§ MR. M'LARENasked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether, considering the large number of Members on this side of the House desiring to speak on the Second Reading of the Franchise Bill, there will be a Morning Sitting on Friday?
MR. GLADSTONESir, I have already said that Her Majesty's Government have no plan upon the subject. What I understand to be the full intention of the House is that before the Recess—that means practically on Monday night—they will take the Division on the second reading of the Franchise Bill. It is supposed that to-night and Monday will afford sufficient time for closing the debate; but should anything occur to interfere with that, it would be for this House to consider whether a Morning Sitting should be proposed tomorrow, which we hope will not be necessary. In the case of a Morning Sitting the pledge I gave would hold good, that the Government would be bound to use their best efforts to procure a House at the Evening Sitting.