§ Mr. O'Connell rose to present a Petition from the Council of the Political Union, Birmingham, praying that the House would accelerate the progress of the Reform Bill. He felt highly honoured by having this petition placed in his hand. The hon. Member proceeded to read the Petition, which set forth—that the confidence which the Petitioners reposed in that honourable House, had hitherto induced them to wait with patience for the issue of its deliberations; but that they regretted to observe, that the nation's determination to possess, at length, the rights of which it had been so long deprived, was set at nought; and that deference was 589 paid, less to the will of a united people, than to the sordid and frivolous objections of interested individuals. The petitioners had observed, with disgust and indignation, the factious and puerile opposition made to the opinions of a majority of that honourable House, and to the demands of an oppressed and insulted people; and with feelings of a nearly similar character, they contrasted the rapidity with which measures of penalty and of spoliation had been enacted by former Parliaments, with the extraordinary tardiness at present displayed in completing a wholesome and healing measure of wisdom, justice and conciliation. The petitioners respectfully reminded that honourable House, that the state of distress which had so long oppressed the energies of the nation, and filled the country with anxiety and misery, imperatively demanded the immediate attention of the House, and the adoption of comprehensive and effectual remedies; but it was impossible, until the present great measure of Reform should be carried into effect, that such attention should be given, and such remedies applied; and, therefore, the petitioners felt it their duty to urge upon the House the absolute necessity of no longer permitting the Bill of Reform to be retarded in its progress, and the sufferings of an oppressed but patient people prolonged, by the obstinate and factious opposition made by a small and interested minority to the acknowledged and expressed opinions of the great majority of the Members of that hon. House, and of the people of the United Kingdom.
§ Sir C. Forbes rose to order. He was sure such a petition could not be received.
§ The Speakerhad not himself risen to stop the hon. and learned Member, and he thought the hon. Member was rather too hasty, because he was persuaded, that the hon. and learned Member, when he came to a full stop, would himself see the propriety of not proceeding with the petition.
Mr. O'Connellwished, by reading the petition at length, to enable the House to decide as to its reception; he had determined not to gloss over any part of it. He was entirely in the hands of the Speaker, and would appeal to him whether the petition could be received or not.
[The proceedings were interrupted by the Usher of the Black Rod commanding the attendance of the Commons in the House of Peers, to hear the Royal Assent to certain Bills. The Speaker, accompanied 590 by nearly all the Members who were in the House, accordingly withdrew: on returning, he announced that his Majesty had given the Royal Assent from the Throne to the Bill for enabling his Majesty to provide for the Queen, and some private Bills.]
§ The Speakercalled on
Mr. O'Connellto proceed. The hon. and learned Gentleman said, as the petition was most respectably signed, he thought it right to press the consideration of it on the House; the rather that, owing to various circumstances, the public at large began to believe, that there was some disposition to trifle with their feelings and judgment by what had taken place in opposition to the Reform Bill. He was himself deeply impressed with this opinion, and, therefore, he wished to bring up the petition, which was respectably signed. He put himself, however, in the hands of the Speaker.
§ The Speakerfelt obliged to the hon. and learned Gentleman by his referring to him on the subject, which he was sure arose from the confidence the hon. and learned Gentleman felt, that he would give an opinion on the question conformably to the strict line of his duty, and carefully abstain from giving any opinion on the merits of the petition, which hon. Members, who might speak after him, might think departing from the strict line of his duty. With this preface, he must say, that he had no doubt whatever in his own mind that the petition could not be received. The House must feel, that from the letter, as well as the spirit, of the petition, it was directed against the course of proceedings in that House. It offered comments on what had passed there, infringing on that freedom of discussion which was necessary to their debates, and which could not be infringed without mischief, and was exercised by all the Members on their own responsibility, and without any other restraint. He had given his opinion in a few words, and he hoped explicitly, and that opinion was entirely independent of the merits of the petition.
§ The Speakerapproved of that, and observed, that his object was, to prevent any irritated feelings from being mingled up with the discussions and arguments to which the petition might give rise.
§ Sir R. Vyvyanwished to address the House on the subject of the petition.
Mr. O'Connellstated, that there was no question before the House. He had not moved that the petition should be brought up.
§ The Speakerobserved, that the withdrawal of the petition precluded the idea of discussion. If, indeed, the hon. and learned Gentleman had proposed, that the petition should be brought up, the case would be different. There was no motion before the House.
§ Sir R. Vyvyanexpressed great concern that the statements of the petition should go forth unanswered.
§ The Speakersaid, when the hon. Baronet spoke of the petition going forth, he forgot, that the petition was not in the possession of the House. The only parliamentary reading of the petition was at the Table, but the petition had not been brought up. The hon. Member had read part of the petition as part of his speech; but before the hon. Member concluded, he had appealed to the Chair, and had made no motion. The hon. and learned Member had acquiesced in the observations made from the Chair, and no motion was before the House—The subject dropped.