Captain CRAIGasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he is aware that at Falcarragh petty sessions, held on Tuesday, 25th April, a Roman Catholic magistrate named Colgan voted for a Protestant candidate for the petty session clerkship; if he is aware that the same night Mr. Colgan's house was attacked by a Nationalist crowd and wrecked, and Mr. Colgan's effigy burned in the street; and will he state what action the police have taken in the matter, and if any arrests have been made.
Mr. LAWBefore the right hon. Gentleman answers the question, may I ask whether he is not aware that the damage done on this occasion was done by some children who followed, as I understand, the band, which is a custom that prevails; and that the total damage done to the premises amounted to a sum of 1s. 9d.?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe hon. Member will see that a pane of glass was broken, and perhaps the 1s. 9d. is compensation for that. The answer to the question on the Paper is as follows: The voting at this 1846 election does not appear to have run on religious lines, as three Catholics voted for one candidate and two for another. It was a contest between the son of the late clerk, who happened to be a Protestant, and another candidate who had relatives in the village. Mr. Colgan, who lives in Falcarragh, voted for the son of the former clerk. On the night of the election a small crowd assembled and threw stones at Mr. Colgan's house, breaking two panes of glass. A bag of straw, supposed to represent him, was lit opposite the house, but the police quickly extinguished it. No arrests were made as the police were unable to identify the stone throwers owing to the darkness.
§ Mr. BIRRELLThings of this kind happen wherever foolish people live.
Captain CRAIGAre not the foolish people the Nationalist party, to whom the right hon. Gentleman proposes to give Home Rule?
§ Mr. BIRRELLIt applies to all parties.
§ Mr. BIRRELLI have not got any reference to a band.