SELECT COMMITTEE ON FICTITIOUS VOTES, IRELAND. , ^ j / J / j Mr. D. Meagher. own names that although you did write the^^^^ 2 ,838. selves ?- I do positively assert that, and I am sure a | reat many mTe 40G2. Do you mean that you made at least 40 and probably more write their ames for you .- No; I say that some few did write their own names buT not to any extent. UUT; 4563. How did you ascertain with regard to others that they could write ?— Because the men told me they could write, and I made them write their names and they have pointed out to me their own signature and the signature of tlu' barrister. 0 4564- There were many of those persons whom you did actually register as marksmen, who satisfied you that they were literate persons, by telliiv you that they could read and write ?— Yes; and reading and writing before me? 4565. Mr. Lefroy.] Did any doubt ever occur to you as to the correctness of that sort of proceeding ?— The barristers were the better judges of that, and they saw me doing it in open court; and I presumed that anything they saw was sanctioned legally. 4566. Did you tell the barrister when you did this, that the man you repre- sented as a marksman could write his name ?— No. 4567. Then how could the barrister know anything about it?— He might have seen me reading the affidavits to them. 4508. But how could he know that they could write?— I cannot say as to that; but I did not think it was an incorrect thing, because I saw all sides at work in that way. 4569. Do you now think it was a correct proceeding ?— I think that the morals of the man might be as well protected by my reading the affidavit to him and getting his mark, as by his reading it himself. 4570. The question is as to the correctness of the practice ?— I never con- ceived that there was ever anything incorrect in the practice; nor did I ever dream of such thing till I saw by the examinations before the Committee that it was regarded as matter of wonder. To me it seemed a matter of common course. 4571. Mr. Serjeant Jackson.] Did you ever do it since ?— I did. 4572. Mr. Beamish?] Has it not been done by both sides?— I do not know about the other side; but they have had marksmen. 4573. Mr. Serjeant Jackson.] Are you prepared to say that any person that couid read and write has been registered as though he were an illiterate person bv the other side ?— I know nothing of the other side, more than seeing them put marksmen in court and read as I did in court. 4574. You know that with regard to those that could not read and write, it was a right and proper thing to do; but with regard to those that could read and write, did the other side adopt the practice that you did ?— I do not know what their rule of action was. 4575. Mr. Lefroy.] Did it ever occur to you that a man might much more readily take an oath when he was signing as a marksman, than if he were to write it with his own hand?— I think that my reading it was much more perfect, and likely to guard his oath, than if he read it himself in his own imperfect way, because I read it with great emphasis. 4* 76 Do vou not think that a man that could write his name perfectly, must have felt that had he signed his own name, it would be more easily recognised hereafter for the purpose" of an indictment for perjury, thar1 V his mark - I am quite certain that such an idea never entered into then heads. " What makes you so certain of that?- When such a thing never occurred to me, I do not think it would have occurred to men m their walk of ^ 4578 What could have induced those men, whom you describe as capable of writing easily, to prefer signing as marksmen, r^ t^ nZfleJ^ Z names if they had 110 bad motive for doing so ?— I think many 01tnem p hearing me read the affidavit to reading it themselves ; I read it more clearly and more distinctly. . . * fllo - ffiHnvit what could have 457(). The question is as to the signing of the affidavit £ induced those men to prefer signing as marksmen to signing witn t 0.46. D D 2