Mr. Justice Harrison's charge in East Galway, expressing surprise that
the people tamely allowed themselves to be in- timidated by moonlighters and outrage-mongers, instead of resisting this kind of oppression even by "Lynch-law," was the subject of further questioning in the House of Commons yesterday week, when a letter from Mr. Justice Harrison was read admitting that he had used what he termed language "not felicitously chosen" when he spoke of Lynch-law. He did not, however, use the words in the sense imputed to him,— namely, "that lives should be taken,"—or "as an invitation to certain individuals in the county;" and he added, "I am quite certain that my words were not so understood." He merely intended to express his surprise that the people in the district referred to, had not the moral courage to assert themselves against the system of intimidation and outrage by which it was sought to terrorise them. "This is the meaning in which my words were spoken, and in this sense I believe they were understood." In another letter, read to the House on Monday night, Mr. Justice Harrison reiterated and confirmed this statement, and appealed to the Bar to testify that he had always enforced the strict observance of the law; but it is a pity that he did not express franker regret for the words which so automatically escaped the not very firm "barrier of his teeth."
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