HC Deb 01 June 1858 vol 150 cc1402-3

Order for Third Reading read.

SIR JOHN TRELAWNY moved that this Bill be read a third time.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read the third time."

MR. DRUMMOND

objected to proceeding with the Bill at that late hour (half-past One), and moved that the debate be adjourned.

SIR JOHN TRELAWNY

said, he hoped the hon. Member would not persist in his Motion for the adjournment. The Bill had been amply discussed, and if it was not brought in now another opportunity of passing it would not be easily got.

MR. NEWDEGATE

said, hon. Members on the Opposition side of the House seemed determined to send as many measures as possible of this kind to the other House—their object being to put down the independence of that assembly. They intended by the sheer force of numbers and by brute force to invade the independence of the House of Lords, and he, for one, would use every means in his power to oppose them. He, therefore, trusted that hon. Members on that side of the House would claim their right to express their opinions on that the last and most important stage of the Bill.

MR. BRIGHT

said, he did not want the House to decide without discussion; as long as he had sat there he had never tried to put down any hon. Member. Tuesdays and Wednesdays were the only days now open to private Members, and there was no chance of their being able to get much business through on either of those days. He would not press this question forward now, if there was any chance of their being able to get another day. He therefore hoped the hon. Member for Surrey would not persist in his Motion for an adjournment.

MR. GLADSTONE

intended to vote for the adjournment of the debate, thinking that such an important measure as that ought not to be read a third time at Two o'clock in the morning, especially as a number of hon. Members were anxious to express their opinion. He would suggest that an early day should, if possible, be fixed for the third reading.

LORD JOHN RUSSELL

said, he would have been quite ready to vote for the Bill without any further debate, but he thought the suggestion of the right hon. Gentleman (Mr. Gladstone) was not an unreasonable one. He must say he very much regretted that those who had charge of the Bill had shown so little disposition to accept the suggestions that had been made for a settlement of this question. The matter, however, would probably come before the House in another Session, as it was little likely that the House of Lords would pass the Bill in its present shape.

MR. DRUMMOND

remarked, that he saw plain indications of a great anxiety on the part of hon. Members to go to bed.

MR. ROEBUCK

said, he wished to know whether the Chancellor of the Exchequer could not give a day for the Bill.

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

said, he was anxious that the opinion of the House should be taken on the Bill, but thought it rather unreasonable to propose the third reading at Two o'clock in the morning. He regretted that he could not offer a day for the Bill in the present pressing state of public business. There, however, was only one order for Wednesday, June 9, the Tenants' Compensation (Ireland) Bill, and if by some arrangement that could be determined early in the day, the third reading of this Bill might be then taken.

Motion made, and Question put, "That the Debate be now adjourned."

The House divided:—Ayes 103; Noes 150: Majority 47.

Question again proposed, "That the Bill be now read the third time."

MR. HUME moved that the House do now adjourn.

MR. COLLIER

said, he must stigmatize the opposition to this Bill as factious, and hoped that his hon. Friend would persevere.

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

The House divided:—Ayes 78; Noes 136: Majority 58.

Question again proposed, "That the Bill be now read the Third Time."

Debate arising.

Debate adjourned till Tuesday next at Twelve o'clock.

House adjourned at a quarter before Three o'clock.