§ MR. BAILLIE COCHRANErose to put a question to the hon. Member for Tewkesbury, the hon. Member for the Tower Hamlets, the hon. Member for Bodmin, the hon. Member for Macclesfield, and the hon. Member for Southampton, respecting the International English and French Association, whose proceedings involve the dignity and character of the House of Commons.
§ MR. SPEAKERintimated that the hon. Member could not be permitted to put such a question to any hon. Member.
§ MR. BAILLIE COCHRANEthen said, he would put the question to the only Member of the Government present, the hon. Under Secretary for the Home Department; but, previously to so doing, he (Mr. Cochrane) would premise that a prospectus had been issued, headed "Intellectual Treat;"—"England's Return Visit to the National Guards of France;"—"Registered according to Act of Parliament;"—and having attached to it the names of the five hon. Members he had mentioned, namely, Messrs. J. Wyld, H. Brown, G. Thompson, J. Williams, and B. Willcox, from which he would read a few extracts, to show its extraordinary and peculiar character:—
There was something delicate and gentlemanly, there was something congenial and manly, in the idea which suggested a military visit of citizenship to the English nation. To come, some fifteen hundred of armed soldiers, into the English metropolis, was to convey this double inference—first, that the spirit of honour was paramount in France, and the spirit of security paramount in England. We may be said to have gracefully received a visit which was gracefully paid, and in unlocking the vast stores of our country to the gaze, and it may be to the admiration of another land, we were exhibiting the sinews of war and the prosperity of peace, and devoutly cherishing the hope, that we might never strain the first, but ever preserve the latter, in all our relations with the country whose honoured deputies were then nestled in the bosom of England, and whom, we solemnly trust, found no want of warmth or geniality in their nest. The social spirit which takes must give! We dine together—we, France and England—in a family 1099 sense! You, France, dine with me to-day, and I, England, claim your hospitality to-morrow. The visit of the National Guard Citizens of France may now be returned by nobles, gentry, merchants, tradesmen, and yeomen of our own land. Then will this national deputation, abandoning their domesticity for the attraction of a new hospitality, infuse the intellectuality of civilisation into the friendliness of a national regard. With these prefatory remarks, we now announce, that England returns to France her visit of citizenship. For the purpose of making it complete, effective, and in harmony with the circumstances of the times, we know that, while the higher classes will of course preserve the dignity of their position, and while the merchant classes will be prepared for the exercise of their accustomed liberality, yet that our compliment to France would be comparatively nullified, and in no wise accord with the spirit of universality which now belongs to the French Constitution, if the simply competent did not accompany the rich—if there were not, in fact, a certain fraternisation of classes, and the presence of those who will seek to limit the expense of the journey of compliment they are prepared to undertake. To meet this contingency, the association, which has commenced the accessary organisation of the visit, has ventured upon the responsibility of blending with it some commercial considerations—for those who find it really necessary to put business into the pocket of pleasure—and with this significant intimation the English public is now directed to the carefully weighed outlines, in the spirit of which the arrangements will be eventually carried out. Besides the impulse of national generosity—the genial glow of fellowship—the dignity and worth of the occasion, and the principles of peace and commerce, of which it will go far to link the chain—there are personal vanities, and spurs, and promises of happiness and entertainment—the honour of going with the association—the economy of seeing everything for nothing. Nor will the mercantile man and the commercial traveller fail to throng the list of candidates. One will say, 'Hospitality engenders conviviality, and conviviality, business; and if I can saddle these upon the horse of pleasure, it will be an honourable sort of carpe diem:'—the other will exclaim, 'I go as an item in the general nationality, I partake the compliment, the applause, and it may so happen that I may bring home with me the spring fashions of the young republic' Enough has been said to indicate that this visit will be, though large in numbers, at least select in the character of the visitors. Ladies shall be provided with proper escort. That stewards may be appointed, for the purposes of classing together, as far as may be practicable, those visitors who may already have an acquaintance with each other, so as to give to the visit the freedom of a number of friendly parties, the management have pleasure in announcing that they have secured the valuable assistance of Mr. Joseph Crisp, who has had great practical experience in similar undertakings.This being the invaluable, the amusing programme of the proceedings, he begged to ask the hon. Under Secretary, as it purported to be "registered under Act of Parliament," whether he were aware if 1100 this was this case; or whether, as might be reasonably supposed, the whole affair was a hoax?
MR. CORNEWALL LEWISsaid, he must confess his entire ignorance of the whole matter till his attention was called to it by the hon. Member. He knew nothing of the particulars which the hon. Gentleman had detailed to the House; but, as far as he could follow the extracts which were read, whatever might be thought of the wisdom of forming such an association, it seemed to be formed for quite innocent objects, and not requiring to come in any way under the observation of the Home Office.
§ MR. WYLDsaid, in order to have an opportunity of explaining the matter, he would move the adjournment of the House.
§ MR. SPEAKERIf the hon. Member move the adjournment of the House, he must show good cause why the House should adjourn. He must not speak upon other questions while moving the adjournment of the House.
§ MR. SPEAKERThe hon. Member must remark that I would not allow the hon. Member for Bridport to put his question to individual Members. I could not prevent him putting his question to a Minister; but it is against the rules of Parliament to put questions to individual Members not connected with the business of this House.
§ Subject at an end.