§ MR. HENEAGEasked Mr. Solicitor General, Whether he has come to any determination as to what steps should be taken in reference to the articles in the "Boston Independent" newspaper, imputing to the Attorney General that the prosecutions instituted by him against certain persons in connection with the late Election at Boston were dictated by motives other than a sense of public duty?
§ THE SOLICITOR GENERAL (Sir FARRER HERSCHELL),in reply, said, the imputations cast upon his hon. and learned Friend the Attorney General, in reference to the motives which actuated him in instituting certain criminal proceedings, were of a serious character, and it was a matter of great public im- 272 portance. He had had, therefore, seriously to consider whether he should apply for a criminal information against those who published these articles. But while the matter was under consideration, the proprietor of the newspaper in question unreservedly withdrew all imputations against the Attorney General, and expressed his belief that the Attorney General was actuated only by a sense of public duty. The proprietor of the newspaper had also written to the Attorney General, making an ample apology. Under these circumstances, he had come to the conclusion that the matter might he allowed to drop. But the question whether the prosecutions which had been instituted should be tried in a locality where the jury would not be influenced by these newspaper articles still remained for consideration.