Lord Castlereagh thought, that the answer he had given was sufficient to meet the objection of the hon. gent. (Mr. Grey). What he had said was this, that the supplies, although fol warded in the early stage at which they would be presented on Monday, would not have made such progress as to be put in any tangible shape, by the house merely agreeing to the preliminary steps for raising them. In the progress of passing them, there would be time enough to see into whose hands they were to pass, and to oiler any reasons that might then occur against the granting of them; but, to oppose them in the first instance, in limine, would be a course altogether unusual, and which would, in the present instance, be highly prejudicial to the public service. The office of chancellor of the exchequer was, for the present, to be vested in the lord chief justice, who, with the office, took of course all the responsibility of it. The house might be assured, that it was the intention of his majesty, without delay, to take measures for forming a new administration (Hansard, 25 January 1806)

§ Mr. Grey

repeated, that his objection was not to the absence of the chancellor of the exchequer, but that there was no person responsible for the application of the supplies to be voted. As to the observation of the noble lord, respecting the embarrassments, and public injury, that might result from any delay, that consideration would certainly have as much weight as it merited, when the subject should come to be fully discussed. What he intended to press upon the house was, that they should not grant the supplies until they knew into whose hands they were to pass, and who were to undertake the responsibility of their application.—The resolution was then agreed to, that the house should resolve itself into a committee of supply on Monday.