§ MR. MACVEAGHI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can now state if Captain Welch, R.M., swore, at the petty sessions Court, that a deputation of four Orangemen waited upon him, and that, by promising them that certain contingents of Nationalists would not be allowed to pass through Moneymore, he succeeded in quieting his Visitors down; 1402 whether he can state the names and occupations of the four visitors, and their positions in the Orange order; and whether there is any precedent for such a compact as Captain Welch is alleged to have entered into.
§ MR. WALTER LONGCaptain Welch's evidence was not to the effect stated. He neither swore that he had made any promise, nor had he as a matter of fact made any promise. He denied on oath that any compact had been made. But, as I informed the hon. Member on Monday,† he explained to the persons who waited on him that only those processions whose routes lay through Moneymore would be allowed to pass through that place. I cannot see that any useful purpose would be served by stating the names of those persons.
§ MR. MACVEAGHWhom did these four represent?
§ MR. WALTER LONGI cannot say.
§ MR. MACVEAGHDid not Captain Welch swear they were representatives of the local Orangemen?
§ MR. WALTER LONGThat is a different Question to the one on the Paper. It is impossible for me to answer without notice.