§ On the order of the day for taking into consideration the Lords Amendments to this bill,
Lord Folkestonestated, that as the next motion would be to take the amendments into consideration, he conceived the present was the time for him to declare his conviction, that it was wholly impossible to entertain that subject that night. The very circumstance of the chancellor of the exchequer having but last night agreed to have these amendments printed, was of itself, he thought, sufficient to persuade the House of the propriety of postponing the consideration of such an important measure. He had received indeed, in good time this morning, the various amendments, and had endeavoured as much as lay in his power to master the subject; but all in vain. He had found, besides two entirely new clauses, fifty-five amendments. The printed papers he had received gave only 14 references to the original bill, and of those 14 only one was correct. In some instances, indeed, he could find the matter referred to in the line above or the line below, but never could be certain which was really intended; in others it could not be found at all. The very first reference afforded a strong instance of the incorrectness that prevailed throughout. On these grounds, he thought it impossible that the House should so soon proceed to the discussion of the amendments.
The Solicitor Generalcontended, that the general spirit of the amendments was perfectly intelligible; and that, as the noble lord had stated no objection to the spirit of the clauses, he did not think that any ground for delay had been pointed out.
§ The Speakerstated, that early in the morning one of the printed papers had been brought to him, in which he had discovered several mistakes: these he had corrected, and had ordered the whole to be reprinted, which was all he could do.
Lord Folkestonesaid, it was very hard, after all the pains hon. members had taken to be now told that there was a correct copy, but that they had been losing their time on one which was confessedly erroneous. This was a farther reason why the business should be deferred.
§ Mr. Broughamsaid, that when he last night begged one day's delay, in order that he might have time to understand the amendments, the argument he had insisted on was this—that unless the amendments were printed in time for members 1277 to consider them before they entered on the discussion, it was a mockery to submit them to their inspection; the chancellor of the exchequer then replied, that they should be delivered early in the morning. It was in consequence of this haste, that the references had been so printed, not only as to afford no information, but absolutely to mislead the members. He hoped that, in the face of the circumstance that the House was going to legislate on it knew not what, the right hon. gentleman would postpone the discussion.
The Chancellor of the Exchequerreplied, that the hon. and learned gentleman had yesterday asked for a postponement till after Easter, and on that account he had been provoked to hasten the measure more perhaps than he should otherwise have done. He admitted, under the circumstance of the errors in the references, that the House had not had sufficient time to consider the business. He therefore agreed that the discussion should be deferred till to-morrow.
§ The amendments were ordered to be taken into consideration to-morrow.