§ THE EARL OF GRANARDMy Lords, I have to ask your Lordships' indulgence in making a statement of a personal nature. I thought I should have had an opportunity of entering into an explanation which I was prepared to give if Earl Russell, who is not now present, had put to the noble and learned Lord on the Woolsack the Question of which he had given Notice for this evening; but on Friday night I received a note from the noble Earl stating that he would defer putting his Question till 1499 the 29th instant. The note was in these terms—
Pembroke Lodge, Richmond Park, July 19. "Lord Russell presents his compliments to Lord Granard. He has resolved to put off his Question to the Chancellor till Monday, the 29th.Well, my Lords, I have now to state that, having read very carefully the Papers which have been laid on your Lordships' Table in reference to the Gal way Election case—the judgment of Mr. Justice Keogh and the other documents connected with it—I find myself unable conscientiously to modify the opinion I had formed when I wrote the letter to which allusion has been made in your Lordships' House, or to retract the expressions I made use of in reference to the language of Mr. Justice Keogh respecting the Catholic clergy. Under those circumstances, and being most reluctant that any act of mine should cause the slightest embarrassment to Her Majesty's Government, I considered that the most honourable course for me to pursue was to place my resignation of the Lord Lieutenancy of the county of Leitrim in the hands of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. Accordingly, I have done so. I wish to add, my Lords, most explicitly, that I took this step without the slightest pressure having been put on me by any Member of Her Majesty's Government. I have taken this step entirely on my own responsibility, considering that I ought to act in a matter of the kind on my own judgment. Indeed, from the outset, I was perfectly willing to send in my resignation. That resignation having been accepted, I think it will be unnecessary for me to make any further observations, except in the way of thanks to your Lordships for your indulgence in having permitted me to address the statement to the House.