AFFIRMATION BILL. (Hansard, 30 March 1849)

MR. P. WOOD
said, that this Bill had been hitherto unopposed; but he now understood that at this late stage the right hon. Gentleman the Member for the University of Cambridge (Mr. Goulburn) was desirous of discussing its principle, although 133 he had allowed it to go unopposed during all throe of the previous opportunities he had already had of debating it. He trusted the right hon. Gentleman would allow the Bill to pass through its present stage; and he (Mr. Wood) would take the first Wednesday after the recess for the third reading, if the right hon. Gentleman would reserve his opposition till then.

§ MR. GOULBURN
explained the reasons that had prevented him from being present at the previous stages of the Bill, and thought it hard that, now that he was enabled, at last, to be present, he should be told that, not having been present before, he ought to wait till the Bill arrived at its last stage before he discussed its principle. The Bill involved considerations of very great importance, which the House ought well to discuss; and as hon. Members appeared to be too much exhausted by the previous debate for the House now to enter at that late hour (past twelve o'clock) into the subject, he hoped the hon. and learned Gentleman would not object to postpone the present stage to some future day, that a clear statement might be placed before the House of what the Bill's contents really were, which he believed was not the case at present.

§ SIR E. BUXTON
said, it was very unusual to have a discussion on the bringing up of the report, and he trusted the right hon. Gentleman who had last spoken would consent to defer any discussion which he thought necessary until the third reading.

§ MR. SPEAKER
then inquired whether there were any amendments or additional clauses; and having been answered by Mr. P. Wood in the negative, said, that in that case, according to the new rules, the report must be received.