§ MR. COXI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he will give the names of the "bad characters" with whom Martin M'Namara, hon. Secretary Crusheen Branch Irish National League, was associating with in Ennis, which led to his arrest in that town on the 25th ultimo?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURFrom the Report received from the Constabulary Authorities it appears that M'Namara was observed to associate with several suspects of the district. I think it would be contrary both to precedent and to the public interest to publish the names of such persons.
§ MR. COXI must press this question. The right hon. Gentleman has stigmatised as bad characters some of the most respectable inhabitants of the town of Ennis and the County of Clare, some of whom may be, for aught I know, friends of my own. I want to learn the names of the persons to whom he referred. Will he repeat his cowardly and contemptible slanders outside the House? [Loud cries of "Order!"]
§ * MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! The hon. Member must know that he is not entitled to use that language.
MR. SHAWLEFEVREI would ask the right hon. Gentleman what is meant by the term "suspects." Is it a term known to law?
§ * MR. A. J. BALFOURIt is not a term known to law. I did not use it in a legal sense.
§ MR. SHAW LEFEVREWhat is the meaning of the phrase?
§ * MR. A. J. BALFOURPersons who are under suspicion, I suppose.
§ * MR. SPEAKEROrder, order!