The Sun.
London, England, 1863-06-16 00:00:00

tively and most conscientiously believe that those two dis-
tinguished officers have had every desire to do what was
right, but that they committed a very serious error of judg-
ment. That is my conviction ; and I believe that this will
eventually be found to be the case. But even to the case of
the irregularity of the imprisonment, considerable import-
ance is attached. That irregularity was not known to
me when my memorandum was written. It is only recently
that that has come to my knowledge, and of course it was
impossible for me to decide in the case when I really and
truly did not know the circumstances. I cannot believe
there can be any personal feeling in this matter with
regard to two such distinguished men—men not merely of
high military but private character in the various positions
which they had filled. Considering their positions and re-
putations, I thought that if they had erred it was only in
judgment, and certainly not out of the desire to do any act
of injustice, cruelty, or wrong. That consideration un-
doubtedly had weight with me, and I appeal to your lord-
ships whether it ought not to have had weight with me.
(Hear, hear.) Would any official have been justified in
coming to a rash conclusion in so very delicate a position ?
The result of this, I trust, will be to prove that, in both cases,
I have not acted so unadvisedly as I am accused of having
dor,e. For what occurred ? Why, at a very recent period,
circumstances have come to my knowledge that render it
necessary we should bring Lieutenant-Colonel Crawley to
court-martial. lam not going to enter into the case which
is pending a judicial trial; but the circumstances to which
I allude have only come to my knowledge quite recently.
Within a few days I have been placed in a position to advise
that that trial should take place on the merits of the case.
A great deal of time has elapsed since the circumstances of
the case first occurred. I may be asked why so much delay
has occurred. I answer that the whole affair occurred in
India—it takes three months to communicate with India and
get back a reply. Hardly a single letter has been written
upon this subject that has not required another question on
the answer and a fresh delay for another reply, with another
delay of three months. The result is that a longer period
has been suffered to elapse than I could wish or your lord-
ships expect. A still further delay must occur on this ac-
count. Sir William Mansfield, under whom the regiment is
serving, is stationed in Bombay. But the command of all the
troops in India is vested in the commander-in-chief, who is
stationed. in Bengal. The consequence is that every ques-
tion of this description goes officially from Bombay to Ben-
gal before it can come to us. This adds to the delay. I
have felt bound to point out this, in order to show that what
has been done has not been done with a view to shield or
screen any one, but with a strict and earnest desire to do
justice to all—not alone to do justice to the general feeling
of distress at the painful circumstances which have occurred,
and which are most natural, but to do justice to those who
have been implicated, and to whom I am sure your lordships
would wish to give every possible opportunity of defending
and justifying themselves, if it be possible for them to do so.
That is the only feeling I have; and as for saying there has
been any pressure put upon me, of course I spurn the idea.
But it does haßpen that the question was never discussed
by me with a sThgle individual, except in the most official
manner, and then only with one on whom I was able to rely
for advice and information, and a sound and just and safe
conclusion. (Hear.)
The Earl DE GREY and RIPON observed that the
speech of the royal duke relieved him of the necessity of
saying more than a few words on the subject. In regard
to the court-martial en Lieut.-Col. Crawley, the precise
nature of those charges was now under the consideration of
the proper authorities, and it would be improper for him to
express any opinion upon the subject. Every step would
be taken to ensure that the inquiry should be conducted in
the most open manner, and with perfect fairness to all
parties concerned.
The Earl of SHAFTESBURY hoped the inquiry would
take place in England, and not be transferred to India,
where in fact it had already been prejudged by the allega-
tion that Sergeant-Major Lulu's death was the result of
habitual intoxication.

The Earl of MALMESBUEY said that be had that day
seen a letter from Sir Hugh Rose, stating that his assertion
to the effect mentioned was grounded on the statement of
the surgeon of the quantity of spirits supplied to Sergeant-
Major Lilley while under arrest.
The subject was then allowed to drop.
The Vaccination (Ireland) Bill was read a third time and
passed.
The Bleaching and Dyeing (Ireland) Bill was read a
second time.

The Redemption of Rents (Ireland) Bill was considered
as amended, and agreed to.
DUCHY OF CORNWALL MANAGEMENT BILL.
This bill was read a third time and passed.
Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—Last Evening.

The SPEAKER took the chair at the usual hour.

The following bills were read a second time :—Lands Im-
provement Company—London (City) Traffic Regulation—
Sligo and Ballaghaderreen Junction Railway—Meux's
Estate.

The following bills were read a third time :—Birming-
ham and Sutton Coldfield Extension Railway—Devon
Valley Railway—lladdingtonshire Roads—London snd
North Western Railway (new branch lines)—Tendring
Hundred Railway—and Wexford Free Bridge.
The following bills were considered and ordered to be
read a third time :—Athenry and Ennis Junction Railway
(Extension of Time), Bishops Waltham Railway, Bonnelli's
Electric Telegraph Company, Galway Water, Kettering
and Thrapstone Railway, London and North Western
Railway (additional powers), Midland Railway (Bristol
line), Mistley, Thorpe, and Walton Railway, and North
British Railway (Wansbeck Railway, &e,)

PETITIONS.
By Mr. WALPOLE, from the University of Cambridge,
under its corporate seal, praying that no alteration might
be made in the Uniformity Act ; and by Mr. AYRTON, from
Volunteers, Tower Hamlets, against certain clauses in the
Volunteers Bill.
THE RECENT COURT MARTIAL AT MI-10W.
Mr. CONINGHAM gave notice that on an early day,
on going into committee, he should call attention to the re-
cent court-martial on Mr. Smale, and move a resolution
thereon.

THE COTTON DISTRICTS.-UNEMPLOYED

OPERATIVES.

Mr. FERRAND gave notice that he should to-morrow
ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, looking at the
distress now suffered by the artizans, he did not deem it
expedient to devote a morning sitting to the subject.
NEW TELEGRAPHIC LINE TO NORTH
AMERICA.

Mr, CAVE asked the tinder-Secretary for Foreign
Affairs whether her Majesty's Government had received
information respecting an international conference, which,
according to the Mon deur, had been opened in Paris, for
the purpose of examining into the project of a telegraphic
line from Europe to North America, via Brazil, and the
West Indies, and whether any steps had been taken for the
representation of this country at such conference ?
Mr. LAYARD replied it was quite true that there had
been such a conference. Proposals had been made to the
British Government to take part in it; but the Treasury,
looking at the engagements into which it had entered, had
not deemed it advisable to accede to the proposal.