§ EARL GRANVILLEI wish to ask a question of the noble Marquess of which I have give him private notice. We have all individually learnt the approaching marriage of the Princess Louise, the eldest daughter of the Prince and Princess of Wales, with a Member of your Lordships' House. The intimation has been received with even unusual interest; and I venture to say that in no place is there a warmer sympathy felt with any event 1426 likely to increase the happiness and add to the comfort of the Queen and of Her Majesty's Family than in this House. But, strange to say, for the first time on such an occasion, the House of Lords collectively has been entirely ignored, and no sort of official intimation of the happy event has been vouchsafed to us as a body. If I remember rightly, the Duke of Albany's marriage was announced to both Houses in the Queen's Speech, and both Houses had an opportunity in the Debate on the Address and in the Address itself to express their loyal satisfaction. Subsequently a Royal Message was addressed to both Houses on the same day, which referred to the marriage and asked the two Houses to make due provision. On the Duke of Connaught's marriage, Royal Messages announcing the fact and asking for due provision were delivered on the same day to both Houses. The day before yesterday such a Message was given to the House of Commons, and to-day both sides of that Assembly have an opportunity, which has not been afforded to us, of expressing their feelings on this occasion. I believe that the omission is entirely without precedent. If the departure from precedent were intentional, such a want of respect to the Crown and to this branch of the Legislature would require serious consideration on our part. But I am perfectly certain that such is not the case, and that the omission has arisen from regrettable inadvertence, in which case the Prime Minister will probably be glad of an opportunity to make an explanation to that effect.
§ THE PRIME MINISTER AND SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (The Marquess of SALISBURY)The noble Earl has entirely 1427 crushed me with precedent; and I have at once to acknowledge that the precedents are entirely on the side of the noble Earl. There ought to have been an announcement to this House on Tuesday evening. I can only say, as was said on a more important occasion, "some one has blundered." I did not know that the Messages would he sent down to London until I got to Windsor in the middle of the day on Tuesday. As the special train was timed to arrive I should have been in time to bring them before your Lordships. But there is a special providence waiting over special trains, and that special train did not arrive to time. I have to tender my humble apologies to your Lordships for any seeming want of form or respect which was the result of that inadvertence which I regret very much should hate taken place. The Messages are now in the hands of the noble and learned Lord on the Woolsack.