EARL ST. GERMANSsaid, he wished to ask the noble Earl at the head of Her Majesty's Government a question with reference to an observation made by him on the occasion of Lord Grey's withdrawing his Motion for the production of the Correspondence relating to the Ionian Islands. The noble Earl opposite, in acknowledging the courtesy of Lord Grey in withdrawing his Motion, said that, the effect of producing that correspondence would be to cast considerable censure upon some persons who would not be in a position to defend themselves. Some of the friends of Sir John Young understood that that remark had reference to him. He (Earl St. Germans) believed that it did not refer to him; but it would be satisfactory to the friends of Sir John Young if the noble Earl opposite would give an assurance that that was so. On the part of Sir John Young, an old Friend and former Colleague of his, he ventured to say that, though acquiescing in the decision of Her Majesty's responsible advisers, he would on no account press for the production of papers which, in their opinion, could not be produced without detriment to the public service; but, so far as he himself was concerned, he earnestly desired that every letter and every despatch relating to his administration of the affairs of the Ionian Islands should be published, in order that that and the other House of Parliament and the public might have an opportunity of passing a judgment on every official act of his during his Commissionership of the Ionian Islands.
§ THE EARL OF DERBYsaid, he was glad to be able to give a satisfactory answer to the question put by the noble Earl. The noble Earl had not quite accurately cited the words used by him on the occasion in question. He believed that he did not use the word "censure," but simply said that Her Majesty's Government could not produce the papers referred to without occasioning a discussion of many topics which were not then under the consideration of Parliament, which discussion would be detrimental to the public service. He could assure the noble Earl that he did not make the slightest reference to Sir John Young.