HC Deb 15 February 1887 vol 310 cc1548-9
MR. MACARTNEY (Antrim, S.)

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been drawn to the following placard, which has been extensively posted throughout the district of Mitchelstown:— Boycott! Boycott!! Boycott!!! Fellow Countrymen, Be not deceived, boycotting is not done away with. Disregard the language of cowardice no matter by whom uttered. Stand firmly by your homes, by our wives and little ones! Strike at your tyrants! All your hopes and fortunes are centred in this fight. Strike 'now or never, now and for ever,' at every one who assists Anna Kingston, Lady Kingston, to recover oppressive rents, or who pays them. Boycott that disgrace to her sex—Anna Kingston, the grass widow, the hard-hearted. Boycott Frend, the agent, the pig-headed representative of the Church Body, who dismissed the labourers. Boycott Bulldog 'Maria' O'Grady, solicitor, who betrayed every client who had the misfortune to be associated with him. Boycott Benson, the insolent whelp, whose insolence and extortion all of you have experienced. Strike at the outposts of the Castle; you know who they are. Boycott Jim Neill, the hangman, and family; Neddy Kelly, the ex-farmer; Dicky Fitzgibbon, clerk of the Union, the only land-grabber in the district, and his brood of upstarts; Gombeen man Couche and his apostate wife, the only associates of Benson and all bailiffs on the estate. Shun them. Let others, too, take warning and beware of their fate, or their turn will surely come. By order of the Vigilance Committee. N.B.—John Coughlan, of Flemingstown, has paid his rent. Boycott him, and his shorthorns and dairy farms. Dairymen beware! and, whether the Government will take such steps as may be necessary to ensure the protection of the Law to the persons thus threatened?

MR. M'CARTAN (Down, S.)

Before the right hon. and learned Gentleman answers the Question, may I ask whether he can inform the House whether this placard was not printed and posted in the interests of the Irish Loyal and Patriotic Union?

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. HOLMES) (Dublin, University)

(who replied) said: The notice quoted in the Question was posted during the night of the 5th instant, in the outlying district of the Kingston estate near Mitchelstown, and was torn down by the police. The police have trustworthy information as to its origin, and are following up their inquiries. The persons named are given all possible encouragement and support and protection when required.