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BRITISH AND FOREIGN

State Papers.

SPEECH of the Lords Commissioners, on the Opening of the British Parliament.-Westminster, February 6, 1862.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

We are commanded by Her Majesty to assure you that Her Majesty is persuaded that you will deeply participate in the affliction by which Her Majesty has been overwhelmed by the calamitous, untimely, and irreparable loss of Her beloved Consort, who has been Her comfort and support.

It has been, however, soothing to Her Majesty, while suffering most acutely under this awful dispensation of Providence, to receive from all classes of Her subjects the most cordial assurances of their sympathy with Her sorrow, as well as of their appreciation of the noble character of him, the greatness of whose loss to Her Majesty and to the nation is so justly and so universally felt and lamented.

We are commanded by Her Majesty to assure you that she recurs with confidence to your assistance and advice.

Her Majesty's relations with all the European Powers continue to be friendly and satisfactory; and Her Majesty trusts there is no reason to apprehend any disturbance of the peace of Europe.

A question of great importance, and which might have led to very serious consequences, arose between Her Majesty and the Government of the United States of North America, owing to the seizure and forcible removal of 4 passengers from on board a British mail packet by the Commander of a ship of war of The United States; but that question has been satisfactorily settled by the restoration of the passengers to British protection, and by the disavowal by The United States Government of the act of violence committed by their naval officer.

The friendly relations between Her Majesty and the President of The United States have therefore remained unimpaired.

Her Majesty warmly appreciates the loyalty and patriotic spirit which have been manifested on this occasion by Her North American subjects.

The wrongs committed by various parties and by successive Governments in Mexico upon foreigners resident within the Mexican territory, and for which no satisfactory redress could be obtained, have led to the conclusion of a Convention between Her Majesty, the Emperor of the French, and the Queen of Spain, for [1861-62. LII.]

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