§ MR. OLIPHANTsaid, he wished to make some remarks in reference to the Notice he had placed upon the paper—
That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that She will be graciously pleased to issue a Royal Commission for the purpose of collecting such statistical information as may supply a basis for determining whether any and what alterations should be made in the present boundaries of Boroughs and in the existing distribution of Seats in the Commons' House of Parliament.1073 He had no intention at all when he gave notice of this Motion of doing anything which would embarrass the Government. He thought he had made that plain when he had on the first occasion announced his intention of withdrawing his Motion. His object had been from the first to countermine those who had been endeavouring to undermine the Government. He wished to make this clear, as his motives seem to have been misunderstood. There had been a certain ambiguity in the position of the Government with reference to the re-distribution of seats, and he felt sure that a large number of sincere Reformers would be perfectly satisfied to vote for the Bill introduced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer if they were convinced that the Government intended to bring forward a measure for the re-distribution of seats along with it. Since he had given notice of his Motion the attitude of the Government had changed, he was happy to say, very much for the better. They were now pledged to stand or fall by their Reform measure, and it was quite clear he could serve no possible object by persevering in a Motion which had in view the collecting of the statistical information, without which, of course, the Government would not have been in a position to intro- I duce their promised Bill for the re-distribution of seats. To place himself in order, he would conclude by moving the adjournment of the House.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That this House do now adjourn,"—(Mr. Oliphant,)—Question put, and negatived.
THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, the observations which had just fallen from his lion. Friend called but for a word or two from him in reply. He was very glad his hon. Friend had not made the Motion of which he had given notice, though how far the course which he had adopted in order to place himself in order was regular or not he would not undertake to say. As to one point, however, he l wished to state that there had been no change in the position of the Government; although there might have been a change produced relatively in the mind of his hon. Friend. The Government never had any other intention than to stand or fall by the measure which they proposed, and the only point as to which they felt it to be their duty to make any reservation was the question of time.