§ MR. HARRINGTONasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is true that William Hastings, who had been sentenced in December last by Chief Justice May to six months' imprisonment, on a charge of a scandalous libel, was on Tuesday last released, by warrant of the Lord Lieutenant, when he had completed only two months of his term; whether he can state upon what grounds the Lord Lieutenant ordered this man's release, and at whose intervention; whether he can inform the House how often, during his present administration, the Lord Lieutenant extended this clemency to any prisoners convicted of a political offence; and, whether Hastings was treated during his imprisonment as a first class misdemeanant?
§ MR. TREVELYANWilliam Hastings was discharged by order of the Lord Lieutenant on Tuesday last on the 429 ground of ill-health, the medical officer of the prison having certified that he was of very delicate constitution, and that his life was likely to be endangered by further imprisonment. The case against him was a private prosecution for criminal libel, and was not a charge for a political offence. He was not treated during his imprisonment as a first-class misdemeanant, but his treatment as an ordinary convicted prisoner was modified to the extent of allowing him to communicate by letter with his friends and to supply himself with some books. The only case, so far as I am aware, of any person being imprisoned for a political offence since Lord Spencer came to Ireland was the case of Mr. Davitt and the hon. Member for Monaghan (Mr. Healy). In both these cases the term of imprisonment was shortened by the Lord Lieutenant.
§ MR. HARRINGTONasked the right hon. Gentleman whether he did not consider the term of imprisonment with a plank bed which had been imposed on him (Mr. Harrington) was not for a political offence?
§ MR. SPEAKERsaid, that the hon. Member's last Question was irregular, as it referred not to a matter of fact, but to an opinion.
§ MR. HEALYasked whether the gentleman who had been released from prison was a person whose libels upon private individuals had been described by Chief Justice May as vile, scandalous, and atrocious; and whether the paper he published was not supported by Lord Spencer with Secret Service money?
§ MR. TREVELYANAs to the first Question, I believe it was so; as to the second, I cannot tell from what source the hon. Member gets his suggestions and ideas.