HC Deb 15 July 1887 vol 317 cc956-7
MR. MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether his attention has been directed to a speech delivered in Trinity College, on Tuesday, 12th July, at the declaration of the poll, by the Hon. Richard Alan Parsons, the defeated candidate, in which the following passage occurs:— The influences brought against me were very remarkable. My opponent was proposed by one of Her Majesty's Representatives in this country. A remarkable number of the Judges have recorded their votes, and their names have been published in the papers; was Mr. Serjeant Madden's candidature supported by a letter from the Chief Secretary for Ireland, of which public use was made; whether his attention has been called to the following statement of Lord Fitzgerald, on the 21st August, 1883:— That he was on the (Irish) Bench for 20 years, and in consequence of a resolution made by all the Irish Judges he had during that period never voted."—[Hansard, 3rd Series, vol. 233, p. 1458); was that resolution ever rescinded; and, if so, when; and, would he have any objection to lay a copy of that resolution, with its subsequent modifications, upon the Table of the House?

THE FIRST LORD (Mr. W. H. SMITH) (Strand, Westminster)

My only acquaintance with the speech referred to is derived from the quotation in the hon. Member's Question, the accuracy of which I do not dispute. My right hon. Friend informs me that, in offering the post of Third Serjeant-at-Law to Mr. Madden, he expressed in his letter his recognition of the learned gentleman's distinction at the Irish Bar, and his sense of the value of the assistance lie might render in the House of Commons should he be returned to Parliament. I am not aware that this letter was published; but it was not private, and there could be no objection to its being referred to by Serjeant Madden and his friends. I have seen the passage in Hansard referred to. I know nothing of the resolution mentioned; but I understand that Judges have always voted at University elections in Ireland as they do in England. I would remind the hon. Member that at the last election for Dublin University both candidates were of the same political views.