§ The Deputy Usher of the Black Rod having announced "a Message from the House of Commons,"
LORD BROUGHAMrose, and submitted to their Lordships whether it was not productive of the greatest possible inconvenience to persist in the practice now adopted when Bills came up from the House of Commons. By doing so, they lost half an hour of most invaluable time, inasmuch as it was half an hour taken out of the three half-hours during which their Lordships usually transacted public business, and sa- 905 crificed to one of the most useless ceremonies that was ever practised by any court or public assembly. For his part, he saw no reason to suppose that this House would lose any of its dignity by taking Bills from the House of Commons in a list, in the same manner as the Commons received Bills from their Lordships' House. He had to ask their Lordships to pay a little attention to this subject. At this period he did not propose any specific measure; but he thought it was very advisable that the question should be referred to a Committee of Inquiry. It would not be wise, as Sir S. Romilly had observed, rashly to change the forms of proceedings in either House of Parliament, because they were almost always found to be the result of experience; and, therefore, had some reason on their side. On this account he (Lord Brougham) suggested the propriety of instituting a previous inquiry, which would, in all probability, lead to an improvement in the mode of transacting their business. It was his intention shortly to bring forward a Motion relative to the general business of the House, and he should propose that this matter be referred to a Select Committee.
§ The Messengers were then called in.