§ MR. BENTINCKdesired to call the attention of the House to the fact that for a considerable time during the debate on the present crisis on the Continent, brought on by the hon. Member for Bridgwater (Mr. Kinglake), neither the Chancellor of the Exchequer nor the Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs was present in the House. Under these circumstances, he begged to ask the right hon. Gentleman Whether, in his opinion, it was consistent either with public convenience, or with the courtesy which Her Majesty's Government were bound to show to all independent Members of the House, on whichever side they sat, that during an important discussion on Foreign Affairs there should be no Minister present responsible for that Department of the Government?
THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERI shall not decline to answer the question of my hon. Friend, although I think it is one that rather tempts criticism. I am thankful for the notice my hon. Friend kindly sent me, and although I did not get it till I came to the House, it was amply sufficient for a question of this nature. I should, however, have liked to ask my hon. Friend what he meant by "a considerable time." He has not defined his views on this point. I myself heard the whole of the discussion, excepting about half-an-hour, the discussion having lasted, I think, five hours. I had no notice of the debate—nothing beyond the intimation of my hon. Friend the Member for Bridgwater that he would put three questions to me in reference to Continental affairs. Perhaps, however, my hon. Friend opposite received notice of the debate. My hon. Friend the Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs was still more destitute of information than myself, and I believe all the notice he received that these three questions were going to be put was communicated to him by myself. It was a debate brought 241 on without the slightest knowledge or preparation on our part, and it of course involved a complete change in the arrangements of the Government, which, according to the regular order of the House, were to proceed with the Reform Bill. I myself remained here till two minutes before eight o'clock; I then left the House, and returned at a quarter to nine, and during a portion of that interval the House was not sitting. My hon. Friend the Under Secretary remained here about the same time as myself, and as he and I had both spoken in the debate, we were quite incapable of affording the House any further assistance. I did not, however, leave the debate without attention. I arranged with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department, and my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, that it should be attended to, and there was not a single moment of the debate during which one or both of those Gentlemen were not present till the time of my return. I need not say that with regard to a question of that kind, which had no reference to details, and requiring no departmental knowledge, every Member of the Cabinet was in a position to answer for the conduct of the Government. I am therefore bound to say, in answer to my hon. Friend, that I do think our conduct was perfectly consistent with public convenience, and the courtesy due from the Government to independent Members.