§ LORD JOHN RUSSELL, in rising to move the Order of the Day for going into Committee of Supply, explained the course he meant to adopt in forwarding the Bills before the House, and then continued: But I wish to make a statement with regard to the general business of the House, so far as legislation is concerned at this time: first, because it is a comparatively early period of the Session; and in the next place, because I have every reason to thank the House for the attention it has given to the business brought before it by the Government; for I do not know an instance when the Government wished to press business forward in which the House has not been disposed to assist them. What I say, therefore, will be said without making the slightest complaint either against the House or against individual Members. My noble Friend the Member for Bath (Lord Duncan) has given to-night an instance of his wish to accommodate the business of the Government by not bringing forward his Motion with regard to the expenditure and management of the Woods and Forests; and I own I should be glad if the hon. Gentleman 969 who has given notice of a Motion with regard to the slave trade (Mr. H. Baillie) would follow the same course which has been taken by the noble Lord and by the hon. Member for Montrose with regard to the resolutions he intends to move. My noble Friend the Member for Lynn (Lord G. Bentinck) has stated that the Committee upon the case of the sugar planters is about to enter upon distinct deliberation, and to make a report in a few days; and I think that, under these circumstances, the Motion of the hon. Gentleman (Mr. Baillie) should not be brought forward until after their report has been received. There are other reasons why the House, if it wishes that matters of legislation should be deliberately considered at a time when there is a full attendance of Members, should not interpose with abstract questions upon days devoted, by the practice of the House, to the business of the Government. I beg to submit to the House that there have been in the course of the last thirty years very great changes in the mode of conducting the business of the House, either of Government or of individual Members. I remember when I first entered Parliament, it was not usual for Government to undertake generally all subjects of legislation. The Government, at that time, generally confined itself to those measures which properly belong to the Administration, or to any particular subject which seemed to them to require immediate attention. At the same time there were at that period Motions generally made that the Orders of the Day, though Notices had precedence, should come in on any day of the week; therefore the business of the Government proceeded at a more rapid pace than it now does. Two great changes have since taken place, and it may be that both of them have been changes for the better; but they are certainly somewhat inconsistent and incompatible with each other. The one is, that for many years, that is, since the passing of the Reform Bill, it has been thought convenient on every subject on which an alteration in the law is required, that the Government should undertake the responsibility of proposing it to Parliament; and the other great change is, that measures of all kinds are now discussed by a greater number of Members, and a far greater number of Motions are made by individual Members than was formerly the case. The consequence of these changes has been, that, though subjects of legislation of very great importance 970 are brought into this House, it is found impossible by any Government—the preceding as well as the present—to bring them on at a time when they can receive fair deliberation; and, therefore, they are frequently put off till quite the end of the Session, when there is a very inadequate attendance. I know it has been often said, though said without much reflection, that there are important measures which have not, though they ought to have been, pressed forward. If the House will consider what is the nature of its own orders, they will see how impossible it is for any Government to press forward measures which should take time for consideration. There are two days, and only two days, in the week, allotted to Government business. That generally gives, considering adjournments and other circumstances, only eight days in the month; and when about four months of the Session have elapsed, it is frequently said that nothing whatever has been done. But out of those four months it will be found there are only thirty days, and no more, in which the Government business can take precedence. Now, I am not making any complaint of this, nor am I asking for any additional number of days. I only wish the House to consider, if they think it necessary that Bills should be brought forward, and pressed more than they are now; and if they are satisfied with the present mode of conducting the business, that, at least, they should reflect it will be important to press them forward for the general purposes of legislation at an early period of the Session. In the present year there are many important questions yet to come under consideration. The income-tax will expire in April next, the Mutiny Bill must be renewed, and the estimates must be voted; but the two questions alone—supply and the income-tax—will probably take up about two months of the days which the Government have at their disposal. The only practical consequence I wish to draw from what I have stated at present is, that upon this, a Government night, the hon. Gentleman being requested should not press his Motion, but allow us to proceed with the Government business. I hope hon. Gentlemen will turn the question in their minds; and perhaps some proposition may be made hereafter which will suit the convenience of the House, and meet with general consent. The noble Lord concluded by moving the Order of the Day for going into Committee of Supply.