/ to SELECT COMMITTEE ON FICTITIOUS VOTES, IRELAND. ,„, l) having bond fide persons upon the register that there should be an anneal aeainst u n „ , improper admissions, as well as improper rejections ?- Yes, I think so § Jtogfcr. in 18,2 who fester J in h' ^ ^^ ° f ,, erS° nS that a^ eared uPon the register ,8 February, 838. m 1832, who registered in the conservative interest. Are Vou aware of several of those parties having registered without any proper claim to do so ?- There were a great many because the opposition to them was not at all the same as the ODDO- sition to our interest. The object of our party seemed to be to extend the & chise, and of the other to cramp it. • 3l § 3, Are >' ou of ° Pinion that many were registered in the conservative interest in it> 32 that had no right to register?— There were many. 3784. Chairman.'] Are they still upon the register?— They are. 3785. Mr. Beamish.] Are you aware whether many of them voted at the last election ?— Many of them voted at the last election. 3786. Are any of those appearing among the names handed in by Mr. Lane or Mr. Young?— Yes ; there are many of those who voted at the last election in the conservative interest. 3787. You are aware that there are a great many poor freemen upon the regis- ter of the city of Cork ?— I am. 1 3788. What class of voters are they ?— Of the very poorest, the worst, and most corrupt description. 3789. Have they been in the habit of offering their votes to parties disposed to purchase them?— They were always considered a marketable commodity to the highest bidder. 3790. Not only for election purposes for representatives for the House of Com- mons, but also for corporate offices?— Yes; they have sold themselves upon all occasions. 3791. Can you state about what number they consist of ?— As far as lean bring to recollection I think the poor freemen may be 300 or 400, probably more. 3792. And, as a body, you say you consider them most corrupt ?— Most cor- rupt as a body, and a great nuisance amongst a good constituency. 3793. l) o you conceive, as a body, that they possess the value in point of resi- dence? Supposing they were to register in a different capacity, do you think any and what number of them could sustain a value of 10Z. ?— I do not think 40 out of the entire could do so upon the household franchise. 3794. Are you aware whether they voted at the last election?— They did. 3795. Chairman.] Can you state any case in which, to your own knowledge, the votes of any freemen were bought ?— I heard and believe that they were bought. 3796. Do you know any case, of your own knowledge, in which any freemen's votes were bought ?— That was managed by one of the body as head of the squad, and whatever way that man voted the rest were sure to vote, and the natural conclusion was that he understood the party. That was the way the freemen managed it. „ 3797. Can you state any case in which any one individual was bought r— No, I was no party to it; I can state only from general repute, and the way they voted. , 3708 Have you any other reason but from general repute, and from tlie way in which those parties voted, for your statement as to the corruption of those freemen?— I am as convinced of it as I can be of anything that I did not see, from various circumstances. . , . orqq But you cannot state any individual case which can be investigated in any way ?— No, because I was no party to it; but in the elections generally they have " one in squads, one party taking a number of poor freemen with mm, and the parties eoino- in that way in the same direction that that man went. 3800 When was that done last, to your knowledge ?- lt has been done^ o or three elections ago. I believe that, since the Registry Act, they are not so_ mail- able a commodity, because they are overpowered by the household franchise, and they are not so valuable in the market. aM nnt , n . VPii 801. You mean to say, that the votes of 300 or 4oo f> « n. en worth purchasing as the/ were before ?- They are not at all worth purchasing scarcely for an election for Members of Parliament. purchased ? 3802. Do you mean to say, that at this moment the freeu en are not pu. chased - They are of no value ; they could be purchased very easily it they y value. 3803. You 0.46. Y 3 1