Lords Sitting of 6 July 1846

MINUTES.
PETITIONS PRESENTED. By the Duke of Richmond, from Guardians of the Bromsgrove Union, and from several other Poor Law Unions, for Repeal of Lunatics Act and Lunatic Asylums and Pauper Lunatics Act—From Inhabitants of Bath, for the Abolition of Capital Punishment.

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE.
The MARQUESS of LANSDOWNEhaving presented a petition, said: I will take this opportunity of stating that under the merely ordinary circumstances attending a change of the Government, it might have been convenient to propose that your Lordships should adjourn for a short time, the number of writs that have been moved in the other House of Parliament, making it obviously impracticable and inexpedient to proceed with public business as usual, till some day in the next week. But it has been suggested that it would be extremely inconvenient if the private business were postponed; and therefore I propose that your Lordships shall continue to sit, with the understanding, however, that no public business shall be transacted till the writs which have been issued in consequence of the acceptance of office by Members of the other House of Parliament are duly returned. I shall, therefore, propose that your Lordships shall meet at four o'clock on the usual days of meeting; but merely for the purpose of receiving petitions and of swearing witnesses.
LORD STANLEYsubmitted, whether, if the House assembled so early as four o'clock, the sittings of the Committees might not be inconveniently curtailed?
The MARQUESS of LANSDOWNEhad no objection that the House should continue to meet as usual at five o'clock.
LORD BROUGHAMwas not aware how the absence of hon. Gentlemen from the other House of Parliament should interfere with the progress of business in their Lordships' House; but an insuperable reason against a protracted adjournment was, that judgment must be given either tomorrow or on the next day in two important cases, as the learned Judges whose opinions had been sought, would have to leave on circuit upon Wednesday.
House adjourned.