4o 8 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE Mr. T. Deehan. particularly, where a number of his tenants came forward to register, a Mr. Armstrong who attended with the counterparts of their leases; they never had 19 July 1838. counterparts, the only part that had been executed was in his custody; they had applied to him once or twice, about the time of the service of their notices to register, for their leases ; he refused giving them ; they came forward to the clerk of the peace to register, but Mr. Cosgreave refused allowing secondary evidence of those leases, 011 the ground that they had not more repeatedly, or within more recent date, made application to the landlord for the counterparts. 15637. Mr. O'Connell Was he at the registry himself?— He was not. 15638. What Mr. Armstrong was that ?— A gentleman they call Mr. Sheares Armstrong. 15639. Chairman.] Then where is his property situate ?— At Ballycummin, in the King's County. 15640. Were there many of his tenants who were so situated?— I recollect seven or eight of them. 15641. Do you believe those tenants would have come forward voluntarily, of their own free will, or do you believe they were invited to conic forward to register ?— No ; I believe they would be most anxious to come forward. 15642. You do not believe that any exertion was made to induce them to come forward ?— I do not. 15643. It was entirely voluntary on their part ?— It was. 15644. As a general proposition, you think the tenantry would not adopt the particular views of their landlord, or go with him ?— I think, if left to their own choice, they would not. 15645. Mr. Curry.] Unless the opinions of the landlord were Liberal ?— Un- less the opinions of the landlord coincided with theirs. 15646. Do you mean if the landlord's opinions were Liberal, the tenants would vote on the same side with him ?— Certainly. 15647. But if the landlord's opinions were Conservative, the tenants would vote for the Liberal interest?— They would. ] 5648. And that of themselves ?— Yes, and they have done so, in this county. 15649. Chairman.] Without any influence whatever being used?— Without interference; the interference, in the first instance, which as I have stated they always apprehended, was the interference of the landlords. 15650. That is the only interference that ever takes place?-— As to personal interference, I know not of any other; there is frequently public discussion, but as to personal interference I have not seen it. 15651. Is there not active canvassing going on ?— By the Members and their immediate friends. 15652. But, previous to the registration, was there not active canvassing going on by different parties in the county?— No ; previous to the registration of 1832 there was nothing like a canvass to bring them forward; in one instance I heard it alleged by a landlord that there was influence used with his tenantry, and he attended at the sessions to prevent their coming forward to claim the franchise. 15653- % whom ?— Mr. Barry Fox. 15654. By whom was the interference alleged to have been used?— He could not attribute it to any person ; he stated there were anonymous letters written to some of his tenantry to come forward ; but he could not attribute them to any particular individual, and those anonymous letters were disavowed openly in court by all the persons concerned at that time for the Liberal interest. ^ 15655- * think you have stated you have not been acquainted with the King's County registration since October 1832 ?— No, not particularly. APPENDIX.