Lord Folkestone ,entertaining still the same opinion that he had from the beginning, relative to the conduct of marquis Wellesley in the Oude transaction, moved, that the several Papers ordered with a view to the accusation and defence of the noble Marquis on that charge in the last session, be again laid before the house.
§ Sir John Anstruthersaid, it must be equally the wish of all persons, as well those who disapproved of the administration of the noble marquis, as those who thought like him, that it was the brightest period of the British history in India; that as well on public as on private grounds, these charges so long pending should be brought to a decision as speedily as possible. As those who had been in the last and the preceding parliament, must have already made themselves masters of all the documents; and as there were in the vote office a sufficient number of copies to supply all the new members, he recommended, with a view to economy and expedition, that instead of renewing the general order for presenting and printing, the remaining copies should be distributed to the new members, and that the business should be decided oil as early a day as possible in this session.
Lord Folkestoneexpressed his willingness to promote a speedy decision, but with a fear that the present session, from the variety of other important business, would not in its short duration afford either sufficient time, or a sufficiently full attendance for this question.
§ Mr. Creevey ,from the difficulty of deciding in a case in which the noble marquis's friends thought his administration most useful, and the East India Company, according to a book published under the authority of the Court of Directors, represented it as the most injurious to their trade and revenue, as an absolute despotism, violatory of all the laws for the government of India, thought the present short session, occupied as it would be with a multiplicity of other important matters, would not afford a proper opportunity for coming to a determination upon it.
§ Mr. H. Addingtonthought there was a combination of every private and public reason for coming to a decision as speedily as possible. Those who had been members of the last parliament, had read all the documents which had been ordered, he would say too precipitately, without the substantiation of a prima facie case of guilt. The papers in the vote office would supply the new members.
§ The Speakersaid, it was not necessary that papers should be presented and printed in every new parliament, in order to afford ground for parliamentary proceedings. It was enough that they were in the custody of the house, and might be read. If the sense of the house should be to dispose of any papers in its stores to any particular description of members, it would be the duty of the Speaker to carry the wish of the house shortly into execution.— In answer to a wish expressed by sir A. Wellesley, that a day should be appointed for the decision of the question, lord Folkestone stated, that for himself he was always ready to come to the discussion, but he could not fix any day without consulting others.