§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. W. E. GLADSTONE) (Edinburgh, Mid Lothian)I rise, Sir, in pursuance of the first Notice which stands in my name, for the purpose of inviting the House to adopt, if it should think fit, a Resolution relating to Sir Erskine May. With respect to this Resolution, I will say that I trust it will be found conformable to the spirit of the 1775 words which you, Sir, were pleased yesterday to use from the Chair. I propose that the House should resolve—
That Mr. Speaker be requested to convey to the Right Honourable Sir Thomas Erskine May, K. C. B., on his retirement from the office of Clerk of this House, the assurance of its cordial respect and regard, together with its warm acknowledgments for the prolonged and singularly valuable services which, alike by his pen, his action, and his ever ready advice, he has rendered to this House, and to its Members, in the conduct of their business; joining therewith the expression of its earnest hope that the retirement rendered necessary by his indefatigable exertions may serve effectually for the restoration of his health.Sir, my task in proposing this Resolution is a very simple one—one rendered very simple by the address delivered yesterday from your own mouth and from the Chair of this House, both on account of the admirable character of that address and the comprehensiveness with which it treated the subject, and the immense authority with which it conveyed what I believe to be the universal sentiment of the House of Commons. There could not be an occasion, if I may presume to say so, on which it was more appropriate or more manifestly beneficial that you, being as you are on most occasions simply the President of the House, should revert to the original intention of your Office, from which it derives its title, and should be likewise the spokesman of this House. That being so, Sir, I feel that the task, having been once well discharged, it would not be desirable for me to attempt to discharge it over again with less authority and in an inferior manner. The sentiments of your address, Sir, were not, indeed, new to us. They have dwelt in all our hearts; and if we have to regret the sufferings of Sir Erskine May, and the loss of his original healthy vigour, yet we may, I think, consider him happy in this—that he combines together in an unusual degree the regard and attachment, in the first place, of the establishment of the House over which he has provided with so much judgment, and with such a strong feeling of equity and consideration; in the second place, no doubt, of the Speaker and the Members of this House; and, in the third place, of all those who in foreign countries have learned to look to him as the great classic of Parliamentary lore and learning, and to derive from his pages assistance not less valuable than that which he has 1776 given to us in the conduct of our high functions—increasingly high, increasingly important functions, throughout the world. One point only I will venture to refer to—namely, this, that I think it must be fresh to the recollection of the House with what manful courage, after a crisis which I must describe as a terrible crisis in its effects upon the health and in its menacing attack upon life, Sir Erskine May—although no longer a young, or hardly a middle-aged man, yet actuated by high spirit and his intense devotion to work—resumed his duties at this Table, and would suffer nothing but absolute necessity to bring into his mind the idea of quitting them. I am persuaded that he will never forget this House; wherever he may be his heart will remain among us; and as his heart will remain among us, so his memory will be held in honour by us and by our successors for a long series of years.
§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH (Bristol, W.)It has always been held fitting, on such an occasion as this, that the action taken by the House should not bear the least trace of any Party character, but should be a united expression of opinion of both sides of the House; and, therefore, though not a word needed to be added to the eloquent tribute which the right hon. Gentleman has paid to Sir Erskine May, I rise to second the Motion. The House of Commons is always ready to appreciate the services—the long-continued and faithful services—rendered by its officials; but I think it will be felt, on this occasion, we are justified in entertaining no ordinary sense of what has been done for us, and of the loss which we are sustaining. Sir Erskine May is not only an official who has always, with kindly courtesy, aided each and all of us on any occasion when we desired his services, and has regulated with ability and success the multifarious matters for which the Clerk of the House is responsible; but he is also recognized as one whose learning, authority, and experience gives him a title to the name of statesman, and his position at that Table has reflected honour and credit even upon the House of Commons. We deeply regret the separation which takes place to-day. I will only, in seconding the Motion of the right hon. Gentleman, add that I am sure, on the part of all of us, that this is no 1777 formal ceremony; but that, in the words of the Motion, it is a warm acknowledgment of the highest services to this House and to the country.
§
Motion made, and Question proposed,
That Mr. Speaker be requested to convey to the Right Honourable Sir Thomas Erskine May, K. C. B., on his retirement from the office of Clerk of this House, the assurance of its cordial respect and regard, together with its warm acknowledgment for the prolonged and singularly valuable services which, alike by his pen, his action, and his ever ready advice, he has rendered to this House, and to its Members, in the conduct of their business; joining therewith the expression of its earnest hope that the retirement rendered necessary by his indefatigable exertions may serve effectually for the restoration of his health."—(Mr. Gladstone.)
§ MR. RAIKES (Cambridge University)As there does not happen to be now in this House any Member senior to myself who has presided over its debates in Committee, I trust the House will permit me to say a word or two with regard to this Motion. I feel, after the fitting eulogy pronounced yesterday by you, Sir, upon those labours which, unhappily, are to terminate to-day, and which have rendered the name of Sir Erskine May a household word, not merely in this country, but, I may say, wherever the English language is spoken, and Parliamentary institutions flourish, it is, as the Prime Minister has already said, almost superfluous to add anything to what you have said; but I do feel that a certain duty is incumbent upon those who have been in daily and direct association with Sir Erskine May with regard to the conduct of the Business of this House. I should be very ungrateful if I did not attempt, at least, to bear such testimony as I can to the unfailing assistance, and, I may say, the invariable sagacity which characterized the advice by which both I and my Successors in the Chairmanship of Committees have profited during our tenure of Office. In Sir Thomas Erskine May both Speakers and Chairmen of Committees in this House have had a veritable gold mine, and the precious metal has not been hard or difficult to seek; it has always been in that form which I believe is described by mineralogists as free gold. Still I am quite certain that in losing Sir Erskine May we can congratulate him upon the great work which he has left behind him—his fittest and his most abiding memorial—and which 1778 must serve to assist the deliberations of many a future House of Commons beyond the period during which he has personally been able to aid us in our debates.
§ MR. PARNELL (Cork)I desire, with the permission of the House, to support the Motion which has been made by the right hon. Gentleman the Prime Minister, and in doing so to express, on the part of my Colleagues, and also of myself, the deep sense we feel of the loss which we, in common with the rest of the House, experience by the retirement from among us of Sir Erskine May. He has always been most kind and most courteous to us in giving that assistance which all of us at one time or another, as new Members of the House, have had to seek from him, and from the other authorities of the House. We regret deeply and sincerely that the state of Sir Erskine May's health prevents him from resuming his duties at the Table of the House; and we may trust that he may shortly be restored to somewhat of his former vigour and health. I believe, Sir, that the name of Sir Erskine May will be recorded hereafter among those who have most faithfully interpreted the precedents of the House, and have most carefully watched over its liberties.
§ Question put, and agreed to.
§ MR. SPEAKERAgreed to, nemine contradicente.