HC Deb 09 May 1887 vol 314 c1276
MR. ARTHUR O'CONNOR (Donegal, E.)

Sir, I ask the indulgence of the House while I make an observation of a personal character. Hon. Members will have noticed that in the articles copied from The Times which under your direction were circulated with the Votes and Proceedings of this House my name was more than once mentioned. It may be in the knowledge of many Members of this House, also that at the date of the suppression of the Land League I was in charge of the Laud League offices and that there was, at that date, a warrant issued for my arrest. Nevertheless, since that time, Her Majesty's Government, in the year 1885, did not think it unfitting that they should invite me to act as a Member of the Royal Commission on the Depression of Trade. Again, last year, Her Majesty's present Advisers thought fit to nominate mo to another Royal Commission to inquire into the administration of the Civil Services of the country. Under these circumstances, when these articles—which as long as they merely appeared in a newspaper I was perfectly content to treat with contempt—were brought formally under the notice of the House by the Motion of the hon. Baronet opposite (Sir Charles Lewis) I watched with considerable interest the attitude of the Government. It appears to me from their conduct on Friday last, and from the decision they ultimately came to, that they were perfectly willing to make Party capital out of allegations and insinuations such as have appeared in these articles. Under these circumstances, I do not consider it becoming either to myself or proper in the discharge of my duties to my constituents or to my Colleagues in this House any longer to serve on that Royal Commission, and I have intimated to the Chairman my desire that he should take such steps as may be necessary to cause my name to be removed from the list of Commissioners.