\ 12 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE T. Courtenay, Esq. 6476. Did you say nothing more to him ?— I said that of course he ought to ' support his landlady; that it was her wish that he should do so ; and 1 said the 23 March 1838. same to all the tenants upon the estate. 6477. Nothing more than that?— No, I do not recollect that I said anything more than that. . , 6478. Chairman.] When did this conversation take place ?— before trie last election. 6479. That election was when ?— In August 1837. 6480. Mr. O'Connell.] But he did not vote for you at the last election ?— No. 6481.' But he did vote for you at the former election?— He voted for Mr. White at the election before that. 6482. At what election did he vote for Mr. Lefroy?— In 1835 he voted for Mr. Lefroy and Lord Forbes. 6483. There have been four elections since the Reform Bill in Longford ?— There have. 6484. One was only for a single individual?— Yes. 6485. The time when he voted for Mr. Lefroy, was there any influence used to get him to give that vote ?— No particular influence. If I may be permitted to correct myself, he did not vote for Mr. Lefroy upon that occasion, but he offered to vote for him and Lord Forbes; and he came to me and said, " Sir, you will oblige me very much if you do not ask me to vote unless it goes to a great pinch." And I said, " Why, Duffey, what is the reason that you should hesitate about it ?" He said he had a son that he was bringing up for the church, and if he voted with us he would be ruined, or something of that sort. 6486. Chairman.] By " the church," which church did he mean ?— The Roman- catholic church. But he said, " I will be within call, and if you want me, I am determined to go notwithstanding." So I said, " Duffey, that is all I can expect of youand I pointed out a place to which he was to go, to remain till the last day of the election ; and I promised that I would not ask him to vote if it was possible to do without him. We found we had a good majority the night before the poll closed, and I sent Duffey word to go home, that I did not want him. 6487. Mr. O'Connell.] Where was it you sent him to?— To a house near the town of Longford. 6488. Where there were voters?— I believe there were no other voters in it but himself. At the next election that came 011 I thought that we had a double claim upon him for having treated him in that way, and notwithstanding he came up and voted against us. 6489. Chairman.'] Then he voted for Mr. White in December 1836, and he voted for the two Messrs. White in August 1837?— Yes. 6490. He was all this time upon Lady Ross's property as a tenant, and voting out of his right of tenancy under her, and he still continues to be her tenant?— He still continues to be a tenant of the representatives of Lady Ross; Lady Ross is dead. 6491. You having had the management of the property both under the late Lady Ross, and continuing to have the management under her present representa- tives ?— Yes. 6492. Has anything been done to the man subsequent to the last election as connected with his then voting against the wishes of the representatives of Lady Ross ?— Nothing. 6493. Mr. Lefroy.] Under what influence was it that he was brought forward to vote against the wishes of his landlady ?— I conceive that he was brought forward under the influence and by the direction of the priests. 6494. Chairman.'] Why do you say that ?— Connected with his statement to me upon a former occasion, that he had a son for the church, together with what the man told me when I asked him why he voted against his landlady in 1 836 ; he said he could not help it, for that he could not stay in the county if he did other- wise. 6495. He told you that subsequent to his voting for Mr. White, in December 1836?— He did. 6496. Mr. Litton.] You said that this man himself told you so ; did others tell you the same ?— Others told me. 6497. Many others ?— Many others upon other estates told me that they were obliged to come forward against their own inclinations ; that they knew they were injuring themselves. ' 6498. Did