HC Deb 24 February 1887 vol 311 cc474-5
MR. W. A. MACDONALD (Queen's Co., Ossory)

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether, in the case of the "Queen v. Parnell and others," the panel was struck in the city of Dublin; whether the panel originally contained but 48 names; whether, on the jury which tried the case, there were eight Catholics, three Protestants, and one Quaker; and whether he will inform the House why the precedent then set has not been followed in the case of the "Queen v. John Dillon and others?"

MR. T. W. RUSSELL (Tyrone, S.)

Before the right hon. Gentleman answers the Question, may I ask him whether in the case of the "Queen v. Parnell" the provisions of Lord O'Hagan's Act were not entirely set aside, and the jury struck under what was called the old system?

THE ATTORNEY GENEEAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. HOLMES) (Dublin University)

The proceedings in the case of "The Queen v. Parnell" were taken by criminal information, and the trial was had before a special jury, which the law requires should be selected in a prescribed mode from a panel of 48 names. The defendants in the case of "The Queen v. Dillon and others" were returned for trial in the ordinary way, and the case could not be tried by a special jury unless it were removed into the Queen's Bench Division by writ of certiorari. This course was not taken for the reason, among others, that as the law now stands defendants, by exercising their full right of challenge, could in almost every instance prevent a trial by special jury from taking place. I do not know, nor have I any means of knowing, the religion of the jurors who tried the case of "The Queen v. Parnell."

MR. W. A. MACDONALD

said, the right hon. and learned Gentleman had not answered the principal point in the Question—namely, whether in the case of "The Queen v. Parnell and others" the panel had not been struck in the city of Dublin, and why the same course had not been pursued in the case of "The Queen v. Dillon?"

MR. HOLMES

said, in the case of "The Queen v. Parnell" the venue was laid in the city of Dublin. The case of "The Queen v. Dillon" was tried under different circumstances, and the venue was laid in the county of Dublin.