The Sun.
London, England, 1865-05-24 00:00:00

MR. WILDE.

Mr. FERRAND rose to move for a select committee to
inquire into all the circumstances connected with the re-
signation of Mr. Henry Sedgwick Wilde as registrar of the
Court of Bankruptcy at Leeds ; the granting him a pension ;
the appointment of Mr. Welch to the said office ; and
whether he was to resign his appointment in favour of the
Honourable Richard Bethell, and receive another appoint-
ment in London. The hon. member said that, as the
Government had expressed its intention of granting the
committee, it was not his intention to make any lengthened
obserVations upon that occasion. He could not, however,
avoid referring to some remarks made the other evening by
the Attorney-General with respect to Mr. Wilde, and which
had given much pain to that gentleman and his family.
Mr. Wilde was a member of the bar, a nephew of the late
Lord Chancellor Truro, and a relation of Sir James
Wilde, judge of the Probate and Divorce Court. The
Attorney-General, on the other evening, used the words
"personal defalcation " in the same sentence in which he
had introduced Mr. Wilde's name. Now, he had been
informed by those who had long known Mr. Wilde that
there was not a more honourable or upright gentleman
in England ; and therefore it was that the statement of
the Attorney-General came to be so extraordinary. Ho
could not understand how the Attorney-General came to
use such an expression towards Mr. Wilde; and, therefore,
he desired to know upon what authority the hon. and
learned gentleman had given utterance to it.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said no one could call in
question the discretion which the hon. member had exer-
cised in not anticipating the inquiry which the Lord Chan-
cellor earnestly desired; for although Lord Westbury felt
that there had been already given to that house answers
on the subject which might be deemed perfectly satisfac-
tory, yet, as there seemed to be a feeling on the part of a
considerable number of the house that the inquiry proposed
should be satisfactory, it was impossible for his lordship to
come to any other conclusion than that the investigation
should take place. Speaking for himself, he must say he
should have been glad if the words at the end of the mo-
tion had been omitted; however, that was a matter for the
hon. member to determine. With respect to the inquiry just
made by the hon. gentleman, nothing couldibo more sur-
prising to him than to be informed, as he had been by Mr.
Wilde privately, that the words which he (the Attorney-
General) used upon a former occasion were thought by
anybody to convey, directly or indirectly, the idea of an
association of Mr. Wilde's name with pecuniary defalca-
tion. His statement was that in the report of Mr. Com-
missioner Ayrton complaint was made of certain irregula-
rities in the office held by Mr. Wilde ; but his words did
not extend to implying personal defalcation, and his reason
for adopting that form of expressimn which he used was
that the word irregularity was vague and uncertain, and
because he had no reason to suppose that anything of a
serious nature could be imputed to Mr. Wilde. He regret-
ted he had not used a more favourable expression, but the
reason why he did not was he had not at that time had an
opportunity of reading the whole of the papers relating to
the case. His desire was to exonerate Mr. Wilde, and
therefore it was a matter of very great regret to him that
the language which ho had used had caused pain to Mr.
Wilde and his friends. The alleged irregularities were
simply these, that Mr. Wilde had certified certain ac-
counts as having been submitted to the commissioner of
the district and sanctioned by him, when in fact they
had not been seen by him ; that he had been in the habit
of taxing the bills of messengers without jcalling for
vouchers ; and, lastly, he was said to have borrowed money
both of the official assignee and of the messenger. The
Lord Chancellor was not dissatisfied with the explanations
of Mr. Wilde so far as the borrowing of money was con-
cerned, as it appeared that he only borrowed £25 from
the messenger, and £lOO from the official assignee. An-
other point raised was that proper care had not been used
in checking the accounts, and that formed the charge of
irregularity which was imputed to this gentleman, namely,
that of certifying accounts which, to the full extent, had not
been sanctioned by the commissioners. He should be sorry
if anything which fell from him should be supposed to
exaggerate these charges. Most assuredly he did not under-
stand that any pecuniary charge of any kind or sort what-
ever had been brought against this gentleman.
Mr. FERRAND said he thought it was hardly fair of the
hon. and learned gentleman to have stated what the Lord
Chancellor's opinions were in relation to this matter. Ho
(Mr. Ferrand) had refrained from mixing up anything ex
parte in this affair. Mr. Wilde distinctly denied that ho
had ever done anything improper. He (Mr. Ferrand) had
gone fully into the matter with Mr. Wilde, and believed he
was perfectly innocent of the charge brought against him.
Mr. Wilde was quite ready to go before a committee, and
his only anxiety was to clear himself from .the charges
which had been brought against him.
Mr. DISRAELI—I think my hon. friend the member for
Devonport has acted quite right in not making any state-
ment. Whatever that statement might have boon, it must
have been an ex parte one; and I think it would have been
an act of great impropriety to make an ex parte statement.
I see nothing in the case of Mr. Wilds. I know nothing of
the question relating to him ; but it is due to an absent man
to say that, from the admission of the Attorney-General and
from what has transpired, I believe the charges made against
him are of a frivolous character. What the house and the
country are interested- in Is, that the inquiry should be a
real and bona fide inquiry—`(cheers)—and that it should
be, as far as our firms an powers admit of, an inquiry
of a judicial nature. What I would suggest to the Govern-
ment for their consideration is—and I hope they will adopt
it—that it should be referred to a mere select committee
in which both sides of the house are represented. In a
question of this kind the existence of party ought not to be
admitted ; and I think we ought to leave it to the com-
mittee of selection. Let the appointment of a committee
be left to the committee of selection, and let it be composed
of not less than seven and not more than nine members.
Lot these affairs be referred to the committee of inquiry
appointed by the committee of selection. The house, lam
sure, will accept the judgment of such a committee with
confidence, and trust, and satisfaction, and, what is of more
importance, it will act upon the public mind in the same
spirit. I trust, therefore, we shall understand that these
matters will not be left to the mere routine method, and be
referred to a committee in the usual manner, but that they
will be referred to a committee appcinted by the committee
of selection—the only course, lam confident, that will give
satisfaction to the house and the country. (Cheers.)
Mr. ROEBUCK was quiet sure that this ought to be a
judicial inquiry. The feelings of tho country would not be
satisfied if it were made a party question ; therefore, in
order to withdraw it entirely from party considerations,
he believed the safest way would be to ask the leader of
the house, who was now present, to make some remarks
by which he would mark his acceptance of the proposition
of the right hon. gentleman the member for Buckingham-
shire.

Sir G. GREY—The Government entirely agree with the
right honourable gentleman that this inquiry should be a
thorough, a searching, and an impartial one ; and if the
house think it can be best conducted by a limited number
of members chosen by the committee of selection, the
Government would not feel disposed to offer any objec-
tion. I think, however, it would be more satisfactory if
this matter was referred to a committee of fifteen mem-
bers, but 1 apprehend that this cannot be done without
notice. I would suggest therefore, that the proper notice
should be given, and if the house concur the Govern-
ment will offer no objection. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. HEYG.ATE was understood to say that another
similar case was reported to have occurred in his part of
the country, and ho thought it desirable that that case
should also be investigated. Ho was decidedly of opinion
that the inquiry ought to be of a most searching kind.
Mr. MALINS said that as a member of the profession he
might, perhaps, be permitted to express his hearty concur-
rence in the suggestion of the right hon. gentleman (Mr.
Disraeli), and his great satisfaction that the Government
had acceded to his proposal. It was not a light matter that
imputations Ilie tations should be cast upon the head of the profession
law. (Ilear, hear.) It was a question so important
that
believed the suspicions againstt the noble lord were un-
founded,
bads yh'ruhsted he would come clear out
founded, and he sincerely
of the in
miscellaneousso great importance as
fadmiration of the noble lord,
and he thought that an inquiry
this should not be confined to a°bypartyco committee,
which might possibly be influenced considerations.
He would suggest that, whatever committee should con-
duct the inquiry, none of its members Should belong to the