ON PETITIONS RELATING TO LIMERICK TAXATION. 73 / They were opposing the corporation as it now is ?— No, not opposing the corpo- ration at all, bat opposing the individual who was managing it, because several of those who were members of the committee, were members of the corporation. v One of the ways they took was, by supporting an adverse candidate to the candidate supported by the corporation ?— Certainly it was. And they had several contested elections for that purpose ?— They had, certainly; they wished, by that means, to try the rights of birth, marriage and servitude, by polling those persons claiming under those rights, and having them tried by. Parliament. They entered into subscriptions for the purpose of carrying on those elections ?— Yes, they did ; the election was one mode of trying the rights. , And they put the candidate to no expense?— I do not think they cared much who the candidate was, for the candidate subscribed as well as any body else. Were you agent upon the election of Mr. Tuthill ?— I do not think I was ever agent to Mr. Tuthill individually ; I was agent to the independents who support him. Did not you conduct the election ?— In fact there was no one conducted it, there were several employed in it. You were election agent to the present member also ?— Yes, I was; I was not con- ducting agent to that honourable member, for I was, at that time, conducting another election in the county ; but I assisted thein all I could. You have, yourself, personally petitioned the corporation for admission to the freedom of the city ?— I did, immediately after my father obtained his freedom. Your father also petitioned?— He did, and he got his freedom; and they said afterwards that they intended it as a compliment; but I declined receiving it as such. Have you been as yet admitted?— No, certainly not. Has your petition been taken into consideration ?— I do not know, I can get no information about it; there could be no difficulty in knowing that I was the eldest son of my father Do you know that it has been referred to a committee appointed by the council ? — I do not know that; I heard that it was. They told you so ?— They may have told me so; but there have been several councils held, and yet there is no decision upon it. Do you not consider it right that, before you can be admitted, your petition should be examined by a committee so appointed ?— Most assuredly I do, provided there was any difficulty in it; but I think there can be no difficulty in ascertaining whether I am the eldest son of my father, which could be the only question ; and my father having got his freedom within two years, there could be no difficulty about it. Do not you know, that a peer of the realm must prove the marriage of his father and mother before he can exercise any of the rights attached to him as such ?— Yes, I do; but I was ready to prove, and offered to prove, the marriage of my father and mother, if called upon to do so; and several of the council told me that it was a question not raised, and not disputed. Do not you know, that an Irish peer must go through the same ceremony before he can be elected ?— I believe he does. Did you offer to give any evidence to that effect ?— I did, and several of the council told me it was unnecessary, for they knew I was my father's eldest son. Have you tendered any legal fees incident to your admission ?— Yes. Were you ever called upon to prove this?— No; on the contrary, they told me they did not doubt it. Who was mayor at the time you presented your petition?— Sir Christopher Marrett, I believe. You state that the acreable tax upon the liberties is very heavy ?— Yes, I under* stand it is. Do not you consider that to be owing to the incapacity of the Old Town to bear its taxation ?— I consider it owing to the mode in which the presentments have been granted ; in granting them in a most extravagant manner to the friends of the cor- poration, and refusing others more entitled to them. > Had you not a presentment yourself?— I will tell the Committee what present- ment I had; there was a road made through the liberties of Limerick, as if a public road, for which a very large sum of money was granted. I built an iron bridge upon my estate, and I asked for a presentment of sixpence, for about 20 perches of road, and they refused me that presentment; and I was obliged to make the road at my 617. own