MR. VEENERasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, If he will be good enough to state why a procession of loyal Orangemen was prevented from taking the direct route through the town of Lurgan on the 12th of this month; and, if this was done in consequence of the receipt of an information, by whom was that information sworn?
§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACHA large procession of Orangemen, stated to have numbered 10,000 persons, marched through Lurgan on the 12th of July. Their leaders had expressed a determination to march through a street inhabited by Roman Catholics, and informations were sworn before the magistrates by three persons that if this were permitted serious rioting would result. The magistrates, consisting of three stipendiary and four local magistrates, were unanimously of opinion, not only from these informations, but from other circumstances, that the procession must be prevented from passing through the street in question. They called in a considerable extra force of military and constabulary, and their decision was carried into effect without any breach of the peace. I may state that a similar course was followed at Lurgan last August with reference to a Roman Catholic procession. I do not think any useful object would be gained by giving the names of the persons who swore the informations; and., on the other hand, it might render them obnoxious to party feeling, which I am sorry to say appears to be very high in Lurgan at present.