§ MR. CAREW (Kildare, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether it is the intention of the Government to levy the amount of the bails given at Tipperary for the appearance of Messrs. John Dillon and William 0' Brien, namely, £500 each from the principals, and £250 each from Mr. Dillon's sureties, and £250 from Mr. O'Brien's sureties, making in all the sum of £1,750; and whether, seeing that Messrs. Dillon and O'Brien are now in gaol, suffering the full penalty of six months' imprisonment, the Government will remit these penalties, which, if levied, would be adding a fine of £1,750 to the sentences already imposed by the Magistrates?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURIt is, of course, the intention of the Government, in the due execution of the law, to levy the amount of the recognisances in the cases referred to in this question. The defendants had entered into a solemn obligation to attend for trial on a specified day, but took advantage of the opportunity to abscond. The Government see no ground to remit the penalties.
§ In answer to Mr. SEXTON,
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURsaid: It seems to me, as far as I am capable of judging, that if bail is ever to be enforced it should be enforced in this case; if it is never to be enforced, we should not have to go through a vague formality. I have given a great deal of thought to the matter, but I have not been able to get out of this dilemma.