S E L E C T C O M M I T T E E ON F I C T I T I O U S V O T E S , I R E L A N D . 175 / 11108. They might attend in court, but they had no voice with respect to Mr. the rejection or admission of the voters ?— None at all. 11109. Mr. 0, Connell.~] If those persons who registered had been left free from all influence of the land agent or clergyman, how would they have acted; would they have registered and voted in the manner they did ?— Yes, I rather think they would, so far as I know of them. 11110. So that the influence of the Roman- catholic clergy was assisted by the genuine opinion and wishes of the people themselves ?— Decidedly; for I know of some instances where the Roman- catholic clergy did not take an active part, and where they lost ground with their parishioners in consequence; they were greatly blamed for it; for instance, Mr. Donohoe was not in such favour with the people as the others, and there were one or two more; four or five I think in the county. 11111. So that the wishes of the parishioners went with the clergy ? Certainly. 11112. Did the Protestant clergy take a part ?— Some of them did. 11113. Did any of them vote on the Liberal side ?— None; they all voted on the other side ; at the last election, I believe, one voted upon the Liberal side. 11114. Out of how many ?— A great many; I could not be accurate as to the number. 11115. There has been a strong spirit of Orangeism among the lower classes of Protestants in the county of Longford ?— There has. 11116. And even many of the upper classes are tinged with it ?— A good many. 11117. And there is a general belief of the persecution of Catholic tenants by the Protestant landlords ?— A good deal of it. 11118. Wherever there is strong party spirit on one side you are very likely to have it on the other ?— That is my opinion. 11119. So that they act upon each other ?— Yes. 11120. Is it the general opinion of the Roman- catholics that it is a question between an administration favourable to them, and an administration hostile to them ?— Decidedly. 11121. Both the clergy and the laity think that ?— Yes. 11122. That is your own opinion ?— That is my opinion. 11123. Under those circumstances, both the clergy and the laity feel a deep interest in supporting one administration and opposing the other ?— Yes. 11124. Have you any doubt that the Roman- catholics of the county of Longford would find themselves very uncomfortable if a Tory Lord Lieutenant got to Ireland r— I have not the slightest doubt. 11125. And that there would be great insolence towards them, and great triumph over them ?— Yes; but it would not be so much so now as formerly, before 1832. In 1822, and since then, it has been a battle between the people and. the aristocracy, or those who call themselves the aristocracy of the county, and they have defeated them; and I think they have taught them a lesson that they will be a good deal quieter again. 11126. But if a Tory administration came in to support them ?— There would be great exulting upon the other side. 11127. There are very few Liberal magistrates in the county of Longford ?— Four, or five, or six, at present. 11128. And there are thirty or forty in all ?— A great many on the other side. 11129. Are there many of them that have small property ?— A good many, and some that have 110 property at all hold the commission. 11130. Liberals or Conservatives?— Conservatives. 11131. Have you observed whether the Roman- catholic clergy, who take a part in politics, are not in general men most attentive in their duties to their parishioners in other respects ?— The most active men in the county as politi- cians, I consider the best clergymen in every other respect; that is the general opinion. 11132. In attending to the spiritual wants of their flock, attending them in sickness and instructing them ?— Yes. 11133. Mr. Lefroy.~\ If a Catholic priest wishes to recommend himself strongly to his parishioners, he would do so by becoming an active political partisan ?— Decidedly. 643. b n 4 11134. And