liament on Monday. On Tuesday, in consequence of the King's

sonal wishes and opinions to the good of his people ! Lord JOHN death, both Houses met before eleven o'clock, and Members began to RUSSELL assured the Commons, that it was a ruling principle take the oath of allegiance to the Queen. On Wednesday the same of his Majesty's conduct to support his Ministers as long as he ceremony was continued ; 521 Members of the Commons having been retained them in office : he explained his own opinions frankly, sworn before their House rose. On Thursday, pectator, Seth Deoember 1836. 'rented the following message from the Queen to the Lord Chancellor, $ Even Lord BROUGHAM affected magnanimity, by joining in the universal who read it from the woolsack. strain of admiration—to the amusement, he may be assured, of his auditors. " VICTORIA REGINA—The Queen entertains the fullest confidence that the Be at least should have allowed " expressive silence" to " muse His praise." House of Lords will participate in the deep affliction which her Majesty feels Lord BROUGHAM, however, flavoured his sweetness with a squeeze of the in the death of the late King, whose constant desire to promote the Interest/4M Iss000—hinted at measures which had been forced on the late King, and maintain the liberties, and to improve the laws and imititutione of the country, &wed at the ami.Tory prospect+, of the DOW reign. He was artful, bat not must insure for his name and memory the dutiful affections mad respect of all The present state of public business, and the period of the ssion, when considered in connexion with the law that imposes upon her Maj, sty the duty of summoning a new Parliament, render it inexpedient, in the judement of her Majesty, that any new measure should be recommended for adopl'on, with the exception of what may be necessary to carry on thepublic service ,from the dose of the present session to the meeting of the new Parliament."

Lord MELBOURNE then addressed the House-

" I have, my Lords, no doubt that you will agree with me that an imme- diate answer ought to be sent by your Lordships to the gracious message which you have just heard. Although, my Lords, I am of opinion that there can be no doubt entertained of the prudence, the wisdom, and the propriety, under the present circumstance,of following the course pointed out to your Lordships, yet, ea it is possible that a difference of opinion may edge upon that subject, and as it is my most anxious wish, upon an occasion like the present, to avoid any thing which may interfere with that unanimity that I desire to see prevail- ing, to avoid every difference of opinion, it is my intention to ; (*pone to a future day that part of the address upon which all may not agree, and to con- fine myself to that upon which no difference of opinion can arise."

He referred to that portion of the message which calk(' upon the House to condole with the Queen on the loss which the country bad so lately sustained-

4, I feel certain with respect to the address that I have now to move for your Lordship's adoption, that your Lordships will not only assent to it. but also that you deeply lament with me that the nation has been deprived of the Sovereign who was ever anxious for the welfare of his subjects, while I have to deplore, my Lords, that I and my colleagues have been deprived of a most gracious master, and that the world has been deprived of a man, I will say it, of the best intentions—of a being of the most uncompromising and firmest honour, and of the most strict integrity that ever it pleased Divine Providence to place upon the throne. It is impossible for me, my Lords, to express the grief expe- rienced in the loss of such a Sovereign. It is unnecessary for me to expatiate at any great length upon his Majesty's character, or to go into the details of his Majesty's life, with which many of you are better, and most of your Lord- ships as well, acquainted as I can be. His late Majesty, it is well known, was educated in that which is the favourite service of the country ; and while he served in that service he greatly distinguished himself, especially during the American war. I have not, my Lords, sufficient knowledge of the service to speak upon this subject; but I have heard from those who have a complete knowledge of it, that his late Majesty was deservedly admired for his intelli- gence and activity as an officer, and for his zeal and attention in the duties of his profession ; and when his Majesty returned from the active duties of his profession, when he came back to the civil service of his country, he took an active, a useful, and often no undistinguished nor unimportant share in the debates of your Lordships' House. When his Majesty ascended the throne, the knowledge which he had acquired from his professional education of the whole of the colonial system of this country. and in his service abroad the knowledge he had of all that could be effectually beneficial to this country, was undoubtedly of eel v great importance ; and I will appeal to any one who ever approached his 111.jesty upon those subjects, whether his practical ac- quaintance with the principles and details of public business were not very ex- tensive and very accurate, and whether his Majesty did not employ the greatest zeal. and the most unremitting assiduity, and the most anxious desire to do in every thing that was submitted to hint the most strict justice. Upon another matter let me say,—perhaps, my Lords, I express myself in toohumble a manner fur the occasion—but I must say (as it was necessary in the situation that I held to be in frequent communication with his Majesty) that 1 think that so fair a man, or so just a man, I have not ever yet known in the course of my experience— most perfect, most fair, most eandid, most impartial, most willing to hear, to weigh, and to consider what was urged even in opposition to his most favourite opinions—qualities that are great and sterling—truly so in any man, but more particularly great and sterling in a Sovereign. I feel, my Lords, that I have very inadequately discharged my duty upon the present occasion; but the hurry of the last few days I have passed through has afforded no time for the construction of artfully-turned sentences. Though, my Lords, I have not spoken with elo- quence, I have spoken with truth. I have spoken no more than I think, and no more than I feel—no more than what I know to be true with respect to his late most gracious Majesty. In descanting upon the virtues of a deceased Sovereign, I cannot be suspected of adulation or of flattery. On these occasions, it was usual to advert to the character of the reigning Sovereign- On these occasions, it was usual to advert to the character of the reigning Sovereign- " Her Majesty's declaration is before the public—she has declared that she relies upon the affections of her people, and upon the loyalty and attach- ment of Parliament. Her Majesty's declaration I have no doubt will be cor- dially responded to. Can any thing be added with respect to her Majesty her- self than what she has already declared? I appeal to your Lordships whether you could have a fairer promise of all that is dignified, becoming, ay, and firm too, than that which has already been given by her Majesty." ( Cheers.)

He then moved an address of condolence to the Queen upon the death of the late King, and of congratulation on her Majesty's acces- sion to the throne.

The Duke of WELLINGTON concurred in every expression of Lord Melbourne's speech, and in the address which he had moved— It had fallen to his lot to serve his late Majesty at different periods of diffi- culty and danger. Upon all those occasions his Majesty had manifested not only those virtues which had been so truly described by the noble viscount, but likewise the greatest degree of firmness, of candour, of justice, and of a true spirit of conciliation towards others, which bad, perhaps, ever before been dis- played by any monarch placed in such cirumstances. His late Majesty had combated all the difficulties which opposed him, and they were great and many, with perfect success. He hail been induced to serve his late Majesty, not alone from a sense of duty, not alone from a feeling that a Sovereign of this country had a right to command his services in any situation in which he could render the empire assistance, but also from a deep feeling of gratitude to his late Majesty fur favours conferred upon him; for personal distinctions bestowed upon hint, notwithstanding that he had been under the necessity of opposing him. self to the views and intentions of his late Majesty, when his late Majesty held a high situation under the Government—notwithstanding that the opposition thus given led to his late Majesty's resignation of the office which he then held. But, so far from this creating any coldness or dislike, his Majesty, when he came to the throne, from that time forward treated him with the greatest kind- ness, condescension, confidence, and favour.

With these feelings he most cordially seconded Lord Melbourne's motion.

Earl GREY, who spoke from the cross benches, observed that the Duke of Wellington and Lord Melbourne had left little for him to say ; but he could not reconcile it to his feelings to remain silent-

" I think I should not properly discharge a duty that I owe to the memory of his late Majesty, or that 1 owe to myself, if I permitted this motion to pass without observation. In the manner in which it has been brought forward before the country, and as to its propriety, I entirely concur ; and I rejoice sin- cerely that my noble friend has abstained from connecting any thing with the vote that is to be given to-night that could pca,ibly disturb that unanimity which is valuable upon all occasions, but most particularly on this, when it in desirable to manifest those feelings of regret and sorrow that come sincerely from the heart of every one. I have, my Lords, like the two speakers who have preceded me, had the honour of serving his late Majesty, and found him a most gracious and indulgent Sovereign ; and I can bear testimony to Lis pos- sessing all those eminent qualities so ably described by my noble friend, and is which the noble duke has given his testimony. A man more sincerely devoted to the interests of his country—possessing a better understanding of what was necessary for those interests—more patient in the consideration of the circum- stances connected with them—more attentive to his duty upon every occasion, there never did exist ; and if ever there was a sovereign entitled to that cha- racter, he may be truly described as "a patriot King."

He would briefly advert to the other part of the address, which Ma. gratulated the Queen on her accession to the throne- " Called to the government of so great a country as England at so early a pa- 'it'd of life, the difficulties of her situation are great ; but still, under the Mes- sing@ of Providence, those difficulties will be met, and I have no doubt dimi- nished, in the development of a character of which such auspicious promises have been given in the first acts of government which her Majesty has been called upon to administer." (Cheers.) Lord BROUGHAM said that the station he had had the honour to hold in the councils of the late King forbade him to be silent on the present occasion- " In all that has been said by my noble friends, or the noble duke, of the personal qualities of the late Monarch, I entirely agree; but more especially I. what has been said of his amiable disposition, his inflexible love of justice, and the rare candour of his character. Upon those qualities, for my noble friends

or the noble duke to dwell, was natural ; but it is still more useful, it is atilt more honourable to his memory-, and it is in no wise less appropriate to this *s-

ession, to reflect maturely not only upon the virtues of the man, but also upon the attributes of his glorious, beneficent, and auspicious reign. Glorious, fee the best of all reasons—by the maintenance of peace abroad and tranquillity at

home; beneficent, by his having bestowed on his people that only blessing

which rulers can give or withhold, the wite amendment of the laws, and the well-considered improvement of the institutions of the country ; and auspicious

in the earnest held out in it of the further improvements—greater they cannot

be—but improvements that will diffuse more widely blessings amongst all the people. These are the pledges which have descended with the crown of the

realm to its present Sovereign; and I heartily join with your Lordships, and I believe with the entire couutry, in expressing the hope that the reign of her Majesty may be a long and prosperous one, in which, under the blessing of God, and by the wisdom of Parliament, those pledges may be redeemed." ( Cheers.) The address was unanimously voted.

Lord MELBOURNE then moved an address of condolence to the Queen Dowager ; which was also agreed to, nem. con.

In the House of Commons, Lord &nix Ressetr. appeared at the bar, and announced himself the bearer of a message from the Crown. The message having been read by the SPEAKER, Lord JOHN RUSSELL rose to move the address in reply. In con- formity with precedent, he should propose to separate those expressions

of sentiment regarding the loss the Queen and the nation had sustained,

as well as those which the occasion of her Majesty's accession inspired, from all that had reference to the public business of the country. He should have no difficulty in prevailing upon the House to express sin- cere regret for the loss of a Monarch who made the general good and welfare of his people the rule of his conduct through life. Lord Joha then expatiated upon the late King's knowledge of business, and attention to it; and the great advantage be derived from being removed in early life, when he had apparently little prospect of succeeding is the throne, from the influence of flattery. The King had opinions of his own on the policy of his Ministers- " In the course of policy pursued during the late reign, the King held various political opinions, accustomed as he was to consider the political affairs of this

country and the conduct of the various parties who took a share in our public

concerns: but this I am bound in justice to say, having held a confidential situation in the councils of the King during the period in question, that the

course which his late Majesty took on occasions of such differences was the course most conformable to the constitution of this country, and most befitting a Sovereign in his intercourse with his confidential and responsible advisers. Whatever his private opinions might be, his conduct at all times was marked by the greatest personal kindness : he was in the habit of stating his opinions frankly, fairly, and fully; never seeking any indirect means of accomplishing

any object, but in a straightforward and manly way confined himself to an open, simple, and plain attempt to impress the minds of others with the opinion which he himself might at the moment entertain ; and when upon any occasion the expression of his opinions did not lead to any change in the sentiments of

his confidential servants, it was then that he, conceiving the pursuance of suck a course to be his duty, either renounced and parted with the services of his

advisers, or, permitting them to continue his servants, left them wholly re- sponsible for carrying into effect the course of policy which they recommended."

The interest which the King took in the affairs of the country and the condition of the people, especially of the poor, was constant; and his acquaintance with the laws and constitution of the realm was most remarkable and perfect- " I will instance the Poor-laws, since it never was a party question ; and I may add, that his fitness to judge of the merits of that question related as well to Ireland as to England. In that question, whether it regarded England or Ireland, he took a deep interest ; and his observations on it, whether they re- lated to the one portion of the United Kingdom or the other, did show an inti- mate acquaintance with the various classes of his subjects, and above all, the deep desire and the deep interest he took, and the strong desire he felt, to pro- mote their welfare and happiness. Be it observed, that I say this without stating what was the nature of his Majesty's observations, or to what they tended. Whatever might have been their tendency, the sincere and earnest ob- ject of his solicitude was to promote the happiness of all classes of his subjects, and more especially of those whose poverty made them less as object of regard to persons actuated by motives less high and less pure."

From the commencement of his illness, the physicians in attendance thought it would be attended with danger— I, It was my duty to state to his Majesty, that his servants were quite of opinion there could not be a shadow of doubt on the question, that the general wish of his subjects was, that his Majesty should not neglect any precaution calculated to preserve his health. His Majesty, with acknowledgmen a whick I need not repeat, stated that it was a great comfort to hint that the imblic business was not interrupted by his illness. I believe that, in the unfortunate state of his Majesty's constitution, it would have been impossible to have pre- served his life by any precautions. But his devotion during his last illness, as well as through his whole reign, to the public service, ought now to endear his same and memory to all classes of his subjects. It was my wish certainly, while this illness lasted, accompanied as it was with considerable suffering, not so press on his Majesty with any businesss which did not require immediate at. tention ; but I am bound to say, that all that which did, received his instant nutice: and, as an instance I may state, that on the last day of his life, he signed one of those papers in which he exercised the royal prerogative of mercy. (Much cheering.) Five or six days before his death, there happened to be one of those offices vacant, the Military Knights of Windsor ; and his Majesty mentioned that a person had some time before applied. I was not aware of who it was; but when I looked at the papers, I found he was an officer who had been a considerable time in the Army; and the occasion on which he was disabled was afterwards, when he was in the Yeomanry. His Majesty's health had been drunk ; and in firing off a gun, as was customary, the gun burst, by which accident he had both his arms shattered. His Majesty had re- membered the circumstance ; and, recollecting it even on a bed of sickness and severe suffering, the last appointment his Majesty made was a provision for him. I mention that as one instance out of many : if I were to mention all the instances of his Majesty's kindness which were shown in the last days of his life, they are numerous, and would take up much of the time of the House. I think it was the proper reward of such a reign—a reign spent in a desire at all times to promote the benefit of his people, and with an entire absence of selfish- ness, with a great nianifeetation of generosity, and un extreme wish always to promote the interests of morality and religion—it was, Sir, the appropriate re- ward of Such a reign, that, during that last and most painful illness, which he knew to lie an illness of an alarming nature, be enjoyed the greatest calm and quiet dining the whole of it. It was likewise the natural reward of such a reign, that he should have enjoyed throughout the whole of his last illness an tinusuul degree of fortitude. I have heard from those about him, that he'was at all times in a most even temper, and most ready to make allowance for nny pain• to which be might necessarily be put. It was also part of the reward of a reign so spent, that he Should have enjoyed the full use of his faculties to the last, and that when visited by a most reverend prelate, he was able to attend to the offices of religion with perfect composure. His Majesty having thus died lamented, the people he has reigned over having been thus deprived of him, I have only to ask the House to vote an address of condolence to her present Ma- jesty, upon the loss which she and the nation have sustained."

At first view, there certainly appeared some incongruity in an ad- dress such as be should move, with the congratulation which it was proposed to offer to the young Queen on her accession-

" If her Majesty had enjoyed an opportunity during many years of attending to the affairs of this country, and of learning how it was governed, her accession might well be matter of congratulation ; but, with no interval between the finishing of her education and the time at which Parliament had declared her majority to commence, there is something most serious and awful in the thought that she has undertaken the Government of a great country. When I propose, there- fore, that we should vote an address of congratulation, I cannot help referring to those topics to which she has herself adverted in her address to the Privy Council. In that address, her Majesty has stated that she trusted Divine Pro. vidence would give her strength to perform those duties with a wisdom that belonged to greater experience and more mature age. Her Majesty stated that she placed her next reliance upon the wisdom of Parliament and the loyalty of her people. She stated that she had been born and educated in this country under the guidance of a careful and affectionate mother. Those, Sir, are the topics of congratulation. Those, Sir, are the topics to make one believe— which make one willing to believe—that the present Queen will not belie the expectations—the general, the universal expectations, which , are entertained with respect to her future reign. She has had an excellent education, under a careful and affectionate mother; who, knowing the high station she was destined to fill, has been anxiously solicitous to qualify her for the task. But allowing education to have done all that education can effect, we roust be aware that much must depend upon the high courage which inspires high thoughts, and upon the will and the wish to devote herself to the interests of the country. That such will be her resolution, I entertain the fullest confidence. I feel assured that her royal mind will be devoted to the improvement of those institu- tions which we have been fortunate enough to inherit ; and that, raised as she has been, and will be, in the affectionate welcome of a great and powerful people, she will be enabled, under Divine Providence, to accomplish that good of which this kingdom stands so much in need at the beginning of a reign that, I trust, will be prosperous and happy."

Lord John concluded by moving the address.

Sir ROBERT PEEL (who was apparently very unwell) seconded the motion. He said-

" Although my attendance here to-day is not unaccompanied by pain, yet the pain I should feel would be far more acute and more lasting if I were unable to join in the mournful ceremony which we are this evening called upon to go through. Only seven short years have elapsed since I, standing then in the situatior, which the noble lord who has just sat down at present fills, had to perform the duty of proposing to the House of Commons that it should offer to Lis late Majesty an assurance of our condolence on the death of his lamented predeceaan ,• and at the same time to express their anxious hope that the reign upon which lie was then about to enter might be long and prosperous. If that prosperity could have been insured alone by the devotion of a monarch to the brat interests of the country, the latter wish would have been completely ac- complished ; for never did any sovereign obtain more entirely than did William the Fourth the gratitude and affections of his people. I need hardly remind the House, that one of those wishes was disappointed. The hope which we ex- pressed of a long reign has unfortunately not been fulfilled ; but when we ex- pressed another hope—namely, that his Majesty might enjoy the respect and affections of his people—the House of Commons conveyed a wish which has been more than realized."

Sir Robert eulogized the generous, beneficent, and just disposition of the King—.

" There was no rank, however exalted, no station, however humble, in which persons were not to be found who had opportunities of seeing how anxiously the late King did all in his power to promote individual and general liappieces. It must, I am sure, be amongst the greatest consolations of his illustrious and now widowed Queen, that the House of Commons—the heart of this great nation—should entertain such sentiments as I am satisfied they do feel tow ards her lamented husband ; and that we are at the same time pro- foundly sensible that she has, during the whole course of his reign, shed a lustre on it by the discharge of every domestic virtue, and the performance of all the duties of domestic life. (Much cheering.) In the last and closing scene of mortal agony, it is well known that she made unexampled efforts to mitigate the sufferings of him whose life was of so much value to her and to that people who were proud to acknowledge her as their Queen."

With heartfelt sincerity he joined in the good wishes for a long reign of prosperity and glory for the young Queen-

" I can only wish that that success may respond to her own actual inclina• Cons, to her own natural powers—that it may respond to the assiduous, affec and nmernitted attention which has been devoted to her by an illustrious princess and an affectionate mother. It may perhaps he considered unphilosophical to form a judgment of human character from apparently trifling or unimportant incidents; but, Sir, I will venture to say, that there was no man present when her Majesty, at the age of eighteen years, first stepped from the privacy of domestic life to the discharge of the high functions which on Tuesday last she was first called upon to perform, without entertaining a confident expectation that she who could so demean herself was destined to a reign of happiness for her people and glory for herself. There was something which art cannot make and which lessons cannot teach : there was something in her demeanour that could only be suggested by a high and generous nature: there was an expression of deep regret for the domestic calamity with which they had been visited—of a deep and awful sense of the duties she was called on to discharge; there was a becoming and dignified modesty in all her motions— which could only be dictated by a high and generous nature, brought up under the advice of one for whose affection, care, and solicitude, she ought to be deeply grateful. I shall not weaken the effect of the noble lord's speech by entering into further details : they are totally unnecessary. I trust I have said enough to convince the House, that all persons, without reference to party dissensions, and burying in oblivion on this day all party-spirit, join in the expression of cordial condolence with her Majesty for the loss which she and the country have sustained, and in the heartfelt wish that we are now at the commencement of a long, a prosperous, and a happy reign." (Loud cheers.)

The motion was carried unanimously.

Lord JOHN RUSSELL then moved the address of condolence to the Queen Dowager; and spoke strongly in praise of her Majesty's unre- mitting attention to the King during his Illness.

This address was also agreed to, without discussion.