The Sun.
London, England, 1857-09-28 00:00:00

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, SATURDAY MORNING.
GOVERNAIENT INQUIRY AT BELFAST.
The case for the Roman Catholic party has been
at length brought to a close, and the Orangemen
are now upon their defence. Yesterday (Friday)
the Rev. Mr. Hanna was produced, and underwent
a loug examination, in the course of which the rev.
gentleman was thus interrogated. by Mr. Lynch,
one of the Commissioners :
" Mr. Lynch—lf you supposed a riot would ensue,
would you consider it your duty to preach in the open
air /
"Rev. Mr. Hanna—l did not think that a riot would
ensue from my street preaching.
" Mr. Lynch—But would you conceive it your duty
to preach in the open air if you had reason to believe
that a riot would ensue I
" Rev. Mr. Ranna—l would ; our most valuable
rights have been obtained by conflict, and if they are to
be maintained we must not look tQ the consequences.
" Mr. Lynch— Do you know that open-air preaching
was fOrmerly practised in tills town ?
" Rev. Mr. Hanna.—Extensively, and without oppo-
sition ; on the 12th of Ju y last 10 or 12 of my fathers
and brethren in the church preached in the open air
(the report of the General Assembly on open air preach-
ing was banded into the Commissioner.) The General
Assembly was then holding its meeting in. Belfast, and a
number of the country ministers were in town at the

time.
" Mr. Lynch—Do you know that the proceedings of
the 12th of July last caused considerable excitement in
the town I
" Rev. Mr. Hanna—Yes.
" Mr. Lynch--That you look upon as temporary ex-
citement!
" Rev. Mr. Hanna—Yes ; I hope that it will not
become chronic.
" Mr. Lynch—Was it not in ocosequence of that
excitement that the clergymen of the Church of England
desisted from open air preaching I
" Rev. Mr. Ha..na—Yes ; I apprehend it was.
" Mr. Lynch—They hoped that this temporary ex-
citement would pass by, and then that they ought to
resume open air preaching
" Rev. Mr. Hanna—l have no doubt that that was
their feeling; but the precedent was a bad one, as it
is always. dangerous to succumb to a mob. I consider
that the authorities are bound to protect the rights of
citions, and R 3 a mob must be put down some time,
the sooner it is done the better.
" Mr. Lynch—What do you call the mob I
"Rev. Mr. Hanna—l call those the mob who opposed
open-air preaching in particular.
"To Mr. Thompson—The place that I selected for
preaching is removed from the Roman Catholic district,
I selected it for that purpose. There is almost no popu-
lation in that neighbourhood, and the people who live
there are not Roman Catholics. My first address was
published on the 10th September. That is the address
without a date ; it is the printer's mistake, and I hand
in a copy of the Bella. Daily Mercury of the 11th,
which states that the address was posted up last
night. I am aware that an attempt has been
made to show that the address was published before
that date, but it is incorrect. I preached in the Corn-
Ezchange previously. I refrained from preaching in the
open air after having had a conference smith some
dis-
tinguished ministers of my church, I am right, an I
will always be right.
"Mr. Lynch.—Would it not be better to allow the
excitement to pass by
" Rev. Mr. Hanna.—Tbat is a thing that I deny.
I deny that there is anything that produces a riot in
street preaching ; and I do not say that, notwithstand-
ing existing szoitement, I am not at present justified in
the discharge of my duty, which in its nature has no
element to produce a riot. The remedy is to correct
the source of misrepresentation.