HC Deb 26 May 1851 vol 116 cc1461-4

Order for Committee thereupon read.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That Mr. Speaker do now leave the Chair."

MR. BANKES

said, he should oppose the further progress of the Bill. This was a Commission that would entail considerable expense on the country. Considering the unsatisfactory termination of the inquiry, and remembering that the chief witnesses were still absent, and the Committee had seated the Member petitioned against, he thought it was too much to come before the House and ask them to assent to a costly examination. By the plan he should propose, no expense whatever would be incurred. He should, therefore, move that the House adjourn.

Whereupon Motion made, and Question put, "That this House do now adjourn."

MR. EDWARD ELLICE

said, it was necessary to go into Committee to enable him to move a Resolution for the payment of such salaries and expenses as might be incurred in the inquiry.

The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

deprecated the course pursued by the hon. Gentleman (Mr. Bankes). The House had unanimously resolved there should be an inquiry, and some expense must necessarily be incurred.

MR. BANKES

would withdraw his objections, if the word "salaries" were omitted.

MR. EDWARD ELLICE

said, the provision was only permissive in case the House thought fit.

The House divided:—Ayes 19; Noes 54: Majority 35.

List of the AYES.
Adderley, C. B. Gwyn, H.
Archdall, Capt. M. Hamilton, Lord C.
Bagge, W. Hornby, J.
Beresford, W. Knox, hon. W. S.
Booth, Sir R. G. Sibthorp, Col.
Buller, Sir J. Y. Trollope, Sir G.
Burghley, Lord Tyler, Sir G.
Cobbold, J. C. Yorke, hon. E. T.
Conolly, T. TELLERS.
Edwards, H. Bankes, G.
Fellowes, E. Arkwright, G.
List of the NOES.
Aglionby, H. A. Matheson, Col.
Berkeley, C. L. G. Moncreiff, J.
Blackstone, W. S. Nugent, Sir P.
Boyd, J. O'Connell, M. J.
Brotherton, J. Palmerston, Visct.
Butler, P. S. Ricardo, O.
Childers, J. W. Rich, H.
Cockburn, Sir A. J. E. Scholefield, W.
Collins, W. Seymer, H. K.
Cowan, C. Seymour, Lord
Cowper, hon. W. F. Smollett, A.
Douglas, Sir C. E. Somerville, rt. hn. Sir W
Duncuft, J. Stanford, J. F.
Dundas, A. Stanton, W. H.
Dundas, rt. hon. Sir D. Stuart, H.
Dunne, Col. Sullivan, M.
Ellice, rt. hon. E. Thicknesse, R. A.
Ellice, E. Thompson, Col.
Elliot, hon. J. E. Thornely, T.
Evans, W. Wawn, J. T.
FitzPatrick, rt. hon. J.W. Westhead, J. P. B.
Geach, C. Willoughby, Sir H.
Greene, T. Wilson, J.
Kershaw, J. Wood, rt. hon. Sir C.
King, hon. P. J. L. Wood, Sir W. P.
Labouchere, rt. hon. H.
Lewis, G. C. TELLERS.
Mangles, R. D. Hill, Lord M.
Masterman, J. Craig, Sir W. G.

House in Committee; Mr. Cornewall Lewis in the Chair.

Motion made, and Question proposed— That the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury be authorised to pay the Salaries of the Commissioners and the other Expenses which may be incurred under any Act of the present Session for appointing Commissioners to inquire into the existence of Bribery in the Borough of St. Albans.

COLONEL SIBTHORP moved that the Chairman should report progress, and ask leave to sit again.

MR. EDWARD ELLICE

said, it was desirable that they should proceed then with the measure.

MR. BANKES

said, the principle involved in the clause before them ought at least to receive one fair discussion in that House, which could not take place at that hour—half-past one o'clock.

Motion made, and Question put, "That the Chairman do report progress, and ask leave to sit again."

The Committee divided:—Ayes 15; Noes 50: Majority 35.

MR. BANKES

said, he must complain of the hon. Member for Salford (Mr. Brotherton) for voting at that late hour (half-past one o'clock) for a measure that would entail an expense of several thousand pounds on the country. The hon. Member was not acting with much impartiality in moving adjournments at an early hour on other occasions, and in omitting to do so now because his favourite measure was before the Committee.

The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

protested against the unfair attack made upon his hon. Friend the Member for Salford. The Committee on this occasion had unanimously declared that there should be an inquiry, and the hon. Member for Salford had only done his duty in supporting it.

MR. M. J. O'CONNELL

wished it to be understood that the Irish genius for delaying the public business had been completely excelled by the piratical attempts of the Saxon. It might be that the English Members who were now opposing the progress of the public business had taken a lesson from the Irish Members; but on the present occasion the English Members had earned the glorious reputation of standing alone.

MR. AGLIONBY

said, that he never knew so pertinacious an opposition to so unimportant a Bill, at that hour of the night, and warned the minority how they abused the privileges of the constitution.

MR. BROTHERTON

defended himself from the attack of the hon. Member for Dorsetshire (Mr. Bankes). He considered this opposition was a factious one, and for that reason he considered himself justified in opposing it.

MR. BANKES

said, that if it were known that the Bill would have been pressed in so thin a House, several Members would have waited to oppose it.

MR. EDWARD ELLICE

said, he did not wish to press the Bill in any covert manner. If the House would now pass the Resolution, he would try, and make some arrangement with the hon. Member for Dorsetshire which might be satisfactory to him and himself. The clause to pay the commissioners had not as yet been passed.

MR. BANKES

Yes, but you want to appoint the commissioners, and we object to any commissioners, paid or not.

Four other divisions took place, when, after some further discussion, the original Question was agreed to, upon the understanding that the Bill should not be brought before the House after twelve o'clock on any subsequent occasion.

House resumed.

The House adjourned at a quarter after Two o'clock.