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PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES.

Parliamentary Debates

During the Second Session of the Eighth PARLIAMENT

of the United Kingdom of GREAT BRITAIN and IRELAND, appointed to meet at Westminster the 29th of January, 1828, in the Ninth Year of the Reign of His Majesty King GEORGE THE FOURTH.

“ In the progress of that Contest, the HOUSE OF LORDS.

Rights of Neutral States, and the Laws Tuesday, January 29, 1828.

which regulate the intercourse of civilized KING'S SPEECH, OPENING THE Nations, have been repeatedly violated, SESSION.] The Session was this day and the peaceful Commerce of His Maopened by Commission. The Lords Com- jesty's Subjects has been exposed to missioners were, Lord Chancellor Lynd- frequent interruption, and to depredations, hurst, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Earl of Shaftesbury, and Lord Ellen- too often aggravated by acts of violence borough. The Usher of the Black Rod and atrocity. having summoned the Commons, the “His Majesty has felt the deepest Speaker, attended by a number of Members, anxiety to terminate the calamities, and appeared at the bar; when the Lord avert the dangers, inseparable from hosChancellor proceeded to read His Majesty's tilities, which constitute the only excepSpeech to both Houses, as follows :

tion to the general tranquillity of Europe. “ My Lords, and Gentlemen,

“Having been earnestly entreated by “ We are commanded by His Majesty the Greeks to interpose His good offices, to acquaint you, that His Majesty con- with a view to effect a reconciliation betinues to receive, from all Foreign Princes tween them and the Ottoman Porte, and States, assurances of their desire to His Majesty concerted measures for that maintain the relations of amity with this purpose, in the first instance, with the Country; and that the Great Powers of Emperor of Russia, and subsequently Europe participate in the earnest wish of with his Imperial Majesty and the King His Majesty to cultivate a good under- of France. standing upon all points which may con- “His Majesty has given directions that duce to the preservation of Peace. there should be laid before you Copies of

“ His Majesty has viewed for some a Protocol signed at Saint Petersburgh time past, with great concern, the state of by the Plenipotentiaries of His Majesty affairs in the East of Europe.

and of his Imperial Majesty the Emperor “For several years a contest has been of Russia, on the 4th of April, 1826, and carried on between the Ottoman Porte of the Treaty entered into between His and the Inhabitants of the Greek Provin- Majesty and the Courts of the Tuileries ces and Islands, which has been marked and of Saint Petersburgh, on the 6th of on each side by excesses revolting to July, 1827. humanity.

“ In the course of the measures adopted VOL. XVIII. Serien

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with a view to carry into effect the object of the Treaty, a collision, wholly unexpected by His Majesty, took place in the Port of Navarin between the Fleets of the Contracting Powers and that of the Ottoman Porte.

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"Gentlemen of the House of Commons,

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'His Majesty has ordered the estimates for the Current year to be laid before you. They have been prepared with every regard to economy, consistent with the exigency of the public service.

"We are commanded by His Majesty to recommend to your early attention an Inquiry into the state of the Revenue and Expenditure of the country.

"His Majesty is assured, that it will

"Notwithstanding the valour displayed by the Combined Fleet, His Majesty deeply laments that this conflict should have occurred with the Naval Force of an ancient Ally; but he still entertains a confident hope that this untoward event be satisfactory to you to learn, that, notwill not be followed by further hostilities, withstanding the diminution which has and will not impede that amicable adjust-taken place in some branches of the ment of the existing differences between Revenue, the total amount of receipt the Porte and the Greeks, to which it is during the last year has not disappointed so manifestly their common interest to the expectations which were entertained accede. at the commencement of it.

"In maintaining the National Faith by adhering to the engagements into which. His Majesty has entered, His Majesty will never lose sight of the great objects to which all his efforts have been directed the termination of the contest between the hostile parties -the permanent settlement of their future relations to each other-and the maintenance of the repose of Europe upon the basis on which it has rested since the last general Treaty of Peace.

"My Lords and Gentlemen,

"His Majesty has commanded us to inform you, that a considerable increase has taken place in the export of the principal articles of British manufacture. This improvement of our Foreign Trade has led to a more general employment of the population, and affords a satisfactory indication of the continued abatement of those commercial difficulties which recently affected so severely the National Industry.

"His Majesty has the greatest satisfaction in informing you, that the purposes for which His Majesty, upon the requisi

tion of the Court of Lisbon, detached a

Military Force to Portugal have been accomplished. The obligations of good faith having been fulfilled, and the safety and independence of Portugal secured, His Majesty has given orders that the forces now in that country should be immediately withdrawn.

"We are commanded by His Majesty to acquaint you, that His Majesty has concluded Treaties of Amity and Commerce with the Emperor of Brazil, and with the United States of Mexico; copies of which will, by His Majesty's commands, be laid before you.

"His Majesty commands us to assure you, that he places the firmest reliance upon your continued endeavours to improve the condition of all classes of his subjects, and to advance the great object of His Majesty's solicitude, the prosperity and happiness of his People."

ADDRESS ON THE KING'S SPEECH.] His Majesty's Speech having been again read by the Lord Chancellor, and also by the Clerk at the Table,

to the following effect :-My Lords; In The Earl of Chichester rose, and spoke rising to address your lordships on the present occasion, with a view to propose that an humble and dutiful Address be presented to his Majesty, in reply to his heard read, I am fully sensible of the diffimost gracious Speech, which we have just culties that must unavoidably, and of ne

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cessity, attend such a taska task that is the signal display of skill and valeur at all times difficult, but which becomes made by our countrymen in the conflicta doubly hazardous when undertaken by an a courage and ability only equalled by the individual so inexperienced as myself. I no less meritorious exertions and conduet feel confident, however, my lords, that in of our Allies. But, my lords, while I proposing a loyal and dutiful Address of willingly pay my tribute of admiration thanks to his Majesty for a Speech, the to the gallantry of our brave countrymen leading feature and principle of which upon that occasion, and however proud I consists in a recommendation to adopt may feel of their conduct, I am convinced well-grounded precautions, to preserve that every true and ardent friend of his peace and maintain whole and untarnished country must lament, in common with my, our national credit and honour-I am self, the occurrence of so unfortunate an confident, that in addressing myself to a aceident, or event, as that to which I have subject like this, I may safely rely upon alluded (hear]. In all victories, my your lordships for support. I can assure lords, the degree of honour to which the your lordships, that if I shall not execute victors are entitled must very inuch, if it aright the task allotted to me, I shall fail does not entirely, depend on the justice of in the attempt, not through any want of the cause in which they happen to be ensincerity on my part, but in consequence gaged. Had this engagement between of a deficiency of ability to explain and the allied squadrons and the Ottoman enforce those principles in the manner fleet, been, on our part, the result of prethey deserve.

meditated design, and not as it was, the My lords, reverting to the commencement consequence of unforeseen accident, or a of the Speech which you have just heard misunderstanding not to be provided read, it appears from it, that “his Majesty against, I should find this war a difcontinues to receive from all foreign fieult one to be defended, and, as it Princes and States, assurances of their appears to me, we might all have readesire to maintain the relations of amity son to entertain fears for its with this country, and that the great quences. However, on referring to the Powers of Europe participate in the Speech from the Throne, his Majesty, earnest wish of his Majesty to cultivate a it will be seen, expressly declares, that so good understanding upon all points which far from this engagement being an act of may conduce to the preservation of peace.” premeditation, or contemplated as a conMy lords, I consider that this passage in sequence likely to be produced by the inhis Majesty's Speech must be to your structions sent out by the government at lordships, and the country at large, no home to the British admiral—so far from small source of satisfaction; for, since the this being the case, the engagement is chanaval engagement which has recently raeterised in the royal Speech, as an untaken place in the port of Navarin, be expected and “untoward event.”—Moretween the Allied squadrons and the Turco- over, my lords, his Majesty goes on to Egyptian fleet, I am aware that consider- declare, that he entertains “ a confident able fears have been entertained, that the hope, that this untoward event will not be condition of Greece would be rendered followed by further hostilities, or impede still more unfavourable than unfortunately that amicable adjustment of the existing it has long been. Besides, my lords, it differences between the Porte and the may have been apprehended, that the Greeks, to which it is manifestly their peace which the greater part of Europe common interest to accede," and to which has so long enjoyed, might be thereby en- amicable adjustment I may be permitted dangered, and that we ourselves, now to add, it is the object of the treaties, enscarcely beginning to reap the advantages tered into by Great Britain, France, and and to taste the sweets consequent on a Russia, to induce them to accede. My restoration of peace, were on the point of lords, I cannot help taking this opportubeing deprived of them by becoming in-nity of alluding to the dignified forbearvolved in a war with our ancient ally, the ance that has marked the conduct of the Ottoman Porte. My lords, while I am Sultan, since the occurrence of the event free to confess, that I deeply lament the which brought the allied squadron in colloss of valuable lives sustained on that lision with the Turco-Egyptian fleet; and occasion, I cannot but admire—and I am I look upon such conduct as an additional certain every man in the country admires call upon Great Britain to do her part

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