HL Deb 06 May 1845 vol 80 cc227-8
Lord Brougham

called the attention of the House to the circumstance of the parties persevering in this measure, notwithstanding a Report of the Committee (as he saw by the Journals) that 300 breaches of the Standing Orders had been committed. It would be but an act of charity and humanity to dissuade the parties from thus throwing away their money in a hopeless experiment upon the Legislature; because when the Bill came up to that House, he could venture to pledge himself confidently it was imsible that it should pass into an Act of Parliament, for it was impossible but a breach of their Lordships' Standing Orders must be committed; and if that occurred, and were reported by their Standing Orders Committee, common honesty — and it was only giving their Lordships credit for common honesty—would render it utterly impossible for the Bill to pass into a law. He spoke with the greatest respect for the other House that was consistent with this proceeding. Of course he did not seek in any way to interfere with their Standing Orders; they might alter them or retain them, or abrogate them, and perhaps if they did abolish them altogether, in so tar as they related to this transaction, it would be the better.

Lord Campbell

thought it was quite enough for their Lordships to take care that their own Standing Orders were not broken, without taking charge of those of the other House.

Lord Brougham

said he had made no Motion at all; he had only given Notice of one. That their Lordships were the guardians of their own Standing Orders, and the other House of theirs, was a self-evident proposition; God forbid he should deny the right of the House of Commons to do what they pleased with their Orders, to dispense with or abrogate them altogether—and perhaps it would be as well if they did, if they proceeded in this way with them; but their Lordships would certainly not allow their Orders to be broken. He did not suspect that any canvass had taken place in the other House; but he knew that none whatever could take place here; for five or six years it had been quite impossible.