HC Deb 10 June 1844 vol 75 c420
Captain Bernal

, seeing the right hon. the Home Secretary in his place, wished to ask him whether it had come to his knowledge, that Count Ostrowski, a Polish Officer, residing in the metropolis, had been taken into custody a few days ago, and with that degree of violence which in the case of a native of this country would be considered a flagrant violation of the liberty of the subject. That gentleman had not only been sent to prison, but all his papers had been seized and detained for some time in the possession of the police. He wished to know, whether these proceedings were by warrant, and whether the right hon. Baronet was at all aware of the case?

Sir J. Graham

said, that the hon. Member had not done him the courtesy of giving him notice of his question. His attention had been called to the subject by what he bad read in the ordinary channels of information. In consequence of what he had read of the case, he had made inquiries that morning of the Chief Commissioners of Police, and from them he learned, that from private information which they had received, of strong threats of personal violence used by Count Ostrowski, it was deemed right to have him taken into custody. When in custody, he was taken in the ordinary way, before a police magistrate, the charges were proved against him, and he was held to bail, and committed until bail was produced. If these proceedings were illegal, or that the law was violated in the mode of conducting them, the gentleman in question had his remedy in a Court of Law.