IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume I, Issue I, 30 July 1842, Page 83

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS. Thursday, Feb. 3. Her Majesty, on Thursday, February 3, opened the session of Parliament in person. The papers speak of general demonstrations of enthusiasm. The fittings and decorations of the house are described as extraordinarily beautiful : on the right of, and on a level with, the throne, is a splendid chair for the Prince of Wales ; on the left, and a step below it, a chair of state for Prince Albert. The King of Prussia was present, and Prince Frederick of Saxe Coburg. Majesty looked well, and is eviden,t|jftltlclining to the embonpoint." Her Majesty read the following SPEECH FROM THE THRONE. " My Lords and Gentlemen, " I cannot meet you in Parliament assembled without making a public acknowledgment of gratitude to Almighty God on account of the birth of the Prince my son — an event which has completed the measure of my domestic happiness, and has been hailed with every demonstration of affectionate attachment to my person and Government by my faithful and loyal people. " I am confident that you will participate in the satisfaction which I have derived from the presence in this country of my good brother and ally the King of Prussia, who, at my request, undertook in person the office of sponsor at the christening. of the Prince of Wales. ' " I receive from all Princes and States the continued assurance of their earnest desire to maintain the most friendly relations with this country. . . ".It is with great satisfaction I inform you 4 that I have concluded with the Emperor of the King of the French, the King of Prussia, and the Emperor of Russia, a treaty for the effectual suppression of the slave trade, which, when the ratification shall have been exchanged, will be communicated to Parliament. " There shall also be laid before you a treaty which 1 have concluded with the same powers, together with the Sultan, having for its object the security of the Turkish empire, and the maintenance of the general tranquillity. "The restoration of my diplomatic and friendly intercourse with the Court of Teheran has been followed by the completion of a commercial treaty with the King of Persia, which I have directed to be laid before you. " I am engaged in negotiations with several powers, which, I trust, by leading to conventions founded on the just .principle of mutual advantage, may extend the trade and commerce of the country. " I regret that I am not able to announce to you the re-establishment of peaceful relations with the Government of China. " The uniform success which has attended the hostile operations directed against that power, and my confidence in the skill and gallantry of my naval and military forces, encourage the hope on my part that our differences with the Government of China will be brought to an early termination, and our commercial relations with that country placed on a satisfactory basis. " Gentlemen of the House of Commons, " The Estimates for the year have been prepared, and will be laid before you. " I rely, with entire confidence, on your disposition, while you enforce the principles of a wise economy, to make that provision for the service of the country which the public exigencies may require. " My Lords and Gentlemen, " I recommend to your immediate attention the state of the finances and of the expenditure of the country. ."You will have seen with regret that, for several years past, the annual income has been inadequate to bear the public charges; and I feel confident that, fully sensible of the evil which must result from a continued deficiency of this nature during peace, you will carefully consider the means of averting it. " I recommend also to your consideration the state of the laws which affect the import of corn, and of other articles the produce of foreign countries. " Measures will be submitted for your consideration for the amendment of the Law of Bankruptcy, and for the improvement of the jurisdiction exercised by the Ecclesiastical Courts in England and Wales. " It will also be desirable that you should consider, with a view to their revision, the laws which regulate the registration of electors of members to serve in Parliament. , " I have observed with deep regret the continued distress in the manufacturing districts of the country. The ■ufferings and privations which have resulted from it have been borne with exemplary patience and fortitude. " I feel assured that your deliberations on the various important matter* which will occupy your attention will be directed by a comprehensive regard for the interests and permanent welfare of all classes of my subjects; and I fervently pray, that they may tend in their result to improve the national resources, and to encourage the industry and promote the happiness of my people." THE ADDRESS. The Marquis of Abercorn moved the address; as usual, an echo of the speech. He spoke complacently enough of foreign relations ; stated the necessity of raising the revenue to meet the exigencies of the state, and expected the concurrence of the house hi measures to be submitted for that purpose. Referring to the corn laws and the general distress, he recommended great caution. Any measure affecting the importation of corn could be brought for-

ward with advantage by a Government only. The distress had been borne throughout the country with exemplary patience. He deprecated ill-considered theories and hazardous experiments; though transitory relief might be obtained from such sources, in the end they would be found to aggravate the evil. The Earl of Dalhousie seconded the address. Viscount Melbourne entirely concurred in both speech and address. After referring to the birth of a Prince and the visit of the King of Prussia, he humorously adverted to the much more favourable view of affairs taken by ministers now than on the 24th of August last. He rejoiced that a more intimate acquaintance with state affairs had taught them that matters were not in such a desperate condition as they supposed upon that occasion. He especially congratulated the President of the Board of Trade upon his change of view regarding the war with China and our relations with Persia. He was glad that Borne proposition was to be submitted for a revision of the corn laws, and the duties on imports generally. He hoped they would have nothing to do with the sliding scale. He hoped that that great absurdity would net be continued. The sliding scale must be done away with. The continual rise and fall could never consist with the stability and security of a trade sufficiently uncertain in itself. He did not attribute all the distress in the manufacturing districts to the corn laws; they might have some part in producing that distress, but he believed that the difficulties now experienced were inseparable from, ana" belonged to, a state of manufacturing prosperity, and was the consequence of the great amount of capital invested in manufactures in this country. Inordinate expectation would be certain to be disappointed in the beneficial effect of this as of other reforms. The Earl of Ripon replied to the remarks upon his change of opinion on the subject of China and Persia. Lord Beaumont hoped that the anomaly of the sliding scale and the averages in the corn trade would be set at rest, and that the farmer might know upon what footing he stood. Lord Brougham dwelt strongly on the distress in the manufacturing districts. He saw with great satisfaction the intimation that ministers intended some revision of the corn laws. The only safe mode of dealing with the subject was by a total but gradual repeal of the corn laws. He did not think of such a measure as a means of lowering the price of food or reducing rents; but, that it would open the channels of trade and arrest the depression of manufactures, he no more doubted than that he stood there at that moment. After referring to the treaty for the suppression of the slave trade and the capture of the Creole slaver, and speaking in praise of ths manner in which the King of Prussia had been received by the people of England, his lordship concluded by saying he entirely concurred in what had fallen from the noble viscount late at the head of the Government, on the first day of the last session, on introducing the subject of the corn lawß. On that occasion the noble viscount warned the landowners against allowing such a state of things to exist as rendered nothing safe either for the people or for the constitution. " Here," said he, " is a code of laws made by one house of Parliament, consisting entirely of landowners, and by another house of Parliament composed of landowners to the extent of a very large majority. That is not a safe state of things," said my noble friend, " neither to the landowners, to the Parliament, nor for the constitution, and ought to be immediately altered." Now he (Lord Brougham) agreed in these observations. It was not a safe state of thing 6, either for the Legislature or for the Crown itself. It was not safe to maintain a system by which all were excluded from its privileges but those who were the owners of property. By what degrees they ought to break through the line he cared not; but they ought to begin to alter a system which ranged all the property on one side, and the' numbers not possessed of property on the other. Such a beginning is essential to the peace and welfare of the country. He cared not how gradual the operation might be : all he asked of their lordships was, that the system should be changed, that a beginning should be made, and that speedily, in order to show that their lordships were determined that they would not maintain such a line of distinction. Lord Fitzwilliam was gratified to find that measures for which he had laboured three years unsuccessfully were now about to be brought forward by a ministry which owed its existence to agricultural interest. He was surprised that such should emanate from a Government of which the Duke of Wellington was a member. Though the Duke of Buckingham had retired, he feared that little after all would be effected. If the proposed measure embraced the sliding scale, and were not large and efficient in its operation, it would be a failure. He would hope, however, that the noble duke, the inspiring genius of the cabinet, was about to deal with this as he did with die Catholic question. The Duke of Wellington, in reply, said he had no doubt he should be able to relieve himself from the charge of inconsistency, but thought that this was not the stage of the discussion at which to be explicit as to the nature of the intended change. The Duke of Buckingham said that his views had undergone no alteration. During his connection with the ministry an alteration in the corn laws had been proposed, which he could not support; he had therefore retired. Although he should oppose that measure, ministers might rely upon his support on all other questions which would conduce to the interests of the country. The address was agreed to.