State Papers. SPEECH of the Lords Commissioners, on the Opening of the My Lorde and Gentlemen, We are commanded to assure you, that Her Majesty has great satisfaction in recurring again to the advice and assistance of Her Parliament. We are commanded by Her Majesty to inform you, that difficulties which arose in regard to some of the provisions of the Treaty of Paris delayed the complete execution of the stipulations of that Treaty. Those difficulties have been overcome in a satisfactory manner, and the intentions of the Treaty have been fully maintained. An insurrectionary movement which took place in September last in the Swiss Canton of Neuchatel, for the purpose of re-establishing in that canton the authority of the King of Prussia as Prince of Neuchatel, led to serious differences between His Prussian Majesty and the Swiss Confederation, threatening at one time to disturb the general peace of Europe. But Her Majesty commands us to inform you, that, in concert with Her august ally the Emperor of the French, she is endeavouring to bring about an amicable settlement of the matters in dispute, and Her Majesty entertains a confident expectation that an honourable and satisfactory arrangement will be concluded. In consequence of certain discussions which took place during the Conferences at Paris, and which are recorded in the Protocols that were laid before you, Her Majesty and the Emperor of the French caused communications to be made to the Government of the King of the Two Sicilies, for the purpose of inducing him to adopt a course of policy calculated to avert dangers which might disturb that peace which had so recently been restored to Europe. Her Majesty commands us to inform you, that the manner in which those friendly communications were received by His Sicilian Majesty was such as to lead Her Majesty and the Emperor of the French to discontinue their diplomatic relations with His Sicilian Majesty, and they have accordingly withdrawn their missions from the Court of Naples. Her Majesty has directed that papers relating to this subject shall be laid before you. [1856-57.] B Her Majesty commands us to inform you that, she has been engaged in negociations with the Government of The United States, and also with the Government of Honduras, which she trusts will be successful in removing all cause of misunderstanding with respect to Central America. Her Majesty has concluded a Treaty of friendship and commerce with Siam, which will be laid before you. Her Majesty commands us to express to you Her regret that the conduct of the Persian Government has led to hostilities between Her Majesty and the Shah of Persia. The Persian Government, in defiance of repeated warnings, and in violation of its engagements, has besieged and captured the important city of Herat. We are commanded by Her Majesty to inform you, that a British naval and military force, despatched from Bombay, has taken possession of the island of Karrack and of the town of Bushire, with a view to induce the Shah to accede to the just demands of Her Majesty's Government. Her Majesty has seen with satisfaction that the naval and military forces employed on this occasion have displayed their accustomed gallantry and spirit. Her Majesty commands us to inform you, that acts of violence, insults to the British flag, and infraction of Treaty rights committed by the local Chinese authorities at Canton, and a pertinacious refusal of redress, have rendered it necessary for Her Majesty's officers in China to have recourse to measures of force to obtain satisfaction. Those measures had, up to the date of the last accounts, been taken with great forbearance, but with signal success as regards the conflicts to which they had led. We are commanded to inform you, that Her Majesty trusts that the Government of Pekin will see the propriety of affording the satisfaction demanded, and of faithfully fulfilling its Treaty engage ments. Gentlemen of the House of Commons, Her Majesty has directed the estimates for the ensuing year to be laid before you. They have been prepared with every attention to economy, and with a due regard to the efficient performance of the public service at home and abroad. My Lords and Gentlemen, Her Majesty commands us to inform you, that Bills will be submitted to your consideration for the consolidation and the amendment of important portions of the law; and Her Majesty doubts not that you will give your earnest attention to matters so deeply affecting the interests of all classes of Her subjects. Her Majesty commands us to recommend to your consideration the expediency of renewing for a further period the privileges of the Bank of England, the conditions imposed on the issue of bank notes in the United Kingdom, and the state of the law relating to Joint Stock Banks. Her Majesty commands us to express the gratification which it affords Her to witness the general well-being and contentment of Her people, and to find that, notwithstanding the sacrifices unavoidably attendant upon such a war as that which has lately terminated, the resources of the country remain unimpaired, and its productive industry continues unchecked in its course of progressive development. Her Majesty commits with confidence the great interests of the country to your wisdom and care, and she fervently prays that the blessing of Almighty God may attend your deliberations, and prosper your councils, for the advancement of the welfare and happiness of Her loyal and faithful people. SPEECH of the Lords Commissioners, on the Closing of the British Parliament.-Westminster, March 21, 1857. My Lords and Gentlemen, We are commanded by Her Majesty to inform you, that in releasing you at this early period from your attendance in Parliament it is Her Majesty's intention immediately to dissolve the present Parliament, in order to ascertain in the most constitutional manner the sense of her people upon the present state of public affairs. Gentlemen of the House of Commons, We are commanded by Her Majesty to thank you for the liberal provision which you have made for the exigencies of the public service during the period that will elapse before the new Parliament which Her Majesty will direct immediately to be called, shall have been able to give its deliberate attention to these matters. My Lords and Gentlemen, We are commanded by Her Majesty to express the satisfaction which she feels at your having been able, during the present session, materially to reduce the burthens of her people. Her Majesty commands us to assure you, that it is her fervent prayer, that the several constituencies of the United Kingdom, upon whom will devolve the exercise of those high functions which by the Constitution belong to them, may be guided by an All-wise Pro vidence to the selection of Representatives whose wisdom and patriotism may aid Her Majesty in her constant endeavours to maintain the honour and dignity of her Crown, and to promote the welfare and happiness of her people. SPEECH of the Lords Commissioners, on the Opening of the British Parliament.-Westminster, May 7, 1857. My Lords and Gentlemen, WE are commanded to inform you that Her Majesty has availed herself of the earliest opportunity of having recourse to your advice and assistance after the dissolution of the last Parliament; and Her Majesty trusts that there will be found sufficient time during the present session to enable you satisfactorily to deal with various important matters, some of which had occupied the attention of Parliament in the beginning of this year. We are commanded by Her Majesty to inform you that the general aspect of affairs in Europe affords a well-grounded confidence in the continuance of peace. All the main stipulations of the Treaty of Paris have been carried into execution, and it is to be hoped that what remains to be done with regard to those matters will be speedily accomplished. The negotiations upon the subject of the differences which had arisen betweeen the King of Prussia and the Swiss Confederation, in regard to the affairs of Neuchatel, are drawing to a close, and will, Her Majesty trusts, be terminated by an arrangement honourable and satisfactory to all parties. The negotiations in which Her Majesty has been engaged with the Government of The United States, and with the Government of Honduras, in regard to the affairs of Central America, have not yet been brought to a close. We are commanded by Her Majesty to inform you that a Treaty of Peace between Her Majesty and the Shah of Persia was signed at Paris on the 4th of March, by Her Majesty's Ambassador at Paris and by the Ambassador of the Shah; and Her Majesty will give directions that this Treaty shall be laid before you as soon as the ratifications thereof shall have been duly exchanged. Her Majesty commands us to express to you her regret that, at the date of the latest advices from China, the differences which had arisen between the High Commissioner at Canton and Her Majesty's civil and naval officers in China still remained unadjusted. But Her Majesty has sent to China a Plenipotentiary fully in structed to deal with all matters of difference, and that the Plenipotentiary will be supported by an adequate naval and military force, in the event of such assistance becoming necessary. We are commanded to inform you, that Her Majesty, in conjunction with several other European Powers, has concluded a Treaty with the King of Denmark for the redemption of the Sound dues. This Treaty, together with a separate Convention between Her Majesty and the King of Denmark, completing the arrangement, will be laid before you, and Her Majesty will cause the measures necessary for fulfilling the engagements thereby contracted to be submitted for your consideration. Gentlemen of the House of Commons, Her Majesty has directed the estimates for the present year to be laid before you. They have been prepared with a careful attention to economy, and with a due regard to the efficiency of the departments of the public service to which they severally relate. My Lords and Gentlemen, Her Majesty commands us to recommend to your earnest consideration measures which will be proposed to you for the consolidation and improvement of the law. Bills will be submitted to you for improving the laws relating to the testamentary and matrimonial jurisdiction now exercised by the ecclesiastical courts, and also for checking fraudulent breaches of trust. Her Majesty commands us to express to you her heartfelt gratification at witnessing the continued well-being and contentment of her people, and the progressive development of productive industry throughout her dominions. Her Majesty confidently commits to your wisdom and care the great interests of her Empire, and fervently prays that the blessing of Almighty God may be vouchsafed to your deliberations, and may lead you to conclusions conducive to the objects of Her Majesty's constant solicitude, the welfare and happiness of her loyal and faithful people. SPEECH of the Lords Commissioners, on the Closing of the British Parliament.-Westminster, August 28, 1857. My Lords and Gentlemen, We are commanded by Her Majesty to release you from further attendance in Parliament, and at the same time to express to you |