§ Sir M. W. Ridleyinquired of the noble lord opposite, whether his majesty's government had come to a determination upon what day they intended to submit the proposition for a further continuance of the act for suspending the Habeas Corpus?
Lord Castlereaghsaid, that on the first or second day of the meeting of the House after the adjournment, a communication would be made to it from the Crown, upon which he should feel it his duty to move the revival of the committee which sat on the former occasion. He should do so, because he conceived that those gentlemen who had gone into the previous examination would be best qualified to pursue an inquiry into what had since passed in the country.
§ Mr. Tierneyobserved, that if the country was in such a dangerous state as to require the further suspension of the Habeas Corpus, and if ministers were in possession of the facts which rendered that measure necessary, it was most extraordinary that any delay should occur in making the communication. He always thought it was the duty of ministers to come forward immediately with their intelligence; but now they contented themselves with giving notice that they would frighten the House that day fortnight, and not before.
Lord Castlereaghreplied, that as the present act would not expire till the 1st of July, it would be desirable to look at the state of the country down to the latest possible period, in order to guide their judgments in what future course it might be judged most expedient to adopt. He 686 had, however, no hesitation in saying, that in the view which his majesty's ministers took of the question, the country could not be secured against danger without a renewal of that measure. At the same time, he did not wish to pledge any individual as to the conduct he should pursue when the question came forward.
§ Mr. Tierneysaid, if it was important to communicate at all the intelligence possessed by his majesty's ministers, he could not understand why it should not be now communicated. If, however, the noble lord wished to have the advantage of any chances that might arise in the interim, it was very well; but one thing was certain —something very terrible was to be brought forward on the 2nd of June.