HC Deb 22 May 1835 vol 28 cc38-9
Lord Darlington

I wish to ask the noble Lord, the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether Lord Palmerston is to be created a Member of the British Peerage, and thereby obtain a seat in the other House of Parliament, or whether any vacancy is likely to occur in this House to enable him to procure a seat here? The public know nothing upon the subject except that Lord Palmerston has been gazetted as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and it is highly important that the fact should be understood. If the noble Lord answer in the negative, I wish to ask him whether it be intended that the noble Lord should continue to hold the situation as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. I believe it is perfectly unusual and almost unprecedented for an individual not in Parliament to hold a Cabinet situation.

Lord John Russell

The noble Lord has asked me several questions, all of them of rather an extraordinary and novel nature. One is, whether it is the intention of the Crown to confer the dignity of the peerage upon a certain individual; the next, as I should understand it, is whether it is the intention of any Member of this House to vacate his seat for that individual, or, as my right hon. Friend near me suggests, to vacate in that individual's favour by dying himself [cheers and laughter]. The question then arises, whether, in that case, any particular body of constituents would be disposed to elect the noble Lord who has been referred to, as their representative in this House, or whether they would choose some other Representative? There then arises a fourth question, or a fifth; whether supposing none of those things to happen, it is intended that Lord Palmerston shall then continue Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs? Really these questions are of so extraordinary and novel a nature, that I can only entreat the noble Lord to bring forward a distinct Motion on the subject.

Lord Darlington

Perhaps the noble Lord will allow me to ask him another question. The noble Lord talks of novelty: is it novel, or is it not, for an individual holding the office of Foreign Secretary to have no seat either in this or the other House of Parliament.

Lord John Russell

I can only say, that if the state of things of which the noble Lord complains had continued for any length of time, these might be very proper questions; but as the absence of Lord Palmerston is merely a temporary one, I must decline giving any other answer than that I have already returned to the noble Lord.

Here the matter ended.