The Earl of Liverpoolrose to move to discharge the order for the meeting of the secret committee to-morrow, 1098 with the view of fixing it for Tuesday next. The same considerations which induced him to propose the postponement on Monday last were still in force. He had proposed the first delay on the ground that discussions were actually pending which were sufficient to induce him to recommend that course; and, for the same reason, he now proposed a farther adjournment.
The Marquis of Lansdownedid not wish to oppose the motion of adjournment; but he could not help expressing his surprise at the extraordinary nature of the proceeding. He believed this was the only case in which a measure adopted on a communication from the throne had been suspended without any public reason being assigned for the interruption, or any fresh communication on the subject being received from the throne. At the same time he believed there were very strong and cogent reasons for the course which the noble earl now recommended—reasons so strong and cogent as to supersede the orders and usual practice of that House, which were themselves of the greatest importance. Their lordships must, however, now clearly perceive the singular and extraordinary predicament in which they had been placed by the hasty appointment of the committee. When, however, the whole business should be brought to a conclusion, he hoped the noble earl would find some means of explaining the extraordinary circumstances which had taken place to the satisfaction of the House, and that the transaction would be entered on the Journals in a way to remove all future doubt or difficulty on the subject.
The Earl of Darnley,though he did not object to the motion, found it impossible to avoid expressing the sense he entertained of the disgraceful state into which the House had been brought, in consequence of following the advice of the noble lord opposite, and appointing the committee. He hoped their lordships would on future occasions weigh well the consequences of their decision before they came to a vote which might involve them in so much inconsistency. He hoped and trusted they would take warning from what had taken place in this extraordinary proceeding.
The Earl of Liverpoolhad no intention of saying any thing more on the subject than what he had stated on moving the adjournment of the committee. He would 1099 willingly have let the matter stand as it was left by the observation of the noble marquis; but, in consequence of what had been added by the noble lord, he thought it necessary to say a few words. He should, however, only remind their lordships, that on a former day, when he moved the adjournment of the committee, he had stated that, with reference to the subject on which it was appointed, certain explanations and discussions had been opened, which might or might not lead to some adjustment, and that he made the motion expressly because he understood that both in that House and in another place, a wish prevailed that an opening should be left for some arrangement. Under these circumstances, he felt no impropriety in moving an adjournment on Monday last, and in repeating a similar proposition now. The noble marquis had expressed a hope that the circumstances which had occurred would be explained. Upon this he should only say, that, whatever the alternative might be, he was confident that the course which bad been adopted would be satisfactorily explained to the House.
The Earl of Darnley,notwithstanding what had been said by the noble lord, still felt the weight of the difficulty in which the House was placed, which had arisen from their lordships being prevailed upon to agree to the appointment of a committee before it was known in what way the other House would proceed. It had been expected that the other House would have been as pliant as their lordships House; but in this ministers were disappointed. The concurrent vote which was anticipated had not taken place: and, in consequence of their lordships reliance on the opinion of the noble lord opposite, they were now placed in a most extraordinary and unprecedented situation. His noble friends had fully warned their lordships of the difficulty into which they were about to entangle themselves, and they must now be sensible that if their advice had been followed it would have been avoided.
§ The order for the meeting of the committee was then postponed to Tuesday.