§ MR. W. J. CORBETasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If he is aware that a Memorial has been presented to the Earl of Meath, Lord Lieutenant and Custos Rotulorum of the county of Wicklow, signed by forty-five of the principal Roman Catholic inhabitants of Bray, including the Very Rev. Walter Lee, D. D., P. P., V. G., Dean of the Cathedral Chapter of Dublin, and the local Roman Catholic Clergy, recommending the name of Mr. Martin Langton as a fit and proper person to be appointed to the Commission of the Peace for the county; whether it was stated to Lord Meath, as a ground for the appointment, that—
Mr. Langton has taken a deep and active part in the cause of temperance …. he is a grand juror at the quarter sessions, and has acted frequently on special juries during the last twelve years;whether, notwithstanding these qualifications, and the strength and character of the recommendations, Lord Meath replied—I do not consider him in any way suited to the discharge of the duties;whether he is aware that, out of the 104 magistrates for Wicklow, only five are Roman Catholics, and these not all residents in the county, and that there is no Catholic magistrate in Bray Petty Sessions district; and, whether, under these circumstances, he will bring the matter under the consideration of the Lord Chancellor with a view to Mr. Langton's appointment?
§ MR. TREVELYANI believe that the statements in the Question are substantially accurate. With regard to the last paragraph, I may say that I understand that a Memorial embodying these statements is at present before the Lord Chancellor.