§ EARL PERCY (Kensington, S.)I beg to ask Mr. Attorney General whether his attention has been called to the legal proceedings taken in the name of Mr. Lynch, Member for Galway City, to recover rents due to him; whether instructions have been given to arrest Mr. Lynch on a charge of high treason so soon as he may come within the King's dominions; and whether steps will be taken, by making him an outlaw or otherwise, to prevent Mr. Lynch from using the King's Courts for recovery of rents.
§ MR. MACVEAGHBefore the Attorney General answers that Question, I beg to ask whether he is aware that three of the noble Lord's ancestors were hanged for high treason.
§ SIR ROBERT FINLAYI have heard of the proceedings in Ireland to which my noble friend refers, but have no special information with regard to them. As has already been stated in
† See preceding Volume, p. 997.
§ this House, the answer to the second part of the Question is in the affirmative. I have carefully considered the point raised in the last part of the Question, and do not consider it desirable to take any such proceedings.
§ EARL PERCYArising out of that, may I ask the hon. and learned Gentleman if he can inform the House whether the Act of William III. is still in force, which enacts that prosecution for high treason must take place within three years alter the commission of the offence?
§ MR. JOYCE (Limerick)Has the attention of the hon. and learned Gentleman been drawn to the fact that Mr. Lynch has offered to transfer Iris interest in his lands to the tenants without any charge?
§ LORD HUGH CECIL (Greenwich)I hope my hon. and learned friend will give an answer to my noble friend's supplementary Question. It is a matter of the greatest possible importance.
§ SIR ROBERT FINLAYOf course the question will have attention, but it is not suitable for discussion by way of Question and answer across the floor of the House.
§ MAJOR JAMESON (Clare, W.)Is it not a fact that the Percies have been four times outlawed for treason?