SECOND READING. (Hansard, 15 February 1872)

§ COLONEL BARTTELOT
said, he hoped the Government would not proceed with 516 the Bill that night, considering the lateness of the hour. The Government might congratulate themselves on the debate which was occurring in "another place" for the speedy result obtained in the case of the Bill just disposed of. The House ought to be allowed another evening for considering the Corrupt Practices Bill.

§ MR. BENTINCK
said, a great man once said there was only one step from the sublime to the ridiculous, and it appeared to him the House had just taken that step. After what had been said of the importance which the country attached to the measure, it was surprising that a division should have been taken at a quarter past 11, and when only 160 hon. Members were present. It was impossible to conceive a more complete reductio ad absurdum, or stronger proof of the perfect indifference of the House and the country to the measure. He hoped the House would not proceed with the discussion on the second reading of the Bill.

§ SIR JAMES ELPHINSTONE
said, that as the House had been taken unawares in the division that had taken place, hon. Members were justified in making use of the forms of the House to stop further rash legislation, and he therefore moved that the debate be adjourned. The Government appeared to be about to pursue the same policy in reference to the Elections Bill that they adopted last Session with the Army Bill, trying, after having divided the Bill, to pass one part and drop the other. He protested against such a course of proceeding. The natural curiosity of hon. Members had induced them to congregate in "another place," to hear the interesting discussion that was going on there, instead of attending to their duties in this House, and the consequence was that the Government, by a dexterous manipulation of affairs, had forced a division, by which they made it appear they had a large majority in favour of the measure, whilst the country was perfectly and utterly indifferent to the subject. He asked how many Petitions had been produced this Session in favour of the Ballot Bill?

§ MR. CARNEGIE
rose to Order. He asked whether it was in Order to discuss a measure upon which the House had pronounced an opinion?

§ MR. SPEAKER
said, the House having just voted the second reading of the Bill, 517 it was not competent for the hon. Baronet to revive a question which had been determined by the House.

§ SIR JAMES ELPHINSTONE
said, the two measures reminded him of the Siamese Twins; if they pinched one the other felt the disagreeable sensation. He considered the Corrupt Practices Bill the most important part of what should have been one measure, and he protested against its being proceeded with then.

§ MR. HUNT
said, he agreed that this Bill ought to be discussed pari passû with the Ballot Bill; but he thought that object would not be attained by their adjourning the debate. He hoped his hon. Friend would withdraw his Amendment, and if the Bill was read a second time, he trusted the two Bills would be referred to the same Committee.

§ MR. NEWDEGATE
said, hon. Members on his side of the House were taken by surprise when the division was called. They could not cure the accident that had happened, and it would be better to let the two Bills go together. On the Motion for the House going into Committee on this Bill, if no other Member did it, he would move that the House resolve itself into a Committee on the Bill that day six months.