HC Deb 20 August 1883 vol 283 cc1349-50
MR. HARRINGTON

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is true that on the night of the 13th a party of Orangemen attacked the Post Office in Portadown and broke its windows; whether any of these parties have been brought to justice; whether they have also quite recently attacked and wrecked the windows of the Catholic Church and the houses of Catholic inhabitants; what effort have the local authorities made to prevent repetition of these outrages; and, whether it is true that though the Town Commission is exclusively Protestant, and the six local magistrates are Protestants, the resident magistrate of the district, appointed by the Government, is also a Protestant?

MR. TREVELYAN

On the night of the 13th of August an Orange drumming party was passing through the town. When they were passing through the main street, a stone was thrown from the crowd which broke a pane of glass in the Post Office. It was dark at the time, and the police, therefore, could not identify the person who threw the stone. There was no attack on the Post Office, except this. There is no foundation whatever for the statement that Orangemen recently attacked and wrecked the windows of the Catholic church and the houses of Catholic inhabitants. The Town Commissioners and local magistrates are all Protestants of various denominations. So also is Captain Whelam, the Resident Magistrate. There is not the slightest reason to suppose that this gentleman does not possess the confidence of all religious persuasions. Last year, when the Government proposed to remove him to the County Galway, the Roman Catholic party were, I am informed, the chief movers in petitioning that he might be allowed to remain at Portadown.

MR. HARRINGTON

Who does the right hon. Gentleman mean by the Roman Catholic party?

MR. TREVELYAN

I do not know who these are personally.

MR. O'BRIEN

asked, was it not a fact that the Orange party went openly drumming through the country, firing shots; and if this had happened in the South, would not somebody have been arrested long age?

MR. HEALY

Wexford.

MR. O'BRIEN

appealed to the Speaker whether his Question ought not to be answered?

MR. TREVELYAN

I put it to you, Sir, that it is not the sort of Question to answer, and that I am not bound to answer?

MR. SPEAKER

The right hon. Gentleman will exercise his own discretion in the matter.