HC Deb 31 March 1884 vol 286 cc1137-8
MR. DEPUTY SPEAKER

acquainted the House that Mr. Bradlaugh, one of the Members for Northampton, had addressed a letter to Mr. Speaker, which was read by the Clerk as followeth:—

20, Circus Road, St. John's Wood, N. W. 28 March 1884.

To the Right Honourable the Speaker of the House of Commons.

Sir,

By the Order the House was pleased to make against me on the 21st February, I am excluded from access to the Library of the House. For my defence in the argument on the hearing of the suit commenced against me on behalf of Her Majesty for my votes in the House on February 11th, and in which suit issue has been joined, it is material to me to have access to records of the House, which, so far as I am aware, can only be perused in the Library of the House. I therefore, through you, Sir, respectfully ask the House, notwithstanding its Order of the 21st February last, to grant me, until the hearing of the said suit, the entry to the Library hitherto always accorded to all other Members of the House. I beg respectfully, to add that I still hold myself bound by the undertaking contained in the letter from myself of February 21st last, entered on the Journals of the House of that date.

I have the honour to be.

Sir

Your mo. obedt. servt.,

C. BRADLAUGH.

SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTE

Mr. Deputy Speaker, I had communicated to me yesterday by Mr. Speaker the letter from Mr. Bradlaugh which has just been road at the Table. It appears to me that nothing could be more reasonable than the request which Mr. Bradlaugh makes in that letter, and certainly it was not the intention of the House to exclude him from access to the Library. I therefore beg to move that Mr. Bradlaugh be permitted to use the Library of the House.

Motion made, and Question proposed, That Mr. Bradlaugh be permitted to use the Library of this House, being otherwise subject to the Resolution of the 21st February."—(Sir Stafford Northcote.)

MR. HEALY

I have no objection whatever to this Motion, and I do not rise to oppose it; but I wish to ask you, Sir, as a point of Order, why this letter from Mr. Bradlaugh should have precedence over every other Business of the House?

MR. DEPUTY SPEAKER

Questions involving the privileges of a Member of Parliament have, according to the Rules and Practice of the House, precedence over all other Business.

Motion agreed to. Resolved, That Mr. Bradlaugh be permitted to use the Library of this House, being otherwise subject to the Resolution of the 21st February.

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