§ MR. DILLONI beg to ask the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is now prepared to read the statement of Mr. Justice Harrison at the recent Galway Assizes?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe statement is really a private letter addressed to myself, which perhaps the House will not object to my reading. It is in these terms—
§ "July 23.
§ "Sir,—I returned from the Galway Assizes last night. I observed in the Times' report of the proceedings in the House of Commons on Monday evening that you expressed the wish that I would send you an account of my charge at the recent Galway Assizes. I beg to state that my charge was not committed to writing, nor have I any note of it. The official documents before me showed that a great many outrages were reported from the East Riding of the County Galway, in none of which had any person been made amenable, including the following, namely:—Attempt to murder by explosives, firing at the police, firing into a dwelling-house, arson (three cases), intimidation, killing and maiming cattle, malicious injuries to property, threatening notices, &c, and I was also informed by the Police Authorities that intimidation and lawlessness prevailed to such an extent in certain districts that it was deemed expedient to resort to the course there hitherto unknown of having night patrols of police across country, in place of the ordinary patrols along the roads, with a view, if possible, to check the system of intimidation, &c, which prevailed. Under these circumstances, and feeling very strongly for the people who were the sufferers, I used at the 915 moment the words 'Lynch law' as reported, but I did not use them in the sense imputed, namely, that lives should he taken, or as an invitation to murder certain individuals in the county, and I am quite certain that my words were not so understood. I believe that my language, though not felicitously chosen, was understood in the meaning intended to be conveyed by me—that it was surprising that the people in the district referred to had not the moral courage openly to assert themselves against the system of intimidation and outrage by which it was Bought to terrorise them. This is the meaning in which my words were spoken, and in this sense I believe they were understood."
§ MR. DILLONThe learned Judge has not in that statement repudiated the language which I find all the Irish newspapers agree in reporting. Under these circumstances I beg to give notice to the Government that I shall put a notice on the Paper to-night impugning the conduct and language of the learned Judge, and on Monday next I shall ask the Government for an opportunity of discussing that question.
§ MR. SEXTONI would ask whether there was anything in the Assize Calendar or the Police Reports which justifies a departure from the ordinary course in the Judge's charge?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI think I ought to have notice of that question. No doubt with regard to a relatively large area in County Galway intimidation and outrage do prevail.