The Express.
London, England, 1858-05-01 00:00:00

CONBPIitACY IN IRELAND.

Mr. BLAND haw that ;t;;;;;171Ydiy ha should
no,. for leave to bring Ina bill to repaid the act of 10th Geo.
IV., with regard to conspiracy to warder in Ireland.

THE MILITIA.

wt. LasoucHEitritiTga7.l;tier it woo the foot that
t►e government did not intend to oall out the militia until
Jane SO. . . .

Mr. WALPOLE said that the government did not intend
to call out the militia until after the 90th June. They
would not, In fact, be called out until the regular time.
Mr LABOU C HERE—When is the regular time P
Mr. WALPOLE—The sutures, after the harvest.

MR. EDWIN JAMES.

HVMT salmi the fleastery for the Home Department
her his attention bed ben called to the report in the
re of yeateidaystameettag held on the 28th April, at St.
la's-hall, is aid of the " Pries Prossoutica Defence
Fund" in which me of hoe Majesty's eattosel was stated to
have been presoak end to ham Mims pert la Hummed*, ;
end also, whether it was competent for me ci her Majesty's
comma to refused hold a brief for the aroma in ashes prom.
cation. He now wished to know whether Mr. Janes was
offered • brief for the crown in Bernard's case and declined it.
(Cheers from the back benches.)
Mr. WALPOLE—UntiI the notice of the hon. member
brought the matter to my attention, I had not seen the re-
port of the pomading, at St. Mrtiterhall. I sent for
the papers immediately upon notice of this question, in order
that I might see what was reported to have taken place. I
used not Nay that I mad it with great astonishment. (Cheers
from the back benches.) Since that time, I have been in-
formed by a gentleman wk.) is a member of this house, end
a irked of Mr. E. Jame, that he attended that meeting, not
to cowpony with Dr. Bernard, that he, in hot, at&.d it
only ran auditor, and that he was called upon the plat-
form without an notice that he would be so called. lam
told also by his friend that Mr. James states the report in
question to be incorrect. (Hear, hear.) With regard to the
Gorr, jarts of the question, namely, whether Mr. James wail
a brief fermi the crown, and whether it was competent
for one of her Majesty's counsel to refuse to hold a brief for the
crown intestate prosecution, I bare this plain statement of facts
to make. First of all, that a Queen's counsel cannot act in
• crown prosecution without the license from the mown
given for that purpose. Secondly, that my learned friend
the Attorney-Omeral, wishing to have the assistance of such
criminal lawyers as he thought it would be desirable to have
hretendaelleg the gremerilts, aligned to Mr• Jangle.
the solicitor to dr Treseary, to have his easistanotragt
answer of Mr. James I have here in his own words, which
are as know : nulled to that letter (of the solicitor to
the Treasury) @Wing that I had been retained by the de-
fended, had had a eonsaltation with his coluteel and
attarseys, and that I preinased that under these circumstances
the A -General would not insist on my services."
(Chews.) are the word, of Mr. James himself. Now
I think it right to twiner clearly under the notice at the bolos
• statement which has gone forth to the public totally
contrary to the impression which the public ought, upon the
hots, to have with respect to this particular prosecution. It
is reported, I hops I may say incorrectly reported, that Mr.
James stated at that meeting to which I have referred, "that
be had refused a retainer from the crown—(hear, hear)—be.
cause he believed that an obsolete act of parliament wee
sought to be put in force to please a foreign despot." That
was the statement which Mr. James was reported to have
made. I have already read you, sir. Mr. James'a account
of the answer which he gave to the solicitor for the Treasury.
I will now read you the answer of the Attorney-General,
dead, I may add, with my approbation and entire emotion.
I Milk it will show to the house that every possible accor-
d/Ay was iateaded to be offered by the crown to the pri-
mmer ea base meth counsel as he might choose to soled to
sada You In Ids trial. The answer of the Attorney-General
ewes through the solicitor to the Treasury, and it ran thus :
"I have shown your answer to the Attorney-Geeing.
He wee not aware that you had been retained by
Benard, still lees that you had conferred with
lie counsel and attorneys. He thinks it would
new be • great dieadvantege to the prisoner to be deprived of
your essistance. and that it would give him jut canes of
complaint." (Loud chews twin the liberals below the gang-
way on the opporition side.) So Httic did Mr. James com-
plain of the course taken by the advisers of the crows, that
he returned them his 'beaks far their conduct. I evil now
read his &newer, which, I think, must satisfy the home that
there Is some 'grange mar is the report of what took place
at St. Martin's-ball. Mr. Jamee's mower to the eoheitor
to the Treasury zsa thus: "My dear Greenwood, I thank
yon for your note. I hsi the onaplintent paid me by the
Attorney-Omeral." (Hear, bear.) I will only add, that
the mama that the Hamm was applied for at the Home-
°lnce it was gives. I hole that this plain statement will
go forth to the country, es showing that the crown on no
occasion in this kingdom deprives a dimmer of any aseist-
ante which he may wide to lave. (Hest, bear.)

Mr.
whed