Ireland Under Coercion: The Diary of an American (2 of 2): (2nd ed.) (1888)Hurlbert, William Henry
History
Ireland Under Coercion: The Diary of an American (2 of 2): (2nd ed.) (1888)
Hurlbert, William Henry
Ireland -- Description and travel; Ireland -- Politics and government -- 1837-1901
It is scarcely credible, but it is true, that upon this extraordinary
finding the Coroner issued a warrant for "murder" against this poor
woman, on which she was actually locked up for more than three months!
The jury which made this unique finding consisted of nineteen persons,
and it was in evidence that their foreman reported thirteen of the jury
to be for finding one way and six for finding another, whereupon a
certain Mr. Whyte, who came into the case as the representative of
Father Bergin, President of the local branch of the National
League--nobody can quite see on what colourable pretext--was allowed by
the Coroner to write down the finding I have quoted, and hand it to the
Coroner. The Coroner read it over. He and Mr. Whyte then put six of the
jury in one place, and thirteen in another; the Coroner read the finding
aloud to the thirteen, and said to them, "Is that what you agree to?"
and so the inquest was closed, and the warrant issued--for murder--and
the woman, this poor peasant mother sent off to jail with the brand upon
her of infanticide.[29]
Where would that poor woman be now were there no "Coercion" in Ireland
to protect her against "Crowner's quest law" thus administered? And what
is to be thought of educated and responsible public men in England who,
as recent events have shown, are not ashamed to go to "Crowner's quest
Courts" of this sort for weapons of attack, not upon the administration
only of their own Government, but upon the character and the motives of
their political opponents?
CHAPTER XVI.
BELFAST, _Monday, June 25._--I left Dublin yesterday at 4 P.M., in a
train which went off at high pressure as an "express," but came into
Belfast panting and dilatory as an "excursion." The day was fine, and
the line passes through what is reputed to be the most prosperous part
of Ireland. In this part of Ireland, too, the fate of the island has
been more than once settled by the arbitrament of arms; and if
Parliamentary England throws up the sponge in the wrestle with the
League, it is probable enough that the old story will come to be told
over again here.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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