// SELECT COMMITTEE ON FICTITIOUS VOTES, IRELAND. 7 6546. Mr. O'Connell.] What do you call the register; is it the clerk of the T. Courtenay, Esq. peace's list?— What I call the register, is the clerk of the peace's book; a manu- — script book. 23 March 1838, 6547. Was the affidavit interfered with ?— The affidavit was put aside or torn. If not torn it was put aside, because none of the affidavits appeared amongst the batch of affidavits of the voters remaining on the register. O O 6548. The certificate could not be interfered with ?— The parchment certificate every voter need not give up, and some of them tendered themselves upon the cer- tificates, and were allowed to vote at the election of December 1836 ; it was the first class in the petition against Mr. White's return, and the Committee decided that they were bad votes. 6549. Mr. Lefroy.~] They struck them off the poll at that election?— They did; others of them tendered themselves at the last election, but the assessor directed their votes to be rejected. 6550. Mr ( yConnell.] Who is the assessor?— Mr. Arabin. 6551. Mr. Lefroy.~\ You spoke of the votes being taken off the register; will you state what is the register to which you refer?— It is a manuscript book in which the clerk of the peace enters the name, townland, qualification, landlord's name, and the right in which the claimant is registered ; he keeps this book posted after every sessions ; that is, he enters up after each sessions the names of the per- sons registered. 6552. Mr. O'Connell That is the book from which the printed list of registered persons is made out?— It is the book from which the printed list is made out. 6553. And he is compelled to give the printed list for is. ?— He is, and he is obliged to furnish to the agent of each candidate at the election a copy, either printed or manuscript, of that book; but it was from the book that he struck the names out under the warrant. 6554. Mr. Lefroy ] He is also bound, under the statute law, to have a correct copy of that book in every polling place for the deputies?— Yes, he is. 6555. And that book is what you call the register of the county ?— It is. 6556. And that is what is understood to be, as far as you know, the register of the voters in every county ?— So I conceive; that is what I conceive is treated of in the Reform Act as well. 6557. Then, as the result of that first registry, is it your opinion that there are still upon the register many fictitious and unqualified voters?— It is. 6558. Mr. O'Connell.] When you say that, do you extend it to any of those persons who voted in your interest at the last election?— There may be some bad votes on our side. 6559. Do you know that there are?— I believe there may be some few bad votes. 6560. Do you know of any ?— I could not at this moment particularize. 6561. By a few, how many do you mean; how near the number could you go? — I should say they were not as one to ten. 6562. WThat number do you estimate that you have of bad votes on your side? — I dare say, according to the view taken by the two Committees that I attended, and that opened the register according to their view of the 10/. qualification, there might be some 30 or 40 of our voters in the Conservative interest fairly attacked. 6563. How many voted for you at the last election ?— Five hundred and sixty- one was the highest. 6564. Chairman.'] Out of that 561, you think there are 30 or 40 who might be objected to?— I dare say there are that number of attackable votes, according to the view taken by the two Committees I attended ; but my impression is that the number of objectionable votes on our side does not exceed 50 ; that is my firm and honest conviction. 6565. How many do you conceive are attackable under the same class upon the other side ?— In the last petition I put 247. 6566. You mean the petition decided this session?— Yes. 6567. Mr. Lefroy.] Do you conceive that those 247 were objectionable votes on the principle on which you say there were 50 on the other side ?— I do. 6568. Mr. O'Connell] Do you recollect that you said that you did not think there was one out of ten objectionable?— I do ; 1 recollect saying that; but it was said without any calculation. When I say 50, I mean going to the very outside. 6569. Mr. E. Tennent;] You say there are 247 actually objected to; do you t> conceive