THE MARQUESS OF WESTMEATHrose to present a Petition from Richard Talbot, of Ranagham, in the County of Westmeath, in Ireland and to call the attention of the 1379 House to the statements in that petition. The noble Marquess said, the subject referred not so much to matters of religion as to those of law and order, and be was anxious to hear what defence the Irish Government could make for itself in respect of the matter to which the petition referred. In the month of October last the daughter of the petitioner was allured to marry a Roman Catholic against her father's wishes, she being then under age, and Talbot being a Protestant and a respectable yeoman of the county of Westmeath. The petitioner, believing that his daughter Was living in a state of concubinage, such a marriage being null and void by the 19 Geo. II. c. 19, made a deposition, which he sent to the Irish Government on the 2nd of December, requesting it to take the matter up. No answer having been returned to that application, on the 13th of January Talbot issued a summons against the priest who had performed the marriage, and who by that act had committed a felony within the meaning of the Act 7 & 8 Vict. c. 13. The priest came to the court attended by an immense crowd, who appeared to be amenable to his wishes. He got upon a car which was covered with laurels, and addressed the crowd, bidding them be peaceable, but at the same time reminding them of many circumstances calculated to exasperate them against the magistrate who had signed the summons. Having entered the court, the priest said there was no occasion to examine witnesses, inasmuch as he had done the act for which he was summoned, and would repeat it as often as he had an opportunity. The magistrate, having regard to the state of the country, and that the mob were thoroughly with the priest, believed it would not be safe to take information against a priest, and the case was not gone on with. The next day the priest was surrounded by a much larger assemblage at the neighbouring town and near the chapel. Addressing about 2,000 persons, he proceeded on the assumption that he had achieved a great victory, and inquired of the mob what they would do if he was summoned again before the magistrate. The mob replied that they would "mallet" the persons who should summon him which, of course, meant "murder" them. The priest, however, suggested that this should not be done, but that Father Carey should be sent for. The people had been made to believe that a man had died in consequence of Father Carey having denounced him; and hence 1380 the suggestion of that rev. gentleman's name. In the speech the magistrate was denounced at great length, and it evidently appeared that the bench dared not proceed with the charge of the illegal marriage. The offence was the issuing the summons; and it was not difficult to understand that in Ireland the greatest offence any one could commit was to endeavour to make a priest amenable to law; but the Irish Government had been informed twice of the facts of this case, and why had it not interfered to vindicate the law? Daily occurrences in Ireland led too plainly to the inference that there was no justice to be had for the poorer classes of Protestants there. A favourable hearing was reserved for those who were instrumental in bringing Members into Parliament to support the Ministry. A poor Protestant might as well speak to the wall as appeal to the Government for remedy against injustice. He was not an ultra-Protestant—far from it; he was always willing to do justice to his Roman Catholic fellow-countrymen, but at the same time he claimed equal rights and equally just treatment for their Protestant neighbours. It was in this spirit that his Motion was couched, and he believed the Government would hardly venture to refuse to accede to it. Parliament has heard much, and probably will hear more, about the grievances of England; but I have to tell the Government that as long as Roman Catholic Priests are permitted directly or indirectly to interfere with the administration of justice there, there can be no peace. He concluded by moving an Address for—
Report of the Officer of the Constabulary to the Inspector General of the Language held by the Roman Catholic Priest addressed to the tumultuous Meeting assembled and following him at Cotherstown on Tuesdays, the 14th, 21st, and 28th of January, 1866, and of all the Circumstances coming under his Observation at that time.
LORD DUFFERINsaid, that if any miscarriage of justice had taken place, their Lordships must feel that it had occurred contrary to the wish and intention of Her Majesty's Government. The difficulty in the case arose, as he understood, from the fact that, when the prosecution was about to be instituted, no information whatever had been sworn. It was perfectly unusual to produce papers of the description asked for without previous communication with the Irish Government. He therefore trusted the noble Marquess would not press his Motion.
THE MARQUESS OF WESTMEATHDo I understand the noble Lord to say that it is unusual to produce the reports of the police?
LORD DUFFERINWhat I said was that it was unusual to accede to a Parliamentary Motion such as that of the noble Marquess without first inquiring from the Government of Ireland whether there is any objection to our acceding to the request.
§ Motion postponed.