The Sun.
London, England, 1832-10-16 00:00:00

DUBLIN, OCT. 13.

CITY REGISTRY.

The Morning Pap rs will have Mt:netted you ti.at the
eight deputy assistant barristers, appointed to examine the
notices of Registry for this City, have, as yet, made little
progress. They are, in fact, occupied yesterday and to-
day, sitting together as a solemn tribunal, to hear the ar-
gument of counsel on several points reserved on Thursday
in the different booths in which they presi led. The po-
pular and conservative parties contest the rights of each
other to the benefit of the newly-acquired franchise most
pertinaciously ; each appearing with a strong bar and nu-
merous train of agents. The only difference is, that the
conservative rent is dealt out plentifully on their side,
while the popular interest depends on the voluntary and
unpaid exertions of Serjeant Perrin and a few others who
give their services gratuitously.
The chief points of discussion in which they have been
ep to this hour (2 o'clock, Saturday) engaged, are, Ist.
Whether freemen of the city may register le ithout giving
evidence of their having paid the stamp. 2d. Whether Ro-
elan Catholics, as such, can register without taking the
oath of allegiance prescribed by the Relief Bill of 1829 ;
mod 3.11 y. Whether students of the University, occupying
chambers, may register as householders, and vote for
members to represent this city. As the last is the only
point decided, I give you the following outline of the case.
Mr. ARMSTRONG, a Bachelor of Arts, residing in the
University, presented himself, and demanded to be regis-
tered as a householder within the meaning of the Reform
Act. He said he occupied chambers alone within the
University, for which be paid six guineas a-year rent
(much below their real valuing), and no person except the
Dean had the privilege of entering or being in them with-
tut his permission.
Mr. Serjeant PERRIN contended that he was no house-
holder, but merely a lodger in College, under the control
if the Provost and Board, liable to be dismissed at any
moment they pleased, and not a free agent, as he could
nut go in and out of College after certain hours at night
ithout their permission ; that the Dean was in the
habit, and had the power, of entering his chamber at
such times as he pleased, to see that no other unfit inhabi-
tant was there, and that he himself was conforming to
she discipline of the University. He compared him to a
pupil of the Westminster school, havine a separate apart-
ment, which, however, was no more his own property
than a chamber i❑ an inn was the property of the casual
or tempoiary sojourner who might occupy it. The Learned
Serjeant cited also a resolution of the Irish Parliament,
that no Fe:low, Schol tr, or Student had a right to vote
fir the city, and several other authorities.
On the other side the privileges of Lincoln's Inn were
detailed, al bearing on the point; and it was contended
that persons residing or holding chambers there were, by
the old rules of the Inn, liable to as many restrictions as
students of the University, and yet had toe privileges of
franchise. Several law authorities were also cited and
ingeniously commented on, to show that Mr. Armstrong.
was a tenant and householder within the meaning of the Act.
It has been, however, decided by the deputies unani-
mously, that no resident of the University is, as such, en-
titled to a vote for the city of Dublin. The other points
are still under discussion. Similar struggles between our
parties are t iking place throughout the country. There is
scarcely a county or borough fcr which counsel and agents
have not been emp'oyed by the conservatives or their op-
ponents, and in most places by both. As yet, however,
the conservatives have not been successful in limiting the.,
electors likely to vote against them at the next election,