HC Deb 14 December 1830 vol 1 cc1123-4
Mr. Maberly

, adverting to the Petition which was in the hands of his hon. friend, the member for Bletchingly, and which he had announced his intention of presenting that night, respecting the borough of Stamford, begged to recommend the postponement of it till after the holidays. He expected, before the resumption of business, to be in possession of a document, which, unfortunately,he had not yet obtained, that would, he anticipated, throw considerable light upon the question to be decided, and the course which the House ought to pursue.

Mr. Tennyson

was perfectly willing to agree to postponement, if, by doing so, any advantage were to be gained; as he was most desirous of affording the noble Marquis, whose conduct was mixed up with the concerns of the borough, the fullest and fairest opportunity of preparing his defence; and he hoped if he should agree to the postponement required, that in the interval, those vindictive measures would be given up, which unhappily had been already carried too far, and he trusted that some assurance would be given to the House, that until the matter was one way or other disposed of, nothing further would proceed from the quarters to which he alluded.

General Gascoyne

observed, that if the mode of debating petitions were universally practised, they would not get through more than one or two in the course of a year.

Mr. Maberly

was proceeding to reply, when

The Speaker

said, that the hon. Gentlemen had better consult and arrange between themselves the time when the petition should be brought forward, there being then Members to be sworn.

Mr. Maberly

said, that he felt it was fitting he should give some answer to the question which had been put to him by his hon. friend. No man could be more disposed than he was, to promote the great objects of conciliation. If the noble Lord acted for the time under the influence of considerable excitation, it might be hoped that time would tend to diminish that. At all events he would recommend, and do all in his power to effect, reconciliation.

Mr. Tennyson postponed presenting the petition till after the holidays.