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Northern Star (1837-1852), 6th November 1852, Edition 2 of 2, Page 3, OPENING OF THE NEW PARLIAMENT

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      "Z^Z I Nju I Iidia M

      " Z ^ z i nju i iidia M

      Opening Of The New Parliament

      OPENING OF THE NEW PARLIAMENT

      —-V The Opening Of The New Parliament, W...

      — -V The opening of the new Parliament , which has been looked forward to tfith so much interest during the last few weeks , took place to-day . The gather was exceedingly fine , and Palace-yard was consequentl y very much crowded . Westminster Hall , too , which is now the temporary entrance to both the House of Lords and the House of Commons , was comp letely filled with strangers , and altogether the neighbourhood of the new Houses of Parliament presented a scene of unusual bustle and excitement .

      HOUSE OF LORDS . The new Parliament was opened in the House of Lords by Royal Commission . The Lords Commissioners were the Lord Chancellor the ]) ake of Northumberland , the Marquis of Salisbury , the Earl of Lonsdale , and the Duke of Montrose . The Lords Commissioners took their seats at the foot of the Throne shortly after two o ' clock , when k The Lord Chancellor , advancing to the Woolsack directed Sir

      , A . Clifibrd , the Usher of the Black Rod to summon the members of the House of Commons to give their immediate attendance at the bar The Usher of the Black Rod accordingly retired and in a few minutes afterwards he returned to the House accompanied by Sir Denis Le Marchant , the Chief Clerk of the House of Commons , and a la rjve body of the new Members . The Chancellor of the Exchequer , Mr " Secretary Walpole , Sir John Pakington , and other members of the Cabinet being among the foremost .

      The Chief Clerk of the House of Lords then read the Royal Commission for the opening of Parliament ; after which The Lord Chancellor , in the name of her Majesty , and by virtue of the Commission which had just been read , directed the gentlemen of the House of Commons to retire to their own chamber and choose a Speaker . The Members of the House of Commons accordingly withdrew . The House then adjourned .

      HOUSE OF COMMONS . The Reporters' Gallery was thrown open at half-past one o ' clock During the recess the interior of the House has undergone some slight alterations . The large chandeliers which last Session proved so offensive to the eye-sight , have been removed , and the shaded li ghts in the ceiling of the House considerably improved . On entering the House , we found a large cluster of members already assembled on the floor , chatting noisily together in knots , or warmly shaking hands and welcoming each other ' s return to the House .

      Those who were in any way attached to the Government took their seats upon the Ministerial benches ; while the other members , who had occupied seats in former Parliaments , took np their old positions , either as supporters of Her Majesty ' s Government , or followers of Her Majesty ' s Opposition . The Chancellor of the Exchequer looked very much fagged and care-worn , and so , indeed , did Sir John Pakington , the Secretary of State for the [ Colonies , and Mr . Hamilton , the Secretary for the Treasury ; but all the other members of the Government , who mustered in great force , appeared to be full of health and spirits .

      Shortly after two o ' clock , the Usher of the Black Rod summoned the members to the House of Peers , to hear the Royal Commission read . After a short absence , the Chief Clerk returned to his seat at the table .

      RE-ELECTION OF THE SPEAKER . Mr . Robert Paxmer said it now devolved upon the House , in obedience to her Majesty ' s commands , to proceed to the performance of its first and most important duty , namely , that of selecting from their own body some Honourable Member who should fill , during the present Session , the chair of the House . He begged , therefore , to propose for that office the Right Hon . Charles Shaw Lefevre , who had already filled the chair for a period of 13 years . ( Cheers . )

      Lord R . Grosvenor seconded the motion , and said , at a time when the liberties of Europe , when the right of full and open discussion , and the right of public opinion hung by a thread—at a moment of this sort he was sure that it would be acknowledged that the character of that House was deeply involved by the manner in winch its proceedings would be carried on . It became us then to act with unusual calmness , to take the utmost care that the liberty of free thought and free

      assertion which we so happily enjoyed should not be abused for any personal , party , or factious purposes , but that we should guard that right committed to us , he might say , without any exaggeration , for the benefit of mankind at large . It was a matter of the greatest urgency that they should have over them a gentleman whose nice discernment , discriminating judgment , large and varied experience , and whose indefatigable attention so eminently qualify him for that position .

      After a pause of a few moments , there being no sign of opposition to the motion , Sir R . H . Inglis said , that he rose not so much to congratulate his Right . Hon . Friend , but far more to congratulate the House upon having a person of so large an experience proposed to fill the Chair . The Right Hon . C . Shaw Lefevre claimed the indulgence of the House before the motion was put , while he made one or two observations . ( Hear , hear . ) It was quite unnecessary for him to assure his Honourable Friend the Member for Berkshire , and his Noble Friend

      the Member for Middlesex , that he highly valued their friendship , while he felt deeply sensible of the comp limentary manner m which they had done him the honour to introduce his name to the House . ( Hear , hear . ) He hoped it was equally unnecessary for him to assure the House , that he had not only listened to the speeches of his Hon . Friend with sincere pleasure , but he was also most sensible of the Hattering reception which the House had been pleased to give to the proposition of his Honourable Friends , and he begged leave to assure the House , that he witnessed that reception with feelings of unfeigned gratitude . ( Cheers . ) He begged to show them that whatever might be their decision upon the motion before them , he should most

      cheerhilly bow to it . ( Cheers . ) , . , , The motion was was then put by the Chief Clerk , and carried by acclamation , after which the Right Hon . Gentleman was conducted to the Chair by the mover and seconder of the motion , amidst loud ana l ong-continued cheering . x > e 0 The Speaker having ascended the steps of the chair , said : Jseiore taking his seat he must be allowed once more to thank the House tor the compliment they had paid him , and to assure them that tne renewed mark of their confidence would , if possible , cause him to redouble his anxiety to discharge faithfully and impartially the duaes ^ hich belonged to the office of Speaker . ( Cheers . ) said he must b allowed

      The Ceancbiioe of the Exchequer now e to congratulate the Speaker upon having received to-day the highest ; li onour which English gentlemen could confer upon any one who possessed their confidence and esteem . ( Cheers . ) He felt that the selection which the House had this day made would be alike satistactory to all parties . ( Cheers . ) , , Lord John Russell and Mr . Hume followed jwith their congratulations . ,. Mr . F . Mackenzie then moved that the House do now adjourn , "ffhich was put by the Speaker and carried . The House accordingly adjourned at 3 o ' clock until 2 to-morrow .

      —-V The Opening Of The New Parliament, W...

      GREA . T FREE-TRADE BANQUET AT MANCHESTER . Mo ? e ^ K ^ 2 SttrIt Ft- ^ * *'* est halfnaTt lin' / v " Said by the Rev Mr 'Kerrow . Abou was - The h Pfl hh T f ^ S * comn J eU (? ed - The toast of the evening mom * f ih ° f th' F e-trade ambers of the House of ComcXd onM r L reCei ! f l Ul great enthusiasm ' The chai ^ an

      . Mr . Cobden , on rising , was received with hearty and protracted ap-KS £ * a ¦ w . introductory remarks , he said :-J . was very resnePfpHrr- ' sentmfit so loudly applauded when it fell from our SS J ?' , that y 0 U ex P us t 0 brin & th * s lotion of * ree Trade and Protection to a speedy issue . ( Cheers . ) What we must ask ourselves is this :-How is it that , when undoubtedly ^ teen-twentieths of i ] ™ population of these realms are in favour ot * ree Trade-when in all our commercial cities you cannot find a sane man who is for Protection- ( Ioud cheers ) -when , I verily believe m the whole metropolis you could not find a score of individuals outside of Bedlam who would commit themselves to

      Proteetion —( cheers and laughter)—when the whole agricultural labouring population are vehemently in favour of Free Trade , how is it , I ask , that in such a state of things as that it can be necessary that we should meet here , in this not very temperate atmosphere or very salubrious room , again to protest against a Protectionist Government ruling this country ? Why , gentlemen , the reason is this—and although I am as little apt to infringe the rule of a Free Trade meeting by introducing extraneous topics as anybody—the truth is this , that our House of Commons is a packed House of Commons . ( Loud cheers . ) It is a House of Commons where the intellect and the

      wealth and the power of the country are so unequally and unduly represented , that , instead of its being a fair exponent of the opinions of the country , it seems to be little more than a machine where ingenious jugglers , like Signor Blitz himself , can shuffle the cards and play their game , and win the stakes in spite of the opposition of nineteen-twentieths of the population of this country . ( Cheers . ) Now , gentlemen , I still think that if the Free Traders who were sent

      to Parliament at the last election are . as I believe they will be , true to their principles , we may bring this question to a close , as we are bound to do , in my humble opinion , before the next Christmas . Defective as is our representative system , still there is a Considerable majority of the House of Commons pledged to Free Trade . ( Cheers . ) I have a very high authority in these matters with the Government , Major Beresford , as for the fact . ( Cheers and laughter . ) Well , now , all I stipulate for is , that when Parliament re-assembles we

      should know whether the Government be now Protectionist or Free Trade . I say that if the Queen ' s Speech does not contain a distinct renunciation and recantation of Protection on the part of this Administration , I think the Free Trade majority are bound , either by an amendment to the address , or by a substantive resolution , to declare that no Government will have the confidence of the House of Commons which does not avow—mind , I say avow —( cheers)—its determination to adhere to the policy of Free Trade as it has hitherto been adopted , and to carry it out in every practicable way . ( Cheers . ) The agricultural labourers of this country are not , I am

      sorry to say , so well off as they should be , though they are certainly better than they were under the auspices of Protection . Having resided some time in a purely agricultural district of England , I venture to say that the wages in the southern counties , including Kent and Sussex , do not average 9 s . a-week , and in Dorsetshire and Devonshire many are working at 7 s . a-week . They are better off than they were under the regime of Protection , when the price of the loaf was double what it is at present ; but they are not so well off as they ought to be ; and " the reason why" is , that there is not

      capital enough in the agricultural districts to give the people full employment . We want , also , to bring the matter to an issue , in order to clear the question of Protection out of the path of all parties , and leave them to make some new combinations . I know that it is very fashionable among certain politicians to say , " Why don't you Liberal members of the House of Commons get together arid form yourselves into a party ? " Some people out of doors say , "You should form a Radical " party / ' Others say , " Why don ' t you form yourselves into a progressive party ? " I must confess I think that people who look to members of the House of Commons to

      form parties or to determine the policy of the country , have a very insufficient notion of what it is that constitutes the force of political movements in this country . ( Hear , hear . ) If anybody supposes tnat till this question is settled , any members of the House of Commons could form themselves into a party for any other object , unless the people out of doors indicated what they wanted , and prepared a question for Parliament to deal with , such person has entirely forgotten the history of the Free Trade agitation , and must be ignorant how parties are constituted in the House of Commons . Therefore , whatever other subject may be most

      yourswhether you want an extension of the suffrage , ballot , or any other measure , get rid of this out of your path , and then , like sturdy , ho , nest Englishmen , set to work , bringing out some men not above thirty years old , because you will want some time to do it ; and whatever is just and right and politic , if you only work for it , you will sure to succeed in obtaining . ( Hear , hear . ) Now I should not wonder if we should be met by some wise politicians with the question—What are you going to do if you turn out this Government ?

      How will you make another ? Well , I think that question is much easier of solution after the experience of the last six months than it was before . ( Laughter and cheers . ) I don't think we shall ever be in any great difficulty in finding a Government , after the experience of the last Government . ( Renewed laughter and cheers . ) It has been shown that it does not require that you should have ancestors who were Ministers before you ; it does not require that you should have been chin-deep in ' " red tape " all your days—( hear , hear)— it does not require that you should have a broad coat of arms , or even

      a crest —( a laugh)—it does not matter what lineage or race you belong to —( laughter and cheers;—there is no sort of embargo henceforth against anybody being a Cabinet Minister . ( Cheers . ) I confess I won t be chargeable with such transparent hypocrisy as to affect the modesty of not being , able to be as good a Cabinet Minister as some half-score gentlemen now in office . ( Great cheering . ) I hope it will not be supposed that I have any ambition to fill any such office ( some laughter ) , ' I have no such desire , ( Hear , hear . ) Not that I think , where people can hold office and hold their own convictions tooit is not a most honourable and desirable

      , post ( hear , hear ) , a post which gives men great power to do good . ( Hear , hear . ) But 1 think we are fairly entitled to say this—that whatever else the men may be , we insist upon having a Free Trade Administration . ( Cheers . ) And when I sav a Free Trade Administration , 1 mean a body of men , if they are to be the men now m office , who shall distinctly and emphatically repudiate all the doctrines they have been promulgating in their past lives upon this great Question . ( Laughter and cheers . ) They must say that Free Trade

      does not lower wages ( hear , hear ); that Free Trade does not cause a drain of gold from this country ( hear , hear ); that I ree Trade has not thrown land out of cultivation in this country ( hear , hear J ; tnat the land of this country is still worth something ( hear , hear ); and that wheat , good wheat > has not been imported into this country , and cannot be , at 24 s . a . quarter . ( Hear . ) Those are a few of the things they must say , ^ hen they said the very opposite before , ( Hear . ) Ana

      —-V The Opening Of The New Parliament, W...

      we must have no accompaniment about " compensation . " ( Hear . ) Do you look in your dictionary , and see what the word " compen . sation" means , and yon will see that if there is any compensation due at all , it is to those people who , from 1815 down to 1846 , were kept upon short commons by the aristocracy . ( Cheers . ) Compensation I well , but I deny that there is any loss . ( Hear . ) I boldly declare and challenge the adversary to deny it , that the value of land in this country , agricultural land , taking one acre with another , and one country with another , is greater now than it was in 1844 . Hear , hear . ) I am very much sneered at sometimes because I couple with the question of Free Trade that of pacific relations with othe £ countries . I am told I am Utopian . Why , I am only doing a little

      more practically what those who support Free Trade do theoretically j for I scarcely ever heard a good Free Trade speech but what the peroration is showing the connection between Free Trade and pacific relations . I am not Utopian—I am practical ; I give a reason for the faith that is in me . ( Hear ) . I see Free Trade an accomplished fact in this country , as the greatest commercial country in the world , —I see that its example must be followed , and that that example must lead to the extension of the intercourse between this and other ' countries ; and I see in that , not the Utopian realization of a dream , but 1 see cause and effect —( hear , hear)—and I say men will be made peaceable because their interests will be allied in the cause of peace . ( Cheers ) . Now , I beg to propose as a sentiment , " The constituencies who have returned Free Trade members to Parliament . *'

      ( Great cheering ) . The Chairman then proposed "The Health of Sir W . Clay , " as the representative of the largest borough constituency . Sir WUUaui replied in a speech that was much applauded . The next toast was " The Anti-corn Law League . " Mr . Bright , who was called upon to speak to the toast , was received with several rounds of cheers . He commenced in a humorous style : —1 feel myself in a very singular position ; for , on recurring to the proceedings of a meeting somewhat like this , held nearly four years ago , I find that , among the sentiments offered to that meeting , was that of " the Memory of the Anti-Corn Law League . " (

      Laughter and cheers . ) I do not recollect whether it was received in mournful silence or with acclamation— . ( a laugh ) —but this I know , that we felt we had followed the League from its commencement to its extinction , and we fancied that we had seen it placed in its grave . ( Hear , hear . ) We never imagined that we should see it again a real living combination , as we have seen it during the last eight months , and as we see it by its representatives gathered within this hall tonight . ( Hear , hear . ) .... Our opponents said that it was but the ghost of the League . Well , they are not the first body of people who have been driven from the field by a ghost . ( Laughter and cheers . ) I take leave , however , to assert , that the manifestation

      of opinion during the last few months , and especially during the period of the general election , has been such as to show , that if the League was buried , its spirit is still an existing and a living spirit—( cheers)—a spirit that dare and does defy any Cabinet that may exercise authority in this country to touch again the question of Free Trade . ( Cheers . ) We are in this most singular position , that we have undeniably a Protectionist Ministry in power , but we are blamed , and the followers of that Ministry are positively hooted , if they say a single word about the question of Protection . ( Laughter . ) I certainly anticipate a great and most interesting " breach of

      promise" case —( laughter)—and what with coin , and ships , and colonies Mr . Disraeli will be the defendant against the claims of three fair ladies at once . ( Renewed laughter . ) Mr . Bright replied in this strain to the allegation of Jacobinism , democratic encroachment , and "the deluge , " turned upon the corn-law system the charge of dishonouring ; the Crown and oppressing the people—touched upon the anomalies of the representation , and concluded as follows : —[ am of opinion that ; where there are population , industry , wealth , and intelligence , if we have a free constitution at all , there must be power , and if this be not granted , then , I say , that our constitution is a sham ,, and our representation is an imposture . ( Cheers . ) I am not anxious

      that we should have other great movements for great objects . I myself have had so much of political agitation that nothing but the most imperative and overwhelming sense of public duty would induce me to connect myself with anything further of the kind ; but I do believe that we owe it to posterity as to ourselves that we should learn a lesson from this great movement which is about to terminate , and that we ought , if we can , during our generation , tQ make the course of our children , and of their children , easier in procuring such political ameliorations and changes as . the circumstances

      of the country may require . ( Cheers . ) The patriotism of our day does not consist in the destruction of monarchies or the change of dynasties . Our fathers wrested the institution of an annual Parliament from unwilling and despotic monarchs . Be it ours—and I speak to those who can do it if we will it—( cheers)—be it ours to . wrest a real House of Commons from a haughty nobility , and to secure the lasting greatness of this nation on the broad foundations of a free Parliament and a free people . ( Loud and enthusiastic cheering . )

      Mr . T . Bazley proposed " The Irish members present , and may j the industry of Ireland flourish . " Mr . Keogh said it was important on the part of the United King- * ¦» dom to have the verdict of the Irish members accurately ascertained ! upon the question of Free Trade . After referring to the conduct of > f the present Government , he said that the Irish members , were chargedd with sympathising with tyranny and despotism , but he was there too declare that they sympathised with no tyranny abroad , and theyy obeyed no tyranny at home , ( Here the whole company rose , and theie cheering and waving of handkerchiefs lasted for some time ) . Havingig long experienced , under the regime for which they were not answersable , crushing despotism themselves , they must be as bereft of mindid as devoid of feeling if they sympathised wtf h any one that tyrannised ^ over the bodies or the consciences of men . ( Great cheering . )

      The Hon . F . Berkeley , M . P ., showed the progress Free Tradedei and liberal principles had made in Bristol . Mr . M . Gibson responded to the sentiment , " That Free Traded *; is the best interest of all nations . " He was glad the hon . membeoeii for the West Riding was determined to press for the declaration o oi the sentiments of Ministers . Martin Chuzzlewit , in the Uniteiteu States , met with a remarkable politician . This gentleman , Majpijp » Pawkins , had a plan , when it was necessary to make a change , c , O striking a moist pen slick through everything and starting afreslBsln Now , he thought they ought to be satisfied with nothing less thaha :: that method of recantation by her Majesty ' s present MinisteKeRS ( Cheers . ) Lord Goderich , M . P ., and Mr . Cheetham , M . P ., briefly ad ad ! dressed the meeting , which closed at eleven o ' clock .

      The Coming Into Operation Of The New Pat...

      The coming into operation of the new patent law , which with , ih Hi many defects , will to a great extent emancipate inventors , was cekehi brated by a public dinner in Birmingham on Wednesday evening , thi thu town being of all others the place where the greatest amount oi injujajp has been inflicted by the operation of the old law . Worth any Money . —A medical man , advertising his " Practiceticej for sale , winds it up , after stating all its advantages , with the follow ing additional recommendation ;— "N . B . Not five minutes ; distaatam from a large railway station . ' * — . punc * .. Cockshy Philosophy ,-The Socratic mode of argument is the . onljr . % \ f . --tft mode of chopping logic , because , it proceeds , altogether on the . principle of ,. axf . ' wfl questions .

  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), Nov. 6, 1852, page 3, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns2_06111852/page/3/