HC Deb 23 April 1883 vol 278 cc906-8
MR. SEXTON

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether a person named M'Givern, agent for the county Leitrim Estate of Colonel Tottenham, M.P. has interfered with the legal rights of voters on that estate, in connection with the recent election of a poor law guardian for the division of Glenfarne, Union of Manorhamilton, by saying to one Bartle M'Morrow "if you do not vote for Bernard (namely, Bernard Maguire, the candidate favoured by the agent) I will be revenged on you;" by saying to the widow Mawn, who had been evicted and re-admitted as caretaker at a penny a week, "if you do not vote for Mr. Maguire, I will have you turned out with your eight orphans, very soon;" and by asking a voter's son, who was in his employment, to go to the Union Board Room, on the day of the scrutiny of the votes, and swear that his father was insane; and, if the account is well founded, whether the Irish Government propose to take any notice of this conduct?

MR. TREVELYAN

Sir, I am informed that, on the 9th of April, Bartle M'Morrow reported to the police that M'Givern used the words stated. He alleged that the occurrence took place on the 20th of March; but his complaint was not made until 19 days later, The police have made careful inquiry, but have been unable to discover any corroboration of M'Morrow's statement beyond the fact that M'Givern was in his house. The widow Mawn denies that she was threatened or intimidated about her vote. With regard to the other alleged case of interference referred to, it appears that a boy named Keany, the son of a man who was not in his right mind, wont to the workhouse about his father's vote, but no inducement to do so was held out to him by M'Givern. From the information at present before me, I see no sufficient ground for any action on the part of the Government.

MR. TOTTENHAM

Sir, as this Question directly reflects upon my own personal conduct, through the action of those employed by me, perhaps the House will permit mo to read a letter I have received from my agent, Mr. M'Givern. He says— I certainly am surprised and amused at Mr. Sexton's intended question. That I threatened or used any intimidating language towards Bartle M'Morrow is perfectly false and groundless. With regard to Mrs. Mawn it is even more false, if possible. Both these people had promised Mr. Maguire to vote for him. M'Morrow more than once in my own presence, entered into the desirability of Mr. Maguire's candidature warmly, hut owing to the action on the other side I understand, voted against him. Mrs. Mawn carne to my house on the night of the 20th March and said Father M'Givern had promised her seed potatoes from Father Flynn, who had written a letter promising to place her on the relief list of the Land League, and that relief was refused to her because she left the Land League but some time ago. So far from telling her to vote for Mr. Maguire, I advised her to strike in with the priest's offer. She did vote against Mr. Maguire, and I dare say is reaping her reward. As to the 'voter's son,' who, I presume, is Thady Kane, he volunteered to go, and went to the returning officer and said that a crowd of people came to his house at midnight demanding his father's paper to be filled up, and that he kicked them out. The paper was filled up against Mr. Maguire, and Thady Kane reported to the returning officer that his father was perfectly silly and unfit to comprehend anything about it. Now, Sir, I ask you, whether it is in accordance with the practice and usage of the House for one Member to place a Notice on the Paper reflecting on the action of another hon. Member through those employed by him? And, whether an apology is not due to the House from the hon. Member for Sligo for having placed on the Paper the scanda- lous and utterly untrue accusation contained in the Question?

MR. SEXTON

I beg to say that I have not reflected at all on the hon. Gentleman. I have simply asked, whether a person in his employment has not done certain things. And now I beg to ask, whether the police have made inquiries from Rev. Mr. Flynn, because he writes to me that Bartle M'Morrow can swear to the truth of his statement?

MR. SPEAKER

made no reply to the Question of the hon. Member for Leitrim.