§ The EARL of RIPONMy Lords, I must request your Lordships' indulgence for a short time, whilst I refer to a topic most deeply interesting to myself, and which has been the subject of discussion in your Lordships' House. I greatly regret 996 that it was not in my power to be present in my place during the last week or yesterday, on the occasions on which this subject has been adverted to. But, feeling that the matter is one which deeply affects my public character and honour, I held it to be my duty, at the earliest possible moment, to present myself before your Lordships, for the purpose of making some remarks on the subject in question. I came down, my Lords, this day fully prepared to enter into a full and dispassionate detail of all the circumstances which have been recently adverted to; but in the situation in which that matter now stands, and referring to what was stated by my noble and learned Friend the other night, in vindication of himself as well as of me, I do not think that it is necessary for me to trouble your Lordships by pursuing any such course. Indeed, I would willingly have abstained from saying anything at all to your Lordships, if I could have reconciled my silence to the sense of what I personally owe to my own honour. But, my Lords, I am bound to state, as I now do here, on my honour as a gentleman, and were the words the last I was to utter on this side of the grave—I feel bound absolutely to deny in the most unqualified manner that there either is or was the slightest foundation for the imputation which has been cast upon me. And that imputation is no light matter. It is not one which affects me merely in my political capacity; but one containing a much more grave and serious accusation—an accusation of trafficking in a matter of ecclesiastical patronage, and of endeavouring, by a most scandalous interchange of advantages, to obtain for myself the nomination to a living which I was desirous that a friend should possess. My Lords, I have ever felt the disposal of ecclesiastical patronage to be a matter of awful responsibility. It does not concern merely the temporal advantages of those who reside in the parish over which the appointed clergyman presides, but it affects their eternal interests. That any man then, my Lords—any man of common feeling—any man who has a sense of what is right in his bosom, would be guilty of such dishonourable, of such scandalous traffic—is an imputation I should hold it impossible to assert, were it not as clearly proveable as the sun at noonday. With what feelings, my Lords, were such a charge true—with what feelings could I enter the walls of that parish church—the parish in which my residence is placed—a parish which, 997 with the exception of the clergyman's glebe, altogether belongs to me—with what feelings, I say, could I enter that parish church other than those of the deepest shame and degradation—feelings more easily conceivable than described. My Lords, I have been accused of a most scandalous action. I rest my defence here—I stand on my own character—that character is before the world—it has been before the world for thirty years, and if it do not defend me from such attacks, then no explanation I can give, no arguments I can urge, can have that effect. But I may be permitted, my Lords, to advert to one or two circumstances of a most extraordinary nature, which have attended this accusation. No notice whatever was given to me of an intention to prefer any such charge. I knew, indeed, by accident, that a question was to be asked upon a legal matter; but as there was not a shadow of truth in the accusation about the living of Nocton, I never anticipated the possibility of such an imputation being cast upon me; and I therefore had no opportunity of instructing anybody in the facts of the case, or requesting any friend to be present in Parliament to deny the charge in the most indignant, and vindicate my character in the most ample manner. My Lords, I was as much astonished when I heard that accusation as though I had been charged with committing murder. It was a proceeding neither usual nor courteous, nor, above all, just; and I hope that it is the last time that any accusation of the sort will be preferred in such a manner, and in such a hurry, without giving the individual accused an opportunity of replying, and of vindicating his character. But, my Lords, it appears that this scandal proceeds from some unknown and unnamed person. I wonder who he is. He is stated to be eminent in his profession. What profession? Is it law? Is it the church? Does he honour the army with his name? Who is he? What is he? I know not, my Lords, and care not who he is—but I can't help knowing what he is—and that is more to the purpose. My Lords, it is an informer, who has volunteered to make this carge. When he saw the notice of Motion in the newspapers, he volunteered to make a written statement on which to found the charge. What do I infer from that? Why, that the individual who was to bring forward the accusation, had at first no intention of adverting to it at all. He knew nothing about it. But I want to know where that written paper 998 is? Am I not entitled to ask? It is the indictment on which I have been arraigned, and upon which I have—at least in the opinion of one individual—been found guilty. Where then is it? Does it exist? In whose hands is it? In the hands of the individual who was called upon to use it? I doubt that very much. But if it be not, on what ground can it be urged as a proof of the charge brought against me? Ami to I remain in ignorance of the contents of that paper? Such a course; is unusual I am sure; it is unjust I am sure. But in order to show, I suppose, the degree of credit to which this anonymous informer is entitled, it was stated that he is a person closely connected with the living of Nocton. How could that be? What did he know of the circumstances which induced me to apply to my noble Friend? My Lords, there is a remarkable circumstance with respect to the living of Nocton. Only two incumbents have enjoyed it for the last eighty years. One of them hold it for thirty-one, the other for forty-eight years; and I know to a certainty that with regard to the first, the rev, gentleman who held it for the former period (and I know this, because I have recently been on a visit to his son)—I repeat, that I know to a certainty that it is impossible that with respect to that gentleman any information could have been either possessed or obtained by any one to be made the matter of a serious accusation against me. Neither do I believe that any individual who bears the name of Hobart, that of the latter incumbent, ever would be guilty of attempting, by supplying anonymous information, to injure my reputation, and hand me up to the reprobation of the people of that parish, who I hope respect me and love the family with which I am connected. No, my Lords, from neither of these sources did the anonymous scandal come. I ask again then, who furnished it? and with that question I pause. I need proceed no further. It were unnecessary to enter into more minute details, "Liberavi animam meam." I only add—conscious of my own innocence, conscious of the injustice of the accusation brought against me, conscious of its total want of foundation from beginning to end, and at the same time feeling that a grievous wrong has been done me—that my character has been most unjustly aspersed, and a great injury thus inflicted—I say I have only to add, that I still would rather be the victim of that wrong, that I still would rather carry with me to the grave 999 the sense of that injury, than be the anonymous author of the calumny which this accusation has flung upon me.