the throne under the title of King Alphonso XII. The question of formally recognising, in concert with other Powers, the newlyrestored Monarchy, is at this moment before my Government, and its decision will not be long delayed. It is my earnest hope that internal peace may be speedily restored to a great but unfortunate country.

"The exertions of my naval and consular servants in the repression of the East African slave trade have not been relaxed, and I confidently trust that they will bring about the complete extinction of a traffic equally repugnant to humanity and injurious to legitimate commerce.

"The differences which had arisen between China and Japan, and which at one time threatened to lead to war between those States, have been happily adjusted. I have learnt with pleasure that the good offices of my Minister at Pekin have been largely instrumental in bringing about this result.

"The past year has been one of general prosperity and progress throughout my Colonial Empire.

"On the Gold Coast a steady advance has been made in the establishment of civil government, peace has been maintained, and I have procured the assent of the protected tribes to the abolition of slavery. Henceforward, I trust, freedom will exist there, as in every part of my dominions.

"In Natal I have found myself under the necessity of reviewing the sentence which had been passed upon a native chief, and of considering the condition of the tribes, and their relations to the European settlers and my Government. I doubt not that I shall have your concurrence in any measures which it may become my duty to adopt for ensuring a wise and humane system of native administration in that part of South Africa.

"Papers will be laid before you on these several matters.

"The King and Chiefs of Fiji having made a new offer of their islands unfettered by conditions, I have thought it right to accept the cession of a territory which, independently of its large natural resources, offers important maritime advantages to my fleets in the Pacific.

"An ample harvest has restored prosperity to the provinces of my Eastern Empire, which last year were visited with famine. By the blessing of Providence my Indian Government has been able entirely to avert the loss of life which I had reason to apprehend from that great calamity.

" Gentlemen of the House of Commons,

" I have directed the Estimates of the year to be prepared and presented to you without delay.

"My Lords and Gentlemen,

"The condition of the finances is satisfactory. The trade of the country in the past year has somewhat fallen short of that of the year before, but the general prosperity of the people, supported as it has been by an excellent harvest, as well as by the great reductions lately made in taxation, has led to a steady increase in

the consumption of all the necessaries of life, and of those articles which contribute to the revenue.

"The various statutes of an exceptional or temporary nature now in force for the preservation of peace in Ireland will be brought to your notice, with a view to determine whether some of them may not be dispensed with.

"Several measures which were unavoidably postponed at the end of last session will be again introduced. Among the most important are those for simplifying the transfer of land and completing the reconstruction of the Judicature.

" Bills will be also laid before you for facilitating the improvement of the dwellings of the working classes in large towns; for the consolidation and amendment of the Sanitary Laws; and for the prevention of the pollution of rivers.

"A measure has been prepared for consolidating and amending the laws relating to Friendly Societies. Its object will be to assist, without unnecessarily interfering with, the laudable efforts of my people to make provision for themselves against some of the calamities of life.

"A Bill for the amendment of the Merchant Shipping Acts will be laid before you.

"Your attention will be moreover directed to legislation for the better security of my subjects from personal violence, and for more effectually providing for the trial of offences by establishing the office of a Public Prosecutor.

"Although the report of the Commission issued by me to inquire into the state and working of the law as to offences connected with trade has not yet been made to me, I trust that any legislation on this subject which may be found to be expedient may take place in the present Session.

"You will also be invited to consider a measure for improving the law as to agricultural tenancies.

"I commend to your careful consideration these and other measures which may be submitted to you, and I pray that your deliberations may, under the Divine blessing, result in the happiness and contentment of my people."

The Address in answer was moved by Lord Donoughmore and seconded by Lord Rayleigh, who observed that it was satisfactory to learn from the Queen's Speech that the people were generally prosperous, and he thought that the first business of a minister was not to introduce "blazing" measures, but to give tranquillity to the nation. He was glad to hear that measures were in contemplation for the amendment and improvement of the sanitary laws, as at present there was great confusion in the statutes on the subject, some of them conflicting with others. He believed that no labour would be thrown away in improving the laws relating to friendly societies, and securing from fraud and mismanagement the funds of the poorer classes; and, touching on matters not contained in the Queen's Speech, he expressed his

approval of the aid given by Government for observing the Transit of Venus and for exploring the Arctic regions. The Earl of Granville, as Leader of the Opposition, commented upon the topics of the Queen's Speech, and promised that no factious opposition should be offered to the Government. The Duke of Richmond followed, and expressed his satisfaction at the unanimity with which the Address was to be agreed to.

Two elections for new Members of Parliament, which happened to take place on the same day, led to much sensational excitement-that of Mr. John Mitchel for Tipperary, and that of Dr. Kenealy for Stoke-upon-Trent. Mitchel was a well-known Irish agitator, who, sentenced to transportation for his share in the rebellion of 1848, had broken his parole and escaped to the United States. There he had become naturalised as an American citizen, a step which in itself, besides his position as a convict who had not fulfilled his term of sentence, was held to involve his forfeiture of rights as a British subject. Undaunted by these technical obstacles, and by a rapidly failing state of health, Mr. Mitchel on February 3d issued an address to the electors of Tipperary from New York:

" I solicit," he said, "the high honour of being elected as your representative. I am in favour of Home Rule-that is, the Sovereign independence of Ireland. I shall seek the total overthrow of the Established Church, universal tenant right, and abolition of ejectments; free education-that is, denominational education for those who like it, secular education for those who like that, with the express organic provision of law that no persons should be taxed for the education of other persons' children. I am in favour of the immediate liberation of those prisoners of State whom the English Government keeps in prison as Fenians. Lastly, as well as firstly, I am for Home Rule. Electors of Tipperary, many of you, as I hope, know me by name and reputation. If you believe that all the strength and energy now left in me would be faithfully and, perhaps, usefully dedicated to the service of our native country, then give me your suffrages, and believe that the honour of Tipperary will not suffer in my hands. I shall immediately present myself to you in person, and ask Tipperary to confer upon me the highest honour that I can even conceive awarded to mortal man-that of being the representative of the premier county.

"JOHN MITCHEL."

The election took place on the 16th, and resulted in the unopposed return of the quondam rebel. He landed at Queenstown the next day, and met with an enthusiastic reception.

The House of Commons at Westminster proceeded without delay to take action in the matter. Mr. Hart Dyke moved for documents relating to the conviction and escape of John Mitchel, and in the course of the discussion which ensued Mr. Disraeli read a notice of motion which he intended to make on the following Thursday,-"That John Mitchel, having been adjudged guilty of treason-felony and sentenced to transportation for 14 years, and not having endured the full term of his sentence, nor having received pardon under the Great Seal, has become and continues to be incapable to sit in Parliament." The Premier likewise announced that he should move for a new writ for Tipperary in the room of John Mitchel, so adjudged to be incapable.

The debate which ensued on the 18th was curious in a legal point of view, and led to a good deal of criticism outside the walls of Parliament. Sir Henry James, speaking from the Opposition benches, asked the Attorney-General, first, whether Mr. Mitchel could be proceeded against and compelled to serve out his original sentence? secondly, whether he could be proceeded against for breaking prison? and, thirdly, if both these questions were to be answered in the negative, what was the disability under which he was labouring ?

The first of these questions the Attorney-General answered definitely in the negative. He admitted that John Mitchel could not now be proceeded against in respect of his unfinished sentence, neither could he be proceeded against for prisonbreaking. To the second question he replied in substance that Mr. Mitchel might have been arrested for breaking prison, but that it was not worth while to arrest him. But, the Attorney-General argued, having been adjudged a felon, and not having been purged, either by pardon from the Crown or by having completed the term of his sentence, he remained a felon, and as such could not sit in the House of Commons.

For some time after this the debate merged into a legal controversy, maintained with much spirit by Sir W. Harcourt on one side, and the Solicitor-General, Mr. Hardy, and Mr. Plunket on the other. Sir W. Harcourt would not say that the case, as put by the Attorney-General, was incorrect; but it was a new view; it had come upon the House by surprise, and he thought it would be a wise and proper course to refer the question to the examination and decision of a committee.

Mr. Lowe supported this view; and Mr. Whitbread, whilst of opinion that the law of the Government was sound, also spoke in favour of delaying a decision.

Mr. Martin, member for Meath, and brother-in-law of Mitchel, then said it mattered very little to him or to John Mitchel how the legal question was settled. What he was concerned about was the matter of personal honour, "for," he added in emphatic tones, "if John Mitchel forfeited his honour, I, John Martin, member for Meath, whom you call 'honourable,' did so " too."

Lord Hartington and Mr. Forster urged the desirability of referring the matter to a committee, on the ground that the contradictory opinions expressed proved the necessity of further investigation. But the Premier declared himself unable to discover the contradictions. There had been no contradictory opinions, he said, expressed on his side of the House, and he added, amid loud laughter and cheers from the Ministerialists, "There have been no opinions at all expressed on the other side." He went on to say that it was no part of his duty to teach the right hon. gentlemen what a felon was; " but it is part of my duty," he added with declamation, "if a felon is returned to Parliament, comes to this "table, and claims to be a representative of the people, as long as " I am sitting in this place, to call upon the House of Commons

66

to avenge its outraged principles, and to say, 'Until, either by "'the favour of the Crown, or by your own dutiful conduct, you "' shall have cleared yourself from this flaw, you shall not take "your seat in the House of Commons."

A proposition for adjourning the debate was negatived by 269 votes against 102; and a motion of Lord Hartington, for referring the case to a select committee, was rejected without a division; finally, Mr. Disraeli's resolution was agreed to as it stood, and a fresh writ was ordered to be issued for Tipperary.

The Irish National papers were of course loud in their denunciations of the course pursued by the British Government. Ministers, said the Flag of Ireland, had sent a haughty ukase to Tipperary that the man of its choice is "not eligible" to sit in Parliament, and that the people must elect a representative whom they can graciously approve. Such is their "message of peace to Ireland, and

"What shall be the answer? The great inducement which prevailed with the Tipperary people in returning John Mitchel was his conviction as a 'felon.' If he had never been condemned by British law, if he had never been declared an enemy of the British Government, perhaps he would not be now the sitting member for Tipperary County. If Mr. Mitchel had not broken the 'law,' had not defied the English Government, had not been manacled as a 'rebel,' and sent in fetters to Tasmania, he might not be-would not be, we may venture to say-the pride and the glory of the premier county. His life-long devotion to Ireland, the sacrifice of his brilliant prospects for his country's sake-these have endeared John Mitchel to the Irish people. The men of Tipperary, in truth, are very partial to English-made Irish felons, and consider that none can so well represent their feelings, opinions, and aspirations. Already they have chosen two, and on each occasion their choice has been ignored by the English Parliament. Still, they are not convinced that they have not done right, and it is highly probable that when next called upon to elect a representative, they shall make choice of another 'felon.' "

A new writ was issued; but notwithstanding the decision of the House of Commons, when the nomination day came, the refractory electors of Tipperary again selected John Mitchel as their candidate, and the votes of a large majority pronounced his