deny him; and it is his business and duty to take up his position before the crowd assembled in any great multitude. I have never, in the whole course of my experience of public meetings in Ireland, which is, perhaps, greater than that of any other man in this House, seen an attempt made after a meeting had commenced to rush and fight a passage through the thickest portion of a crowd, in order that the police reporter might get into the centre. Then, I ask, why was this universal practice departed from at Mitchelstown? And I say, so far from the ordinary course being pursued in the case of Mitchelstown, with regard to this delicate question of a police reporter, a totally novel course was adopted, one without precedent in the history of Irish public meetings; a course which, had it been generally adopted, would, unless a miracle had occurred, have infallibly led to disturbance. There were about 8,000 people around the platform; and the crowd was so thick in its vicinity that it would have taken the utmost exertions to get through the meeting. But after the chairman had begun to speak, at the thickest portion of the crowd, and plump in front of the platform, a body of 20 police arrived with a reporter in their midst, and proceeded to force their way through the crowd towards the platform. A noise immediately arose, the people shouldered the police, and turned round, and an altercation arose. Two gentle. men on the platform, jumping down, forced their way through the crowd, and threw themselves between the police and the people, and with their umbrellas beat our men back from the police and prevented all disturbance. And here comes a point of the utmost importance, and which I will prove beyond all yea or nay. It is of the utmost importance, because it is in the beginning of matters like this that the blame lies on one side or the other. This primary disturbance was quelled. Somebody in the waggon suggested I should get up now, and that there would be no danger of trouble. I got up and addressed the meeting for a few minutes, and the police at that moment retired a little, and stood outside the outermost skirt of the crowd, and the meeting became perfectly peaceful and orderly. This is a matter which has been overlooked. A distinct interval occurred during which the row com modation for their Government reporter?" Will the right hon. Gentleman be surprised to know that the officers of law in Ireland have submitted to that humiliation to me personally at least 100 times? The officers of the law in Ireland have asked me to give accommodation and protection to the Government reporter on the platform, and on this condition-that if I consented to do so they would entirely withdraw the police from the precincts of the meeting. That has been the practice in Ireland, as I stated on a previous occasion; and I defy any officer to contradict me-in fact, no one would do so. I have always exercised all the influence I have to get Government reporters a seat on the platform, although they did not contend they had a right to it. They knew they had no right to be there; but I always used my influence to get them a seat on the platform; and the officials in Mitchelstown must have known that, wherever I went, my influence has always been exercised to protect the Government reporter and get him a seat; and yet, in face of that, they never asked for this permission from the promoters of the meeting. I believe the argument used was, that there was some uncertainty as to where the platform was to be. There is not a shadow of foundation for the statement. When we passed through the square half an hour before the meeting commenced there was a platform, consisting of two drags from which the horses had been removed, and when we arrived the meeting was largely assembled around. There would be 4,000 or 5,000 persons there, and the drags were full of representatives of the Press and priests, so that it was perfectly obvious where the platforms would be; and if they had adopted the ordinary course, and asked me to accommodate the reporter in the drag, I would have used my best influence to do so. Why did they not do the next best thing? What do they do if they are refused accommodation? They invariably plant the police reporter in the vicinity of the platform before the meeting assembles. We heard a good deal of eloquent talk about the rights of a police reporter. I do not know what right he has, except to occupy the position which he takes up, and not to be molested. That is the right which I have never sought to of The Irish Times' correspondent-and the meeting was absolutely peaceful and orderly. The Irish Times' correspondent says "Then a large body of police came marching up the hill to the aid of their discomfited comrades." pletely quieted down-to use the words blows as if a hail storm of shot had been sent in among them. We have heard a great deal about the blackthorns of the Tipperary men. The truth is that very few had blackthorns with them. I can tell you that if the Tipperary men brought their blackthorns in any numbers you would have heard very little of the 50 police. Of the people around the police, eight out of every nine had nothing in their hands but ash plants, for they never even dreamt of a row. An ash plant, I may tell you, is a riding cane. It may cut a man in the face; but would not knock a man down. I saw many a fine young fellow knocked down by the batons of the police, and the few who had sticks fought hard. And now as to the injuries received by the police. It has been said that the police had to fly for their lives, and had a great many injuries inflicted on them. Do not believe it. For every one of the police injured there were four of the people. The police reported that 56 of their number were seriously hurt; but what does The Standard correspondent say this morning? He says You must recollect that up to this moment no blow had been struck or stone thrown; and you must remember this fact that up to this moment and to the last, because I saw him after he had got back to the barrack, no hand was raised or blow struck at Condron the reporter. Nobody had a word against Condrou, no blow was struck at him, and even the little band of 12 police, after the first angry altercation, stood beside our people, and there was no disturbance and no anger between them. I read on from The Irish Times' correspondent, because the paper is an unfriendly paper "Mr. Dillon said: Men of Mitchelstown, I ask you to pay no more attention to those men, but let us proceed with this great meeting in a spirit of order and of peace, which will do credit to the men of this district, and will show (slight interruption) to the world that the people of this great country have felt in their hearts the approach of victory which is certain and soon at hand." What does The Irish Times' correspondent go on to describe ?— "The police then marched up, and it became apparent they were determined to carry out their orders to place Condron in a position where he could hear." The correspondent then alludes to what has been called mounted cavalry, but who are simply farmers who ride on horseback "These men [says the correspondent] were, indeed, scarcely in a position to move, so close was the press. The police drew their batons and struck the flanks of the horses severely. They tried to go forward, jumped to the side, reared, and created around them such a clear ance that the police were able to advance, and take up the position in which they formerly stood. Here the passage was blocked again, and they proceeded to force their way, using the muzzles of their rifles." That was the way the struggle commenced. At this stage of the proceed ings, while the police were trying to force their way on, I saw one stone come from the outskirts of the crowd, go high in the air, and drop among the police. I saw no other stones thrown. In a second the police were batoning everyone around them, and men fell beneath the The police, as you can see from this, broke and fled, they fought their way great body of the crowd, having nothing in their hands, dispersed, and there were at no time more than about 200 engaged with the police; but in a few minutes, when they saw their friends treated in this manner, a certain portion of them got together and stoned the police, and the police then turned and fled back to barracks. I come now to the most important part of my state- not see them. I asked for the comment with regard to what occurred when manding officer, and was pointed out an the police fled. I am in a position to old gentleman with a grey moustache. be extremely accurate. I first went to a He was like a lunatic, tearing up and carriage where there were five of the down the room in an excited state. I six English ladies, and advised them to stopped him and said—“I have come go into shelter. I must say that they here with two priests. We want you to showed very great pluck during the kindly keep the men in barracks for a whole affair. I succeeded in persuading few minutes, and give us a chance of them to go into the priest's house, and clearing the streets. We undertake to then I got two priests who were stand- clear the town," and I impressed on him ing near me to go with me to the that what we wanted was to avoid barrack to see the Resident Magistrate. bloodshed. "No, Sir; no, Sir;" he The square was covered with people, said, "I will do nothing of the sort. and I told them not to follow me, and I My men must form in the streets at left four or five priests to keep them once." I caught hold of him and said from going towards the barrack. Ac- -"For God's sake give a chance before companied by the two priests I walked you send the men out on the street." towards the barrack. The distance"No," said he, "I won't have any dicfrom the waggonette to the corner tation from you," or something of that of the square is about 200 yards. When we got to this corner we turned to the right up the street, and the distance to the barrack door was exactly 62 yards. We walked to the barrack door. There was not a single policeman in the street, and the door of the barrack was shut and bolted. I am ready to swear-and recollect this was only about three minutes from the time the police turned and fled-I am ready to swear that there were not 20 men within 60 yards of the barrack door. I stood at the barrack door and knocked. I was right in the line of fire if stones were thrown. No stone could touch the barrack without my seeing it; there was no crowd in the street, and up to this no shot was fired. We knocked at the door, and a voice inside asked what we wanted. I said "Mr. Dillon and the priests are here," and that we wanted to see the commanding officer, with a view of preserving the peace. The barrack door was then unbarred and opened, and we were admitted. How, then, can any hon. Member say that a furious crowd was storming the barracks? The door was unbarred and opened. We walked into the hall and entered into conversation with the commanding officer, and during this time the door was left open after us. No stone was flung, no crowd collected in the street, for all the time two of the three priests stood at the corner of the square, and kept the people back from following me. We found the barrack hall thronged with policemen. If there were any wounded policemen we did sort. He spoke to some constables, and they collared the two priests who were with me, and pitched them out of the barrack; they also laid bands on me, and tried to shove me out of the barrack. I succeeded in dodging them, and getting in beside the wall got to the rear of the police. Then the County Inspector and two of the three police passed out of the door, which was open all this time. I heard a struggle at the door, and saw the police returning, dragging two men after them. The door was then closed and barred, and the firing commenced. I find it difficult now to ask English Gentlemen to believe what I am going to tell. I stood near the door and saw these two men dashed on the floor of the hall, and actually eight or 10 constables stooped over these men and beat them with their batons while they lay on the floor. I called out-"Are you going to murder the men before my eyes?" and the constables turned on me savagely, but they did not strike me. One of them said to me- -"You ruffian, this is the sort of thing you get up in the country; I'll hold you responsible." In a moment I saw the flash of steel, and saw that one of the constables had drawn his bayonet, and was making a lunge with all his force at one of the men on the floor, when a young officer, who, I am bound to say, was the only decent man I found in the place, caught the constable by the arm and said "No more of that." That I saw with my own eyes. The other constables continued to beat the two men with their batons; and all the time the two men were huddled together upon the floor with their heads under them to protect them from the blows. The firing was going on all the time from the upper windows. The County Inspector again appeared; he seemed to be in a state of demoralization, running up and down like a madman, and seemed to have completely lost his head. I caught hold of this man, and said"For God's sake stop this firing, and give me a chance." I supposed at the time that the people had collected outside the barrack; I could not conceive that men would fire out of the top window unless a crowd were at the doors. A young officer came up just at this moment. The County Inspector would give me no satisfaction; and this young officer, whose name I believe is Knox, the District Inspector of Bansha, came up, and he said "I think Mr. Dillon ought to get a chance. Let us ask him to speak to the people from the top window." I said that I would do so immediately; and I rushed upstairs, thinking all the time that there was a crowd in front; but when I got to the top of the stairs a tumultuous crowd of policemen tumbled out of three or four rooms on the top story, and tumbled downstairs in a wild state of confusion, tumbling me with them. I went to the County Inspector again, and I said to him-"For God's sake, before you do anything further, give me at least a chance. If you won't let me speak from the top window put me out of the door, and I will engage to put the crowd away -at any rate let me try." He refused again, and said he must form his men on the street. At that moment the young officer came up again, and said"Mr. Dillon ought to be allowed to have a chance." The young officer then ordered the doors to be opened himself, and they opened the doors at his command. I suppose some of the policemen were inclined to do so themselves. They unbolted the door, and when the door was unbolted there was nobody outside. I walked out, expecting to see a crowd that would have to be dispersed, and I found nobody; and there were not 10 men within 60 yards of the barrack. I walked straight across the line of fire, and the first sight I saw was a man lying dead, with the roof of his head blown off, 100 yards from the barrack. I would now ask hon. Members to recall Now, who was the first man shot dead? The first man killed was a man entirely out of the range of stones, and he must have been deliberately aimed at according to the Chief Secretary. He was standing in the square about 30 yards beyond the corner of the square. That is at least 100 yards from the barracks. That man, whom I saw lying in a pool of blood as I walked across the square, must have been deliberately aimed at. Where did the two other shots, charges of buckshot, go? They lodged in the window opposite the barrack, a second story window. There were a number of children looking on at the proceedings, and one of the shots hit by the edge of the window, and drove the masonry in about the children's ears. The poor nurserymaid who had charge of the children pulled them away, and then fell down in a faint. That was the second of the deliberate shots which the Chief Secretary speaks of; and the marks of other shots are all about the houses opposite the barracks. [Mr. BRUNNER: Hear, hear!] A great number of shots were fired, and it is my deliberate opinion, from looking at them, that some of the men fired their shots out of revenge for the blows under which they were smarting; and that others fired their shots out of sheer panic, without knowing where they were firing, that they just put their rides to the window, and pulled the triggers without taking aim. Now, as to the alleged attack on the barrack, there is abundant and conclusive evidence to show that no such thing took place. Take, first, the condition of the barrack itself after all was over. How many panes of glass were there in the barracks? There were nine or ten windows, and 160 panes, and out of these 160 panes three panes had one stone through each. I went down the town the following day with my note book, and I examined the barracks. Now that is the statement of The There is one stone mark in the fanlight | Standard correspondent; and it absoof the door, and there are three other lutely and completely bears out the panes broken by stones-apparently by statement that I have been enabled to stones, for the hole is star-shaped, and make upon my own authority, and from you can see that there is only one stone my own observation. Well, now I have through each pane. There are marks here, and I am going to read, the of about eight or nine stones on the evidence of a few independent observers, stanchions of the barrack front. That the only independent observers who shows the whole nature of this savage have been called at all; because the attack. As to the kicking of the door, Government have not called any inthat must be an absolute myth, or else dependent observers, although there it must be owing to the fact that the were 10 Englishmen and ladies who police, in their hurry to get into the witnessed the whole thing, and they barrack, shut the door before all the were by no means all Gladstonians. police had arrived, because the crowd Some of them were strangers, who came did not follow them at all. As to that, there by accident, and who had no conI have independent witnesses of most nection whatever with the meeting. unquestionable character. If there was There were two gentlemen from London any kicking at the door, it must have-Mr. Turnbull and Professor Hudson been some of the police who were left behind in the rush, and who knocked violently at the door in their terror, and were admitted by their comrades. Here is what a correspondent of The Standard says with regard to the attack upon the barrack, and its condition afterwards"In the front of the barrack [says The Standard] there are 10 windows. Each contains 16 panes, and of the 160 panes only six are broken." "When the first blow was struck, there was no possibility of controlling the Tipperary men, and they attacked the police like fury.' Well, I admit that some of the Tipperary men fought very hard; but I utterly deny that they struck the first blow. The Standard goes on, and this is a most important point "A spectator describes the air as thick with sticks; but there is evidence that before the fleeing police had run to the bottom of the square the rancour of their assailants had cooled down, for they made no attempt to approach the barrack." -whom I never heard of before in my life, and whom I may never meet again; and there was also a Mr. Conbrough, a Scotch gentleman, who is, I am informed, a Liberal Unionist. I met him once travelling abroad some years ago, and I met him by the merest accident in Dublin, and he came down with us; but he had no connection whatever with the meeting. I will read you the testimony of Mr. Conbrough, who is, I have heard, a Liberal Unionist. [Opposition cries of "was" and cheers.) I myself know absolutely nothing of the gentleman's politics. I had not seen him for many years; but he called upon me in Dublin, just as I was going to Mitchelstown, and he said he wanted to study the Irish Question. I said he would probably see something interesting at Mitchelstown, and he came along with us. What does he say about what occurred? He says, with regard to the second attack-and I should mention that he had not been able to force his way through the crowd, and remained on a car on the outskirts close to the police. attackHe says about the second point, I noticed the police advance again, and "While Mr. Dillon was speaking at this make a tremendous attack upon the horses. The next thing after the battle was over that I saw was the police flying wildly down the square towards the barrack, the people pursuing, and throwing stones. I did not see the people pursue the police further than the corner of the square. I now crossed to the opposite side of the square-that next the police barrack-and endeavoured to get into some house, as I understood the police would return presently and make a bayonet charge; but all the doors were |