§ To the Editor of The Westminster Gazette.
§ Sir,—Every sensible man will be pleased to read in your issue to-day Mr. Hugh Hoare's manly protest against the obstruction of the Tories, and the dilettante indifference with which the highest authorities in the House appear to regard it.
§ It would, of course, be treason to criticise Mr. Speaker's way of dealing with it. But I will venture to affirm two propositions. (1) That no sane man can honestly maintain that the whole Debate yesterday after the first four speeches was not sheer and obstructive waste of time. If so, why was the Closure not permitted? And (2) that obstruction is certainly not likely to decrease so long as Members on our side who move the Closure are severely snubbed by the Speaker, as has more than once happened.
§ Now, this sort of thing must be stopped. If Mr. Speaker won't protect the rights of the majority, the majority must protect itself; and I therefore make this suggestion, which I hope our Radical wing will act upon, namely, that every night a certain number of our men shall be told off to be ready, after a certain time devoted to obstruction, to move the Closure one after another, at intervals of, say, five or ten minutes.
§ Mr. Speaker would probably refuse a good many; but I doubt if he would continue the policy of snubbing us; and, in either case, the country would know what to think.—Yours obediently, C. A. V. CONYBEARE.
§ House of Commons, March 11.
§ MR. SPEAKERPerhaps, for the purpose of expediting public business, the House would allow me to say a few words on the subject of the letter just read. I suppose it must happen in the discharge of my duties that I give offence to some honourable Members in this House, but I certainly do not wish to give offence intentionally, nor am I aware that I have ever (to use the not very polite expression in the letter) "snubbed" any honourable Member. I may be allowed to say that it is not, in my opinion, in accordance with good Parliamentary traditions that if any honourable Member takes offence at my conduct in the Chair he 1868 should write to the newspapers. I am responsible to this House alone. I need not say that any threat from outside, or from any Member of this House, will have very little effect on my conduct. I had not seen this letter until a few minutes ago it was given me in the Chair. Another letter was given me the other day, written also by' an honourable Member of this House, and I was asked whether it ought to be brought before the House. On the whole, I thought that letter was not worthy of notice. I put it down (I say it without offence) as an act of youthful indiscretion, inasmuch as the honourable Member had only been a Member for a few months, and that he was not aware of the forms and traditions of the House, but he was not in his right in dictating to me what course I should adopt in cases of Closure, who, I may remind the House, have been more than nine years in the Chair. The Closure is in my absolute discretion, subject to the terms of the Standing Order. As to honourable Members getting up repeatedly one after another, I think it would not be decorous, because the situation could not be so entirely altered in the short intervals referred to as to be likely to induce the Chair to change its mind. I believe that what occurred the other night was this: An honourable Member moved the Closure, and I indicated by a shake of the head that it was not exactly the right time to do it. The honourable Member who was speaking at the time was coming to a close, and as soon as he had concluded I assented to the Closure. Under those circumstances, and after this explanation, I trust the House may think that it is not worth while to enter on a discussion of this letter. I am certainly not excusing the letter, nor taking any particular exception to it on my own account. I am entirely in the hands of the House; but I venture most humbly to suggest that the House should pass it over on this occasion. Of course there is a charge against Members of the House as well as against me personally. I think the House can afford to pass over that too, and I am sure, after what has passed, honourable Members will feel it more consonant to their own dignity and the traditions of this House to bring any matter of complaint before the House, where it can be argued.
§ MR. HANBURYthereupon intimated that, after Mr. Speaker's observations, he should not proceed with the Motion he had intended to submit to the House.