./ V SELECT COMMITTEE ON FICTITIOUS VOTES, IRELAND. Si 8238. Mr. Serjeant Jackson.'] Did you ever hear of a person having a right Mr. Patrick Flood to vote in two separate interests, and in that case might lie not have two certi- - — ficates ?— Yes, he might, but not at the same sessions ; just in the same sessions 8 May 1838. in 1832. I think it is very extraordinary having two certificates in the same interest. 8239. Did Mr. Boucher tell you that those double certificates were all taken out in the same interest ?— No. 8240. Did he tell you that they were taken out improperly ?— Certainly, he admitted so. * 8241. He told you that he himself issued them?— By no means. I put the question, and he said there were a number voting that had a life dropped. I said I was aware of it, and that there were a number of duplicate certificates taken out in 1832. " Most decidedly there is," he said. 8242. Is that what he said?— Words to that effect. 8243. Did he admit that those certificates were taken out in respect of the registry in the same interest ?— There were three or four notices served for one man; I would find the same man three or four times on the same list. 8244. Did he tell you that?— I had as good information as he had, because I had the list; he admitted it to me. 8245. Did he admit it to you in any other words than those you have given ? — No ; we had not a long conversation. 8246. Do you mean he told you that all those duplicate certificates were taken out in the same interest ?— I am satisfied that he was well aware that I knew it myself. I think he is a man that would tell the facts ; although he is on the Conservative side, he is as honourable a man as can be put in the situation. 8247. If he was conscious that you knew those facts as well as he knew them, what would be the use of his telling you ?—- He must know better as he has the books; they might be taken out without being known to him, for he has so much business going on. The clerk of the peace acted as his assistant. 8248. Did he tell you who issued them ?— No ; there is 110 necessity for that; they must be signed by the chairman and by the clerk of the peace. 8249. Did he tell you that the clerk of the peace issued them?— No ; I did not ask the names ; there was no necessity for that. 8250. Mr. Hogg.] What connexion is there between the dropping of the lives and the duplicate certificates ? The conversation appears to have com- menced by your stating that a number of lives had dropped, and you say that he immediately replied, " Yes, there is a number of duplicate certificates." Is there any connexion between the dropping of the lives and the granting of duplicate certificates ?— No, they are separate and distinct. This conversation occurred about a year ago. 8251. Did you take any means of having this rectified after you had this conversation, and found out the duplicate certificates had been issued in any particular instances ; did you take any means of having it rectified, or to carry the information to any proper person ?— It is not in our power to rectify it; all that we can do is to object to them coming up to poll. 8252. When did you first find it out?— In 1832. The election took place immediately after the registry. 8253. Did not you know of duplicate certificates having been issued till after the election ?— Yes, I was aware that they attempted to take them out; but till M'Keon came up, I was not aware of any case. 8254. Then till M'Keon came up to poll you were not aware of the existence of any one case in which any individual had obtained two certificates ?—- I knew they had made attempts. 8254*. But you did not know that any individual had actually obtained two certificates ?— No, I did not. 82.55. You had a suspicion that attempts had been made, but you knew 110 actual case ?— No. 82.56. Mr. Serjeant Jackson.] You say that the Conservatives who were registered, generally speaking, had not half value ?— I am not saying that they had not half value, but I say they had not more than half the value of the claims that we tendered, and which were rejected. 8257. Then I am to understand you as admitting that the Conservatives who M registered