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

thought that, by sending the letter, we might incur the
risk of his not receiving it so soon, and I thought the best
way was that my right hon. friend should write to Mr.
Lawleys to say that he had received such a letter, in order
to ensure his early arrival in town. On Monday morning
the house sat at twelve o'clock. I was there, and I asked
my right hon. friend the Recorder of London (Mr. Stuart
Wortley) whether he had seen Mr. Lawley, and I was in-
formed by him that Mrs Lawley had gone to my office in
Downing-street, with a view to see me there. I was in
this house at the time, and my private secretary, who is
,also a member of this house, was likewise here. Very
. shortly after that communication was made to me, after I
had heen.anformed of Mr. Lawley's desire to see me, with
the View Of completely denying the truth of these reports,
I received. through my private secretary a letter addressed
to him, which heput into my hands in this house and which
and and
ra.
contained, as it appeared to me, a clear, satisfactory,
conclusive denial of by far the most serious charge
Lawley,
potation which had been brought against
namely, the fact of his having speculated in the funds upon
his official information as the private secretary of the
Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer. I transmitted. thatlte
imme-
diately to the Duke of Newcastle, because, as
it was through
his grace that these reports had reached me, I was desirous
that he should see the terms in which the charges had been
met, and I was anxious not to rely only on my own jucl
merit, though I fairly avow that in writing to his grace, I
stated my belief that the terms
de-
nial was expressed were quite in which Mr. Lawley 's
conclusive in regard to by
far the most serious of these imputations. The Duke of
Newcastle concurred with me in that view. Subsequently
on meeting the Recorder of London, he renewed to me, as
he was empowered to do, the direct denial of there being
any liability or debt existing to which Mr. Lawley could
be subject, and with a view to avoid which he was desirous
of leaving this country. And with reference to that lam
anxious to state that in the only interview which I had with
Mr. Lawley—the only opportunity which I had of speaking
to him on the subject of his appointment—he appeared de-
sirous to fix a time for his departure from this country which
I thought too remote, and I told him that if he accepted the
appointment I should hold him liable to proceed to the colony
whenever I required him to do so, without suiting his own
convenience by waiting till a more distant period. I men-
tion that circumstance because I think it shows that in the
only conversation which I had with Mr. Lawley, there was
clearly in his mind no desire to leave this country, so as
to avoid any liability to which he might be subject
and that, in truth, in accepting the appointment he con-
Se npl. tsal a longer residence here than I thought consistent
with the public interests. (Hear.) So matters stood until
this dey. The right hon. baronet opposite in the mean-
time ;eve notice of the motion which appears on the papers
for this evening; and I thought that the statement which
_I am now making ought then to be made to the house, iu
order that it might be known precisely tinder what cir-
cumstances this appointment had been made, and that I
might have an opportunity of referring to the testimonials,
certainly of the most satisfactory kind, so far as any man's
judgment can be termed from such documents, which Iliad
received as to the ability, the honour, and the integrity of
Mr. L twley. (Hear.) But in the course of this morning
I received from my right hon. friend the Chancellor of the
Exchequer a communication which did astonish me, which
he made, no doubt, with the deepest regret and concern,
and which I need not say I received with the same feel-
ings. 'rom that communication it appeared that Mr.
Lawley had been tngaged in transactions in the funds
witliin thi last few months which, to a certain extent,
justified those rumours which had been stated to me, and
with regard to which I had expressed my opinion —an
opinion in, which my noble friend the Duke of Newcastle
entirely concurred —that if there wasany fouudation of truth
in them the appointment of Mr. Lawleycould not proceed. It
is due, in. justice to Mr. Lawley, to state—and it is within
the knowledge of my right hon. friend that I am able to
state with certainty—that the information with regard to
these transactions is derived exclusively from Mr. Lawley
himself. (Hear, hear.) I am informed that late last
night he felt it his duty to communicate to my right hon.
friend the facts the purport of which was communicated
me to-day. I have stated before that the charge which I
understood to have been made against Mr. Lawley was
this -that ho had availed himself of his officill knowledge
as private secretary to my right hon. friend to engage in
these speculations in the funds. I have no reason to be-
lieve that that is the case. (Hear, hear.) lam informed
that the speculations in which Mr. Lawley engaged were
losing speculations and not gaining speculations. Mr.
Lawley is entitled to the benefit of that statement ; but,
however he may be affected by it, I am bound to say that
in my opinion it did not in the least affect my duty to the
Crown, to this country, and to the colony, and I imme-
diately addressed a letter to her Majesty, expressing my
great regret and concern that I had recently submitted
for the approval ,of her Majesty an appointment which
I now felt it my imperative duty, under circumstances
which had just •come to my knowledge, humbly to
advise her Majesty to revoke. (Hear, hear.) I believe
I have now submitted the whole of this painful. case.
Painful I may say to me it has been to make this
statement. (Hear, hear.) Though I have thought it right
to state what passed between the Duke of Newcastle and
myself before I accepted the seals of the Colonial-office in
correction of the impression which existed in the mind of
Mr. Lawley and that of his friends, yet I feel that the
responsibility of submitting the name of Mr. Lawley to
her Majesty devolves no doubt upon myself ; and any
censure which the house may feel is due to that act I
will humbly and patiently submit to, though, as I have
already said, the motives which influenced me were such
as I venture to think would have influenced any other man
in my position. (Hear, hear.) In the absence of the
slightest shadow of suspicion which had been suggested to
me as attaching to the integrity and honour of 3.1 r, Lawley,
and with the strong testimonials I had in my hand to his
ability and qualifications from those in whom I had con-
fidence, I think I could not have acted otherwise than I
did. (Hear, hear.) I believe I have now stated fully,
frankly, and unreservedly to the house all the circum-
stances of this transaction. Having done so, it is for the
Tight honourable baronet opposite to take any course
-which his sense of public duty may lead him to take with
regard to this subject. I am at this moment absolutely
in ignorance of the grounds upon which the right
honourable baronet placed his notice upon the paper.
I am told that an application was made to him to know
whether he intended to impugn the appointment of
Mr. Lawley upon public or private grounds, but thiit
the right honourable gentleman, in the exercise of a
discretion which I do not question, declined to give any
such information. If it had not been for Mr. Lawley's
own act —if he had not stated fully, freely, and unreservedly
to my right hon. friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer
the whole circumstances of his transactions in the funds—
I should have come down here to-night ignorant of the
grounds upon which the right hon. baronet meant to im-
pugn the appointment, and I might thereby have been led
to make statements which I might afterwards deeply regret,
but which Mr. Lawley has now prevented me from being
induced to make by the statement which he has himself
made. The appointment, as I said before, her Majesty has
been advised to revoke; and I may state here that, when
Mr. Lawley made his statement last night, he felt that he
was making a statement which would prove fatal to his
prospects in the colonies, and at once declared that he con-
sidered his appointment altogether at an end. (Hear,
hear.) I have only to add that if, after the statement I
have made' the house wishes for further information upon
the subject---(cries of " no, no")—or thinks that an investi-
gation into all the circumstances of the case should take
place—(renewed cries of "no, no")—her Majesty's Govern-
Anent is in the hands of the house, and is ready and willing
to agree to whatever may be considered necessary,
Sir J. PAKlNGTON—Notwithstanding the observa-
tions' with which the right hon. baronet has closed his
speech, I beg to state that I am deeply sensible of the per-
fect candour with which the right hon. gentleman has now
addressed the house—(hear)—and that I am no leas sensi-
ble of the honourable feeling which has distinguished that
speech. (Hear.) I can assure the right hon. baronet that,
whatever political differences may divide us, I do not be-
lieve that he is a man who would recommend to the Sove-
reign the appointment of any person to exercise the high
and responsible duties of a Colonial governor, unless he
was satisfied of the fitness of that individual—(hear)—
and I hope the right hon. gentleman will du me equal jus-
tice, and will believe that I have approached this painful
subject solely and exclusively from a strong and paramount
sense of public duty—(hear, hear) —ariiiug from the deep
interest which I naturally take in the welfare of our colo-
nial dependencies. (Hear.) I had no desire to impede the
fair advancement of a gentleman towards whom I did not
feel, nor could not feel, a ';hadow of personal enmity; nor
could I have any desire to wound the friends of that gen-
tleman, many of whom are personal friends of my own.
But I am unable to agree altogether in the opinion which
appears to have been entertained by the Duke of New-
castle, and which the right honourable baronet, as I un-
derstood him, has himself avowed, of the personal fit-
ness, irrespective of these painful rumours and trans-
actions, of Mr. Lawley for the position to which he was
appointed. The right honourable baronet has stated
that I gave him no grounds for the question which I put to
him this day week. I can assure the right hon. gentleman
that if he thought that I was deficient in courtesy in so do-
ing, or if he thought I was deficient in courtesy and .fair-
ness in not, having held communication with him in regard
to the course which I intended to take to-day, no such dis-
courtesy was meant by me. I deeply felt the difficulty and
delicacy of the duty which I had undertaken. I was de-
sirous not to say a word more upon this painful subject
timut coUld possibly help; an I can assur the rht hon.
tarot, in Consequence of the d reference which right
he has made
to me, that it was not till within the last few hours that I
could conclusively make up my mind as to the course which
my public duty required me to take. I have said that I
oowinithd.regaranot Concur in the opinion of the Duke of Newcastle
na
ap.pointreentr Ytta,...l)ers°
l fitness of Mr. Lawley for this
- --owe dhin' right hon. baronet
will agree with me, that among thepatonage of the Crown,
which is exercised by thbv:!sers of the Crown, there is
scarcely any which ought to be exercised with greater care
and with a more anxious and single-minded reference to the
public interests thantshesapp?intment of governors for our
Those p
colonies. (Hear.) appointments ments ought to be made in
such a manner as not only
secure the satisfaction and
confidence of this country, but what
is still more important
to satisfy the colonists over whom the so chosen
are to preside, that these
lve been made
and appointments
far? of the. co.
solely with reference to the interest
hear.) If this istrne ge "rally it is ially
lonies.f(Hear,
peculiarly true with reference touthe Australian colo-
niesand
at the present moment. The discoveries of
put these colonies in a most critical position. goldie have
re-
quire the anxious care and attention of the Joanna ,
of the colonial Governments. The colony of Viretoriaraut
a very recent period, I may without exagration
dissolved. immediately
The colony of South Australia, ' say we°
contiguous to. Victoria, although no discoveries have been
con ofgreat social
made within it, has undergone a period and
commercial disturbance ; and it was desirable for the in-
terestsand indeed of all the Australian co-
lonies, of the colony,
selected to be governor should
that the gentleman
possess • nce in public affairs, of
statesmanl qualities and known abilities. He
ought to be a man of great experience
spire confidence in
great firmness, and of great judgment. He ought to be a
man whose character should at once in
a healthy moral
his qualifications, and enable him to give
N, do
tone to that society of which.dhe is toow b I
the
to n head,think and
ought to be leader and the gui e.
that Ist all of Mr. disparage the claims _
Mr.Lawley
can take
•Lawley—l think
I say nothing to which the friends of
any fair exception—when I state that, considering his age
and position, and his limited experience in public affairs, the
appointment of Mr. Lawley, under any circumstances as
governor of one of the Australian colonies at this moment,
was one that was too likely to excite feelings of dis-
satisfaction in the colony, and was not likely to conduce
to the advantage of those rising communities. But, irre-
spective of thisconsideration,when I gave notice of my
intended motion two days ago, the hon. and learned gen-
tleman the recorder of London adverted to what he spoke
of as calumnious rumoors, and stated very naturally his
anxiety for an opportunity_
to meet and dispose of those
rumours. The right hon.. baronet has now again referred
to these rumours. He has given fresh proof of their ex-
tended currency. They have
been commented upon by
the public press ; they have become the subject of remark
in society ; and under these circumstances I did feel that
my public duty required that I. should call the attention
ea.) hour and of the,GoTarramt thigimppiuttm.
Gioia