Mr. D. Meagher. March 1838. ,18 minutes o f e v i d e n c e t a k e n b e f o r e t h e this man could not have served his apprenticeship He was admitted a freeman by the council; that is a fraudulent admission; he voted at the last election. ( Mr Besnard) He was admitted because a petition was presented, and an affi- davit regularly given with it. I have no recollection of the circumstance; I Know that nothing happened before the council to make it in the slightest degree questionable. No person had the slightest idea that there was the least fraud con- , ie48o8 Chairman, to Mr . Meagher.] When did Thomas Garde return ?— He never returned. . 4800 How do you know that he sailed 111 1827 ?— Because the man that went in company with him, I went to his house and got his certificate to that effect. 4810. When was Phineas Garde registered ?— He registered in 1835. 4811. Mr. Serjeant Jackson.] Were you acquainted with Thomas Garde?— No, I was not, but I spoke to 20 or 30 persons that he was intimately acquainted ^ 4812. Do you recollect his leaving Cork ?— No, but no one will deny that fact. 4813. You know nothing of it, of your own knowledge?— No. 4814. All you know is, that you heard it said that he had gone to the Brazils, and never returned?— The man who sailed in company with- him is now returned ; and when I sent to his aunt, or one of his relatives, she began to cry, and said that she had never heard of him for the last four years. 4815. ( To Mr. Besnard.) You know nothing of this Thomas Garde, nor do you know anything of Phineas Garde, or of the facts of his apprenticeship ?— I do not; but if the facts are as Mr. Meagher has stated, it was an imposition upon the council. % 4816. Were you town- clerk of the corporation at the time of this admission?— I was. 4817. You are sure that the usual course of proceeding was adopted in this case as in all others?— Quite so. 4818. That all the proper documents were laid before the council to satisfy them that all was right?— Quite so. 4819. You are prepared to say that if anything like what has been stated took place, it was by fraud and imposition upon the corporation?— Decidedly. If there had been the least hint given of it, a most rigid inquiry would have been made before the admission. 4820- 1. Did the corporation, in that case, go through the same course as they do with regard to others that claim the right of apprenticeship ?— They did. ( Mr. Meagher.') I gave notice to the mayor, in open court, that fraudulent admis- sions had taken place, and I was every day in expectation that they would have an inquiry. 4822. When did you give any caution to the mayor of Cork in this matter?—• When Mr. Saunders was mayor. 4823. How long after this individual was admitted was that?— Two years after ; I did not know it till then ; I wanted an inquiry. 4824. You never apprised the corporation of these alleged facts till two years after the man had been sworn?— I was not aware of it myself. 4825. But neither you nor anybody, to your knowledge, apprised the corporation of it till that time?— I do not know, because there were a great many people whispering about it; and when I made the inquiry I found that he was a fraudulent freeman, and that he is not at this moment a freeman in reality. 4826. The question is, whether you yourself, or any other person to your know- ledge, apprised the corporation, or the mayor, or the town- clerk, or any other officer of the corporation, of that alleged fact touching Phineas Garde, for two years after he had been admitted and sworn No ; but the moment it did come to my knowledge I apprised the mayor of it, and called upon him for investigation. 4827. Chairman, to Mr. Colburn.] When does it appear that he registered?— I he 3d of April 1835. 0 4828. ( To Mr . Meagher) Did you oppose the registry of this man ?— I was not aware of the facts; but if I had opposed him, the barrister would have admit- ted him, as he did many others under similar circumstances. I opposed a man IrT! I, ° Ut ° f a h° USe that he did not reside in> and parties came up to nil' the man was a non- resident; the assessor asked if the man took the necessary oaths, and it was stated that he did ; and then he said, « I admit the vote, and you may prosecute the man." 4829. Mr.