MR. BERNALwished it to be distinctly understood that it was impossible to know or to be answerable for the contents of such a number of Bills as had come down from the other House since Twelve o'clock, the Amendments in which the House was called upon to agree with before Three o'clock. He alluded more particularly to Railway Bills. In the ensuing Session he trusted some measures would be taken to put a stop to a practice which was utterly repugnant to anything like sound legislation, or to the respect which was due to the House of Commons.
§ MR. SPEAKERsaid, he agreed with the observations which had just fallen from the hon. Member for Rochester. When many Bills came down from the House of Lords at this late period of the Session, but little opportunity was afforded to the House to consider them; but he had looked at the Amendments referred to, and it appeared to him there was nothing in them that interfered with the privileges of the House, or altered, as he understood, the main features of the measure referred to.
§ MR. HUMEentirely agreed in the observations of his hon. Friend the Member for Rochester as to the propriety of the House altering their mode of proceeding in this respect. When he observed the bustle and hurry which had been exhibited that day with respect to these private Bills, he felt bound to protest against such a mode of legislation. The table was covered with Bills, and he thought it would be better to throw them all out, than pass them in such a way as precluded the House from becoming acquainted with their contents. Some rule ought to be laid down with respect to the period of introducing Bills and proceeding with them. He would ask if such a course of transacting the public business would redound to the dignity of the House?
§ MR. FOX MAULE, as a confirmation of what had fallen from his hon. Friend the Member for Rochester, would state a circumstance which had occurred within the last two hours. Among the Bills which had come down from the Lords, and which had been read a third time that morning, was a Railway Bill. His noble Friend the Vice-President of the Board of Trade (Earl Granville) had come down to the other House with the view of introducing 1075 into it certain clauses which had been prepared by the Railway Commission; but when he arrived there he found that this Bill had been read a third time and passed, and sent down to that House. The Railway Board would not be able to introduce the Amendments which it proposed unless that House should consider what course should be taken.
§ MR. DISRAELIobserved, that the whole of the conversation showed that the contemplated prorogation of Parliament was premature, and rendered legislation, according to the admission of a Member of the Government, unworthy of the confidence of that House. As public Bills were of just as much importance as private Bills, he had some time ago proposed that the same rule should be applied to both, and that a day should be fixed beyond which no Bills should be introduced, unless they were mere continuing Bills, or Bills called for by some sufficient public exigency at the time. The truth was, that as soon as Parliament was prorogued for six months, neither the Ministry, from whatever party formed, nor those efficient Gentlemen who worked under them, ever considered public business, but employed the whole of the six months of the vacation in what was called relaxation. They began to prepare their measures only at the moment when Parliament reassembled. He hoped the almost disgraceful scene which had been witnessed in the House during the last few days in connexion with the conduct of business, would induce the House to make some change in this respect.
§ Subject dropped.