Attacked as Seditious

Justin McCarthy

Ireland and Her Story

1903

Chapter VIII | Start of Chapter

His great object was to obtain the constitutional independence of the Irish Parliament. Lucas did not strive for, and probably did not even dream of, separation between England and Ireland. He desired to bring about the repeal of Poynings' Law, which prevented the Irish Parliament from instituting or taking into consideration any measure without the authority of the English Parliament and Council. Lucas condemned Poynings' Law as absolutely unconstitutional, and contended that it reduced to a state of servitude the Irish Protestant as well as the Irish Catholic. The usual result followed the publication of his writings. A prosecution was set on foot by the authorities in Dublin, and Lucas' letters were ordered to be burnt by the common hangman. The Irish House of Commons, whose independence he was endeavouring to bring about, resented his efforts on its behalf, and summoned him to appear before its Bar.

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