PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES, FOR THE YEAR 1824. CHAPTER I.. Speech from the Throne-Debate on the Address-On receiving the Report on the Usury Laws-On the Navy Estimates—On the Army DittoThe Budget-Court of Chancery-Austrian Loan-Ordnance Estimates. HOUSE of LORDS, February 3. This being the day fixed for the opening of parliament, the lords appointed for that purpose by his majesty's commission, assembled about three o'clock. The commissioners were, the lord chancellor, the archbishop of Canterbury, and the earls of Westmorland, Harrowby, and Shaftsbury. Having taken their seats, the commission was read, and the lord chancellor, according to the usual form, ordered the commons to be summoned. In a few minutes the speaker, attended by several members of the house of commons, appeared at the bar, when the lord chancellor read his majesty's speech in the following terms:"My lords and gentlemen, "We are commanded by his majesty to express to you his majesty's deep regret, that, in consequence of indisposition, he is prevented from meeting you in parliament upon the present occasion. "It would have been a peculiar satisfaction to his majesty, to be enabled in person to congratulate you on the prosperous condition of the country. "Trade and commerce are extending themselves both at home and abroad. "An increasing activity pervades almost every branch of manufacture. "The growth of the revenue is such, as not only to sustain public credit, and to prove the unimpaired productiveness of our resources, but (what is yet more gratifying to his majesty's feelings) to evince a diffusion of comfort among the great body of his people. "Agriculture is recovering from the depression under which it laboured, A 2 boured, and, by the steady operation of natural causes, is gradually re-assuming the station to which its importance entitles it among the great interests of the nation. "At no former period has there prevailed, throughout all classes of the community in this island, a more cheerful spirit of order, or a more just sense of the advantages which, under the blessing of Providence, they enjoy. "In Ireland, which has for some time past been the subject of his majesty's particular solicitude, there are many indications of amendment; and his majesty relies upon your continued endeavours to secure the welfare and happiness of that part of the united kingdom. "His majesty has commanded us further to inform you, that he has every reason to believe that the progress of our internal prosperity and improvement will not be disturbed by any interruption of tranquillity abroad. "His majesty continues to receive from the powers his allies, and generally from all princes and states, assurances of their earnest desire to maintain and cultivate the relations of friendship with his majesty; and nothing is omitted on his majesty's part, as well to preserve general peace, as to remove any causes of disagreement, and to draw closer the bonds of amity between other nations and Great Britain. "The negociations which have been so long carried on through his majesty's ambassador at Constantinople, for the arrangement of differences between Russia and the Ottoman Porte, are, as his majesty flatters himself, drawing near to a favourable termination. "A convention has been concluded between his majesty and the emperor of Austria, for the settlement of the pecuniary claims of the country upon the court of Vienna. "His majesty has directed that a copy of this convention shall be laid before you, and he relies on your assistance for the execution of some of its provisions. 66 Anxiously as his majesty deprecated the commencement of the war in Spain, he is every day more satisfied, that in the strict neutrality which he determined to observe in that contest (and which you so cordially approved), he best consulted the true interests of his people. "With respect to the provinces of America which have declared their separation from Spain, his majesty's conduct has been open and consistent, and his opinions have been at all times frankly avowed to Spain and to other powers. His majesty has appointed consuls to reside at the principal ports and places of those provinces, for the protection of the trade of his subjects. "As to any further measures, his majesty has reserved to himself an unfettered discretion, to be exercised as the circumstances of those countries, and the interests of his own people, may appear to his majesty to require. "Gentlemen of the House of Commons, "His majesty has directed us to inform you, that the estimates for the year are prepared, and shall be forthwith laid before you. "The numerous points at which, under present circumstances, his majesty's naval force is necessarily distributed, and the occasion which has arisen for strengthening his garrisons in the West Indies, have rendered unavoidable some augmentation of his establishments by sea and land. "His majesty has, however, the gratification gratification of believing, that notwithstanding the increase of expense incident to these augmentations, it will still be in your power, after providing for the service of the year, to make arrangements, in some parts of our system of taxation, which may afford relief to certain important branches of the national industry. 66 My lords and gentlemen, "His majesty has commanded us to acquaint you, that he has not been inattentive to the desire expressed by the house of commons in the last session of parliament, that means should be devised for the amelioration of the condition of the negro slaves in the West Indies. "His majesty has directed the necessary information relating to this subject to be laid before you. His majesty is confident that you will afford your best attention and assistance to any proposition which may be submitted to you, for promoting the moral improvement of the negroes, by an extended plan of religious instruction, and by such other measures as may gradually conduce to the same end. "But his majesty earnestly recommends to you to treat this subject with the calmness and discretion which it demands. "It is a subject perplexed with difficulties, which no sudden effort can disentangle. "To excite exaggerated expectations in those who are the objects of your benevolence, would be as fatal to their welfare as to that of their employers. "And his majesty assures himself you will bear in mind, that in the correction of a long standing and complicated system, in which the fortunes and the safety of large classes of his majesty's subjects are involved, that course of proceeding is alone likely to attain practical good, and to avoid aggravation of evil, in which due regard shall be paid to considerations of justice, and in which caution shall temper zeal.", The earl of Errol took the oaths and his seat, as representative Scotch peer; lord Bayning also took the oaths and his seat, on succeeding to the title; and lord Gifford was, in consequence of his creation, introduced by lords Stowell and Dormer., Their lordships then adjourned, and met again at five o'clock. On the motion of the earl of Liverpool, the select vestry bill was, according to the usual practice, read a first time, before proceeding to the consideration of his majesty's speech. The speech was then read a firsttime by the lord chancellor, and a second time by the clerk. Earl Somers immediately rose to move the address, which was seconded by lord Lorton. The marquis of Lansdown began by expressing his entire concurrence in the congratulations contained in the address from the throne on the prosperous state of the country. It was, he observed, a great satisfaction to find, that an improvement had taken place in our trade and commerce; but it was still a greater one to perceive that this improvement had been the result of the very excellent regulations which had recently been adopted with respect to both. He looked with the greater pleasure upon these results, which had been dictated by the voice of natural reason, because he was one of those who never desponded of the power of the country to rescue herself from her difficulties, if her resources were properly directed, and her commerce relieved from many of the absurd restraints under which it had long laboured. He now, there fore, |