The Chancellor of the Exchequerlaid on the Table certain Papers containing an account of the Civil List expenditure. They were ordered to be printed. He then gave notice, that on Friday next, he should move that the House do resolve itself into a committee of the whole House, to consider so much of the Speech of his Majesty as related to the Civil List.
Mr. Humewished to know whether the right hon. Gentleman intended on that night to propose a vote to the House, or merely to make a statement on which he should afterwards ask for a vote?
Mr. Humeremarked, that in that case, the House would be taken by surprise, as they could not in such haste be prepared to vote the Civil List; and if the resolutions were pressed, he should certainly be compelled to take the sense of the House against coming to any decision at that time.
The Chancellor of the Exchequersaid, that the Papers he had just laid on the Table contained full information on the subject.
Sir James Grahamcalled the attention of the right hon. Gentleman opposite to the return he had moved for last Session, respecting the salaries, pay, profit, and emoluments of those gentlemen who received more than 1,000l. a year. Though his motion had been carried, that return had not yet been made, and the House could not be called on to come to any resolution regarding the Civil List while they were uninformed on that subject.
The Chancellor of the Exchequersaid, that every exertion had been made to complete that return, but two or three names were yet wanting. If the hon. Baronet would consent to receive it in that imperfect state, it could be given to him in a few days at furthest.
§ Mr. Tennysonshould oppose any vote for the Civil List till the House at large were fully informed upon the plan on which it was to be framed; and he called on the Ministers not to put the House in the situation of appearing to refuse anything to his Majesty, when, in fact, they would only be hesitating about coming to a vote till the Ministers had given them the information they properly required.
§ Mr. Maberlyurged the necessity of furnishing the House with all proper information before the vote on the Civil List was called for.
Mr. Humesaid, if the right hon. Gentleman pressed for a vote on Friday night, he should certainly be obliged to take the sense of the House against it.