The Sun.
London, England, 1854-08-04 00:00:00

MILITIA. (No. 2) BILL.

This bill was read a, third time.and passed.
MILITIA. (IRELAND) BILL.
This bill was read a third time and passed.
PUBLIC HEALTH.
The house then went into.a committee of the whole
house, and agreed to a resolution enabling her Majesty
to grant retiring allowances to the officers of the Board
of Health.
NATIONAL GALLERY (DUBLIN) (No. 2) BILL.
This hill was passed through committee.

MILITIA. BALLOTS SUSPENSION BILL.
This bill was read a third time and paseed.
MILITIA PAY BILL.

This bill was passed through committee.
CRIME AND OUTRAGE (IRELAND) BILL,
This bill was read a third time and passed.
JUDGMENT EXECUTION BILL.

This bill was read a third time and passed.
The other twelve o'clock orders were then disposed of,
and the sittings were suspended at four o'clock.

The house resumed at six o'clock.
STAMPED LETTER-PAPER.

In reply toaquesiion nut by IlLr. T. DIINCODLBE,
Mr. WILSON stated that on the passing of the Penny
Postage Act, fears were generally entertained that exten-
sive forgeries of Ftarnps would take place, and several pre-
cautionary provisions were introduced into the bill, one of
the regulations being that a piece of silk should be drawn
through the paper of which envelopes were made. Experi-
ence had shown that these precautions were not exactly
warranted by the necessity of the case. Various applica-
tions had been made with respect to issuing stamped letter
paper. The subject was now under the consideration of
the Government, and he was not without hope that ar-
rangements might be shortly made by which any person
sending a quantity of envelopes or letter paper might hare
them stamped at the Board of Inland Revenue. (Hear.
hear.)
THE CASE OF MR. NOVELLO—UNSTAMPED
PUBLICATIONS.

In reply to a question put by Sir J. SHELLEY,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER stated that,
in consequence of the resolution of the House of Commons,
on tire subject of the present state of the law regarding
newspaper stamps, it had become the duty of the Govern-
ment carefully to consider the whole question, with the
view of ascertaining whether any practical and satisfactory
measure could be introduced on the subject. The opinion
of the Attorney-General had been taken on the ques-
tion, and the suggestions which he had made had been
discussed by himself. It was, however, impossible at
the present period of the session for him to draw the
attention of his colleagues to the question in such
a manner as its importance demanded. It would
be the duty of the Government during the recess to
endeavour to prepare some satisfactory and effective mea-
sure. Although the question in a fiscal point of view was
one of only secondary importance, still there were many
important considerations connected' with its proper settle-
ment. It was impossible in the present state of the ques-
tion to come to any resolution which would have the effect
of announcing to parties that they might disregard the law
as it now exists, and on the other hand, and pending a
probable application to Parliament fora change of the law,
it was not the intention of the Government bto carry out
the existing law in a more stringent manner than had been
hitherto adopted. With respect to the particular publica-
tion of Mr. Novello, there was no doubt whatever that,
conducted as it was some time since, it was amenable to
the law. He had, however, been given to understand that
the publication had been conducted with considerable cau-
tion, and with a proper and judicious regard to the present
state of the question, and it could not therefore, under
such circumstances, be the desire of the Government to
adopt any course hich might justly be liable to the im-
putation of harshness. (Hear, hear.)
THE APPOINTMENT OF MR. LAWLEY TO THE
GOVERNORSHIP OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA.
The house then went into committee for the purpose of
affording Sir J. Pakington an opportunity of calling the
attention of the house to the circumstances under which
her Majesty had been advised to appoint the Hon. Francis
Lawley to be governor of the colony of South Australia.
Sir G. GREY said the right honourable baronet the
member for Droitwich had given notice of his intention to
call the attention of the house to the circumstances under
which her Majesty has been most graciously pleased to ap-
point the Hon. Francis Lawley to the officer of governor of
South Australia. Circumstances have come to my know-
ledge within the last few days which induced me, not
long ago, to address a note to the right hon. baronet to
may that I was anxious before he addressed the house in
pursuance of that notice to make a statement to tho house,
which with its permission I will now proceed to do. After
I have made that statement it will be for the right hon.
baronet, or any other honourable member, to adopt such
course as his sense of public duty may lead him to think i
fitting. lam desirous in the first place—as lam respon-
sible for submitting to her Majesty the name of Mr. Law-
ley for appointment to the Governorship of South Austra-
lia—to state frankly and unreservedly at once the circum-
stances under which I submitted that advice to her Ma-
jesty. (Hear, hear.) When I was entrusted with the
seals of the Colonial Department, for a day or two before
I had actually received them from her Majesty, I had
several conferences with the Duke of Newcastle, my im-
mediate predecessor, in which was stated the various
matters then pending in that department. Among other
things he communicated to me the arrangements which he
had recently made with respect to filling up various im-
portant colonial governments which were becoming in
course of time vacant. He submitted to me the arrange.
ments he had made with respect to the governments of
Canada, of New Brunswick, and of Norfolk Island. He
stated that Sir Charles Fitzroy having expressed his de-
sire on the subject, it had been intimated to him that he
would be released from his duties as governor in the course
of the present year, and he had submitted to her Majesty
the name of Sir Wm. Dennison, the present governor
of Van Diemen's Land, as the succ ssor to Sir C. Fitzroy,
in New South Wales. The noble duke told me also that he
had submitted to her Majesty the name of Sir H. Young,
the present governor of South Australia, for the governor-
ship of New Zealand, which had become vacant by the ap-
pointment of the governor of New Zealand to be the go-
vernor of the Cape of Good Hope. He then informed me
that, being of opinion that among gentlemen administer-
ing the government of other colonies of leas importance
there was no one who had particular claims upon the con-
sideration of the Government on the grounds of public ser-
vice or public conduct, as Secretary of State for the colo-
nies he had offered the governorship of South Australia to
Mr. Lawley. He stated to me that his acquaintance with
Mr. Lawley was not of above six months' duration, but
that from the acquaintance which he had had, and the in-
formation which he had received of Mr. Lawley's character
from those in whom he could place confidence, he was of
opinion that it was must desirable that a gentleman in his
position, of his character, and with his abilities, should
accept colonial service under the Crown. He stated to me
that he had been anxious to obtain the services of Mr. Law-
ley as governor of South Australia, but that, as he was
then on the point of surrendering the seals of the Colonial
Office, he had requested Mr. Lawley to give him an im-
mediate decision with respect to whether he was, or
was not, willing to accept the governorship of South
Australia. Mr. Lawley was inclined to accept the
governorship, but was anxious, as a man must naturally
be under such circumstances, to hold some communication 1
with his family and his friends before he gave a decision_e
, which might affect the whole course of his future
igumtnrhetlbifsegen.ivM
asked, therefore, whethera delay of a few days
him for deliberation. The Duke of Newcastle informed me
that he had stated, in answer to that request, to Mr. Law-
ley, that, as he only held the seals of the Colonial depart-
ment till I had received those seals, as I should do on the
next or following day, and as I should be unableftstrianaons.-
act the business of the department while
absent
asked
duringgdiornethe
thrmee dyraey-selewtoenh,
Mr.
hetijalidwnloeyt feelh_ad thekaetdhfeor, butuld
an affirmative or
that it was necessary for himHteo give
undertook, however, to
ftohrmat
negative decision at once.
hmention s
passed
en
withame respectof M r
to.
hi
e Lawleyepp tooi
nt me,
ntot, state
etoailnl
the name of Mr. Lawley to
nies he should have submittedto
the
governorship of South
me that had he remained Secretary of State for the Colo-
her Majesty for appointment to a
few
days,
deliberation,
had if Mr. Lawley,
e thent.
I am anxious to state sraonselddyWa"ndceputntrhesaetraypedrTyinttmo
of Newcastle's
had desired and beedi
do so—that Mr.
Lawley was wholly unknown
house—and I have the Duke
I:rnission to
to me. I have seen him engaged within this house and
have sat on the same side of the house with him
during the last few years ; but certainly have never
been thrown into his society, nor been upon such
terms with him as could authorise me to claim him as the
most common friend. The Duke of Newcastle, therefore,
informed me that he thought it right to State, the only
drawback which in his opinion might be alleged against
the appointment of Mr. Lawley, and under the circum-
stances I did not consider that to be a sufficient bar to his
appointment. The Duke of Newcastle told me that, like
many young men I fear in his position of life, he had early
in life been addicted to—l hardly know how to describe,
but—in ordinary language which will be understood b
aonhathbietturf.''
adoptedH einhaeclombemenoneawrliythincmlianielyd
by
everybody, and all will understand what I mean—had
been
unfortunatelyracing
,"
to horse-
other men of high rank and society in this country. I
submitted that, so far from thinking this •
circumstance a
blot on the appointment of Mr. Lawley,
or as constituting
an objection to his appointment, it was, on the contrary,
a recommendation under the circumstances which he had
stated. (A. laugh from the Opposition.) Honourable gen-
tlemen opposite may laugh, but I certainly should not
have expected that a party which acknowledged Lord
George Bentinck as their head in this house, would have
acknowledged this as an objection. (Ministerial cheers.) I
certainly should not have thought to have heard them sneer
at the employment of a person who had been so engaged, or
consider that it was an absolute disqualification for office
that a man had been so engaged. (Renewed cheers.) I
pass that by, however, because if hon. gentlemen will wait
till they hear the whole facts, perhaps they will find that
their sneers might have been spared. The Duke of New-
castle told me that Mr. Lawley had became deeply im-
pressed with the conviction that the course was one which
could not be abandoned too early, and he had stated that
1
his desire MA to break off from those habits in which, un-
fortunately, I say, and say it honestly, he had beeno
em-
ployed. Mr. Lawley stated that he had theacceptedi ce
of private poorotarzto my right hon, Woad WI

reeurre
of the Exchequer with a view to engage himself in
higher and more useful purusits, and that his desire for colonial
shopsaerthlyabpirotsmwphteicdhbiyt ah
awai sbheethat
sh
ae,nmxiig.oushi
government was
nceto
be removed absolutely from the reach of temptation, tation and
desire to break off. The Duke of e Newcast I further •
n-
formed me that he did not consider he was bound by what
had passed between him and Mr. Lawley. He gave me his
opinion, as I have already stated, that Mr. Lawley was
well qualified for that appointmeut, and that it would con-
duce to the public service if he were so appointed. When I
accepted the seals of the Colonial-office, I found that the
governorship of South Australia was vacant by her Mae
jesty having approved of the appointment of Sir H. Young,
the present governor of that colony, to another important
government. I had not, as I said before, the slightest
personal acquaintance with Mr. Lawley, and under these
circumstances I did not feel myself bound, after what
had passed between the Duke of Newcastle and myself, to
renew the offer of that appointment to Mr. Lawley. I nu-
derstood that I was perfectly free, and wishing to shrink
from no responsibility in this matter, I wish to state clearly
to the house all which passed between the Duke of New-
castle and myself. I was perfectly free to submit to her
Majesty the name of any gentleman for the appointment of
governor of South Australia. So much was I under that
conviction that I had actually made inquiries with respect
to another gentleman, iu order to ascertain his qualifica-
tions, and the willingness to undertake
that office, and I
intended to have made the offer to that other gentleman,
if under all the circumstances he had been willing to accept
it. But before any decisive steps were taken with respect
to filling up this government, I received about three weeks
ago a cemmunication through wy private secretary from
Mr. Lawley, which, I confess gave a very different aspect
to the case from that in which I had before viewed it. I
was thee informed, for the first time, that Mr. Lawley was
under a different impression from that under which the
Duke of Newcastle was, and what he had communicated
to me as his impression, and which in justice to the Duke
of Newcastle, I am bound to say he has since most explicitly
confirmed. Mr. Lawley stated that he cmiceived from what
had passed between the Duke of Newcastle and himself,
that he was not considered to have declined the ap-
pointment ; that the time for which he asked had
Ibeen allowed hi •m, in order to consider the subject ; and
that for a period, during the continuance of the present
session, it was at his option either to deline or accept the
°Mee. He stated that he had made up his mind, upon full
consideration and communication with those with whom
he had previously desired to consult to accept tne governor-
ship of South Australia, and he expressed some surprise
that he had not received any communication from me on the
subject. I received this information certainly with some
surprise, because, tcontrary to the impressions which, as
I have already said, I had formed from the statement of
the Duke of Newcastle, I spoko to a right hon. friend of
mine, a relative of Mr. Lawley's, in this house, and I
found that he was under the same impression as Mr. Law-•
ley, and that not only Mr. Lawley, but that his family
and friends were under the impression that the governor-
ship of the colony had been offered to him, and that it was
in his power to decline or accept the office. I stated this
fact to the Duke of Newcastle ; and, again, I am bound
to saw, in justification of the noble duke, he stated that.
the impression existing in the mind of Mr. Lawley, and
of his friends, was not that which they were warranted
in entertaining ; that Mr. Lawley had not, it was true,
declined the appointment, and
that the Duke of Newcastle
had undertaken to mention it to me ; but that I was as
free to deal with the appointment as if, instead of being
a colleague of the noble duke's, I had succeeded him as
a political opponent. With me, therefore, must rest the
responsibility of having submitted the name of Mr Lawley
to her Majesty. I had to consider what my
public duty
required of me. I knew nothing whatever of Mr. Lawley;
nothing I may say against him, not even a whisper of sus-
picion with respect to any transactions in which he had
been engaged; and as many honourable men who live in
this country are engaged on the turf and in horse racing,
I did not think that alone was a sufficient reason for re-
versing the decision to which the Duke of Newcastle had
come with respect to the person to be appointed to the gover-
norship of an important colony. Upon the other hand, I
knew nothing of Mr. Lawley, and not having known any-
thing of him, I did not, as I have said before, feel justified
in making any renewed offer to him. He certainly is not
a gentleman to whom—entirely from the absence of all
knowledge of him, whether positive or negative, as regards
his character—to whom I should have offered the govern.
ment, nor was his a name which I should have submitted
to her Majesty for the governor of an important colony.
But when I found that he had been for some weeks under
the impression, and that his friends held the same opinion,
that he waste succeed Sir H. Young—when I found from in-
quiries among his friends, and when, from contemporaries
at the university where he obtained high distinction, I re-
cei red the highest testimonials as to the ability and character
of Mr. Lawley—l felt that I was in a position in which I
should either submit Mr. Lawley's name, a gentleman with
whom I had no acquaintance, and had bad no opportunity
of forming a judgment as to his qualifications, except from
having received the opinions of many persons that he was
qualified for the post which he desired to occupy ; or,
upon the other hand, that I should, by acting contrary to
their opinions by withholding the submitting his name to
her Majesty, appear to have conveyed an opinion that I
thought Mr. Lawley was not fit for the appointment, and
thus have cast a stigma 'upon him which was wholly un-
merited. Having obtained all the information I could
from every quarter with respect to the ability of Mr. Law-
ley, I told my right hon. friend, that although I knew
nothing of that gentleman, and should not have chosen
him myself, still that under all the circumstances of the
case I was prepared in accordance with his opinion, with
that of the Duke of Newcastle, and of others who knew
Mr. Lawley, and had had opportunities of judging of his
character which I did not possess, rather than do any
injury or wrong, and believing from all that I had heard
that he would make an efficient governor of South Aus-
tralia, to submit his name to her Majesty for that appoint.
ment. I did so submit the name to her Majesty, and her

Majesty approved the appointment. For that recommen•
dation I am responsible to her Majesty, and fdr her Ma-

,
jesty's approval of Mr. Lawley's appointrnent I alone am
responsible. (Hear, hear.) Immediately after that ap-
pointment was known—and it was known, I think, on the
very day on which I received her Majesty's approval of the
appointment—the right honourable baronet t he member for
Droitwich placed upon the notice paper of the house a ques-
tion to be addressed to me on the following day, asking
whether Mr. Lawley had been appointed, and whether it
was the intention of the Government to submit the name
of Mr. Lawley to her Majesty for appointment as governor
of South Australia or any other colony. When I saw that
notice, I can assure the house I had not even a suspicion of
any circumstances connected with Mr. Lawley to which
that notice could point. I came down to the house pre-
pared to have heard from the right hon. baronet the grounds
which would have justified his putting a question which
certainly was one of an unusual character. The right hon.
baronet stated no grounds for putting his question, and I
need not say I do not complain of this, because the right
hon, baronet is a political opponent, and was not bound to

communicate to me any private information which he
possessed. From that day to this I hare received not the
slightest information with respect to the grounds upon
which that question was put. I answered the question,
therefore, in the only way in which I could answer
it in accordance with the strictest truth, viz., that her
Majesty had been advised to appoint Mr. Lawley to
the government of South Australia, and that I had advised
the appointment. That question was put to me this day
week, and, as I have said, I was utterly at a loss to know
to what that question pointed. (Hear, hear.) I should
have been thankful to have known to what it pointed in
order that any valid objection to Mr. Lawley might have
been investigated fairly and fully, but I was unable to take
the slightest movement towards instituting such an in-
quiry. I should state that immediately before I submitted
the name of Mr. Lawley to her Majesty, I spoke to my
right hon. friend (Mr. Stuart Wortley), in order to ascer-
tain what his impressions were with respect to the effect
of what had passed between the Duke of Newcastle and
Mr. Lawley with respect to this appointment. He, as I
should have expected from him, fairly told me what the
Duke of Newcastle had told me before, viz.—that

Lawley had been " upon the turf," and lie felt that that
might be an objection; but he stated at the same time, in
the most explicit terms which I could desire, that there
was not a single debt or liability outstanding to which Mr.
Lawley was now subject, or in order to evade which h.
might be desirous to leave this country on receiving the
to me,
twmeerne_t.
thTaht emfrac.
Lawley,
thwkeyr,easforefhasavetsaheiyd knownnotwhne
case with too many young men to their loss, and
it may
' be to their ultimate ruin, had been early engaged in tran-
sactions on " the turf ;" but that not one whisper of dis-
tstanding debt or liability to which Mr.
thhoenuo u
reachedr a b leoo nodr u
has
tasin y
ecotn
reachednection wriltithheaart
)._..anpureudi t
that ad
there was no on
Lawley was subject on that account. If there had
been, I should have felt that I was departing widely from
wwnitihnwshuobmmiitttinmgigthothbeer
eeromCroreauthe reach of those MajestyT n y u duty
the a s aMinistername
o fhiamogsfee
gentleman
tfthlf
an object to remove means
which might be enforced against him in order to enforce
the settlement of his liabilities. On Friday last, after the
morning sittings of the house, I returned to my office,
and shortly before six o'clock, when about to return to
the house, the Duke of Newcastle came to my room, end
told me that he felt it his duty to come to me and inform
me at the earliest moment he could, that from two sepa-
rate quarters, in the course of the day, he had received in-
formation
M
weeuaLawley.frdoeri v
ae Hd
p, He
butedri
.d and
dtte idn tell
tmh thatee
of rumours being in circulation highly injuri-
foruosmt to thhoemcharacter
information
aits otherwwaeslfl r ora
as
mc etieav edra rightei,nbohuntounw. ihngees
stneatilil
nemamane hweeldlidknoowtnattaotehimsHelre
told me the nature of these rumours,
and riot
I am anxious
that the house should be in full
cumstances connected with the case, hon. members will
think, perhaps, that I am only doing my duty if I state
what was, the nature of those rumours which were stated
to me in the course of conversation. The Duke of
Newcastle stated that he had been informed that very
recently Mr. Lawley had become subject to heavy lia-
bilities and debts in connection with transactions on
the turf. He told me besides that there were rumours of a
much more serious character as affecting the conduct, posi-
tion, and character of Mr. Lawley—viz., that Mr. Lawley
had availed hithself of the official knowledge acquired as
private secretary to the right hon. gentleman the Chancel-
lor of the Exchequer to engage in extensive speculations
in the funds. The Duke of Newcastle was on his way to
the House of Lords, and was obliged to leave me almost
immediately. The purport of what the noble duke stated
to me I have now stated to the house, and there could be
no doubt as to the course which I ought immediately to
pursue. I immediately put aside the business on which I
was engaged, and addressed a letter to my right hon. fiend
the Chancellor of the Exchequer—Mr. Lawley being. then
out of town—and I told him the extreme surprise aria con-
cern
Duke of N
with which
ew
elahstalde
.I told h
just rece receivedthatd this
wa sinformationasreufd rom
the of
that it would
his entire concurrence in what I said, and
the Duke of New-
meet equally with the concurrence .
imnrt.hLearuw.-
mcaostulre:
itthwatasifimthpeoressiwb
moat earnest hope that he
ley could proceed. I stated my me
troth of these rumours, and
would be able to disprove the etrunttohf
that they would be found .
"le tahnsyt
information I should
that until the receipt of satisfactory.
ftohuenicilpapt ioooinn
appointment
suspend all further pr
Lawley;
and o ceetdt anbte,in. destitute
wj. i
justice
ti eet respect
oo.fhfiotmoTt.
idhuae
itaiuopsilit::.
eai
aunt
etd-
rne n t ofMr.the Governine nt,and in justice to t co-
these he
' h he was to be appointed, reports should
justly entitled to, of knowing what
M Lawley at the earliest
opportunity
in order that he
or refuting the charges. My right
the means and opportunity
lluonyysetlfo, in
uhilucstiue °was
which any man
had been said in regard to him, and having every oppor-
tunity
.tcin-i.tfnuefndextPhiesCUlihaungcellor of the Exchequer immediately
came to me. He told me that Mr. Lawley was out of
of town, that he would be in London on the following
night, and I asked him what course it would be best to
,hb
iatehumsedhs
should
oes
asked
klimacie
drt transmit
.sm Laynawdorprueiny_
ibmiyoontutur rumours
pizii:a,
sewte
thoow with
tbtthehhe
airtnthi
teetvwoevi
ser:
under the notice of Mr. Lawley. He said that Mr. Lawley
Art lanky Wm to by in town the fOlitilfthg 41170 ere
theevening
4Dr
asifryaubber bringing
letter nt
that
ihd naati