On Wednesday, Mr. W. H. Smith stated that the Govern-
ment, after very gravely considering the matter, did not consider it right to treat the Times' article as a breach of Privilege, which the House had in cases of this kind shown an increasing indis- position to do. Nevertheless, they recognised the right of the Irish Party to have a full inquiry into charges so much affecting their honour, and they thought it best to let that inquiry be remitted, as in the similar case of election petitions, to a regular tribunal. They proposed, if Mr. Dillon and the other members of that party should desire it, to let the Attorney-General, in conjunction with any counsel chosen by the Irish Members themselves, institute a prosecution against the Times for libel. The Government did not think that an inquiry by the House itself would be an adequate one, and they thought it unworthy of the dignity of the House to engage in a judicial investigation for which they were not fitted.
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