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Leader (1850-1860), 7th May 1853, Edition 1 of 1, Page 439, Untitled Article

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      issue and to depreciation ; a currency , besides , easily counterfeited ; " he would not call it a floating debt , it would sink the country : " and it objectionably added to the capital of the debt . ^ Notwithstanding his lordship ' s objections , the bill was read a third time and passed , and at nine o ' clock the few noblemen present departed , and "the House" adjourned . The Cathedeal Appointments Bill . —Another measure to effect reform in pious and charitable trusts , was ( on the second reading ) commented on by the Bishop of Salisbury , who mildly and feebly combated the'popular impression that the capitular corporations of our cathedrals are rich or corrupt . Late bills would withdraw a great deal of their revenues , and pluralities and non-residence no longer existed .: But let there be full , nay severe inquiry , ana he advised the several chapters to look favourably on such investigations . Registration op Assurances . —In the House of Lords last night , Lord St . Leonards opposed the third reading of the ^ Registration of Assurances Bill , which had been moved by the Lord Chancellor , and after a short discussion the House divided , when there appeared for the third reading—Contents , . . . , 67 Non-contents 29 Majority .. ; ...... 28 The bill was then read a third time and passed . The Cabe and Treatment of Lunatics . —Three Bills on this subject are now being passed in the House of Lords * The provisions of them are important , all tending 1 to make the legal management of lunatics and their property ready , cheap , and easy . A general Commission of Lunacy is to be issued , superseding separate commissions for each case ; the certificate of one doctor will bo sufficient for the confinement of a lunatic , but within three days two other medical men must see the alleged lunatic , and separately report . A law to regulate the treatment of criminal lunatics is still wanting . The bills have gone through Committee .

      A G / Ount Out . —The House , by a count out on Tuesday , avoided a motion of Sir J . Fitzgerald's , providing that soldiers in Ireland should not be allowed to be present at elections , as is the law in England . Harwich . —The disclosures on Monday exposed a neat bargain for a seat , and a fit distinction between " return " and secure possession . Mr . Elmslie , a solicitor , seems to have acted for " the Conservative party . " That party bad been put to expense in unseating Mr . « Craufurd , and before supporting any Conservative candidate at the late election , they demanded that he should pay down 2 , 000 ? . as a reimbursement of those expenses . Mr . Lloyd , the Conservative candidate , demurred to the amount , but through Mr . Peacocke effected a bargain . He would pay 500 Z . if

      returned , and 1500 Z . more if he were not unseated .- " An application has been made to Mr . Lloyd for the money , but I , " deposes Mr . Elmslie , " do not know what the answer was ; it might have been very well . " Mr . Bagshaw , the unsuccessful candidate , was examined , and became pathetic on the amount of promise breaking . Several had promised him , and had afterwards voted for Peacocke and waddington . In Cottingbam ' s case , who had been thrown into jail for debt , shortly Defore the election , Mr . Bagshaw had made inquiries with the view of releasing him , as ho had hopes of his vote . But on the day of the poll , Cottingham was released by others , and voted for Peacocke

      and Waddington . Several low and little facts , exposing the details o ? the corruption , have crept out . Fuller , a builder at Harwich , dismissed young Pratt from his employment , because he had promised to vote for Bagshaw , and voted for Poacocko and Waddington . This witness made the needless admission that they did not " harbour principles" at Harwich . The case of Chisnall illustrates the existence of a Harwich voter with a kind of conscience . Chisnall took from tho Peacocke and Waddington party 10 Z . for his vote , and wont up to tender it . But when tho bribery oatli was put to him held down his head , and on being told to look up , said , " I can't take that on oath . " Whether ho returned tho money or not is not recorded .

      Mr . Crook and Mr . Barnes have boon declared duly elected for Bolton , and tho petition against thorn has been pronounced ' . ' frivolous and vexatious . " We are glad a member so honest and thoroughgoing as Mr . Crook retains his seat with honour . Totness retains its sitting members , Mr . Mills , who had been petitioned against , being declared duly eloctod .

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      THE DOCKYAUP DISCLOSURES . The Dockyard Cominitteo resumed its useful sittings on Monday . Some private and confidential letters respecting the appointment of one Ridgway , were rend . Captain lticluirds wrote privately to Sir Baldwin Walker , pointing out that tho appointment was in direct contravention of the order of February , 1847 , regulating promotion by merit . Ilidgway was iucompotont , and it whs well known thut his claims were merely political . Mr . Stafford , to whom this rule was su bmitted , replied , that Itidgway *« appointment " must < ro forward ; " if ho wan afterwards found incompetent , Cpptnin " Richards could report to that effect . ;;• Mr Stafford , on examination beforo tho committee .

      iravo " explanations ; " but as he " never kept a note or uiomorandum-of wlmt ho 8 aid ' " ho coul < 1 nofc' P ffo himself to > tib preciso accuracy of any particular word ; but he could remember the atato of things nt the time . Thorojivas no " jjresnuro from Lord Derby or thoClmn' cellor of the Bireuenuer / ' us ho hnd been reported to ' have Huid ; tho pressure from meinbcrHof hip own purty was very great ; and tlie Government , like ifcU governments , wished not to lot tlw patronage go to their op-\ t ; • ' ,- ¦ ' , • - * '

      ponents . With respect to his alleged interference with promotions , the case was this . The code of 1847 established promotion for merit ; , that code'he had never altered . A circular of 1849 gave the control to the Surveyor of the Navy ; that circular , was rescinded , because he had been , told and had believed that all the appointments were getting into the hands of the political opponents of the Ministry . Respecting Sir Baldwin Walker's letter , he had never seen nor heard of it ; neither Admiral Parker , Captain Milne , or Sir Baldwin Walker himself , had communicated the letter . At the interview between . Admiral Parker , Sir B . Walker , and himself , the letter was neither read nor shown to him . Then , when Admiral Berkeley gave notice of a question touching an alleged " correspondence" between the Admiralty and Sir Baldwin Walker , Mr . Staflbrd wrote

      to Sir Baldwin , askiug " to what correspondence the question referred . " Sir Baldwin replied , that lie could not find copies of the correspondence ; no record was to be found at Somerset House , and under those circumstances Mr . Stafford said " No" to Admiral Berkeley ' s question . The letter of the 10 th of May- ( Sir Baldwin to the Duke of Northumberland ) was quite confidential . Mr . Stafford then explicitly denied that he had asked Sir Baldwin Walker to " suppress the copies" of the letters ; but he had expressed , regret at any difference , and had suggested to Sir Baldwin to write a letter , describing in general terms the two former letters . On one interview , Sir Baldwin was in a state of great excitement , and Mr . Stafford requested Captain Milne "to smooth matters over" with the Surveyor . The following letter was then put in : —

      " May 2 , 1853 , House of Commons Committee-room . " Mr Lobd , —I have been desired by Lord Derby to attend the committee this day ,-and to inform you , as chairman , that unless the committee ^ be perfectly satisfied that his lordship brought no undue ^ 'influence to bear upon Mr . Stafford with reference to the dockyard appointments , he would wish to be called upon to give evidence before the committee . It would probably be right that this should be made public , but I will not do so without your permission . " I am , my lord , your obedient servant , " The Lord Seymour . " " W . P . Taxbot .

      Regarding the case of Wells , Mr . Stafford partly justified the appointment of Colsell , and partly excused his own proceeding . Colsell was a tried , competent man ; Wells , untried : hut had he ( Mr . Stafford ) known that Wells was in actual possession of the place , he would not have disturbed him . In putting Wells to work , the Admiral Superintendent had acted irregularly . The evidence then proceeded : — Sir B . Hall . —Did the Duke remonstrate with you on the subject ? [ Colsell ' s appointment . ] Mr . Stafford . —What he said did not take any tangible shape . He seemed to act the part of a mediator between me and Admiral Parker , and I don't know that he pronounced much opinion one way or other . Ho thought the Admiral was annoyed , and wished me to do something . Sir B . Hall . —What was done ?

      Mr . Stafford ( superciliously ) . —Nothing . The appointment went forward in spite of the First Naval Lord . Sir B . Hall . —When letters go out to the superintendent of a dockyard , to the Surveyor , and tho Accountant-General , is not the signature of the warrant by one of tho Admiralty secretaries a matter of course ? Mr . Staflbrd . —Yes ; but tho warrant was stopped by Captain Hamilton in . my absence . I asked him to look after my patronago while I was away , and I am quite willing to take tho responsibility of his having done so . Sir B . Hall . —Why did ho not follow tho routino of his duty in this case ? Mr . Stafford . —Because I asked 7 iivt to keep back tho appointment . ( Sensation . ) Sir B . Hall . —What becamo of tho documents relating to tho recommendation of Wolls ?

      Mr . Stafford . —I can't say ; they wcro placed on my table , but I cannot trace them out . Lord Seymour . —You called the nttontion of tho committee to tho circular of 1840 not being a board minute . I find on reference to the original that it is signed by tho Secretary , and initialed by tho First Lord . Was youra so initialed ? Mr . Stafford . —No , I am certain it was not . I did not attach ho much importance to it as it now possesses , and I am bound to say that it was a hasty sttp . ( Sensation . ) Evidence was given by Captain Richards , showing that Sir F . Baring , when First Lord , had distinctly excluded politics lroin tho question of dockyard promotion ; and that in the case of Ridgwny , Mr . Sttiffo ' jl'd hnd been distinctly informed that Ridgway was incompetent . •/ - :

      . . .. „ . „ ,...,,,. fawM * . Briggs , reader to tho Board of ^ dfniralty , fiTa , ve Homo significant evidence , in an " exaggerated official m « nri « r . " It is quite impossible to convoy in wprdp an iden of the comic gravity with which ho gave hi * evidence , but it was rendered aU ^ ho more absurd by the , apparent unconaciousnpfe of Mr . Hriggs himself , that bo wns doing flnything'toVjjo laughed at . The chairman , at the very outset of ^ hfe exAjjjpnation , set him- , oft by AfUpfc'What tho d $ iw » of re ^ flrW ^ e Admiralty were , » nd Mr . Briggs at great lenjffc proceeded to deacribe

      the Herculean labours cast upon him in opening and Porting the despatches and letters received , in handing them over when arranged to the proper departments , in attending the meetings of the board and reading the more important documents submitted to it , and in affixing the official stamp to all minutes . He represented himself as consulting with the Secretary , as trusted with the weightiest secrets of the Admiralty , and , in point of fact , as being the pervading and informing spirit of . the place .

      In his evidence , Mr . Briggs said , that on the 29 th of . November ' last ,-when he went into Mr . Stafford ' s room there , he was pained to see the Surveyor labouring under great ' agitation . ( Mr . Briggs rose from his seat and volunteered a " pantomimic representation of what he saw ; but Lord Seymour hastily said that the committee would dispense with anything of the kind . ) Mr . Briggs proceeded to state , with great solemnity of manner , that he was about to retire when he heard Sir Baldwin Walker distinctly say , " Very well , sir , I will go to Somerset House , and return bye-and-byel " ( Much laughter . ) When Sir Baldwin left , he ( Mr .

      Briggs ) said to Mr . Stafford that he hoped the Surveyor was not going to resign . Mr . Stafford replied , " He has resigned . He tells me he has been to the Duke , who informed him that he had not seen the letter , and if he had known this he would have taken it at once to Lord Derby . Admiral Parker , who was intrusted with it , had not thought fit to bring it before the hoard , hut destroyed it . Cuffed by the Duke and snubbed by the Admiral , the Surveyor not only comes to me in his own proper person , but asks me what to do . " To this speech Mr . Briggs answered , " Let . me

      beg of you not to press too heavily upon the Surveyor . He is a most amicable gentleman , and an excellent , talented , and gallant officer , and no possible good can accrue from what is going on , find you had , better put a stop to it as quickly as possible . " Mr . Stafford put his hand on his shoulder , and said , " My * dear Briggs , you have known me long enough to be aware that I am not vindictive / ' ( Much laughter . ) " I had known Mr . Stafford five months . " Finally , Mr . Briggs stated , with a confidential air , that a letter was written , which secured what he wished . He then retired from the

      witness-box with a profound bow . The following note from Mr . Disraeli was " put in" : " Gros-fenor-gate , May 3 , 1853 . " My dbae Lokd Heitky , —I should feel very much obliged to you if you -would have the kindness to attend the dockyard committee this morning , and state to the chairman ( Lord Seymour ) that , as my name has been injuriously introduced into the evidence , lam prepared and desirous to appear before tho committee at their convenience . . "Yours sincerely , " B . Diskabli . " Lord Henry Lennox . "

      ' The evidence of Captain ^ Richards destroys completely the assertion of Mr . Stafford , that political influences governed the appointments under the Whig rule . Several private letters from Sir F . Baring have been published , showing his anxiety to have all tho promotions free from political motives . In accordance with such instruction , Captain Richards himself never interfered in politics . His opposition to Eidgway was simply on account of the man ' s unfitness . Ho considered it very injurious to tho dockyards that tho men should have votes . He detailed the cases of Ridg-way , Rule , and Atkinson , as cases of men promoted not for merit . Those men hud voted for Sir F . Smith .

      Colonel Coryton ' s interference with marines who had votes was also distinctly established , both by their own evidence and by the Colonel ' s admission . It is fair to the Duke of Northumberland to state , that he , as well as Sir V . Baring , instructed the superintendents not to interfere with politics .

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      TESTIMONIAL TO M . KOSSUTH . A PTJBTiio * meeting t < x ) k place last evening at tho London Tavern , Binhopsgate-street , ' lor tho purpose of presenting to M . Kossuth the " Working Man ' f Penny Testimonial , " consisting of an cliibonitclyboiind copy of the works of Shukftpcare , in a bookcase , forming a model of tho poet ' s house at Stratford-on-Avon . Lord Dudley Coutts Stuart , M . P ., occupied tho . chair , and was supported by M . KosHuth , Mr . < Douglas 'Jon-old , Mr . Oobdcn , M . P ., Sir Joshua Wnlmflley ,. Mr . Alderman Wire , 'Mr : Nicholny , and many influential persons . The room was crowded to suffocation , atid a . largo number of persons were unable to obtain admission . Long boforfl the proceedings commenced tho people in the body of the . room , became ver * y clarnprpus for accommodation , and it waa at gneo ovident that thp spaco provided was scarcely . sufficient to meet the exigencies of tho occasion . ' Silence , however , whs at length secured , and tlioro appeared "bo bo every desire to allow tlie bu $ ine » 8 of tho evening to proceed without any unduo interruption . On-a , small table facing tho clmir wuh placed the testimonial , a neatly constructed model of tho far-famed '» ... cottage at Stratford , composed of wood of variotw # . ¦ - •¦••¦ , •* j- "

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      May 7 , 1853 . 1 THE LEADER . 439

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), May 7, 1853, page 439, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1985/page/7/