MR. SULLIVANMr. Speaker, perhaps by the indulgence of the House I may be allowed to mention a matter of which I have given formal Notice for Monday—I allude to the subject which I mentioned the other day as one of Privilege. I have this morning received a letter from the hon. and gallant Member for Portsmouth (Sir James Elphinstone), which in my judgment, and, I hope, in the judgment of the House, will render it unnecessary to attach any more serious importance to the subject than that of the hon. and gallant Member having made a statement which he withdraws. Perhaps I may be allowed to read the note which I have received from the hon. and gallant Gentleman—
§ "Logie Elphinstone, August 9.
§ "Dear Sir,—I am indebted to a friend for pointing out a copy of a letter published in a local paper which, it appears, you have addressed to me. The original has not reached me; but I lose no time in thanking you for your kindness and courtesy in deferring action upon the Notice you have given in order to suit my convenience. As the matter has assumed the aspect of a breach of Privilege, I have sent a letter to a friend, who will read it to the House, in which I withdraw the word ' ruffians,' and I express my regret that I should have applied it to Members of the House."
§ I wish, Sir, to say that, having received this note, so frank and so honourable to the hon. and gallant Member himself, I instantly decided, with your permission, not to proceed with my formal Notice of Motion, and I can say on my own behalf—and though I am not authorized to speak for the hon. Gentlemen around me I am quite sure I may say on theirs —that they most frankly accept the gentlemanlike apology which has been tendered by the hon. and gallant Member for Portsmouth.
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERI am not sure, Mr. Speaker, under the circumstances, whether I ought not to read a letter which has been addressed to me by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Portsmouth, with a request that I would read it in the House. He says—
§ "Logie Elphinstone, August 9.
§ "My dear Sir Stafford Northcote,—I understand that Mr. Sullivan has given Notice that he will call attention on Friday next to certain passages in a speech I made at the meeting of the Garioch Farmers' Club last Saturday. I also hear that Mr. Speaker has ruled that the word ' ruffian' which I made use of on that occasion is a breach of the privileges of the House. This being so, I beg you will offer my apology to Mr. Speaker and the House for this infringement of its Rules, and I beg that the House will permit me to withdraw the offensive expression, which, on consideration, I regret having made use of or applied to Members of the House.—I remain, yours very faithfully,
§ "J. D. H. ELPHINSTONE."