§ EARL GRANVILLEMy Lords, before the reading of the Orders of the Day, I wish to make a communication to your Lordships on behalf of Her Majesty's Government with respect to the Dissolution of Parliament. After the statement which the Chairman of Committees was good enough to make to the House last night regarding the state of the Private business, I and one of my Colleagues communicated with Lord Palmerston on the subject. Her Majesty's Ministers greatly regret having to interfere with the finishing of the Private business before the House; but, at the same time, there are various and important reasons why the dissolution of Parliament should not be postponed for any considerable time after the Public business has been brought to a conclusion. Therefore, without giving any distinct pledge on the subject, Her Majesty's Government have thought it necessary to advise Her Majesty to prorogue Parliament on Thursday week, the 6th of July. With regard to the anticipated interference with the Private business, in consequence of the dissolution, I do not think the inconve- 851 nience will be so great as has been supposed, as, since the appeal made by the noble Lord the Chairman of Committees to the House, considerable progress has been made in that business. With regard to the class of Bills referred to by the noble Lord yesterday—namely, those to which parties are offering opposition—I do not think that the limitation of the time for the prorogation of Parliament will affect them in any great degree. It appears to me that there are weighty reasons to induce Her Majesty's Government not unnecessarily to delay the dissolution of Parliament. Such delay would cause great expense to candidates, who all earnestly wish to proceed as soon as possible with the elections. The delay would also most injuriously affect trade and manufactures, which are much affected by the electioneering contest about to take place, and I am quite sure a greater amount of evil would be caused to the country by delaying the dissolution, than would result from the non-completion of so much of the Private business as yet remains to be done. Under these circumstances Her Majesty's Ministers are of opinion that the prorogation should take place on Thursday the 6th July, which would give more than ample time for disposing of the Public business.
§ LORD REDESDALEOf course I have not a word to say against the decision of Her Majesty's Government. It is no doubt their duty to do the best they can for the general interests of the country, and having come to the conclusion to dissolve Parliament at an early day I can no longer contend against that determination. I hope, however, that the amount of injury to those interested in the Private business will be less than was at first expected, as I believe that by the end of the Session there will be but few, if any, Private Bills undisposed of, as a great number of those Bills have been passed within the last few days, and in nearly every instance where the Bills will remain undisposed of the fault will rest with the parties themselves. I hope no attempt will be made to hang up any of the Private business until next Session—a course which in my opinion would be clearly wrong. Any intimation of such a nature would have the effect of preventing amicable arrangements between the contending parties which otherwise might possibly take place, and I am very glad that no notice of such an intention 852 has been given by the noble Earl. I think I shall be able this evening to appoint additional Committees, which will facilitate the disposal of the remaining business. I shall watch the progress of the business carefully, and we shall be enabled in a few days to see what prospect there will be of concluding it before the rising of the House.