will appear by the Report of the Secretary for that department) is extremely defective, and gives facility to every species of embezzlenent; a new system of finance tha shall prevent these peculatiors which the present laws faciliate, and which the government has not been able to check, although every means has been devised to administer a remedy. This system must be based on a food judiciary system.

We have no laws suited to the present ideas of justice; the old aws are contradictory, the judges do not know how to decide, indiv.duals suffer, criminals go unpunished, and the salaries of the judges are not sufficient to guard them from temptations to bribery and corruption. It is therefore necessary that this Assembly should lay the foundation of public felicity and tranquillity. Without a good system of finance, and without an independent administration of justice, no nation can exist. I am aware that there are many subjects claiming the attention of this Assembly, that every thing cannot be accomplished at a single session, that much has been postponed from session to session, but it is necessary to commence with unanimity in these two essential points, and when subjects call for attention, I expect it will be given by this Assembly without loss of time, as every moment is precious and indispensible. In a state of war when affairs are not organized, it is requisite that the government should be clothed with the power to prevent peculation of the public money, to punish those public servants who neglect their duty, and those

who shall dare to disturb the public order.

No one more than I yields a ready obedience to the laws, but those who evade them are not promptly punished. The Government requires a special power to enforce punishment until the time shall arrive when every thing shall be reduced to order, and the national welfare shall be constitutionally promoted. The friendly relations of the Empire with those nations who have representatives here are in a settled state, and the departure of the Minister of the United States, so unexpectedly and causelessly, ought not to disturb us, as I rely on the prudence of the President of the United States, and the good sense, justice and impartiality of the North Americans.

The marriage rites of my daughter the Queen of Portugal, have been celebrated at Vienna, and I expect daily the arrival of my brother, her husband.

The constitutional principles are triumphant in Portugal, despite of the parties that opposed them, and this must ever be the case with that charter which was so constitutionally and legally given to the kingdom.

Relative to our own immediate concerns, I must say, I am fully persuaded, that all those who do not think with me, are not Constitutional Imperialists, but covert monsters, who only wait a favourable moment to quench their thirst in the blood of those who are the supporters of the Throne of their country and the defenders of their own religion. I am fully convinced that there is not one member of this assembly, who

does not think as I do, as to the means proper to accomplish our main object, which is, to have the Empire firmly established and the people perfectly happy.

Thus, Representatives of the Brazilian nation, I have recommended what appears to me most beneficial to our national in

terests. I leave you then, confident, that in my speech at the closing of this present session, I will have it in my power to say, 'I have nothing more to expect, I am perfectly satisfied, the nation is pleased, we are happy, thanks to the Assembly that has so wisely legislated!'

Gentlemen of the Legislative Council, Gentlemen of the Assembly, I come to close this session of the Provincial Parliament, convinced, by the state of your proceedings, that nothing likely to promote the public interest can be now expected from your deliberations.

To you, Gentlemen of the Legislative Council, who have attended your duties in the Session, I offer my thanks on the part of his Majesty, as an acknowledgment of the regard which, by your presence, you have shown to the welfare of your country, and also of that proper respect which you have manifested for the Sovereign from whom your honours are derived.

Gentlemen of the Assembly

It is painful to me, that I cannot speak my sentiments to you in terms of approbation and thanks. The proceedings of this Session impose upon me a duty, of which, however unpleasant, I will acquit myself as a faithful Servant of my King, and a sincere friend to the Province.

Many years of continued discussion on forms and accounts

have proved unavailing, to clear up and set at rest a dispute, which moderation and reason might have speedily terminated. It is lamentable to see that no efforts or concessions of His Majesty's Government have succeeded in reconciling those differences of opinion in the Legislature; but it is infinitely more so, that differences on one subject should cause a rejection of every other measure which His Majesty's Government recommends to your consideration.

The duties expected of you in this Session were not difficult: among the first was an examination of the public accounts of last year, and a report upon them, whether of approval or otherwise. Has that duty been done, so that your country can know the result?

Have you considered the estimated expenditure for the current year, and granted the supply required in His Majesty's name? or have reasons been assigned for the refusal of them, that can be known and understood by the country?

Have the messages from His Majesty's representatives been duly acknowledged, and answered,

according to the rules and forms of Parliament, or according with the respect which is due by each Branch of the Legislature to the others?

Have the rules or orders of proceedings in the House of Assembly been duly attended to, in so far as they recognize the prero gative rights of the crown?

These are questions, gentlemen, which you are now to ask yourselves, individually, and answer to your constituents on your return to them.

These are questions which you are to answer to your own consciences, as men who are bound by others of fidelity to your country and to your king.

In my administration of this government, I have seen seven years pass away without any conclusive adjustment of the public accounts; thus accumulating a mass for future investigation, which must lead to confusion and misunderstanding. In the same In the same years I have seen the measures of government directly applicable to the wants of the province, thrown aside without attention, and without any reason assigned. I have seen the forms of Parliament utterly disregarded; and in this session a positive assumption of Executive authority, instead of that of Legislative, which last is alone your share in the constitution of the state.

The results of your proceedings in this session have been, the refusal of the supplies necessary for the ordinary expenses of government, the loss of the militia bill, the failure of all provisions for the maintenance of prisoners in

your jails and houses of correction for the support of insane and foundlings, and for the establishment of education and charity, and a total obstruction of local and public improvement.

In this state of things, and with this experience of past years, it is now no longer consistent with a proper discharge of the high trust committed to me, to entertain hopes of a return to better reason in the representative branch of this Parliament; but it is still my duty to call upon you as public men, and to call upon the country, as deeply interested in the result, to consider seriously the consequences of perseverance in such

a course.

I shall conduct the Government with the means in my power, with an undiminished desire to to do good; but while I must submit myself to the interruption of all public improvement, under the authority of the civil government, I will declare my deep regret at such a state of things; I think it right to convey to the country, a free and unreserved expression of my sentiments upon these public misfortunes; and I will leave no doubt on the public mind of my determination to persevere firmly in the path of my duty, with a faithful regard to the rights of my sovereign, with which are also combined the best interests of the Province.

It only remains for me now, compelled by existing circumstances, to prorogue this Parliament, whatever may be the inconvenience resulting to the Province from such a measure.

March 7, 1827.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

I have called you together at this time for the special purpose of communicating to you the measures, which I judged it necessary to take in the month of September, for the admission into the ports of the United Kingdom of certain sorts of foreign grain, not then admissible by law.

I have directed a copy of the Order in Council issued on that occasion to be laid before you, and I confidently trust that you will see sufficient reason for giving your sanction to the provisions of that order, and for carrying them into effectual execution.

I have great satisfaction in being able to inform you that the hopes entertained at the close of the last session of Parliament, respecting the termination of the war in the Burmese territories, have been fulfilled, and that a peace has been concluded in that quarter, highly honourable to the British arms, and to the councils of the British Government in India.

I continue to receive from all Foreign Powers, assurances of their earnest desire to cultivate the relations of peace and friendly understanding.

I am exerting myself with unremitting anxiety, whether singly or in conjunction with my allies, as well to arrest the progress of

existing hostilities, as to prevent the interruption of peace in the different parts of the world. Gentlemen of the House of Commons,

I have directed the estimates for the ensuing year to be prepared, and they will, in due time, be laid before you.

I will take care that they shall be formed with as much attention to economy, as the exigencies of the public service will permit.

The distress which has pervaded the commercial and manufacturing classes of my subjects, during the last twelve months, has affected some important branches of the revenue. But I have the satisfaction of informing you, that there has been no such diminution in the internal consumption of the country as to excite any apprehensions that the great sources of our wealth and prosperity have been impaired. My Lords and Gentlemen,

I have deeply sympathized with the sufferings which have been for some time past so severely felt in the manufacturing districts of the country.

I have contemplated, with great satisfaction, the exemplary patience with which those sufferings have been borne.

The depression under which the trade and manufactures of the country have been labouring has abated more slowly than I had

thought myself warranted in anticipating. But I retain a firm expectation that this abatement will be progressive, and that the time is not distant when, under the

blessing of Divine Providence, the commerce and industry of the United Kingdom will have resumed their wonted activity.

Noble and mighty Lords,

I come by order of the King, to close the Session of the StatesGeneral, and to thank your Lordships in the name of His Majesty, for the activity and loyalty of your co-operation, in the different Legislative measures that have been successively adopted. Among the labours which have occupied this Session, the laws relative to the Garde communale, and the organization of the judicial powers present themselves in the first place. Long and profound discussions, upon these important matters, have testified to the nation the conscientious pains you have bestowed upon their examination. In regulating, definitively, the institutions prescribed by the fundamental law, you have, in the one case established at length, upon their true basis, the independence

and security of the country; and the other, you have especially assured to it the benefit of a form of judicature suited to the requirements of public justice. Your Lordships have, moreover, this Session, fixed the income and expenditure of the State; and have favoured, by modifications in the tarff of customs, the developement of national industry. These important labours have not, by your aid, your powers, and your zeal, fallen short of the expectations of the nation. This reflection will accompany you to your homes, and your fellow-citizens will surround you with the gratitude and felicitations of which I am at present the bearer on the part of the King. In the name of His Majesty, I declare the present Session of the States-General to be closed and terminated.

On the 12th Dec. 1826, the King opened the session of chambers at the Louvre, by the following speech.

Gentlemeu,