ACT of Congress of Colombia, declaring Slave Trade Piracy. Bogotá, 14th February, 1825.. 1162 WALDECK AND PYRMONT. TREATIES, &c. with FOREIGN POWERS, viz. :—with Netherlands, &c. Treaty. Commerce and Navigation. The Hague, 31st December, 1851.. 1109 WIRTEMBERG. State Papers. SPEECH of the Queen, on the Opening of the British Parliament.-Westminster, February 4, 1851. My Lords and Gentlemen, Ir is with great satisfaction that I again meet my Parliament, and resort to your advice and assistance in the consideration of measures which affect the welfare of our country. I continue to maintain the relations of peace and amity with Foreign Powers. It has been my endeavour to induce the States of Germany to carry into full effect the provisions of the Treaty with Denmark, which was concluded at Berlin in the month of July of last year. I am much gratified in being able to inform you that the German Confederation and the Government of Denmark are now engaged in fulfilling the stipulations of that Treaty, and thereby putting an end to hostilities which at one time appeared full of danger to the peace of Europe. I trust that the affairs of Germany may be arranged by mutual agreement in such a manner as to preserve the strength of the Confederation and to maintain the freedom of its separate States. I have concluded with the King of Sardinia Articles additional to the Treaty of September, 1841, and I have directed that those Articles shall be laid before you. The Government of Brazil has taken new, and, I hope, efficient, measures for the suppression of the atrocious traffic in slaves. Gentlemen of the House of Commons, I have directed the estimates of the year to be prepared and laid before you without delay. They have been framed with a due regard to economy and to the necessities of the public service. My Lords and Gentlemen, Notwithstanding the large reductions of taxation which have been effected in late years, the receipts of the revenue have been satisfactory. The state of the commerce and manufactures of the United Kingdom has been such as to afford general employment to the labouring classes. I have to lament, however, the difficulties which are still felt by that important body among my people who are owners and occupiers of land. But it is my confident hope that the prosperous condition of other classes of my subjects will have a favourable effect in diminishing those difficulties, and promoting the interests of Agriculture. [1850-51.] B The recent assumption of certain ecclesiastical titles conferred by a Foreign Power has excited strong feelings in this country, and large bodies of my subjects have presented addresses to me, expressing attachment to the Throne, and praying that such assumptions should be resisted. I have assured them of my resolution to maintain the rights of my crown, and the independence of the nation, against all encroachment, from whatever quarter it may proceed. I have at the same time expressed my earnest desire and firm determination, under God's blessing, to maintain unimpaired the religious liberty which is so justly prized by the people of this country. It will be for you to consider the measure which will be laid before you on this subject. The administration of justice in the several departments of law and equity will, no doubt, receive the serious attention of Parliament; and I feel confident that the measures which may be submitted to you with a view of improving that administration will be discussed with that mature deliberation which important changes in the highest Courts of Judicature in the Kingdom imperatively demand. A measure will be laid before you providing for the establishment of a system of registration of deeds and instruments relating to the transfer of property. This measure is the result of inquiries which I have caused to be made into the practicability of adopting a system of registration calculated to give security to titles, to diminish the causes of litigation to which they have hitherto been liable, and to reduce the cost of transfers. We To combine the progress of improvement with the stability of our institutions will, I am confident, be your constant care. may esteem ourselves fortunate that we can pursue without disturbance the course of calm and peaceable amelioration; and we have every cause to be thankful to Almighty God for the measure of tranquillity and happiness which has been vouchsafed to us. SPEECH of The Queen, on the Closing of the British Parliament.-Westminster, August 8, 1851. My Lords and Gentlemen, I AM glad to be able to release you from your attendance in Parliament, and I thank you for the diligence with which you have performed your laborious duties. I continue to maintain the most friendly relations with foreign Powers. I am happy to be able to congratulate you on the very con siderable diminution which has taken place in the African and Brazilian Slave Trade. The exertions of my squadrons on the coasts of Africa and Brazil, assisted by the vigilance of the cruizers of France and of The United States, and aided by the co-operation of the Brazilian Government, have mainly contributed to this result. Gentlemen of the House of Commons, I thank you for the readiness with which you have granted the supplies necessary for the service of the year. My Lords and Gentlemen, It is satisfactory to observe that, notwithstanding very large reductions of taxes, the revenue for the past year considerably exceeded the public expenditure for the same period. I am rejoiced to find that you have thereby been enabled to relieve my people from an impost which restricted the enjoyment of light and air in their dwellings. I trust that this enactment, with others to which your attention has been and will be directed, will contribute to the health and comfort of my subjects. I thank you for the assiduity with which you have applied yourselves to the consideration of a measure framed for the purpose of checking the undue assumption of ecclesiastical titles conferred by a foreign Power. It gives me the highest satisfaction to find that, while repelling unfounded claims, you have maintained inviolate the great principles of religious liberty so happily established among us. The attention you have bestowed on the administration of justice in the Courts of Law and Equity will, I trust, prove beneficial, and lead to further improvements. I have willingly given my consent to a Bill relating to the administration of the Land Revenues of the Crown, which will, I hope, conduce to the better management of that department, and, at the same time, tend to the promotion of works of public utility. It has been very gratifying to me, on an occasion which has brought many foreigners to this country, to observe the spirit of kindness and goodwill which so generally prevailed. It is my anxious desire to promote among nations the cultivation of all those arts which are fostered by peace, and which in their turn contribute to maintain the peace of the world. In closing the present session, it is with feelings of gratitude to Almighty God that I acknowledge the general spirit of loyalty and willing obedience to the law which animates my people. Such a spirit is the best security at once for the progress and stability of our free and happy institutions. TREATY of Commerce and Navigation between Great Britain and Belgium.-Signed at London, October 27, 1851. [Ratifications exchanged at London, April 7, 1852.] HER Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and His Majesty the King of the Belgians, being equally animated by the desire to facilitate and extend the relations of commerce and navigation between their respective dominions; and being desirous, with a view to so beneficial an object, to remove, as far as may be possible at the present moment, the obstacles which impede the commercial relations between the 2 countries, have resolved to conclude a Treaty for that purpose, and have named as their Plenipotentiaries, that is to say: Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Right Honourable Henry John Viscount Palmerston, Baron Temple, a Peer of Ireland, a Member of Her Britannic Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, a Member of Parliament, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, and Her Britannic Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; and the Right Honourable Henry Labouchere, a Member of Her Britannic Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, a Member of Parliament, and President of the Committee of Privy Council for Affairs of Trade and Foreign Plantations; SA Majesté la Reine du Royaume Uni de la Grande Bretagne et d'Irlande, et Sa Majesté le Roi des Belges, animés d'un égal désir de faciliter et d'étendre les rapports de commerce et de navigation entre leurs Etats respectifs; et voulant, pour arriver à un but si utile, faire disparaître, autant qu'il est immédiatement possible, les obstacles qui entravent les relations commerciales entre les 2 pays, ont résolu de conclure un Traité à cet effect, et ont nommé pour leurs Plénipotentiaires, savoir: Sa Majesté la Reine du Royaume Uni de la Grande Bretagne et d'Irlande, le Très Honorable Henri Jean Vicomte Palmerston, Baron Temple, Pair d'Irlande, Membre du Très Honorable Conseil Privé de Sa Majesté Britannique, Membre du Parlement, Chevalier Grand-Croix du Très Honorable Ordre du Bain, et Principal Secrétaire d'Etat de Sa Majesté Britannique pour les Affaires Etrangères; et le Très Honorable Henri Labouchere, Membre du Très Honorable Conseil Privé de Sa Majesté Britannique, Membre du Parlement, et Président du Comité du Conseil Privé pour les Affaires de Commerce et des Colonies; |