The Express.
London, England, 1849-05-23 00:00:00

THE DERBY DAY.

The Marquis of aiiitNiinWs proceeding, pursuant to
notice, to move the adjournment of the house ova. this day,
when _ _ .

-...-
Mr. M. GIBSON asked the Speaker what was the rule
of the house relative to notices of motion, and whetter there
was anything in the noble lord's motion to take it out of its

The SPEAKER said that it had always been the practice
of the house to entertain maims for the adjeatrament of
the house before entering into the ordinary motions of the
day. (Opposition cheers.)
Mr. M. GIBSON asked whether the similar motion of
het year had bad premience or had come on in its turn.
(" Order," and cries of " Go on," addressed to Lord
thereby.)
The Marquis of GRANBY said, that in submitting to the
house the motion of which he had eiven notice, he shou'd
need but few words to explain its object. (Chet re and
laughter.) Gentlemen who did nut usueelly attend raco
courses were yet aware that to-morrow was ' The Derby
Day." (Hear, beer) He submitted his motion for ad-
journment with full confidence because it had been the
eutnn of that house from time immemorial. (" Oh, oh,"
and laughter.) Why, I: had been carried in the previous
year by a majority of thirteen, a majority in which the
Prime Minister voted. (Hear, hear.) He regretted that
he did nut then tr. e the noble lord in his place. (laughter.)
the noble lord had supported the motion of lut year cn
the ground that the Derby was a grand national Mt*, and he
(Lord G. sully) now repeated it on similar grounds. Epsom
Downs were open to all ranks, rich and poor, where they
met once a-year—he wished they. did so much oftener—tor
a cammon purpose, namely, to enjoy the fresh air, and par-
ticipate in a great national spent. (Hear, hear.) Perhaps
he might add that although the house had usually two
holidays in this union, they htd this year, in consequence
of her Majesty's birthday falling on Saturday, been deprived
of one. (Loud laughter.) He would remind bon, members
who might vote against his motion, that although they put
no restraint on themselves by doing so, yet there were
officers of the house—(the noble marqu a here pointed to the
clerks' table, and the remainder of the sentence wen lost in a
general explosion of laughter.)
The question wa put amid loud cries of " Order,"
SI Agrif.e.
Mr. AGLIONBY declared his intention of dividing ,
against the motion.
Sir O.GREY said that this was a question for the dis-
I Cffleti'll of the house itself, without interference on the part of
the government. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. AGLIONBY was determined to take a division.
(" Divide.") The qoestion was between private pleasure and
public business. (Hear, bear.) He had a mat important
public measure standing for to-morrow, and should certainly
UN every possible means to bring it forward.

Mr. S. CRAWFORD took a similar view of the q•cetirn.
Mr. C. ANSTEY thought that the bon. member for
Cockerm uth would save the time of the house by allowing
this motion to pass. He (Mr. Anstey) supported the mo-
tion as one in favour of a great catholic and national holiday.
The hon. ►nd learned member might rest assured that
*here was not the slightest chance of making • house, as
even those who now voted with him would themselves be
off to the Derby. (A laugh.) Every member of the house
would be there—(hear, hear)—ond the oily result even of
success would be, that the right hon. gentleman in the chair
would have to remain at his post from 12 to 4 o'clock.
Mr. REYNOLDS did not mean to oppose the motion of
the mobil marquis. In a parenthesis he might say that,
although "Chatterer" was in great force in the betting, it
appeared that the odds would be against him in that house
—although confessedly a horse of speed and exceedingly
longwinded. (Laughter.) It was quite clear that the hon.
and !earned member for Cockermonth had not made up •
book. (Continued laughter) To be serious, be could not
help 'smirking the alit abed attention with which the house

listened to a debate about the Derby, whilst, when he asked
a question involving the lives of hundreds of our fellow-
creatures, considerable impatience was manifested. (" Rear,
hear," and cries of " Question" from the opposition.) He
did not mean to ruffle the good humour of the everting
benches—(lond laughter)—but it had really appeared to him
that there was much more anli,ty about the Derby than
about the suffering people of Ireland. (Rear, hear.)
The house divided—
For the motion l3B
Against it
The result was hailed with loud cheers.

Mr. LABODCRERE expressed a hops that the carrying
Of the motion would not have the effect of preventing the
private committees from siring on the following (this) day,
beam.e it would be a gnat hardship and inconvenience to
those who were in attendance upon the committees if they
should have to incur additional exprnse in coneeguence of
all business being suspended upon the Derby day. (Hear,
hear.) lie thought it extremely desirable that Om commit-
tees on private bills should at all events be afforded an op-
portunity of sitting on the following day, if they should
feel so inclined, and he proposed a 'sod= to this effect.
Mr. AGLIONSY would not oppose the motion, although
he was very much inclined to ask where the difference lay
between the transaction of private and public business upon
the Derby-day.
In reply to Sir W. JoLLtrra,

Mr. LABOUCTIERE •aid that a discretion would of
course be left to each committee to sit or not, as they might
think proper.
The motion respecting the sitting of the committees was
then put end speed to.