o J ON PETITIONS RELATING TO LIMERICK TAXATION. 45 I had no letter from the Chairman of this Honourable Committee, and I felt a little jealous that I should have heard nothing on it. When did you receive the summons from this Committee ?— It was forwarded to me at Liverpool. Have you the letter enclosing that ?— I have the letter at my lodgings. Will you bring that letter to the Committee?— Yes, I hope I have not injured it; I believe that letter merely says, " I enclose you, so and so." Did you state in the club- house in Limerick, that you had received a letter from the Chairman on the subject ?— I did not; and I am exceedingly guarded in talking in club- houses in Limerick on any question of city politics. Did you say you had received a letter from any one, containing a paragraph to this effect, " that Mr. Rice had been so fortunate as to strike a Committee perfectly to his own rnind, although he expected to be opposed, and that he hoped, with their help, to cleanse the augean stable?'"— I have no recollection of any such conversation; I have no such impression on my mind. Did you ever hear, or do you believe, that any such communication was made ?— I do not believe any such communication was made, it is too monstrous; the expres sions are so strong, that I never should have forgotten them. I am sure such an observation never was made. Appendix ( A.) J. N. Russell, Esq. (< 21 June.) 7'!:! ... • : r : . Luna, .24° die Junii, 1822. THOMAS SPRING RICE, ESQUIRE. IN THE CHAIR. John Norris Russell, Esquire; again Called in, and Examined. YOU were asked in your former examination, whether you had received a letter from the chairman of the Committee ?— I was. Have you searched for that letter ?— I have. Can you produce - it ?— This is the letter I have received. [ It was delivered in, and read, as follows:] " My dear Sir, " My friend, your son tells me you wish to receive your summons at Liverpool. I send it inclosed accordingly. I am ever and truly yours, " J. N. Russell, esq." ( Signed) " Thomas Spring Rice." Did that cover contain any document ?— No document whatever, except the summons. You were asked whether the Chamber of Commerce of Limerick had ever con- tributed towards defraying the election expenses of any candidate for the city of Limerick ?— Yes, I was. Do you wish to explain any part of your evidence given on a former day ?— I do. I was asked whether I had been a member of the association called the Committee of Independence, and if such now existed ; to those questions my answer was, cer- tainly not: to this I must add, that several years since, when such a society did exist, I was invited, with several of my family, to become members ; we declined it, not approving of all that had been done by the committee; it now does not exist, the rights for the restoration of which their exertions were directed, having been decided by a Committee of the House. Is there any further explanation you wish to give?— I was asked whether the Chamber of Commerce at Limerick did not contribute to the expenses of an election, or a petition against the return in that election ; my answer was, " certainly not"; but when an appeal was lodged against the Report of the Committee to the House, as to our rights as citizens, and not involving the interests of any individual, the Chamber of Commerce came forward with their funds, raised by and from them- selves, and defended the decision of that Committee ; which restored to them and their children those rights which had been before usurped by strangers and aliens. [ The following Petition from the Journals of the House, dated May 1 st, 1821, was read.] " The Petition of the Corporation of the Chamber of Commerce of Limerick; Sheweth, That the petitioners are deeply interested in every measure which may in 617. M any J. N. Russell, Esq. ( 24 June.)