MOTION FOR A SELECT COMMITTEE. (Hansard, 9 August 1867)

THE MARQUESS OF WESTMEATH
, who had given Notice to move— For the appointment of a Committee to consider the Arrangements for Reporting the Speeches of the Members of the House, and with special Reference to certain proceedings in the Reporters' Gallery on Thursday, the 11th of July, said, that his Notice had appeared on their Lordships' Minutes for a considerable time, but the pressure of public business had necessitated its postponement until now. That Notice had reference to a charge he had made that the reports of the debates in their Lordships' House were not dealt with in a manner which, probably, their Lordships would approve. It was not particularly with regard to the disparaging language which had been used with respect to himself—and he had stated when he previously mentioned the subject to their Lordships that there was a respected gentleman who was ready to come forward and prove before any tribunal, on his oath the statements that he had made—it was not with respect to that language that he brought this subject forward, because he should not have thought himself justified, in a matter personal to himself, in troubling their Lordships by bringing it before them; but it was because it was connected with a threat made at the time by the person who used that language that he would not report anything that might full from him in public discussion in that House. That circumstance was the more remarkable because the subject which was dealt 1203 with was one arising from the public Papers on their Lordships' table—relating to the proceedings on the proposed abolition of the Transubstantiation Declaration; and he had to remark, as a matter of fact at the time, that not one syllable of what he stated on that occasion was reported in the public press, which generally reported the discussions of that House. It was on that ground, and on that ground solely, that he had brought the subject before their Lordships. His Motion was that a Committee should be appointed to look into that matter. At an earlier period of the Session, supposing the matter was one which their Lordships would think it right to take up and pursue, to arrive at a knowledge of the facts before a Committee might be all very well; but at that late stage of the Session he confessed that he should not wish to persist in that Motion, and more especially because he did not wish it to be supposed for a moment that personal feeling had influenced him in the matter. With these few words he would now leave the matter entirely in their Lordships' hands.

§ THE EARL OF DERBY
I am glad to hear that the noble Marquess does not intend to persevere with his Motion for the Committee of which he has given notice. Your Lordships could hardly at this time of the Session—if there were no other objection—deal with such a question, and I therefore think the noble Marquess has exercised a wise discretion. My noble Friend's Motion itself consist of two parts. First it suggests "the appointment of a Committee to consider the arrangements for reporting the speeches of the Members of the House." Now, I must confess, it appears to me that such an inquiry is quite uncalled for, because it is a matter of astonishment how accurately and carefully the speeches made in this House are generally reported by the press; and I must say that I have never found on any occasion, in comparing the reports of the various papers, any indication that the least partiality or partizanship have been exercised. I must also say that I do not think it would be any improvement, or anything on which we could justly congratulate ourselves, if the reporters were to 1204 take down and give to the public our speeches in a verbatim form. I am quite convinced on my own part that though what we say may sound very well when spoken, yet if our words were taken down literally our speeches would not in all cases stand the test of critical examination; and, on the whole, I believe your Lordships may congratulate yourselves on the wonderful accuracy, correctness, and fairness with which our debates are generally reported. With regard to the particular complaint made the other day by my noble Friend, I must say that if it really appeared that there was anything like an agreement on the part of the members of the press that his speeches or those of any individual Peer should be systematically suppressed, I am sure your Lordships would be of opinion, and the members of the press themselves generally would be of opinion, that such a systematic suppression would be a gross violation of the permission under which they are enabled to report the proceedings that take place in this House. I think, however, that my noble Friend is not disposed to sustain that view of the case, or to entertain the belief that there is any such agreement among the Members of the press to deal unfairly by him. Still less do I think there is any ground for the imputation that any deeply laid scheme not to report the noble Marquess has been concocted on account of a large number of Jesuits being connected with the public press. I believe that any such idea is entirely confined to the mind of the noble Marquess, and that none of your Lordships share it. But my noble Friend also complained, as I understood, that in the Reporters' Gallery there was language made use of with regard to himself which was, to say the least of it, most disrespectful. Certainly, if such language as that was made use of by any person, I think it was most reprehensible, and that it ought to be visited with censure. At the same time I do not think my noble Friend owes any thanks to his confidential friend for reporting to him the very unflattering language alleged to have been so used concerning him. I am sure that the noble Marquess will not deem it worth while to inquire who the individual may be who made use of that language, nor, even if he had ascertained who it was, to press the matter further upon your Lordships with a few to any proceedings being taken. Whoever the person may have been, I 1205 trust he will have been convinced of the gross impropriety of the expressions he uttered, and that the feeling which your Lordships and the public generally must entertain in regard to such conduct will be a sufficient warning to him, and to every one in the position of a reporter, that they are expected to treat the Members of this House with due consideration and respect. I am sure therefore that the noble Marquess will rest satisfied with this expression on the part of your Lordships as to the extreme impropriety of the language used on the occasion in question, and, at the same time, of your conviction that there is no such general conspiracy or agreement not to report his speeches as he seems inclined to think.

THE MARQUESS OF WESTMEATH
said, that the judicious remarks of the noble Earl had, he hoped, cleared his respected friend (Mr. Harper) from any appearance of impropriety in reporting to him the language that was used personally to himself. That language was spoken at the same time that the threat was used not to report anything that he should say. He trusted that the House would not suppose for a moment that his friend (Mr. Harper) did an act otherwise than friendly to him, in letting him know what seemed calculated to injure his position as a public man.