\ 8 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE T. Courtenay, Esq. conceive that to be the full extent in the whole registry to whom a fair objection — might be taken ?— Upon the class of undervalue up to that time, I do. 23 March 1838. 6570. Chairman.] How many votes were given for the sitting member at the last election 1— For the sitting member, 667. 6571. Therefore you impugn the validity, on the ground of value, of 247 out of that' 667?— Yes. , . , , . , , 6572. Out of 561 given to your friends, you admit that there might have been as many as 50 bad votes 011 the ground of value ?— I say it is the outside of it; but I do not conceive that there are 50. 6573. How many voters altogether were polled?— One thousand two hundred and twenty- eight. 6574. You say there are nearly 1,900 upon the register ?— At this day. 6575. Consequently, so far as the registry is concerned, there were nearly 600 voters upon the register unpolled ?— Not at that time, because we have had the October sessions and we have had the January sessions since. 6576. Mr. O'Connell.] How many at that time were upon the register?— I think about 1,700. 6,577- was not every exertion made on both sides to get in as many as they pos- sibly could ?— We made every exertion, and I am sorry to say that a great many of our friends did not come up; they were absent. I think every exertion was made on both sides. 6578. Then there must be a number of re- registries?— I have no doubt there are. 6579. And several persons dead ?— Yes. 6580. And leases expired?— Leases expired by a death of a life or lives. 6581. Or by ejectments ?— Not so many by ejectments; and a great many absentees. 6582. Are there any ejectments for non- payment of rent amongst them ?— Yes. 6583. How many?— There are some few; very few. 6584. Chairman.] But as between the number of persons who polled and the number appearing upon the register, there is a difference of about 400 at the last election ?— Yes, it would appear so. 6585. Consequently, that being the fact, can you state how many of these 400 were not good votes in point of value ?— No. 6586. Therefore your statement with regard to 50 on the one hand and 247 on the other applies simply to the number that were polled, which was under 1,300? — Those that, could be objected to as having polled. 6587. Mr. Lefroy.'] Then the result of your evidence is, that according to the working of the Reform Act in that county there are at least 297 bad votes uoon the register ?— I should say so. 6588. But you do not include in that the objectionable votes that may be found amongst those who did not vote at the last election ?— No. 6589. If you had also the proportion that might be found amongst them, what do you conceive would be the sum total of bad votes upon the registry of the county of Longford ?— Three hundred and fifty. 6590. To that extent the fair constituency of the county are injured in their rights ?— I conceive so. 6591. Do you consider it would be a desirable thing, and a just thing towards them, that the registry should be reviewed ?— I do ; I conceive the present system to be a bad working svstem. 6592. Chairman.] How many altogether were registered at the registry between the 10th of October and the 22d of November 1832 ?— About 1,230. ^ 593- By how many barristers?— By two barristers; one barrister sat from the 10th of October to the" 15th of November, when another barrister came down. 6594. Then there was only one court sitting at a time ?— One court at a time ; there were two courts from the 15th to the 22d, about a week. 6595. How was the registry conducted ; was it done by baronies or parishes, or was it done alphabetically; or in what way was it possible either for the claimants or for the parties who appeared as objectors to know what cases would come on ?— There was no division; the list was printed in alphabetical order, and it was called over three times in alphabetical order. 6596. Without reference to the district of the county to which the parties belonged ?— Without the least reference to that. 6597- Did that create great delay ?— It created a vast deal of confusion. 6598. Did