The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-09-17 00:00:00

THE MITCHELSTOWN AFFRAY.

On Tuesday afternoon, in the HOUSE OF OommoNs,
Mr. A. J. Balfour informed Mr. Labouobere that
without an Act of Parliament no sworn inquiry
could be held into the recent affray at Mitohelstown,
and as the occurrence would probably be made the
subject of judicial proceedings, it would be highly
inconvenient to have two inquiries going on at the
same time.

THE APPROPRIATION BILL.-MR. O'BRIEN'S ARREST.

On the order for the third reading of the Consolidated
Fund (Appropriation) Bill a prolonged discussion,
relating chiefly to the arrest of Mr. O'Brien and the
treatment of prisoners convicted under the Crimes Act,
was carried on by the Irish members.—Mr. Dillon, in
view of the fact that 30 or 40 members of the Irish
Parliamentary party would probably be in prison
before Christmas, demanded an assurance that they
would not be subjected to the same treatment as pick.
pockets. Violently assailing the Chief Secretary on
account of the arrest and imprisonment of Mr. O'Brien,
whose delicate health he feared would not withstand
the starvation and torture to which prisoners in Ireland
were subjected, he warned the Government that if the
hon. gentleman's life were endangered all the influence
which the Irish leaders could exert would not avail to
prevent vengeance being exacted.
Mr. A. J. Balfour deplored the violent tone of Mr.
Dillon's speech, and pointing out that the Crimes Act
merely altered procedure, and did not create tie v
offences, he contended that offenders agaiest its
provisions were in tact offenders under the ordinary
law, for whose cases the Government could not establish
a special system of treatment. If the question of
prison disc!pline was dealt with at all it ought to be
dealt with in regard to England and Ireland at the
same time and in reference to all prisoners. As to the
contention that a wide distinction should be drawn
between what the Irish members described as political
and other offences he could hardly believe that it was
seriously urged that those who by speech or writing
incited to the commission of crime should receive
better treatment than their unfortunate victims who
acted upon that incitement. Mr. O'Brien's imprison.
merit was due to his own act in deliberately disobeying
the law by refusing to attend the trial.
Mr. J. Morley blamed the Government for having by
their coercive legislation and their administration of it
provoked the language and the attitude of the Irish
members which the Chief Secretary now deplored.
Denying emphatically the statement that the Crimes
Bill created no new offences, he declared that it would
be universally believed that the Irish members who
might be imprisoned would be imprisoned because of the
political complexion of their speeches, and he interpreted
the Chief Secretary's determination to treat political
offenders as ordinary criminals—a course which was
not taken in any other country in Europe—as an
indication of his intention to govern Ireland with the
most &tenuous rigour. He demanded that an inqtury
should be held which would satisfy the public mind as
to the affray at Mitchelstown, and urged that special
instructions should be given to the Irish police against
any excess in the discharge of their duties.
Mr. Labauchere supported the demand for an
impartial inquiry into the Mitchelstown riot, and
characterised the official report furni-hed to the
Government as a lying account. Be asked also that
political prisoners should not be subjected to degrada-
tion, but should be supplied with books and a sufficiency
of food, and not be compelled to sleep on plank beds.
Mr. Parnell, with much bitterness, ridiculed the idea
that by subjecting to the slow tortures of the prison
cell the trusted leaders of the Irish people the Govern-
ment would do any thing to conciliate Ireland, and warned
them that if by such tactics they revived the horrors of
the Invincible period the responsibility would he upon
their own heads. The Chief Secretary thought he bad
found a short cut to governing Ireland by imprisoning his
political opponents until they died or were broken in
health and by suppressing public meetings and sending
his police to baton and shoot down the people. He
would find, however, that he could neither disgrace nor
intimidate the leaders of the Irish people, but that
they had at least as much courage and determination
as himself.

After sOit) farther discussion, the bill WU read t
third time and passed

THIRD PP tDENGS.-ADJOURNMENT FOR THE PROROGA-
TION.

-
The Appellate Jurisdiction Bill, Coroners Bill, and
several ott•er measures wore also read a third time,
,ir,d the House adjourned at 20 minutes past eight
jrtil Fliday for the prorogation.