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firm the faid allotment of the faid diftrict as to them fhall feem juft; which judgment of the faid committee fhall be final and conclufive.

and powers Provided always, that the faid committee fhall have all the authorities as to the trial of the faid petition, and their proceedings shall in all cafes be governed by the fame rules and regulations as are prefcribed by the laws now in force for the trial of petitions upon controverted elections.

And in cafe the faid committee fhall annul and make void the faid allotment of the district aforefaid, then a new allotment fhall be made of faid diftrict in the manner herein before prefcribed, for which purpose the speaker of the Houfe of Commons fhall iffue his order or warrant as aforefaid to the fheriff of faid county, who fhall proceed to make a new allotment of the district as before prefcribed.

Be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, that from and after the of no person who shall be elected and admitted to the freedom of any corporation in any city or town corporate, fhall, by virtue of fuch election and admiffion, have a right to vote for members to ferve in parliament for the faid city or town corporate, unless the faid perfon fhall have been feifed of a freehold tenement of the value of five pounds by the year within the faid city or town corporate, upon which he or his family shall have refided for one whole year before the time of fuch election and admiffion.

Provided always, that nothing herein contained shall extend to any person or persons who is or are admitted, or who have a right to their freedom by reason of birth, marriage, or service to any trade or calling, but all fuch rights fhall remain in full force as if this act had not been made.

Be it further enacted, that every freeman or freeholder voting for a member to ferve in parliament for the faid city, borough, town, or manor, shall (if required by any other perfon having a right to vote at said election) take the oath following:

Be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, that each and all the inhabitant or inhabitants of every city, borough, or town corporate, having a right to fend members to ferve in parliament, who refide within the precincts or diftrict of the faid city, borough, or town corporate, as prefcribed by this act, and who shall have exercised any of the following trades or callings for five years within the districts aforefaid, fhall, from and after the

day of

have

have a right to vote and be admitted to vote at the election of any representative or representatives to be chofen to reprefent faid city, borough, or towns corporate, in parliament.

And be it further enacted, that every perfon who fhall be returned as a member to ferve in parliament from and after the day of fhall, before he be admitted to his feat in parliament, take the oath following: "I do folemnly fwear, that I have not directly or indirectly, procured my "election and return to parliament by the means of any fum or fums of mo

ney whatsoever, or by any promife of any pecuniary reward whatfoever, " and that I have not authorised any perfon whatsoever, for procuring me "to be elected and returned a member to ferve in parliament, and that if any "fuch promise hath been made on my behalf, I will not ratify or make good "the fame. "So help me God."

Provided always, that nothing in this act contained, fhall extend or in any wife be deemed or taken to extend to the cities of Waterford, Kilkenny, Limerick, Londonderry, and town of but that all

their rights, franchises and privileges, limits and precincts, fhall remain and continue as if this act had not been made.

No. XCVIII.

Kildare Refolutions against the Defenders. (P. 537.)

AT a meeting of the county Kildare, held at Naas, the 24th July, 1795, in pursuance of public notice,

The HIGH SHERIFF in the Chair.

WHEREAS, on Monday the 13th inftant, as Sir Fenton Aylmer, Bart. high sheriff of the faid county, attended by Wogan Browne, Michael Aylmer, and Thomas Ryan, Efqrs. justices of the peace of the faid county, was conducting two perfons charged with having committed high treafon, by adminiftering an oath to be true to the French; and with them, feveral other prifoners, from Kilcock to his majesty's gaol of Naas, an armed mob, confifting of feveral hundreds, affembled in the neighbourhood, for the purpose of refcuing the faid prifoners; and although intimidated from attempting the intended

7 G 2

intended refcue, did, (while the faid fheriff and magiftrates were efcorting the prifoners) adminifter unlawful oaths to many of the inhabitants of the faid county, and did plunder feveral houfes of arms and ammunition, and did publicly declare vengeance against the faid fheriff and magiftrates, which threat they afterwards endeavoured to carry into execution against Thomas Ryan, Efq. one of the faid magiftrates, on the evening of the faid day, three feveral parties having lain in wait at three different parts of the road by which the faid Ryan was to return home, in order to affaffinate him, and each party having fired feveral shots at him, whereby he was feverely wounded in the head.

Now, we, the magiftrates, gentlemen, freeholders and inhabitants of faid county, do hereby offer a reward of 300l. to any one who fhall difcover the perfon that fired the faid fhot, whereby the faid Ryan was wounded, and the fum of 50%. for each and every of the perfons who lay in wait for the above mentioned infernal purpose, and fired a fhot at the faid Ryan, so as that he, fhe, or they fhall be convicted of the fame within nine months. And we do hereby promife a reward of 30l. to every person who shall discover to any of the fubfcribing magiftrates, the names of any of the perfons who have adminiftered, or fhall adminifter any unlawful oath within this county, or who have taken, or shall forcibly take any arms, or attack or fire into any house, provided the perfon fo difcovered fhall be convicted of faid offence, within the time aforefaid; and alfo, an ample and adequate reward to any perfon who fhall give information to any of the magiftrates aforefaid, of any meetings of Defenders intended to be held, or of any other matter or thing, which fhall be deemed deferving of reward by the committee hereby appointed, and we promise that the names of fuch perfons fhall not be made known.

And we hereby return our thanks to the parochial clergy of this county, for the zeal which they have already fhewn in detecting and expofing the fallacy of the contrary doctrine, and we entreat a continuation of their exertions in the fame useful purpose. And in order to defray the faid expences, we promise to pay the fums annexed to our names, as we shall be called upon for the fame, and we appoint the juftices of the peace of the faid county, to be a committee to receive fubfcriptions, to difpofe of the money subscribed in promoting the purposes of this meeting, and to apply to all perfons poffeffed of property in the county, for their affiftance and contribution, and that ten per cent. be paid

down.

And

And we do hereby appoint the following magiftrates-Sir Fenton Aylmer, Bart. John Wolfe, Wogan Browne, Arthur Burdett, Michael Aylmer, Theobald Wolfe, John Montgomery and Thomas Ryan, Efqrs. to be a committee, to judge of the propriety of claims, and to pay rewards, any three of them acting together, to be empowered to draw on Meffrs. Finlay and Co. at whofe house the amount of the feveral fubfcriptions is to be depofited.

And as it appears to us, that the introduction of that execrable fpirit of outrage, (which has difgraced fo great a portion of this kingdom) into our hitherto peaceable and happy county, and which by promifes which cannot be effected, and fyftems which cannot be realized, has deluded many honest, and otherwife well-difpofed perfons, nfuft be promoted and extended by exertions on the part of the enemies of our country;

And as the avowed object of the perfons then conducting to prifon, and who appear to be leaders of the Defenders, is to fupport and unite with the enemies of our king and country, we think it neceffary for us to declare our determined refolution, at all times, and at every personal risk, and by every influence and power of property, to maintain our king, our constitution, and our laws, against any attack whatever; that we will give effectual protection, which the military aid afforded us by government enables us to promise to all perfons who may be in danger from their oppofition to, and exertions against the faid perfons ftiled Defenders; and that we will use our beft endeavors to procure the compenfation which the grand juries are authorized to make by prefentment, for all injuries fuftained by them in their property or perfons.

And that if any perfon fhall, notwithstanding (without obvious neceffity) fubmit to any of the illegal requifitions of the faid Defenders, or fhall withhold any material information from the magiftracy, we do hereby declare our determination by every means in our power to fhew our difapprobation of fuch conduct. That we will in private life confider the exertions of individuals as entitled to our warmeft thanks, and the fupinenefs of any gentleman or man of property, as deferving (under thefe circumftances) of a lofs of private esteem and public character. We use this opportunity to recommend to our countrymen, dependents or not, fworn or unfworn, to enquire, without taking our word, from their pastors or well-informed friends, whether an oath to do an unlawful act, taken voluntarily or by compulfion, be binding or not; we declaring upon our conviction, and upon our honors that it is not binding on any man, and that however he may have offended against

his

his religion by the indifcretion of his oath, his guilt would be increased by keeping it; and in order that all perfons may be apprized of the laws, touching the faid unlawful proceedings, we recommend it to the committee to procure printed extracts of the fame, to be difperfed throughout the county.

That the thanks of this county are due to Sir Fenton Aylmer, Bart. our worthy high theriff; and to the Reverend John Walsh, Wogan Browne, Michael Aylmer, and Thomas Ryan, Efqrs. who affifted the faid fheriff, in repelling the attack made upon the peace of this county, by thofe mifcreants, called Defenders! That thofe our refolutions be published in the public papers. That the thanks of this county be given to Captain Burke, of the North Mayo militia, for his very zealous and spirited conduct, in apprehending O'Connor, and four other perfons, now in cuftody.

The high fheriff having quitted the chair, and Lord Mayo being called thereto, the thanks of the county were given to Sir Fenton Aylmer, Bart. for his proper conduct in the chair, and in his having fo fpeedily convened the county.