§ Mr. Hume,the right hon. Baronet opposite put a question to me yesterday, relative to the Motion of which I gave notice, to limit to three months the votes in Committee of Supply, and I gave him a conditional answer to his inquiry whether it was intended to bring on the Motion to-morrow. I am now able to state to the right hon. Baronet, that having consulted with those upon this side of the House who I thought would support that Motion, I regret to find that they do not concur with me in considering the question sufficiently decisive of our want of confidence in the present Administration, and I have therefore been induced, with regret, to postpone the Motion of which I gave notice respecting the Supplies, but I do so with a view to proposing a subsequent Motion, tending to show decisively that the House has no confidence in his Majesty's Ministers,
The Chancellor of the ExchequerIs this, then, the Motion of which you gave me solemn notice more than a week since? I say, is this the Motion which you thought it incumbent on you to give notice of a week before-hand? I asked the hon. Gentleman last night if he intended to bring forward his proposition for limiting the Supplies, pursuant to notice, and the hon. Gentleman now says he gave me a conditional answer. That conditional answer was, that the Motion would be certainly brought on, either by himself or some other hon. Member. I now ask the hon. Gentleman, whether the hon. Member, who was to have supplied his place, has also abandoned his intention; or whether any more decisive vote or want of confidence in his Majesty's Ministers is to be moved to-morrow.
§ Mr. Hume,I answer, that as far as I am concerned, it will not be brought forward to-morrow. I beg to remind the House, however, that on a former evening, when I expressed my opinion that the votes on the election of Speaker and on the Address evinced that the House had no confidence in the present Government, the right hon. Baronet did not appear to consider them in that light. I considered that granting the Supplies for only three months would be tantamount to a vote of no confidence in Ministers; but I was reminded by some hon. Friends, that the right hon. Baronet might turn round on us and say, "This is no vote of want of confidence in the Administration;" and on that ground, lest a limitation of the Supplies should not be taken as a decisive indication of the opinion of the House, I have consented to alter the course which I had intended to adopt. I have done so, seeing the necessity of proposing some Motion which shall come directly to the point, and contain words that cannot be misunderstood. I have only to add, that as far as I know, no other person will tomorrow bring forward the Motion of which I give notice for limiting the Supplies.
The Chancellor of the ExchequerI asked the hon. Gentleman what course he intended to pursue with respect to his threatened decisive motion of want of confidence in Ministers, with a view to displacing them, and I really do not think that I am trespassing unreasonably on the hon. Gentleman or his friends when I again venture to ask a question as to a course of proceeding which may be of 886 great importance to the Ministry and the country. The hon. Gentleman says, that neither he, nor, as far as he knows, any other hon. Member, means to press the Motion for limiting the supplies, on the ground that it might not be considered sufficiently decisive of the opinion of the House, with respect to the present Administration; but he adds, that I may depend on it another Motion, which cannot be misunderstood, and which is to convey a decisive declaration of want of confidence in Ministers, will be substituted—to-morrow? [Mr. Hume: "Not tomorrow."] I wish to ask whether, or no, that other Motion will be brought on tomorrow? ["No, no,!"] I understand, then, that neither the hon. Gentleman nor any of his friends will oppose the vote for the Supplies to-morrow. I only appeal to the hon. Gentleman whether it is not right, if he, or any other hon. Member, have come to the determination to bring forward such a Motion, that no time should be lost in naming a day for that purpose?
§ Mr. HumeI assure the right hon. Baronet that if it rested with me, I would bring on the Motion without any delay; and that, at all events, it will be brought forward on the very first fit and proper moment that occurs.
Conversation dropped.