§ Mr. Ridley Colbornebrought up the Report of the Committee appointed to inquire into the circumstances of the traffic and agreement alleged to have taken place between Daniel O'Connell and Alexander Raphael, Esquires, touching the nomination and return of the said Alexander Raphael, as one of the Representatives in Parliament for the county of Carlow, at the last election for that County, and the application of the monies said to have been received, and the circumstances under which the same were received and expended. The Report was read by the Clerk, as follows:—
It appears to your Committee, that the subject may be arranged under two heads, the first as relating to any traffic or agreement between Mr. Raphael and Mr. O'Connell, for a seat in Parliament, and the second as to the application of the sum said to have been given.It does not appear to your Committee to be necessary for them to enter upon any detailed summary of the evidence, but they feel it their duty to draw the attention of the House very briefly to the main points as they bear upon the question.It appears that Mr. O'Connell addressed a letter, bearing date 1st of June, 1835, in which the agreement for Mr. Raphael's return for the county of Carlow for 2,000l. was concluded; the Committee cannot help observing, that the whole tone and tenor of this letter was calculated to excite much suspicion and grave animadversion; but they must add that upon a very careful investigation, it appeared that previous conferences and communications had taken place between Mr. Raphael, Mr. Vigors, and other persons connected with the county of Carlow, and that Mr. O'Connell was acting on this occasion at the express direction of Mr. Raphael, and was the only medium between Mr. Raphael and Mr. Vigors and the Political Club at Carlow.It appears that the money was placed to Mr. O'Connell's general account at his banker's in London. It was, however, advanced, the moment it was called for, to Mr. Vigors; and though some of it was paid in bills, the discount was allowed; the amount, therefore, was available whenever wanted, and no charge of pecuniary interest can be attached to Mr. O'Connell.It appears also, that this money has been expended under the immediate direction of 210 Mr. Vigors, and others connected with the county of Carlow, in what may be called legal expenses, or so unavoidable, that your Committee see no reason to question their legality; and that the balance was absorbed in defending the return of Mr. Raphael and Mr. Vigors before the Committee appointed to investigate on the 28th July, 1835.
§ The Report having been read
§ Mr. Ridley Colbornebegged to state to the House that the Report which had just been read was the unanimous Report of the Committee. That there was no compromise of opinion, no difference of feeling, amongst its members upon this very delicate subject. He felt anxious to state this, because he thought it right that the country should know what this Report tended to prove—that eleven gentlemen, Members of that House, differing widely in political sentiments, could meet in one room, and, without the slightest hesitation, lay aside all party feeling. It was his belief, that if the country at large read the evidence with the same proper feeling that had guided the Committee, they would come to the same conclusion. He moved that the Report be printed.—Ordered.