§ MR. ALEXANDER BLANE (Armagh, S.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If Her Majesty's Government will release those men sentenced to terms of penal servitude for the Crossmaglen conspiracy, after having suffered nearly five years' imprisonment, though no person was injured by any action of the said conspirators?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Sir MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH) (Bristol, W.)The cases of these prisoners have been several times considered. Two of them have been released, one three years ago and another last month. The clemency of the Crown was thus exercised in consequence of special circumstances affecting the individual cases. In all the other cases it has been several times decided by more than one Viceroy that the law must take its course.
§ MR. ALEXANDER BLANEasked if the right hon. Gentleman was aware that any persons had suffered from the action of those men who had been sent into penal servitude?
§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACHI presume that these persons were sentenced for offences against the law.