§ MR. SEXTON (Sligo, S.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If the attention of the Irish Executive has been given to a Report in The Belfast Evening Telegraph of the 20th ultimo, of a speech delivered the previous evening, at a meeting in the Orange Hall Dundrod, by Mr. W. H. H. Lyons, described in the report as "D.G.M." of Antrim, who presided over the meeting; whether the following passage in the speech has been considered:—
In the case of any rising in Ireland he would certainly recommend the loyal minority in the North to lay their hands on every priest in this part of the country as hostages, and let it be known that if a hair of the head of any Protestant in the South and West were touched they would make quick work of them, "bishops and all. (Loud cheers);whether Mr. Lyons is engaged in the public service as cess collector for the baronies of Upper Belfast and Upper Masscreene; and, what action will be taken in regard to him?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. JOHN MORLEY) (Newcastle-on-Tyne)I cannot say whether this is a correct report of Mr. Lyons's observations, because this paper is not taken in at the Castle. In any case, whether the report be correct or not, in the capacity of cess 451 collector, Mr. Lyons is a servant of the Grand Jury, and the Government have no control over him.
§ MR. SEXTONAs Grand Juries make suggestions to the Government, would not the Government make a suggestion to the Grand Jury in this matter?
§ MR. JOHN MORLEYIt does not follow that because the Grand Juries make suggestions to the Government that the Government should make suggestions to the Grand Jury.