The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-06 00:00:00

satisfactorily ; and, moreover, that where •he had time
to prepare, he had entirely established his innocence.
He further stated that Mr. Parker had promised him
time to prepare his evidence, and that that promise had
been fulfilled; in consequence of which, he found
it necessary to resign, or proceed to his de-
fence without being able to furnish any evidence
of his innocence. Under these circumstances there was
only one course open to him to adopt, and that was not
to allow the inquiry to continue, and to throw the de-
nial of justice on the Poor-law Commissioners. There
were two incidents in that inquiry, which struck him
in a remarkable manner, and which, he must say, ap-
peared to him inexplicable, except upon a supposition
to which he was most unwilling to give his assent,
namely, that the Poor-law Commissioners, thoroughly
scared by the inquiry, were determined to stop it, at
every hazard, no matter who might suffer or be injured.
—(Hear, hear.) At a time when the public prejudice
was at its height, the Poor-law Commissioners suddenly
sent down an order suspending an inquiry, and with it
a proposal that another course should be adopted,
which he (Mr. Christie) must say was of a
most extraordinary and unjustifiable character,
It ,4 as that Mr. Wesley, the party bringing the charges,
should select one case of embezzlement upon which the
Commissioners would prep ire an indictment against the
master, and one charge of an attempt to take liberties
with the female inmates, upon which also they would
prepare an indictment, and send the cases for trial at the
sessions. Now he asserted that this was a most unjust
proposa,, for if the master was acquitted on one case,
would he not have reason to complain that he had not

be.'n allowed to defend himself from the other charges
which were brought against him, especially when it is
considered that the evidence supporting those allega-
tions was before the public—and even were he acquitted
on that one case, would it not have been said ever after
by the public, that he would not have been acquitted
on the others had the evidence been gone into. He said,
therefore, that such a course would not have been avail-

able for the purpose of justice. The proposal, however,
being unsatisfactory to both parties was refused; and
when it was so the Poor-law Commissioners determined
to resume the inquiry, and accordingly Mr. Parker re-
commenced the investigation. That gentleman pro-
posed that the master should be allowed some few days
to prepare his defence ; this was, however, negatived,
The counsel for the accused then applied for time and
sought a respite of ten days. After much discussion,
however, all parties consented to the propriety of a grant
of five days. Mr. Parker returned to town, and had an
interview with the Poor-law Commissioners, whom he
found strongly disapproved of the course which had been
adopted in permiting the delay of five days. Now he
(Mr. Christie) contended that for a defence to the charges
which had been made, five days was but a short time to
prepare some of those charges ; especially those relating
to improper conduct, which were of a nature diffi-

cult to disprove; and particularly so when the party is inno-
cent. But it should be recollected that many oft hese very
charges referred back to a period many years anterior to
the time when the charges were first made. But the Poor-
law Commissioners overruled the delay, though Mr.
Parker assured them that if they did so the counsel for the
accused would advise his client to throw up the case,
and throw the odium of the denial of justice on the
Commissioners. His remonstrances, however, were
without effect, and the matter turned out exactly as
Mr. Parker had anticipated. Now he considered he had
made out a case upon strong grounds, which fully jus-
tified him in demanding an inquiry into the conduct of
the Poor-law Commissioners. Something had been
said of the mode in which Mr. Parker had conducted

the inquiry, and he must say he heard with
great surprise an observation which fell from
the Right Honourable Baronet in depreciation
of that gentleman. He bad been dismissed from his
situation, but there was one thing Which mu,t strike
every man, • that Mr. Parker invited inquiry ; the Poor-
law Commissioners shunned all investigation. If the
Right Hon. Gentleman alluded to the appointment of
Mr. Price to the office of master, he (Mr. Christie) had
only to state, that before Mr. Parker went down to An-
dover, he had an application from Mr. Price, for Mac-
dougal's situation, for such time as would be thought
fit. Mr. Price had the highest recommendations, and
Mr. Parker had an opportunity for some years of judg-
ing of his character and capabilities when placed in a
similar position ; and, from what he then observed,
he highly approved of his conduct, and, be-
sides that, Mr. Price had letters of recommendation

from the chairman of the board of guardians at Oxford,
speaking in the highest terms of him, and urging Mr.
Parker to get some better situation for him. Mr. Parker
had also seen Price when he was applicant for the Swin-
burn Union, and he then examined his testimonials,
which were of the higl est character, and he was there-
fore not surprised to receive the application; and having
such a high opinion of Price, he had no hesitation in ap-
pointing him. No person who considered the circum-
Stances, could ever blame the course pursued by Mr.
Parker. It would have been much more agreeable to his
(Mr. Christie's) feelings if the Right Hon. Gentleman
had felt it his duty to consent to this inquiry, for he
would then have moved for it without any preface, but
under the circumstances of his refusal, he could not have
sought one without making a case which would justify
his demand. He had the honour of being acquainted
with Mr. Lewis and Sir E. Head. No one could deny
their abilities, and he was sure he would be the last
person who would be a willing party to any harshness.
But he must say, that Mr. Parker had been most un-
fairly dealt with by the Poor-law Commissioners.
Mr. Parker had been in the service of the Poor-law
Commissioners for a term of nearly ten years. He had
been first engaged as assistant secretary, and subse-
quently as Assistant Poor-law Commissioner. He left
the honourable profession of the bar to enter their
service; and now, after the lapse of nearly ten years, by
that act, that arbitrary act of dismissal, he was again
thrown back on his profession, though every gentleman
who knew anything of human nature should be aware
that, having given up a profession for so many years,
and then returning to it, the man who did so laboured
under very inauspicious circumstances.—(Hear, hear.)
His peculiar hardship was that, in the course of the
inquiry, facts and circumstances had transpired, and
statements had been put forward in the newspapers that
caused great excitement, and brought much odium on the
Poor-law Commission, in the administration of which
he held a prominent part ; yet no steps had been taken
to explain why he was dismissed. He (Mr. Christie)
certainly thought, until he heard the statement of the
Right Honourable Baronet (Sir James Graham) that
there had been some cogent reason for his dismissal ;
hut after what had fallen from that Right Honourable
Gentleman, it would appear that the Poor law Commis-
sioners disapproved of the mode in which he had con-
ducted the Andover inquiry, though everything ha had
done in reference thereto was done under their order.—
(Hear, hear.) However, the dismissal of Mr. Parker at
that time, and under such peculiar circumstances, led
the public to infer that he had been dismissed be-
cause
the Commissioners had adopted all the
complaints made to them in reference to the
conduct of the Andover investigation.—(Hear, hear.)
There had been a petition presented to that House by
Mr. Parker,in which he stated that he believed, and was
fully prepared to prove before a Committee of that
House, by evidence, the most unquestionable, that the
Poor-law Commissioners dismissed him (Mr. Parker)
in order to divert from themselves the odium that
naturally would attach to them from such an inquiry.—
(Hear, hear.) And he (Mr. Christie) should say, on
behalf of Mr. Parker, that he had made out, in his
opinion, a strong, a powerful case in support of his
statement.—(Hear, hear.) So strong did he believe the
case to be, that the Right Hon. Baronet, the Secretary
for the Home Department, should, in justice to the
Poor-law Commissioners, grant the inquiry, and
then let these gentlemen produce their re-
butting testimony, when the public could judge
who was right and who was wrong.—(Hear, hear.)
The Right Honourable Baronet had, however, moved an
amendment which he hoped would be negatived ; and
though it might be said that the Poor-law Commis-
sioners had a discretionary power to remove and rein-
state their assistants at will, yet he (Mr. Christie)
wished to know if that discretionary power was to be
exercised by them without responsibility ?—(Hear.)
He looked on it that there was a responsibility, for the
House of Commons annnally voted these gentlemen their
salaries ; and he then begged to acquaint the Right
Hon. Gentleman opposite, that if he should think fit to
shield them from inquiry by negativing his proposition,
he would feel it his duty, when the period for voting
such salaries arrived, to confer with any other Honour-
able Members in resisting the payment of such
until such an act of injustice and harshness should
be inquired into and explained. (Hear, hear.)
One of the principal charges advanced against Mr.
Parker was, that he published documents that became
known to him as a public officer, and in the discharge
of his duty as such. Now if the Poor-law Commission-
ers had the power to dismiss an Assistant-Commis-
sioner, and then refuse all inquiry, such a doctrine, as
precluding the injured party from making known their
grievances, with a view to procure their redress, would
lead to a great hardship, and the result, in his opinion,
would be that there would be no security for any public
servant hereafter. (Hear, hear.) Ho then left the
case of Mr. Parker in the hands of the Right Hon.
Gentleman •, and he hoped he would, in justice to
the Poor-law Commissioners, grant the inquiry
which he (Mr. Christie) sought for. But it the
Right Hon. Gentleman should persist in refusing the
inquiry, he should appeal to the Hon. Members of that
House, and tell them that the case was not alone the
case of Mr. Parker, but that of every public servant ;
and that, judging from the way in which he had been
treated—his past services forgotten—no allowance made
for the single indiscretion of a long-tried and public
servant—such would also be their treatment, the result
of which would undoubtedly prove disastrous to the
most important interests of the country.—(Hear.)
Sir JAMES GRAHAM (who was quite inaudible in
the gallery) was understood to say, in reply, that it was
true he had received a written report from 111 r. Parker
about the last day of last se-sion; and he did not
hesitate to say that he thought he used that document
for the public good. The Hon. Gentleman opposite
(Mr. Christie) had given it as his opinion that Mr.
Parker had not transgressed the bounds of his duty, in
introducing to the public reports of conversations that
had occurred between him and the Poor-law Commis-
sioners. Now he (Sir J. Graham) should say that such
a course of proceeding was indeed very novel. Now, as
regarded the inquiry sought for, he begged the House
would consider what the position of the Poor-lacy Com-
missioners really was. Parliament had given them the
absolute power of appointing and dismissing their assis-
tants, inasmuch as they were responsible for every act
done by their assistants. The act of the assistant was the
act of the Commissioner, for the assistant was the agent,
as it were, of the Commissioner ; and if there rested not
such a power with the Commissioners, how was it possible
that any business could be performed, or who would
make themselves responsible for its due performance ?
(Hear, hear.) It would, in his opinion, be destructive
of the entire machinery, if the power of that body were
questioned ; and he then felt bound to tell the Hon.