THE EDMUNDS SCANDAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 1119, 22 July 1865, Page 9 (Supplement)

THE EDMUNDS SCANDAL.

; The committee of the House of Lords appointed to investigate the Patent Office defalcations have made their report, which is of great length. The Teport effectually disposes of-all the charges made by Mr Leonard Edmunds against Loid Brougham, and other members of the Brougham family, and there is not now, apparently, the slightest reason to believe that Lord Brougham was in any way a party to the transactions of the Patent Office. If confirmation was wanted to clear the rumors industriously circulated in some quarters,' it may be .found in the 'affidavit of Lord Brougham,-who, on oath, gives atv exceedingly clear account of his dealings with Mr Edmunds, With respect Jo "Mr Ed*.

munds himself, the committee do uot find, after full inquiry into the facts, by the examination of all parties, that the representation of the case made in the columns of the press, can be altered. The committee say that they cannot concur, in the view which the Lord Chancellor took of his duty, in withholding from the Committee of the Lords, that had to decide on Mr Edmunds's pension, all official knowledge of Mr Edmunds's conduct in the Patent Office, but they acquit his lordship of any improper motive, and impute bis conduct in the matter to an error of judgment. It has excited some surprise, however, that the committee should come to two* conclusions so illogical and so inconsistent with each other, as to report an expression of regret that the Lord Chancellor did not communicate the facts to the pension committee, and yet refuse to pass a motion of the Duke of Somerset, that the pension should be reconsidered by the pension committee. Subsequently, however, the House of Lords, on the motion of Earl Granville, rescinded Mr Edmundß's pension. . • '