§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERmoved that the following Members be nominated on the Select Committee on Public Accounts:—Sir Francis Baring, Sir Stafford Northcote, Sir James Graham, Sir Henry Willoughby, Mr. Glyn, Mr. Howes, Mr. Cobden, Sir Baldwin Leighton, and Mr. Peel. He said the Government, after a great deal of consideration, had determined, on departing in one point from the recommendations of the Committee on Public Monies, to which the appointment of this Select Committee was due. The recommendation had been that this Select Committee should be nominated by the direct authority of the Speaker. These names had been chosen with a view to give satisfaction to both sides of the House, and fairly to represent all parties, while bringing as much talent, knowledge, and experience as possible to discharge these important functions.
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Motion made, and Question proposed,
That the Select Committee do consist of Sir Francis Baring.
§ MR. HENNESSYobjected to the list proposed, because it did not contain a single Irish name; and he referred to a Resolution which was passed at a meeting recently held in the county that he represented, in support of this claim.
§ MR. SEYMOUR FITZGERALDobserved that no Scotch Member had been placed on the Committee; Scotland was as unrepresented as Ireland; this was a great mistake. He had no fault to find with the names selected, though they included an hon. Member now in Algiers (Mr. Cobden), and it was not certain he would be able to attend. As a mere mark of respect to Ireland and Scotland, two Members from 774 those parts of the kingdom ought to have been placed on the Committee.
MR. LYGON, in order to meet the objections that would be made on both sides of the House and to allow some arrangements to be made, moved the adjournment of the debate.
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, he would not have opposed the adjournment if it had been asked for the purpose of more fully discussing the subject as one of much importance; but he could not sanction the notion that on a question of public accounts, which had no imaginable bearing on any separation of interests between one part of the kingdom and another, these national distinctions should be imported into the appointment of a Committee of that House. The Government had sought to ascertain what hon. Members were best qualified to undertake these duties, which were of a dry and repulsive kind, and he believed their choice was correct.
§ MR. SEYMOUR FITZGERALDsaid, he had not raised the question of nationality; quite the contrary. It was the nomination of the Committee that raised it distinctly.
§ MR. CHILDERSremarked that if those hon. Gentleman objected because there was no Member from Ireland or Scotland on the list, he might as well say the same for Yorkshire as the largest county in England.
§ Motion made, and Question put, "That the Debate be now adjourned."
§ The House divided:—Ayes 15; Noes 43: Majority 28
§ Original Question put, and agreed to.
§ The Committee was then nominated.
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Select Committee nominated:—
Sir FRANCIS BARING, Sir STAFFORD NORTHCOTE, Sir JAMES GRAHAM, Sir HENRY WILLOUGHBY, Mr. GLYN, Mr. HOWES, Mr. COBDEN, Sir BALDWIN LEIGHTON, and Mr. PEEL:—Power to send for persons, papers, and records; Five to be the quorum.
§ House adjourned at a quarter before One o'clock.