The Sun.
London, England, 1870-03-15 00:00:00

CAPTAIN COOTE.

Viscount CRICHTON then rose and called the attention
of the House to the circumstances connected with the
dismissal of Captain Coote from the Shrievalty of the
county of Monaghan and the appointment of his successor,
and moved that in the opinion of this House the conduct of
the Government in the dismissal of Captain Coote and the
appointment of his successor has been unconstitutional
and calculated to impede the due performance of public duty.
His lordship at great length went into the law bearing on
the subject, shewing the law and usage in England, and
asking how far the same was applicable to Ireland. How
the Government could justify its departure from the ordi-
nary mode of proceeding, except by the exceptional legis-
lation which characterised its dealings with Ireland, he
was unable to discover. He characterised the way in which
Government dealt with such matters 'as a solemn farce.
ile believed that the appointment of Captain Cooto's suc-
3essor was unconstitutional, and he had brought the case
forward because he thought a great injustice had been
lone.
Colonel LESLIZ seconded the motion.

Mr. C. FORTES= said he could not agree with many
A the observations which had been made on this subject.
rue steps that had been taken he was quite aware were
aot in accordance with the law in Ireland, but they had
oeen taken in accordance with a wholesome and beneficial
practice, which had existed for some time. He admitted
that except is special cases, or under good reasons for the
public service, this practice should not be followed,
but I scenes had taken place in Monaghan,
which fully justified the course which it had
oeen thought proper to adopt. Monaghan had
been long the scene of painful conflicts and
eontests between lumen Catholics and Protestants,
and in ISG6, to go no further back, there was a general
election, and such a state of riot that it resulted in a
Roman Catholic being shot. A Protestant was charged
with the crime and put on his trial, and ac-
pitted, the jurymen being Protestants. He
lid not mean to say that the acquittal
was not right. In 1868 there were again the same scenes
to Monaghan on the occasion of the Orange anniversaries,
out on that occasion they were rather worse than usual,
And he could call the state of affairs that then existed
dttle less than civil war. On that occasion another riot
took place, and life was lost, the unfortunate victim
oeing again a Roman Catholic, and after that
I A um para 4 Dalai was tried, and the result was

A'l ae:iCattai ; and here, again, he dui not mean to say that
the termination of that trial was not right, but
verdict of the jury was questioned. It thus happened
671 at the jury panel was inquired into when it was
found that the sub-sheriff had made a most partial select
6ioli of Protestants in preference to Roman
Catholics. The circumstance led to his having
to communicate with Captain Coote, the High Sheriff.
It was most important that the constitution of
the jury panel should be above suspicion. A
man, named M'Kenna, ivas afterwards indicted for the
murder of a man named Clark, and, owing to some
proceedings on the part of the sub-sheriff, the
result was that he had to request that he (the
High Sheriff) would appoint a new sub-sheriff
XIS it was absolutely necessary that there should be no
feeling that fairness was not extended to Roman
Catnolics. This Captain Coole refused to do,
and then it became necessary again to select
a jury panel. Again, the partiality for
Protestants over Roman Catholics was so
apparent that the high sheriff had to be again
communicated with, and as he still refused the
Lord-Lieutenant thought it his duty to remove
Captain Coote, and Mr. Langdale was appointed his suc-
cessor. The Government felt they had acted throughout the
matter in the way best calculated to promote the public
good, and therefore he Locd the house would not agree to
the resolution of the noble lord.

Mr. G. H. MooRE condemned the conduct of the Govern-
ment in reference to the dismissal from the shrievalty of

Japtain Coote.
Mr. C. BENTINCK supported the motion.
Mr. G. HARDY thought that Captain Coote had acted in a
perfectly straightforward way; and having appealed to the
judge who tried Mackenna's case, he had been treated in a
most unfair, unjust, illegal, and harsh manner.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL for IRELAND vindicated the
conduct of tho Government in dismissing the Sheriff of
Monaghan. It was an act of fair and impartial justice.
After some further discussion—mainly confined to the
Irish members—the House divided, and the motion was re-
jected by to 113 votes.

On the order of the day for the second reading of the
Elementary Education Bill,
Mr. Dixos moved a resolution to the effect that no such
measure would afford a satisfactory or permanent settlement
which left the question of religious instruction in schools,
supported by public funds and rates, to be determined by
local authorities. He complained strongly of the provisions
of the bill, and stated that a feeling of deep disappointment
would pervade the country if the Government did not make
a declaration on the religious difficulty.
Mr. ILLINGWOItTH seconded the motion.

Mr. W. E. FORSTER, in vindicating the provisions of the
bill, stated that a rate of 3d. in the pound would be sufficient
to work the present bill. In England alone such a tax
would produce something like a million and a quarter
per annum; and thus the actual individual burden would
be almost infinitesimal. By the present measure, if
the majority desired a secular school, a secular school
they would have; and as to any attempt at compulsory
religious training, such a course was the plainest and shortest
way to exanguish all religion. He expressed himself
strongly in favour of the reading of the Bible in schools, and
although opposed to the directly denominational system he
would keep it up where it already existed. He would, how-
ever, leave the school beards constituted under the act to
decide the matter in reference to the now schools.

Mr. WINTERBOTHAM proposed the adjournment of the
debate, and after some conversation

The motion was agreed to, and the discussion will be re-
sumed to-morrow (this day).

The House went into Committee of Supply, and Mr.
FTANSFELD was allowed to take sundry Civil Service Esti-
maks (Excesses) and Itevenu9 Departments Excesses.
The remaining orders were disposed of pro firnm, and the
House adjourned.

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