SELECT COMMITTEE ON FICTITIOUS VOTES, IRELAND. 215 12261. You thought it was more generally influential?— I do not know that; I think if I give an exhortation upon morals or dogma, it will have more influence by giving it from the altar than if I spoke to them individually. 12262. Then you intended it to have something of sanctity by doing it from the altar?— No; I do consider that it takes from the sanctity of the altar to explain to men their moral obligations. 12263. But doing it from the altar would make it more impressive upon the people ?— I do not think it would, because, if I took the trouble of speaking to them individually, I think they would believe me as well as from the altar. 12264. Then you mean to say, that the lower order of the Roman- catholic people would not consider an address to them from the altar as more impressive, and par- taking more of exhortation to them, than a conversation in a private room by a Roman- catholic clergyman ?— No ; if I spoke as a clergyman to them in any place, I think it would have the same effect. 12265. You were understood upon the former day to state that, as a clergyman, you felt it inconsistent rather with your clerical character to engage in the valuing of land ?— I did not like to do it, as a Catholic clergyman, to go as a valuator. 12266. You wished to confine yourself to your clerical duties?— I thought there were others to do that, and when it could be done without me, I thought it was better to desist from it. 12267. Then it was the trouble that prevented you from doing it ?— It was, partly. 12268. Then what did you mean by your answer to question 11800, " I wished, as a clergyman, to keep aloof from the value of that land"?— Yes, it takes a great deal of time to go through a country to value land accurately. 12269. This was with respect to the value of one particular farm only?— When I did not intend to go into the land generally, I did not like to go into one farm. 12270. Have not you given a vast deal of time to registration and to election- eering objects ?— I have, a vast deal of my time. 12271. Infinitely more than it would have cost you to put a value upon this farm ?— Upon one farm. 12272. Are you a member of a club?— I am. 12273. What is that club?— The Electors' Club. 12274. What is the name of it?— The Longford Electors' Club. 12275. Are there many of those clubs in Longford?— But one in the county. 12276. Upon the last day you spoke of Roman- catholic clergymen in the county of Longford being members of clubs ?— There is but one club ; that club changed its name; when the General Association was brought into existence, it changed its name it had then, and took this name, and on that account I spoke of it in the plural number. 12277. question 11899 you uere asked, " You have no doubt that he had addressed them ?" You answered, " I believe he did ; and we all agreed at our clubs to exert ourselves to the best of our power to perfect the registry and return fit and proper persons to represent us." Do you mean to say that when you spoke of that, you spoke only of this club?— Yes, I have explained that. We had a Liberal club at one time, and it afterwards took the name of the General Re- gistration Association Club. We left off the other name and took this ; therefore, when I spoke of it in the plural, I meant the former one as well as the present. 12278. Were they different clubs ?-— The same persons belonged to both, but we had every year some falling in and some falling out. 12279. Was the club in communication with the Association in Dublin?— I think it was from time to time. 12280. In correspondence with that Association in Dublin?— I do not know that it had anything to do with that, except in name; the same object was before all. 12281. Was there any contribution sent from the county of Longford to the Association in Dublin ?— I do not think there was. 12282. Do you know whether there was anything sent to the General Associa- tion in Dublin,' or the Roman- catholic Association ?— I do not recollect that there was any money sent from our county club to the General Association. 12283. Mr. O'Connell.] Was there anything sent to the justice rent?— Yes, there was. 12284. Mr. Serjeant Jackson.'] Who sent that, was it the Longford Club ?— No, it became parochial, each parish contributed tor itself. 643. H A 4 12285. You