MR. O'BRIENasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to a letter in the "Cork Examiner" of April 25th, signed William Kennedy, Kildonery, challenging him to prove that the papers seized on Mr. Kennedy's premises by the police contained any matter tending, even by inuendo, to the commission of crime, and respectfully inviting him either to institute proceedings against him at once, or to restore to him the business memoranda seized by the police, and withdraw the injurious imputation on his character; and, whether he proposes to take any steps in the direction indicated? The hon. Member complained that his Question had been altered. What he wished to ask was— Whether, under the circumstances, Mr. Kennedy's application was not a just and reasonable one, that if guilty he should be prosecuted at once, and if innocent, his character should be relieved from an odious imputation?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir, I will answer the Question I find on the Paper. Kennedy has already been informed that he can, if ho requires it, have back the book containing the business memoranda, which are merely a few trifling items relating to repairs of harness. I must decline to state whether or not any proceedings may yet be taken which would involve the production for purposes of prosecution of any of the documents seized.