THIS HIS Volume has been prepared in accordance with a wish expressed by several Peers and Members of the Commons, who, dissatisfied with the trouble and loss of time attendant on a reference to the Votes or Journals, desire to obtain a record of Parliamentary proceedings, compendious in form and susceptible of prompt and easy reference. It will be seen that these objects are here attained. In the work now produced every item of Public Business is carefully recorded, but free from the immense mass of entries in the Votes referring to Petitions, Returns, Private Bills, Postponements of the various stages of Public Bills, &c., &c., which possess no interest beyond the day on which they are made. Thus the course of Parliamentary action is clearly and accurately presented to view. Every motion and every amendment proposed during the session is recorded, together with the names of their movers. Every division of the Houses is stated, and the numbers of every division are given. Some of the principal division lists for each House are added; but it might be deemed advisable hereafter to give complete division lists, with the view of concentrating, as it were, all matter of Parliamentary reference within one focus, or, if thought preferable, they could be altogether omitted. The Index is an important part of the work. It furnishes, at a glance, the history of every bill introduced into either House of Parliament, showing when and by whom it was presented, when it passed through its subsequent stages, and what material alterations it underwent during its progress. It rests with the members of the Legislature, in their collective capacity, to determine whether it is desirable that the proceedings of Parliament should be thus recorded for the use of the two Houses. *** The Work has been printed in a small and compact letter, in order that a large quantity of matter might be brought within a moderate compass; but this is a mere typographical arrangement, which can be altered at pleasure. RECORD OF THE VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS IN PUBLIC MATTERS FOR THE YEAR 1861, BEING THE TWENTY-FOURTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF HER MAJESTY QUEEN VICTORIA. HOUSE OF LORDS, 1861. THE TUESDAY, 5 FEBRUARY. THE THIRD SESSION of the sixth Parliament of the reign of Queen Victoria was this day opened by Her Majesty in person. The Queen took her seat on the throne about half-past two o'clock. Her Majesty was accompanied by H.R.H. the Prince Consort, and attended by the principal officers of state, being peers: Earl Granville bearing the sword of state, the Marquis of Winchester the cap of maintenance, the Duke of Somerset the crown, and the Lord Chancellor the great seal. The Queen having desired the attendance of the Commons, the Right Hon. John Evelyn Denison, Speaker, accompanied by Lord Palmerston and several other Members, appeared at the bar. The Queen then made the following gracious speech: My Lords, and Gentlemen, It is with great satisfaction that I meet you again in Parliament, and have recourse to your assistance and advice. My relations with foreign powers continue to be friendly and satisfactory; and I trust that the moderation of the powers of Europe will prevent any interruption of the general peace. Events of great importance are taking place in Italy. Believing that the Italians ought to be left to settle their own affairs, I have not thought it right to exercise any active interference in those matters. Papers on this subject will be laid before you. I announced to you, at the close of the last session of Parliament, that the atrocities which had then recently been committed in Syria had induced me to concur with the Emperor of Austria, the Emperor of the French, the Prince Regent of Prussia, and the Emperor of Russia, in entering into an engagement with the Sultan by which temporary military assistance was to be afforded to the Sultan, for the purpose of establishing order in that part of his dominions. That assistance has been afforded by a body of French troops, who have been sent to Syria as representing the allied powers. The Sultan has also placed a considerable military force in Syria under the direction of an able officer; and I trust that tranquillity will soon be re-established in that province, and that the objects of the convention will have been fully attained. I announced to you, also, at the close of the last session of Parliament, that the pacific overtures which my envoy in China had made to the Imperial Government at Pekin having led to no satisfactory result, my naval and military forces, and those of my ally the Emperor of the French, were to advance towards the northern provinces of China, for the purpose of supporting the just demands of the allied powers, and that the Earl of Elgin had been sent to China as special ambassador to treat with the Chinese Government. I am glad to inform you that the operations of the allied forces have been attended with complete success. After the capture of the forts at the mouth of the Peiho, and several engagements with the Chinese army, the allied forces became masters of the imperial city of Pekin; and the Earl of Elgin and Baron Gros, the ambassador of the Emperor of the French, were enabled to obtain an honourable and satisfactory settlement of all the matters in dispute. Throughout these operations, and the negotiations which followed them, the commanders and ambassadors of the allied powers acted with the most friendly concert. Papers on this subject will be laid before you. The state of my Indian territories is progressively improving, and I trust that their financial condition will gradually partake of the general amendment. An insurrection of a portion of the natives of New Zealand has interrupted the peace of a part of that colony; but hope that the measures which have been taken will speedily suppress these disturbances, and enable my Government to concert such arrangements as may prevent their recurrence. Serious differences have arisen among the States of the North American Union. It is impossible for me not to look with great concern upon any events which can affect the happiness and welfare of a people nearly allied to my subjects by descent, and closely connected with them by the most intimate and friendly relations. My heartfelt wish is that these differences may be susceptible of a satisfactory adjustment. The interest which I take in the well-being of the people of the United States cannot but be increased by the kind and cordial reception given by them to the Prince of Wales during his recent visit to the continent of America. I am glad to take this opportunity of expressing my warm appreciation of the loyalty and attachment to my person and throne manifested by my Canadian and other North American subjects on the occasion of the residence of the Prince of Wales among them. I have concluded with the Emperor of the |