§ MR. BERNAL OSBORNE—Mr. Speaker, upon a matter which comes under the head of privilege I wish to put a question to you, Sir, as to what I conceive must be a most unjustifiable hoax, that has been practised upon the Lord High Chancellor of England and the noble Lords in another place. I wish to ask you, Sir, whether there be any truth in the statement that you, at the instigation of the right hon. Gentleman the Secretary for War, have sent a challenge to the other House of Parliament to meet this House in a rifle contest. I have reason to believe that the statement is a mere hoax, but I wish to give you, Sir, the earliest opportunity of contradicting it.
§ LORD ELCHOBefore you reply, Sir, I wish to say that had my hon. Friend not risen to put his question, it was my intention to have claimed the indulgence of the House to allow me to read a letter upon a matter personal to myself. The letter is one addressed by you, Sir, the Speaker of the House of Commons, to myself, and with the permission of the House I will proceed to read it—
May 16.My dear Lord Elcho,—I have heard with amazement that the Lord Chancellor announced last night in the House of Lords that he had received a challenge to a rifle match from the Speaker of the House of Commons—a challenge from the House of Commons to the House of Lords. As I cannot doubt that you made the 1790 communication to the Chancellor, I must remind you of what took place between us. I was busily engaged on Tuesday evening with Members presenting petitions and moving unopposed returns; you came to me with a roll of paper in your hand, saying that a rifle match was proposed between some Members of the two Houses, and asking me for my name. I answered that I was very busy, that I could not spare a moment to read the paper, nor did I see a single word it contained. You remained a short time by my chair, and said that the match was to take place, and many Members felt much interest about it. Wishing to dismiss the subject, I said in joke the only part I could take would be to fire a shot with the Lord Chancellor. If you have made me party to a paper which I did not read, and have been the bearer of a challenge to a rifle match to the Lord Chancellor from myself, putting me into conflict with that great dignitary, I shall have to request you to make an explanation to that noble Lord that you acted under a misconception—that, on my part, no such liberty had entered into my imagination.Believe me yours very truly,J. EVELYN DENISON.I believe, Sir, when you sent me that letter it was your wish that I should read it to the House as I have done, and, in accordance with your wish expressed in that letter, I have also communicated its contents to the Lord Chancellor. For my own part, I have nothing to add except this, that I certainly did not anticipate that the subject would ever have been brought before either House of Parliament, and I have to express my regret that anything 1 have done or said should have led to this misconception and misunderstanding; and I have further to express my sincere regret that anything I have said or done should have caused you, Sir, the slightest inconvenience or annoyance.
§ MR. SPEAKERI can assure the noble Lord that I receive the expressions he has just uttered entirely in the spirit in which he made them, and in a manner in which I should wish to receive such expressions from an old and valued friend. I wish to treat this matter with perfect good humour, and I trust the House will be disposed to treat it in the same way. I should guard myself upon one point—I mean a point of order, of which it is my duty not unfrequently to remind hon. Members—that it is not within the rules of order to refer to debates that have taken place in the House of Lords. I should be sorry to appear myself to have infringed such rules, but I must point out to the House that this is rather an exceptional case. Perhaps it might be treated in the light of a message from the 1791 Lords, and then it would be properly open to observation. I have only further to say that I regret the time of the House has been occupied even for these few minutes by such a subject; and for myself, having had the honour of presiding in this House for six years, I trust that there is no single Member of this House who, for a moment, believed that I had ventured in such a manner to commit myself, or this House.
§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTONI am quite sure, Sir, that the House would not require any assurance on your part to convince them that in any act, however serious, or of a different character, you would commit them in any way that would be inconsistent with the rules and proceedings of the House. The House has heard the statement of my noble Friend, and they have also heard what you, Sir, have said, and I am persuaded that they will join with me in the hope that there never may be any other or more serious collision or conflict between the two Houses than that which is likely—if it be likely—to occur—a practical trial of skill on the terms and upon the occasion that has been referred to by you and my noble Friend.