§ MR. W. J. CORBETasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether, as he declined to lay the correspondence regarding the magistracy at Bray between Lord Meath and the Lord Chancellor upon the Table, on the grounds of its confidential character, he will lay upon the Table the papers submitted to the Lord Lieutenant by Mr. Langton, the gentleman who was recommended for appointment to the commission of the peace by the Roman Catholic inhabitants of Bray?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir, the Government think that this correspondence should not be laid on the Table of the House. It is a most serious question to establish the precedent of making public 822 documents of such a character. In a great majority of cases, the production of such documents would be misleading if circulated as Parliamentary Papers. The reasons why the Memorial was not acted upon would not and could not appear.
§ MR. W. J. CORBETMight I ask the right hon. Gentleman why the Papers could not appear?
§ MR. TREVELYANIt would be impossible, because it would be most unjust, that Papers relating to and discussing the qualifications of candidates, and setting forth whether their position and financial affairs and their character could warrant their being Justices of the Peace, should be made public.