§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNORasked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether, having regard to the two Acts of Parliament passed in the last Session for the relief of Lord Byron and Lord Plunket from the liabilities incurred by them by reason of their having voted as Members of Parliament without having taken the oaths prescribed by Law, the Government are prepared to promote a similar measure in relief of Mr. Bradlaugh; and, if not, why not?
MR. GLADSTONESir, it is certainly true that this House was pleased 821 to pass Bills of Indemnity on behalf of Lord Byron and Lord Plunket, and it is likewise true that those Bills were taken in charge by Her Majesty's Government. But they were taken in charge by the Government, first of all because we were given to understand that the votes of the two noble Lords in question were given inadvertently; and secondly, because on a question of the kind, where there was no matter of difference of opinion, we thought it right as a matter of courtesy affecting the jurisdiction of the other House of Parliament to take the course which we adopted. With regard to the Question as it relates to Mr. Bradlaugh, I give no opinion upon it, beyond saying that it is evidently a different matter, and the Government have not thought it their duty in the present state of affairs to make any proposal to the House on the subject.