The Sun.
London, England, 1854-03-18 00:00:00

Baring, and Mr. Bright took part, tho motion was with.
drawn.

THE CASE OF MR. STONOR.
Mr. G. H. MOORE said that the hon. gentleman the
Under-Secretary for the Colonies was reported to have
made
on the preceding day a statement with respect to the
appointment of Mr. Stonor, which, in his (Mr. Moore's)
opinion, ought not to be allowed
to to pass undnottihcaetd;
~ The
hon. gentleman was reported have
Stonor had sent to the Colomal.office a packet of testimo-
nials, amongst which was a printed paper, containing a
paper by Mr. Stonor himself, relative to the fourth resolu-
tion of the Sligo borough election committee, and that that
letter had been added to the testimonials, but the package
passed unexamined by the clerk under whose hands it came
and by the hon. gentleman himself." Now, he (Mr. Moore)
did not mean to insinuate any doubt that the hon. gentle-
man had there stated what he believed to be the truth,
but it appeared to him to be utterly impossible that the
hon. gentleman could have stated the whole truth of the
case, because if there were nothing behind that statement,
it would, in fact, amount to this, that Mr. Stonor's testi-
monials having escaped observation that gentleman had
been appointed to the office of a judge merely because he
had written a letter to say that ho would like to be so
appointed. (Hear, hear, and laughter.) Now, that was
utterly impossible, and the public had a right to know
on what ground and at whose recommendation the ap-
pointment had really been made. He believed he could
show that that gentleman had been appointed through an
influence which was, unfortunately, very powerful with
the Duke of Newcastle. He believed he had been ap-
pointed, not in spite of his corrupt practices, but because
of his corrupt practices. (Hear, hear, and laughter). He
believed he should be able to show that Mr. Stonor had
been appointed to that office because he had handed over to
the hon. gentleman the member for Sligo (Mr. Sadleir),
who had then been a junior Lord of the Treasury, an
influence which he had obtained in Sligo through the cor-
rupt practices which, according to the report of a select
committee of that house, he had pursued Under these
circumstances, he (Mr. Moore) wished to give notice that
he would on a future evening move that a select committee
be appointed to take into consideration the appointment
of Mr. Stoner, he having been reported by a committee
of that house to have been guilty of bribery at the election
for the borough of Sligo in the year 1852.
Mr. HUME said he thought the Government had gone
beyond what could have been expected of them in that
case. They had stated that at the time they had made
that appointment they had not been aware of the charge
against Mr. Stonor, and that since they had been ac-
quainted with it they had determined on cancelling the
appointment.
Mr. F. FRENCH felt astonished at what had fallen from
the hon. member for Montrose. Was that the mode in
which an Under Secretary for the Colonies should perform
his duties? The question to be decided by the house did
not relate solely to Mr. Stonor; they had also to consider
whether a member of that house who had neglected his
duty and brought discredit on the Government to which
he belonged should be suffered to continue in the office
which he held. (Laughter.)
Mr. F. PEEL said that he would re-state the circum-
stances under which Mr. Stonor had been appointed to a
judgeship in the colony of Victoria. As he had said on the
preceding day, that gentleman had addressed to the Colo-
nial Office an application for that appointment. He had
accompanied his letter with a packet of testimonials, and
that packet also contained a printed paper relative to
the resolution of the Sligo election committee. The letter
of application referred to the testimonials, but did not
refer to the printed paper by which they were accompa-
nied. The letter stated that the testimonials had been
given to the writer by persons of the highest eminence in
the profession of the law, by the Lord Chief Justice of the
Court of Queen's Bench, by Vice-Chancellor Stuart, and
by other persons, not perhaps so elevated as those, but
still of high standing in the profession. It might have been
an omission (continued the hon. gentleman) on our part
that we did not examine those testimonials for the purpose
of verifying the statement of Mr. Stoner. It was an over-
sight, I admit, it is to be regretted ; but some palliation
may, perhaps, be found for it in the laboriousness of that
office—(hear, hear)—and in the impossibility of always
guarding, by any amount of diligence and industry, every
approach which may lead to the occasional commission of
error. (Cheers.)
Mr. WHITESIDE said he was sure that the hon. gen-
tleman who had just explained his conduct had dealt with
the house in a spirit of perfect sincerity; but that matter
concerned the administration of justice, and he could assure
the hon. gentleman that, while he entertained the most
perfect respect for him, he had heard his speech of the pre-
ceding day with great pain. Was he to understand that
the members of a Government, who were pre-eminently
distinguished for their administrative ability, when they
came to consider the claims or the qualifications of an in-
dividual who was to decide on questions of property,
liberty, and life, never condescended to read the papers
which had been sent in to them relative to those claims or
qualifications ? (Hear, hear.) If the noble duke at the
head of the Colonial-office was so much engaged that he
could not perform that duty, could he not transfer it to
the eminent and able person who represented the colonial
department in that house ?
Mr. BOWYER said he did not think that the hon. gen-
tleman the member for Mayo (Mr. G. H. Moore) had acted
fairly when he had referred to a conversation which had
passed between him and the hon. member. The statement
made by him (Mr. Bowyer) in the course of that conversa-
tion had been purely a confidential one, and his only ob-
ject had been to save his friend Mr. Stonor from the at-
tacks of a gentleman of the great and practised ability of
the hon. member for Mayo. For his part, while he ad-
mitted that Mr. Stonor had committed an indiscretion, he
did not believe that he had been guilty of the offence with
which he had been charged. He did not wish to make
any attack on her Majesty's Government. He could
state, on the authority of his hon. friend, that he owed
his appointment not to the influence of an ex-Lord of
the Treasury, the member for Sligo, but to his reputa-
tion, and the recommendations he had procured. He
was at the time in receipt of a considerable income, but he
had now abandoned his profession, and sailed for a colony ;
he was far from being independent, he had a mother and
brother in delicate health depending on him, but he had
given up all his prospects in this country, believing that
her Majesty's Government were fully cognisant of the whole
affair. (Hear, hear.) He had spoken to him (Mr. Bowyer)
of the generous manner in which the Government had
acted towards him—he said that they did. not take the
finding of the committee as binding, but had gone into
the evidence—(cheers)—and formed the opinion that the
decision was no bar to his employment under the Crown.
Like an honest man, he had brought the case fully before
them. (Hear, hear.) There never was a harder case to an
individual. (Hear, hear.) This gentleman was totally
ruined by the neglect of the Colonial Office. (Hear, hear.) It
was all very well for a gentleman in office to say, " We have
made a mistake ;" but it becomes a serious matter for the
individual affected by the mistake. In this case a gentle-
man and his family had been ruined, and he trusted the
house would take the merciful view, and consider that
enough had been done to vindicate justice.
Mr. G. H. MOORE wished to explain. A serious im-
iutation had been made on him. But the statement to

bins had been made publicly in that house in the presence
of a large number of members. (" No, no," from Mr.
Bowyer.) At the request of the hon. gentleman he aban-
cloned his intentions, and when taunted by the Under
Secretary for his withdrawal, he had stated the fact.
(Hear, and cries of " order.")
Mr. MALINS thought that the hon. member for Dun-
dalk had vindicated Mr. Stoner, but the question was no
longer confined to him, the Government were now before
the house. It appeared distinctly, from the admis-
sion of the Under Secretary, that Mr. Stonor believed that
all the papers had been read. It was a hard thing for
him to be stigmatised as a briber. If the Government
had done its duty the appointment would have been re-
fused in the first instance ; Mr. Stonor would have devoted
himself to his profession' in a few years all recollection of
this transaction would have perished, and he misht have
been appointed to office without a murmur. The injury
to him was now irreparable. (Hear, hear.)
After some observations from Mr. 0. STANLEY,
Mr. I. BUTT referred to a debate last session, in which
he had alluded to the fact that Mr. Stoner ha.Cl actually
bribed an alderman at Sligo. On that occasion several
members of the Government took part, and on the division
the name of Mr. Peel appeared as voting with the Govern-
ment, although he now alleged that ho was not aware of
the charge against Mr. Stoner. He fully believed that al-
legation as regarded the hon. gentleman, but that debate
was full notice to the Government, which had notwith-
standing appointed him, and yet the moment attention was
called to the subject, they recall him with as much haste as
they had previously made his appointment.
Mr. JOHN SADLEIR rose from the end of the second
bench below the gangway on the Government side of the
house, and said—l shall not enter into a discussion as to
what are the rights and privileges of the Government in
dealing with any case; but the honourable and learned
gentleman who has just spoken has thought proper to re-
mind the house that election committees act under the obli-
gation of an oath, and has signified his opinion that there is
something highly improper in acting against the decision of
such a committee, though carried only by a majority of ono.
Now, I beg to remind the honourable gentleman in answer
to that observation, that it often happens the decisions of
juries given upon oath are, notwithstanding, set aside by
the judges of the land. As to the conduct of the member
for Mayo, who has in my absence, and without the slighte,t
notice given to me, endeavoured to found accusations af-
fecting my honour and character, I say it is most unjusti-
fiable and indefensible (Oh, and cheers.) He has ventilated
that which I now tell him to his face is a slander and a li-
bel. (Cries of " Order," cheers, and considerable uproar.)
The SPEAKER—The hon. member for Sligo has made
use of an unparliamentary expression. It is impossible for
this house to listen to him. He must immediately retract it.
Mr. SADLEIR—I bow with the utmost respect, and at
once retract tho word slander, but I say that that which the
member for Mayo has stated of me is a libel, for which
there is not a particle of foundation. (Loud cheers, and
cries of " oh, oh.") The hon. member for Mayo having
stated behind my back and in my absence that the appoint-
ment of Mr. Stonor was made at my instance, and as a
reward
Mr. MOORE—I never said anything of the kind.
Mr. SADLEIR—I am not all surprised at the retracta-
tion by the honourable gentleman. (Laughter.) Ho is
entitled to every indulgence at my hands, because I know
he lives upon the circulation and invention of the most
unfounded statements for political purposes. (Cheers and
uproar.) The honourable member for Mayo is in the con-
stant habit of making statements without a single particle
of evidence to sustain them—(increased confusion)—
The SPEAKER— The honourable gentleman is again
out of order. I really must request him to be more care-
ful. He must retract the expression which he last used.
(Cheers from the Opposition.)
Mr. S ADLEIR—I retract the expression ; but I repeat
that I am not at all surprised at finding the honourable
member prepared to stand up in his place in Parliament,
and, after having most deliberately reflected on my con-
duct and my name, in the presence of many of the friends
who now surround him, retract those reflections. (Cheers.)
Having given this flat and unqualified denial to the state-
ment of the honourable gentleman, and having challenged
him to the proof of the assertion, and which he has now
thought proper so instantaneously to withdraw, I shall
now resume my seat. (Loud cheers and counter cheers.)
Mr. MOORE immediately rose, and was received with
considerable clamour. He said, I must again beg to ex-
plain what I really did say. What I said was, that I be-
lieved that Mr. Stoner was appointed to the situation
Vtela he lately held in consequence of having tranferred
t he hon. gentleman opposite that interest in the borough
of Sligo which ho had obtained by corrupt practices.
(Hear.) That was what I said, and I believe hon. gentle-
men will allow that that was what I said. (Hear.) I did
not say because I knew nothing of the hon. gentleman
having made any application. (The hon. member was in-
terrupted at this point by load cries of " order," and at
once resumed his seat.)
The question was th put and carried ; and the
Speaker having left the cen hair, the house resolved itself