HC Deb 17 June 1880 vol 253 cc196-8
MR. SPEAKER

called upon the hon. Member for Dungarvan (Mr. O'Donnell) to put a Question he had upon the Paper in reference to M. Challemel Lacour, the French Ambassador.

MR. O'DONNELL

Before I put this Question, Sir, I wish to call your attention to a fact, of which you are already aware, that I put down another Question relating to M. Challemel Lacour, and that you, with your usual courtesy, have intimated to me that that Question sinned in some respect against the Rules of the House. Considering the position which I occupy as a Member of this House in asking a Question in relation to the action of the Government and the criticisms to which I have been exposed on the part of the Government and of its supporters, will you allow me to ask you in general terms, carefully avoiding trenching on disputable matter, whether you can give the House a public explanation of the reasons why you have interfered with the publication of the Notice of my Question? The Question consisted of three parts. The first contained an extract from the telegram of a foreign politician; the second part asked whether Her Majesty's Government had been made aware of the contents of that telegram by our Ambassador in a foreign country; and the third part went on to ask—

MR. SPEAKER

I have already informed the hon. Member that the Question to which he is now adverting is a Question which ought not properly to be put; and, after that intimation, I think it is quite irregular on the part of the hon. Member to refer to it.

MR. O'DONNELL

Cannot I ask you, Sir, to what part of the Question you object? I only ask that as a Member of this House. I am particularly anxious to obey.

MR. SPEAKER

I am responsible to this House for the maintenance of its Rules and Orders. The Question which the hon. Member proposed to put appeared to me to advert to a matter beyond the cognizance of the House or of Her Majesty's Government; and on that ground I did not allow it to be placed upon the Paper.

MR. O'DONNELL

I am exactly as much in the dark as ever. I ask you, as a matter connected with the Privileges of a Member of this House, if you will inform me and this House—

SIR JOHN R. MOWBRAY

I rise to Order. I wish to know, Whether the hon. Member for Dungarvan (Mr. O'Donnell), in the course he is now taking, is not, after the Rule you have twice laid down, disregarding the authority of the Chair?

MR. SPEAKER

I must caution the hon. Member for Dungarvan (Mr. O'Donnell) to confine himself to the two Questions upon the Paper; and if the hon. Member disregards the authority of the Chair in that respect I shall be bound to take action in the matter.

MR. O'DONNELL

May I ask you, Sir, according to your authority, and according to the Rules of the House, in what manner I can bring your decision before the House?

MR. SPEAKER

I call upon the hon. Member now to confine himself to the two Questions on the Paper. If he does not attend to my intimation, I shall at once call on the hon. Member whose name appears next on the Paper to put his Question, and I shall pass over the Questions of the hon. Member for Dungarvan.

MR. O'DONNELL

Under these circumstances, I decline to put any Question at all.