PENSION TO MR. WINSLOW, LATE
MASTER IN LUNACY.

PERSONAL EXPLANATION.

"MR. WINSLOW'S PENSION.

"Major Knox asked the Attorney General whether it was true that a pension had been granted by the Lord Chancellor to Mr. Winslow, late one of the Masters in Lunacy? and, if so, the amount of such pension, the grounds upon which it was granted, and whether it was refused by a former Chancellor ?

"The ATTORNEY GENERAL : The pension granted by the present Lord Chancellor to Mr. Winslow is one of £1,000 a year, by an order made upon the 3rd of February 1863. The grounds upon which it was granted were these:-Mr. Winslow served for nearly thirty years, thirteen of which were in the office of Commissioner of Lunacy, and seventeen more as Master in Lunacy. On the 4th of February, 1859, he presented a petition to Lord Chancellor Chelmsford, stating, that he was labouring under serious permanent infirmities. That petition was supported by unexceptional certificates from two physicians and one surgeon. Mr. Winslow was obliged to resign his office owing to the presure of pecuniary difficulties. Before Lord Chancellor Chelmsford had taken that petition into consideration he left office with out making any order. Therefore, according to the information I have received, it is not true, as stated by the hon. Gentleman, that any former Lord Chancellor ever refused this pension. Under the circumstances I have stated there was a delay of rather more than two years before the petition was presented to the present Lord Chan

my own conduct that I should do so, and I trust your Lordships will listen to me for a few moments with patience. It is quite true that Mr. Winslow, formerly one of the Masters in Lunacy, was, as the Attorney General states, in pecuniary difficulties. He was afraid of coming to his

and he

LORD CHELMSFORD: My Lords, I wish to claim indulgence for a few minutes on a matter personal to myself. I regret to find this morning, in a report of some-office, and absented himself for a considerable time; and I also heard that he had thing which occurred elsewhere last night, borrowed a considerable sum of money in answer to a question put on the subject from the keeper of a lunatic asylum. I of Mr. Winslow's pension, that my name was introduced, and it is in connection with thought this highly unbecoming and imthis that I desire now to offer an expla- proper in a person who stood in the character of visitor of houses of that descripnation. The report is as follows:tion, and I therefore desired my principal Secretary to write to him calling his attention to the fact that he had been absent for a considerable time without leave and must return to his duties, and also requesting an explanation of the circumstance to which I have already alluded. A very short time after that letter was sent, Mr. Winslow came to my room-I am happy to state that both then and on a subsequent occasion my Secretary was present stated that, having served a considerable time, he was most anxious to resign his office, and hoped I would recommend him for a pension. I told him that, however painful it might be to refuse such a request, it was quite impossible for me, under the circumstances, to give any such recommendation. Mr. Winslow went away; but he came back again in about a week the exact number of days does not signify-but he then said that he was would recommend him to a pension. I prepared to resign his office, provided I told him then most distinctly, as I had told him before, "Mr. Winslow, understand this; if you resign, you do as you please, but it must be with the perfect understanding that I cannot, and will not, recommend you to a pension." About a week after that my principal Secretary told me that he had received a petition from Mr. Winslow, desiring to resign his office on the ground of ill-health, and sending a certificate to that effect. Without looking at the petition I told my Secretary that this was clearly an afterthought, that Mr. Winslow had never contemplated resigning on the ground of ill-health, that therefore I could not look either at the petition or the certificate, and I desired them to be returned. They were returned; and Mr. Winslow resigned his office without further communication and without having been recommended for a pension. Some time afterwards-I forget whether

cellor, and it was then supported by high testimonials, urging the propriety of Mr. Winslow's claims, from Lord Lyndhurst, Lord Brougham, Lord Justice Knight Bruce, Vice Chancellor Stuart, the Lord Chief Baron, Mr. Montague Smith, Mr. Bovill, Mr. Malins, and Mr. Commissioner Holroyd. Lord Chelmsford also wrote a letter to Mr. Commissioner Holroyd, saying, that it would give him great pleasure to see that the Lord Chancellor had taken a favourable view of Mr. Winslow's petition, and that he believed it would be gratifying to the whole profession. With these papers before him the Lord Chancellor, with the concurrence of the Law Officers of the Crown, and after deliberate consideration, granted a pension, not at the maximum of £1,200 a year,

but at £1,000, or £200 less."

I need not tell your Lordships that it is with regret I enter into this subject, at what I will call a most painful moment, but it is necessary for the vindication of

EARL GRANVILLE: My Lords, I do not rise to make any comments on the statement of the noble and learned Lord. He spoke of a letter which he wrote to Mr. Commissioner Holroyd. I would simply ask the permission of the House to read the letter, of which a copy has been placed in my hand since the noble and learned Lord began speaking. It is as follows:

"July 25, 1862.

in the time of Lord Chancellor Campbell | not now want to enter into the painful or of the present Chancellor-Mr. Wins- pressure which was put upon me on that low wrote several letters entreating me to occasion, or to speak of the determination certify that he had retired on the ground of my son-in-law not to hold an appointof ill-health; but I positively refused to ment on which there could be the slightest do so, saying that in making any such reflection. I am only anxious to vindicate declaration I should be stating what was the course I pursued. I have no wish to untrue, and therefore I could not yield to impute blame in the matter to anybody, the application. Among others who com- while I am desirous that everything conmunicated with me on the subject was my nected with the granting of the pension very old friend Mr. Commissioner Holroyd. to Mr. Winslow should, so far as I am Unfortunately the letters which Mr. Wins- concerned, be fully understood by the low wrote to me I no longer possess. public, so that they might see that I did About a year and a half ago I thought not only not encourage any expectation there could be no further occasion for them, that he would receive a pension, but that I and I threw them into the waste-paper in every possible way discouraged the idea. basket; and I am not in the habit of keeping copies of my own letters. It is possible, however, that Mr. Commissioner Holroyd may have the letter which I wrote to him about the same time on the same subject. Mr. Winslow subsequently wrote to me a very earnest petition, begging that I would do anything I could to help him to get a pension, upon which I wrote a letter to Mr. Commissioner Holroyd, and to the best of my recollection what I said was that I should be very glad if the Chancellor could see any reason for granting him a pension. I certainly did not say that such a step would be gratifying to the whole profession, because I knew that the profession were very little acquainted with Mr. Winslow, who had been out of their ranks for thirty years. I hope Mr. Holroyd has my letter, for I believe that if it can be produced it will establish the accuracy of my statement. I am not now complaining that this pension has been granted, and I was, I confess, very glad to know, considering the utter ruin which might otherwise fall on Mr. Winslow and his family, that the Lord Chancellor had deemed it to be consistent with his duty to grant him a pension. I am not at all disposed to quarrel with that course being pursued, and I am simply now desirous of explaining my own position in the matter. I have been the more anxious to do this, because the office in question is that to which, on the occurrence of the vacancy, I appointed my own son-in-law, a gentleman of the highest character, and a man whom I conscientiously believe to have been perfectly competent to the performance of the duties of the office. I have been blamed for withdrawing that appointment, inasmuch the doing so seemed like admitting but which I never can admitthat I made a wrong appointment. I do

"My dear Holroyd,-It would give me very great pleasure to hear that the Chancellor had taken a favourable view of Mr. Winslow's case, and had recommended him for a pension. I was very much distressed when the position of his affairs compelled him to resign his office, and I was anxious to do everything in my power, consistently with my duty, to prevent the unfortunate necessity. After so many years' faithful service it seems hard that he should lose the retiring pension which many who have served less and not more zealously should now be enjoying. I am sure that the acknowledgment of Mr. Winslow's claim would be gratifying to the whole profes

sion."

RESIGNATION OF THE LORD
CHANCELLOR:

EARL GRANVILLE: I now rise, my Lords, for another purpose. Your Lordships are aware, not only from public rumour, but officially from the proceedings of the other House of Parliament, which are communicated to us, of the Resolution with respect to the Lord Chancellor which was adopted last night in that House. It would be not only irregular but improper on my part to make any comment on that Resolution. I deem it, however, to be my duty to inform your Lordships that the Lord Chancellor requested Lord Palmerston this morning to tender to Her Majesty his resignation of the Great Seal; and that Lord Palmerston has acted upon that request. It may be in

LORD STANLEY OF ALDERLEY intimated that he did not hear the proposed Amendments of Lord Denman.

After a few words from Lord CHELMS

FORD,

LORD REDESDALE said, that he retained the objection to the Bill which he stated on a previous occasion, that it would take away all discretion from the magistrates. The measure had, in his opinion, never been properly considered.

LORD DENMAN moved the omission of teresting to your Lordships to know that the Lord Chancellor has frequently during all the words in the 4th Clause except, the last five months requested Lord Pal-"For any penalty not exceeding £5 two merston to accept his resignation of his months;" also, that in 6th Clause the office. He stated that, though the charges words "not exceeding £5" should be against him were unjust, it might be in- inserted. jurious to the Government and to the profession of which he was head that he should continue to hold office with any suspicion of improper proceedings resting upon him. Lord Palmerston on those occasions induced him to withdraw his resignation, Lord Palmerston being of opinion, in which I concurred, that the Lord Chancellor should wait for the fullest Parliamentary investigation into his conduct. And now, after the fullest Parliamentary investigation that could possibly take place, I am happy to state the Resolution passed last night in the House of Commons entirely confirms the Report of the Committee of your Lordships' House and that of the Committee of the House of Commons, that no imputation of a corrupt or unworthy nature rests on the Lord Chancellor. In consequence, however, of the opinion expressed by the House of Commons, Lord Palmerston has thought it right to tender to Her Majesty the advice that the noble and learned Lord's resignation should be accepted. It would, I may add, be for the convenience of the public service that the Lord Chancellor should retain the Seals until after the prorogation of Parliament.

UNITED STATES-CLOSE OF THE
CIVIL WAR.

EARL RUSSELL, having laid on the table further correspondence with respect to the war in America, took occasion to read the following extract from a letter from Mr. Seward to Sir Frederic Bruce, dated June 19, 1865:

Notwithstanding, however, the exceptions and reservations which have been made by Her Majesty's Government, and which have been herein considered, the undersigned accepts with pleasure the declaration by which Her Majesty's Government have withdrawn their former concession of a belligerent character to the insurgents, and this Government further freely admits that the normal relation between the two countries being practically restored to the condition in which they stood before the civil war, the right to search British vessels has come to an end by an arrangement satisfactory in every material respect between the two nations."

PENALTIES LAW AMENDMENT BILL.

REPORT.

LORD STANLEY OF ALDERLEY considered the Bill to be a proper and necessary measure.

Amendment made.

Standing Orders No. 37 and 38 considered and dispensed with.

Then it was moved, That the Bill be now read 3.-(Lord Stanley of Alderley.)

LORD DENMAN said, that as neither

of his Amendments were attended to he felt compelled to divide the House against

the Bill.

An Amendment moved, to leave out

(now,") and insert ("this Day Three Months.")-(Lord Denman.)

On Question, That "now stand part of the Motion? their Lordships divided:Contents 22; Not-Contents 14: Majority 8:-Resolved in the Affirmative: Bill read 3 accordingly, with the Amendments, and passed, and sent to the Commons.

Amendments reported (according to Malmesbury, E.

(No. 248.)

Order).

Shrewsbury, E.

Chelmsford, L.

Colchester, L.

Denman, L. [Teller.]
Forester, L.
Redesdale, L.
Silchester, L. (E.Long-
ford.) [Teller.]
Wentworth, L.

IMPRISONMENT OF BRITISH

SUBJECTS IN ABYSSINIA,

OBSERVATIONS.

sinia. Her Majesty's Government are so imper feetly informed in regard to what may have happened in that country since the death of your predecessor that I am unable to lay down any very precise rules for the guidance of your conduct. The civil war which prevailed at that time may have been brought to a conclusion decidedly favourable to one or other of the contending par ties, or it may still prevail with the alternate success of either. It seems to Her Majesty's Government undesirable that you should avow yourself the partizan of either of the contending parties Whatever interest if the contest is still going on. Her Majesty's Government may have in Abyssinia can best be advanced by the tranquillity of the country; but if the British agent becomes the partizan of one side, the rivalry of European interests, which, however disavowed by the Governexist on the part of their agents in such countries as Abyssinia, will stimulate foreign agents to declare a partizanship for the other, and thus a civil contest will be promoted and encouraged, which would otherwise die out of itself, or very shortly derance of a victorious party. The principles, be brought to a conclusion by the decided prepontherefore, on which you should act are-absti nence from any course of proceeding by which a preference for either party should be imputable to you; abstinence from all intrigues to set up an exclusive British influence in Abyssinia; and, lastly, the promotion of amicable arrangements

LORD CHELMSFORD, in rising to call the attention of the House to the Papers relating to the Imprisonment of British Subjects in Abyssinia, presented by command of Her Majesty, said, that a discussion had taken place elsewhere, in which great injustice had been done to Consul Cameron. In that debate circumstances were so jumbled together, facts were so misplaced, and such a mist was cast over all these transactions, that it was impossible to obtain a clear view of the circum-ments of Europe, is almost invariably found to stances; and that had been done for the purpose of exculpating the Foreign Office from the blame which attached to them, and of loading Captain Cameron with the obloquy, if he might so call it, of having been the author of his own sufferings. Mr. Layard stated that Captain Cameron was appointed Consul at Massowah, a small town on the Red Sea, and that he was directed most positively to refrain from interfering in any way whatever in the in-between the rival candidates for power. Her Maternal affairs of the country, to refrain from mixing himself up with intrigues, or attaching himself to any party in the country. He was merely to go to the King to deliver presents and then to return to Massowah, and there promote by every means in his power the trade of Eng-vernment claim no authority to set up or advocate land with Abyssinia. The real fact was that he was accredited Consul in Abyssinia, as Mr. Plowden had been before him, and this was clearly established by the terms of the Treaty of 1849. On the 24th of July, 1860, Captain Cameron was gazetted in terms which proved that he was to act as Consul in Abyssinia. This had a most important bearing upon the case, because it was laid to the charge of Captain Cameron that he had no right at all to remain in Abyssinia after delivering the letters and presents with which he was charged, but should have returned at once to Massowah. Now, among other papers laid upon the table, were the instructions of Captain Cameron, and those instructions would satisfy their Lordships that he was not sent to Abyssinia merely to deliver presents, but was to remain there as Consul.

The instructions sent him on the 2nd of February, 1861, were as follows:

"Your first duty on arriving in Massowah, which you will consider as the head-quarter of your consulate, will be to make yourself acquainted with the general state of political affairs in Abys

jesty's Government are aware that religious rivalry has contributed its share to promote dissension in Abyssinia, but such rivalry should receive no countenance from a British agent, on the contrary, his study should be to extend as far as possible general toleration of all Christian sects, as being most consistent with the doctrines of Christianity and with sound policy. The British Goin a foreign country one sect of Christianity in preference to another; all that they would urge upon the rulers of any such country is to show equal favour and toleration to the professors of all Christian sects. But, although it is not desirable that you should engage in a contest with the agent of any other Power for superiority of influence, or that you should openly exhibit suspicion or jealousy of his proceedings, or of the influence which he may be supposed to have acquired, it will be your may tend to alter the state of possession either duty closely to watch any proceedings which

on the sea-coast or in the interior of the

country, and you will keep Her Majesty's Government at home, and Her Majesty's Governor interest which may come under your observation, General of India, fully informed of all matters of sending your despatches under flying seal in the one case through Her Majesty's agent and Consul General in Egypt, and in the other through the political agent at Aden. In addition to matters of a political or commercial nature, you will pay particular attention to any traffic in slaves which may be carried on within your district, and report fully upon the same; and you will further avail yourself of any suitable opportunity to impress upon any native rulers who may directly or indirectly encourage or permit such a traffic, the abhorrence in which it is held by the British Government, and the dislike with which any parties who may have recourse to it are likely to be re