§ MR. SEXTONasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the Lord Chancellor of Ireland has received two letters of the 16th of June and 11th of October 1884, addressed to him by Mr. James Kee, of Altnaparte, Welchtown, county Donegal, charging Mr. Samuel Donaldson, a justice of the peace for that county, with having, by fraudulent means, procured from the representative body of the Irish Church a sum of sixty-two pounds; and also with having, in his capacity as registrar of the dispensary district of Cloghan, in the union of Stranorlar, systematically extorted money by overcharging for certificates, in contravention of the law; whether two letters from Mr. D. Blackburn, making similar complaints respecting Mr. Donaldson, were also received by the Lord Chancellor; whether both Mr. Kee and Mr. Blackburn offered, in their letters, to give evidence in verification of the charges; whether the Lord Chancellor ever acknowledged the receipt of any of the letters; whether he made any inquiry into the truth of the allegations; and, if not, for what reason; and, what steps the Government will now take in respect to Mr. Donaldson?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANThe Lord Chancellor informs me that he received two letters from Mr. Kee containing charges against Mr. Donaldson. The charges were made in vague and scandalous terms; and as no materials were furnished to show that there were any true grounds for them, the 224 Lord Chancellor declined to take any notice of the letters. The Lord Chancellor only received one letter from Mr. Blackburn. It made no charges whatever; but appeared to the Lord Chancellor to be an attack on Mr. Donaldson's position and calling which was not deserving of notice.
§ MR. SEXTONI beg to say that I will forward the right hon. Gentleman a specific statement of facts establishing a charge of fraud against this gentleman.
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANIf there is any charge of fraud it must be tried in a public Court. The Lord Chancellor would not act on private communication in such a matter.