§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether, in view of his statement that the documents recently seized from Mr. J. F. O'Regan, of Durrus Banty, were believed to be of a seditious character, he will cause Mr. O'Regan to be arrested; whilst, if the said documents have been found not to be seditious or illegal, if he will cause them to be immediately returned to Mr. O'Regan; and, whether it is a fact that, on the evening of the 15th June, Mr. Starkie, of the Criminal Investigation Department, called upon Mr. O'Regan, and warned him to leave Ireland; and, if this be so, to state by what right Mr. Starkie undertook such a course?
§ MR. TREVELYANI am advised that the documents seized were of a treasonable and rebellious character, and that they were properly seized. The question whether any proceedings should be taken against Mr. O'Regan is one for the Attorney General to settle, and he advises me that he is not at present in a position to decide. The visit of Mr. Starkie, who was accompanied by another Constabulary officer, to Mr. O'Regan's house, was in connection with the documents found there. He did not warn Mr. O'Regan to leave Ireland; but in the course of a conversation Mr. O'Regan told him that he intended soon to return to America.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDI would like to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the documents seized were documents connected with the Irish National League of the United States; whether it is the practice of the Irish Executive to leave at liberty a man on whom seditious documents were found; and whether the reason for these proceedings was simply because Mr. O'Regan is an Irish-American, a class of person 1877 for whom the Irish Government has no affection?
§ MR. TREVELYANasked for Notice of the Question.