§ MR. STAFFORD, adverting to the notice of Motion of the hon. Member for Portarlington, for the issuing of a writ for the election of a Member for the borough of Sligo, which notice, in consequence of the House not meeting yesterday, had become a dropped notice, said, that previous to and at the commencement of the present Session, any hon. Member might have moved for the issuing of a writ as a matter of privilege without notice; but in consequence of a Motion of the hon. Member for Montrose, every Member was now required to give one day's notice of any Motion he intended to bring forward. The hon. Member for Portarlington had complied with this rule; but he did not think that rule, respecting dropped notices, applied to a case of privilege; and, therefore, he was of opinion that the hon. Member for Portarlington might make his Motion now, notwithstanding the House did not meet yesterday.
§ MR. SPEAKERsaid, that all Motions for new writs were formerly matters of privilege, and therefore had precedence of any other business; but the House had waved that privilege by requiring a previous notice of any Motion founded on a special report by an Election Committee. Now, the question raised was, whether a dropped notice respecting such a Motion was required to be renewed? The rule of the House with regard to dropped notices was this—that where they contained any matter that was not debateable, hon. Members might move them at the time the notices of Motion were read; but where the notices contained matter that was debateable, the practice of the House was to put off such notices until the other notices had been disposed of.