THE peace of Europe being once again established, and the attention of speculative, as well as of active men among us being released, in some measure, from the contemplation of external affairs, the opening of parliament was this year expected by the people of England with a well-grounded confidence, that the wisdom of the legislative bodies would be immediately directed to the repair and alleviation of those dilapidations and distresses which had been inflicted upon the revenue, and upon a very large part of the population of the empire, in consequence of the unequalled exertions to which our country had been so long exposed. Deliberations of such a nature, begun during the last ses sion, had been at once forgotten and dismissed in the tumult of that momentary and almost miraculous revolation, which had expelled the French king from the throne to which he had so lately been restored, and replaced, amidst the combustible mate

rials of a too military nation, that firebrand which had before been plucked from its position by the united strength of Russia, Germany, and England. The people were prepared to congratulate the government, by the mouths of their representatives, upon the happy termination, to which a just, because a necessary, war had in so brief a space been conducted; but they were chiefly anxious to see the parliament re-assembled, by reason of the hopes which they built on the issue of those interrupted investigations, which had for their object the improvement of our domestic revenue and polity-more particularly, the relief of those classes of the community, to whose share, as was universally felt and regretted, an unequal pressure of the national burden had fallen. That the public expectation was not disappointed, will be seen in the history of the busy and laborious session which

ensued.

Parliament assembled on the 1st of

measures adopted by government in the preceding year, so now he cordially congratulated them upon the happy successes to which these measures had led." It gives me sincere pleasure," said he, "to find, that there is not a single word in the speech from the throne which does not meet with my most hearty concurrence; and I trust that the address which has been moved in consequence of it, will meet the unanimous approbation of this House. Under such circumstances, I should think it scarcely necessary to trouble your lordships, did I not feel that it was a duty incumbent upon us all to express our joy and gratitude to Providence, that the new war, in which we were so unexpectedly and so unwillingly involved, and the result of which for some time, and to some minds, appeared so doubtful, has terminated in a success unexampled in the annals of the world. Such a triumph cannot fail to excite the most vivid emotions of joy and gratitude in my breast; joy, that the calamities of war, at which we all shuddered, have been concluded—gratitude, that the blessings of peace, for which we all panted, have been secured. Those blessings, I trust, we shall continue to enjoy ; and, in the hope that every measure will be adopted to procure their continuance, it is my ardent wish that this address should meet with the undivided assent of your lordships. I can no less refrain from the expression of my satisfaction at the great leading feature of the situation of our country; I allude to the means by which the peace, at which I rejoice, has been obtained; it has been restored to us by what, I confess, always appeared to me the most probable mode, both of its restoration and continuance the re-esta blishment of that government in France which by commotion had been overthrown, and by violence was excluded. These are the two main points upon

which we are called this night to come to a vote; and I should have been wanting in justice to my own feelings, if I had not so far obtruded myself upon the notice of the House (however unnecessarily with reference to the decision), as to request its attention to the sentiments I have just expressed."

The Marquis of Lansdown was equally cordial in his congratulations; but he expressed some anxiety, that, by concurring with the very general terms of the address, he might not be supposed to give any opinion with respect to papers not yet laid before parliament. Lord Liverpool relieved his lordship from any idea of this nature; and, with the exception of Lord Holland alone, (who asserted that the restoration of King Louis had been unwarrantably effected by means of foreign arms, and that, therefore, the whole of the measures which had terminated in that event were worthy of condemnation, not applause from the British senate), the address was unanimously agreed to--a rare and plea sing omen of harmony in the public deliberations

In the Lower House the address was moved by Sir Thomas Dyke Ackland, who, in a speech of much eloquence, enlarged upon the same topics to which allusion has already been made; and his motion was seconded by Mr Methuen. Mr Brande rose to move an amendment, but prefaced his motion with many expressions of regret, that he should feel compelled to disturb, even in appearance, the unanimity of the assembly; adding, that if, indeed, the speech from the throne had avowed the wishes and intention of government to relieve by every possible means the distressed state of the country, with the same disinterestedness wherewith the friends of government had in their own persons stated that intention, he should

have conceived himself to be released from any such necessity. One of the principal topics of his speech was the unusual length of the adjournment of parliament, in circumstances of so remarkable interest and importance. "This delay," he alleged, "was a serious ground of complaint; for, during this protracted recess, it became a matter of public notoriety, that treaties and conventions of vast importance to the interests of mankind, had been entered upon and decided by his Majesty's ministers, who, notwithstanding the paramount necessity of the case, had, during the long discussion attendant upon such proceedings, wholly neglected to call upon the Commons of England for their necessary advice and co-operation. This was disrespect to the people, as well as to their representatives in parliament. It was impossible not to feel a more than ordinary anxiety on this subject, when it was understood that treaties had been concluded, raising doubtful questions of public law, and of constitutional principle; that provision had been made for maintaining a large foreign military establishment, which must necessarily require a large domestic military establishment for its support. The subject involved not merely legal and constitutional, but financial considerations, all of which were overlooked in the address of the honourable baro. net; and although it would not be proper to go deeply into them at present, he trusted he should hereafter be able successfully to contend, that they ought to have directed whatever might be the terms and provisions of those treaties. What he chiefly regretted, however, in the able speech of the ho nourable baronet, was, the slight and insufficient manner in which he had touched upon the actual distresses of the country. He wished the House to pledge itself dictinctly, that they would enquire and administer speedy

relief, because he was convinced, that, by a steady application of our resources, and by a strict economy, the burthens and distresses of the people might be relieved. The country looked to them for some pledge, that the existing system of partial and oppressive taxation should be revised, and he implored his Majesty's ministers and the House not to disappoint it in so just and natural an expectation." He concluded by moving that the following words should be added to the address: "And also to represent to his Royal Highness, that it was the duty of his Majesty's ministers to have advised his Royal Highness, with the least possible delay, to have convened parliament for the purpose of communicating those important treaties with the allies and with France, which after having been acted upon for several months, are now about to be laid before this House; and that the length of the late prorogation was the more extraordinary at a time when the unexampled domestic embarrassments, as well as the important foreign relations of the country, required an early meeting of parliament; and to assure his Royal Highness, that this House will speedily undertake a careful revisal of our civil and military establishments according to the principles of the most rigid economy, and a due regard to the public interests; and also at an early period take into its most serious consideration the present state of the country."

To the principal objection mention. ed by Mr Brande, a very satisfactory answer was given by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. If the gentlemen," said he, "who accused ministers of protracting to an unjustifiable extent the adjournment of parliament, had taken the trouble to pay attention to the dates of events which must have come under the notice of every individual, they would have found that the

treaty of peace, about to be laid before the House, was only signed on the 20th of November, and it was nearly two months longer before the ratifications were exchanged. These did not take place till the 20th of January, so that there was only a lapse of ten days between the time that ministers had it in their power to make the communication to parliament, and the assembling of them together. This was the only cause of the great delay complained of, and the ten days form ed the whole of the time that had been suffered to elapse before parliament was informed of what had taken place. Out of this short period must also be deducted whatever time was necessary for the transmission of the treaty from Paris to London, as well as that required for the printing of the papers for the convenience of members. They were now in such a state of forwardness, that when they came to be laid on the table, and when it would be seen that their number, either as treaties, conventions, or proclamations, amounted to between sixty and seventy, every gentleman must be convinced, that not an hour had been lost. This was the sole cause of the delay. Respecting the internal situation of the country, he could assure the honourable gentleman who had moved the amendment, that ministers had paid the most anxious and unremitting attention to it; and however laboriously and honourably some of his colleagues had been employed abroad, he could say for himself, that he had never passed a summer with less relaxation or more anxiety in his life. He could not but think that the speech which had been read contained every pledge which the House could reasonably desire on the subject in question. It gave the strongest declaration from the crown, that all possible measures for producing general economy in the state should be taken that were con

sistent with the safety of the country; and this was a point which ministers and the House would never cease to keep in view. He believed, indeed, that if we could be brought back to the state we were in before the war began, and on one side were placed all the dangers and difficulties which we had undergone, and the expence which we had incurred, and on the other, the high station which we had attained, there was no British heart so base as not to choose our present glorious eminence, notwithstanding all it had cost us. As so many opportunities would soon occur for the House maturely to consider what could be done to improve the state of the country, he should touch but slightly on any thing relating to that topic. It must be evident, that several circumstances contributed to produce this stagnation, which could not possibly be avoided. For example, a very considerable difference arose in all commercial transactions, as soon as the general intercourse was renewed with the continent, which had been interrupted by the war; this caused a reduction in the prices of all articles similar to those which were allowed to be imported, and particularly in those which formed the necessaries of life. On looking back to the year 1801, it would be recollected that apprehensions were entertained of a great deficiency in the supply of bread.corn, the produce of our own country; and these alarms at an approaching scarcity were continued for several years following. Thus the prices of corn and every necessary of life rose rapidly, and continued at a high rate; but when, by the restoration of peace, channels of commerce were re-opened, the prices necessarily found their level, and wheat, in particular, was reduced to the price it formerly bore. Another cause was the scarcity of money, occasioned by the continental