§ MR. LABOUCHERE (Northampton)I wish to ask the First Lord of the Treasury a question of which I have given him private notice. It is whether, in view of the character of the Debate last night, he can now give an opinion as to when he deems that the conclusion of it would be desirable; and in connection with that I may ask whether he has noticed that there were only seven speakers last night, and three of the speakers against the Bill consumed between them above four hours?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. W. E. GLADSTONE,) Edinburgh, MidlothianI certainly am sen- 331 sible that, as far as lengthy speeches wore concerned, a very great advantage was enjoyed last night by opponents of the measure. I am, however, of opinion, and it is the opinion of my Colleagues, that the Debate may reasonably be expected to last for some nights still; but I confess it is our opinion that after one Parliamentary fortnight will have elapsed the Debate may, with general convenience, be closed. In case our opinion should be generally shared, I should on Monday night give notice of the intention to move the suspension of the Twelve o'Clock Rule on Tuesday.
§ COLONEL WARING (Down, S.)How does the right hon. Gentleman make a Parliamentary fortnight between Thursday last week and next Tuesday?
§ MR. W. E. GLADSTONEYes, Sir; undoubtedly a Parliamentary fortnight for the purposes of Government Business almost invariably excludes Wednesday. In this it has been longer than usual, for it includes Wednesday and Tuesday.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURMay I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman is aware that a very large number of gentlemen still desire to speak on this Bill, and certainly the termination of the Debate on Tuesday would have an effect which I should deeply deplore, cutting out of the Debate persons who have a right to speak. It would, for instance, cut out from it my right hon. Friend the late Home Secretary. [Ministerial cries of" Why?"] I have done my best with my friends to arrange the course of this Debate. On Monday night the late Chancellor of the Exchequer will speak; on Tuesday night my noble Friend the Member for Paddington hopes to speak. I understand the right hon. and learned Member for Bury desires to speak on Thursday. The hon. and learned Gentleman the Member for Trinity College, Dublin, who, everybody admits, has a perfect right to speak, hopes to do so on Thursday. The late Home Secretary, also, who is the only Representative in this House of that great body of Catholic opinion in England and Ireland against the measure, desires to speak on Friday. I myself should hope to say a few words before the Debate concludes. In these circumstances, I should hope the right hon. Gentleman will not, having taken before Easter exceptional and unexampled power over the time of the 332 House, hurry through the Debate on a matter which, whatever the majority of the House may feel, we, the minority, feel to be a matter of intense interest.
§ MR. W. E. GLADSTONEI will endeavour to avoid entering into anything in the nature of an argument, but I am bound to say that the little address which we have just heard from the right hon. Gentleman has been much more in the nature of an argument than of a question.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI apologise.
§ MR. W. E. GLADSTONEI would venture to observe that I have disclaimed all desire, and indeed I have not the power, of forcing the House in the matter. The right hon. Gentleman has mapped out the time of the House on the supposition, very judicious and economic, that at least one right hon. Gentleman is going to speak each evening.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThat was not my assertion.
§ Mr. W. E. GLADSTONEWhy should we be limited to that very singular mode of working out the list of speakers?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThere is more than one wants to speak.
§ MR. W. E. GLADSTONEMore than one might contrive to speak each evening; but I must observe, so far as my experience and recollection go, I think the average of speeches, especially the speeches from the Opposition, during this Debate has been longer than in almost any other Debate I have known. I am very sorry to make even that observation, but I think it is necessary after what has been said by the right hon. Gentleman. I am very anxious not to infuse into a conversation of this kind —in which warmth is more apt to grow than in a regular discussion—any element of a disagreeable nature; but I cannot help thinking that with the three nights we have before us the gentlemen who have been named by the right hon. Gentleman might be able to give the House the benefit of their observations at sufficient and considerable length. So far as I am concerned, I do not know whether it is a privilege or a duty which attaches in an ordinary way to the practice when a Bill of importance is introduced to reply; but I am perfectly content, whether it is a right or a privilege, to make that sacrifice and to remain silent, 333 being, I must say, eminently satisfied with the Debate. I do not wish to take too much credit to myself. I am eminently satisfied with the way in which the Irish case has been presented by the Irish Members. This remark is an infringement of my virtuous resolution, for which I humbly tender an apology. It is all that I can do. I may, perhaps, be permitted to add this: that we have before us a great deal of work. I think it will be felt by the right hon. Gentleman that there are at least some Bills introduced by the Government which it is an absolute duty, considering the state of Business, to make every effort to pass, and what I am afraid of is that if we indulge in the patriotic desire to give the country the whole benefit of all our thoughts to the full extent we shall have to pay a very severe price for that exhibition of patriotism somewhere about the mouth of September or October.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI will not again incur the rebuke of the right hon. Gentleman by saying anything in the nature of controversy. I rise to say that in enumerating the speakers in this Debate I have by no means given a complete list. I have given only the more important.
§ MR. T. W. RUSSELL (Tyrone, S.)May I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman has looked beyond the Front Bench, and whether he remembers that only five or six Members of the Irish minority have yet had an opportunity of addressing the House?
§ SIR. T. LEA (Londonderry, S.)I want to ask the right hon. Gentleman, before an answer is given, whether he is not aware that there is a large number of Independent Members not at present represented on the Front Opposition Bench or the Government Front Bench who desire to express their views on this occasion; and whether he is aware that there is a very strong feeling in Ireland with regard to this Bill, and that that feeling would be aggravated by any premature closing of the Debate?
*ADMIRAL FIELD (Sussex, Eastbourne)Will the right hon. Gentleman kindly understand that there is a naval view of this question which has not yet been presented to the House. I hope—it may be a vain hope—that I shall have an opportunity of presenting it.
§ MR. W. E. GLADSTONEYes; but the naval view, it appears to me, is one that might be expressed with considerable brevity.