The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-12 00:00:00

REFORM BILL.

Lord J. RUSSELL—Sir, in rising to propose the ad-
journment of the house, I will just address myself to the
immediate question of the day to which the house is to be
adjourned, and then proceed to fhe business to be brought
forward after Easter. The day to which I had proposed
that the house should be adjourned was Monday, April
21, but have found, with regard to various important sub-
jects which I propose to fix for that day, that there has
been a very general unwillingness on the part of members
who wish to take part in the discussion of these measures
—whether the Oxford University Bill, the Railway Bill
which has just been mentioned, or other measures of im-
portance— to have that business in which they take an
interest fixed for the first day after the Easter recess. I
have likewise, with some satisfaction, to say that we have
not at present, as frequently happens, estimates to bring
forward immediately after that recess. I also find that
her Majesty has been pleased to fix Wednesday, the 2Gth,
for a day of fasting and humiliation, when the members of
this house will probably wish to be in the neighbourhood
of their homes, and therefore there would only be two
days—Monday and Tuesday—on which unimportant busi-
ness would probably be brought forward, I think that it
is not desirable that members should be brought from
their homes for that, and I therefore propose to alter my
motion by proposing Thursday, the 27th, instead of Mon-
day, the 24th inst. (Hear.) I now proceed, sir, to the
question which was asked by an hon. gentleman (Sir E.
Dering) yesterday, viz., with respect to my intention as to
bringing forward the second reading of the Reform Bill on
the 27th instant; and with respect to a measure of so
much importance, and which was introduced by me as the
organ of the Government at the commencement of the
session, I think it is necessary to make a statement of some
length before Igoon to state the course that I intend to
take. The house is aware that Lord Aberdeen, on the for-
mation of his Government, declared to those who accepted
office under him, and declared in parliament, that a mea-
sure of parliamentary reform would be one of the measures
which would be among the baies upon which his Govern-
went would be formed. The members who accepted office
at that time, accepted office with that understanding, and
consented to that proposal. I mention this, sir, partly
because I think it is stated, in an invidious manner, that
my personal honour is alone concerned in the carrying on
of this measure. (Cheers.) I consider, air, that my per-
sonal honour was engaged when the question was whether
I would consent to serve under the Crown as a member of
Lord Aberdeen's administration. If Lord Aberdeen had
said that it was not his intention to propose or to adopt
any measure of parliamentary reform, and I. badf.co. consented
to be a member of that administration, I might air y e
been questioned in this house, and my personal honour have
been called in question ; but from the moment that . Lord
f and
that tdheactl
ahr last
icoonl
Aberdeen had made that
on tdethelearfaaittihono,
leagues had accepted office
the question of personal honour regarded not me alone, but
regarded all the members of that administration. (Cheers.)
Sir, Lord Aberdeen and his colleagues stated at the time
that they did not think that with the pressure of im-
portant business before them—with the finances unsettled
—with the India Bill requiring attention, and with other
important measures before them—it was possible to bring
forward a measure of Parliamentary reform during the
last session. I think. there was no question of serious
importance raised as to the propriety of that determina-
tion. But during the recess the Cabinet applied them-
selves most sedulously and deliberately to the con-
eimiarsinutore_
this
fsideamerea n
citiowhioefhT‘ibsa import,aohanotnolsiurbjoefctinlToddd :
house an the .18th of Fehrtary Sir,:rsee to-tea/soh'
to couteive that that measure WM, I.l24dequte to the occa.
-