\ iS MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE T. Courtenay, Esq. of tenant for those lands ?— I have; double the rent, and beyond double the rent that any solvent man could pay for it. March 1838. 6822. Sworn to as the value of the land?— Sworn to as the value. 6823. Have you observed that perjury to a great extent ?— I consider to a fright- ful extent. 6824. Do you conceive that the present system ot registry tends to an awful demoralization of the population, by accustoming them to the taking of false oaths? — I conceive that it does. 6825. And that the pressure and urgency which is exercised in forcing men for ward to register has tended to that?— Yes, very much so ; I do not think it originates with the claimant himself, from any anxiety on his part to be upon the register; I am convinced it does not. 6826. Mr. Litton.] Are you not satisfied that in many instances he is pressed forward to swear what he knows to be false ?— I conceive that many are pressed forward to swear what they know to be false, to swear to a value which the man would no more think of giving, if he had the estate to take over again, than he would think of flying. 6827. To swear to a value which he knows to be false ?— To swear to a value which he knows to be exaggerated and false. 6828. Mr. Beamish.'] Do you know that of your own knowledge?— If I came before the Committee to give evidence of the value of land I should say so. 6829. The property is sworn to be of a value far beyond what could possibly be obtained for it ?— Far beyond what any man could obtain for it. 6830. Mr. Lefroy.] Have you ever known an instance of a man not swearing up to the value, and being rebuked for it ?— I have known men to go on the table and to be rejected on their own evidence, and upon going oft' the table I have seen them, as I conceived, rebuked for it. 6S31. For not swearing up to the value?— As I conceived, for not having sworn to the full stretch. 6832. Mr. O'Connell.] You did not hear the words ?— I did not hear the words pass. 6833. Mr. Lefroy.] Have you ever heard exciting speeches to the people to urge them to come forward and register ?— During the reform registry I did, w hen the town was very much crowded, and party feeling was running very high ; I heard speeches made at the rising of the sessions court in the evening. 6834. Do you think that those speeches had the effect of inducing many men to come forward who otherwise would not ?— I think it stirred up ignorant men who had no idea of coming forward, but for the excitement and for the speech that was delivered. 6835. Chairman.] Do you conceive that it stirred up men who ought not to have been stirred up ?— I do. 6836. That is to say, persons that had not the qualification which the Reform Bill intended ?— Yes. 6837. Mr. Litton.] And who would not have thought of coming forward if it had not been for that pressure ?— I conceive so, from the facts that came out upon the examination of them before the chairman. 6838. Mr. O'Connell.] Can you state what number of rent- chargers are registered in the county of Longford ?— Not exactly; but there are a good many. 6839. Have your party the majority of the rent- chargers ?— They have. 6840. A very decided majority?— 1 think so: I shall be able to state the next day about the number of rent- chargers. I believe that returns of those numbers have been supplied to The House. 6841. Mr. Lefroy.] Do you think it would be an improvement if the lists were made out not only alphabetically, but also with reference to the parishes or other sub- divisions, so that all of the same neighbourhood should be called on together ? — 1 do: it would facilitate the business. 6842. Would it not facilitate the investigation of the rights of the parties, and also diminish the expense by shortening the time that it would be necessary to keep the parties and the witnesses at the place of registration ?— Yes; particularly if at the expiration of eight years there should be are- registry upon the same system. 6843. At present there is no appeal, and if the registry be not opened there is no possibility of reviewing the qualification of any elector?— No possibility of reviewing it, unless by a Committee of The House of Commons. 6844. And if they do not open the register there is no way?— No way. 6845. Do