§ SIR BULWER LYTTONSir, I wish to ask the noble Lord at the head of Her Majesty's Government a question with respect to the business of this House for Friday next. On that day I believe the hon. Member for Aylesbury (Mr. Layard) intends to bring forward his Motion on the subject of administrative reform on the Order of the day for going into Committee of Supply. According to the rules of the House, no Amendment to a Motion thus made can be entertained. Yet, Sir, there are hon. Gentlemen on both sides of 1866 this House who are favourable to administrative reform, but who cannot accept the precise wording of the hon. Member's Motion; and it is obviously unfair towards the House, and towards hon. Gentlemen in connection with their constituents, that they should be compelled either to appear in hostility to a principle which they in reality advocate, or else to accept with that principle propositions contained in the hon. Member's Motion which they may believe to be inaccurate and unsound. I would therefore respectfully submit to the noble Lord, that if the hon. Gentleman has no objection, he should permit the question to come on as a substantive Motion; in which case, I should place before the House an Amendment, which, I believe, would embody the views that many other hon. Gentlemen entertain, and which might possibly also meet with the general acquiesence of the House.
§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTONI have already stated that the Motion of the hon. Member for Aylesbury would have precedence on Friday on going into a Committee of Supply, and that, if other hon. Gentlemen who had notices of Motion did not consent to waive them, I should move that the Orders of the Day be postponed until after the Motion of the hon. Member for Aylesbury should have been disposed of. I can assure the hon. Baronet and the House, that the Government have no wish except that the question should receive the fullest discussion in the manner most calculated to enable every man to express his opinion as he may think fit; and if the House should prefer, and the hon. Gentleman the Member for Aylesbury should himself prefer, instead of his Motion being brought on as an Amendment to the Motion that the Speaker leave the Chair in order that the House may go into Committee of Supply, to make it a substantive Motion, I shall have no objection to make an arrangement to enable him to bring it forward in that shape.
§ MR. LAYARDI am quite willing to leave myself in the hands of the House,—either to bring my Motion forward as a substantive Motion, or on going into Committee of Supply, provided that I can bring it forward on Friday or on some early day.
§ MR. DISRAELIIt seems to be the general feeling of the House that the Motion should be a substantive one, and I conclude therefore, that it is understood that it will be brought forward as such on 1867 Friday night, and that the Orders of the Day will be postponed until after it is disposed of.
§ MR. V. SCULLYI stated on a former evening that I considered the Motion of the hon. Member for Aylesbury to be objectionable in its terms, as it merely expresses a censure of past mismanagement; and I have, therefore, given notice that I shall move an Amendment to that Motion, which, without blaming any persons for former occurrences, will set forth the necessity of a substantial administrative reform for the future.
§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTONAll I can state is, that if the hon. Gentleman the Member for Aylesbury, who can shape his Motion as he likes, will give notice this evening of a substantive Motion for Friday, I will engage to move on that day that the Orders of the Day be postponed until after that Motion shall have been disposed of. I take it for granted that in that case notice of any Amendments to be proposed to the Motion will be placed upon the paper in sufficient time to allow of their being considered by hon. Members beforehand.
§ MR. LAYARDI will at once give notice that I will bring the subject before the House in the shape of a substantive Motion on Friday.