MR. DEPUTY SPEAKERacquainted the House that, in pursuance of instructions received during the sitting of the House yesterday, Mr. Speaker had communicated a record of statements made in this House, accompanied by the following-letter, to the President of the Chamber of Deputies in France—
§ "11th December, 1893.
§ "Sir,
§ I have the honour of communicating to you, as President of the Chamber of Deputies of France, the following account of what has passed in the House of Commons in regard to the recent lamentable event in the Chamber, and to assure you of the unanimity of feeling which has been elicited by the occurrence both in this House and in the country.
§ "I have the honour to be, Sir,
§ "Your obedient Servant,
§ "Arthur W. Peel,
§ "Speaker.
§ "A Monsieur Le President de la
§ Chambre des Deputés,
§ Paris."
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Sir W. HARCOURT, Derby)The Government are of opinion that this House will not be willing that the outrage recently committed upon the great representative Assembly of a friendly nation should pass without notice. I wish, therefore, to state that, with the approval of this House, a fitting communication will be made to the French Chamber and their President, expressing the sympathy of the House of Commons on this occasion and their horror at the crime which has been perpetrated.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI may perhaps be allowed to express, on behalf of my 1179 friends as well as myself, our entire agreement in the step which the Government proposes to take. We think that they have been well advised in taking this action. Though every man in this House, to whatever Party he may belong, has but one feeling on a subject of this kind, I should be sorry to allow the statement of the right hon. Gentleman to pass without some word of concurrence from me. I am sure that the great Assembly within whose walls the outrage was committed may rest assured that behind the more or less formal message which I presume will be sent to them there is the warmest feeling of sympathy, respect, and regard on the part of all those who in this country are like them performing the work incumbent on the representatives of a free people. I do not think it is necessary for us to add a single word to the suggestion which has come from the Government. We are unanimous on this question, and I am grateful to the Government for having taken the course which they have suggested.
§ Resolved, Nemine Contradicente, That Mr. Speaker's letter, with a record of the sentiments of sympathy and respect expressed in the House and communicated to the President of the Chamber of Deputies in France, be entered on the Journal of the House.