Mr. E. J. Stanley, having moved for a new writ for the borough of Cambridge, in the room of the right hon. Thomas Spring Rice, who had accepted the office of steward of the Chiltern Hundreds,
Mr. D'Israelisaid, that before these changes had taken place, there ought to have been an explanation given as to the principles on which the Cabinet was to be conducted for the future, and considering the precarious state of the country and its finances, that the new Chancellor of the Exchequer, if not the old, would have given some information upon the general finances of the nation. As he did not see the right hon. Gentleman in his place, and as it appeared that the Cabinet was to be strengthened by recruits from the official underlings, perhaps some of the hon. Gentleman on the Treasury Bench would feel quite authorized and duly qualified to give an exposition of the policy on which the new Cabinet was to be conducted. Till that was done, he should feel it his duty to resist the motion.
Mr. E. J. Stanleysaid, that not being a member of the Cabinet, he could not take upon himself to reply to the question of the hon. Member. But he was satisfied, that on reflection he would see the propriety, in justice to the people of Cambridge, of not persisting in his objection to the issuing of the writ which he had moved for.
§ Motion agreed to.
§ On the motion of Mr. E. J. Stanley, the clerk of the Crown was directed to issue a new writ for the city of Waterford, in the room of Mr. Wyse, who had accepted the office of one of the commissioners appointed to execute the office of Lord High Treasurer.
Mr. D'Israeli, seeing the right hon. Baronet, the President of the Board of Control, in his place, begged to ask the right hon. Baronet if he could afford the House any explanation of the principles on which the new Cabinet was to be conducted? They were about to meet their constituents, and he knew nothing which could be more interesting or important for 596 hon. Members to communicate than the future policy of the Cabinet. There had been three new writs moved for already, and he doubted not that others were still to come, so that the whole Cabinet seemed about to be re-constructed. He, therefore, called upon the right hon. Baronet to give some explanation on the subject.
§ Sir John Hobhousewas not aware that the Government had any intention to change their policy.
§ Subject dropped.