§ MR. CONYBEARE (Cornwall, Camborne)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to the proceedings at Frankford, on Friday last, when 14 men were tried, convicted, and sentenced to a month's imprisonment each, on a charge of taking part in an unlawful assembly on the 7th of April; whether it appeared from the evidence that a tenant, Rod. Dooley, having been evicted on the estate of Mr. C. J. Banon, and the agent having given him time to remove his effects, the prisoners, and others, gathered to give him assistance, and till his ground; whether this was 1479 the unlawful assembly with which the defendants were charged; whether it is the fact that the police witnesses testified to the complete peacefulness and order of the proceedings on the eviction farm; and whether he can state under what provisions of the Criminal Law and Procedure (Ireland) Act the said proceedings were indicted as illegal?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)The inspector General of Constabulary reports that Dooley, a tenant on the estate of Mr. C. J. Banon, was evicted on March 28, owing six years' rent. He had declined to come to a settlement, notwithstanding a most liberal offer made by his landlord. The agent did give him time to move his effects up to April 7. On that day over 100 persons assembled with ploughs, harrows, and other implements; and instead of assisting in the removal of the effects they tilled the farm from which Dooley had been evicted, and to which accordingly he had no claim.
§ MR. CONYBEAREI wish to know, when that assembly benefited the landlord, whether it can be regarded as a statutable offence?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURNo, Sir; but I apprehend that they did not assemble for the purpose of assisting the landlord.