§ MR. W. J. CORBETasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Why the promise given in the House on several occasions that, in cases in which the Lord Lieutenant of a county declined without reasonable grounds to recommend a Catholic for appointment to the Commission of the Peace, the Lord Chancellor would not be slow to exercise his inherent power of appointing to that office, has not been held to apply in the case of Mr. Martin Langton, recommended by the principal Catholic inhabitants of Bray, county Wicklow; whether he is aware that Mr. Langton recently acted as secretary to an important meeting, held at Bray, at which a Resolution was passed, strongly condemning the action of Lord Meath and the Wicklow magistracy in censuring Government for dismissing Lord Rossmore from the Commission of the Peace; whether he is aware that Mr. Langton, in common with the great majority of the people of Bray, successfully opposed Lord Meath in regard to certain conditions sought to be imposed upon them in connection with the new Town Hall; and, whether he will advise the Lord Lieutenant to suggest to the 212 Lord Chancellor a reconsideration of the requisition submitted to him in this case? and, if not, whether he will lay the Papers and Correspondence upon the Table of the House?
§ MR. TREVELYANI have already stated, in reply to a former Question, that, in the Lord Chancellor's opinion, the Lord Lieutenant of the County did not act unreasonably in declining to recommend Mr. Langton for the Commission of the Peace, and that the Lord Chancellor had declined to place him in the Commission. What has happened in this case is, therefore, not at variance with my statement to which the hon. Member refers. It is entirely for the Lord Chancellor to consider and determine in each case whether the Lord Lieutenant of the County is unreasonable or otherwise; and I do not intend to advise the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland to suggest to the Lord Chancellor a reconsideration of Mr. Langton's case. I cannot lay on the Table any Correspondence between the Lord Chancellor and the Earl of Meath in reference thereto. I am advised that such Correspondence is of a highly confidential character. With regard to the meetings mentioned in the Question, I am able to state that they had no effect whatever on the Lord Chancellor's mind in coming to the conclusion which he did.