An interesting event took place in September of this j’ear, when her majesty Queen Victoria, accompanied by Prince Albert, paid Louis Philippe a visit in his own dominions. They arrived in their steam-yacht at Tréport, close to Eu, where the royal family of France were sojourning; and after receiving a most cordial reception from their illustrious host and the French people, they proceeded on their voyage to Ostend. About the same time one of the French monarch’s sons, the Prince de Joinville, was married to Princess Francisca, the sister of the Emperor of Brazils, and the Queen of Portugal. But while in France all were merry as a “marriage bell,” the unhappy country of Spain was disturbed from one end to the other by insurrections. Madrid was even captured by Generals Narvaez and Aspirez, who headed the insurgent forces; and Espartero was compelled to take refuge on board an English ship of war at Cadiz, after having in vain bombarded Seville. Espartero proceeded to Lisbon, whence he issued a manifesto to the Spanish nation, after which he sailed to England. At the close of this year, indeed, Spain was torn in pieces by factions, though the queen was still enabled to keep her seat on the throne.
CHAPTER LV.
VICTORIA. 1844-1845
Meeting of Parliament..... Motion of the Stoppage of Supplies..... Affairs of India..... Irish Affairs: Irish Municipal Franchise, The Irish Church Question, Irish Charitable Trusts Bill, Roman Catholic Penal Acts Repeal Bill..... Restrictions on Labour in Factories, &c..... The Corn Laws and Free Trade Question..... Financial Statements..... Sugar Duties Bill, &c...... Bank Charter and Banking Regulations..... Dissenters’ Chapels Bill..... Sees of Bangor and St. Asapli..... Miscellaneous Measures of the Session..... Prorogation of Parliament..... The State of India..... Proceedings against Mr. O’Connell..... Continental Affairs.
MEETING OF PARLIAMENT.
A.D. 1844
Parliament was opened by the queen in person on the 1st of February. Her majesty’s speech first alluded to her friendly relations with foreign powers; to the treaty concluded with China; to the annexation of Scinde to the British empire in India; to the estimates; and to the improved condition of several important branches of the trade and manufactures of the country. The speech then recommended attention to the revision of the charter of the Bank of England; to the state of the law and practice with regard to the occupation of land in Ireland; and to the law of registration in that country.
The debates on the address in both houses were not in any way remarkable, except for a bold speech by Mr. Sharman Crawford, demanding redress of the grievances of which the people of both England and Ireland complained. A contest also occurred between Lord John Russell and Sir Robert Peel in reference to the duties on the importation of foreign corn, the opposition leader maintaining that a fixed duty was desirable, and the ministerial leader advocating the system of variable duties, called a sliding-scale.