§ Mr. Hume, seeing the noble Viscount, the Secretary-at-War, in his place, wished to put a question to him respecting the members of Orange Lodges. On the 11th of August last the House came to certain Resolutions on the subject of Orange Lodges, and on the 31st of the same month, Lord Hill, as Commander-in-Chief, issued an order peremptorily forbidding the attendance of officers or soldiers at Orange Lodges, where so ever or by whomsoever held. He (Mr. Hume) wished [to know from the noble Viscount, whether that order had been carried into effect as regarded both officers and men either attending or continuing to belong to Orange Lodges, and what measures had been taken for that purpose? He was informed that certain General Officers still continued to belong to Orange Lodges in defiance of such order, and that he had seen a published letter of his Royal Highness the Grand Master of the Orangemen, stating, in reply to an address from them, that he was determined to continue their Grand Master, notwithstanding the order issued by Lord Hill. Now, as they had seen private individuals dismissed from the police in Ireland for belonging to Orange Lodges, he must say, that the Government was bound to deal justly and impartially with the high as well as the low; and, in his opinion, the more elevated the situation of the offender, the more prompt should have been the application of the punishment.
§ Viscount Howickbegged to say, it was the intention of his Majesty's Government 147 to see equal and impartial justice done to all; but the order issued by Lord Hill on the subject of Orange Lodges, only applied to officers actually engaged in the service. The House was aware that officers not on full pay were not subject to the provisions of the Mutiny Act, and that they could not be brought to a Court-martial for the infraction of any order issued by the Commander-in-Chief. All officers on full pay came clearly and distinctly within that order, and any such officers who subsequently to the issuing of the order of the 31st of August, continued to belong to, or to take part in the proceedings of any Orange Lodge, were liable to be brought to Court-martial, and dismissed the service. With regard to the Duke of Gordon, he was authorized to state, that as soon as he had seen the order issued by Lord Hill, he immediately signified to the Orange Institution his determination to retire from it. Hitherto, when Orange Lodges had been established in the army, it was generally found that they were composed of private soldiers, who were ignorant, that in so acting, they were guilty of any breach of military discipline. Since, however, the issuing of the order of Lord Hill, effectual measures had been taken to dispel that ignorance, and all officers and soldiers were now aware, that in continuing to belong to Orange Lodges they were guilty of a positive breach of the orders of the Commander-in-Chief, and were liable to be punished in consequence.
§ Subject dropped.