of the royal prerogative which had been referred to, he would maintain a perfect silence. It was not just to say that nothing had been done for Ireland. Government had entered upon an inquiry of the deepest importance, in which precipitate legislation was most to be avoided-the relation of landlord and tenant; the principle of equality with the English franchise had been asserted and carried out in the Municipal Corporations Bill; the Charitable Bequests Bill showed that Government had no hostile intentions towards Ireland; and Maynooth would receive at tention during the recess. He regretted the party animosities and jealousies in Ireland; but he had full confidence that, if occasion should arise, the people would join with the people of this country to support the crown, the interests and the integrity of the empire.-Lord John Russell had refrained from contrasting the present with the former condition of the country.-Sir Robert Peel could not forbear calling the attention of the House to this view of the subject-"I cannot help drawing a comparison between the condition of the country at this day with the state of the country in 1841. Taking into consideration the condition of the revenue, of the trade, of the industry of the country, it forms a strong and favourable contrast with what it has been at any former period. It is not my wish to draw any invidious comparisons; but I maintain that, with respect to the revenue, trade, enjoyment, and general comfort of the country, there has been a great improvement during the last few years; and, without being too sanguine, there exist evidences of advancing prosperity VOL. LXXXVI.

and contentment." (Much cheering.)

Other members said a few words. -Mr. Bellew demanded the release of Mr. O'Connell; in addition to which Mr. Hume called upon the Government to grant equality of taxation, so as to relieve the poor of the country.-Mr. Baillie Cochrane required a further amendment of the Poor-law, and a regulation of wages by law. Mr Villiers said, that he did not want to provide for pauperism, but to prevent it; and he protested against the opinion, common to both Sir Robert Peel and Lord John Russell, that there were peculiar burthens on land. He advocated as the most valuable of all boons to the poorer classes a repeal of the Corn-laws. Colonel Sibthorp commended the results of the session, and congratulated the country on the decline of the Anti-Corn-law League. Lord Ebrington said a few words in answer to Colonel Sibthorp. The House then adjourned to the 5th of September, the House of Lords also separating until the 2nd. On the 4th of September, the judgment of the House of Lords was pronounced, reversing the judg ment against Mr. O'Connell and his co-defendants. The next day Parliament was prorogued by Commission, and the Commons having been conducted to the Bar, and the Royal Assent given to several Bills, the Lord Chancellor read the following Speech:

"My Lords and Gentlemen,We are commanded by Her Majesty, in relieving you from further attendance in Parliament, to express to you the warm acknowledgments of Her Majesty for the zeal and assiduity with which you have applied yourselves to the [Q]

discharge of your public duties during a laborious and protracted session.

"The result has been the completion of many legislative measures calculated to improve the administration of the law, and to promote the public welfare.

"Her Majesty has given her cordial assent to the Bill which you presented to Her Majesty, for regulating the issue of Bank notes, and for conferring certain privileges upon the Bank of England for a limited period.

"Her Majesty trusts that these measures will tend to place the pecuniary transactions of the country upon a sounder basis, without imposing any inconvenient restrictions on commercial credit or enterprise.

"We are directed to inform you that Her Majesty continues to receive from her allies, and from all foreign Powers, assurances of their friendly disposition.

"Her Majesty has recently been engaged in discussions with the Government of the King of the French, on events calculated to interrupt the good understanding and friendly relations between this country and France; you will rejoice to learn that, by the spirit of justice and moderation which has animated the two Governments, this danger has been happily averted.

"Gentlemen of the House of Commons,-We are commanded by Her Majesty to thank you for the readiness with which you voted the supplies for the service of the year.

"Her Majesty has observed with the utmost satisfaction that by the course to which you have steadily adhered in maintaining inviolate the public faith, and in

spiring a just confidence in the stability of the national resources, you have been enabled to make a considerable reduction in the annual charge on account of the interest of the public debt.

"My Lords and Gentlemen,Her Majesty desires us to congratulate you on the improvement which has taken place in the condition of our manufactures and commerce, and on the prospect that, through the bounty of Divine Providence, we shall enjoy the blessing of an abundant harvest.

"Her Majesty rejoices in the belief, that on your return to your several districts you will find generally prevailing throughout the country a spirit of loyalty and cheerful obedience to the law.

"Her Majesty is confident that these dispositions, so important to the peaceful developement of our resources, and to our national strength, will be confirmed and encouraged by your presence and example.

"We are commanded by Her Majesty to assure you, that when you shall be called upon to resume the discharge of your Parliamentary functions, you may place entire reliance on the cordial co-operation of Her Majesty in your endeavours to improve the social condition, and to promote the happiness and contentment, of her people."

Then a Commission for proroguing the Parliament was read.

After which the Lord Chancellor said::

to Thursday, the 10th day of October next, to be then here holden; and this Parliament is accordingly prorogued to Thursday, the 10th day of October next." Thus ended a session signalized by useful if not brilliant results, in the addition to the statute book of several important measures, conceived in that safe and judicious spirit of reform which the circumstances of the country and the temper of the age demanded, and which greatly contributed to strengthen the confidence of all classes in the statesman to whom the interests of the country were confided. In the department of finance, especially, the skill and judgment which Sir Robert Peel displayed, and of which the present session afforded more than one signal example, added in no small degree to the credit and stability of his administration. The revenue of the country had prospered beyond all expectation under his management, and the burthens which he had found it necessary to impose for the purpose of

relieving the finances from the embarrassed state in which his predecessors had left them, were less sensibly felt, as that period of distress and stagnation which had so severely visited the nation began to give place to unequivocal symptoms of returning vigour and prosperity. The political horizon was not indeed perfectly free from clouds, nor the course of Government unchequered by those difficulties which, amid the vast and complicated interests of an immense empire, are continually springing up to perplex the counsels or to exercise the sagacity of statesmen; but with such exceptions, to say the least, not more numerous or formidable in the present than at former periods, it may be truly said, that at the close of the session of 1844, peace, contentment, and confidence, generally prevailed, and the destinies of the country wore a more hopeful and promising appearance than they had exhibited for several preceding years.

thirty years remains still unbroken. But we wish that we could record proofs of a less jealous and hostile spirit towards England on the part of our Gallic neighbours. It is in vain that we disclaim feelings of enmity or designs of encroachment, and in vain that we treat with apathetic indifference the charges that are hurled by the incendiary press of Paris against "perfidious Albion;" the acts and intentions of England are wilfully misrepresented, and every attempt is made to arouse old antipathies, and excite the most impetuous population in the world to a contest which would involve all Europe in a general war.

We do not accuse the French Government of this odious policy. The Soult-Guizot Ministry has nobly vindicated its peaceful mission; and without truckling to foreign interests,or compromising the honour of France, has maintained unbroken amity with the British Crown. And this achievement has been no less difficult than praiseworthy. In this country we have but a faint idea of the position of a Government which has to control and check a population clamorous for

war.

The slightest advance made by the French Ministry in the path of friendship with England has been beset by indignant outcries, both in the Chambers and the public press; and the finger of scorn has been pointed against the Government as regardless of national honour, because it refused to lend itself to the bad passions of a disappointed faction, and plunge into a war on account of some obscure squabbles in a distant island of the Pacific. It will be a happy day for France when she learns to look at the actions of this country with less

of prejudice and enmity, and ceases to invent motives which do not exist, and suspect deep-laid conspiracies against herself, of which England is both innocent and ignorant.

On New Year's day the usual congratulatory addresses were presented to the King by the Corps Diplomatique, the Clergy, the two Chambers, and other public bodies. They did not contain any political allusions; but were filled with panegyrics on the monarch for the tranquillity of France and the prosperous state of her commerce and manufactures.

In our last volume we noticed the commencement of a new session of the French Chambers on the 27th December, 1843, and gave the Royal Speech with which it was opened. The next day M. Sauzet was again elected President of the Chamber of Deputies, receiving 170 votes out of 307. The other candidates for the important post were M. Dupin, M. Odillon Barrot, M. Dupont de l'Eure, M. Dufaure, M. Garneron, and M. Lafitte; of these M. Dupin received 91 votes, and M. Odillon Barrot 46. Immediately afterwards the four Secretaries were elected, and consisted of the following members:Messrs. De Lespee, Lascases, Lacrosse, and Boissy D'Anglas.

After the close of the poll, M. Lafitte, the Provisional President, rose and addressed the Chamber as follows: "Gentlemen,-Called for the second time to the honour of presiding over you, I will not abuse the privilege of my age and my functions. The sorrowful reminiscences which I feel in this place would perhaps lead me to speak to you of my apprehensions for the future, whilst I would