§ MR. DILLONsaid, he wished to ask the noble Lord the Secretary of State for India a Question, in explanation of which he begged to be allowed to make a short statement. Since the observations made by the Chief Secretary for Ireland he had received at least a dozen letters, which all bore English or Scotch postmarks, and contained threats against his life. He should, therefore, like to ask the noble Lord the Secretary of State for India, Whether the Government would consider it desirable to arm the postmasters of the United Kingdom with extraordinary powers to enable them to secure the perpetrators of these outrages and to protect his life? He would read to the House one of the latest specimens of this kind of correspondence which he had received. It was addressed to "Mr. O'Dillon, M.P.," and was as follows:—"You dishonest cabbage garden ruffian, prepare to defend yourself and order your coffin." The letter was signed by the secretary of an association. He wished to ask the noble Lord what measures he proposed to adopt for the purpose of protecting Members in discharge of their duties?
§ LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILLsaid, that he and some of his hon. Friends frequently received letters of that description; and, before the noble 1056 Lord answered the Question, he should like to know whether, in any steps which the Government proposed to take, he and his Friends would be included?
§ MR. PARNELLsaid, that, before the noble Lord rose to reply, he also wished to ask him whether, if these outrages continued to be perpetrated on his hon. Friend the Member for Tipperary and other Irish Members, he would consider the desirability of calling Parliament together to consider what steps should be taken to put a stop to these outrages?
§ MR. A. M. SULLIVANasked the noble Lord if he was aware that leading English journals were giving prominent insertion, and a certain amount of approval, to letters which called for and threatened assassination to his Friends now around him? [Mr. WARTON: Oh, oh!] If the hon. and learned Member for Birdport doubted this, he would read an extract from his own paper, The Standard. In The Standard of a few days ago appeared a letter in which the writer said—
We will prove to Englishmen that if the law is unable to protect our lives, we shall in future take good care that no lives are lost in our class without someone—and it is needless to say our efforts will be to find the right one—paying the penalty of 'Mood for blood.'That was a statement gravely made in a journal like The Standard, which announced that a secret society for murder and assassination had been formed, and would be used for the purpose of persecuting Members of that House; and when in Ireland such an organization would be considered a dreadful crime if originating with unlettered persons, he (Mr. A. M. Sullivan) wanted to know what the Government proposed to do when it originated with persons of a superior class?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONSir, I have received no Notice of this Question, and I can only give such an answer as occurs to me at the moment. It appears to me that there is no reason to believe that the provisions of the ordinary law are not sufficient to protect the hon. Member for Tipperary (Mr. Dillon) and the noble Lord the Member for Woodstock (Lord Randolph Churchill) from any outrages with which they may be threatened. I have not the least doubt that my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary will take all the 1057 measures which are necessary to insure their safety in the due discharge of their Parliamentary duties. What steps we shall take if the provisions of the law are not found to be sufficient for that purpose is a Question which, I think, I can hardly be called upon without Notice to answer.