The Express.
London, England, 1867-03-05 00:00:00

MINISTERIAL EXPLANATIONS.

Mr. GLADSTONE—I rise to ask the right hon. gentle-
man the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who was under-
stood to say that he would answer to-night the question
put by my hon. friend the member for Norwich, whether
it is his intention to answer that question, perhaps
in combination with some other matters, with which of
course I have nothing to do, on the motion that the house
go into committee of supply I

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER was ander
stood to reply in the affirmative.

General PEEL then postponed the motion for going into
committee of supply on the army estimates till Thursday.
On the motion pro forma for going into committee of
supply,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER rose and said—
Mr. Speaker, since I last had the honour of addrreing the
house, the majorityof the cabinethavingresolved to recurto
their original policy with respect to the borough franchise,
and to eat tblish it, in their belief, upon a sure, extensive,
and permanent basis, I deeplyregret to say that three of our
colleagues have felt under the neer...Lily of tendering their
resignations, which have been accepted, and that they
hold their seals only until their successors shall be
appointed. I still more regret to say, that among them
is one whose name I ant sure will never be mentioned in
this house without honour and regard—l allude to my
right bon. and gallant friend the Secretary for War.
(Cheers front all parts of the house.) I need not
refer to his readiness and his personal wish to
have the opportunity of explaining to the house
these estimates and that polity which he had
recommended to his colleagues, and which has been
adopted and sanctioned by them. lam sure that neither
himself nor his late colleagues for one moment wish to
stand against any technical objections, and I hope that
my right hon. and gallant friend, who is still a secretary
of state, may yet have the opportunity which he desires.
(Hear, hear.) I am bound to tell the house that other
arrangements have been suggested, which, when they have
received her Majesty's pleasure and the sanction of her
approbation, will allow me to state that the government
of Earl Derby is complete. I believe it will be in
my power to state that, at the latest, on Friday.
Perhaps the house will allow me also to indicate the
course which the government propose to take in respect to
the Reform Bill. They purpose to introduce it on the
18th of this month. They propose also to ask the house
to take the second reading, if convenient to the house, on
time Monday following. There will then remain ample
time for the complete discussion of the measure, and if
it be accepted as soon as is consistent with the public
business we can go into committee, when I shall make
it part of the government proposition that the house
shall sit in committee on that bill de die in diem.
(Cheers.)

The motion was then withdrawn. After a pause,
Mr. OSBORNE rose and said—Sir, I cannot but think
that the time has arrived when, after the house has been
kept for three weeks in the dark as to the policy or inten-
tions of her Majesty's government, some further explains.
tion is due. (Cries of •' Order.") I shall submit a motion.
The SPEAKER—The hon. member, if he had attended,
would have heard the question clearly and distinctly put,
that the motion should be withdrawn. We are now pro-
ceeding on the motion for going into committee on the
British North American Bill. (laughter.) . .

,
Mr. OSHORNE—I was about to move that the house
do now adjourn. (Hear, bear.) And, sir, I cannot think
that I am taking any liberty with the house in moving the
adjournment. This, sir, m no common period in the
history of parliament. Why, what has happened'.' For
three weeks the house has been kept in the dark as to
the proceedings of the government. (Oh.) The right
hon. gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer came
down, not on the first night, but on the Monday following,
and like Cagliostro expounding the secret of the philoso-
pher's stone, ho left us as much in the dark as we
were before. (Herr, and laughter.) And, sir, what has
now happened? We are told that he is about to recur to
his original policy. (Laughter.) I wish to ask the right
hon. gentleman, or at any rite some of his colleagues, of
those that are left, and possibly those that have gone what
was the original policy of the government? (Hear, hear.)
This house, I think, has a rht to demand what was their
original policy. Whether that original policy may have
been to land us in the Si. rating, or in household suffrage,
no nun in this house or iu this country knows. I thiuk it
is quite reasonable to this house—it is at any rate what
the country demands, that the right hon. and gallant gen-
tleman whom we all admire and respect—l mean the right
bon. gentleman—whether he is the late or the present
Secretary for War I am not able to say—that that right
hon. and gallant gentleman whom we all admire and re-
spect fur his consistency and his noble abnegation of self,
and the noble lonl the member for &mutant should tell us
what that original policy was, or why they have left her
Majesty's government. (Hear, bear.) I will not press the
right lion. gentleman the Secretary for War on this occa-
sion, because lie is still sitting on the Treasury bench, and
possibly /some other policy may be initiated, which may
keep bun there ; but I ask the noble lord the member for
Stamford, who lam sure will not scruple to tell us, the
reasons why he has left the cabinet. (Hear, hear.) I ask
this from no vulgar curiosity. (Cries of " Oh, oh," from
the ministerial benches, and " Hear, hear," from the oppo-
sition.) I simply ask for an explanation, to which nut
only this house but the constituencies which sent us here
are entitled. lam surprised that such a duty should
have devolved on so humble a member as myself, but I am
sure that I reflect the common sense of this country
—(laughter, and '• Hear, hear ")—in demanding an ex-
planation from the noble lord as to why he has left the
government, and what is the original policy to which her
Majesty's government have recurred after three weeks'
consideration. ((,'heers.) I beg to move the adjournthent
of the house.

Colonel SYKES ►ttempted to put a queation with rrganl
to a vote of fur excess of expenditure, but was
Galled to order and cal:veiled to name his meat.