§ MR. BERESFORDasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to a cartoon representing the death of Earl Spencer, published in the last weekly edition of United Ireland; whether he is aware that the proprietors of this newspaper are Members of the House of Commons; and, whether, in view of the prevalence of crime in Ireland in recent years, he proposes to take any steps to check attacks of such a character upon Her Majesty's representative in Ireland?
§ MR. T. P. O'CONNORBefore the right hon. Gentleman answers that 49 Question, I would like to ask him whether his attention has been called to the cartoon in The St. Stephen's Review representing the death of the Prime Minister, with the ghosts of General Gordon and others accusing him of murder; whether the Conservative Press has not accused the Prime Minister of this and other crimes; if the gentlemen who are the proprietors of these journals are not Members of the House of Commons; and, whether any steps will be taken to prevent attacks of such a character upon the First Minister of the Crown?
§ MR. CAMPBELL - BANNERMANI have not seen the publication to which the hon. Member for Galway (Mr. T. P. O'Connor) alludes; but I have seen the cartoon referred to by the hon. Member for Armagh (Mr. Beresford). It is entitled "A Political Deathbed Scene." Even when viewed in the comparatively favourable light suggested by the title, it would be condemned by most people as offending against good taste and decent feeling. On the general question, however, of the treatment of publications of this sort, I can only refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to a Question of the hon. Member for Wicklow County (Mr. M'Coan) on the 4th of December last.
§ MR. SEXTONI would ask the right hon. Gentleman, whether he is aware that English journals are constantly in the habit of representing the hon. Member for the City of Cork (Mr. Parnell) wearing a mask and engaged in acts of arson and assassination?
§ [No reply.]