\ 254 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE Rev E M'Gaver. 12285. You collected in parishes, and sent it to the General Association in — Dublin?— Yes. . . 29 May 1838. 12286. Mr. O'Connell.] The question refers to the justice rent, not the Cathohe rent ^ Y" es* ~ 12287. Mr. Serjeant Jackson.] You had the Catholic rent, and you had also a justice rent?— We have formerly had a Catholic rent, and we have a justice rent. * 12288. Mr. Curry.] The Catholic rent ceased with the emancipation?— Yes. 12289. Mr. Serjeant Jackson.] You have not remitted any money to Dublin since the emancipation?— We have remitted the justice rent since. 12290. Have you appointed churchwardens in your county?— Not in my parish ; in the county, perhaps, there might be. 12291. Did you hear of them in the county of Longford?— Yes. 12292. You heard of the Roman- catholic Association calling upon the different parishes to have churchwardens ?— Yes, I think they did. 12293. And they did so in some parishes?— Yes. 12294. What were those churchwardens for?— I think their object a very good one, but I did not appoint my own. 12295. Was it any part of their business to look to the registration and to the elections ?— I think so. It was also for the suppression of crime : if they saw any- thing illegal, any persons coming forward connected with an illegal society, they put a stop to it. 12296. Mr. O'Connell.] Those churchwardens totally ceased in 1829?— I do not know that they exist now. 12297. you mean to say that any of them have existed since 1829 ?— I believe not. 12298. Mr. Serjeant Jackson. J You spoke of the Roman- catholic priests in the county of Longford being very generally engaged in the registries and electioneer- ing topics ?— Yes. 12299. You yourself attended mostly at the registry at the elections ?— Yes. 12300. How many priests attended ?— I should not think there is a parish in the county that did not send one priest, at all events ; there are generally two in every parish ; in every case one attended, and the other might stay at home and do the parochial duty. 12301. In some instances two came?— In some instances two might come. 12302. To conduct the people who were to register or to vote?— To vote they did ; to register they did not. 12303. They came in with bodies of the people to vote ?— Yes. 12304. Did you go in with your people ?— I did. 12305. You brought them into the county town where the polling was ?— I brought them up to the poll. 12306. You rode at their head ?— I did. 12307. Each of the reverend gentlemen came in at the head of his troop ?— I do not know that all did, but I did, and some others. 12308. Was that the case before 1829?— I think in 1833, the first election after the Reform Bill, was the first time that we found it necessary to take this step. 12309. Then it was not necessary to take this step before the Reform Bill passed ?— I believe it was necessary, but it had not been adopted. We knew many instances where they were put in the Saturday before the election, and made drunk and confined, and they would not be let out at their own wish. 12310. Mr. (/ Connell.] By whom was that done?— By Mr. Lefroy's party, and Lord Forbes's. At the last election, the Catholic curate of Drumleish came to me and said, that a number of his parishioners were brought into the Sutcliffe's hotel; I went with him ; I met Mr. Courtenay in the lobby ; I asked him to let us pass, and he said he would not, that the house was theirs ; I said that I hoped that they would not take possession of the house, it being a public hotel; he said it was theirs then. The hotel- keeper was at home. " Though I know you so well," said I, " I do not think I will take your word in this instance. I will learn the fact. If it is a public hotel, I consider that I have a right to pass in." I sent for the hotel- beeper, and he said it was Mr. Lefroy's, and I was then obliged to go off. The men were still drunk; two men of the name of M'Ghee ° and Jordan. M'Ghee was brought home that night in a carriage to Carryglass. 12311. Who lives at Carryglass?— Mr. Lefroy. Dr. Lefroy lives at Carry- glass. He asked leave to go out on Sunday to prayers, and his object was to get from