HC Deb 26 June 1855 vol 139 cc220-1

Mr. Meagher, Mr. Henry Herbert, Mr. Fagan, Mr. Maguire, Mr. De Vere, Mr. Liddell, Sir Stafford Northcote, Mr. Barrow, Mr. Dunlop, Mr. Wickham, Viscount Monck, and Mr. Wilson, nominated Members of the Committee.

COLONEL DUNNE

said, he objected to, he Committee as nominated, on the ground that there were only six Irish Members upon it.

MR. WILSON

said, he thought that Ireland was fairly represented. He saw no reason why Irish Members should not sit on English Committees, and English Members on Irish Committees. In the present instance there were six Irish representatives and another Member who was intimately connected with Ireland.

MR. VINCENT SCULLY

said, he must complain of the systematic exclusion of Irish Members from important Committees and offices of high trust. It was notorious that there was not a single Irishman in the Cabinet, and that, with one exception, there had been no Irish Member on the Sebastopol Committee. That one Irishman had been withdrawn, and was no party to the preparation of the Report. As a general rule they were shut out from everything of importance, and if they possessed a particle of talent they were certain to be excluded.

MR. HUTCHINS

said, he should move the omission of the name of Mr. Gordon, which already appeared upon another Committee. It was impossible for one Member to serve on two Committees simultaneously.

COLONEL DUNNE

seconded the Amendment.

MR. I. BUTT

said, he thought that no hon. Member's appointment would give greater confidence to Ireland than that of the hon. and gallant Member for Port-arlington (Colonel Dunne). There was no Irish Member on his (the Opposition) side of the House nominated for this Committee.

MR. OTWAY

said, he also must complain of the system of selecting Members to serve on Committees generally. Having expressed himself desirous of serving on the Committee on the military education of Sandhurst College, he was told that he must make friends with the right hon. Member for Wells (Mr. Hayter) if he really wished to be appointed; but he had declined to do anything of the kind. Young Members like the hon. Member for Beverley (Mr. Gordon) ought not to be put upon two Committees at once, while other Members had not an opportunity of learning their duties.

VISCOUNT PALMERSTON

said, he considered it premature to object to Mr. Gordon's nomination. If that Gentleman were a fit person to act on this Committee he should be elected; and then, when the second Committee came to be appointed, his name might be struck out of it if necessary.

MR. VINCENT SCULLY

said, he was surprised that the hon. and learned Member for Youghal (Mr. I. Butt) did not recognise on the Committee the names of the hon. Member who sat next him (Mr. Maguire) and the hon. Member behind him, the Chairman (Mr. Meagher). He also denied that there were no other Irish Members in whom the public would have confidence but the hon. and gallant Member for Portarlington.

VISCOUNT GALWAY

said, he considered it absurd to appoint Committees and introduce new Bills, when the massacre of the innocents had commenced.

Motion made, and Question put, "That Mr. Gordon be one other Member of the Committee."

The House divided:—Ayes 52; Noes 34: Majority 18.

Mr. Lowe nominated one other Member of the Committee.—Power to send for persons, papers, and records: Five to be the quorum.

The House adjourned at a quarter after One o'clock.