§ MR. SHAWbegged to ask the right hon. Baronet at the head of the Government a question in respect of the Bill for the prevention of crime in Ireland. The right hon. Baronet (Sir R. Peel) had the other night, at the request of the hon. and learned Gentleman (Mr. O'Connell), and contrary to the usual course, agreed to follow the precedent set by Lord Althorp, with reference to a Bill of a similar nature; and instead of reading the Bill a first time, as a matter of course, on coming from the House of Lords, to have it printed, and then give notice of the first reading. In that case, the Bill had been passed in the House of Lords on Friday the 22nd of February, 1833; and Lord Althorp at once moved that it should be printed, and gave notice that he would move the first reading on the Wednesday following, the 27th, and he moved it accordingly on that day. In 1833, Parliament had not met till the 29th of January. In the present year, Parliament met on the 22nd of January. The Bill passed not till Friday last, the 13th of March; and the question be (Mr. Shaw) would then ask the right hon. Baronet (Sir R. Peel), was, whether in point of the time of proceeding with the Bill, he would follow the precedent of Lord Althorp; or at what time the right hon. Baronet (Sir R. Peel) would proceed with the Bill?
§ SIR R. PEELbelieved, that, on the occasion referred to by the right hon. and learned Gentleman, the Secretary of State for the Home Department introduced the Bill, and immediately moved that it should be printed. It was true that in answer to a question put by the hon. and learned Gentleman the Member for Cork, the other evening, he stated that he thought it desirable that the precedent which had been so recently established should in the present case be followed. He also stated that it was his earnest wish to name the earliest day for the consideration of this measure. But the right hon. Gentleman must have heard the prayer of the petition which he presented this very evening, stating that 1046 the greatest inconvenience, was experienced from the measures of the Government not being decided upon. He was most anxious to proceed with those measures, though he was far from imputing any wish on the part of any hon. Member to occasion unnecessary delay. He had already stated that he was willing to postpone the consideration of the sugar duties, in order to give precedence to the Irish Bill. He did not know whether the House would conclude the debate on the Tariff to-night. He had hoped they might. He had fixed the second reading of the Corn Bill for to-morrow (Tuesday). He would then name the earliest possible day for the first reading of the Irish Life Protection Bill, and he was determined to proceed with it as rapidly as he could.