CAPTAIN WYNN. (Hansard, 11 February 1847)

§ MR. C. O'BRIEN
, in making the Motion of which he had given notice, for the production of certain papers, begged to say that his object was to ascertain the nature and the purport of the communication made to the Board of Works by Mr. Inspector Wynn, and to have an inquiry instituted into the truth or falsehood of the statements he had seen fit to transmit to that department respecting the conduct of his hon. Colleague and himself (Mr. C. O'Brien). He also wanted to have it explained why it was that a report made by that person to the Board of Works, in obedience to a letter dated the 4th of December, 1846, and addressed to him from that office, had been suppressed; and by whose authority, or with whose connivance, this most unfair proceeding was allowed to take place. He thought that it was essential that this inquiry should be instituted, not alone for the sake of his hon. Friend and himself, who had been charged most wantonly, most falsely, and most maliciously, by a public functionary, with a crime at the contemplation of which humanity shuddered, but for the sake of the honour and dignity of the House of Commons; for the satisfaction of the public whom they represented; and for the purification, if it might be, and efficiency of the Board of Works. That board was entrusted with vast powers and large discretion; and it 1172 would be fatal to its utility that it should lose the confidence, or even be compromised in the opinion of the people, as it certainly would be if it should appear that it had in the smallest degree abetted or countenanced, or sought to shield a subordinate who had the audacity to accuse his Friend and himself of so base a crime as suggesting the assassination of even the most insignificant of human beings that ever crawled on the earth. He felt it the more necessary to press for this inquiry from the circumstance—and a circumstance it was which had much astonished himself and many other Members of the House—of two Ministers of the Crown having seen fit to step out of their way to heap praises upon one who had been guilty of making a false and libellous statement, for which, if he had made it openly, he might have been signally punished by the law of the land; but which that person never would have dared to make at all, if he had not flattered himself with the belief either that his letter would have been suppressed, or that he would have been sheltered from the consequences of his calumny. The hon. Gentleman then moved for the production of the following papers:— Copy of a letter dated December 4, 1846, from the Board of Works, addressed to Captain Wynn, directing an investigation of charges contained in the annexed letter from George Westropp to the said board, imputing partiality and misconduet to the Liscannor Relief Committee; and a variety of other returns.

§ The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER
had not the least objection to the production of those papers, as far as he was concerned, with one exception. There would be much difficulty in making out the return with respect to the men struck off the works, their names, and places of abode. As he was informed, 9,700 men had been struck off, and it would form rather a long list to give all the particulars the hon. Member desired in each case. In assenting to those returns, he had to repeat what he stated on a former occasion, that he had directed the Board of Works to be informed that if there were any papers which they thought necessary to be laid before the House in reference to this case, he would move for their production.

§ MR. C. O'BRIEN
thought the return to which the right hon. Gentleman objected, most essential. It could be proved that the charge against him and his Colleague of instigating the people to assassinate Captain Wynn, was an utter falsehood, as several most respectable persons were 1173 ready to come forward who could prove that there was not the slightest danger to Captain Wynn, or to the officer of the Board of Works. The reason why he had incurred that gentleman's malignity was, because he wished to carry out the letter of the Irish Government at the presentment sessions which Captain Wynn attended. It had been proposed at the sessions to apply certain sums to public works, under the letter; but Captain Wynn objected to it, and the Board of Works refused to ratify them. Captain Wynn had been personal to him on that occasion, and was forced to make an apology for his conduct. It was strange to him that the Board of Works should have put on the records of that House a letter which would have been a fit subject for the Court of Queen's Bench; and he thought it should not have been placed on the books of the House.

§ MR. LABOUCHERE
sincerely regretted that any question of a personal nature should have been mixed up in a discussion, which was of itself sufficiently unpleasant. But after what had fallen from the hon. Member, he felt bound to say a word or two to the House; and first he would refer to the circumstance of the Board of Works having refused to sanction some presentments made by the sessions at Corofin, under what what was called Mr. Labouchere's letter. He would just state that the nature of the works which the hon. Member proposed, was to employ the people in the ordinary cultivation of their farms, or of their landlords' fields, without giving any security to the Government for repayment. He had no hesitation in saying that if the Board or the Government had sanctioned such a presentment, they would have deserved the greatest censure. He would not, however, argue that point with the hon. Gentleman now, but would observe, that the letter in question was not the law of the land, but in effect the exertion of a discretionary power by the Lord Lieutenant, beyond the law; and in acting upon the letter, they were bound to proceed with the greatest caution. This would give the House some notion of the difficulties under which they were placed in administering the law when presentments came up for great sums, and they had only the alternative of sanctioning them for the purpose of relieving destitution and giving employment, or knowing that the people must starve. With respect to the conduct of Captain Wynn, he had stated when the 1174 matter was before the House some nights ago, that having heard the conduct of that public servant openly attacked, he thought he should be wanting in his duty if he did not declare that, to the best of his belief, and the belief of those who had opportunities of observing his conduct—he meant the officers of the Board of Works—that in the discharge of his duty in that country Captain Wynn had set an example of earnestness and perseverance, grappling with difficulties almost unheard of, that entitled him to the confidence of the House and the country. He thought that no Government which did not defend its servants could expect to be well served, or to have the attachment of those who served it; and no consideration, whilst he had the honour of holding an office under the Crown, or a seat in that House, should prevent him from defending a public servant when he was attacked, whether that attack came from political friend or foe. It was a duty to the public servants and to the Crown, and to the best of his abilities he would always discharge it. With respect to the complaint made as to the appearance of certain letters in the blue book, containing statements which had been controverted, and had given offence, it was impossible to prevent papers laid on the Table from containing statements of this kind; and with matters of public concernment personal transactions naturally became mixed up. Government would afford to the utmost of their power all the information that was calculated to throw light on these transactions; every paper that might be moved for for that purpose should be cheerfully given by the Government. He might repeat his regret that any discussions of a personal nature had found their way into the deliberations of the House on those subjects; but he must, at the same time, say that he thought it his duty to defend Captain Wynn from any general charge of not having performed his duty most faithfully and ably in Clare. He would read a single sentence from a letter by Captain Gamble, which would show the good that had been effected by the steps taken at his instance:— By the revision of the committee lists required by Captain Wynn, the numbers were greatly reduced—in one parish from 1,200 to 700. Captain Gamble further stated— Every one, almost without exception, high and low, throws himself helplessly on the Government, demanding present support, and provision for the future, in tilling the land and supplying seed. 1175 He did not know whether Captain Wynn was, in any instance hurried beyond the calmness and temper with which it was always desirable that public duties should be performed; but he would venture to say that, placed in the most trying circumstances, he believed no public servant ever more honestly or faithfully discharged his duty.

MR. M. J. O'CONNELL
recommended that the latter part of the returns, calling for a list of men employed on the public works in Clare, and struck off by Captain Wynn, should not be pressed, as a list containing 7,000 or 8,000 names would take three months to prepare.

§ MR. BERNAL OSBORNE
thought, that as the hon. Member for Clare had been charged with inciting a mob to assassination, every opportunity ought to be accorded to him to disprove the accusation. If he were guilty of such conduct, he was unfit to hold a seat in that House, or in any other house. If, on the other hand, Captain Wynn was unable to prove the charge, he was an unfit person to be employed by the Government. The matter could not stop there; the House was bound to accede to the production of the returns required by the hon. Member. The hon. Member was in a critical position, and his explanation now or at a future time ought to be listened to.