LORD BROUGHAMrose to put a question to his noble Friend opposite, the President of the Council. He said it had been universally stated in the newspapers that a person named Carden, who was tried last year in Ireland for one of the worst cases of abduction, committed under aggravated circumstances, that had ever been brought to trial within his recollection and who, upon being convicted of the offence, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment with hard labour, had, in consequence of certain representations made to the Irish Government as to the state of his health, after remaining six months in gaol, had the sentence commuted, and the remainder of the term of imprisonment dispensed with altogether, upon the condition that he should leave the country, and during the eighteen months, or so much of his sentence as he had not already undergone, remain abroad. This condition, it appeared, was enforced under recognisances so heavy that in the case of any poor man committing a similar offence it would be impossible to find them, so that in such a case the conditions upon which the commutation was allowed would in effect amount to a continued imprisonment during the whole term of the sentence. The question he wished to ask—and he did so without the remotest intention of casting even a shade of suspicion upon the conduct of his noble Friend the Lord Lieutenant, who had commuted the sentence, his hon. and learned Friend the Attorney General for Ireland, who had advised such commutation, or the very respectable medical gentleman who had given the certificate upon which those high authorities had acted—the question he wished to put was whether the facts as stated were correct, and if so, whether the Home Office had been consulted in the matter, and whether Mr. Carden had been released with their concurrence?
§ EARL GRANVILLEbelieved the circumstances under which the commutation 460 of the sentence had taken place had been accurately described in the reports to which the noble and learned Lord had alluded. Very strong representations had been made to the Lord Lieutenant in reference to the state of Mr. Carden's health; whereupon a medical gentleman, whose character stood very high in his profession, was sent down to see Mr. Carden, and to report as to what might be the probable effect of further confinement upon his health—whether, in fact, it would be likely to endanger his life. His answer was in the affirmative; and upon that answer the Irish Government decided upon ordering Mr. Carden's release upon the conditions stated by his noble and learned Friend. That decision was come to without any reference to the Home Office here, and he (Earl Granville) was unable to give any further information upon the subject. If, however, further explanation was considered necessary, his noble Friend the late Lord Lieutenant of Ireland would be in his place shortly, and would no doubt be prepared to answer any question that might be put to him.
LORD BROUGHAM.had intended to move for the production of the report upon which the Lord Lieutenant had acted; but as the arrival of his noble Friend from Ireland was expected shortly, he would decline making any Motion until he was present.