§ DR. FOX (King's Co., Tullamore)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether Dr. Clarke, of Philipstown, King's County, was removed from the Commission of the Peace; and, whether he will state the reason for his removal?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)Dr. Clarke has been superseded by the Lord Chancellor for taking part in proceedings which were inconsistent with respect for the law, and with the free exercise of legal rights.
§ MR. SEXTON (Belfast, W.)I wish to ask the right hon. Gentleman, as he doubts whether there are any Protestant Home Rulers outside the House of Commons, whether the fact that this gentleman was President of the King's County Branch of the Irish Protestant Home Rule Association had anything to do with his removal?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI know nothing about Dr. Clarke's religious beliefs.
§ MR. P. O'BRIEN (Monaghan, N.)asked the right hon. Gentleman if this case of Boycotting was amongst the statistics of crimes upon which he based his case for coercion?
§ [No reply.]
§ Subsequently,
§ DR. FOXasked the right hon. Gentleman to say specifically why Dr. Clarke was removed from the Commission of the Peace, and whether he would lay upon the Table the communication from the Lord Chancellor?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOUR, in reply, said, he had indicated in a general and, he believed, adequate manner, the grounds upon which the Lord Chancellor had removed Dr. Clarke from the Commission of the Peace. He could not promise to lay upon the Table of the House any further details.