MR. GLADSTONEsaid, that the house had now arrived at that stage of the ordinary Business of the day when he felt it to be his duty to appeal to those hon. Members who had Notices on the Paper to give way in order that the House might go into Committee of Supply. Considering the great pressure of Public Business, he hoped they would do so. The first Notice stood in the name of the hon. Member for Northampton (Mr. Bradlaugh).
§ MR. BRADLAUGHsaid, the first Notice stood in his name; and though he considered it of much importance to a large number of persons in the country that his Motion—for a Select Committee to inquire as to the payment of perpetual pensions—should be brought on—proofs of this being shown in the fact that 848 Petitions, with 251,332 signatures, had been presented in its favour up till last night—he did not think he would be doing his duty to his constituents if he 1068 stood in the way of the Public Business of the nation. In postponing his Motion he appealed to the Government to afford him, as soon after Easter as might be convenient, an opportunity of bringing his Motion on.
§ MR. J. W. PEASE, who had a Motion adverse to the continuance of the present Opium Traffic, also postponed his Motion.