Lord Castlereagh,pursuant to notice, moved to revive the regulations which had been adopted last session, respecting the Orders of the Day entered in the book, and the Notices for Motions. His lordship observed, that the business of the House had been much facilitated by setting apart two days in the week, in which the Orders of the Day should have the precedency of motions, without, however, depriving any hon. member of the right of calling the attention of the House to any subject he might think proper. The noble lord moved in consequence, "That in this present session of parliament all Orders of the Day, set down in the Order Book for Mondays and Fridays, shall be disposed of before the House will proceed upon any motions of which Notices shall be entered in the Order Book."
§ Mr. Whitbreadobserved, that this motion was couched in the same terms as that against which he had contended last session. He did not mean, in consequence, to renew in the present instance the arguments he had used on that occasion; but he would renew his protest against a novel measure, which, while it produced no manner of advantage, gave the ministers, 120 whoever they might be, a great influence over the debates of the House. He hoped, however, that members would still insist on the right they enjoyed in good old times, namely, that of making motions whenever they thought proper, and without notice too. He, for one, would always claim that undoubted right, and always exercise it according to his discretion.
§ Lord Miltonalso protested against it as contrary to the usage of parliament, and as tending to cramp the proceedings of the House.
§ The motion was then carried.