HC Deb 02 March 1838 vol 41 cc364-5
Captain Pechell

said, that this House had always extended its indulgence to hon. Members who desired to explain any circumstances or any observations which they might have made, and he had now to call for their indulgence. He had received a communication that morning from a noble and learned Lord in the other House, who complained of certain observations which he had made on the previous evening in that House with reference to a motion he had made on the subject of the capture of slave vessels. Reports of what he had said had appeared that morning in the newspapers, and he had seen The Times, and The Morning Chronicle; but in neither of them did he see any thing attributed to him which he did not utter, or anything with which he could at all find fault. The noble and learned Lord had sent to him the authentic copy of his speech delivered in the House of Lords on the 29th of January, which he had read, and he must say that he saw nothing which could induce him to retract. The defence of his brother officers had been founded on the speech of the noble Lord which had been published in the newspapers; and he must say that, if the noble and learned Lord had made that speech, all he had said was perfectly justifiable. He had not been bred to the law, and he was no special pleader, and in this instance he did not wish to employ any mental reservation; but if he had in the heat of debate used any ex- pressions which ought to be withdrawn, he was most willing to abide by the decision of the Speaker or of the House on the subject: but he believed that he was not frequently led into the use of warm language, and he was, besides, quite sure that if he had said any thing improper he should have been at once called to order. The noble Lord had given notice of his intention to bring the matter before the House of Lords that evening; bnt he thought, nevertheless, that nothing had fallen from him which he ought to retract.

Sir E. Codrington

said, that he too had received a communication from the noble and learned Lord, together with a pamphlet, in which the expressions used were even stronger and more offensive than than those to which he had alluded last night. The pamphlet suggested the cases of officers of the navy looking for head-money to be similar to those of police constables who waited until a person had committed a crime before they attempted to take him, saying that he was "not heavy enough," when they might have prevented the offence, and that they must wait until he was "worth 40l." He thought the pamphlet of the noble Lord confirmed all he had said, and he saw no necessity for him to withdraw or explain any thing that had fallen from him.

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