§ MR. T. B. CURRAN (Donegal, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if his attention has been called to a circular 330 of a provocative character, and one calculated to lead to a breach of the peace, which, in announcing a forthcoming Orange demonstration, uses such expressions as "Papists, stand aside: we canquered you before, and can do so again"; and "To Hell with the Pope"; and whether, in view of the threatening character of this placard, which has been posted in the town of Donegal, he will take steps to see that the property and lives of Catholics residing there will be protected?
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, E.)At the same time, I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that an Orange demonstration has been announced to take place in the town of Donegal on Tuesday next (12th July), on the occasion of the opening of an Orange hall, and that Orangemen from different parts of the country will attend this demonstration; whether he is aware that after the ceremony of the opening of the Orange hall it has been arranged that the Orangemen are to march in procession with their emblems and colours, and parade the streets of the town of Donegal, whose population is overwhelmingly Catholic; whether his attention has been directed to a placard, which has been extensively posted in the town of Donegal and its vicinity, announcing the holding of a grand Orange demonstration, containing, amongst other inflammatory matter, these sentences: "Papists, stand aside, we have conquered you before, and can do so again; and our motto is, To Hell with the Pope," and concluding with the announcement that the procession is to be formed at the new Orange hall and to parade the principal streets; whether, having regard to recent occurrences in Belfast, and to the fact that the Government insisted that a Nationalist procession should not take its route through a quarter of that city in which the population was overwhelming Orange or Protestant, a similar provision will be made as to the route of the Orange procession in the town of Donegal, where the population is mainly Catholic; and what steps, if any, have the Government taken to maintain order and peaces in the town of Donegal on the occasion of the forthcoming Orange demonstration by strangers in that town?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURMy attention has been directed to the placard, the contents of which are correctly quoted, but which, I believe, is absolutely disowned by the Orange party. It is, I understand, the intention of the Orange party to hold a demonstration in Donegal on the 12th instant on the occasion of the opening on that date of an Orange hall, which has been erected a short distance from the boundary of the town. It is incorrect to allege, as is done in the Question of the honourable and learned Member for South Donegal on the same subject, that the Government insisted upon or prescribed any route for the recent procession in Belfast. The route taken by that procession was prescribed by the local magistrates acting in discharge of their duty to take such steps as they deemed necessary for the preservation of the public peace. Every precaution will be taken for the preservation of the peace in Donegal on the 12th instant, and a large force of police will be drafted into the town for the purpose.
§ MR. T. B. CURRANDoes the right honourable Gentleman think that the placards were put up by Nationalists?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURNo, Sir; I express no opinion on the matter. But I understand the Orange party disown it.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTER (Belfast, W.)Is it not a fact that the placard was put up by the enemies of the Orange party?
§ MR. W. REDMOND (Clare, E.)May I ask the right honourable Gentleman whether the Irish Government intend to take any steps to trace the authors of this placard?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURNo, Sir; I have no reason to think that any such steps are necessary.