§ SIR PATRICK O'BRIENPerhaps I am not exactly in Order in the course I am going to take; but I am quite certain, being now many years sitting in this Assembly, I will be permitted to make a small statement in reference to a Question on the Paper yesterday. Yesterday there was put a Question in this House affecting the commercial honour of an official in Ireland. It was imputed that he was an uncertificated bankrupt. The Question was asked, whether he was, and, if he were, whether he would be removed from his position? That Question was put in the ordinary way of the last two or three years; and on this particular occasion, in the morning papers to-day—The Times, The Daily News, The Standard, and every daily paper of importance in the country—the allegation as to this 279 man's position was ignored, as well as the reply of the hon. and learned Gentleman the Solicitor General for Ireland; and a great many persons in the House, known to me as men of intelligence, asked me to put no further Question about it; but I think if this House——
§ MR. SPEAKERThe hon. Baronet is not confining his statement to a strictly personal explanation, unless the hon. Baronet is making some statement with reference to a relative.
§ SIR PATRICK O'BRIENYes, Sir; I am a relative of the gentleman referred to, or I should not for a moment make a reference to it in the House. As to what has occurred I am speaking from memory. I was near the hon. and learned Gentleman; but I did not catch every word he stated. I know he stated that he was accurate; that every shilling he owed when he left the staff of the General Officer in the West Indies he paid when he undertook the responsible position of a solicitor in Ireland; and that was what was incurred by other people, and not by himself. He paid in full, as was stated by the hon. and learned Gentleman the Solicitor General. Well, Sir, as this unhappy business has occurred, it is wrong of the papers laying aside the whole of the Question and reply, although the original allegation as to his honour was made previously. With regard to Mr. Morphy's position, the hon. and learned Gentleman knows that with the knowledge of the Government he acted throughout, and that every debt incurred was paid to the last sixpence.