§ MR. G. A. HAMILTONsaid, he rose to ask the right hon. Baronet the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the attention of Government had been directed to attempts recently made in Kilkenny to intimidate and hold up to odium certain individuals, for having exercised their right to petition Parliament respecting the Papal aggression; whether any inquiry had been made by direction of Government respecting the riots and outrages committed on the 26th day of May, against the persons who signed petitions to Parliament on that subject; and whether any steps had been taken to bring the offenders to trial? The facts of the case were simply these. On the 24th of March last, nineteen individual members of the Wesleyan congregation in Kilkenny transmitted to him a petition against the Papal aggression, which he subsequently presented to that House. He had the petition then in his hand; and though its language was the same as that in which the Wesleyan petitions generally were couched, still he could declare that there was not a word in it that could reasonably give offence to any one. About the same time, his hon. Colleague presented another petition on the same subject from certain Protestant inhabitants of Kilkenny. The names of the persons who 634 signed these petitions were published in the local papers, and were also placarded through the streets of Kilkenny—a step which was calculated to create odium against these persons. Accordingly, on the nights of the 26th and 27th of May, a largo number of persons marched in a kind of procession through the streets of the town, attacked the houses of those who had signed the petitions, broke their windows, and assaulted their persons; and, he was sorry to add, that means were also taken to intimidate persons from dealing with those who were in business who had signed the petition. A meeting of the citizens, over which the Mayor presided, was held, at which the proceedings of the rioters were strongly condemned.
§ SIR WILLIAM SOMERVILLEsaid, that the Government had received police reports, giving an account of the outrages to which the hon. Member had referred. It appeared that on the 26th of May the windows of several inhabitants of the town who had signed the petition were broken by a mob which, according to one account, consisted of as many as 400 persons; and, according to another, was composed chiefly of little boys and girls. The attack appeared to have been preconcerted, and was made simultaneously, and therefore it had been found difficult to identify the persons engaged in it. The police, however, succeeded in arresting one man who acted as ringleader, and he had been held to hail to answer for the offence at the next sessions. Other persons, who it was subsequently ascertained bad been concerned in the riot, had also been summoned to appear. A meeting of the inhabitants and the corporation had been held to put an end to proceedings so disgraceful, and every precaution had been taken to preserve the peace. No account had as yet reached the Government of the proceedings of the magistrates at petty sessions; but when any was received, he would communicate it to the House.