The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1849-12-05
A Scene at an Irish Polling Hooth.

in-law about it. The. session is ended. Good
morning, gentlemen.
A Scene at an Irish Polling Booth.
The following scene is but one among thou
sand similar ones which are preliminary to the
acceptance of the suffrage of an Irish voterzin
Ireland. 1t will be seen that much Importance
is attached to Kissing the book, and great deal
more to the exact and seratm repetition of the
words of the Oath. The scene is taken from
Mr.. o Councils RECCoLLECTIoSs, and is but
one of the rich things to be found in that anus
ing budget of fun and anecdote:
.Havor: All those that are-clectors of YOU
ghal, &c, &c.
Crier: Them as il elicthurs o Yo'hal, &c,
&c.
But if it was difficult to keep the old soldier
to book, in repetitions, the giant labor was with
the voters, when they were called on to repeat
the words Of qual ifcation or bribery oaths after
the official whose duty it was to administer it to
them, when required by either party. Some such
scene as the following has occurred hundred
times on such occasions, the actors being the
sheritf's deputy, presiding in the polling booth,
his clerk, the voter, and occasionally one or 9TH
er of the attorneys or election agents there sta
toned
Clerk: Now repeat the words after me, 81
Patrick O'Shaughnessy," Cor Tim Leary, as the
case may bc,)-
Toter: Yis, that's me.
Deputy: That won't do, Voter; you must do
exactly as the clerk says.
Potter: Yis, yer honor. ! will, sir.
Cierh: 81, Patrick O'Shaugh do swear
Potter: Yis, | do.
Clerk: Come, come, you stupid fellow, repeat
the words after me, &C. Patrick o Shaughncs-
sy," &c, &c.
Voter: Well, any thing for quilt life: l.,
Patrick O Shaughnessy, do swear
Clerk: "That l am the same Patrick o.
Shaughnessy whose name appears in this GER
| tlficatc,'
| Voter: That am-the same Arrah fin
dignantlyl to be sure | am! Who else would
be? Is it wanting to make game Of me you
are
Deputy: Come, come, voter, I'll send you off
the table, if you don't do your bid and not be
wasting our time in this manner. Repeat after
the clerk, sir, as you re told, or won take your
vote at all
Voter: Well, sure will, sir l will This is a
poor case, now Well--That ain the same,
&c, &c. Will that place yc2 no tie cIerk
Cierk Silence, sir! "And that | have not
before voted at this election"
Votcr: No. the dieA vote Well, you
know it yourself that WASH up here before to-
day &c, &c.
Again, when the Bribery oath is being put
Cicrk: "And that | have received nothing
nor hath any one in trust for me-
Votcr: No! The dickens a ha-porth Tha{f-
penny scorth,l any one for me, cilhcr!
Truth, if it was thing that was going to sell
my conscience that way, it's little I'd thrust
1trual to an other to rcsare the vally coiuc] for
me! &c, &c.
At lcngth-at long last-the clerk gcts him to
the end of the oath, and the formula of kissing
the book is gone through. This is the signal for
difficulty. Up starts the opposing attor-
ney, ripe and ready for row, and protests that
the man did not {" kiss fair; that he Kissed his
Mnn,b instead of the book
At such imputatlon upon his honesty and
due regard for his oath, the Indignation of the
voter knows no bounds:
kiss my thumb, indeed! kiss your granny
Troth then, if yc only said yer prayers this fine
mornn as surely as | kissed the book, the ouid
boy below woudnt have the hould [hoidl of yer
sOwl that he has, Misthur Attorncy!'
Here the sensitive professional appeals of the |
deputy for protection, amid the shouts Of laugh
ter Of the people in the body of the court, while
his learned brother at the other side jumps up,
quite smartly, to argue the matter with him.
The deputy storms, the police vainly shout for
g silence" and meantime the voter quietly slips
away, perfectly satisfied with himself, since he
had opportunity of giving an answer to his
assailant, and greatly rejoicing in the hubbub and
confusion he has created
New BArH-Takc apiece of lime about half