HC Deb 15 February 1884 vol 284 cc1006-8
MR. O'BRIEN

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to that portion of the evidence at the inquest on the body of Giffen, at Dromore, from which it appears that a party of one thousand Orangemen (including the deceased) were brought into Dromore on the 1st January, and their railway fares guaranteed by Mr. Archdale, a justice of the peace; whether Mr. Archdale admitted that the Nationalists were attacked by the party under his charge, and stated that, only for the presence of the Police and Military, there would have been an undoubted chase; and, whether Mr. Archdale's conduct is compatible with his continuance in the commission of the peace? Before putting the Question, I would like to mention that portions of Mr. Archdale's evidence to which I wish that he should direct his answer are the following, taken from the report in The Freeman's Journal—Mr. Archdale first says that he was a little behind taking luncheon when the Orangemen attacked the Nationalists. ["Order, order!"] Then in reply——["Order, order!"]

MR. SPEAKER

The hon. Member cannot state anything except what would make his Question plain. He cannot enter into debate.

MR. O'BRIEN

Sir, in reference to a subsequent Question on the Paper by the hon. Member for Fermanagh (Mr. Archdale), I thought it would be useful to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether his attention has been directed to the following passages from Mr. Archdale's evidence at the inquest. The passages are as follows:— Mr. Rearden, Crown Solicitor—Did you bring a party into the meeting that day? Mr. Archdale—I came with a party. Of how many? A thousand. By train? Yes. Did yon see a large portion of your men go in the direction of the plantation to get at the Nationalists? When I came out they were being driven back by the soldiers from the old road, where the Nationalists were, towards the new road. Was there an attack made on you or your men by the Nationalist Party? No. What provision did you make for the thousand men? I made very little provision except carriage. You paid their railway fare? I paid some of it? Who paid the rest? I don't know. Perhaps it was an I O U you gave? Did you give a voucher? I said I would be responsible. Then you gave no writing? I signed my name.

MR. SPEAKER

The hon. Member is exceeding the lengths allowed in Questions. If Questions of this length were permitted, it would be impossible to get through the Business.

MR. ARCHDALE

I beg to put my Question to the right hon. Gentleman at the same time, and I beg to say that I was at Dromore with the Mr. Archdale referred to in the Question with some thousands of loyal men, and when returning home we were assailed by some hundreds of so-called Nationalists with cries of "To Hell with all landlords," and who threw volleys of stones that struck the Loyalists. Fortunately I escaped. I beg now to ask the Chief Secretary, If the evidence given at Gif-fen's inquest, who was killed at Dromore, clearly proved that Giffen came from Portadown by a different train, and in an opposite direction from the Fermanagh men accompanying Mr. Archdale; and, whether there was a particle of evidence, direct or indirect, to show that an attack upon Nationalists was made that day by the Fermanagh men who accompanied Mr. Archdale?

MR. TREVELYAN

I will answer these Questions according to the statements of the Questions as I find them on the Paper. The hon. Member for Mallow, in the first paragraph, asks a Question which contains an error—that is, that Giffen was one of Mr. Archdale's party. Giffen, on the contrary, came from Portadown, and Mr. Archdale's men from Fermanagh. As regards the rest of the Question, I have to state that if such a statement as that referred to was made by an official of the Government, or if such conduct was imputed to him, the Government would have called upon him for an explanation. As it concerns a Justice of the Peace, however, I am not in a position to do this; but I shall consider whether I will not bring the matter under the notice of the Lord Chancellor of Ireland. In reply to the other Question put to me, I have to say that the evidence did prove that Giffen came from Portadown. As regards the Question whether there was a particle of evidence, direct or indirect, to show that an attack upon Nationalists was made by the Fermanagh men who accompanied Mr. Archdale, I can only quote the following from Mr. Archdale's sworn evidence at the inquest— I observed some disturbance caused by our men breaking across the old road where the Nationalists were. Mr. Archdale calls them "our men" all along, and he stated that there was no attack made by the Nationalists. That is evidence given at the inquest; and I think the attention of the Lord Chancellor of Ireland should be directed to it, as I would do in the case of an official of the Government.

VISCOUNT CRICHTON

Is there any evidence that the men who made the attack came from Fermanagh?

MR. TREVELYAN

None whatever, except that word "our."

MR. J. LOWTHER

Is there any evidence that Mr. Archdale was personally engaged in provoking a breach of the peace?

MR. TREVELYAN

I would not like to say anything on this matter. I do not like to predjudice the mind of the Lord Chancellor of Ireland, who is well able to deal with the case; but I do not see any evidence of such an intention.