The Sun.
London, England, 1847-11-19 00:00:00

ROUSE OF COMMONS, Nov. 18.

(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
Mr. J. A. SMITH said—l rise to second the mo-
tion of the Noble Lord ; and I do so with very sin-
gular satisfaction, because I believe that it rarely
falls to the lot of any one to be able at the same time
so perfectly to discharge satisfactorily his public
duty, to possess a due sense of the importance of the
task which he has so long been called upon to dis-
charge, and at the same time to gratify his personal
and private feelings with the same success, without
detracting from the dignity of his high office. Those who
in times past have filled that chair were men of high
character and of distinguished abilities, but remarkable
as has been, I think, the judgment of this House in
selecting men well qualified to discharge the onerous
duties of the Speaker, I believe I may appeal with
confidence to those who have been before Members of
this House, and I believe I may also appeal to the
public, whether amongst those eminent and distin-
guished men to whom I have referred they can point
out any one who has filled the chair of this House
with so much ability, who has discharged his duties
more efficiently, or who is in the highest manner cal-
culated to command the confidence of this House and
of the people than the Right Hon. Gentleman whose
re-election has been proposed by my Noble Friend.
—(Great cheering.) Ido not intend to trouble the
House with one single word as regards the important
duties which are imposed upon those whom the choice
of the House places in that chair. It has been done
so often and so well as to render it useless and pre-
sumptuous for me to add one word to what I have
already said with respect to them.—(Hear, hear )
I. feel, also, that a sense of the importance of that
high office is so firmly settled in the minds of the
Members of this House and of the country, that it
requires no word from me to point out their im-
portance. But, with great humility and deference, I
should wish to say one word on a point which ap-
pears to me to deserve the serious attention of this
assembly—namely, that every day and every year
the character of this House and its influence
out of England is increasing in importance. Now we
have recently seen important changes—important
constitutional changes—in one of the most important
European nations. We have also seen equally im-
portant and principal changes proposed by another
power, familiar by situation and by commercial ties
with most of us ; these are movements,
which cannot but be regarded by us here with
peculiar interest, and I think we are led to the
conclusion that both constitutional and representative
government, 'and the attachment to constitutional
and representative government, are making great
advances throughout Europe.—(Hear, hear.) And
looking, therefore, at the character of this House, I
think that the character of that individual who is
elected to preside over it year after year becomes of
increased importance. I shall most confidently give
my support to the motion of the Noble Lord, which
I have the honour now to second, because I
fully believe that ;the important duties to
which I have alluded cannot be placed in safer or
more efficient hands.—(Cheers.) That Right Hon.
Gentleman has already shown that unvarying cour-
tesy is consistent with unflinching firmness, that im-
partiality, which in the beat of debate, and during
the violence of party conflict, is difficult to practise,
has ever found in him a strong supporter. I shall
support him, because I believe that he will assert the
privileges of this House without fear and without
favour. I believe, that under his Speakership, this
House will continue to give the world a proof
that perfect order in our proceedings, and a cheerful
and ready submission to the decision of the Chair,
is perfectly consistent with the freedom of debate—
that perfect freedom of debate, which I believe is
one of the chief and principal safeguards of the
liberty and happiness of the people.
Lord G. BENTINCK—I am unwilling, Sir, to allow
this opportunity to pass without doing myself the
honour of joining in the proposal made by a Noble
Friend and the Hon. Gentlemen opposite.—(Hear.)
lam the more anxious to do so, because when the
Right Hon. C. S. Lefevre was less known than he is
at present I joined in an opposition to his appoint-
ment to the chair, but experience of the unequalled
impartiality and dignity—(Cheers)—with which that
gentleman has filled the office of Speaker of this
House has made it a matter of great congratulation,
not to myself only, but I believe also to every gen-
tleman who was defeated upon that occasion, that
defeat accompanied their opposition.—(Cheers.) I
feel that the authority of the Legislature itself de-
pends much upon the calmness and dignity with
which the proceedings of this House are carried on,
and I am sure all those who have bad the happiness
to experience the manner in which those duties have
been fulfilled by the Right Honourable Charles
Shaw Lefevre will join in acclamation in
conceding to him the proud pre-eminence
over all those illustrious and distinguished
individuals, who, upon former occasions, have tilled
that chair.—(Cheers.) I could not, therefore, Sir,
allow this opportunity to pass without expressing my
great satisfaction at the proposal that the Right Hon.
Charles Shaw Lefevre should again be appointed the
Speaker of this House.— (Loud cheers.)
Sir R. 11. INGLIS—The reasons given by my
Noble Friend for addressing the House would, I
believe, be most cordially testified to by every one of
the 400 Members present on the occasion alluded to
by my Noble Friend.—(Cheers.) I concur most
cordially in the expression of the general feeling of
the House, and I view with sincere gratification the
success of my Right Hon. Friend, near whom I am
seated, in obtaining a resumption of the office
to which he was called on the occasion
alluded to by my Noble Friend. I should.
not have troubled the House by adding anything
to what has been said of the claims of the
Might Hon. C. S. Lefevre by OR Noble Lord who
submitted the proposition to the House, or the Hon.
Gentleman who seconded it, did I not wish also to
add another claim which the Right Hon. Gentleman,
who is the subject of this proposition, has to our gra-
titade and confidence, arising from a part of his con-
ductnot always seen by the House in the transaction
of its general business, but still not the less important
to the public interests of the country. I refer to his
attention and successful labours in e conduct of the
private business of ttohisH House.—
necessary It is un-
necessary for me allude
li to the importance of the
private business of the
or the vast increase
which appears be decermu-seii made in it. Within
the last ten yetis there basiabeL
great increase in
its amount, not only over
the a
the thirty years immediately edei ten, but
ngGentleman
business the Right Horxourable To this
has given most valuable and personal attention
I Mink that the House would be ungrateful iafn-t
d
failed to acknowledge the value of those services thus
rendered.—(Loud cheers.)

The Right Hon. C. S. LEFEVRE, in rising to
address a few words to the House, said--I beg to
assure my Noble Friend the Member for Totnes
(Lord Seymour), and my Hon. Friend the Member
for Chichester (J. A. Smith), that I fully appreciate
those feelings of personal kindness and regard
which have prompted them to speak of my services
in the chair of this House in terms of such comment
—comment far beyond any merit which I ever hope
to possess. And I beg also to assure the House that
I feel that I owe them a very large debt of gratitude
for
thevery favourable manner in which they have
been
Noble kindrienough to receive the proposition of my
to express my thanks
I feel altogether unequal adequately
thanks to them for this their additional