The thirty-three members of the Limerick Board of Guardians were
prosecuted on Saturday last, under the Crimes Act, for unlawful assembly at a special meeting at which they adopted a most scandalous and seditious resolution. The Board not only denounced Conscription, but also urged conscripts to fight against England, to hinder and impede the Army, and to destroy munition stores. Further, it appealed to "all Irishmen who are of our nation to withdraw from the British Army and from all other armies fighting for Britain if this insane policy of Conscription for the Irish nation is persevered in." The resolution drew attention also to Germany's desire to " assist" Ireland. The charge was dismissed on the strange technical plea that there was no legal evidence to show that the Guardians were present at the meeting, though they composed the Board which passed the resolution unanimously. But it is in- structive to have such a public expression of the bitter hostility of Nationalist Ireland to this country and to the Allied cause.
Previous page
