§ MR. WARTON (for Viscount CRICHTON)asked Mr. Solicitor General for Ireland, If it is the case that a number of Protestants returning from a religious service in the town of Monaghan, on Sunday and Monday last, were attacked by a mob of Roman Catholics, and some of them severely beaten; whether an Orange procession passing through the town on the 12th of July was attacked by the same party; whether it has been necessary for the last week to draft a large force of extra police to preserve the peace; whether the authorities have received any information that an attack on the Orange Hall, in Monaghan, is expected on the occasion of the Nationalist meeting, which has been summoned for the 15th August; and, whether, having regard to the excited state of party feeling in the town in consequence of these occurrences, the Government considers that the Nationalist demonstration on the 15th proximo can be permitted with safety to the public peace?
§ THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. WALKER)On the night of the 3rd instant some persons returning from a tent service were passing through a part of the town of Monaghan called the Shambles, when 433 a disturbance occurred, and four of them were injured, but not seriously. All persons known to have been concerned in the disturbance have been summoned, at the suit of the Constabulary, to appear at Monaghan Petty Sessions, on the 12th instant. On the following night there was some groaning when the people were returning from the service, but no disturbance. Police have been on duty in the locality every night since. What occurred on the 12th of July was not serious. A drunken rough rushed at the Orangemen when they were marching through the town playing Party tunes, and assaulted one man. He was immediately arrested and brought up at the Petty Sessions and fined. The police do not apprehend any disturbance on the 15th, and the Government are not aware of any grounds upon which the proposed meeting on that day should be prohibited.