THE PARLIAMENT.
At three o'clock on Monday, the Lord Chancellor, the Duke of Wellington, the Earl of Shaftesbury, Viscount Melville, and Lord Ellenborough, took their seats as the King's Commissioners for proroguing the Parliament. Few of the Peers were present. In the House of Commons at the same hour, Mr. Charles Grant was about to move for returns, when the Deputy Usher of the Black Rod was announced. The Speaker, accompanied by about sixty members, presented themselves at the bar of the House of Peers.
The Royal assent was given to the Appropriation, the Sugar Duties, the Benefices Resignation, the Savings Banks Acts Con- solidation, and the Walcot -Charities Bills.
The Clerk read the commission of prorogation. The Lord Chancellor read the following Speech:
" My Lords and Gentlemen,—We are commanded by his Majesty to acquaint you, that the business of the session having been brought to a close, his Majesty is enabled to release you from your attendance in Parliament. His Majesty commands us at the same time to return to you his warm acknowledgments for the zeal and diligence with which you have applied yourselves to the consideration of many subjects of great im- portance to the public welfare. "The provisions which you have made for the regulation of the import of corn, combining adequate protection for domestic agriculture, with due precaution against the consequences of a deficient harvest, will, in the confident expectation of his Majesty, promote the inseparable inte- rests of all classes of his subjects. "We are commanded by his Majesty to acquaint you, that his Majesty continues to receive from his Allies, and from all Foreign Powers, as- surances of their friendly disposition towards this country. The endea- vours of his Majesty to effect the pacification of Greece in concert with his Allies, the King of France and the Emperor of Russia, have continued unabated. His Imperial Majesty has found himself under the necessity of declaring war against the Ottoman Porte upon grounds concerning ex- clusively the interests of his own dominions and unconnected with the stipulations of the treaty of the 6th July, 1827. His Majesty deeply la- ments the occurrence of these hostilities, and will omit no effort of friendly interposition to restore peace. The determination of the Powers, parties to the treaty of the 6th July, to effect the objects of that treaty, remains unchanged. His Imperial Majesty has consented to wave the exercise in the Mediterranean Sea, of any rights appertaining to his Im- perial Majesty in the character of a belligerent power, and to recall the separate instructions which have been given to the commander of his naval forces in that sea, directing hostile operations against the Ottoman Porte. His Majesty will, therefore, continue to combine his efforts with those of the King of France and his Imperial Majesty, for the purpose of carrying into complete execution the stipulations of the treaty of London.
" His Majesty commands us to acquaint you, that his Majesty had every reason to hope, when he last addressed you, that the arrangements which had been made for administering the government of Portugal until the period at which the Emperor of Brazil should have completed his abdication of the throne of Portugal, would have secured the peace and promoted the happiness of the country, in the welfare of which his Majesty has ever taken the deepest interest. The just expectations of his Majesty have been disappointed, and measures have been adopted in Portugal in disregard of the earnest advice and repeated remonstrances of his Majesty, which have compelled his Majesty and the other Powers of Europe, acting in concert with his Majesty, to withdraw their represen- tatives from Lisbon. His Majesty relics upon the wisdom of the august Sovereign, the head of the house of Braganza, to take the course which shall be best calculated to maintain the interests and honour of that Illus- trious Family, and to secure the peace and happiness of the country over which it reigns. " Gentlemen of the House of Commons,—We are commanded by his Majesty to thank you for the supplies which you have granted to him for the service of the present year. His Majesty will apply them with the ut- most regard to economy, and will continue a deliberate revision of the several public establishments, with a view to any further reduction which may be compatible with the dignity of the Crown and with the perma- nent interests of the country.N "My Lords and Gentlemen,—His Majesty commands us to congratulate you upon the general prosperity of the country, and upon the satisfac- tory state of the public revenue. His Majesty 'Contemplates the increase of our financial resources with peculiar gratification, on account of the
4 decisive proof which it exhibits that the condition of his subjects is one of progressive improvement.
" His Majesty commands us in conclusion to assure you, that his un- abated exertions will be directed to inculcate among Foreign Powers a spirit of mutual good-will, and to encourage the industry, to extend the commerce, and advance the general welfare of his own dominions."
The Lord Chancellor then declared Parliament prorogued till Thursday the 2.8th of August.
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