Tierney, Mr. Herries, sir John Newport, hon. friend, that the knowledge of all the Mr. Ward, lord viscount Althorp, Mr. other members of the committee combined Ashhurst, lord viscount Lowther, Mr. was as dust in the balance, compared with Hume, lord viscount Howick, sir Edward the resources of which the right hon. SecreKnatchbull, Mr. Maberly, Mr. Home tary could bring into play. As to himself, Drummond, Mr. Bankes, Mr. Alexander he wished to express to the right hon. genBaring, Mr. Robert Palmer, Mr. Littleton, tleman his thanks for the courtesy which Mr. Vesey Fitzgerald, sir Henry Parnell

, dictated the communication that morning Mr. Wilmot Horton, sir Matthew Ridley, made to him ; proposing to place him on Mr. Stanley. The Committee to have the committee. Whether or not the power to send for persons, papers, and re- House would have sanctioned the proposicords; to report from time to time, and to tion, he certainly should have felt himself sit; notwithstanding any adjournment of under the necessity of declining the apthe House, seven to be a quorum. pointment—not that he was without a de

Mr. Baring expressed his surprise, that sire to advance the objects of the commitso few ministers of the Crown were ap- tee—not that he felt any disrespect towards pointed members of the committee. The any party concerned in it—not that he was omission of the right hon. Secretary for without great confidence, in the good the Colonies struck him as most extraordi- likely to ensue from its labours—but that nary.

attendance on its sittings would interfere Mr. Secretary Peel said, that the reason with his professional avocations. With why more ministers were not in the list respect to the propositions of his hon. was, that the duties they had to perform friend, the member for Montrose, he thought occupied so much of their time, that it was that much good might result from the impossible they could give any efficient adoption of his suggestions, in consequence attendance

upon the committee. He had of their being likely to ensure what the pressed his right hon. colleague to be a House and the country so earnestly demember of the committee; but he had re- sired—speedy reports. By dividing themfused upon the grounds just stated. He selves into committees of six or seven each, had been also desirous that the committee they might pursue their investigations with should have benefitted by the valuable as- infinitely more effect, than they otherwise sistance of the learned member opposite could do. (Mr. Brougham); but the learned mem- Mr. Secretary Huskisson said, he consiber had declined on account of his nume- dered it necessary to say a few words, afrous professional avocations.

ter the manner in which he had been apMr. Baring expressed a hope that the pealed to by the hon, member for Callingright hon. Secretary for the Colonies would ton, seconded, as that appeal was, by the re-consider the determination to which he hon. and learned gentleman. He certainly had come. Without meaning any disrespect had, in the first communication with his to the members composing the committee, right hon. colleague, on the subject of behe might say, that the aggregate amount of coming a member of the committee, detheir financial knowledge, bore no propor- clined the proposition on account of the tion to that possessed by the right hon. numerous official avocations which pressed gentleman; and that if they were deprived upon him, and occupied nearly the whole of his services, he should consider it a very of his time. Having, however, for a long serious disadvantage to the country, series of years devoted the whole of his

Mr. Brougham begged to add his en- time to the public service, so far as his treaties to those of his hon. friend, that the health and strength would permit, he was name of the right hon. Secretary might be now willing, if it were in accordance with included in the list. He was especially the feelings of the House, to attend the anxious to give expression to what was the committee occasionally, and give so much deliberate opinion of the House; namely, of his assistance to it, as his health would that the assistance of the right hon. gen- allow. On this, as on all other occasions, tleman was of the utmost value. He the House might command his best sertrusted that nothing had happened lately, vices. and that nothing could happen, to make Mr. Secretary Huskisson's name was acsuch an omission necessary; for nothing cordingly added, by Mr. Peel, to the list could remove the rooted conviction of the of the committee. After which, the House House, in favour of the proposition of his adjourned.

AND

HOUSE OF COMMONS. doing so will be found in the universal
Monday, February 18.

disappointment created by certain expla

nations not being given, which it was exCorpoRATION Test Acts.]pected would have been made on Friday Numerous petitions were presented for evening. That disappointment has now the repeal of the said acts. On presenting spread from one end of the country to the petitions from North Shields and from other. As that evening passed over withBraunton,

out explanation, which was looked upon, Mr. Liddell said, he would take occa- by general understanding, as the evening sion to observe that he entirely concurred on which these explanations were to take in the prayer of the petition, more espe- place, I thought it would be desirable that cially in that part of it which referred such an opportunity as the present should to the practice of requiring sacramental be afforded of giving full explanations to tests. He regretted that it would be all those who may consider that their impossible for him to attend in his place conduct required it. In referring, Sir, to when the motion, of which notice had been the omission of explanation on a former given by a noble lord, would come before evening, I am perfectly ready to believe, the House ; consequently, he should not that that omission did not proceed from be able to give the proposition for the any unwillingness on the part of those from repeal of the Corporation and Test acts whom it was expected to enter into the that support, to which he considered it fullest account of their conduct; but that entitled, and which it should otherwise they founded the reason of that omission receive at his hands. He would therefore in their conviction, that that peculiar avail himself of the present opportunity, occasion was not suited to the explanation. of expressing in a few words, his opinions It is as an independent member of parliaupon the subject, and the reasons which ment, unconnected with all the parties induced him to entertain them. He was whose conduct is affected by the transaware, that in so doing, he might be ac- actions, in reference to which an explanacused of pursuing an irregular course; but tion is expected, that I bring the subject he thought that every individual having now before the House. When I had dethe honour of a seat in that House, in such termined to bring it forward, I intimated a case, was bound to consult the dictates that intention to the right hon. the memof his own feelings, and more particularly bers for Liverpool and for Harwich, and I when he represented a large body of peo- came to the determination, with the conple. It had been said, that the law in viction, that the course I had determined question constituted a bulwark of the to pursue, was the best that I could adopt church; but he was of a different opinion; towards those right hon. gentlemen, with and as a warm friend and sincere admirer a view of affording them an opportunity of of the discipline and doctrines of the laying whatever explanation they may church of England, he was decidedly deem requisite before the House and the opposed to these Tests, and thought it country. I assure the right hon. genmost desirable to repeal them.

tleman, that a hostile feeling of any deOrdered to lie on the table.

scription I do not entertain towards them.

And with respect to this administration, I MINISTERIAL EXPLANATIONS.) The took an opportunity, at an early period of Chancellor of the Exchequer having the session, of stating that I by no means moved the order of the day, for going intended to offer an uncompromising opinto a Committee of Supply,

position to it; I stated my intention of Lord Normanby rose, and spoke to the waiting for the measures which they should following effect :- If, Sir, I avail myself of propose, and in being determined by the the opportunity, on a motion which is character of those measures, either in usually one of form, but which, on some withholding from, or in giving to, it my occasions, is resorted to as the constitutional support. As to the two administrations one for purposes of important communi- which have preceded the present, I was cation-if I have recourse to such an ex- unconnected with them ; indeed I was traordinary proceeding on this occasion, 1 out of the country almost the whole time can assure you, Sir, and the House, that it of their duration, and I did not give a is with the most unfeigned reluctance that single vote, or state any opinion respecting I adopt it; and I trust that my excuse for them. For many members of those ads VOL. XVIII.

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ministrations, however, I wish to state that though not with a view in any degree to I had a private regard; but, in the course pledge the government to the individual I am now pursuing, I beg to state, that it in question (lord Althorp), for the purpose has been taken without concert, and that of ascertaining whether, if ministers should with whatever blame it may be visited, I feel disposed to recommend bis nomination alone am responsible for it

. The course as chairman of the committee, he would I have now to pursue is a short one, more undertake the duty ? That communiparticularly as it is enjoined upon me cation, I beg to say again, was certainly rather to ask information respecting made without my knowledge; it was also the conduct of others, than to offer made without the knowledge of the memarguments. There was a general im- ber of the government, who, from his pression, that the discussion upon these situation, must necessarily be materially explanations would originate with my interested in all matters relating to that right hon. friend (Mr. Tierney). Now, subject; I mean, that the communication why such an impression should have pre- had been made without the immediate vailed I am at a loss to account; as it knowledge of the chancellor of the Exhas been stated by the head of the late chequer. But it was not made at all as a administration (lord Goderich) that it was point that was settled, and it was not made dissolved in consequence of the irrecon- in a manner to pledge the government, or cileable differences that arose between the to bind it in any way, at least as I undertwo right hon. gentlemen now members of stood, afterwards. Had any objection the same cabinet, and sitting on the oppo- been made, it was not intended to site bench. I say, Sir, I am at a loss to persist in the appointment. When I account, why it should be expected that learnt that the communication had been they should remain there silent, and that made, the result of which to myself an explanation should be expected to was personally nothing but satisfactory, originate with my right hon. friend, who from the opinion I entertained of the has retired from office, and who has not individual, the first question I asked was, been connected with those differences, whether there had been any, previous except through the intervention of his communication with the chancellor of the communications with one of them. Exchequer? I was informed that there

It must be notorious, that, in another had not been any. I lamented that; I place, a noble lord at the head of the late could not but lament it, and I thought it administration, stated, that the immediate an oversight. It seemed to me an uncause of the dissolution Jf that adminis- fortunate circumstance, that any thing tration was the irreconcileable differences should have passed upon the subject between two right hon. gentlemen, with beyond our own immediate circle. I reference to the chairmanship of the begged that no time should be lost in Finance Committee, and the appointment putting my right hon, friend in possession of my noble friend (lord Althorp), who was of what had been said, and in explaining named for that office, I will only say, that to him the whole of the circumstances. there is no member of the twenty-one This was done by my right hon. friend, appointed on that committee more emi- the Secretary of State for the Colonies. nently qualified than my noble friend, to He explained to the chancellor of the discharge that office with credit to himself, Exchequer fully, all that had occurred

, and with satisfaction and benefit to the upon the subject. No objection was made country.

by the chancellor of the Exchequer-no I now come to the statement which was offence was taken by him at the time, as made by lord Goderich in another place, far as I have heard, to any thing that had in which the conduct of the right'hon. been done, It did, however, so happen, gentleman is immediately involved. After that the next day-after he had had the some preliminary remarks, introductory of subject under his consideration—he found the circumstances attendant on the nomi- that there were very strong objections to nation of my noble friend to the chairman- the proposed appointment which had been ship of the Finance Committee, the noble so submitted to him. He stated those oblord proceeded:"It did happen, with-jections to me; but I understood them to out my being aware at the time that such refer much more to the fact, that no prea step had been adopted, that a communi- vious communication had been had with cation on the subject had been made, him, than to the individual who had been

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named, and to whose appointment he | the strongest manner not to risk that concould not accede. Explanations followed sistency which is the conformation of the between the chancellor of the Exchequer government, and though the most earnest and the Secretary of State for the Colonies, endeavours were made to satisfy him, that and yarious letters passed between them. there was no sufficient reason for the obI certaiuly considered those explanations jections he felt to the proposed nominaperfectly satisfactory; and so, I have every tion-always referred to his first letter, reason to believe, did the Secretary of which involved his resignation, as the neState for the Colonies. He was so entirely cessary consequence of that appointment: convinced, that he had removed the objec-on the other hand, the Secretary of State tions of the chancellor of the Exchequer, for the Colonies distinctly and unequivocally that he never communicated to me the stated, not only in conversation, but in correspondence that had passed between writing, that he felt his own honour and the chancellor of the Exchequer and the character to be so involved in the mainteright hon. gentleman who originally sug- nance of that nomination, that it was gested the name of the individual qualified utterly impossible that he could acquiesce to be chairman of the committee. I had in any change.” no reason to believe that there was any The noble lord, at the head of the late such difference of opinion, as would leave administration, then proceeded to state, any party concerned to conceive, that if that the explanations went on, that he the appointment had been persisted in, it found the difference irreconcileable, and would be impossible for the individual ob- so reported the matter to his majesty, when jecting to remain a member of the govern- the administration was dissolved. Now, ment. All this, the House will bear in Sir, that which principally strikes the mind, took place between the end of No- mind in the detail of this affair is, that vember and the beginning of December ; the right hon. gentleman, the member for and, on the 22nd of December, I received Harwich, did not at once impress the mind a letter from the chancellor of the Ex- of the prime minister with the full extent chequer, in which he first of all stated to of the difficulty under which he labouredme his objection to the appointment pro- that he did not at once state, that his obposed, as a matter of form. He also men-jections rested on public grounds, and that tioned the general grounds, of a public he departed from the noble lord, leaving nature, on which he rested his resistance him secure in the opinion that the matter to the nomination that had been made; was easily explainable. This was the and he concluded his letter by observing, statement of the noble lord himself, and that under these circumstances, and feel he was well known to be above all guile, ing these objections so strongly upon prin- and incapable of misrepresentation. It ciple, he felt it his duty to place his office plainly appears, that in the opinion of lord entirely at my disposal. The conclusion Goderich, the objection of the right hon. I drew certainly from that letter was, that gentleman applied solely to the manner of my right hon. friend tendered the resigna- the nomination. If so, it was a mere tion of his place, if the proposed nomina- slight-a thing which would excite a feeltion took place. It was utterly impossible ing of chagrin, but which was to be easily not to see that that was the obvious mean- removed by explanation. If the objection ing of the communication. I felt it my stood upon public grounds, then, indeed, duty so to consider it. In answer to my the difficulty would be greater ; but lord right hon. friend, I stated, that he had Goderich thought it was not so. It is to greatly misunderstood the share I had in be borne in mind, that lord Goderich is an the previous discussion, which he called a impartial witness in this case. It was he negotiation. I explained to him, in writ- who introduced the right hon. gentleman ing, as I have explained to your lordships, to the government; and he has declared, how this misapprehension had arisen. "I that he understood from that right hon. assured him there was no ground for say- gentleman, that his objection rested upon ing, that any negotiation had been settled no public grounds, and was one easy of and concluded without his approbation ; explanation. Then, Sir, what I ask is for, in fact, I had not been aware of it this—how came the right hon. gentleman until it was passed. The result was, that to allow the matter to remain quiescent in while, on the one hand, the chancellor of the minds of his colleagues, and to bring the Exchequer, though he was pressed in it forward at a distant period, unexpectedly

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and most inconveniently, as the result occasion. I have always looked upon the shewed ; although I do not impute to the right hon. gentleman as a great public right hon. gentleman any intention in so benefactor--as the first of great practical reserving himself? Upon these facts I reformers, and I think him so much the

— make no comment : I express no opinion : more valuable, being in place, and espeI merely ask for explanation. All I say cially when his principles are triumphant is, that when we see a right hon. gentle- -far more so than if he were a mere item man, as in this case, not in habits of in- in a minority, out of place. If, then, his timacy with his colleagues, not at once principles are triumphant, I hail his apdisclosing the state of his mind to them, pearance in his present place with the but at intervals coming forward and re- greatest satisfaction. Connected with this newing and perpetuating points of opposi- fact, however, there is, Sir, a circumstance, tion and difference, until at length the to which I must advert. I have said, that administration, of which he is a member, I have read the speech of the right hon. falls beneath these repeated assaults-all gentleman at Liverpool. I have read reI say is, that there is something in all ports of it in the London papers; and it this which demands explanation before is but bare justice to say, that I never read the world can be brought fully to under- reports more clear, more satisfactory, or stand it.

exhibiting more direct internal evidence of This is all I have to say upon this point. accuracy and truth. By internal evidence, But, when the right hon. Secretary for the I mean such evidence as can be collected colonies volunteered in a manner uncalled from the fact of the substance and the for and gratuitous—his explanation, it did sentiments being throughout the same in appear to me singular that he should omit all the papers, with those slight variations all mention of this quarrel. At the same of expression which are themselves a proof time, I must say, that I have found it of the report having been taken fairly. It equally difficult to understand the extra- is impossible for me to suppose, that a set ordinary non sequitur of lord Goderich— of men so respectable as the London rethat when what had occurred was reported porters, and who discharge their very diffito him, the course for him to pursue was- cult and important duties with so much not to decide, but to resign. I will now impartiality and talent,-it is impossible proceed, Sir, to that which is the more for me to suppose, that such a body of important part of my inquiry—I mean the persons should have entered into a conprinciples upon which the government is spiracy to misrepresent the language, or to be conducted. When it was known to compromise the character, of any public me that the right hon. gentleman had man; but I regret to say that there are joined the present administration, it did individuals, by whom the authenticity of certainly at first appear to me, that he the reports of the right hon. Secretary's had made some personal sacrifice in doing speech at Liverpool have been disputed.

It was this impression on my mind, I would not have troubled the House with and on the minds of others, that created this fact, if peculiar circumstances had not that extraordinary interest in the expected led me to think it desirable that it should explanation of the right hon. gentleman. be mentioned. Last evening, a speech The opportunity for that explanation oc- was put into my hand, published in curred at Liverpool ; and I assure the a Liverpool paper, which was materially

; right hon. gentleman that I read with at variance with the reports of the speech great interest and real pleasure, the re- of the right hon. Secretary for the colonies, port of what occurred there. Sir; I will which had been published in the London not enter into the question as between journals. I am informed, that a person in party and party—between man and man town has stated, that this report of the

-as to what has been the conduct of the speech, which was in a paper called the right hon. gentleman towards his late "Liverpool Courier," was corrected by the friends. If any ground of complaint of right hon. Secretary himself. his conduct exist as to that point, I dis- Mr. Huskisson here intimated, across claim all knowledge of it. I know that the table, that he had neither sanctioned there is a particular sort of disclaimer, nor corrected any report of his Speech which is understood to imply a concealed at Liverpool. reproof : but I sincerely declare, that I Lord Normanby. The only purpose for have no such meaning upon the present I which I refer to this report is, to notice

so.