§ The MARQUESS of LANSDOWNE,having delivered the report of the Metropolitan Commission of Sewers, said: My Lords, as there is no business before the House, I may as well at once take this opportunity of moving, that this House at its rising do adjourn to Friday next. In making that Motion, I feel that however imperfect and insufficient any communication which it is in my power to make, may be found to be, relating to the present posture of affairs, it is due to this House that any information given, or communication made upon that subject to the other House of Parliament, should in substance be made to this House also. But in doing so I shall confine myself simply to a statement of the facts as I understand them. My Lords, on Friday last, in consequence of divisions which had recently taken place in the other House of Parliament, Her Majesty's servants communicated with each other—from domestic circumstances I was not one of the persons communicated with on that occasion—and on that day Her Majesty was led to believe that it was probable that Her servants would resign on the day following. Early on Saturday morning I came to 888 town, and that resignation was respectfully and unanimously tendered by Her Majesty's servants to Her Majesty. In the course of the same day the noble Lord whom I see present (Lord Stanley), was, as I am informed, invited to attend at the Palace, and a proposal was made to him to construct a Government. I am informed that the noble Lord stated that he was not then prepared to form one. On that communication being made, recourse was had to other persons, and more particularly to my noble Friend lately at the head of the Government, and he was requested to reconstruct an Administration. My Lords, this is the present state of things, and all that it is in my power to state to your Lordships is, that my noble Friend lately at the head of the Government has, on reflection, thought it to be his duty towards Her Majesty, and towards the public, to attempt the reconstruction of another Cabinet. Beyond this I have nothing to say. I speak as the organ of a Government which, in fact, exists no longer; a Government which is, in fact, nominal only; and of which I am the representative here only so long as it remains nominally in office, and for the purpose of making this communication.
LORD STANLEYMy Lords, after the statement made by the noble Marquess, none of your Lordships, I am sure, will be disposed to offer any opposition to the proposal which he has made, that the House should adjourn from this time till a later day, or at least that in the meantime no public business of importance shall be discussed. My Lords, I am exceedingly unwilling, and shall not attempt, to offer any comment on the statement made by the noble Marquess: circumstanced as the country now is, it is impossible that a complete revelation should be made of what has occurred; and in the present state of things, I do not hold it to be consistent with my duty to offer any explanation or information which must of necessity be of an imperfect character. I will now only say, that on Saturday I had the honour of a lengthened audience with Her Majesty, in which I laid before Her Majesty fully and unreservedly the whole of my views on the state in which the country and political parties are now placed. Nothing could exceed the graciousness, the condescension, and kindness (if I may use the word) of manner of Her Majesty throughout. But of what passed at that interview, either what advice I humbly tendered to 889 Her Majesty, or what was stated by Her Majesty, at the present moment, I think I should ill requite the confidence and favour with which I have been honoured, if I were to say a single word. When the time shall come—when this political crisis shall have passed—I shall be prepared to state fully and unreservedly to your Lordships and to the country the whole substance of the advice which I tendered, and the course which, as a public man, as one honoured with the confidence of Her Majesty, and as a Privy Councillor, I felt it my duty to recommend.
§ The MARQUESS of LANSDOWNEAfter the forbearance which the noble Lord has exercised, it would unquestionably be improper to deprive him of the opportunity of fully and fairly stating what has passed, when the convenient time for doing so shall arrive, in the way which he shall judge most fitting for his honour and most conducive to the public good. In the meantime all I beg of your Lordships is, to believe that I have, in the very short statement I made, said nothing but that of which I was distinctly informed.
§ The EARL of ST. GERMANSproposed that the House should meet to-morrow, for the purpose of proceeding with the second reading of the Marriages Bill. It was a measure in which a large number of persons out of doors felt a lively interest, and as it embraced no political object, he thought there could be no objection to go on with it to-morrow.
LORD CAMPBELLstrongly concurred with the noble Earl in asking their Lordships to let the measure to which he referred be discussed to-morrow. It was a measure totally unconnected with party or political questions; it was purely a social and religious question; and his humble opinion was that there was no impropriety, notwithstanding the present posture of affairs, in the House taking the debate on the second reading of the Bill to-morrow.
The ARCHBISHOP of CANTERBURYsaid, if there was no Parliamentary objection to the request, he would add his humble wish that the measure should be proceeded with to-morrow.
§ The MARQUESS of LANSDOWNEsaid, their Lordships well knew it was not usual for the House to continue their sittings under the peculiar circumstances that at present existed. He could not, however, deny that there was great force in what was stated by the noble Earl, and con- 890 firmed by his noble and learned Friend, and the most reverend Prelate, as to the expediency of having a discussion of this measure to-morrow. He would accede to the proposal of the noble Earl, on the understanding that no other subject of discussion should be introduced, so far qualifying the proposition as to leave them afterwards at liberty to arrange when they should sit again.