The Sun.
London, England, 1831-03-28 00:00:00

A BILL TO AMEND THE REPRESENTATION

OF THE PEOPLE IN IRELAND.

[Note.—The Words printed in Italics are proposed to be
inserted in the Committee.]
Whereas it is expedient to diminish the expenses of
elections in Ireland, and to extend the elective franchise to
man); of his Majesty's subjects therein, who have not
heretbfore enjoyed the same, and to increase the number
of representatives for certain cities and boroughs in that
part of the United Kingdom; be it therefore enacted, by
the King's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice
and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and
Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by
the authority of the same, that in addition to the free-
holders now by law entitled to vote at elections of Knights
of the Shire, every male person of lull age and not subject
to any legal incapacity, holding any lands or tenements
within any county in Ireland by lease for any term of years
not less than twenty-one years from the commencement
thereof, whereon a rent of not less than fifty pounds an-
nually shall have been bona fide reserved, shall, altar due
registration under this Act, have a right to vote at the
election of Knights of the Shire to serve for such county
in any future Parliament.
And be it further enacted, that nothing in this Act con-
tained shall take away or in any manner affect the right of
voting for Knights of the Shire at present enjoyed by, or
which may hereafter accrue to any person by virtue of any
law now in force, except so far as is herein provided.
And be it enacted, that after the end of this present
Parliament, every person owning or holding lands cr tene-
ments situate within any city, town, or borough in Ire-
land, returning a Member or Members to serve in Parlia-
ment, and which lands or tenements, if situated in a
county at large would under any law now in force or under
this Act entitle the owner or holder thereof to vote at an
election for such county, or who is now in any other right
not affected by this Act, entitled to vote at an election for
such city, town, or borough, shall, upon being duly re-
gis'ered under this Act, be entitled, under the restrictions
hereinafter contained, to vote at any election for a Member
or Members to serve in Parliament for such city, town, or
borough respectively : provided always, that no person
shall be allowed to vote at any election for a Member or
Members to serve in any future Parliament for any city,
town, or borough, for or in respect of any freehold estate
in lands or tenements other than is now by law necessary
to entitle any person to vote at a county election, save as
hereinafter provided.
And be it enacted, that no person shall vote at any elec-
tion for any Member to serve in any future Parliament for
any county, by virtue of any right hereby conferred in re-
spect of the ownership or possession of any lands or tene-
ments, unless he shall have been seized or possessed thereof
for the space of thirty days at the least before the registra-
tion in pursuance of this Act made last before the election
at which he shall claim to vote.
And be it enacted, that a Committee of his Majesty's
Most Honourable Privy Council, to he named by the Lord
Lieutenant or other chief Governor or Governors of Ire-
land, under his or their hand or hands, shall have power
to inquire into and determine the limits and boundaries of
every city, town, and borough in Ireland, having the right
of sending a Member or Members to Parliament, and to
annex to and incorporate with any such city, town or
borough, not containing more than two hundred houses of
the value required by this Act to qualify the owners or
occupiers thereof to vote at the election of any Member or
Members for such city, town or borough, any parish,
barony or half birony, or part of any parish, barony or
half barony, locally situate within the limits so deter-
mined, and shall within three months next after the pass-
ing of this Act lay before the Lord Lieutenant or other
chief Governor or Governors of Ireland in Council a re-
port of such determination ; and it shall thereupon be
lawful for such Lord Lieutenant or other chief Governor
or Governors to issue a Proclamation making known such
determination and report, from the date of which Procla-
mation each such city and borough respectively shall, for
the purposes of elections only, be and remain bounded and
limited and annexed and incorporated respectively accord-
ing to such determination ; and such report shall be forth-
with laid before both Houses of Parliament.
And be it enacted, that at all elections of a Member or
Members to serve in any future Parliaments for any city,
town, or borough, in Ireland, every male person of full
age, duly registered under this Act, and not subject to any
legal incapacity, shall be entitled to vote, who shall have
held and occupied for six calendar months next preceding
the registration hereinafter directed, any dwelling-house
within such city, town or borough, bona fide subject to
the yearly rent of ten pounds, or which, if bona fide let
to a solvent tenant would produce the yearly rent of ten
pounds, or who shall have held for silcb period as aforesaid
any lands or tenements within such city, town or borough
by lease for any term not less than twenty •one years from
the commencement thereof, whereon a yearly rent of not
less th fifty pounds shall have been bona fide reserved.
And be it enacted, that every person now entitled to
vote at the election of a Member or Members to serve in
Parliament for any city, town or borough in Ireland shall
after such registration as is by this Act directed, and so
long only as he shall continue to reside within such city,
town or borough, have and enjoy such right of voting as
fully and in like manner as if this Act had not passed.
And be it enacted, that the city of Limerick, the city of
Waterford, the borough of Belfast, the county of the town
of Galway, and the University of Dublin, shall each re-
spectively return one Member to serve in each future Par-
liament, in addition to the Member which each of the said
places is now by law entitled to return.
And be it enacted, that the churchwardens of each
parish wholly or partly situate within, or by virtue of this
Act to be wholly or in part annexed to, any city, town or
borough returning a Member or Members to serve in Par-
liament shall on or before the next, and
on or before the in each subsequent
year, make out an alphabetical list of every male person
who shall for six calendar months previous thereto have
resided within such city, town or borough, or any district
thereunto annexed under this Act, and held and occupied
a dwelling-house therein, bona tide subject to the yearly
rent of ten pounds, or which if bona fide let to a solvent
tenant would produce the yearly rent of ten pounds, and
in respect of which house all rents, rates, and taxes shall
have been paid up to the time of making such list ; as also
of every male person of full age, and not legally incapaci-
tated to vote, anti holding any lands or tenements within
such city, town or borough, or such annexed district, for
a term and at a rent sufficient under the provisions of this
Act to qualify leaseholders for terms of years to vote at
county elections ; and also another list of every male per-
son having or claiming a right to vote at elections for a
Member or Members to serve in Parliament for such city
or borough by virtue of any right existing in such person
at the passing of this Act, and hereby saved ; and shall
cause both such lists to be affixed to the doors of the prin-
cipal churches, chapels anti other places of divine worship
within such city or borough, and the annexed district, if
any, on the three successive Sundays next after the making
of such lists; and such lists, when completed, shall be
transmitted by the several persons making the same to the
returning officer of the city or borough, who shall there
from make out one complete alphabetical list, to be by lam
kept until the arrival of the barrister appointed as here-
inafter mentioned to revise the same, and to be then given
by him to such barrister.
And be it enacted, that the churchwardens of each
parish wholly or partly situate in any county, or such
other two persons as shall be for that purpose named by
the Lord Lieutenant or other chief Governor or Governors
of Ireland, shall on or before the
next after the passing of this Act, and also on or before
the in every succeeding year,

mate out an alphabetical list of every person entitled to
vote at elections of Knights of the Shire for such county
by reason of any lands or tenements situate within such
parish, and held by such person for a term of years and at
a yearly rent sufficient under this Act to qualify leaseholders
to vote at county elections ; and also another alphabetical
list, of every clergyman entitled so to vote as such, and o'
every person now by law qualified to vote thereat, and
whose right in that respect is not hereby affected ; and
shall on or before the in each year
cause such lists to be affixed to the doors of the principal

thatches, chapels and other places of divine worship within
such parish, or in some other conspicuous places therein,
on the three first Sundays in the month of September in

„.. _
each year, and shall on or before the twenty fifth day of
September in each year send such lists to the clerk of the
peace of the county, to be by him retained until the ar-
rival of the barrister appointed to revise such lists as

hereinafter provided, and to be then handed by him to
such barrister ; and t.uch barrister shall within one week

after the same shall have been corrected and signed by him
as herein provided, re-deliver such lists to the clerk of the
peace, to remain With him until the same shall be required

at an election•

Provided always, and be it enacted, that every perso❑
now entitled, or hereafter establishing under the laws
now in force a right, to vote at any county election, and
who shall have duly obtained a certificate of registry for
that purpose, shall be entitled, upon the production of such
certificate to the churchwardens or other persons hereby
authorized either in the first instance to make or afterwards
to

_ alter or correct any list of voters for such county, to
have his name inserted in such list.
And be it enacted, that it shall be lawful for the Lord
Lieutenant or other Chief Governor or Governors of Ire-
land to nominate and appoint under his or their band or
hands (subject to the approbation of the Lord High Chan-
cellor of Ireland) any number of Barristers, not exceeding
eight, of a standing at the bar not less than
years, to revise the lists first made under this Act, and de-
cide, in manner hereinafter provided, upon all objections
made thereto.

And be it enacted, that each Barrister so appointed shall
act in and for such county, city, or borough, or counties,
cities, and boroughs, as shall in ids appointment be specified,
and shall give notice in seine newspaper or newspapers
published or circulated within his district, of his intention
to make a circuit of such district for the purpose of de-
riding upon the lists first made under this Act relating to
places within the same respectively, and of the several
times and places at which he will hold sittings for that
purpose ; and each such barrister shall accordingly hold
such sittings at such times and places.
And be it enacted, that such barri•ters shall hear and
inquire into and decide upon all objections, whether of
omission or insertion, made to the lists of voters hereby
directed to be made next after the passing of this Act, and
shall expunge from each such list purporting to be a list
of persons by this Act qualified, the name of every person
who shall not have owned or held, in the case of a county,
for thirty days, and in the case of a city or borough, for
six calendar months at the least before the first day of the
sitting at which such list shall be considered, lands or
tenements, or a dwellinghouse sufficient under this Act
to qualify him to vote, or who shall be in anywise inca-
pacitated from voting at the election of Members to serve
in Parliament, and shall insert therein the name of every
person who shall prove that he has owned or held any
house, houses, lands and tenements of the value and for
the length of time necessary under this Act to entitle him
to vote at any such election, and who shall not be by law
disqualified from on voting; and such barrister shall in
like manner expunge from each list purporting to be a
list of persons now qualified to vote, and whose right in
that respect is hereby saved, the name of every person ap-
pearing not to be so qualified or entitled, or to be legally
disqualified, and insert therein the name of every person
omitted therefrom who shall appear to be so entitled, and
not to be disqualified by any law from voting at elections.
And be it enacted, that no person's name shall be so ex-
punged, unless notice of the objection intended to be made
against such person shall have been given to such person,
or left at his residence within such county, city, or borough,
one clear week before the first day appointed for the sitting
el the said barrister ; nor shall any person's name be so
inserted without week's clear notice before such
day, to be given to the person or persons by whom the
list shall have been originally framed, and also to be affixed
upon the doors.of the principal churches, chapels, and
other places of divine worship within the county, city, or
borough to which the list shall relate.
And be it enacted, that the barrister appointed under this
Act to revise such lists, shall have power to administer to
any person professing the Roman Catholic religion the
oath nor^ required tc be taken by such persons in order to
entitle them to vote at elections; and it shall not be lawful
fcr such barrister to insert or retain in any such list the
name ofany person professing the Roman Catholic religion,
unless such person shall have taken such oath before him.
And be it enacted, that each such barrister shall at his

sitting under this Act have power to administer an oath to
and examine any person, touching any objection made to
any list by him to be deChied upon ; and that any person
wilfully swearing falsely on any such examination, shall
be deemed to be guilty of wilful and corrupt perjury.
And be it enacted, that such sittings shall not be at-
tended by any counsel, solicitor, or attorney on behalf of
any party ; and that the barrister shall, at such sitting,
finally determine upon all claims, questions or objections
relating to such lists respectively, and shall in open court
write the initial letters of his name opposite each name by
him inserted or expunged, and also sign his name to each
corrected list.
And be it enacted, that such lists, when so corrected
and signed, shall be tacked together,.Bo as that those be-
longing to each county, city, aad borough, may form one
list fur such county, city, or borough respectively ; and
such entire list, so signed by such barrister, shall, in case
of a county, be transmitted by him to the clerk of the
peace for the proper county, and in case of a city or
borough, to the proper returning officer, who shall keep
the same during his office, and shall, upon the expiration
thereof hand the same to his successor; and each clerk of
the peace and returning officer shall cause copies of such
respective lists to be printed at the expence of such county,
city, or borough, and a copy of such printed lists shall he
delivered to any person applying for the same, on payment
of the sum of sixpence.
And be it enacted, that the lists so transmitted to and
lodged with the clerk of the peace and returning officer re-
spectively, shall be th;:lists of electors to vote at elections
of knights, eitizen,,, and burgesses for the respective coun-
ties,cities, and boroughs for which the same shall have
made at any election to be held within twelve months
beennex t after the first day of December in each year ;
that the persons whose names shall he therein contained,
and no others, shall be deemed to be duly registered within
this Act ; and that no person shall be allowed to vote at
such election whose name shall not appear in such lists.
Ad
he
to it
t be enacted,
madeactec l, that no inquiry whatever shall be
permitted
at any election, as to the right of
voting of any person thereat, save only whether his quali-
fication for voting has expired, and whether the person
claiming to vote be the same person whose name appears
in the list deposited with the clerk of the peace or return-
ing cficer and whether such claimant has previously voted
at the same election, all which inquiries the returning
officer, sheriff, or his deputy, shall (if required on behalf
of any candidate) make from each voter at the time of ten-
dering his vote, and not after, upon the affidavit or affir-
n
illation of such voter, to be made in the form in the
schedule to this Act annexed ; and that any person wilfully
swearing or affirming falsely in such affidavit or affirmation
shall be deemed to be guilty of wilful and corrupt perjury :
provided always, that the oath against bribery, which may
now by law be administered to any person tendering his
vote at any election, may be administered to such person at
the desire of any candidate, in like manner as the same
might lawfully be administered before the passing of
this Act.
And he it enacted, that upon petition to the House of
Commons, complaining of an undue election of any knight,
citizen or burgess, any petitioner shall be at liberty to
question the correctness of the lists settled by such bar-
rister, and to prove that any name or names was or were
improperly retained, inserted, expunged or omitted therein
or therefrom, at the registration next preceding the return
complained of ; and the Committee to whom the merits of
such petition may be referred may inquire into the objec-
tion so made to such list, and alter the poll taken at such
election according to the truth of the case, and direct the
return to be amended accordingly.
Aud be it enacted, that no barrister nominated or ap-
pointed under this Act shall be eligible for. twelve months
next after the time of his appointment to serve in Parlia-
ment for any county, city, town or borough within the
district in which he shall have acted ; and each such
barrister shall be•paid a sum not exceeding
each day of his sitting.
And be it enacted, with respect to any list made under
this Act for any year after the present, that the assistant
barrister at his Civil Bill Court, in each county, and in
each city, town or borough locally situate within or ad-
joining to such county, and in the county of Dublin, the
Chairmen of Quarter Sessions, shall have and exercise all
rights, duties, powers and authorities for the revision of
such lists, and shall be subject to such and the like lia-
bilities, directions, rules andregulations with respect thereto
as are herein-before provided with respect to barristers

nominated and appointed by the Lord Lieutenant or other
Chief Governor or Governors of Ireland.

And be it enacted, that in case of a county election, the
clerk of the peace, or in case of any other election the
proper returning officer, shall three days at least before the
day fixed for such election, cause to be made for the use of
each booth employed at such election, a true copy of the
list of voters deposited with him, and shall under his
hand certify every such copy to be true and correct ;
and in case any clerk of the peace or returning office'
shall neglect to provide or certify any such copy, or shall
knowingly certify as true and correct any untrue or in-
correct copy or document purporting to be a copy of any
such list, the person so offending shall for such offenec
forfeit the sum of to be

recovered by an information in any of his Majesty's superior
Courts of Record, in the ❑ame of his Majesty's Attorney-
General, and to be paid to the use of his Majesty.
And he it enacted, that at all contested elections for a
Member or Members to serve in Parliament for any city
or borough, flu" poll shall commence on the day of nomi-
nation or on the day next following (not being Sunday) ;
and that the number of hours during which the poll shall
continue open, shall on the first day be seven, and on the
second day eight, and that the poll shall on no account be
kept open later than- of the clock in the afternoon
of the second day.
And be it further enacted, that the final state of the
poll at such election shall be declared not later tha❑ two of
of the clock in the afternoon of the third day, not including
Sunday, after the opening of the poll ; and the returning
officer shall return the Members to serve in Parliament by
virtue of such election immediately after the final state of
the poll shall be declared.
And be it enacted, that if on the day of election for any
county, more candidates shall be proposed than the number
of vancies to he filled up, and a poll shall he demanded,
the polling shall at the hour of nine in the forenoon of the
day (not being Sunday) next but one after the day of no-
mination, commence in the several places to be appointed
by the Justices for taking polls as hereinafter provided :
and the County Court shall meet again at noon of the sixth
day (not including Sunday) after the day of election.
And be it enacted, that the Justices of the Peace for
eash county shall at a Special Sessions to be by them ap-
pointed at the General or Quarter Sessions of the Peace to
he holden next after the passing of this Act, and of
which ten days previous notice at the least shall be given,
consider of the expediency of appointing, and shall have
power to appoint convenient places, not exceeding fifteen
in number, for taking the poll at elections of Members to
serve in Parliament for such county, which places shall be
so fixed as that no person shall he obliged, for the purpose
of voting, to travel snore than fifteen miles from the pre-
petty in respect of which he shall claim to vote.
And be it enacted, that the Justices of each county
shall have authority, at the expiration of every two years
from the first appointment of such places for polling, to
fix, if they shall so deem it expedient, new or different
places for such polling, not exceeding in number fifteen ;
such new appointments to be made at any session to be fur
that purpose appointed and notified in the manner herein
provided with respect to such first appointment ; and a list
of such polling places shall be lodged with the Clerk of the
Peace; and the polling at each county election respectively
shall take place according to the lists so lodged.
And be it enacted, that at every election of Members to
serve in Parliament for any city, town, or borough, the
returning officer shall preside at and superintend such elec-
tion at some one place within such city, town, or borough,
and shall provide for taking the poll at such election diffe-
rent booths for different parishes, districts, or divisions, in
such number and at such places as to such officer shall seem
most convenient, of which number and places the most
public notice shall be given, so that no greater number
than six hundred shall be allowed to poll at any one booth.
And be it enacted, that after the present Parliament, all
booths for taking polls shall he provided by contract with
the candidates, or, if they cannot agree, such booths shall
be provided by the Sheriffs or other returning officer, at
the joint and equal expense of the several candidates ; and
the clerks employed in taking the poll shall be paid one
guinea by the day by each of the candidates.
And be it enacted, that if any person shall he proposed
as a candidate at any election without his consent, the per-
son so proposing him shall be liable to defray his share of
all such expenses and all other expenses attending such
election, is like manner as if he bad been himself a can-
didate, and shall, with two sufficient sureties, give security
by recognizance to his Majesty, to be taken before the She-
riff or other returning officer, in such sum, not exceeding
one hundred pounds, as to such Sheriff or returning of-
ficer shall seem proper, conditioned for the payment of all
such expenses.
And be it enacted, that at each county election the num-
ber of hours during which the poll shall be kept open shall
on the first day be seven hours, and on the second day
eight hours ; and that no poll shall be kept open longer
than four of the clock in the afternoon of the second day.
And be it enacted, that each county election shall be
holden at such of the places appointed by the Justices un-
der this Act for taking polls, as to the Sheriffs shall seem
fit, and shall be under the superintendence of such She-
riff; and such Sheriff shall cause booths to be erected or
provided at the said several places of polling, in like man-
ner as hereinbefore directed with respect to each election
for any city, town, or borough.
And be it enacted, that at each county election the poll
clerks shall, at the close of each day's poll, enclose and seal
their several hooks, and shall in open Court deliver them
to the Sheriff or his deputy presiding at such poll, who
shall give a receipt for the same ; and the Sheriff or his
deputy shall on the commencement of the poll on the second
day deliver them back, so enclosed and sealed, to the per-

son from whom he shall have received them; and on the
final close of the poll in each booth the Sheriff or his de-
puty shall keep such poll books so enclosed and sealed, and
shall on the re-assembling of the County Court on the
sixth day, openly examine and cast up the number of votes
as appearing in such books, and openly declare the state of
the poll or polls, and make proclamation of the Member
or Members chosen.

And be it enacted, that all laws, statutes, and usages
now in force respecting elections of Members to serve in
Parliament for any county, city, town, or borough in Ire-
land, shall, save so far as they are respectively repealed or
altered by this Act, remain, and they are hereby declared
to be in full force.

And be it enacted, that if any Sheriff, returning officer,
barrister, or other person, shall wilfully contravene or
disobey any provisions of this Act, he shall for each such
offence be liable to be sued for the sum of one hundred
pounds, to be recovered by an action of debt or informa-
tion in the name of his Majesty's Attorney-General, or
any other person, in any of his Majesty's superior Courts
of record at Dublin ; and the Jury may in such action find
a verdict for such full sum of one hundred pounds, or for
any sam not less than ten pounds, as they shall think just;
and the defendant against whom such verdict shall be found
shall pay the amount thereof, with full costs of suit, to the
use of his Majesty, or of the person suing.
And be it enacted that nothing herein contained shall
in anywise prejudice or affect the right of any party
grieved by any such misconduct of any Sheriff, Returning
Officer, Barrister, or other person, to recover in an action
on the case for a false return, or such other action as such
person may by law be then entitled to maintain,
And be it enacted, that if any person included in any
list required to be made under this Act, but who at the
time of any election shall he in the enjoyment of any office
disqualifying him from voting thereat, shall presume so to
vote, whether included in such list or not, such person
shall be liable to all penalties, forfeitures and provisions to
which he would have been subject for such offence by any
law in force at the time of committing the same; and in
case of a petition to the House of Commons for altering
the return, or setting aside the election at which such per-
son shall have voted, his vote shall he struck off by the
Committee, with such costs as to them shall seem meet to
be paid by him to the petitioner.
And be it enacted, that in addition to those persons
now qualified and entitled to vote at the election of a Mem-
ber to serve in Parliament for the University of Dublin,
every person of full age, and not otherwise by law dis-
qualified, who shall have obtained a scholarship in the said
University, shall be entitled to vote at the election of a
Member or Members to serve for the said University in
any future Parliament, provided such person shall have con-
tinued his name upon the books of the said University up
to, the time of such election, or shall, in case be shall have
'removed his name therefrom, replace the same thereon
within sia: calendar months after the passing of this Act.
And be it enacted, that the words " city or borough"
used in this Act, shall be construed to include all places,
whether corporate or otherwise, entitled to send a Member
or Members to serve in Parliament ; and that the words
" returning officer" used in this Act, shall be construed
to include every person by his office entitled to preside at
the election of a Member or Members to serve in Parlia-
ment, and to include several persons so entitled.
And be it enacted, that no 'clergyman shall be per-
mitted to vote as such at any election for a Member or
Members to serve in any future Parliament, unless his
name shall have been duly registered pursuant to the pro-
visions of this Act.
And be it declared and enacted, that every person entitled
to two or more freehold estates or interests in any county
in Ireland, the annual value whereof shall in the aggre-
gate amount to ten pounds, according to the mode of va-

luing freeholds now by law 1 rescribed fur the qualification
,f electors, and who shall be in all other respects dull,
lualified, shall be entitled to vote at any election for Nero-
iiers to serve in any future Parliament for such county,
although no one of such freehold estates may be of such
annual value of ten pounds according to such mode of va-
luaiion.