§ MR. CONINGHAM,in moving for a Select Committee to inquire into the statements contained in the Petition of Mr. Francis Robert Bertolacci, praying for an inquiry into the proceedings of certain functionaries of the Duchy of Lancaster in preventing him from exercising the rights, powers, and privileges of the office of Auditor of the Duchy, and in superseding him by a near connection of the Receiver General to audit that officer's accounts, such Committee to consist of five members to be appointed by the General Committee of Elections, said that as the Government did not mean to oppose the Motion, he should content himself with stating that he brought forward this question entirely on public grounds and in the interest of public justice. All that he sought was a full, searching, and public investigation into the statements of Mr. Bertolacci, and he had such faith in that gentleman's truth and integrity that he felt assured he would pass honourably through that ordeal. He wished to explain that as the number of members to serve on the Committee had been printed five instead of seven, he trusted he should be allowed to retain the power of adding two members in order to make up the latter number.
LORD CAVENDISHseconded the Motion. He said he was nearly related to one of the individuals whose conduct had been impugned by Mr. Bertolacci. The public were much indebted to the hon. Member for bringing forward the facts of this Petition, and no one was more grateful to him than the relative to whom he had referred (Earl Granville). The individuals whose conduct had been impugned were Lord Granville, the Duke of Newcastle, the Earl of Harrowby, and one or two others. Had he been present on a former occasion when the hon. Member brought this subject forward he should have pressed on the part of his relative 1185 for an immediate inquiry, and he had now to state on his part that his only desire was that as full and searching an investigation as possible should be made. He was at the present moment prepared to show the utter falsity and groundlessness of the charges that had been brought forward, but it was thought better that the case should not be gone into now. His relative preferred to go before a Committee of that House, believing that the facts as they would appear when he was examined before the Committee would be the best answer to these charges. He had now only to express a hope that the Committee would be so chosen that no doubt could be entertained of its impartiality towards the accused individuals, and that whatever conclusion the Committee arrived at they would not shrink from declaring. For these reasons he had great pleasure in seconding the Motion.
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Motion agreed to.
Select Committee appointed, "to inquire into the statement set forth in a Petition from Mr. Francis Robert Bertolacci, praying for an inquiry into the proceedings of certain functionaries of the Duchy of Lancaster in preventing him from exercising the rights, powers, and privileges of the office of Auditor of the Duchy, and in superseding him by a near connection of the Receiver General to audit that officer's accounts, such Committee to consist of five Members to be appointed by the General Committee of Elections.