VII.

Speaker, after prayers, sits in the Clerk's chair until Black Chapter Rod approaches the door, when he proceeds to his own chair to receive him. This form is observed, because no business can be commenced until Parliament has been opened by the Crown. In case a quorum was not present, the message from the Crown would make a house (see p. 232).

When the king meets Parliament in person, he proceeds in state to the House of Lords, where, seated on the throne, adorned with his crown and regal ornaments, and attended by his officers of state, the Prince of Wales (in his robes) sitting in his chair on his Majesty's right hand (all the lords being in their robes, and standing until his Majesty desires them to be seated), he commands the gentleman usher of the Black Rod, through the lord great chamberlain, to let the Commons know "it is his Majesty's pleasure they attend him immediately, in this house." The usher of the Black Rod goes at once to the door of the House of Commons, which he strikes three times with his rod; and, on being admitted, he advances up the middle of the house towards the table, making three obeisances to the chair, and says, "Mr. Speaker, the king commands this honourable house to attend his Majesty immediately in the House of Peers." He then withdraws, still making obeisances; nor does he turn his back upon the house, until he has reached the bar. The Speaker, with the house, immediately goes up to the bar of the House of Peers;1 upon which the king reads his speech to both houses of Parliament, which is delivered into his hands by the lord chancellor, kneeling upon one knee.

When Queen Victoria met Parliament in person, on every occasion since the year 1866, the form of these proceedings was so far changed that her Majesty's speech, instead of being delivered by herself, was read by her chancellor,

If deemed expedient, the precedence of members in going to the House of Lords on the opening and prorogation of Parliament by his Majesty, can be determined by ballot, in pursuance of resolutions,

7th Aug. 1851, 106 C. J. 443. 445.
See also Report of the Joint Com-
mittee on Presence of the Sovereign
in Parliament for arrangements
made in session 1902, Parl. Paper,
No. 212 (sess. 1901),
P. X.

VII.

Chapter taking directions from her Majesty.1 This was no more, indeed, than the revival of an ancient custom, there being numerous precedents of the lord chancellor or lord keeper addressing both houses, in the presence of a sovereign, and by his command. Henry VIII., proud as he was of his royal state and personal accomplishments, always entrusted to his chancellor the task of addressing the Parliaments assembled in his presence. On the 9th November, 1605, the chancellor made a speech concerning the recent plot, in the presence of James I. Charles I. also made his chancellors, and sometimes other councillors, his spokesmen. And the same practice was pursued by Charles II. But the example exactly followed by Queen Victoria was that of George I., throughout whose reign the royal speech was delivered by the chancellor.2

mission.

When the King is not personally present, the causes By comof summons are declared by the lords commissioners. The usher of the Black Rod is sent, in the same manner, to the Commons, and acquaints the Speaker that the lords commissioners desire the immediate attendance of this honourable house in the House of Peers, to hear the commission read; and when the Speaker and the house have reached the bar of the House of Peers, the lord chancellor reads the royal speech to both houses. Until the end of the session of 1867, the lords commissioners' speech was framed as proceeding from themselves; and her Majesty's name was used throughout in the third person. But on that and subsequent occasions, the speech was that of the Queen herself, in the first person, and delivered by the lord chancellor, or one of the commissioners, by her command. When the speech has been delivered, either by the king

1 In 1871, 1876, 1877, 1880, and 1886, 118 L. J. 15; 141 C. J. 8.

2 See especially 21st Jan. 1509, 1 L. J. 3; 8th June, 1536, ib. 84; 6th Jan. 1541, ib. 164; 2 ib. 357; 3 ib. 435. 470. 637; 11 ib. 240. 684; 12 ib. 287. 652; 21st March, 1714, 20 ib. 22, &c.

3 On the 19th May, 1880, atten

tion being drawn to inadvertent use
by the usher of the Black Rod of the
word "require," the proper form was
explained from the chair, 251 H. D.
3 s. 1221.

'97 L. J. 639. At the prorogation,
10th Aug. 1872, the lord chancellor's
sight being impaired, the speech was
read by Earl Granville.

Report of King's speech.

Bill read pro formâ.

VII.

in person, or by commission, the House of Lords is adjourned Chapter
during pleasure. The Commons retire from the bar, and,
returning to their own house, pass through it, the mace
being placed upon the table by the Serjeant, and the house
reassembles at four o'clock.

When the houses are resumed in the afternoon, the main
business is for the lord chancellor in the Lords, and the
Speaker in the Commons, to report the King's speech.
In the former house, the speech is read by the lord chan-
cellor, and in the latter by the Speaker, who states that, for
greater accuracy, he had obtained a copy. But before this
is done, it is the practice, in both houses, to read some bill
a first time pro formâ, in order to assert their right of de-
liberating, without reference to the immediate cause of sum-
mons. This practice, in the Lords, is enjoined by standing
order No. 2. In the Commons, the same form is observed
pursuant to ancient custom. In the Commons, other busi-
ness is constantly entered upon before the reading of the bill,
as the issue of new writs, the consideration of matters of
privilege, the presentation of papers, and the usual sessional
orders, &c., orders and resolutions. No petitions are presented; though
Appendix I.
questions may be asked of the ministers, generally re-
lating to the business of the house, to urgent matters in
foreign affairs, or recent action taken by the government.3
In 1794, Mr. Sheridan raised a debate upon the first

Sessional

2

66

1 24th Jan. 155, 1 C. J. 47; 4th April, 1571, when immediately after the return of the house from the House of Lords, where Queen Elizabeth had signified her approval of the Speaker, one bill (accordingly to the usual course) had its first reading," D'Ewes's Journal, 156, 1 C. J. 82; 22nd March, 1603, "The first day of sitting, in every Parliament, some one bill, and no more, receiveth a first reading for form sake," 1 ib. 150.

295 ib. 4; Mr. T. Healy's imprisonment, 1883, 138 ib. 4; the letter termed "the forged letter" (Mr. Parnell), 145 ib. 7; Mr. Brad

laugh's affirmation, 3rd May, 1880,
135 ib. 124; and his oath, 7th Feb.
1882, 137 ib. 3; the action of the
returning officer at the Leicester
election, 5th Feb., 1895, 30 Parl.
Deb. 4 s. 54; the interference of
a peer in an election, 14th Feb. 1905,
141 Parl. Deb. 4 s. 71. See also
proceedings on the opening of the
session, in 1763, relative to the read-
ing of the bill before the considera-
tion of the question of privilege
arising out of the North Briton, No.
45, 15 Parl. Hist. 1354.

3 284 H. D. 3 s. 39; 293 ib. 57.
58; 341 ib. 41.

VII.

Chapter reading of this bill, and the Speaker decided that he was in order:1 but such a proceeding is prohibited by standing order No. 31.

When the royal speech has been read, an address in Address. answer thereto is moved in both houses. Two members in each house are selected by the administration for moving

and seconding the address; and they appear, in their places, Form of the in levee dress, for that purpose. The form of the address address for presenta- used to be an answer, paragraph by paragraph, to the tion, see p. speech. In both Lords and Commons, since the com

453.

mencement of session 1890-91, the answer to the royal
speech has been moved in the form of a single resolution,
expressing their thanks to the sovereign for the most.
gracious speech addressed to both houses of Parliament,
and amendments to the address are moved by way of
addition thereto.2

The transaction of public business is carried on whilst the proceedings on the address are in progress. Bills are introduced, committees are appointed, and, in session 1884, debate on the address was adjourned from day to day, unresumed, whilst a motion of censure on the government, Procedure regarding "Events in the Soudan," was under consideration.3 on supply, After the address has been agreed to, it is ordered to be

and ways

and means,

tion of

see p. 587. presented to his Majesty, either by the whole house: or in Presenta the case of the address of the upper house "by the lords address. Procedure with white staves; "4 and in the case of the address of the Commons by "such members of the house as are of his

on ad

dresses presented to the sovereign by Parlia ment, see p. 455.

1 31 Parl. Hist. 994.

2 Since 1861, the appointment of a committee to prepare the address has been discontinued in the House of Lords. The committee formerly appointed in the Commons, to "draw up" an address, has been discontinued since Feb. 1888, pursuant to standing order No. 65 (see Appendix I.), as the address is moved in a form suitable for presentation, 146 C. J. 7. The resolution was, in session 1892, accompanied, both in Lords and Commons, by an expression of condolence on

the death of H.R.H. the Duke of
Clarence, 147 ib. 10; 1 Parl. Deb. 4
s. 13. In 1812, the address was
moved as an amendment to a ques-
tion for an address proposed by Sir
F. Burdett, 21 H. D. 18. 34. In
1894, an amendment to the address
having been carried, the address,
as amended, was negatived, and
another address was proposed by
the leader of the house and agreed
to, 149 C. J. 9. 11.

3 139 C. J. 46-59.

Of the royal household.

VII.

Majesty's most honourable privy council,1 or of his Majesty's Chapter household." When the address in answer to the speech Presented from the throne at the opening of Parliament 3 or an address by the whole on any other subject (see p. 452) is to be presented by house. the whole house, the "lords with white staves" in the one house, and the privy councillors and members of the household in the other, are ordered "humbly to know his Majesty's pleasure when he will be attended " with the address. Each house meets when it is understood that this ceremony will take place, and, after his Majesty's pleasure has been reported,5 proceeds separately to the palace; and care must be taken to make a house at the proper time, to receive the communication of his Majesty's pleasure. If before the presentation of the address, by the whole house, any circumstance should be communicated which would make it inconvenient for his Majesty to receive the house, the address is presented by the "lords with white staves" and privy councillors and members of the household, as was done on the 3rd February, 1844.7 The procedure upon the reception of the sovereign's answer to an address by Parliament is described more fully on p. 455.8

1 On the 22nd Jan. 1806, an address, in answer to a speech of the lords commissioners, on the battle of Trafalgar, and the death of Nelson, was presented by the whole house.

2 The members of the household were first added to the members ordered to present the address in the year 1899, 154 C. J. 54.

3 74 L. J. 8; 93 ib. 6; 96 C. J. 9; 97 ib. 9; 101 ib. 10; 116 ib. 16.

86 L. J. 85; 90 ib. 24; 129 ib. 255; 109 C. J. 169; 111 ib. 183; 113 ib. 31; 152 ib. 299.

74 L. J. 10; 96 C. J. 11; 97 ib. 11; 101 ib. 11; 109 ib. 170; 111 ib. 181.

From a neglect of this precaution, 6th Feb. 1845, Queen Victoria was kept waiting by the Commons for upwards of half an hour.

799 C. J. 12; and again, 1869,

101 L. J. 28. 30. 35; 124 C. J. 32.
37.42.

8 Queen Victoria's answer to the
address, 10th June, 1859, which con-
tained the paragraph, added by way
of amendment, affirming that her
Majesty's then present advisers did
not possess the confidence of the
House of Commons, stated that her
Majesty had thereupon taken mea-
sures for the formation of a new
administration, 114 C. J. 219. On
the occasion when, 11th Aug. 1892, a
paragraph similar in form was added
to the address, the usual order was
made for the presentation of the ad-
dress; but no answer from her
Majesty was presented to the house.
When, 26th Jan. 1886, an amend-
ment which occasioned a change of
administration was added to the
address, her Majesty's answer was
of a wholly formal character, 141 C.
J. 57.