§ Sir Edward Codringtonrose to complain of a breach of privilege. In a discussion on the Chatham petition, on Friday last, he had felt called upon to take part, and the observation he had made was, that great intimidation had also taken place at Devonport, which he considered was very much to be attributed to Mr. Dawson, the Secretary to the Admiralty, having hoisted the Admiralty flag, while the General commanding the Marine force had also taken a principal part in the election. He had distinctly stated that Mr. Dawson hoisted the Admiralty flag, but he did not state that he had canvassed under the Admiralty flag. It had been attributed to him in The Morning Post that he stated distinctly that the canvassing took place under the Admiralty flag. He had not said so, and the fact might easily have been ascertained by application to himself, for he could not say so, because he knew it was not the fact. In consequence, however, Mr. Dawson had written to him saying that such a report was to be found in the newspaper, and giving it a flat contradiction. He gave it a flat contradiction too: he told Mr. Dawson that he had not said so, nor had he said another thing that was charged upon him in The Times. Not conceiving that Mr. Dawson meant, without communication with him, to send the correspondence to the newspapers, he had made an observation in his reply, which, perhaps, he should not have inserted, had he known what use would have been made of it. He should have thought that Mr. Dawson would have called upon him to correct the misstatement in the House; instead of that, that gentleman sent the correspondence to the newspapers. In consequence, all the representations of the different newspapers were found in The Morning Post, accompanied by certain observations, which he (Sir Edward Cod- 169 rington felt it his duty to report to the House. He was very delicate upon the subject: he would rather put up with trifling mistakes than call people to account for them: he was not so easily discontented in that way, and never, hitherto, thought of bringing any matter of the kind before the House; nor should he have done so then, but for the observation that he would be liable to imputation did he not notice them, as the person who had taken this liberty would say that he was afraid of meeting the question fairly. He would read the paragraph of which he complained for the information of the House:—"We assert, in reply to this, and shall abundantly prove, that our report of Sir Edward Codrington's speech is substantially correct, and that this gentleman in impeaching its correctness, has had recourse to direct and wilful falsehood, or to an equivocation so mean, dirty, mid pitiful, that in comparison with it, even direct and wilful falsehood becomes a respectable and manly vice." He had introduced this subject merely that he might he protected from a repetition of such attacks; he did not, therefore, mean to make any motion, as he was very indifferent about the matter, but should leave it in the hands of the House.
Lord John Russellobserved that no man was usually more unwilling than himself to bring a breach of privilege before the House or to complain of unintentional mistakes, committed by the gentlemen who report for the press, or to find fault with a hasty expression escaping from those who write for the sake of attracting public opinion in their favour; but what had recently been read by the hon. and gallant Admiral seemed to call for particular notice. He would take the liberty of reading it again, that the House might be more fully aware of its import:—"We assert, in reply to this, and shall abundantly prove, that our report of Sir Edward Codrington's speech is substantially correct, and that this gentleman, in impeaching its correctness, has had recourse to direct and wilful falsehood, or to an equivocation so mean, dirty, and pitiful, that in comparison with it, even direct and wilful falsehood becomes a respectable and manly vice." He had always thought it very unadviseable to proceed with questions of this sort when the passions might be in any degree excited in favour of the complaining Member, and against a party who did not belong to the House; but entertaining the opinion he did of the paragraph, he should think it 170 necessary to bring it before the House, as a breach of privilege, to-morrow.