§ SIR JOHN SWINBURNE (Staffordshire, Lichfield)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether Her Majesty's Government intend to exercise their strict legal right of selecting a 405 jury when Father M'Fadden and others are tried at the adjourned Assizes at Maryborough, on the 16th of October next, with reference to the death, of Sub-Inspector Martin?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURMy right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. I am advised that the conduct of the prosecution is in the hands of the Attorney General for Ireland, who will take such course as he may deem necessary for securing the ends of justice.
§ SIR J. SWINBURNEWill the Attorney General be advised by Her Majesty's Government in Council, or will he act entirely upon his own judgment, in causing jurors to stand by? I hold in my hand a list of 200 jurymen summoned to try a charge of riot, of whom no less than 65 were ordered by the Crown to stand by, whereas the prisoners were only allowed to challenge six.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe matter rests entirely in the hands of the Attorney General.
§ MR. W. MACDONALD (Queen's County, Ossory)Is it true that n Maryborough, where the trial is to take place, only last week 27 special jurors were ordered by the Crown to stand by; and that after the jury had been sworn one juror said, in open Court "I object to try a man for his life, with a packed jury." If this is true, will not the right hon. Gentleman exercise some influence with the Attorney General to prevent the recurrence of a similar state of things?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI am not aware whether the facts alleged by the hon. Member are true or not; but in any case they are exceedingly irrelevant, and would not form any justification for my interference here.