SELECT COMMITTEE ON FICTITIOUS VOTES, IRELAND. 4,> 9 1.5542. Then with regard to this class of voters, the law relies simply upon the accuracy of the statement of the claimant, and in no way upon the investigation which takes place m regard to that claim ?— Yes, in my view 15543- Novv, taking these 50 I. voters generally are they divided between the two parties, or are they chiefly persons holding one particular class of opinions !— 1 hey embrace all parties. 15544. In a pretty equal ratio ?— I should suppose that the majority of the 50 I. freeholders m the King's County are of the Conservative party, if I mav so designate them. J 15545. The larger portion, or the balance ?— The entire number of fifties is 450, that is apparent upon the registry up to February 1838; deaths and other casualties may have reduced them. 15546. Out of that 450, what proportion would you take as belono- ino- to the respective parties ?— I should suppose three to two, but I cannot be accurate. 15547- With regard to the rentchargers, what proportions do you believe exist with regard to them ?— I think up to February 1838 ( the list for the present year is not published as yet) the number of twenties was 320 ; I looked into the printed lists, the annual list of the Clerk of the Peace, and I found the rentchargers were not distinguished from the 20/. freeholders or the lease- holders with that accuracy which would enable me to state what number of rent- chargers there is in the King's County. 15548. Now, although you may have formed an opinion that those three men of the name of Burdett and Alexander M'Mullan, advanced their claims upon these rentcliarges merely for the sake of obtaining a vote, you do not throw any discredit upon the fact of their having those rentcharges, and being bond fide rentchargers to that amount?— The deeds were produced. With' regard to Wetherelt, I have stated already his case is the strongest, for he could not tell where the lands lay. 15549. But in that case he proved the payment ?— One payment out of four years. 1555°- What payment was that?— The very last payment, which was, in fact, a sort of travelling charge. 15551. Mr. O'Connell. J For the expenses of coming to the sessions ?— Going to the sessions. 15552. Chairman.'] If I understand right, you object, with respect to that class of voters, to the law, rather than to the practice under the law?— I object to the practice, beyond a doubt. 15553- But do you believe the law has been evaded, or that the law is such, with regard to that class of voters, as to produce an unsound and improper con- stituency ?— It may; it is susceptible of fraud in those cases and in other cases; as I have mentioned before, it is susceptible of fraud in the case of 50 I. electors, so that when I said that there might be 50 fictitious voters upon the registry of the King's County, upon a former day, my impression was not founded upon a positive knowledge of the circumstances, but upon a presumption. 15554. I suppose M'Mullan was of age, was he not ?— He was of age ; but as to that I may state, there is an opinion of Chief Justice Doherty that a minor may register. 15555- But with regard to all these cases, it was proved, to the satisfaction of the barristers ( whether it was proved to your satisfaction is another question) that these parties had received payment under their deeds ?— It was proved. 15556. Did Mr. Gibson never register persons who had been rejected, per- sons claiming before him exactly upon the same grounds that they had claimed before the preceding barrister, and who had been rejected by the preceding barrister ?— There were two or three cases of that kind, but I think the grounds of their rejection upon the former occasion were defective notices. 15557- Do you mean to state that Mr. Gibson admitted no claimant who had not " been previously rejected upon what might lie termed the merits of the claim ?— Not under the precise circumstances ; it is passing m my mind that there was one case where a person was rejected by a former barrister, on the ground of value, but when he came before Mr. Gibson he stated ne had improved his holding, so as to enhance the value of it, and upon that new set oi circum- stances, if I may use the expression, he was admitted ; I think there was a case or two of that sort that Mr. Gibson registered. 643. 3 1 3 15558- In