§ SIR ROBERT PEELIt will be in the recollection of the House that, when the Constabulary Vote was taken, the Prime Minister gave a distinct pledge that the Report of it would not be taken after a certain hour—half-past 11. Now, my noble Friend (Lord Randolph Churchill) and myself stayed here until half-past 12 o'clock last night, intending, as English Members, to take part in this Irish debate, and, understanding that it would not be taken, we went away. My noble Friend and myself were deprived of an opportunity of discussing the 277 matter, because, as I am informed, the hon. and learned Gentleman the Solicitor General for Ireland told the Committee that he had made some arrangements with the Irish Members, and so the Report on the Vote came on. But, as I say, my noble Friend and myself, after the distinct utterance of the Prime Minister that it would not be taken after half-past 11——
§ SIR ROBERT PEELThe Prime Minister distinctly stated so.
§ SIR ROBERT PEELWell, I am in the recollection of the House, and I say the Prime Minister distinctly stated that the Report of the Vote would not be taken after half-past 11 o'clock; but I see this morning that it was taken. I think, therefore, that we should have some explanation; and if the Secretary of State for the Home Department were here I would ask him what is the meaning of this, as he would call it, "dirty trick." [Cries of "Order, order!"]
§ MR. SPEAKERI think that is an expression that should not be used, and I am sure the right hon. Baronet will withdraw it.
§ SIR ROBERT PEELIt is an expression used by the Secretary of State for the Home Department himself.
§ MR. SPEAKERIt is an expression which I thought and said at the time was an un-Parliamentary and an improper expression, one which I hoped would never be used again, and it was withdrawn.
§ SIR ROBERT PEELOh! Certainly, Sir, certainly; if the right hon. Gentleman withdrew, I will at once withdraw it and apologize to the House. I did not know he had done so, and merely mention the matter as it was of some importance to the noble Lord and myself, as we intended to take part in the discussion. I hope the hon. and learned Gentleman the Solicitor General for Ireland will give us some explanation on the point.
MR. GLADSTONEAs I am the person who made the assurance to which the right hon. Baronet refers, I wish to say that what took place was this. The hon. Member for the City of Cork (Mr. Parnell) requested that the Vote should not come on after half-past 11 o'clock; and I, in answer to him, said that would 278 be so, but that it must be understood as always meaning a reasonable latitude. I do not mean that we were absolutely to break off the Business in order that the Report should be taken at half-past 11, immediately that the hands of the clock touched that hour; but that it should, at the first opportunity after that hour, which was understood to mean between half-past 11 and half-past 12 o'clock, though there was no absolute specification of time. I think we kept very close to that indeed, and the first opportunity was taken after half-past 11 o'clock. More than that, I think it is a fact that, when a demand is made by a particular Member and others acting with him to specify a particular time for a particular Vote, and when it is not known that other Members generally take very great interest in it, and when the particular Member who has made that demand by himself or by his friends express a willingness that some latitude should be allowed, and the Vote is taken accordingly at a later hour, I am not aware that such a proceeding is contrary to the usages of the House, or that it should be considered, under the circumstances, as unfairly modifying the agreement. I believe that, under the circumstances, the Government would be wrong if it did not proceed with the Business in the regular way.