§ Colonel Thomas, seeing the hon. and gallant Gentleman, the Member for Brighton, in his place, begged to ask him whether he meant any personal reflection upon him (Colonel Thomas) in the following observations, which he found attributed to the hon. and gallant Officer in the Morning Chronicle's, report:—
Captain Pechell said, that he challenged the right hon. Baronet to point out any instance where any naval officer, either on full pay, or on half-pay, had remained at any meeting, where unworthy threats, or coarse personal reflections had been made use of towards the Sovereign. He was happy to say that no instance had occurred of any naval officer, either on full or on half-pay, having received any reprimand from his superior officers for remaining at any meeting when such unworthy observations had been indulged in.He had been present at a dinner where such expressions were alleged to have been made use of; but he had already declared positively that no such unworthy expressions towards her Majesty had been indulged in within his hearing. This statement had been in all particulars confirmed by the officers of his own regiment, who were present, as well as by another officer, belonging to a Dragoon regiment; and furthermore, by Mr. Roby himself, the gentleman to whom those expressions 936 were ascribed. He begged to ask of the hon. and gallant Gentleman, whether he meant to say of him, that he had been present when such expressions were used?
Captain Fechellsaid, that he was always very ready to make any explanation, when the feelings of a gallant Officer were concerned. It was not exactly for him to say whether the words attributed to him in the Morning Chronicle were the words which had been used by him or not. It had been said during the course of the previous debate, that the same course ought to be pursued with reference both to the army and the navy; and his reply was, that if any officer of the navy had been in attendance at any meeting where disrespectful language had been used towards the Sovereign, he should be happy to have the instance pointed out. But the gallant Officer was not present at any such meeting, and therefore his observations did not apply to the gallant Officer.
§ Colonel ThomasI beg leave to say that what I stated was, that I was present at that meeting, but that no such language had been used.
§ Subject dropped.