§ Mr. Henry Grattanbegged to ask the right hon. Secretary for Ireland a question on a subject which had excited considerable interest in Dublin, on account of the circumstances attending it. It appeared that Count Czapski had made his escape from Warsaw, with great difficulty, and was so fortunate as to get to Belfast; on his landing there, he was told, it was necessary to give information of his arrival to the office of the Secretary, under the Act regarding Aliens. On his arrival at Dublin, he had made several inquiries at the Custom House and the Castle, and 966 was told at the latter place, as he only intended to stay a few days, he need not apply again. Subsequently, however, circumstances induced him to prolong his residence in that city, when an intimation was given him to attend the Head Police, and, on appearing there, he was fined the full penalty, notwithstanding he had, in the first instance, conformed to the letter of the law, and was only induced to violate it by inadvertence. The question, therefore, he wished an answer to, was, whether the payment of the fine, which had been inflicted on this Polish nobleman, for his unwilling violation of the Alien Law, was to be enforced?
Mr. Stanleyanswered, that the case of Count Czapski was briefly this:—After he had landed in Ireland, he came to Dublin, and when he had been there a short time, he was informed, that, in conformity with the Alien Law, he must state to the Government whether he intended to fix his residence there. In compliance with the rule on this subject, he went to the proper office, and there stated, that it was not his intention permanently to remain in Dublin, where he intended only to stay a day or two. He, however, staid between a fortnight and three weeks, and then manifested no intention of leaving the country, but gave no notice whatever of the change of his determination. Steps were, therefore, taken to show, that the Government were not inattentive to this breach of the law, and, in consequence of them, a Magistrate inflicted a fine of 50l. Some inquiry was, however, set on foot, and it having been since understood that he had acted upon erroneous representations of the law, the matter had been taken into consideration by the Irish Government; and he (Mr. Stanley) was happy to say, that he had that morning received a letter from his noble friend, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, stating it to be the decision of Government, that, under the circumstances of the case, it would not be proper to press for the penalty.