§ MR. SPEAKERinformed the House that he had received the following letter relating to the imprisonment of a Member—
§ "58, Palmerston Road,
§ "Dublin,
§ "25th October, 1902.
§ "SIR,—I beg to inform you that in the hearing of an appeal by James Patrick Farrell, Esq., Member of Parliament for the North Division of Longford, against orders of a Court of Summary Jurisdiction formed pursuant to the Criminal Law and Procedure (Ireland) Act, 1887, upon a summons,
§ "That he, the said James Patrick Farrell, between the 15th July, 1902, and the 8th September, 1902, did, by the publication of certain matter in a certain newspaper, called the Longford Leader, in the town of Longford, in the urban district of Longford, same being a proclaimed district under the provisions of the Criminal Law and Procedure (Ireland) Act. 1887, wrongfully and without legal authority unlawfully use intimidation towards one William Martin, in consequence of the said William Martin having done certain acts which he had a legal right to do, namely, having taken legal proceedings to recover, and for having by such legal proceedings recovered possession of certain lands and premises theretofore occupied by one Patrick Hughes.
§ "And, further, that he, the said James Patrick Farrell, between the said 15th July 1902, and the 8th day of September, 1902, did, by the publication of certain matter in the said newspaper, called the Longford Leader, in the said town of Longford, in the said urban district of Longford, same being a proclaimed district as aforesaid, wrongfully and without legal authority unlawfully incite certain persons, whose names are unknown, unlawfully to use intimidation towards one William Martin in consequence of the said William Martin having done certain acts which he had a legal right to do, namely, having taken legal proceedings to recover, and for having recovered, possession of certain lands and premises theretofore occupied by one Patrick Hughes.
§ "And, further, that he, the said James Patrick Farrell, between the said 15th day of July, 1902 and the said 8th day of September, 1902, did, by the publication of certain matter in the said newspaper called the Longford Leader, in the said town of Longford, in the said urban district of Longford, same being a proclaimed district as aforesaid, wrongfully and without legal authority unlawfully use intimidation towards Patrick M. O'Reilly and other persons whose names are unknown, to wit, persons who had taken, used, or occupied farms of land from which tenants had been evicted in consequence of the said Patrick M. O'Reilly and such other persons as aforesaid having done acts which they had a legal right to do, 790 namely, to take, use, and occupy such farms as aforesaid.
§ "And further that he, the said James Patrick Farrell, between the said 15th day of July, 1902, and the said 8th day of September, 1902, did, by the publication of certain matter in the said newspaper, called the Longford Leader, in the said town of Longford, in the said urban district of Long ford, same being a proclaimed, district as aforesaid, wrongfully and without legal authority, unlawfully incite certain persons, whose names are unknown, unlawfully to use intimidation towards Patrick M. O'Reilly and other persons, whose names are unknown, to wit, persons who had taken, used, or occupied farms of land from which tenants had been evicted in consequence of the said Patrick M. O'Reilly and such other persons as aforesaid having done acts which they had a legal right to do, namely, to take, use, and occupy such farms as aforesaid.
§ "And further, that he, the said James Patrick Farrell, between the said 15th day of July, 1902, and the said 8th day of September, 1902, did, by the publication of certain matter in the said newspaper called the Longford Leader, in the said urban district of Longford, same being a proclaimed district as aforesaid, wrongfully and without legal authority unlawfully use intimidation towards certain persons whose names are unknown, to wit, persons who had not theretofore joined or become members of a certain society or association commonly called the United Irish League, with a view to cause said persons to do an act which they had a legal right to abstain from doing, namely, to join or become members of the said society or association commonly called the United Irish League.
§ "I, on the 24th day of October instant, convicted the said James Patrick Farrell, Esq., on the said several five charges, and sentenced him to one calendar month's imprisonment with hard labour on each of the said first four counts.
§ "And to two calendar months' imprisonment with hard labour on the fifth charge, and at the expiration of that period to find sureties for his good behaviour for twelve calendar months, himself in £50, and two sureties of £25 each, and, in default of finding such sureties, to be imprisoned for a further term of one calendar month, except such recognisance be sooner entered into, each and all said sentences to run concurrently.
§ "I take the liberty of adding that after I had pronounced sentence, I informed the said James Patrick Farrell, Esq., that if he would promise me to cease publishing in his newspaper, boycotting notices or intimidatory matter, by means of which he was creating a state of terrorism in the county, I should remove the rule of bail and remit so much of the sentence as imposed hard labour.
§ "This Mr. Farrell point blank refused to do.
§ "Therefore my sentence as pronounced stood.
§ "I have the honour to remain, Sir,
§ "Your obedient servant.
§ "JOHN ADYE CURRAN,
§ "County Court Judge and Chairman of Quarter Sessions for the County Longford.
§ "To The Rt. Hon. William Court Gully, K.C.,
§ "Speaker of the House of Commons,
§ "Speaker's House,
§ "Westminster, S. W."