§ MR. HAWESmoved, that Mr. Charles Buller should have leave to attend as Counsel before the House of Lords.
The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsuggested that it would be well for the House to pause before it established a precedent in such a case as the present. The result might be inconvenient, and calculated 93 to damage the character of the House.
§ MR. C. BULLERexplained, that he had at first been of opinion that he could not appear before the House of Lords as counsel on a private Bill; but, on inquiry, he was inclined to believe that precedents could be found for such a course with respect to Bills that had passed the House of Commons and gone to the Upper House. Leave had been given to the hon. Member for Bath to appear on the Sudbury Bill before the House of Lords. Under any circumstances, he should have felt himself bound to refrain from voting on any Bill for which he was interested as counsel. It might be replied, that he had no right to waive his duty as a Member of that House; but he wished to know how far the principle was to be carried. Many hon. Members had the most direct interest in Bills before that House, being connected with them as directors and shareholders of private companies. He was desirous that the House should decide the question, and would most readily bow to any decision they might think proper to announce.
The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERthought it most desirable that there should be time to look for precedents before the House came to any decision.
§ SIR J. GRAHAMthought the question was one to be decided more by precedent than by the introduction of any new rule. If there were any precedent, there could be no difficulty in acceding to the hon. Gentleman's proposition; if there were no precedent, the matter was so important that it was desirable to consider it maturely. Perhaps it would not be improper to inquire what was the opinion of the Speaker.
§ MR. SPEAKERobserved, that the Bill might involve a matter of public policy or of private interest. The House had granted permission to the hon. Member for Bath to appear as counsel before the other House of Parliament, in reference to a measure of the former class, namely, the Bill for the disfranchisement of the borough of Sudbury. He (Mr. Speaker) did not know a precedent where a party had been allowed to plead before the House of Lords on a private Bill.
§ MR. HAWES, under the circumstances, would withdraw the Motion, reserving power to bring it forward again for ultimate decision.
§ Motion withdrawn.
§ House adjourned at a quarter past One o'clock.