HC Deb 11 May 1874 vol 219 cc150-1
MR. WHALLEY

, who had given Notice of his intention to move, "That the Petition presented to this House on the 24th April, from the electors of Peterborough, be printed with the Votes," said, that he had given this Notice for the purpose of placing himself in Order with a Motion which stood for to-morrow, and which was based upon the Petition which he asked this House to order to be printed. As this would be asking the House to overrule the decision of the Petitions Committee, he had thought it right to consult his hon. Friend the Member for Walsall (Sir Charles Forster), who had pointed out to him the passages to which they took objection—namely, statements calling in question the proceedings of the Court of Queen's Bench, and designating especially the Lord Chief Justice in respect of certain words and acts of his as well in his judicial as in his personal capacity; and he (Mr. Whalley) concurred with the Committee that statements of that nature should not be printed unless accompanied by proof. He was fully prepared to prove the same if he should be fortunate enough to obtain a Committee of Inquiry as to this Contempt of Court; but in the meantime wholly disclaimed any desire to give publicity to ex parte statements such as were contained in this Petition. Under these circumstances, he should not press his Motion; but knowing now what it was that was objected to, he would refer the matter back to his constituents, who might, if they thought fit, then present another Petition with the omission of the passages to which his attention had been called by the Chairman of the Petition Committee.

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