§ LORD J. RUSSELLsuggested to the hon. and gallant Member for Westminster who had a notice on the paper on the subject of the qualification of Members, whether it would be advisable for him to bring it on upon the present occasion. The same subject had been brought before the House but a few days since, on the Motion of the hon. Member for Montrose, on which occasion it was fully discussed by the House, and a division come to upon the subject. There was also a Bill at present before the House with respect to the franchise in Ireland; he would therefore submit to the hon. and gallant Member that, after the debate which had so recently taken place on a similar subject, and the fact of a Bill being before the House, no public advantage would be obtained by bringing forward again a question of this kind.
§ SIR DE L. EVANSsaid, that the subject was one in which he felt a deep interest, and that interest was also shared by many hon. Members in the House, as well as by a considerable number of people out of doors. There was always considerable disadvantage to any individual Member arising from not proceeding with his notice when he had an opportunity of doing so; but as he was informed by one hon. Member of high authority in the House that the present moment was rather inopportune, and might possibly damage the object which he had at heart, he would certainly sooner incur some personal disadvantage than run the risk of doing any injury to a cause which he was anxious 376 to promote. Feeling, as he did, that Ireland stood more in need of Parliamentary reform than England, he would not feel justified in pressing his Motion, but would take the earliest opportunity after Easter, and the passing of the Irish Franchise Bill, to bring the matter forward. Motion, by leave, withdrawn.