a single word; but as one hon. Gentleman | stated to you the anxious and laborious from the Ministerial side of the House has nature of those duties which are now atproposed, and another from the Opposition tached to the office of Speaker of the benches has seconded, the nomination of House of Commons. They are such as, the right hon. Gentleman, I thought it not even after the experience to which I have unbecoming in me, as an old Member of referred, I should almost hesitate to unthe House, to endeavour to express, not dertake again, were it not that I feel what merely my own opinions, but the feelings is due from me to the House for the undeof a large majority-and I hope I may say viating kindness I have received from it of every Member-in the proposition now during the period of my services in the chair; before us: for those who have had ex- and, above all, that I entertain a strong perience will at once support the right conviction that an earnest determination hon. Gentleman, and those who have not on my part faithfully and impartially to had such experience will give their con- discharge the duties imposed upon me, fidence to those who have already enjoyed will not only meet with the indulgence but the benefits of it. Cordially concurring in the cordial support and co-operation of the all that has been said on both sides of House. With these few observations I the House, I sincerely rejoice that he has bow to the decision of the House, whatbeen again selected for this position. ever that may be. MR. CHARLES SHAW LEFEVRE then rose and said: Perhaps, before the Question is put, the House will allow me to make an observation. I trust it is unnecessary for me to assure the hon. Member for Berkshire, and the noble Lord the Member for Middlesex, that I highly value that friendship and regard which alone could have suggested those complimentary terms in which they have done me the honour to introduce my name to the notice of the House. I hope it is equally unnecessary for me to assure the House that I have not only listened to the speeches of my hon. Friends, but I have witnessed the flattering reception which the House has been pleased to give to those speeches, with feelings of unfeigned gratitude. The experience of more than thirteen years has confirmed the opinions I held when first I had the honour of a seat in Parliament, of the value and importance of those privileges which are enjoyed by the House, as the hon. Member for Berkshire has well observed, for the benefit of the community at large; as well as of the sound practical wisdom by which the forms and orders have been framed for the regulation of your proceedings, and the due and proper consideration and despatch of the public business. But that experience has also taught me what an enormous amount of responsibility rests upon that individual to whom the guardianship of those privileges and the enforcement of those forms and orders are entrusted. My hon. Friend the Member for the University of Oxford, who from his long standing, and the respect the House entertains for him, is so well entitled to pronounce an opinion on a subject of this nature, has Question put. Motion carried nemine contradicente. Mr. ROBERT PALMER and Lord ROBERT GROSVENOR then conducted the right hon. Gentleman to the chair. MR. SPEAKER elect, standing on the upper step, said: As it has been the pleasure of the House again to place me in this chair, I trust it will permit me to express the sincere obligations I feel for this additional proof of its confidence and esteem. This renewed mark of its kindness will, if possible, redouble my anxiety to devote every energy of my mind to its service. The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHE. QUER: Sir, it now becomes my gracious duty to congratulate you on having again. received to-day the highest honour which English Gentlemen can confer on one possessing their confidence and esteem. Those who have preceded me have intimated the eminent qualities necessary to be possessed by him who should fill the chair of this House. It is not requisite for me to dwell upon that part of the subject, since during the four Parliaments in which you have filled this high office, all have acknowledged the courage with which you vindicated our privileges-the firmness with which you maintained order in our debates, and the spirit of impartiality which ever guided your judgments. But I may, without presumption, having had the honour of a seat in this House when you were first elected to that chair, and having been a Member of the House during the interval that has since elapsed-I may perhaps notice one trait in your conduct which I have frequently observed, and which, I think, entitles you to the increased confidence of the House; it is this-that in those conjunctures which occasionally occur, when mere routine can- | ample, which hitherto this House has for not guide the individual filling the chair more than two centuries given, of being a -when you have been, as it were, taxed deliberative assembly which can carry on at the moment-your resources have never its discussions with the utmost freedom, failed you, and you have always been sus- and, at the same time, with the utmost tained by the knowledge and self-respect regard for propriety and decorum. necessary at such a crisis. There is an- MR. HUME should have been disposed other reason why your re-election should to concur in silence with the proceedings; be a subject of congratulation to the but he had been asked to prefer a request House and to the country. I cannot but on behalf of Members of that House. It remember that not only is this a new was very desirable that the Speaker should Parliament, but that the individual who have better opportunities than he had enfrom his position has the principal con-joyed during the last three Parliaments of trol over the business of the House, has becoming acquainted with hon. Members hardly that experience which is necessary of the House; and therefore he was anxfor the post he occupies; and although Iious to see the former practice revived, feel confident that, whenever the order and and that the Members would have more honour of this House are concerned, so long as I sit here I shall never appeal in vain to any Gentleman, on whichever side he may sit, I cannot but feel, under these circumstances, that the selection we have made this day is one upon which the House is much to be congratulated, our choice falling as it does upon an individual who not only possesses the confidence of this House, but on one who has repeatedly received the approbation of our most gracious Sovereign. LORD JOHN RUSSELL: May I be allowed to add one word to what has been said by the right hon. Gentleman? I feel that it is a matter of the greatest importance, and one of the greatest good fortune, that at this particular period, when there are so many Members of the House without experience in its debates, that we should have to preside over these debates a Gentleman who has already shown his qualification for the eminent post of Speaker, and who, whenever it has been necessary to enforce the orders and rules of the House, has done it with such judgment and firmness, and at the same time with such courtesy, as almost to obtain the willing obedience even of those who seemed most inclined to question his decisions. I shall only add further, that the right hon. Gentleman (the Chancellor of the Exchequer), having alluded to his short experience in the conduct of the business of the House, I feel persuaded, on the part of hon. Members around me and I can give him the assurance of my own part-that any assistance in carrying on the public business which this House or the Chair can render the right hon. Gentleman, will be freely accorded; because we all feel that it is of the utmost importance that we should continue to give that ex frequently the opportunity of paying their respects to the Speaker. He looked upon the Speaker as the first commoner in the land, and he had obtained from the right hon. Gentleman's predecessor the concession which he now sought with regard to the Speaker's levees. Many Members were anxious to pay their respects, who were now precluded by a practice which he believed was not in accordance with the original constitution of these assemblages. When he (Mr. Hume) attended Her Majesty with an Address, he was allowed to be present in his ordinary dress; but of late years he was unable to pay his respects to the Speaker of the House of Commons in his common dress. Mr. Abercromby, when Speaker, had yielded to the applications that were made to him; and he now made that application on the part of a number of Members who were very anxious to pay him their respects-as to dining with the right hon. Gentleman, that was not the question which troubled him. He could assure the right hon. Gentleman they would not trouble him much; but it was with regard to the levees, where he did not like to see a House of 650 Members confined to some 50 or 100 persons. He wished that the major part of those who belonged to the House should be ready and able to pay their respects to the right hon. Gentleman. He was one of those who had highly approved of the conduct of the right hon. Gentleman as their Speaker; and he must be aware that no man was more anxious to support the rules and regulations and orders of the House than he had been. He had given all the humble assistance in his power to their maintenance, as the best means of preserving their character as a deliberative assembly. He was not anxious to detract anything from 14 the power or dignity of the Speaker, but | and privileges; more especially to those he was anxious to see these levees at- of freedom of debate, freedom from arrest tended by Members who were desirous of for themselves and their servants, free acdoing honour to him, while it would give cess to Her Majesty whenever occasion great satisfaction to them. The alteration may require; and that Her Majesty will be he suggested would give great satisfaction. pleased to place the most favourable conIt rested with the Speaker to make the struction upon all their proceedings. For alteration, as it was a private matter, and myself, I humbly entreat that any error he did hope that Members would be ad- which may be committed may be imputed mitted attired in the same manner as when to me alone, and not to Her Majesty's they accompanied an Address to the Crown. faithful Commons. He asked nothing more than that the right hon. Gentleman should revert to the practice of his predecessor. House adjourned at Three o'clock till To-morrow. HOUSE OF LORDS, Friday, November 5, 1852. Several Lords-Took the Oaths. APPROVAL OF THE SPEAKER. The Lords Commissioners-the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Privy Seal (the Marquess of Salisbury), the Lord Steward (the Duke of Montrose), the Earl of Eglinton, and Lord Colchester-being seated, and the Commons, who were summoned, being come, the Right Hon. Charles Shaw Lefevre, Speaker elect, addressing the Lords. Commissioners, said: My Lords, I have to acquaint your Lordships that, in obedience to Her Majesty's commands, and in the exercise of their undoubted privilege, Her Majesty's faithful Commons have proceeded to the election of a Speaker, and that their choice has fallen upon me. Deeply impressed with a sense of my own unworthiness, I now submit myself for Her Majesty's gracious approbation. The LORD CHANCELLOR: Mr. Shaw Lefevre, we are commanded by Her Majesty to assure you that Her Majesty is satisfied of your ample sufficiency to discharge the important duties which Her faithful Commons have elected you to perform, and that Her Majesty most fully approves and confirms their choice. MR. SPEAKER: My Lords, I bow with all humility to Her Majesty's Royal will and pleasure. It now becomes my duty, in the name and on the behalf of the Commons of the United Kingdom, to lay claim, by humble petition to Her Majesty, to all their ancient and undoubted rights The LORD CHANCELLOR: Mr. Speaker, we have it further in command from Her Majesty to inform you that Her Majesty most readily confirms all the rights, liberties, and privileges which have ever been granted to or conferred upon Her faithful Commons, either by Her Majesty or by any of Her Royal predecessors. With respect to yourself, Sir, although Her Majesty is sensible you will stand in need of no such indulgence, we are commanded to assure you that Her Majesty will ever put the most favourable construction on your words and actions, as well as on those of Her faithful Commons. Then the Commons withdrew. HOUSE OF COMMONS, APPROVAL OF THE SPEAKER. The Speaker Elect took the chair at Two o'clock. Message from the Lords Commissioners, desiring the immediate attendance of the House in the House of Lords. The House went:-and being returned, MR. SPEAKER said: I have to report to the House that the House has been this day to the House of Peers, where I have had the honour of communi-, cating to the Lords Commissioners appointed by Her Majesty, that this House, in the exercise of its undoubted privilege, had proceeded to the election of a Speaker, and that their choice had fallen upon me; which choice Her Majesty's Commissioners were pleased to signify had received Her Majesty's Royal confirmation. Whereupon I made my humble petition to Her Majesty, in the name and on the behalf of the Commons of the United Kingdom, for all their ancient and undoubted rights and privileges, especially those of freedom of debate, freedom from arrest for themselves and their servants, free access to Her Majesty whenever occasion may require, and that Her Majesty would be graciously pleased to place the most favourable construction on all their proceedings. All which privileges the Lords Commissioners were pleased to signify Her Majesty conceded to as full an extent as they had ever been conceded by any of Her Majesty's Royal predecessors. Having made this communication to the House, I hope hon. Members will allow me to take this opportunity of again offering my sincere and grateful acknowledgments for the very honourable distinction they have again conferred upon me by placing me, for the fourth time, in this chair as their Speaker. I invite them to aid and assist me with their counsel and support in maintaining the authority of the chair; and I hope I may assure them that, as far as lies in my power, that authority will be exercised with perfect impartiality, and in the manner most conducive to the public interests, and to the honour and dignity of the House. I will now remind hon. Members that the only business with which we can at present proceed is to take the oaths as prescribed by law. Mr. Speaker then took the Oaths, first alone; and after him several other Members took the Oaths. House adjourned at a quarter after Four o'clock. HOUSE OF LORDS, Several Lords-Took the Oaths. The Lord Stafford-Took the Oath prescribed by the Act of 10th Geo. IV. to be taken by Peers professing the Roman Catholic Religion. nary and Plenipotentiary at the Sublime Ottoman Porte-Having been created Viscount Stratford de Radcliffe, was (in the usual Manner) introduced, and took the Oaths. The Right Honourable Sir FitzRoy James Henry Somerset, commonly called Lord FitzRoy James Henry Somerset, G.C.B., Lieutenant General in the Army, and Master General of the OrdnanceHaving been created Baron Raglan, was (in the usual Manner) introduced, and took the Oaths. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge-Singly took the Oaths. House adjourned till To-morrow. HOUSE OF LORDS, Wednesday, November 10, 1852. Several Lords-Took the Oaths. The Earl Sommers-Sat first in Parliament after the Death of his Father. The Lord Beaumont-Took the Oath The Right Honourable Sir Stratford Canning, G.C.B., Ambassador Extraordi- prescribed by the Act of 10th Geo. IV. to be taken by Peers professing the Roman | suance of the Act of last Session, to Catholic Religion. House adjourned till To-morrow. HOUSE OF COMMONS, Wednesday, November 10, 1852. HOUSE OF LORDS, Thursday, November 11, 1852. MINUTES.] Took the Oaths.-Several Lords. Sat First in Parliament. The Lord Wenlock, after the Death of his Father. Took the Oath prescribed by the Act of 10th THE QUEEN'S SPEECH. THE QUEEN being seated on Throne, and the Commons being at the Bar, with their Speaker, HER MAJESTY was pleased to make a most Gracious Speech to both Houses of Parliament as follows: join the Ranks of the Militia; and I confidently trust that the Force thus raised by voluntary Enlistment will be calculated to give effective Aid to My regular Army for the Protection and Security of the Country. "I CONTINUE to receive from all Foreign Powers Assurances of their anxious Desire to maintain the friendly Relations now happily subsisting with My Government. "FREQUENT and well-founded Complaints on the Part of My North American Colonies, of Infractions, by Citizens of the United States, of the Fishery Convention of 1818, induced Me to despatch, for the Protection of their Interests, a Class of Vessels better adapted to the Service than those which had been previously employed. This Step has led to Discussions with the Government of the United States; and while the Rights "My Lords, and Gentlemen, of My Subjects have been firmly "I CANNOT meet you for the first maintained, the friendly Spirit in which Time after the Dissolution of Parlia- the Question has been treated induces ment without expressing My deep Me to hope that the ultimate Result Sorrow, in which I am sure you will may be a mutually beneficial Extenparticipate, that your Deliberations sion and Improvement of our Comcan no longer be aided by the Coun-mercial Intercourse with that great sels of that illustrious Man whose Republic. great Achievements have exalted the Name of England, and in whose Loyalty and Patriotism the Interests of My Throne and of My People ever found an unfailing Support. I rely with Confidence on your Desire to join with Me in taking such Steps as may mark your Sense of the irreparable Loss which the Country has sustained by the Death of Arthur Duke of Wellington. "THE special Mission which, in concert with the Prince President of the French Republic, I deemed it right to send to the Argentine Confederation, has been received with the utmost Cordiality; and the wise and enlightened Policy of the Provisional Director has already opened to the Commerce of the World the great Rivers, hitherto closed, which afford an Access to the Interior of the vast Continent "I AM happy to acknowledge the of South America. Readiness with which My Subjects in "I HAVE the Satisfaction of announcgeneral have come forward, in pur-ing to you that the sincere and zealous |