§ LORD DORCHESTERsaid, he desired to ask the Government whether they had any information of the recent occurrences at Lichfield? He had, on the previous evening, read with pain an announcement commenting with undue severity on irregularities and riotous conduct on the part of one of the finest, best disciplined, most numerous, and most gallantly officered regiments of Yeomanry in the country. He arrived late last night at Lichfield and found everything perfectly quiet; in fact, anything more solemn and dull than the appearance of the town could not be conceived. There was a perfect absence of excitement and of population in the streets. This morning he made inquiries as to the actual occurrences, and, if he was to give credit—as he undoubtedly did—to the word of three officers whom he consulted, none of whom had the slightest knowledge of his intention of bringing the question before their Lordships, the story that had been circulated in the newspapers was very enormously exaggerated. He questioned the three officers separately, one of them being Colonel Levett, the Representative of Lichfield in Parliament, whom he had known for 40 years. The newspapers stated that a large body of officers got upon the stage of some music-hall, locked up the manager, possessed themselves of the stage, and committed other enormities, frightening the ladies of the ballet, who, in his opinion, were not so easily frightened as the writer of the report seemed to imagine. He believed the real truth to be that a number of officers occupied the front benches, and that one of them joined in the chorus. The manager, who in a great measure depended for support on the patronage of the officers, came forward and characterized the officers in the front row as a set of snobs. He hardly knew the meaning of that word; but he had heard it sometimes, and he supposed it might be called an opprobrious terra. There was a slight disturbance and the manager was locked up in his box, and very properly too. He might consider that he got off very cheaply. It was stated that on the following day there was great excitement with a mob in the street, 551 and that the face of Dr. Johnson's statue was blackened by some members of the Yeomanry. He believed there was not a word of truth in that, nor in the statement that a private of the corps, who was arrested and who was handcuffed by the police, was rescued by the men of the regiment, and that the handcuffs were sawn off. Such a charge as this was a direct libel on a gallant regiment. The fact was that, as was always the case when the Yeomanry assembled at Lichfield, a large number of Birmingham roughs poured into the town, and these roughs surrounded one of the yeomen and provoked him to fight, and that yeoman did fight. He hoped he would not live to see the day when a yeoman would not fight when occasion rose. An unfortunate incident, no doubt, occurred that night, mainly owing to the excitement which prevailed; and it had been so falsified in the newspapers that he had felt it his duty to mention it in the House, in justice to a deceased relative of his, who had been connected with the regiment for 40 years, and who had been urged to stay in when, from his delicate health, he had tendered his resignation. He considered it not only his duty to his relative's memory, knowing he was a great disciplinarian himself, but also out of consideration for the other officers of the regiment, many of whom were unknown to him, though some of them were his friends, to bring the matter before the House. He hoped the Government, with the civil and military authorities, would cause strict inquiry and denounce the untruths which had been circulated so industriously, not only in the London newspapers, by the telegraph, but in more impulsive and greedy organs of the Press, which were ready to take everything they could get. He thought that, when a regiment which could not stand up for itself was thus attacked, every inquiry should be made; and he trusted that if it was acquitted, the Government would express an opinion to the effect, and say that it did not deserve the blame attached to it by some local and provincial faction.
THE EARL OF MORLEYI am glad my noble Friend has put this Question, and has taken this opportunity of stating what he knows in regard to this matter. I confess that when I saw the report of this occurrence, as mentioned by my noble Friend, in one of the evening 552 papers last night, I was immensely surprised; because the regiment is one that has been distinguished for the efficiency and the admirable discipline that has always characterized it under its late distinguished commanding officer. But I confess I could not credit the account given of these proceedings, and I thought there must be some mistake, or that the matter must have been grossly exaggerated. However, a telegram was despatched to Lichfield to inquire as to the truth and the nature of these occurrences. A further telegram was sent this morning. I regret extremely we have not yet received any answer to these telegrams; but I still hope to be able to bring it down to the House to-night.
§ LORD DORCHESTERIt is the annual Inspection.
THE EARL OF MORLEYNo doubt; and I am bound to say that I think the fact of the Inspecting Officer being there and holding an inspection to-day affords strong presumptive evidence that at least the reports which have reached your Lordships are extremely exaggerated. All I can say at present is that careful inquiry will be made into the truth of those reports, and great care will be taken that those concerned shall not be visited with undeserved blame.
§ Afterwards,
THE EARL OF MORLEYsaid, he had received the following telegram with respect to the subject: —
From General Officer commanding Northern District, York, to Adjutant General, Horse Guards. Inspector of Auxiliary Cavalry telegraphs from Lichfield, absolutely no foundation for report in evening papers, concerning riotous conduct among Yeomanry. Men have behaved remarkably well. One yeoman was set upon by roughs. Have ordered Court of Inquiry to record evidence. Am writing.