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IV. THE KING'S MESSAGES.

Nov. 4. In Answer to the Address from the Lords

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In Answer to the Address from the Commons on opening the
Session

V. ADDRESSES TO THE KING.

Nov. 2. In Answer to his Majesty's Speech on opening the Session-
House of Lords

In Answer to his Majesty's Speech on opening the Session-
House of Commons

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VI. LISTS OF DIVISIONS IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Nov. 11. LIST of the Minority, in the House of Commons, of twenty-four, on the Motion to Repeal the Sub-letting Act (Ireland).. 409 --- of the Minority, in the House of Commons, on Sir Henry Parnell's Motion to reduce the Duty on Wheat imported into the West-India Islands

12.

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15. of the Majority, Minority, and Absentees, in the House of
Commons, on the Motion for referring the Civil List to a
Committee

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PARLIAMENTARY

tleman of the House.

{COMMONS}

quired as Speaker, a Gentleman able to Mr. N.Calvert said, that the House represerve order in its proceedings, well acquainted with constitutional law, and with all the forms of the House; endowed with good temper, and of great impartiality.

its proceedings before the eyes of the coun- | in the eyes of the country, which that genSpeaker. try, in its relations to the other House of tleman did not possess. His merits were Parliament, and in its communications known to all the Members, and to the with the Throne itself. They ought to country at large. He would not further choose a person who was capable, both by trespass on their time, but at once prohis public talents and his private virtues, pose "That the right hon. Charles Manners to confer dignity on the proceedings of Sutton be chosen Speaker." Parliament. In calling on the Members to make such a choice, he should not have thought himself entitled to claim their attention, had he not been assured that the Gentleman to whom he should propose that they should do the honour of offering the chair was a person already well acquainted with all the great inter- of access, and whose gentlemanly manests and with all the wishes of the House; ners would ensure him the support of all He should be a person easy and that he was only giving expression to the Members, and to whom all might with a desire which must be felt by every Gen-pleasure refer all doubtful points, particu choose a person of a high description, who over the list of representatives, and he had They ought to larly of private business. He had looked was impressed with a necessity of pre- not been able to find one gentleman so serving order in their proceedings, who well qualified to fill the office of Speaker had abilities to preserve that order, and as his right hon. friend, Mr. Manners Sutwho had, moreover, eloquence, grace, and ton, and he therefore had great pleasure dignity, to give effect to the proceedings of in seconding the Motion. the House. He should be a person of great constitutional knowledge, well versed in the orders and forms of proceeding of the House, able to express the sentiments of the House as well to an individual appearing at the bar as to the other great branches of the Legislature. Besides the knowledge which was requisite to fill this great office efficiently, it was necessary, as every Member knew who had been engaged in private business, that the Speaker should be a gentleman of frank, conciliating, intelligent manners, not only able to give effect to the public acts of the House, but to give that information to individual Members which was necessary to facilitate the performance of their duties. There was no one qualification necessary and proper to execute the duties of this high office which had not been exhibited, as the House and the country well knew, by the right hon. Gentleman who had filled it for four successive Parlia- been my pride to be the servant of the Mr. Manners Sutton: Long as it has ments, and who had in an exemplary man- House, and frequently as I have had occaner performed those duties, both private sion to address it, yet it is impossible for and public, which it was so important to me entirely to divest myself of embarrassthe House should be well performed. He ment, and not to feel some distrust of might say a great deal more in his praise, myself in returning my thanks to my acquaintance, it must be known to every the House as a fit and proper person for but it was unnecessary, when, from long hon. friends who have proposed me to Member of former Parliaments, that there the high office of Speaker, as well as for Me not one virtue, nor any species of abi- the terms in which they were pleased to

there was a time when, from the state of public affairs, it was necessary, in order Sir Joseph Yorke observed, that if ever to gain the confidence of the Members, and give full effect to the proceedings of the House, that they ought to choose a proper person as Speaker, the present was the time. He concurred in all that had fallen from the Mover and Seconder. He was sure that there was not in the House a single person better qualified-that there amidst all the Members of the House, men of talents, of different professions, of great was no one equal, he would not say-for virtue and integrity, some equally proper person might be found; but he must say, that from the great suavity of the individual named, as well as his great knowledge, he was a fit and proper person to fill the Chair in as tremendous times as ever any man was called to fill it in.

lity necessary to fill that high station, and express their sentiments of me; I must give effect to the proceedings of the House also acknowledge the speech of the Gal

country, which possess. His Members, and

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{OCT. 27}

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Business of the House. decisions had been given with the strictest impartiality, and received with satisfaction by the House. But the right hon. Gentleman's merits were so familiarly known to all the Members, that it was unnecessary for him to say more. The unanimous vote of that evening secured the devotion of the House to its Speaker, and it was impossible that the public and the country should not find that, in addressing the Members, the unanimity would give authority to his opinions and weight to his decision.

lant Admiral, and his great kindness and
cordiality. I would beg them to believe
that I feel the great kindness and obliga-
tion with which the House received, and
one of them made, and the other seconded,
the motion. I think it most respectful to
the House of Commons at once to declare
that I am proud to submit to its will. If
the House places me in this situation, I
shall with pride and devotedness exert
myself to maintain all its rights and
privileges; and to the extent of my abili-
ties I will discharge all the duties of the
station. I know, from some experience, Mr. Brougham seconded the Motion;
that the difficulties of the situation are not and expressed his satisfaction and entire
small, but experience has also taught me concurrence in the well-merited enco-
that honesty of purpose, and earnest and miums which the House had respectfully
strict impartiality, will ensure the encou- tendered. His object in rising, however,
ragement, the support, and the protection was to direct the attention of his Majesty's
of the House. [The right hon. Gentle-Government, and of such Members as at-
man was voted into the chair by acclama-
tion, and conducted into it by the mover
and Seconder.] When the right hon.
Gentleman had taken the chair, he said, he meant the business of the House—
I am most anxious that the House should that they might turn the matter in their
believe that I am not indifferent to these minds during the week which would
expressions, and that I am deeply grateful elapse before the House began the effective
for the honour conferred on me. I beg to business of the country. He had ad-
assure the House that I am deeply sensi-verted more than once to the necessity of
ble of this mark of its confidence, and that
I will do all in my power to deserve it.

tended to the public business, to a subject which urgently demanded attention, to which he had on former occasions adverted

He

some arrangement by which the private business should be separated from the public business, securing to the latter a ADJOURNMENT BUSINESS OF THE sufficient time for its discussion. HOUSE.] Sir Robert Peel, in moving only wished, however, to throw out some that the House do adjourn, begged to take hints on this subject for reflection during that opportunity of offering to the Speaker the week. He was confident, that unless his most sincere congratulations at the some arrangement were made, by which unanimity with which he had obtained an the private business should be postponed honour he so well deserved. He begged or brought forward on separate and disalso to congratulate the House that it was tinct nights, or by which the time of the enabled to place in the chair, a Gentle- House should not be occupied in hearing man of great experience in public busi-petitions from individuals on private subness, and well entitled, by his conduct injects, or expressing their individual opithe Chair, to the approbation and confi- nions on public affairs, he was confident, dence of the House. In the fourteen unless something was done to call on pubyears which had elapsed since he had lic business at a reasonable hour, that been first placed in that situation, he be- they would not be able to get through lieved that during those fourteen years with it. He wished merely to direct the there had been only one single day in attention of Members to this subject, and which the right hon. Gentleman had should be ready to support any proposition asked, or rather consented, to a remission which would secure to the country, that of his public labours. No considerations a proper share of the time of its Repreof personal convenience-no consideration sentatives should be devoted to its busiof his private affairs-nothing but the ness. claims of private affliction, could make him even consent to abstract that day from the public service. During these fourteen years, whatever might have been the conflict of parties, all his opinions and all his

HOUSE OF LORDS,
Wednesday, Oct. 27.

The Lord Chancellor, the Earl of Rosslyn, Earl Bathurst, Lord Ellenborough,

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of the country the property of my subjects | thought he should but ill discharge his
has been endangered by combinations for
the destruction of machinery; and that
serious losses have been sustained through
the acts of wicked incendiaries.

66

'I cannot view without grief and indignation the efforts which are industriously made to excite among my people a spirit of discontent and disaffection, and to disturb the concord which happily prevails between those parts of my dominions, the union of which is essential to their common strength and common happiness. "I am determined to exert to the utmost of my power all the means which the Law and the Constitution have placed at my disposal, for the punishment of sedition, and for the prompt suppression of outrage and disorder.

"Amidst all the difficulties of the present conjuncture, I reflect with the highest satisfaction on the loyalty and affectionate attachment of the great body of my people.

duty to their Lordships and the subject if he attempted to burthen it with many that his Majesty would have, from the observations of his own. He felt assured assurance that he would not be mistaken voice of a unanimous Parliament, the full in the confidence with which he treated racter had taken place since their Lordthem. Events of an extraordinary chaships had last assembled together in that House; but those events, though of so notorious a character that his Majesty's advisers would have been deserving of blame had they not noticed them, were cluded the details from being made a obviously of a description which presubject of discussion in Parliament. He was persuaded that their Lordships would concur with him in believing that his frankly recommending his Majesty to acMajesty's Ministers had acted properly in and in doing so he was sure that they knowledge the present Monarch of France, acted in accordance with the general wishes of the people of this country. mutual good understanding which so rejoiced-he sincerely rejoiced-at the Powers of France and England: he rehappily existed between the two great joiced at it, because he saw in their mutual good-will the best assurances, the best of Europe. Entering further into his possible pledge for the permanent peace Majesty's Speech, Parliament, he would observe, must find it very agreeable to receive proofs and assurances that all the Powers of Europe had observed their ligations. It was particularly gratifying to see that France was disposed to preserve inviolate the faith of treaties, without doing which a nation might attain a momentary greatness, but could never be permanently prosperous. Their Lordships were aware, that by the additional Article

He

"I am confident that they justly appreciate the full advantage of that happy form of Government, under which, through the favour of Divine Providence, this country has enjoyed, for a long succession of years, a greater share of internal peace, of commercial prosperity, of true liberty, of all that constitutes social happiness, than has fallen to the lot of any other country of the world. It is the great object of my life to preserve these blessings to my people, and to transmit them unimpaired to posterity; and I am animated in the discharge of the sacred duty which is com- of a Treaty to which we were parties, and mitted to me, by the firmest reliance on the wisdom of Parliament, and on the

to

which our Ally, France, was also a party -a treaty that was known by its local

cordial support of my faithful and loyal name of the Fundamental Law-their

subjects."

Lordships were aware that by that treaty arrangements were made, by which the Provinces of Belgium were declared to

ADDRESS IN ANSWER TO THE SPEECH.] form an integral part of the dominions of The Marquis of Bute said, he rose to move the King of the Netherlands. He saw, their Lordships to agree to an humble Ad- therefore, and he had no doubt their Lorddress to his Majesty, in reply to the ships saw, with much pain, the wretched read to the House-a Speech so frank, so particularly as the king of that country affectionate and consolatory, that he had called together an extraordinary

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meeting of the States General, hoping, by disorder had manifested themselves in
his honest constitutional views, to restore various parts of Europe; but their Lord-
tranquillity; acting by that in such a ships would see that they were all of a
manner as must be pleasing to English-local nature, and were no cause of appre-
men, and as they might expect from a hension to us. He found in them a new
Prince of the illustrious House of Nassau. proof of the high character which this
That Prince had, on many occasions of great and happy country had acquired in
his past life, shown himself worthy of the civilized world. He trusted their
his ancestry; but the rapidity of events had Lordships would readily agree with his
frustrated the fair prospects of social Majesty, and believe that he declared what
arrangements by which he hoped to
hoped to was agreeable to the sentiments of the
preserve his dominions in peace. Their great majority of his subjects, when he
Lordships would join with him in assuring said, that he meant to maintain the general
his Majesty of their regret on this subject. national obligations by which we were
Their Lordships would perceive that by bound. His Majesty thought, no doubt,
the treaty to which he had alluded, the and so would his subjects, that by such
King of the Netherlands felt himself pre-means he should best maintain the high
cluded from giving his assent to any character of the country. He could not
resolution which gave a separate establish- approach without considerable pain the
ment to Belgium, and a separate constitu- first topic of his Majesty's Speech, which
tion, without previously communicating was purely of a domestic nature. His
with his allies, under whose guarantee the Majesty, feeling his advanced period of
Fundamental Law was adopted. Reverting, life, had invited the Parliament to take
then, to another subject, he must say that into early consideration measures for pro-
he was happy to see a prospect of a viding a Regency in case of his Majesty's
termination to the present state of our re- death before his successor had arrived at
lations with Portugal. The obstacle which years of maturity. He felt, and he had no
had hitherto stood in the way of that doubt their Lordships would feel them-
restoration was an arrangement into which selves, prepared to comply with his
this country, in concurrence with the Majesty's invitation, and that they would
other great Powers of Europe, had entered desire to apply themselves to the serious
with the members of the Honse of Braganza. consideration of such measures as his
He must confess, that he had frequently Majesty's advisers should on this subject
looked forward with something like im-submit to Parliament. In that sentiment
patience to the time when we might he was sure their Lordships would all con-
honourably relieve ourselves from that
engagement. A full and entire amnesty
had now been granted by the government
of Portugal to those who had defended
the cause of Donna Maria. When those
honourable men who adhered to the cause
of Donna Maria, in conformity with
what they understood to be the established
arrangements of the Royal family of Por-Majesty had made of the principles on
tugal, sanctioned by the leading Powers,
- when those men should be again
restored to the bosom of their country, he
must confess he could not see on what
grounds his Majesty's advisers would be
justified in abstaining from restoring to the
actual government of Portugal those di-
rect diplomatic relations, the interruption
of which had been attended with no little
inconvenience to the interests of the coun-
try. His Majesty had remarked in the
Speech, and their Lordships must have
learnt the same fact from the usual
channels for conveying information to the
public, that symptoms of discontent and

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cur, as they would in the prayer he addressed to Almighty God, that the period might never arrive when any enactment on this subject would be brought into operation. Parliament could not have better instructions for the framing of a measure upon this subject than the manly and constitutional declaration which his

which it ought to proceed. He knew well that their Lordships were strictly bound to consider the Speech delivered from the Throne as the composition of Ministers; but if ever there was an occasion which would justify the supposition that the sentiments uttered by his Majesty were the sentiments of the individual who delivered them, it was the present. He thought he might venture to say, that the Speech which they had heard that day, and the declaration they had heard of his Majesty's principles, with the measure he had recommended them to adopt, was decidedly the language of the heart. He

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