HC Deb 09 July 1869 vol 197 cc1588-91
MR. DOWNING

said, he wished to ask the Chief Secretary for Ireland, If the attention of the Government has been called to the report which has appeared in the public Press of a meeting held at Enniskillen on Friday last, at which Mr. John Brien, J. P., D. L., and High Sheriff, presided, described as consisting of between twenty and twenty-five thousand persons, marching with fife and drum bands, playing party tunes, Orange flags flying, and the tells of the church chiming in sympathy with the cheers of the brethren; if so, is it true, and if it is, is it the intention of the Government to remove Mr. Brien from the Commission of the Peace, the Deputy Lieutenancy, and Shrievalty of the county; and to remove Messrs. Madden and Sankey from the Commission of the Peace, they having marched at the head of a procession to said meeting, carrying flags and banners, and accompanied by bands playing party tunes, in violation of the Party Processions Act? The Government of a former day had removed gentlemen from the Commission of the Peace for having become Repealers; and the late Mayor of Cork had been punished in the same manner for having contributed to a charitable object. He would ask the Chief Secretary of Ireland, why the same course of action should not be pursued towards those gentlemen in the North of Ireland who had joined in an open violation of the law and insulted their Roman Catholic fellow-countrymen? If the law in the North of Ireland could not be enforced, because those who were appointed to administer it took part in its open violation, it was the bounden duty of the Executive to apply a remedy.

VISCOUNT CRICHTON

said, that as he had the honour to represent the town where the meeting had been held, and as he had taken part in it himself, he wished to be allowed to say a few words before his right hon. Friend should reply. A few days ago, when upon looking by accident at the Notice Paper, he perceived the Question of the hon. Gentleman, he wrote at once to the two magistrates whose conduct had been impugned, and to the High Sheriff of Fermanagh, asking for particulars. That very morning he had received a letter from Mr. Sankey: from the other gentleman he had got no reply, owing probably to absence from home. He admitted that there were Orange emblems at the meeting, that flags were displayed, a few drums beaten, and party tunes played. The meeting consisted of 25,000 people, and he did not know whether it amounted to a breach of the Party Processions Act. He had always thought it the duty of the Orangemen to agitate for the repeal of that Act; but as long as it remained the law, he held it ought to be observed. The hon. Member was altogether under a misapprehension in describing this as an Orange meeting. The high sheriff, in a letter upon the subject of the Question, described the meeting as having been called to consider the Irish Church Question, at which he presided as a matter of course, and signed the Resolutions come to, adding that it was gratifying to see the country so united. Could the hon. Member say that it was illegal or unconstitutional to hold such a meeting, when hundreds of such meetings were presided over by officials in all parts of the country? He had letters from the secretary of the committee, too, assuring him that those who managed the deputation anxiously strove to keep it free from anything of a party character; and with reference to the second part of the Question, he had a letter from Mr. Sankey, who said he and Mr. Madden were at Enniskillen on the day of the meeting, and went there accompanied by several hundred of tenantry, none of whom wore colours; but they met others with drum and flags, who asked them to join in procession, but he declined. He trusted the House would deem his vindication of the character of those accused perfect, and he thought that if the hon. Member for Cork, instead of animadverting upon that meeting had exerted himself to prevent Fenian displays in other parts of the country, he would have employed his time more profitably. He only regretted that the hon. Member was not present on the occasion in question, because he would then have seen a gathering of 25,000 loyal men, a sight not to be seen every day, or in every county in Ireland.

MR. CHICHESTER FORTESCUE

said, he was glad his reply had been prefaced by the candid statement of the noble Viscount, which must have been satisfactory to both sides of the House. In considering the question put to him it was necessary to bear in mind the main feature of the whole transaction, that it was a great public meeting called together to discuss a subject before Parliament of surpassing interest to those forming the meeting. This should not be lost sight of in considering minor events in connection with this transaction; but as far as his information went, and it was confirmed by the noble Viscount's statement, neither the high sheriff nor the magistrates mentioned had committed any breach, of the Party Processions Act in the course of that day, whatever others may have done. He trusted this was the case, because it would be perfectly monstrous if any man holding Her Majesty's Commission was found committing a breach of the law, whatever his opinions might be on the law in question.