§ MR. CUNINGHAME GRAHAMI had intended to ask the Secretary of State for War whether it is true that the Attorney General and Duke of Cambridge have long since advised the claim of the suppliant in "Mitchell v. Regina" to be settled by a substantial payment; and whether that advice has been rejected, and if he could state for what reason; but I beg to postpone the question until to-morrow, and also a further question which I intended to put to the First Lord of the Treasury, namely, whether his attention has been called to the report of "Mitchell v. Regina" in the London Times, 13th of May, and the remarks in the Evening Standard of that day; and whether in consequence of the decision of the learned Judges, he is prepared to introduce a Bill to conserve to officers the promises conveyed to them in Her Most Gracious Majesty's Royal Warrants, which are signed by the Sovereign?
§ MR. CUNINGHAME GRAHAMI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is true that a letter or petition of grace to Her Majesty the Queen was sent to the Home Office many weeks ago by the suppliant in "Mitchell v. Regina," praying for many reasons some payment of money withheld by the War Office; whether he is aware that this application was made on the written advice to the suppliant by General Sir Henry Ponsonby, C.G.B.; and whether it is true that the suppliant has been officially informed that the letter has not been forwarded to the Queen?
§ *THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. MATTHEWS, Birmingham, E.)In December last Colonel Mitchell forwarded to the Home Office a petition of right in the matter of 1265 a claim made by him upon the War Office. This was submitted to the Queen in the usual manner, and proceedings followed in the Law Courts. Subsequent to the decision of the Courts, Colonel Mitchell, in February last, sent some printed documents relative to his ease to the Home Office, and asked that they might be laid before the Queen, Sir Henry Ponsonby having advised the applicant that documents of this nature could only be submitted to Her Majesty through the Secretary of State. No petition accompanied these papers, and the applicant was informed that his case having been decided by the legal tribunals of the country, it would be improper to lay papers before Her Majesty which were in the nature of an appeal against the decision of those tribunals.