BRITISH AND FOREIGN

State Papers.

SPEECH of the Queen, on the Opening of the British Parliament.-Westminster, January 24, 1860.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

Ir is with great satisfaction that I again meet you in Parliament, and have recourse to your assistance and advice.

My relations with foreign Powers continue to be on a friendly and satisfactory footing.

At the close of the last session I informed you, that overtures had been made to me, to ascertain whether, if a Conference should be held by the great Powers of Europe, for the purpose of settling arrangements connected with the present state and future condition. of Italy, a Plenipotentiary would be sent by me to assist at such a Conference. I have since received a formal invitation from the Emperor of Austria and from the Emperor of the French to send a Plenipotentiary to a Congress, to consist of the Representatives of the Eight Powers who were parties to the Treaties of Vienna of 1815; the objects of such Congress being stated to be, to receive communication of the Treaties concluded at Zurich; and to deliberate, associating with the above-mentioned Powers the Courts of Rome, of Sardinia, and of the Two Sicilies, on the means best adapted for the pacification of Italy, and for placing its prosperity on a solid and durable basis.

Desirous, at all times, to concur in proceedings having for their object the maintenance of peace, I accepted the invitation, but, at the same time, I made known that in such a Congress I should steadfastly maintain the principle that no external force should be employed to impose upon the people of Italy any particular Government or Constitution.

Circumstances have arisen which have led to a postponement of the Congress, without any day having been fixed for its meeting; but, whether in Congress or in separate negotiation, I shall endeavour to obtain for the people of Italy freedom from foreign interference by force of arms in their internal concerns; and I trust that the affairs of the Italian Peninsula may be peacefully and satisfactorily settled.

Papers on this subject will soon be laid before you.

I am in communication with the Emperor of the French, with a view to extend the commercial intercourse between the two [1859-60. L.]

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countries, and thus to draw still closer the bonds of friendly alliance between them.

A dispute having arisen between Spain and Morocco, I endeavoured by friendly means to prevent a rupture; but, I regret to say, without success.

I will direct papers on this subject to be laid before you.

My Plenipotentiary and the Plenipotentiary of the Emperor of the French having, in obedience to their instructions, proceeded to the mouth of the Peiho river, in order to repair to Pekin, to exchange in that city the ratifications of the Treaty of Tien-tsin, in pursuance of Article LVI of that Treaty, their further progress was opposed by force, and a conflict took place between the Chinese forts at the mouth of the river and the naval forces by which the Plenipotentiaries were escorted.

The allied forces displayed on this occasion their usual bravery; but, after sustaining a severe loss, were compelled to retire.

I am preparing, in concert and co-operation with the Emperor of the French, an expedition intended to obtain redress and a fulfilment of the stipulations of the Treaty of Tien-tsin.

It will be gratifying to me if the prompt acquiescence of the Emperor of China in the moderate demands which will be made by the Plenipotentiaries, shall obviate the necessity for the employment of force.

I have directed that papers on this subject shall be laid before you.

An unauthorized proceeding by an officer of The United States in regard to the Island of San Juan, between Vancouver's Island and the mainland, might have led to a serious collision between my forces and those of The United States. Such collision, however, has been prevented by the judicious forbearance of my naval and civil officers on the spot, and by the equitable and conciliatory provisional arrangement proposed on this matter by the Government of The United States.

I trust that the question of boundary, out of which this affair has arisen, may be amicably settled in a manner conformable with the just rights of the two countries, as defined by Article I of the Treaty of 1846.

The last embers of disturbance in my East Indian dominions have been extinguished; my Viceroy has made a peaceful progress through the districts which had been the principal scene of disorder, and, by a judicious combination of firmness and generosity, my authority has been everywhere solidly and, I trust, permanently established. I have received from my Viceroy the most gratifying accounts of the loyalty of my Indian subjects and of the good feeling evinced by the native Chiefs and the great landowners of

the country. The attention of the Government in India has been directed to the development of the internal resources of the country, and I am glad to inform you that an improvement has taken place in its financial prospects.

I have concluded a Treaty with the Tycoon of Japan, and a Treaty regarding boundaries with the Republic of Guatemala. have directed that these Treaties shall be laid before you.

Gentlemen of the House of Commons,

I have directed the estimates for the ensuing year to be laid before you. They have been prepared with a view to place the Military and Naval Services, and the defences of the country, upon an efficient footing.

I am glad to be able to inform you that the public revenue is in a satisfactory condition.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

I have accepted, with gratification and pride, the extensive offers of voluntary service which I have received from my subjects. This manifestation of public spirit has added an important element to our system of national defence.

Measures will be laid before you for amending the laws which regulate the representation of the people in Parliament, and for placing that representation upon a broader and firmer basis.

I earnestly recommend you to resume your labours for the improvement of our Jurisprudence, and particularly in regard to Bankruptcy, the Transfer of Land, the Consolidation of the Statutes, and such a further fusion of law and equity as may be necessary to ensure that in every suit the rights of the parties may be satisfactorily determined by the Court in which the suit is commenced.

I am deeply gratified to observe that the great interests of the country are generally in a sound and thriving condition; that pauperism and crime have diminished; and that, throughout the whole of my empire, both in the United Kingdom and in my colonies and possessions beyond sea, there reigns a spirit of loyalty, of contentment, of order, and of obedience to the law.

With heartfelt gratitude to the Almighty Ruler of nations for these inestimable blessings, I fervently pray that His beneficent power may guide your deliberations for the advancement and consolidation of the welfare and happiness of my people.

SPEECH of the Lords Commissioners, on the Closing of the British Parliament.-Westminster, August 28, 1860.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

WE are commanded by Her Majesty to release you from further attendance in Parliament, and at the same time to convey to you Her Majesty's acknowledgments for the zeal and assiduity with which you have applied yourselves to the performance of your important duties during the long and laborious session of Parliament now about to close.

Her Majesty commands us to inform you that her relations with Foreign Powers are friendly and satisfactory, and Her Majesty trusts that there is no danger of any interruption of the general peace of Europe. Events of considerable importance are indeed taking place in Italy; but if no Foreign Powers interfere therein, and if the Italians are left to settle their own affairs, the tranquillity of other States will remain undisturbed.

The proposed Conferences on the subject of the cession of Savoy and of Nice to France have not yet been held; but Her Majesty confidently trusts that in any negotiations which may take place full and adequate arrangements will be made for securing, in accordance with the spirit and letter of the Treaty of Vienna of 1815, the neutrality and independence of the Swiss Confederation.

That neutrality and independence were an object to which all the Powers who were parties to the Treaties of Vienna attached great importance; and they are no less important now than then, for the general interests of Europe.

Her Majesty commands us to assure you, that the atrocities which have been committed upon the Christian population in Syria have inspired Her Majesty with the deepest grief and indignation. Her Majesty bas cheerfully concurred with the Emperor of Austria, the Emperor of the French, the Prince Regent of Prussia, and the Emperor of Russia in entering into an engagement with the Sultan, by which temporary military assistance has been afforded to the Sultan for the purpose of re-establishing order in that part of his dominions.

We are commanded by Her Majesty to inform you that Her Majesty greatly regrets that the pacific overtures which, by Her Majesty's directions, her Envoy in China made to the Imperial Government at Pekin, did not lead to any satisfactory result; and it has therefore been necessary that the combined naval and military forces which Her Majesty and her ally the Emperor of the French had sent to the China seas should advance towards the northern provinces of China, for the purpose of supporting the just demands of the Allied Powers.

Her Majesty, desirous of giving all possible weight to her diplomatic action in this matter, has sent to China, as special Ambassador for this service, the Earl of Elgin, who negotiated the Treaty of Tien-tsin, the full and faithful execution of which is demanded from the Emperor of China.

Gentlemen of the House of Commons,

Her Majesty commands us to convey to you her warm acknowledgments for the liberal supplies which you have granted for the service of the present year, and for the provision which you have made for those defences which are essential for the security of her dockyards and arsenals.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

Her Majesty commands us to express to you the gratification and pride with which she has witnessed the rapid progress in military efficiency which her Volunteer forces have already made, and which is highly honourable to their spirit and patriotism.

Her Majesty has given her cordial assent to the Act for amalgamating her local European force in India with her forces engaged for general service.

Her Majesty trusts that the additional freedom which you have given to commerce will lead to fresh development of productive industry.

Her Majesty has given her ready assent to several measures of great public usefulness.

The Acts for regulating the relations between landlord and tenant in Ireland will, Her Majesty trusts, remove some fertile causes of disagreement.

The Act for amending the law which regulates the discipline of Her Majesty's navy has established salutary rules for the administration of justice by Courts-martial, and for maintaining good order in the naval service.

The Act bearing upon endowed charities will give means for a less expensive administration of the property of charities, and for the speedy and economical settlement of disputes affecting such property, while by another Act relief has been afforded to Her Majesty's Roman Catholic subjects with regard to their charitable endowments.

Several other Acts have been passed for legal reform, which must lead to the more satisfactory administration of justice.

Her Majesty has observed with deep satisfaction the spirit of loyalty, of order, and of obedience to the law, which prevails among her subjects both in the United Kingdom and in her dominions beyond sea; and Her Majesty has witnessed with heartfelt pleasure