§ MR. DALTONI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the police engaged upon eviction duty on the Olphert Estate, Donegal, on the'19th and 20th of June instant, sang in chorus on their march back each evening to their barracks, "Glory, Glory, Hallelujah"; and whether he will give orders to stop such proceedings in future?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe song in question, which relates to John Brown, is, I am informed, a perfectly respectable one, and I see no reason to interfere.
§ MR. DILLONDo you see no reason to interfere with the police coming home from evicting poor people singing in chorus as if they were rejoicing over their work?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThere is no case of rejoicing in the matter. It is the practice in the Army after a long and heavy day to allow men to sing.
§ MR. DILLONI must press the question whether the right hon. Gentleman considers that it is calculated to preserve the peace, or calculated to lead to a breach of the peace, that the police should be allowed to sing this joyous chorus after performing a most provocative duty, and whether he considers that there is any analogy between soldiers singing a chorus on the march and the Irish Police singing a chorus when they come away from an eviction?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThere is this analogy—that in both cases men who have been on duty have a long and laborious march. These men were not singing in the neighbourhood of the evictions, as far as I understand. If they were, of course the practice would be objectionable; but why men who have long marches to perform after a day's work should not be allowed a little relaxation on the way I really cannot understand.
§ MR. T. W. RUSSELL (Tyrone, S.)May I ask whether they were not singing a chorus composed by one of the hon. Members for Dublin?
§ MR. SEXTON (Belfast, W.)That statement is false. But I would really appeal to the right hon. Gentleman whether, seeing that evictions involve the keenest suffering, pain, and excitement, he does not think that the singing of joyous songs by the police returning from them is not calculated to provoke the temper of the people of Ireland, and whether, therefore, he will not discourage the practice?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURWhether it is provocative or not entirely depends o" the circumstances of each case. I do not see anything particularly triumphal or cheerful in this song; but if the police were to sing cheerful songs in the immediate locality of an eviction, I think that might be a provocative proceeding, and one which should not be allowed; but when they have placed a distance between themselves and the scene of evictions, why they should not be allowed to sing on the march I cannot understand.
§ MR. J. O'CONNORAt the Ponsonby evictions were not the Caledonians ordered by Colonel Turner to play the bagpipes on the march every day for a fortnight?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThat question refers not to the police, but to the soldiers, and might perhaps be addressed to the Secretary of State for War.