§ SIR J. WALSHwas anxious to avail himself of this opportunity of addressing a question to those hon. Members of the House who were more familiar with the form of business than he could pretend to be—he meant in reference to the course 765 adopted yesterday of counting out the House during the period of the transaction of private business. He (Sir J. Walsh) considered it a most unusual one. It was well known that much complaint had arisen that Houses had not been made; that forty Members had not been present; and there had been at times a great deal of recrimination and accusation against the Government for preventing the formation of a House. It was also well known that the public debates had unfortunately not attracted a largo portion of the attention of the House, and hon. Members had frequently exercised the privilege of counting out the House on those occasions; but he bogged to submit to the House, and those hon. Gentlemen who were conversant with its forms, whether it was not very unusual for a Member, after a House had been made, and before the period of the transaction of public business, to avail himself of the privilege of counting out the House, and thus losing the whole of the labours of the House for the evening. On the present occasion there was a most important Motion coming forward, attracting a large share of attention from Irish Members; and if any Member counted out the House to abridge the labours of the House, he did so with a very mistaken view. A legitimate occasion would thus have arisen for discussing a most important question. So far from there being any gain—so far from the House thereby abridging its labours—he was convinced these questions would reproduce themselves in a manner much more inconvenient to the House. It was really very desirable that they should have some understanding on this head, and he should be glad to hear the opinion of Mr. Speaker on the subject. It was known that a great deal of important private business did take place between four and five o'clock, which was attended by few Members; and it had generally been the understanding of Members that it was not necessary technically to keep a House during that hour. If it was necessary, let this be understood. The privilege might hereafter be exerted in a manner highly injurious to the public service,
§ MR. HUMErose to notice the subject, and to submit to the House whether they could not apply a remedy. He was very unwilling to alter the Orders of the House, or to propose any thing that should not be perfectly safe. He thought that if the House were of opinion with him, that on 766 every occasion when it might be thought fit by any individual to count out the House, or to take notice that there was not a quorum, such Motion should be seconded; they would then have some security against such Motions. He (Mr. Hume) submitted that to-morrow, or on an early day, that should be made a resolution of the House.
§ MAJOR BLACKALL, as the person most interested, his Motion having been the one alluded to as so important to the Irish Members, begged to set himself right. He did not himself complain of the exercise of the privilege by which the House had been counted out, for he admitted that, after the long debate that had taken place on Irish affairs on the preceding day, he could not blame hon. Gentlemen in being unwilling to have it repeated. But he understood it had been alleged that he had yielded to certain influences, and had resolved, in consequence, not to press the question. That he begged leave to deny. He thought the subject a most important one, and it was his auxious desire to have brought it on.
§ MR. BOUVERIEreminded the House of an instance, in a former Session, when the House had been counted out during the time of private business.
§ MR. SPEAKERsaid, that the hon. Baronet (Sir J. Walsh) having asked him a question with regard to the usages of the House, he could only state that whenever (whether during the hours devoted to private or public business) an hon. Member took notice that there were not forty Members present, it was the duty of the Speaker to count the House forthwith and ascertain the fact. The hon. Member, in the course he had taken on the preceding day, had not been guilty of any irregularity, although it certainly was an unusual proceeding.
§ LORD J. RUSSELLsaid, with regard to Members of Government, when they attended at four o'clock to make a House, they very naturally went back to their offices again to finish the business which they were obliged to leave in order to come down at that time.