§ MR. SEXTONasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether he has given attention to a public speech made by Mr. George Smith, barrister at law, at a soiree of Orange Lodges held in Dungannon on the 5th instant, and reported in the "Tyrone Constitution" of the 10th instant, in which speech the following expressions occurred:—
No one could track the progress of Mr. Gladstone as a statesman without seeing that his measures have undermined most of the fundamental principles of the Constitution itself. He introduced the Arrears Act, and proclaimed thereby his wish to reward the dishonest and the disloyal…It was somewhat satisfactory to find that Members who at the last election were quite in love with Gladstone and his administration had recently met to condemn the people's William for his change of front in reference to crime and land legislation;and, whether, as Mr. George Smith, barrister, holds the official position of district registrar (at Armagh) of the Probate Division of the High Court of Justice in Ireland, any notice, and, if so, what, will be taken of his public ex- 100 pressions affecting the head of the Government?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir, the Question of the hon. Member having directed my attention to the speech of Mr. Smith, as reported in a local paper, I have read the report, and have to say that the Government do not intend to take any notice of the matter, feeling that the language, supposing it to have been used by Mr. Smith, though not such as is commonly used by a permanent servant of the Crown, does not amount to such official misconduct as would warrant his removal from his office.