§ Viscount Palmerston moved the Order of the Day for the House to resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House on the Greek Loan Bill.
913§ Lord Mahonwould take that opportunity of stating that although he entertained some objections to this Bill, yet the statement of the noble Lord (Palmerston) on a former evening was so clear and satisfactory, that he (Lord Mahon) did not intend to offer any opposition to the further progress of the Bill.
§ On the question that the Speaker leave the chair,
Mr. Prymerose, in pursuance of the notice he had given, to move, as an amendment to the motion for the Speaker leaving the chair, that an humble address be presented to his Majesty, praying him to use his influence with the Greek government to induce it to acknowledge the two loans contracted by the Greek government previously to the accession of King Otho.
§ Viscount Palmerstoncould assure the hon. and learned Member for Cambridge, the his Majesty's Government were not indifferent to the situation in which the parties who had contracted these loans were placed, and they had already made representations to the Greek government on the subject. But he felt that it was necessary to draw a distinction between loans contracted under the sanction of the Government and those that were contracted by individuals on their own responsibility. If the assistance sought for by the hon. and learned Member were given in this instance, it could not be refused in the many other instances of a like nature. On these grounds he felt bound to oppose the motion, and he trusted that the hon. and learned Member would not press it to a division, as, if carried, it would be attended with great inconvenience.
§ Mr. Pryme, after what had fallen from the noble Lord, felt himself bound to withdraw his motion.
§ The Bill went through Committee and the House resumed.
§ Report to be received.
§ House counted out.