§ Mr. Ponsonby having moved the second reading of this bill,
Lord Castlereaghsaid, that if the measure were one of a larger extent—if it went to alter the general principle, that all the servants of the Crown should hold their offices from the grant of the monarch immediately on the throne, it would be a proposition new in its nature, and one which would require considerable deliberation. The bill, however, merely went in the event of the demise of the Crown, and the accession of the illustrious personage who now held the office of Regent, to continue all the present offices, a great proportion of which had been granted under the regency, and thus to prevent considerable inconvenience and delay. He had no objection whatever to the bill applying as it did to a special case, and leaving untouched the general principle. He only hoped, that the right hon. gentleman would allow an interval of eight or ten days between the second reading and the committee merely to give an opportunity for the bill to be looked into with reference to its particular wording.
Mr. Ponsonbywas happy that the noble lord regarded the measure in the same light in which it was introduced, and agreed that much convenience might, whilst no ill consequences could, arise from it.
§ The bill was then read a second time.