HC Deb 27 April 1858 vol 149 cc1867-71
MR. AYRTON

said, that he wished to move the adjournment of the House, and he should persist in that Motion if he should not receive from the hon. Member for Tewkesbury (Mr. Lygon), who had given notice of his intention to move for leave to introduce a Bill for the amendment of the law of church rates, an assurance that he would not do more, if the sitting were continued, than merely bring forward his Motion without any comment, for the purpose of having the measure introduced and printed.

Motion made and Question proposed, "That this House do now adjourn."

MR. LYGON

said, he did not wish to do more upon that occasion than to move, without entering into any explanation, for leave to introduce his Bill.

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

said, he hoped the hon. Member for the Tower Hamlets (Mr. Ayrton) would not persist in his Motion for the adjournment of the House, but would allow them to proceed with the Orders of the day, to which he believed no opposition would be offered, and which it was very desirable that they should at once advance a stage.

SIR JOHN TRELAWNY

said, that if the hon. Member for Tewkesbury were to introduce his Bill, he should rather that hon. Gentleman accompanied his Motion with an explanation. He was not disposed to take any unfair advantage of the hon. Gentleman, although he could not think that he and his friends had been well treated on Wednesday last, when the debate on the Church Rate Abolition Bill was prolonged until an hour when it became impossible to take a division upon it.

MR. LYGON

said, he rose to offer an explanation of the course he had pursued on Wednesday last, but was met by cries of "Spoke."

LORD ROBERT CECIL

said, he thought there was nothing unfair in the course taken on Wednesday last by the opponents of the Church Rate Abolition Bill. They had merely sought to afford the House an opportunity of considering on a future day a compromise of that question, founded on principles which had received the approval of the right hon. Gentleman the late Chancellor of the Exchequer, and of the right hon. Gentleman the late Secretary for the Home Department.

MR. STEUART

said, that if the opponents of church rates pressed the Motion for the adjournment, in order to prevent the introduction of this Bill, they would prove that their object was to prevent the settlement of this question.

SIR GEORGE LEWIS

said, he would recommend his hon. Friend to withdraw the Motion for the adjournment of the House, and suggested that the hon. Member for Tewkesbury should select another day for the introduction of his Bill.

MR. ROEBUCK, who had seconded the Motion for the adjournment of the House, said, that he was quite willing to consent to its withdrawal, provided it was understood that the hon. Member for Tewkesbury (Mr. Lygon) was not to introduce his Bill without discussion.

MR. WALPOLE

said, he would call attention to the fact that it was then twenty minutes to one o'clock, and remind his hon. Friend the Member for Tewkesbury that if this Motion was defeated, it might be repeated as soon as he had addressed the House.

MR. LYGON

said, he would consent to postpone his Motion until Wednesday, with the view of finding some day on which he might bring it forward; at the same time he wished to disclaim having been actuated by factious motives on Wednesday last.

Motion, by leave, withdrawn.

House adjourned at One o'clock.