The Sun.
London, England, 1845-07-22 00:00:00

IiNIPERIAL PA itLIAAIENT.

HOUSE OF CO-71MONS. July 21.
SOUTH-EASTERN RAILWAY.
Ca,itain BOLDERO (in continuation from our Third Edition
of yesterday) said--When he ( Capt. Boldero) was examined
before that Committee, he exposed every private transac-
tion of his connected with railways without any hesitation,
and in the course of his evidence he stated that he

had purchased some shares in the North Kent, but
he was not in slightest degree implicated as a member of the
Board, nor would any decision of the Beard be affected by that
circumstance. After finishing his explanation he had not had an
opportunity of hearing the short-hand writer read his notes, nor
did he get a sight of them on the next day. The real facts
which induced him to sell those shares were these. On Satur-
day the 7th June. after the business of the day was over, he
found by the Times newspaper that a military witness at-
tached to a powder establishment at Feversham (the pro-
perty of the Board of Ordnance) had been examined. It was
evident to him that he might be called upon, in his character
as a Member of that House, and as holding a special situation
in the Board of Ordnance to explain the act of the Master-
General (who had not a seat in that House), with respect to
the passing of a railway line close to that work, and he decided
on disposing of the shares he had in the rival line. On Mon-
day, then, the 9th of June, he disposed of them on tile principle
that if called upon to give an explanation to that House, or to
take part in any debate on the subject, he
might do so, without being impressed in any
wayi by the fact that he was interested in the matter.
This was the impression made upon the minds of the Commit-
tee. He could assure the House that it was entirely inconsis-
tent with the mode in which the business was carried on in that

department. There was no power whatever, either negative or
affirmative, in his hands. The decision rested entirely in the
hands of the Master-General.—( Hear.) if there should be a
doubt about what he stated, he would undertake to say that
both those gentlemen would corroborate the statements
which he had made. There was the paragraph as
it stood, and he would ask the House if such
a paragraph were published to the world, what
course there was open to him, except that dictated by an
honourable mind ; and he put into the hands of the Right Hon.
Baronet the First Lord of the Treasury his resignation xs clerk
to the Ordnance. In doing that he thought it his duty to
read the letter which he communicated to state his only
grounds for the course which he took. The words were to the
effect that he acted under a clear conviction and perfect con-
sciousness of the utter groundlessness of any imputation which
might be thrown on his character, either in his public or his
private capacity. This was all he wished to put forward; and
he would conclude by thanking the House for the patient
manner in which they had heard him, at the same time hoping
that the words uttered by him had given offence to nobody.
Mr. HAWES wished to understand from the Secretary of
the Home Department, whether Mr. Wray was still continued
in (Ace after the report was made?
Sir J. GRAHAM said that as soon as the report which the,
Hon. Gentleman referred to was presented to him he thought
after mature reflection, that the transaction of 1836 had no
connexion with the subject-matter which gave rise to the in-
quiry. He thought that it was then his (Sir J. Graham's)
duty to animadvert strongly on his (Mr. Vvray's) conduct in
1636, and he was deserving of serious animadverson. His ap-
prehension up to that time was that he (Mr. Wray) had no
right to employ himself in any other business than
that connected with his office.—(Cries of " Hear.")
Since that period the official labour which had devolved on
Mr. Wray had considerably increased, and there had, in conse-
quence, been an augmentation of his salary. Mr. Wray had,
therefore, been called upon to give his time exclusively
to the business of his office, and he had been informed that

any employment that he mid,ht enter into not immediately
connected with his office, would be considered as a ground
for his immediate removal from the situation v‘hich

he held. He (Sir J.mes Graham) had looked
at this matter dispassionately, and, in his humble judgment, the
course which he had adopted was the proper one.
Air. HAWES—Has the Right Hon. Gentleman any ob-
jection to lay the letter to which he has alluded on the table of
the House?

Sir JAMES GRAHAM—Under the peculiar circumstances
of this case—although 1 have before refused in such cases to
produce the terms in which the Secretary of State has thought
fit to discharge his duty—yet, in this case, I am prepared to
lay the letter on the table of the House.
Mr. ROEBUCK —lf I undt rstood the Right Hon. Gentleman
rightly, heSl id that in the appointment of Mr. Wray, that gen-
tleman was not restricted from applying himself to other busi-
ness. Was it understood that he was to employ himself in the
character of a barrister—that wa3, that he was not to withdraw
himself from Westminster-hall? I want to know whether it
was considered that this was a palliation of the proceedings of
Mr. Wray, and whether he was justified in employing himself
in the business of canvassing votes for the private purposes of
the South-Eastern Railway Company ?
Sir J. GRAHAM—I conceive that no circumstance would
be a palliation of the particular transaction to which the Hon.
Gentleman refers. I consider that to be indefensible ; bute
considering the lapse of time which has taken place, . t
and other
nr
considerations which I have specified, on the whole, wishing
not
have
to act with undue severity, but to do an act of justice,
thought it best to take the course I have stated _
ject.
Mr. WARD begged to say a few . wordsppre on
this subhension existed in
He did conceive that a great deal of
i m"
regard to Mr. Wray, and if anything could be said in extenua-
tion of his conduct it was the disgraceful mode of forming the
Committees that existed in the year 1836.
h
Lord J. RUSSELL said he had heard that explanation with
considerable surprise, and that such a state of things as
thisseteisle
Hon. Member had described as existing in
spoken o
1836 was
here nh o excuse
whatever for the conduct that had been
evening.
llr. WARD said a few words in explanation.
Sir J. GRAHAM said he had never had any communication
with Mr. Wray on this subject, but he had weighed the evidence
that had been elicited very carefully, and had, upon his own
responsibility, and without consulting anybody, written a
letter of severe animadversion to Mr. Wray upon the subject.
Colonel SIBTHORP said, that this discussion only con-
vinced him of the necessity that existed for having every
Member of this House called up and examined.—(Laughter.)
He could take his oath that he never had had any connexion
with any railway schemes ; but these transactions only con-
vinced him the more of this fact, that though this was called
the reformed House of Commons, he c, nceived they were
niece in the mud and dirt than ever.—( Laughter. )
Mr. F. FRENCH said that as his name had been mixed
up in this tranaction by a Noble Lord, and as an attack had
been made upon him, he would take an early opportunity of
again calling the attention of the House to it.