§ MR. AYRTONThe more this subject of the employment of Volunteers by the civil powers is discussed, the more confused it becomes. The real question is not one that specially relates to the Volunteers. Having taken a part in the discussions of the Bill under which the Volunteers were established, I can say that the House arrived at the conclusion that there should be no special legislation with respect to the employment of the Volunteers. The law takes no cognizanee of Volunteers for the preservation of the peace, and all we have to say to them is that they should perform the duties of loyal subjects. But what is the use of discussing the duty of loyal subjects? It would be discussing the 1574 whole law of England. Before I sit down I wish to ask a question of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. A few days ago, when the right hon. Gentleman informed the House of the painful disruption of Her Majesty's Government in their endeavour to agree upon a Bill for Parliamentary Reform, he also stated that, at the latest, to-night he would be able to tell us that Her Majesty's Government had been reconstructed, and that the re-constructed Government would, at furthest on the 18th instant, bring in a Bill upon Reform. Since then rumour has been very busy, and we have heard many versions of the endeavours of Lord Derby to re-construct his Administration. We have been kept in the greatest state of anxiety, because Gentlemen on this side of the House anticipate a pleasure which may not be shared in by Gentlemen opposite—of seeing a Reform Bill introduced at no distant day; and we dread lest we should be disappointed by any unfortunate failure of the attempts of the head of the Government to re-construct his Administration. To-night our anxiety has been somewhat appeased by the Motions that have been made for new writs; but still we have not received the full information which the House of Commons always expects to have from the Leader of the House when such a great change takes place in the constitution of the Government of the day as we have recently witnessed. I therefore hope the right hon. Gentleman will now be able to inform us that he is a Member of a complete Administration, and that he will be able to give us an assurance that the promise he held out to us will be fulfilled—that on the 18th instant we shall see a Reform Bill introduced, large and comprehensive in its character, and simple in its provisions, which shall commend itself to the forbearance of the Opposition, and to the respect and enlightened public opinion of the country.
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERSir, in answer to the inquiry of the hon. and learned Gentleman, I have the satisfaction to state that the Government is at present complete. I anticipated on Monday that it would be, and I hope by the end of the next week it will be completely represented in both Houses of Parliament. The writs that have been moved to-night have sufficiently intimated to the House the arrangements that have been made with regard to the House of Commons. In the other House of Parliament the Queen has been graciously pleased to 1575 confer the seals of Secretary of State for the Colonies upon the Duke of Buckingham. The Duke of Marlborough has been appointed Lord President of the Council, and the Duke of Richmond has accepted the office of President of the Board of Trade. Under these circumstances, I have great pleasure in stating that I have no doubt I shall be able to fulfil the engagement I made that I would, on the 18th instant, introduce a Bill on Parliamentary Reform.