§ THE EARL OF DERBYMy Lords, I am induced, in consequence of certain rumours, and perhaps I may say somewhat more than rumours, which have acquired a good deal of force and consistency during the last week, to put a question to the noble Earl at the head of the Government, of which I have given him notice, and to which I hope he will have no difficulty or hesitation in giving an answer. My Lords, you will recollect that, in Her Majesty's Speech from the Throne, Her Majesty was advised to recommend to the consideration of Parliament in the course of the present Session the law affecting the representation of the people in Parliament; and that, at a very early period after the delivery of that Speech, the noble Lord the leader of the House of Commons gave notice in another place of his intention to bring in a Bill for the purpose of effecting a reform in the representation of the people. My Lords, both upon the occasion of that first announcement of this intention, and also upon a subsequent occasion, Her Majesty's Government were appealed to by friends and by foes, more especially by a noble Earl whom I do not now see in his place (Earl Grey)—and I believe in the other House of Parliament similar appeals were made—not to introduce, at a period when it was important that all the energies of the country should be concentrated in preparing for that great and formidable war, in which it was obvious to every one we were about to be engaged—not, I say, to distract the country by introducing a subject of bitterness and animosity, excitement and controversy, which would divide parties at a time when it was most important that they should be united. I believe the answer given in the other House of Parliament was, that Her Majesty's Government brought forward this measure in 263 pursuance of a pledge which they were absolutely compelled to redeem. Now, if the noble Earl and his Colleagues had confined themselves to the introduction of the measure in redemption of the pledge which they had given—although I might have thought it was exceedingly imprudent to fling down before the country a measure of such importance without proceeding to its consideration—I certainly should have made allowance: For the position in which the Government had placed themselves on a former occasion by pledging themselves, as one of the points on which they rested their claims to the confidence of the country, to bring forward a measure of Parliamentary reform. But, my Lords, Her Majesty's Government went further than this; for, appealed to, as I have said, by all sides of this and the other House of Parliament, not unnecessarily to enter into a conflict on so exciting a topic, and having the example set them in the other House by their opponents, of declining to enter into this matter of controversy, by allowing the Bill to be read a first time without opposition, and almost without observation, Her Majesty's Government thought it necessary to state that they brought forward this Bill not only in performance of this pledge, but that they considered the war which threatened to interrupt our foreign relations, not only formed no ground why the discussion, consideration, and enactment of that measure should be postponed, but that, on the contrary, there was a peculiar fitness in bringing it forward at this particular time—that it would be a magnificent spectacle to Europe and to the world to see that, while we were engaged in a war, which really after all could not be of very great importance with a Power like Russia, we were able at the same time—considering war a matter of secondary importance—to apply our undivided attention to the reform and improvement of our domestic institutions. That was the statement made on the part of the Government both in this House and in the other House of Parliament; and, accordingly, a day was fixed for the second reading of that measure of reform—an interval, I think, of three weeks or a month from the period when it was first introduced into Parliament—a period certainly sufficiently long to enable the country to form, as I think they have formed, a very decided opinion with regard to the merits of the proposition, and to give to Members of the other 264 House of Parliament an opportunity of considering the course they ought to take. But, I confess that, although it is with great satisfaction, yet, after what has taken place, it is with some surprise, that in the course of the last three or four days I find rumours have been very rife, that a general expectation is entertained—notwithstanding all the peculiar propriety of this time for the consideration of the measure—notwithstanding the little influence which the state of our foreign relations need exercise on matters of domestic policy—that, after all, this measure of reform, on which the Government rest their claims to the support of the country, and which they brought forward in redemption of a most solemn pledge, given in the face of Parliament, is to be allowed to lie on the table of the other House of Parliament, and is not intended, at all events for the present, to be proceeded with. I think Her Majesty's Government have done very wisely if they have adopted the course of postponing, if not of abandoning for the present Session, this measure of reform. At the same time, it seems to me inconsistent with the declarations which they volunteered, and with the strong assertions they made, of the necessity, for their own character and for the advantage of the country, of pressing this measure forward; and, under these circumstances, I venture to ask the noble Earl opposite whether it is true that Her Majesty's Government intend to postpone the consideration of their Bill for the reform of the system of Parliamentary representation; and, if it be true, for what length of time the measure is to be postponed; and whether it is to be considered as a postponement or an abandonment of the measure for the present Session, or whether at a late period of the present Session a question of this kind is to be taken into consideration by the House of Commons; and, if passed by that House—of which I confess I entertain considerable doubts—it is to he sent up to your Lordships' House at a still later period of the Session, and at a time when, in all probability, we shall be engaged in a foreign war? I hope the noble Earl will not say this is a question peculiarly belonging to the House of Commons; for, although it may peculiarly affect the representation in that House, yet I think that neither the noble Earl nor any of your Lordships will consider that a question of 265 making a material alteration in the representation, and, in point of fact, of the constitution of the country, is not a matter in which your Lordships are as deeply interested as the other House of Parliament itself. My question, therefore, is—whether it is intended to proceed, as was announced, with the consideration of the Reform Bill, or whether that Bill is to be postponed; and, if postponed, whether it is to be postponed for a period altogether indefinite, or for an indefinite period of the present Session?
§ THE EARL OF ABERDEENMy Lords, although the measure referred to by the noble Earl is now before the other House of Parliament, and although my noble Friend who has charge of that measure will this night make a statement of the course intended to be pursued by Her Majesty's Government, and notwithstanding the Bill, as the noble Earl observed, relates mainly, or rather entirely, to the representation of the people in Parliament, I do not in the least complain of the noble Earl for taking the course which he has now thought proper to take. The interest and importance of this subject fully justify him in the course he has pursued, and I have no hesitation in giving him the answer which he desires to have. Your Lordships are aware that the second reading of this Bill now stands for the 13th day of this month. In answer to the noble Earl (Earl Grey) on the bench below me, at a very early period of the Session, I replied to the question put by him on that occasion, when he asked me whether the Bill would be introduced before the Army and Navy Estimates would be laid on the table, by stating that it would be so; and I also added that the consideration of the measure would not be hastily pressed, so as to interfere with the progress of the public service, in making those preparations which the exigencies of the time rendered necessary. My Lords, in consequence, the 13th March (although I believe the Bill was read on the 13th February for the first time) was fixed for the second reading. It would then have been before the country for a month. The noble Earl has said that the country has had a full opportunity of forming an opinion upon the nature of that measure. I know not what may be the opinion of the noble Earl, or what he supposes the opinion of the country may be; but this I say, that Her Majesty's Government have had no reason to be dissatisfied with the opinion of the country 266 upon that measure, so far as it has been expressed. I believe it has found favour with the country; that it has been considered as a just, a liberal, and honest, and a safe measure. But, my Lords, although I admit that the calamity of war must necessarily interfere with all social progress, still I am not aware that it is absolutely necessary that this curse which we are to endure is to impede and utterly prevent all domestic improvement. My Lords, when I said, in answer to the noble Earl below me, that the necessary measures would be taken to provide for the public service, in contemplation of this calamity then impending, I gave that as a reason why the measure should not be immediately proceeded with; and that reason I now repeat. I see that the necessary supplies have not yet been passed for the service in which we are about to engage. This very night a vote will be proposed for an additional 15,000 men; and on Monday, as my noble and learned Friend opposite (Lord Brougham) has observed, the financial prospects and measures of the year for providing for this increased expenditure will be laid before the other Muse of Parliament. Her Majesty's Government have thought it right, not only to provide a sufficient force for the great operations in which we may be engaged, but to provide the means by which the expense of that force may be defrayed. This I think it is the duty of Government to do, and this it is which we propose to do. Under these circumstances, therefore, my noble Friend, who has the charge of this Bill, will propose to-night to postpone the second reading of the measure until an early day after Easter—that is, until the 27th of April. On that day it is the intention of my noble Friend to move the second reading of the Bill.