Yesterday the
Emperor Napoleon opened his Parliament with one of those fine harangues we are
now become accustomed to, and which may mean anything or nothing. The upshot of
this speech is, that he will not go to war unless it happens to suit his
purpose to do so. This is enveloped in fine blarney and plausibility, but is
not calculated to remove the general distrust prevailing.
To-day the Queen
opened Parliament. It was cold and gloomy, but the crowds in the streets were
greater than I ever saw them.
The speech states
that our foreign relations are amicable, and expresses the hope that the
moderation of the Great Powers will prevent any interruption of the general
peace. There is a paragraph upon American affairs, and great concern is
expressed at the events which are so likely to affect the happiness and welfare
of a people closely allied to us by descent, and closely connected with us by
the most intimate and friendly relations. The interest felt by the Queen in the
well-being of the United States is all the greater from the kind and cordial
reception given by them to the Prince of Wales during his recent visit to the
continent of America.
These are the
salient points of the speech—a much simpler and more plain-spoken affair than
that of our dear ally.
SOURCE: Alice
Countess of Stratford, Leaves from the
Diary of Henry Greville: 1857-1861, p. 346-7
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