HC Deb 15 March 1888 vol 323 cc1311-2
MR. MACDONALD CAMERON (Wick, &c.)

I beg to claim the indulgence of the House whilst I bring before it what seems to be a Breach of the Privileges of this House. A few days ago the hon. Member for Northampton (Mr. Labouchere) brought forward an Amendment in Committee of Supply to reduce the amount required for Special Missions. A certain number of hon. Members of this House went into the Lobby and voted with the hon. Member in favour of that reduction. The result of that has been that an Association calling itself the National Radical Union has sent a letter to the constituents of those hon. Members who voted with the hon. Member for Northampton, and it is in this letter, Sir, that I think the Breach of Privilege lies. That, Sir, is a question which you will be able to decide, I will read the letter, and then, with the permission of the House, make a few remarks upon it. It is issued from Birmingham, and is as follows:—

"National Radical Union, Corporation

"Street, Birmingham,

"March 5, 1888.

"Dear Sir,—I desire to impress upon you the importance of making the most in your columns of the fact that Mr. Peter Esslemont, M.P., supported Mr. Labouchere and Mr. T. P. O'Connor in their unpatriotic and mean attempt to mar the international amity between two kindred nations by refusing to grant the unusually small Vote for defraying the expense of Mr. Chamberlain's Mission to the United States."—

Now, Sir, the sting of the letter lies in the tail— This will tell very much against Gladstonian Secessionists if well worked in your columns.

I am very sorry to say that a similar letter has been sent to my constituency, and I ask whether you do not consider this a Breach of the Privileges of this House?

[No reply.]

MR. MACDONALD CAMERON

I beg to move that this letter is a Breach of the Privileges of this House.

MR. SPEAKER

It seems to me that there is not even a primâ facie case of Privilege.