§ The Chancellor of the Exchequerrose to move for certain papers relative to Exchequer-bills. The right hon. Gentleman said that as the returns he moved for contained an account of the number of Exchequer-bills signed by the Comptroller-general and his assistant, they would no doubt render unnecessary the motion of which the hon. Member for Lincoln had given notice.
§ Colonel Sibthorpsaid, until he knew what the papers were he could not withdraw his notice, which he thought was a i necessary one, in order that they might get at the truth; for it appeared by the report of the commissioners, that the Exchequer-bills had, contrary to the provi- 1005 sions of the act of Parliament, been signed in places other than the Exchequer-bill office. They had a right to inquire into the truth of this statement, and to have so important a matter brought fully before the public, because it might happen that condemnation would fall upon really guilty persons, who had now escaped.
§ The Chancellor of the Exchequersaid, that in laying the papers on the Table of the House, he must express his opinion that they would contain all the information the hon. and gallant Gentleman wished. He believed that those papers would contain everything essential to the consideration of the subject. He had not the least wish to withhold anything from the House in this matter, and if the hon. and gallant Member's motion had come on, and he (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) had thought it his duty to resist it, he should have been acting in direct opposition to the wish of the Comptroller-general himself. He hoped the hon. and gallant Colonel would first look at the papers, when laid on the Table, and, when he had seen them, if he did not feel satisfied, he could give notice of a motion on a future day.
Lord J. Russellsaid, the hon. Member had made a statement to which considerable importance would attach, had it been made in a shape demanding attention. Undoubtedly, if it could be proved that Exchequer-bills had been signed in places other than the Exchequer-office, a direct violation of the act of Parliament would be shown to have been committed; but he (Lord J. Russell) did not think the hon. Gentleman would be able in any way to prove his statement.
§ Colonel Sibthorphad made the statement on the authority of the Comptroller-general of the Exchequer himself.