§ MR. GLADSTONE moved that the House, at its rising, adjourn till Thursday.
§ MR. T. HUGHESsaid, he rose to protest against the proposal. The plea that it was an annual custom was one which was much more honoured in the breach that in the observance. Of all the loose and mischievous talk which he had heard since he had been in the House none was more misleading than the stock comparison of our races to the Isthmian Games. They might as well compare the Grand Stand at Epsom with the Parthenon, or "Dorling's Correct Card" with an Ode of Pindar. At the Isthmian Games all that was most noble and vigorous in the manhood and intellect of Greece used to meet together in competition, the reward of which was a chaplet of leaves. English races were courses on which all the rascality of the country met together in a competition, the object of which was a scramble for pounds, shillings, and pence. After what had happened in the course of the last few months, when one noble family had been disgraced, and, he feared, ruined, through a Member of that House, by reason of gambling on racecourses, he thought it was time the House should come to some other conclusion than to adjourn, when important Business was in arrear, to see the Derby run. He would not trouble the House to divide on that occasion, because there happened to be no Motion of importance standing on the Paper for Wednesday; but he begged to give Notice that if he was in the House when such a Motion was again made, he would take care that important Business should be on the Paper, and would take the opinion of the House whether they should adjourn.
§ Motion agreed, to.