§ The Marquess of Normanby moved for a return of a despatch from Lord Amherst to Lord Aberdeen, and of other papers respecting the motion 107 of the right rev. Prelate (the Bishop of Exeter), standing for discussion on the next day.
Lord Ellenboroughsaid, that their Lordships knew how difficult a thing it was to read papers and proceed at once to debate upon them. He accordingly thought that it would be desirable for the right rev. Prelate to postpone his motion until Monday or Tuesday next, as there would still be ample time to move the address to her Majesty before the thirty days—the time during which the ordinances had to lie on the Table—had expired. Under these circumstances he would not now press other circumstances which appeared to him to be of the greatest importance, but would merely suggest to the right rev. Prelate that it would be for the convenience of the House if he would accede to this proposal.
The Bishop of Exetersaid, that he was sure their Lordships would not suppose that any personal inconvenience whatever could induce him to state that he was afraid that it would not be in his power to accede to the application that had been made to him. He was at that moment under the orders of the Court of Queen's Bench, having been subpoenaed to attend at Exeter, at the present assizes, and he was bound to leave London early on Saturday morning. Under these circumstances he would venture to suggest to their Lordships that it was rather hard on the eve of a motion of this kind that an application of this sort should be made, the more especially as the attention of the Government had been called to this subject for a period of eight or nine months, and it had not been until the eleventh hour that they had thought fit to lay upon the Table papers that appeared to be important. He was afraid he could not attend on Monday next without disobeying a mandate of the Court of Queen's Bench.
Lord EllenboroughIt can only be a matter of twenty-four hours. The right rev. Prelate could not get there before Monday, and if he postpones his motion he may get there by Tuesday night.
The Bishop of Exetersaid, he was bound, previous to his arrival at Exeter, 108 to go to Worcester on business of great importance relating to the Church, and to be in Exeter on Tuesday night. He understood from the noble Marquess these papers were printed, and as he supposed they could, therefore, have them early to-morrow morning, he thought there would be sufficient time to consider them.
The Marquess of Normanbysaid, that the papers had been ordered by the House of Commons, on Tuesday, and he believed that they were now printed.
§ The Earl of Riponsaid, that the despatch which was referred to, seemed to be held on all sides as of great importance. The question now was, whether they ought to be called on to give an opinion on a very important subject, to which everybody attached the greatest consequence, without their having the means of considering the principles on which the measure rested, and which principles they were told were to be found in a certain despatch which they would not be able to read till to-morrow. He ought to have a perfect recollection of what was contained in that despatch; but, written as it was ten years ago, he could not at that moment undertake to explain to their Lordships either the principles upon which it was founded, or the motives which induced him to advise his Majesty to send that despatch to Canada. Under these circumstances, they ought not to decide on such a question without having more' time to examine into it. If the motion were postponed to the end of the week some arrangement ought, he thought, to be made by her Majesty's Government, as they were concerned in the postponement of the discussion, that the question should be put in the same position as it would have been in if the thirty days required for the ordinance to lie on the Table of the House had not expired. What occurred in the present instance happened last year in the Clergy Reserves Bill. It was impossible to proceed on that occasion without the advantage of an assurance such as he referred to being given by her Majesty's Government; and on the present, if Ministers would give a similar assurance, the right rev. Prelate might be able to postpone the question.
The Bishop of Exeterwould accede to the postponement of the motion until Monday, trusting that, under the circumstances of his attending his parliamentary duties, the judge of assize would consent to 109 put off the trial. At all events he (the Bishop of Exeter) would undertake to bring forward his motion on Monday next, and he would accordingly now move, that the order for proceeding with the motion to-morrow be discharged, and that the question be postponed till Monday.
§ Ordered accordingly.