SELECT COMMITTEE ON FICTITIOUS VOTES, IRELAND. / < 2 y V c V 433 75? 17- Now do you believe that then to have been a doubtful vote, as to its Mr T Deehan validity ?— My impression at that time was, that it was a rentcharge given for ' the purpose of creating a vote without a bond fide intention of paying it. i9 July 1838 15618. If there was a bond fide intention of payment, the vote would be good ?— A bond fide intention and payment. 15619. If there was a bond fide intention of payment carried into execution the vote would be a good one ?— Yes. 15620. But supposing it to be a bad one, his name has remained upon the register ever since ?— Yes. 15621. And no means, except an appeal to the House of Commons, could prevent his vote being available ?— No other means. 15622. Were these cases of bad votes principally on the side of the Conser- vative party. I mean persons admitted upon the registry whom you believe not to have a legal qualification ?— No, I do not think there were many ; there was greatTcare taken in 1832 by the Conservatives in bringing up their claimants; they had a very clever talented agent. 15623. But was he talented in only bringing forward persons who had good grounds for their claims, or was he talented in objecting to your good claimants, and supporting his bad ones ?— He was exceedingly talented in opposing all our claimants, good and bad; and some of his cases, that underwent a good deal of discussion, he showed great talent in upholding. 15624. And was he successful in upholding his claimants?— The great majority ; indeed, the great majority of the Conservatives in 1832 were registered upon the production of their former certificates, which did not admit of any or very little discussion. 15625. Do you believe, upon the whole, that there were many claimants registered at. that period who ought not to have been registered?— No, I do not think there were. 15626. Not 011 the side of the Conservatives a bit more than on the side of the Liberals ?— No, I do not think there were, as far as my observation went. 15627. Then your general evidence is, that there were very few persons placed upon the registry who had not a right to vote at the registering sessions of 1832 ? — I think there were very few persons placed upon the registry who were not entitled to be placed there ; except there were one or two persons whom I heard subsequently had got registered, upon the production of their former certifi- cates, notwithstanding they had parted with their interest, or a portion of the interest in the land. 15628. You said you had frequently, previously to the claimants coming for- ward, communications with individuals as to the propriety of their claims to vote or not ?— I had. 15629. And you discouraged all those persons whose claims you thought ill founded ?— I did. 15630. How far were you successful afterwards in establishing the claims of those individuals who, upon investigation, were presumed to have good votes ; did many of them succeed in establishing their claims before the assistant barrister or not?— I thought there were a good number similarly circumstanced to the case I have mentioned, of John Cummins, where they derived a considerable income from the land, infinitely more than 10 /., though not amounting to 20/., but not holding so much in their actual occupation as was worth 10/.; those persons were rejected. 15631. Then 1 understand Mr. Cosgreave's principle was this, with regard to that class of claimants, that they must be in the occupation of premises to the value of 10 /., as well as in the possession of them ?— Yes. 15632. That he laid down as his construction of the several Acts of Parliament! — He acted upon that construction. 15^ 33. Did you oppose that construction ?— Yes. 15634. That was a point argued before Mr. Cosgreave, and after discussion he affirmed the principle as you have stated it?— He did. . 15635. You stated that the landlords were generally anxious to prevent then- tenants registering ?— They were. . ' . 15636. What was their motive for that anxiety?-! rather think then- motive was, that where they had tenants who were Roman- catholics if they were placed upon the registry, the great probability was, that those tenants would vote with the Liberal candidates; and as to opposition, there was one gentleman 6 3K particularly,