SELECT COMMITTEE ON FICTITIOUS VOTES, IRELAND. > 2.5 6598. Did it also create great expense?— Very considerable expense. T. Courtemy, Esq. 6599. Did it also create great vexation to the good claimant?— I conceive it - — did, for he was obliged to wait his turn, no matter how long it might be. 23 March 1838. 6600. It also created great advantage to any parties who might wish to be registered without having sufficient qualification?— I conceive it did. 6601. Mr. O'Connell.] How?— By a degree of excitement that was kept up during the entire time, and this excitement very much aided by the multitude of persons that were constantly in attendance. 6602. Chairman.] Did it increase the natural party spirit which registration would always engender ?— Very much so. 6603. Did the two parties feel it almost a point of honour to sustain their votes? — As to a point of honour, I do not know that that is exactly applicable in the view that we took of it; but I think, in point of party feeling, it went a great way towards it. 6604. Do you not conceive that the tendency of such a congregation of persons so occasioned was to induce parties claiming to sustain their votes in a more incau- tious manner as to the truth, than if less excitement had existed ?— No question of it. 6605. Without reference to one party or to the other, that would be the general effect on both sides?— That was the general effect. 6606. Mr. O'Connell. j Did the Liberal party make objections at the first registry at Longford ?— They did. 6607. Many ?— They attended by counsel and by agents. 6608. Do you mean to say that at the first registry the Liberal party took objec- tions to it, as they have done since ?— They did, to as many as they could. 6609. Chairman.] Can you state the name of the counsel that attended on each side?— Mr. Hutton attended on the Liberal side, Mr. Colhoun attended on the Liberal side, Mr. Curran attended on the Liberal side, and Mr. Berwick attended on the Liberal side. 6610. Are those gentlemen all barristers?— They are; they did not attend all at once, but they relieved each other; but we were never without a counsel opposing, frequently two. 6611. Did any counsel appear on the Conservative side ?— Yes, Mr. Lendrick. 6612. Did he attend during the whole time?— Lie did. When Mr. Dogherty came the last week, I wrote to Dublin for another counsel, as two courts were sitting, and Mr. Smiley was sent down. 6613. Mr. O'Connell.] Whom did you write to ?— 1 wrote to Mr. Lefroy, to say- that we thought it advisable. 6614. Chairman.] Then there was a great deal of discussion, and there was also a considerable degree of confusion at the first registry?— There was. 6614*. The present registry, which was made in 1832, will expire in the course of the year 1840?— In eight years from that time; but I do not think, if they choose to avail themselves of the 27th section of the Reform Act, that it will ever expire; they may remain upon the register for ever. 6615. Supposing there to be are- registration of all those parties at the expiration of eight years, do you conceive that similar inconveniences will arise then to those which took place at the first registration?— I am quite sure of it. 6616. Do you mean that there is nothing in the Reform Act which will obviate some of the difficulties that took place then ?— No, I do not conceive that there is. With reference to the 27th section, I do not conceive that that will remedy the evil. 6617. Mr. Lefroy.'] Was the first registry held in three divisions of the county, as the general registry is now held ?— It was; the list was called over in three towns in the county; if the claimants did not choose to attend in the district where they were known, they went from one district to another. 6618. Chairman.] Then at the registry of 1832 the revising barrister did go to three different towns in the county where the lists were called over; but, practically- speaking, the parties did not appear in their several divisions, but they all went to one place to be registered ?— They flocked into the town of Longford, to be there registered. There were some registered in Ballymahon, and some in Granard; but a very small portion of the constituency. 6619. Do you conceive that there is anything in the existing Reform Act, look- ing at the 27th section, which will prevent the recurrence of that inconvenience ?— I do not think there is, 643. c 6620. Would