§ LORD ELCHOsaid, that before the Speaker left the Chair he wished to advert to what had fallen from the right hon. Baronet the Chairman of the Committee of Selection. The right hon. Gentleman had assured Members on panels 4 and 5 that they need not be under any alarm that they would be required to act on Election Committees this Session. He (Lord Elcho) could not help thinking that the same assurance might be given to the Gentlemen on panels 1, 2, and 3. He made the suggestion quite disinterestedly, as he was on panel 5, but he thought that no public good would arise from having Election Committees sitting before the separation of Parliament this Session. If he were rightly informed, there was no immediate necessity for them, and no expense would be saved by having them sitting before the prorogation. When Members were asked to take an oath to do justice in these election petitions, he doubted whether they could conscientiously say they would weigh the evidence cautiously and attentively when the Thames was in its present state, and the thermomoter 99° in the shade. The sitting of the Committees this Session might give rise to great inconvenience; for, supposing any of them had not finished its labours when the House rose, it would cease to sit. There was an impression abroad that they could sit during the recess; but he believed that was not the case, for if there happened to be a refractory witness, rendering an order of the Speaker and the presence of the Sergeant- 159 at-Arms necessary, neither of them would be present to discharge their functions. He therefore humbly threw out the suggestion which he had made. ["Move, move !"] If it were the pleasure of the House, he would be ready to move that all the Election Committees be postponed; but he believed he could not do so without giving notice of the Motion. He would therefore now give notice that he would again call the attention of the House to this subject to-morrow.
§ SIR FRANCIS BARINGsaid, that perhaps the noble Lord would allow him to suggest that before he made his Motion he would read the Act of Parliament.
§ MR. G. W. HOPE, as one of the Members of the House whose return was petitioned against, protested against the suggestion of the noble Lord. The Committee in his (Mr. Hope's) case was appointed; inquiries had been made which induced him to believe that there was no good foundation for the petition, and he and other hon. Members in his position ought not to be kept in suspense.