§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTONI rise to move that Mr. Speaker do issue his warrant to the Clerk of the Crown directing a new writ to issue for the election of a Com- 1881 missioner to serve in the present Parliament for the Montrose district of Burghs, in the room of the late Joseph Hume, Esq., deceased. Sir, I cannot in doing this simply confine myself to the words of the Motion. I am confident that I should not be doing justice to the feelings of the House if I were not to express my feelings of regret, which are shared, I am sure, by all who hear me, and my feelings of respect for the colleague, for the Member whose loss we are now going to replace. Sir, it was said of an eminent man who lived in former times—"That he gave to party what he owed to his country." Now, the very reverse of this must be said of our late colleague, Mr. Hume, for the party to which he devoted the labours of his life was his country, and beyond his country the general interests of mankind at large. Many men, Sir, have gained for themselves eminent positions in this House, by availing themselves of the assistance of a faithful band of friends, whose object was to acquire political power for the purpose of governing their country. Mr. Hume was a remarkable exception of a man who gained for himself an eminent position not only in this House, and in the estimation of the country, but who succeeded in establishing for himself a name, not only European, but of still wider range—by exertions disinterested as far as he himself was concerned, and equally distinct from any attempt to acquire, either by his own exertions, or by those of his friends, political power in this country. Sir, he was a man of whom it has been said, that he took the lead in almost every branch of improvement, and in every measure of improvement which has of late years been carried into practical operation. He possessed an industry which nothing could tire or overcome. His acquirements spread over the whole range of those matters which concerned the interest of his country, and the general welfare of the community at large. But Mr. Hume had still another claim on the grateful recollection of this House. He possessed great perseverance, and it is only due to him to say, that in the whole course of his pursuits and attempts to carry out his own opinions, he frequently had many opposed to him, and he was frequently exposed to those party conflicts which are the necessary obstacles in the way of any man who wishes to enforce his opinions in this House; but nothing ever passed between him and those most opposed to him which at any time left one trace of 1882 resentment, one particle of bitterness, in his mind. I remember it to have been said of a person who held a high position in this House, that whatever acrimony might have been created in party conflict, that feeling never went beyond the doors of the House. I am certain I may say of our late Friend (Mr. Hume), that any feeling which had been excited by party conflict never went so far even as to the doors. Sir, a man of greater industry, a man who devoted the whole labours of his life more entirely to what he considered good and serviceable to his country, never sat within these walls; and I am persuaded even those who most differed with him in opinion on matters which he felt it his duty to bring before the House, and to recommend to the adoption of Parliament, must do him the justice to admit that he acted from the purest motives and a sincere desire to advance the welfare of his country. Those who differed with him must do this justice to his character; and we must all of us admit that a man possessing his ability, his habits of industry, and his disinterested character must, at all times, be a great loss to this House. He was a peculiarity belonging to the age in which he lived. He had party feelings—that is, he was associated with those who agreed with him in politics; but his party feelings were totally independent of any question of political ascendancy. He never regarded anything but what he considered was for the good of his country when success rewarded his achievements, and when he failed he never relaxed an effort, but still continued the career of his public duty. In conclusion, he was a man on whom we must all look back with admiration and regret, and no man feels more sincerely than I do the cause which has led me to make the Motion which it is my duty to bring forward.
§ SIR JOSHUA WALMSLEYPrivileged, Sir, to enjoy for many years the confidence and friendship of the late lamented Member, I may, perhaps, be permitted to add one sentence to the well-deserved tribute which the noble Viscount at the head of Her Majesty's Government has paid to the memory of our departed friend. It may be justly said, that his unostentatious labours for the public good were only excelled by his private worth. Even in the arena of political strife, he never either made an enemy or lost a friend. And I would indulge the hope that the representatives of a grateful people will not suffer services at once so eminent 1883 and disinterested to pass away without some memorial worthy of them and of the country.
§ MR. BROTHERTONsaid, he wished to be permitted to pay a humble tribute of respect to the memory of Mr. Hume. He had been for twenty-one years a witness of his labours, and he never saw a man less actuated by feelings of party than Mr. Hume, or who had more claims to the respect and veneration of the country. If ever there was a honest Member of Parliament, Mr. Hume was one.
§ Motion agreed to.