§ MR. J. F. X. O'BRIEN (Mayo, S.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If he has received a copy of a Resolution lately passed by the Board of Guardians of the Claremorris Union, County Mayo, setting forth—
That, when the Earl of Carnarvon was Viceroy, a Memorial, or statement, was presented to him respecting certain persons then undergoing penal servitude, and known as the Mayo Conspiracy Prisoners; that, on the occasion referred to, the Earl of Carnarvon promised that a judicial investigation should be held into the trial and conviction of those prisoners; that the promised investigation has not been held; that it was proved on the trial that one of the prisoners, Patrick Nally, used his influence to suppress crime and to prevent agrarian outrage, even to the risk of his life;and, whether he will now hold out hope of a speedy termination of the imprisonment of those prisoners, which has now lasted nearly five years, in addition to about a year before conviction?
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY (Colonel KING-HARMAN) (Kent, Isle of Thanet)(who replied) said: The Lord Lieutenant has had before him a Resolution from the Guardians of the Swinford Union in the terms mentioned in the Question. His Excellency has informed the Guardians that, on a full consideration of all the circumstances of the case, he has decided that the law must take its course. He was also authorized by the Earl of Carnarvon to add that the statement that he had promised a judicial investigation was erroneous.