§ MR. BIGGARasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If it is true, as reported in the "Belfast Morning News" of the 29th March 1882, that James Carson, one of the emergency men who accompanied the expedition from Monaghan to save Captain Boycott's crops, was, at Monaghan Petty Sessions, on the 28th March instant, charged by the police with cursing the Queen, cursing the Pope, and drawing a bayonet from a soldier, and threatening to shoot said soldier with a revolver, for which series of outrages said emergency man was merely fined in forty shillings; and, if he will explain what steps he has taken against the magistrates who heard the ease and inflicted such mild penalties?
§ THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. PORTER), in reply, said, the facts were not correctly stated by the hon. Member. James Carson had been charged with disorderly conduct, with refusing to leave licensed premises, and with having assaulted a soldier. Ser- 662 geant Jones, upon whom the assault was alleged to have been committed, regarded it only as a joke. Carson was fined 30s. and costs for the disorderly conduct, and 10s. and costs for the assault, and it was believed that a summons would be issued against him for having used seditious language. It was not the intention of the Government to take any steps against the magistrates who had adjudicated in the case.