Viscount Strangfordsaid, he was extremely anxious to put a question to the noble Viscount opposite, on a subject which he conceived to be of great interest and importance to her Majesty's Protestant subjects. He perceived, from the printed votes of the House of Commons, that an hon. and learned Member of that Assembly had given notice of his intention to bring in a bill to enable persons professing the Popish faith to practise in the spiritual courts of these realms, and to hold the office of Lord High Chancellor. He could only know the circumstance through the channel to which he had alluded; but he had heard that the announcement was received with cheers by those to whose support the noble Viscount was mainly indebted for his small majorities, and that no expression of disgust or indignation came from the colleagues of the noble Viscount, they being the Protestant servants of a Protestant Sovereign. He now wished to ask, whether the measures, of which notice was thus given, were to be brought forward with the concurrence and sanction of any portion of that section of which it was said the present Cabinet was partly composed—whether the Government had given any countenance to such a proceeding?
§ Viscount MelbourneCertainly not. The subject was not introduced with the sanction or approbation of her Majesty's Government.
The Marquess of Londonderryexpressed his astonishment, that certain statements which had been publicly made by an hon. Member of the other House, and which had been reiterated by the hon. and learned Member for Dublin, had not met with the reprehension they deserved from the noble Viscount and his colleagues. They ought to have been the first to repel such base, unmanly, and wicked statements. Those speeches had, however, been suffered to pass unnoticed. No attempt had been made to check such proceedings. He believed, however, that Ministers could not help themselves; and, that being the case, he could assimilate the authority that was exercised over them in no other manner than by comparing it with that sort of control which Mr. Van Amburgh exercised over his lions.
§ The Marquess of Lansdownerose to order. It was unusual and irregular to proceed with a discussion when there was no motion before the House.
The Marquess of Londonderrywould meet the objection of the noble Marquess by moving the order of the day, though he did not think, looking to the constant practice of the House, that he was out of order. When a question was asked with reference to certain proceedings of the hon. and learned Member for Dublin, he certainly had a right to State his opinion as to the situation in which the Government was kept by that individual.
§ The Marquess of Lansdownesaid, it certainly was out of order, after a question had been put and answered, to proceed with a discussion.
The Marquess of Londonderrywould put it to the candour of the noble Marquess, whether these things were not constantly done? Whether they were not done night after night, and week after week? He would ask, was not the noble and learned Lord opposite constantly doing the same thing?
Lord Broughamsaid, certainly this course was often taken. The noble Marquess was not undoubtedly the first to adopt the practice, though he often recurred to it. He admitted, that he had himself sometimes followed the example of 87 the noble Marquess. The noble and learned Lord was proceeding to state his impression of the speeches which had been alluded to, when he was interrupted by
The Marquess of Londonderry.who complained that the noble and learned Lord was then speaking, there being no question before the House. Surely, he had a right to take the same latitude.
Lord Broughamsaid, perhaps he might be excused, in consequence of some correspondence which had taken place with him on this subject. One of the hon. Members alluded to had denied having used certain very coarse expressions that had been imputed to him. He certainly felt that he ought to apologize to their Lordships for ever having entered into the subject at all. But he had deviated from his usual course, in consequence of the great respect which he owed to that illustrious family. He certainly spoke of the late Mr. Grattan, and he was greatly astonished that such sentiments should have been attributed to any relative of his.
The Marquess of Londonderry.Can the noble and learned Lord defend the expressions of the hon. and learned Member for Dublin?
The Marquess of Londonderrysaid, then he would read what had been said by the hon. and learned Member for Dublin, from which the other hon. Member had not dissented. [Here the noble Marquess read an extract from Mr. O'Connell's speech, in which he spoke of the treacherous taking off of former sovereigns of these realms—of the rather novel historical discovery, that the Duke of Buckingham had murdered the nephews of Richard 3rd—and expressed his opinion that the Queen's life would not be safe in the hands of the Tories.] Did Mr. Grattan, he would ask, in his speech, say less than that? Allusion had been made by that individual to an illustrious Friend of his (the Duke of Cumberland) who was not in this country. Now, he thought it was his duty in his place in that House to state, that her Majesty had not a subject in the realm more devotedly attached to 88 her, or who would more willingly sacrifice his blood and life in her defence. Yet they found these infamous statements concerning him openly made to the people of Ireland—the most inflammable people in the world—unreproved and uncensured. Those, however, who dealt in such calumnies would, in the end, be visited by the just contempt of society.
§ Conversation ended.