NEWS OF THE WEEK.
up ARMAMENT was- prorogued on Wednesday, the Queen's .1 Speech being read by commission. It is unusually long, interest- ing,-andgrammatical. Each Minister has something to say, and with the exception of the Foreign Secretary something satisfac- tory. Lord Stanley announces that all foreign relations are on a friendly footing, and takes credit to Government for having averted war between France and Prussia, but as regards the future only" trusts that no ground exists at present for apprehend- ing any disturbance of the general peace." He has found it necessary, however, to "address a peremptory demand to the reigning monarch of Abyssinia " for the liberation of British subjects, "and to take measures for supporting that demand, should it ultimately be found necessary to resort to force." The Home Secretary is happy that the law has been vindicated in Ireland without bloodshed, the Duke of Montrose has diminished American postage one-half, and the Colonial Secretary is delighted with the final accomplishment of a scheme for the -union of the British North American Provinces, whereby " the colonies will be more effectually united among them- selves, and attached to the mother country by the only bonds which can effectually secure such important dependencies— loyalty to. the. Crown and attachment to 13ritish connection." The paragraph on the Reform Bill is marked by the, unusual phrase, " I have great satisfaction in giving my assent," and by an "earnest trust" that the new electors will be worthy of the confidence reposed in them by Parliament ; and the whole of the remainder of the message is occupied with the condition of the people, her Majesty praising the extension of the Factory Acts, noting the inquiry into Trades' Unions, and declaring Mr. Hardy's Poor Law Bill -a piece of well considered legislation." It is a good speech, on the whole, both in form and substance.
