the position of security which gem
erations have given us and which we hope
TO keep"
Lord Salisbury remarked that he fire.
ouently envied a nation possessing COM
mittee of foreign relations like the United
s,ates-a committee which could secretly
receive explanations that ministers were
only too glad to give. But as Great Britain
was without that feature of parliament
government 1t would be impossible for him
to give the noble lord Carl of Kimberly.
all the information he desired regaro4ng Tor
eign affairs. The agreement between Ger
many and Great Britain, however, was OF
character favorable to friendship between
the two nations and to the rights Oh an
concerned as we'll as to the peace of the
wo.ld P,,t ha would not he doing his duty