§ On the Order of the Day being read for going into Committee on the Highways Bill, and the Question put, that the Speaker do leave the Chair,
Mr. Stanleysaid, an occurrence took place that morning to which he begged to call the attention of the House for a moment. Without having previously given him any notice of his intention, an hon. Gentleman, the member for the county of Cork (Mr. F. O'Connor), stated that morning, on presenting a petition to the House, that he (Mr. Stanley) was one, among others connected with the Government, who subscribed a sum of money to forward the return of one of the candidates at the Dungarvon election. It would have been no more than common courtesy had the hon. Member mentioned to him, particularly as he was in the House only two minutes before, that it was his intention to mention this circumstance, for which, as there was not the least foundation, he could not allow it to remain for a moment uncontradicted.
Mr. O'Connellsaid, there was more than one mistake in this matter. He was not present at the time the matter occurred that morning. The document adverted to, however, in the discussion, did not at all authorize the mention of the right hon. Gentleman's name. If the grounds of the charge against the right hon. Gentleman were looked into, he would see there was no necessity that the right hon. Gentleman should deny the charge at all.