The Warrington Examiner. — 1874-03-21 (Warrington, Cheshire, England)

PARLIAMENT.  THE QUEEN'S SPEECH.  THE ADDRESS.  The House of Lords met on Thursday at two o'clock to hear the Queen's Speech read. Very few peers were present, and there were not many spectators, The Commons having been summoned, the Lord Chancellor read the speech from the throne as follows : MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,  I recur to your advice at the earliest period permitted by the arrangements consequent on the retirement of the late Administration. _ _  My relations with all the foreign powers continue to be most friendly. I shall not fail to exercise the influence arising from these cordial relations for the maintenance of European peace and the faithful observance of international obligations. The marriage of my son, the Duke of Edinburgh, with the Grand Duchess Marie ilexandrowna of Russia is at once a source of happiness to myself and a pledge of friendship between two great empires. The war with the King of Ashantee has terminated in the capture and destruction of his capital, and in negotiations which, I trust, may lead to a more satisfactory condition of affairs than has hitherto prevailed on the West Coast of Africa. The courage, discipline, and endurance displayed by my forces, both of the land and sea services, together with the energy and skill evidenced in the conduct of the expedition, have brilliantly maintained under the most trying circumstances the traditionary reputation of the British arms.  I deeply regret that the drought of last summer has affected the most populous provinces of my Indian Empire, and has produced extreme scarcity, in some parts amounting to actual famine, over an area inhabited by many millions. I have directed the Governor-General of India to spare no cost in striving to mitigate this terrible calamity.  GENTLEMEN OF THE Houss OF COMMONS,  The estimates for the expenditure of the coming financial year will be forthwith submitted to you. You will probably be of opinion that the re-arrangement of the Judicature and the blending of the administration of law and equity which were effected for England by the enactment of last Session, ought, on the same principle, to be extended to Ireland, and you will be asked to devote some part of your time to the accomplishment of ,this object. The greater part of these changes would be inapplicable to the tribunals of Scotland, but you will be invited, as to that part of my kingdom, to consider the most satisfactory mode of bringing the procedure upon appeals into harmony with recent legislation; and, among other measures relating to her special interests. A bill for apending the law relating to land rights, and for facilitating the transfer of land, will be laid before you. MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN, The delay and expense attending the transfer of land in England have long been felt to be a reproach to our system of law and a serious obstacle to dealings in real property. This subject has in f0,...1.er Sessions occupied the attention of Parliament, and I trust that the measures which will now be submitted for your consideration will be found calculated to remove much of the evil of which complaint has been made. Serious differences have arisen and remonstrances been made by large classes of the community as to the working of the recent Act of Parliament affecting the relationship of master and servant, of the Act of 1871, which deals with offences connected with trade, and of the law of conspiracy, more especially as connected with these offences. On these subjects I am desirous that before attempting any fresh legislation you should be in possession of all material facts, and of the precise questions in controversy, and for this purpose I have issued a Royal Commission to inquire into the state and working of the present law with a view to its early amendment; if that should be found necessary. A bill will be introduced dealing with such parts of the Acts regulating the sale of intoxicating liquors as have given rise to complaints which appear to deserve the interference of Parliament.  Your attentio-n—w—dralso be dirted to the laws affecting friendly ;end provident societies.  All these TY,consid,_ ...,atter,s will require your grave —oration, and I pray that the Almighty may guide your deliberations for the welfare of my realm. The Address was moved in the House of Lords by the Marquis of Lothian and seconded by the Earl of Cadogan. Both speakers were complimented by Lord Glanville, who offered little criticism of the Speech, and emphasised the national, as opposed to party, character of the triumph achieved by the Ashantee campaign. The Duke of Somerset followed with a bitter attack upon Mr. Gladstone, whom he accused of licking the dust of democracy and of sanctioning intrigues for the dismemberment of the empire. Lord Selborue warmly defendsd his late Chief, whom Earl Grey afterwards declared to have committed political suicide. Lord Derby closed the debate, and the Address being adopted their Lordships adjourned at a quarter paet seven o'clock.  In the House of Commons the Speaker read a letter from the Lord Chief Justice formally notifying that Mr. Whalley had been fined for contempt of court during the progress of the Tichborue trial. The notices of motion included one by Lord G. Hamilton to enable the Secretary of State for India to raise money in the United Kingdom for the service of the Indian Government during the Bengal famine. Mr. Anderson promised to call attention to the losses sustained by British subjects not compensated by the Washington treaty ' • akd Mr. Richard gave notice of a bill to repeal Use 25th clause of the Educe, iou Act. The Permissive Bill, female suffrage, the inspection of convents, protection to seamen, are only a few of the familiar topics which are to be immediately revived. The Address was moved by Sir W. Stirling-Maxwell. Mr. Callender, in seconding it, dwelt at length upon certain aspects of the Bengal famine, and he was followed by Mr. M'Oullagh Torreus, who proposed an addition to the paragraph of the Address referring to the subject. Mr. Gladstone, after touching upon the chief /topics mentioned in the Queen's Speech, retorted upon Sir W. Stirling-Maxwell—who had reproached him for dissolving the late Parliament—that it hardly lay with him to regret an event which had brought his friends into power. The right hon. gentleman then described the growth of his conviction that his Government had ceased to be in harmony with the nation, and justified the dissolution as being the only course which it was possible for him to pursue. He concluded by promising a fair considerationeha det utoa t ae dn y Ministryhpi amrhimself mighte oiff tt bringhheata ds oof all mrne as uai sdrreabseelwei nhoiocrnhagi str ieouf equudi reed nt ht oe the ep ol uwt mo fe nt aosft oar Ra yd at! eCr voamn -t dress,lmf iot irtslwsei ao ornabdui tde oc dtA before attempting further legislation. He urged the hon. member for Finsbury to withdraw his amendment, and the request being acceded to, the Address was carried, and the House adjourned at eight o'clock.