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which for some months has existed between the princes of the house of Braganza. From the commencement of this contest, I have abstained from all interference, except such as was required for the protection of British subjects resident in Portugal; but you may be assured that I shall not fail to avail my. self of an opportunity that may be afforded me to assist in restoring peace to a country with which the interests of my dominions are so intimately connected.

I have also to regret that my earnest endeavours to effect a defi. nitive arrangement between Holland and Belgium have hitherto been unsuccessful. I found myself at length compelled, in conjunction with the king of the French, to take measures for the execution of the treaty of the 15th Nov., 1831. The capture of the citadel of Antwerp has in part accomplished that object, but the Dutch government still refusing to evacuate the rest of the territories assigned to Belgium by that treaty, the embargo which I had directed to be imposed on the Dutch commerce has been continued. Negotiations are again commenced; and you may rely on their being conducted, on my part, as they have uniformly been, with the single view of insuring to Holland and Belgium a separate existence, on principles of mutual security and independence.

The good faith and honour with which the French government has acted in these transactions; and the assurances which I continue to receive from the chief powers of Europe of their friendly dispositions, give me confidence in the success of my endeavours to preserve the general peace. I have given directions that the various papers which are necessary for your in

formation on the affairs of Holland and Belgium should be laid before you.

The approaching termination of the charter of the bank of England and of the East India company, will require a revision of these establishments, and I rely on your wisdom for making such provisions for the important interests connected with them, as may appear, from experience and full consideration, to be best calculated to secure public credit, to improve and extend our commerce, and to promote the general prosperity and power of the British empire.

Your attention will also be di rected to the state of the church, more particularly as regards its temporalities and the maintenance of the clergy. The complaints which have risen from the collection of tithes appear to require a change of system, which, without diminishing the means of maintaining the estab lished clergy in respectability and usefulness, may prevent the colli. son of interests, and the consequent derangement and dissatisfaction which have too frequently prevailed between the ministers of the church and their parishioners. It may al so be necessary for you to consider what remedies may be applied for the correction of acknowledged abuses, and whether the revenues of the church may not admit of a more equitable and judicious distribution. In your deliberations on these im. portant subjects, it cannot be neces sary for me to impress upon you the duty of carefully attending to the security of the church establish. ed by law in these realms, and to the true interests of religion.

In relation to Ireland, with a view of removing the causes of complaint which had been so generally felt, and which had been at

tended with such unfortunate consequences, an act was passed during the last session of parliament for carrying into effect a general composition for tithes. To complete that salutary work, I recommend to you, in conjunction with such other amendments of the law as may be found applicable to that part of my dominions, the adoption of a measure by which, upon the principle of a just commutation, the possessors of land may be enabled to free themselves from the burthen of an annual payment.

To the further reforms that may be necessary, you will probably find that, although the established church of Ireland is by law permanently united with that of England, the peculiarities of their respective circumstances will require a sepa. rate consideration. There are other subjects hardly less important to the general peace and welfare of Ireland, affecting the administration of justice, and the local taxation of the country, to which your attention will also be required. Gentlemen of the House of Commons,

I have directed the estimates for the service of the year to be laid before you. They will be framed with the most anxious attention to all useful economy. Notwithstand. ing the large reduction in the estimates of the last year, I am happy to inform you that all the extraordinary services which the exigencies of the times required, have been amply provided for. The state of the revenue, as compared with the public expenditure, has hitherto fully realized the expectations that were formed at the close of the last session.

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I feel confident that to your loyalty and patriotism, I shall not resort in vain for assistance in these afflicting circumstances, and that you will be ready to adopt such measures of salutary precaution, and to intrust to me such additional powers as may be found necessary for controlling and punishing the disturb. ers of the public peace, and strengthening the legislative union between the two countries, which, with your support, and under the blessing of Divine Providence, I am determined to maintain, by all the means in my power, as indissolubly connected with the peace, security and welfare of my dominions.

THE KING'S SPEECH, PROROGUING PARLIAMENT.

House of Lords, August 29th, 1833.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

In opening the present parliament I stated that never, at any time, had subjects of greater interest and magnitude called for your attention.

The manner in which you have discharged the duties thus commit. ted to you, now demands my warmest regard, and enables me to close a session, not more remarkable for its extended duration, than for the patience and persevering industry which you have employed in many laborious inquiries, and in perfecting the various legislative measures which have been brought under your consideration.

I continue to receive from my al. lies, and from all foreign sovereigns, assurances of their friendly disposition.

I regret that I cannot yet announce to you the conclusion of a definite arrangement between Holland and Belgium; but the convention, in conjunction with the king of the French, I concluded in May last, with the king of the Ne. therlands, prevents a renewal of hostilities in the Low Countries: and thus affords fresh security for the general continuance of peace.

Events which have lately taken place in Portugal have induced me to renew my diplomatic relations with that kingdom, and I have accredited a minister to the court of her most faithful majesty Donna Maria.

You may rest assured I look with great anxiety to the moment when the Portuguese monarchy, so long united with this country by the ties

of alliance, and by the closest bonds of interest, may be restored to a state of peace, and may regain its former prosperity.

The hostilities which had disturbed the peace of Turkey have terminated, and you may be assured that my attention will be carefully directed to any event which may af fect the present or the future independency of that empire.

Your investigation, carefully prosecuted during the last session, has enabled you to renew the charter of the bank of England, on terms which appear to be well calculated to sustain public credit, and to secure the usefulness of that important establishment.

The laborious inquiries carried on by committees of both houses of parliament, for several successive sessions, have also enabled you to bring the affairs of the East India Company to a satisfactory adjustment. I have the most confident expectation that the system of government thus established will prove to have been wisely formed for the improvement and happiness of the natives of India, and by the opening of the China trade, a new field has been afforded for the activity and the enterprise of British commerce.

The state of slavery in my colonial possessions has necessarily occupied a portion of your time and attention commensurate with the magnitude and the difficulty of the subject. Whilst your deliberations have been guided by the paramount consideration of justice and humanity, the interests of the colonial pro

prietors have not been overlooked. I trust that the future proceedings of the colonial legislatures, and the conduct of all classes in my colonies, may be such as to give full effect to the benevolent intentions of the legislature, and to satisfy the just expectations of my people.

I observe with satisfaction that the amendment of the law has con. tinued to occupy your attention, and that several important measures have been adopted, by some of which the title to property has been rendered more secure, and the conveyance of it more easy; while by others the proceedings in courts both of law and equity, have been made more expeditious, and less costly.

The establishment of the court of privy council is another improvement which, while it materially assists suitors at home, will, I trust, afford substantial relief to those in my colonial possessions.

You may rest assured that there is no part of your labours which I regard with a deeper interest than that which does, by well considered amendments of the law, make justice easily accessible to all my subjects. With this view I have caused a commission to be issued for digesting in one body the enactments of criminal law, and inquiring how far, and by what means the criminal process may be assimilated to the other branch of our jurisprudence.

I have also directed commissions to be issued for investigating the state of the municipal corporations throughout the United Kingdom. The result of their inquiries will enable you to procure those means which may seem best fitted to place the internal government of corporate cities and towns on a solid foundation, in respect of their finances, their government, and their po

lice. In the mean time, two impor. tant acts have been passed for giv. ing constitutions, upon sound principles, to the royal and parliamentary burghs of Scotland, and your attention will hereafter be called to the expediency of extending similar advantages to the unincorporated towns of England, which have now acquired the right of returning members to parliament.

It is with the greatest pain that I felt myself compelled to call upon you for additional powers to control and punish the disturbers of the public peace in Ireland. This call was answered, as I confidently anticipated, by your loyalty and firmness. I have not found it necessary, except in a very limited degree, to use the powers thus confided to me, and I have now the satisfaction of informing you that the spirit of insubordination and violence which had prevailed to so alarming an extent, has in a great measure subsided. I look forward with anxie. ty to the time when the painful necessity of continuing those measures of great but unavoidable severity shall cease; and I have given my assent, with unqualified satisfaction, to the various salutary and remedial measures which, during the course of the present session, have been proposed to me for my acceptance. The act which, in pursuance of my recommendation, you passed with respect to the temporalities of that branch of the united church which is established in Ireland; and for the immediate and total abolition of vestry assessments, and the act for the better regulation of juries, both as to their civil and criminal functions, affords the best proof that full reliance may be placed on the parliament of the United Kingdom for the introduction of such beneficial improvements as may insure the

welfare of all classes of my sub. jects, and thus effectually cement that legislative union which, with your support, it is my determination to maintain inviolate.

Gentlemen of the House of Commons:

I thank you for the supplies which you have granted for the service of the year. The estimates proposed to you by my direction were considerably lower than those of the former session, and you have wisely applied the reduction which has thus been effected to the diminution of the public burthens. In the course of judicious economy, combined with a due regard to the exigencies of the state, I am persuaded that you will persevere, and thus confirm the title which you have to general confidence, as the faithful guardians of the honour of the crown, and the true interests of the people.

My Lords and Gentlemen:

In returning to your respective homes, you will carry with you the

gratifying reflection, that your labours have been sedulously employ. ed for the benefit of your country.

During the recess, your attention will be equally directed to the same important object, and in this useful and honourable discharge, both of your public and private duties, under the blessings of Divine Providence, I confidently rely for the encouragement and support of my people in that love of liberty, and in that spirit of industry and obedience to the law, and that moral worth which constitutes the safety and happiness of nations.

His majesty having concluded his speech,

The lord chancellor said, it is his majesty's royal will and pleasure that this present parliament be now prorogued, and this parliament is accordingly prorogued until Wednesday the 31st day of October

next.

His majesty then left the house in the same state as he entered.

JAMAICA.

The earl of Mulgrave, the new prietors, and in the other was so ligovernor of Jamaica, at the open-miled in the terms of reference, as ing of the session of the legislature to show that no forced departure was in 1832, addressed to the members intended from the principles of the of the two houses a long speech on resolutions of 1823. The proceed. the affairs of the island, in the course ings of these committees have been of which the following passage oc- interrupted by the close of the session, but will be resumed at the next meeting, and their final report, when prepared, will be the dispassionate and impartial result of ample and patient examination. Under these circumstances I am authorized to inform you, that I have not again to press for your adoption the order in

curs:

"Since you last met, both branches of the imperial legislature have been engaged in an inquiry as to the actual relations of society in the slave colonies. This investigation was undertaken in one house at the especial desire of the West India proY y

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