§ The Chancellor of the Exchequersaid, that, perhaps, it would be for the convenience of the House if he were to state that, in consequence of the same cause which had interrupted the progress of the business of the House, he proposed postponing his financial statement from Monday next till the Friday following.
§ Sir R. Peelsaid, that no one could more deeply regret than he did the necessity that had arisen for postponing public business; at the same time, he thought that the financial statement might have been made in the absence of the noble Lord, the Secretary for the Colonies, as it did not often meet with controversial discussion, and it put the House and the country in possession of the financial views of the Government. If it were impossible for the right hon. Gentleman to change his determination, he wished to understand whether the right hon. Gentleman could calculate upon bringing on the subject on Friday next. On Thursday the hon. Member for Wolverhampton had given notice, that it was his intention to bring forward the question of the Corn-laws. That question had already occupied the House three nights, and it was possible that the discussion would not close in one night. The right hon. Gentleman must also bear in mind that his noble Friend (Lord Stanley) had fixed Monday for his Irish Registration Bill, and the consequence might be, that Friday fortnight would be the earliest day on which the right hon. Gentleman could make his financial statement. He must again express his regret that the right hon. Gentleman had felt the necessity of postponing his financial statement.
§ The Chancellor of the Exchequersaid, that he considered it necessary to postpone his financial statement, as, feeling that that statement might lead to a debate of considerable importance to the permanent interests of the country, he did not think that he should be justified 1315 in bringing it forward in the absence of his noble Friend. He was prepared to bring forward that statement on the very first day that his noble Friend was able to attend, but he begged to state, that he certainly was not prepared to postpone the budget, if the debate on the Corn-laws should be adjourned. On Friday he should propose that the financial statement take precedence, whatever might be the result.
§ Mr. Humesaid, that that was not a very fair mode of treating a question which had already occupied three nights. The House had come to no decision upon the subject, and if they now thought- fit to hurry over it, they might as well come to a division without any move discussion. If there were to be any discussion, he hoped it would be a fair discussion, in order that the country might see what was really the opinion of the House. He submitted that the right hon. Gentleman was not acting very fairly towards this question, and he hoped that the right hon. Gentleman would postpone his budget a few days, rather than interfere with the question of Corn-laws, in which the country felt so deep an interest.
§ The Chancellor of the Exchequersaid, that under the circumstances, perhaps, his hon. Friend, the Member for Wolverhampton (Mr. Villiers) would deem it advisable to postpone his motion.