HL Deb 11 February 1858 vol 148 cc1119-21
THE EARL OF CARNARVON

wished to put a question to the noble Earl the President of the Council relative to the promised measure of parliamentary reform. At the commencement of last Session the noble Viscount at the head of the Government intimated his intention that some measure of the sort was to be introduced; and at the opening of the present Session before Christmas special mention was made of it in the Speech from the Throne. Parliament had now been sitting three weeks; yet up to the present moment they had received no intimation whatever with regard to the intention of the Government upon the subject. So far as he himself was concerned, he must say that he was not so sanguine as to hope much from any measure which might be introduced. At the same time it was most desirable, for the sake of all parties, that they should understand what was the nature of its provisions with the least possible delay. Already they had an enormous mass of Parliamentary business to transact. In the House of Commons they had a Bill with regard to aliens, which had already consumed two nights in debate. Then there were discussions in prospect with regard to finance, and the government of India; and beyond all that, they had a war in India, which was likely to be the subject of constant reference in this House; and another war in China, which had assumed proportions, and been carried further than they could ever have expected. And in addition to all this they were to have a Reform Bill. It was desirable, then, that their Lordships should receive some explanation as to when it was probable the contemplated measure of reform would be brought forward. Under the most favourable circumstances it appeared to him to be scarcely possible for Parliament to do justice in one Session to the vast mass of business that was to come before it. Either the Reform Bill was ready or it was not ready. If it were not ready, he certainly could not compliment Her Majesty's Government upon the celerity with which they despatched their busi- ness. There would be considerable risk of the question being driven off until the months of July and August, when the Members of both Houses would be exhausted by their labours, and the measure might pass with many crudities and imperfections. If, on the other hand, the principle of the measure had been agreed upon and the Bill prepared, what earthly reason could exist for its not being on the table at that moment? The fact was, the whole matter seemed to him to bear a very suspicious aspect. It really appeared as if the proposed reform had been held out as a sort of bait to hon. Gentlemen who entertained advanced liberal opinions in another place, and of whose allegiance Her Majesty's Government were somewhat doubtful; and at the same time as a rod over the heads of those who, like himself, dreaded stirring up popular feeling upon the question. He should be glad to know, then, whether the promised measure of reform was ready, and, if so, when it was likely to be laid before Parliament.

EARL GRANVILLE

said, it was announced in the Speech from the Throne that Parliamentary Reform was one of the measures which the Government intended to propose in the course of the present Session. No change had taken place in their intentions in that respect; but the precise time at which the measure would be introduced must depend very much on the general prospect of the business of the Session. On this, as on other questions, Her Majesty's Government must be allowed to exercise their discretion as to the mode of announcing the nature of the measure they proposed to bring in, and as to the best time for obtaining for it the calm and deliberate consideration of Parliament.

THE EARL OF DERBY

said, that as it had been announced in the Speech from the Throne at the opening of the Session that a measure of this sort was to be brought forward, he thought his noble Friend (the Earl of Carnarvon) was perfectly justified in asking that Parliament and the country should have time for considering whether they could adopt or approve of its provisions. If the measure were not brought forward at an early period, Her Majesty's Government would be open to the suspicion of one of two things: either of desiring that the measure should not pass at all during the present Session, which he was not quite sure some of them might not desire as he confessed he himself did; or else of hurrying it through without giving Parliament and the country time to consider it. In his opinion, if the question were brought forward with the sanction and authority of Government, it should be discussed calmly and deliberately, and after the fullest notice had been given in both Houses.