§ MR. DOWNINGsaid, he wished to ask Mr. Attorney General for Ireland, Whether the sheriff for Monaghan, whose Jury Panel at the last March Assizes was quashed on the ground of partiality, is still in office; and, if he is, whether any and what steps have been taken towards his dismissal; and, whether the Jury Panel for the coming Assizes to be holden on the 8th instant has been returned by him; if so, is it the intention of the Crown to try by jurors so selected those persons returned for trial on charges arising out of party feeling and party collisions?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. SULLIVAN)said, in reply, that the Sheriff of Monaghan was still in the possession of that office, and that the panel for the Assizes about to be held had been returned by him. In consequence of the charge of partiality made against the sheriff, with reference to the jury panel at the last March Assizes, in the case of the man charged with an alleged murder arising out of certain party riots, in excluding certain Roman Catholics from the jury panel, with the view of prejudging the prisoner's trial, an inquiry had taken place, and the triers came to the conclusion that, although the sheriff was not personally 1344 cognizant of what had occurred, his sub-sheriff was. On the 2nd of June last the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland came to the conclusion that the sub-sheriff ought to be removed from his office, but before doing so a letter was written to the sheriff, calling his attention to the facts, and suggesting the removal of the sub-sheriff pending the trial, in order that confidence might be restored in the administration of the criminal law in Monaghan county. That letter was answered by the sheriff on the 9th, in which he upheld the character of the sub-sheriff, and stated certain matters which required further consideration. There had not, however, been time to do so, but he (the Attorney General for Ireland), acting in the discharge of his duty, had thought it right not to try the prisoners on the panel that had been returned for the ensuing Assizes; and, on Monday last, the Solicitor General for Ireland took the necessary steps in the Queen's Bench to prevent their being tried at the ensuing Assizes. By that course there was not the possibility of a miscarriage of justice taking place, and, with regard to the sheriff, he was unable then to state what his Excellency's intentions were with regard to that gentleman.