§ Mr. Wodehouseasked the right hon. the Master of the Mint, whom he saw in his place, why a copy of the evidence of Mr. Baring, and of the Governor and Deputy-Governor of the Bank of England, relative to the Silver Standard, which the Government had some time back consented to produce, was not laid on the Table. He thought it essential to give the country every possible information on this subject, in order to see if it would afford a means of relieving our distress.
Mr. Herriessaid, that as far as he was aware, there was every disposition to lay all the evidence obtained by the Government before the House. The occasion on which this evidence was given was peculiar, and perhaps for that reason it might be produced; but in general cases he thought it would be inconvenient to say that communications thus made to the Privy Council were not privileged. He thought that when the papers were produced it would be seen that the Board of Trade had done what was most conducive to the end in view. On looking into the papers he found them divided into four. The first consisted of the evidence of Mr. Baring; the second was a statement of information privately communicated to him; and the third was a memorandum of a conversation between him and the Governor and Deputy-Governor of the Bank of England, which, from the very first passage in it, was clearly of a confidential nature. He thought that the Chancellor of the Exchequer would readily agree to lay on the Table all the papers that could properly be the means of affording information to the House.
Mr. S. Ricethought the explanation of the right hon. Gentleman satisfactory: 75 and he wished to know whether any information could be afforded as to the quantity of silver specie exported?
Mr. Herriessaid, that there were not any means of obtaining accurate information upon that subject.