HC Deb 13 June 1807 vol 9 cc796-8
Mr. foster

said that with respect to the grant-to the Roman Catholic seminary at Maynooth he had given notice that he would move for the ordinary grant of 8000l; but not then thinking the additional grant of 5000l.necessary, he had said that he should not move for it. He now rose to give notice, that he should not for the present year withhold his consent to the additional grant, as it had appeared, that the building depending on such money had been already commenced; at the same time he wished it to be distinctly understood, that he did not, by now supporting it, at all pledge himself to support the said grant at a future period, the propriety of continuing which he thought a matter of great question, as it went to no less than double the Maynooth establishment.

Mr. C. Wynne

said, that as The right hon. gent. had thought it proper to decline pressing his objections to the additional grant, he should not think it necessary to move at present for the documents which Would to substantiate the claims of the Maynooth establishment, to that additional grant. He should therefore withdraw the notice he had made to that effect.

Lord Howick

was extremely glad, that up on further consideration the right hon. gent. had thought it wise to abstain from a measure that must naturally have proved of the most dangerous and mischievous tendency; nor could he think, that the right hon. gent. had so satisfactorily accounted for this change of opinion.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer

rose to order, and submitted to the noble lord if would not be better to postpone all observations of that nature until the question was regularly before the house, as, if such proceeding was admitted, the gentlemen on the other side would feel themselves justified in even being irregular while answering to such irregularities.

Lord Howick

proceeded to observe upon the right hon. gent's statement; the right hon. gent. objected to the additional grant the other day, and now assented to it, be cause he had learned what on the first day he ought not to have been ignorant of, that the buildings had been already begun, and yet the right hon. gent., after assigning, that reason stated that he would for the future object to it, because it was in fact doubling the Maynooth establishment. If the right hon gent. did not at first know that the building were already begun, his ignorance of that fact, could. have had nothing to do with doubling the establishment, and if such a grant did double the establishment, the actual commencement of the building could not be any argument why the grant shout be now acceded to.

Mr. Foster

rose to order, and insisted that it was quite unparliamentary to enter into the merits of any measure to be proposed, of which notice had been only then given.

The Speaker

thought it better that any thing to be said upon the subject should be deferred to the time appointed for the discussion thereupon, as the subject was not then before the house.

Lord Howick

said, that he certainly felt it his duty to bow to the decision of the chair, at the same time that he should take good care to enforce the strict exercise of the rule that had been now applied to him. and upon all occasions, for the future, when a notice was given, he would take care that that notice should not be followed up by any further question or comment whatever. He was certainly fully aware how troublesome it must be to the right hon. gent. to have questions put, which it might not be convenient to answer.