The Sun.
London, England, 1853-04-20 00:00:00

prove the absence of improper abuse of patronage on the
part of the Government, it was the absence of petitions from
any other boroughs having dockyards attached. The hon.
baronet had accused him of going to Devonport and walking
through the dockyard there, and had also talked about a
dinner at which certain persons were present, among whom,
he said, were the two candidates ; but in one case he was
wrong, for the hon. and gallant member for Devonport was
not there. (Hear.) With regard to having availed himself
of the Black Eagle, that charge he must admit ; and he
could not wish the hon. baronet any better enjoyment than
a trip in that vessel if he were fond of yachting. (A laugh.)
Among the charges made was one that he had employed a
steam-vessel at the Government expense, to enable him to
visit the ports of the Mediterranean, to which he could
only reply that he never took a Government vessel a
mile out of her way. He had corresponded with Admiral
Dundas, and finding that a steamer was to call at cer-
tain ports, he contrived to be at those ports in time to
meet it, but he never caused it to move one mile out of its
way on that account. (Hear.) The only expense to which
he put the Government was 121., and he had been the happy
guest of Admiral Dundas, whose hospitality he should recol-
lect to his.latest hour. As to the charge of going through
the dockyards, he could, if it were advisable, detail some
curious circumstances with regard to some persons never in
that house, as well as to others elsewhere. He would frankly
admit that it would have been better if he had not gone
round the dockards, and would recommend his successor
not to (10 so. He made that admission, although he had
never canvassed in the dockyardP, and had always, with two
exceptions, been accompanied by the superintendent of
the yard, expressly to be relieved from demands of suitors.
No conversation did he hold, except to assure people that
the Government would Lot press against any man for freely
exercising his political rights. (Hear.) He had given these
assurances because complaints had been made against the
other side, and that was all he had done. Still, he repeated,
it would have been better if he had flagons at all. He was
not aware that there was any other matter which had
escaped him, and as the house had heard him with patience,
he was sure it would decide with justice. He had been called
to that office in the middle of a session, and on the eve of a ge-
neral election, and those who were the most competent to
judge of the difficulties and temptations attending such a po-
sition would be the most lenient judges. However, he (lid
not appeal in misericordiant, but relied upon the truth to
justify him. He had the satisfaction of knowing that the
men, without whose able and zealous aid he could not have
carried on the business of his office, were fully aware that
he had not wasted his time in political jobs, and there were
offcera, some at home, and some abroad, high in command,
whose thanks he had earned, and who would add their tes-
timony to that of his own conscience, that he had always
endeavoured, without distinction of party, to co-operate
with them in promoting the welfare of that gallant and
glorious service with which he had been connected. (Hear,
hear.)
Sir F. THESIGER said no scrutiny could obtain any
additional facts ; there would therefore be no use in
appointing a committee. If a committee was to be ap-
pointed to inquire respecting the last resolution, it would
be necessary to alter and extend its wording, so that it
might include not the distribution of patronage in a par-
ticular office, but the distribution of patronage generally.
There was no use in trying to disguise from themselves the
facts with respect to sucedistribution of patronage. Sup-
posing that they were to inquire into the distribution of
patronage by the Treasury? (Hear.) Was there a single
member of the house who bad not asked for favours from
the'treasury for political friends on account of electioneer-
ing services ? (Hear, hear.) They must be fair, open,
and candid in this matter. The excise and post-office
appointments were notoriously given to the members for
boroughs and counties who supported the Government for
the time being. (Hear, hear.) To propose an inquiry,
therefore, into the distribution of patronage by the Ad-
miralty did, in the present state of their political know-
ledge, seem to him to be a mere affectation of purism.
(Hear, hear.) It was ridiculous, absurd, and hypocritical.
(Hear, hear.) The facts were now known to every member
of the house—the matter was ripe for decision at the pre-
sent moment, and it would therefore be a senseless and
unreasonable proceeding to institute an investigation.
(Hear, hear.)
Sir J. GRAHAM said, having listened with attention to the
debate, he did not hesitate to declare that all doubt, all
shade of doubt--if his personal knowledge of the hon. gen-
tleman opposite could allow any to exist—that might have
rested on his mind as to the personal honour of the hon.
gentleman entirely disappeared. (Hear, hear.) It was
quite certain that a misunderstanding did arise be-
tween honourable men who were officially associated.
The Surveyor of the Navy wrote a letter, which
he addressed to the Secretary of the Admiralty Board,
which he thought a sense of duty compelled him
to write, but it appeared that that letter never came
into the hands of the hon. gentleman. Nor was it sent
in the customary channel ; but it was put into the hands
of the senior lord, who communicated it to the First Lord.
It appeared that he, on reading the letter, requested Sir
H. Parker to communicate with the hon. gentleman and.
Sir B. Walker, for the purpose of preventing his resigna-
tion. A long interview consequently took place between
the hon. gentleman, Sir H. Parker, and Sir B. Walker,
the result of which was that a minute which had been pre-
pared by the hon. gentleman was carried into effect, for
the purpose of saving the honour of Sir B. Walker with
regard to the revocation of the order previously in force.
And Sir B. Walker, on the whole accepted that arrange-
ment as satisfactory. Now upon this point he thought an
inquiry was necessary, in order to afford Sir B. Walker an
opportunity of explaining himself. (Hear, hear.) It was
said that political motives caused the removal of Mr.
Wells, and the transfer of Mr. Cotsell to Portsmouth ;
not giving him promotion, but having the effect of open-
ingthe way to promotion in the other dockyard. If there
was no taint of political influence in that arrangement,
there was no harm done, but it was alleged that it was
connected with political matters at Chatham. He could
not help saying that this was a legitimate subject of in-
quiry by a committee. The hon. and learned member for
Stamford had talked of such inquiries with the utmost
contempt—treated them as absurd, hypocritical, and said
that all political parties were tainted in this respect. He
(Sir J. Graham) was no purist—(hear, hear, and a laugh)
—and he said it was impossible to carry on the govern-
ment without there being a fair share of patronage given
to the supporters of the Government. It matt, red little
in the dockyards from whom the nominations flowed; no
doubt they came first from political friends ; but if you
adhered to the system of strict examination of nominees
before they were appointed, he cared not from whom the
nominations came, but it became of vital importance that
when once persons were in the dockyards promotion should
come from merit only. He had said he was no purist,
and lie repeated that, although much patronage must be
granted to the Government, which, in the first in-
stance, was checked by the examination, but after ap-
pointments were made, political influence should be ex-
cluded. (Hear.) He knew the tendency almost inevitable
to endeavour to conciliate political friends, and he knew
bow difficult it was to avoid such influences. He believed
that the Duke of Northumberland, anxious to avoid this
difficulty, gave up all the patronage to the hon. gentleman.
An election took place ; there was a pressure from political
friends, who said that they were deserted, that you were
untrue and unjust to them, and an honourable man might
perhaps in such a moment forget what was due to public
virtue. The right hon. gentleman then concluded by say-
ing to the effect, that he would make every allowance for
such circumstances, and was not desirous that undue pres-
sure should be put on the hon. gentleman ; that all he
wished was that for the future much that had occurred
should be avoided, and that for that purpose an inquiry
should be made, for the sake of the hon. gentleman him-
self, who, although his personal honour had been cleared
to night, might yet be open to a charge of error in judg-
ment ; there should be inquiry when the honour of a dis-
tinguished officer was in question, and he hoped that all
sides of the house would show a willingness to grant an
inquiry without narrowing its sphere, and he thought that
the hon. member for Marylebone would do wisely in adopt-
ing the suggestion of the hon. and learned member for
Stamford, and that if he enlarged the terms of his inquiry
it would be more satisfactory. (Hear.)
Mr. DISRAELI said that the question during a pro-
tracted struggle had assumed various and varying aspects.
It had now taken after the speech of the right honourable
gentleman the form of an allegation of corruEtion on the
part of the late Government ; and he must make some re-
ference to an individual who had been merely mentioned
in the debate, but who from his position was much inte-
rested in the question ; he meant the nobleman who had
lately presided over the Board of Admiralty. He (Mr.
Disraeli) could have wished that any other department of
the late Government had been questioned 'rather than the
Admiralty, for he would say most solemnly that there
was no individual who had ever presided over that depart-
ment of the Government who pursued a more conscientious
course in the disposal of his patronage, or exercised the
power of his department with a greater desire for the
good of the country. (Cheers.) The right hon. gentleman
(Sir J. Graham) had observed that the competition of the
private yards could only be counteracted by rigidly carry-
mg out the system of promotion ; and it was on that prin-
ciple that his hon. friend had proceeded. Now, he must
confess, that if the j.tiestion depended on the vindication
of his honourable friend (Mr. Stafford), in whose case there
was not, as it appeared to him, a single flaw, there would
be no necessity for appointing a committee ; but he ad-
mitted that as the discussion proceeded, the question as-
sumed a different form, and it was quite impossible that a
vote of the House of Commons could decide upon the con-
duct of Sir Baldwin Walker. He felt that it would be
most invidious and unjust not to give that gallant officer
an opportunity of entering into explanations. He had no
personal acquaintance with him; he knew him only by
reputation, as a distinguished officer and most honourable
man. Under the circumstances, he should recommend
his hon. friend not to oppose the motion for a committee.
(Cheers.)
Lord J. RUSSELL said he rose simply for the purpose
of saying that if he saw any words in the motion, which
appeared to him to contain any imputation upon the per-
sonal honour of the hon. member for Northamptonshire,
he should certainly move their omission. He did not,
however, find any such words, and he must say that he
thought the hon. gentleman had successfully vindicated
himself by his speech. (Cheers.) He could not approve
of the revoking of the minute of 1819. In the mainten-
ance of that minute he thought a great public principle
was involved ; for upon promotion for merit only depended
the efficiency of the service. (Hear.) It was quite need-
less to vindicate the character of the Duke of Northum-
berland, upon which no imputation could rest. (Hear.)
Captain DUNCOMBE said, though a personal friend of
Sir Baldwin Walker, he thought there were some discre-
pancies in his evidence, and these he had no doubt would
be explained.
Mr. NEWDEGATE deprecated an inquiry before a
select committee, when there had been an opportunity of
examining witnesses on oath before the election committee,.
Mr. M. MILNER wished the hon. baronet who had.: n-
troduced this motion to leave out of the inquiry all the
circumstances connected with the appointment of 'We lls
and Cotsell, which would only serve to keep up an unne-
cessary agitation in the dockyard. (Hear, hear.)
Sir B. HALL was willing to strike out all the al +lads
after the word " borough" in one part of the resolution, as
had been suggested by two honourable members ; but he
could not consent to strike out anything else. (Hear..)
The motion, as amended, was then- put from the chair
and agreed to without a division.
Sir B. HALL said he hciped the house would / aave no
objection to allow the committee of selection to n ame the
members to serve on this committee. (Hear, hear,)