The Sun.
London, England, 1851-05-24 00:00:00

EVENING,

all parts of the empire.—(Hear, hear.) It was a de.
I claratory Act, and whea they declared a law in Eogland
; they w ere also cluing the same for Ireland.—(Hear,
hear.) His Hon. Friend the Member for Midhurst was
right in saying the clause was not intended to apply im-
mediately to Ireland. What they simply said was, to
declare a iaw which was applicable to both kingdoms.
Mr. J. O'CONNELL said, the Hon. and Lrairned
Attorney-General had made the matter more clear. for
he had told them that the clause did not apply to Ire-
land and that it did.—(Cries of " Divide, divide.")
Mr. MOORE said it appeared to him that the state-
ment of the two Hon. and Learned Gentlemen was this
—that that was merely a declaratory law. But the
Member for Midhurst said it did not declare the law
with regard to Ireland, while the Attorney-General said
it did.—(Divide.) If that was not contradiction he did
not know what was.—(Hear, and cries of " Divide.")
The Committee then divided, when there appeared—
For the amendment ... ... 57
Against it ... ... 317
Majority ••. --260
Sir B. HALL was addressing the House on the re-
admission of strangers. He recommended the Govern-
ment to proceed with that Bill every day after twelve
o'clock, and then they could go on with the ordinary
business of the country at the usual hour.—(Cheers.)
That course would be an assurance on the part of the
Government that they were seriously determined to press
forward that measure.—(Hear, hear.) That plan had
been found to succeed with less important questions, and
he thought it might be adopted with advantage in the
present instance, as it seemed to be the intention cf
Hon. Members to put off the Bill as long as possible.
Mr. KEOGH said the people of Ireland might always
expect a consolatory proposition from the Hon. Member
for Marylebone. The Hon. Members were not respon-
sible for the delay which had occurred, for the Govern-
ment had postponed the Bill and struck out clauses and
inserted others from time to time. Did the House. then,
want to exculpate the Government from all blame? If
the course recommended was adopted, it would be for
them to use such means of obstruction as they hai not
hitherto taken.—(Hear.)
Mr. M. GIBSON hoped the day sittings would not be
adopted, as it would tend more to interfere with than
expedite the public business of the country, so many
Hon. Members were on Committees. Ho could not but
agree with the lion. Member for Athlone that some
blame was due to the Government for the delay of the
Bill, as they were frequently a whole night discussing
clauses which were subsequently withdrawn.—(Hear.)
The Earl of ARUNDEL and SURREY said the Go-
vernment might postpone that Bill if the business of the
country was at a stand still. He thought it would be a
most unfair course, upon such an important measure, in
which millions were concerned, to discuss it at day sit-
tiogs.—(Hear.) , He was a member of a railway Com-
mittee, and he could not attend it if the day sittings were
adopted. He could say he did not think they were liable
to the charge, on the whole, of offering any factious op-
position to the progress of the Bill.—(Hear.)

- Lord J. RUSSELL said his inclination -would be to
consult the convenience of the House; for he was per-
suaded that other business would be interrupted, so much
time being given to questions of importance on which
Hon. Members were not likely to be absent, if he resorted
to morning sittings, which would provoke opposition of
a different character than had been given; and, therefore,
he was not prepared to assent to the Hon. Member for
Marylebone's proposition. lie must say, whatever the
cause of delay with respect to particular propositions, it
was obvious that questions were debated eight or ten
times over, and that answers provoked discussions. It
was obvious, if this system were continued, a great deal
of needless time would be taken up with the Bill; there-
fore, he reserved to himself the discretion of taking
morning sittings if necessary. He should not, however,
adopt them unless he found it absolutely necessary. He
looked for the support of the House in preventing un-
necessary delay. He would, however, just remark that
the Right Hon. Gentleman (Hr. M. Gibson) on these
occasions took en opportunity of making good-natured
remarks (the rest of the sentence was inaudible).
Mr. M. GIBSON replied that if propositions were
brought forward, like those of the Hon. and Learned
Member for Abingdon, only to be withdrawn, that would
be the way to create delay.
Mr. DISRAELI said the Bill, although a very im-
portant Bill, was a very brief one, and notwithstanding
the active opposition it met with it was not difficult to
perceive there must be some end to the discussion.—
(Hear, hear.) He could not help thinking that the
time had not arrived for resorting to the desperate ex-
pedient of morning sittings. He had every wish
to support her Majesty's Government—(Laughter)—
in the conduct of public business; but he was bound to
soy it was impossible for Government to bring forward
measures of importance without expecting an amount
of active opposition, which in the ordinary course of bu-
siness might not be perfectly justifiable. The excess,
however, which might have been expected hal, not been
exceeded in the present case— (Oh I)—for though in his
personal experience he knew how disagreeable it was to
divide frequently on the same evening with one lobby full
and the other lobby nearly empty, he could not forget
that the measure of Government was not such a matured
or well-considered measure as was entitled to the support
of the House, but a measure which rather invited and
encouraged opposition. Government bad withdrawn
clauses after discussion, and thus had recognised the fact
of there being a legitimate ground of opposition. He
thought, under existing circumstances, Government
had acted wisely in not acceding to the proposi-
tion of the Hon. Member for Marylebone.
The effect of that proposition on the conduct
of Committees would be in itself a fair ground
of objection. On the paper he perceived there were
several important Committees—one on the property-tax,

and he wished to know how Gentlemen could serve on
those Committees and attempt at the same time to con-
duct the morning sittings? He hoped in future discus-
sions it would be found expedient to expedite public
business, as that must be the wish of every Hon. Mem-
ber in that House.
After a few words from Mr. MOORE,
The CHAIRMAN reported progress, and asked leave
to sit again on Monday.