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MINUTES OF EVIDENCE.

Veneris, 4° die Junii, 1824.

THE RIGHT HON. LORD VISCOUNT PALMERSTON,

IN THE CHAIR.

Mr. John Dunn called in ; and Examined.

WHERE do you reside ?-At Ballynakill, in the Queen's County.

How far is that from the county of Kilkenny ?-About a quarter of an Irish mile.

How far from the barony of Galmoy ?-Eight or nine miles. You are a Roman Catholic?-I am.

You have lately acted as a commissioner under the new Tithe Act?-I have.

For what parishes?-For the parish of Stradbally, the parish of Timahoe and Fossey, and the parish of Ballynakill. Are there a considerable number of Protestants parishioners in the parish of Stradbally?—There are.

Have you acted as secretary to the meetings of the Catholics of Queen's County?-I have acted as secretary very often. Do you rent much land ?—I do, some hundred acres.

You are acquainted with the feelings generally of the lower orders of the people, particularly Catholics?—Yes, I am*.

Is there any feeling of dissatisfaction amongst them on account of their condition, with regard to the state of the laws?-Very great.

Do they feel any practical inconvenience from the laws as they exist, as bearing upon their own class?-Unquestionably they do.

Some pages of Mr. Dunn's Evidence are here omitted. They relate to the disturbances and the collection of tithes ; which subjects have now ceased to be of the great interest they were last year, in consequence of the suppression of the Insurrection and the general operation of the New Tithe Act. The evidence taken by the Committee is so voluminous, that some omissions are absolutely unavoidable: but, as it is the intention of this Work to give the evidence that principally bears on the Catholic Question, no omissions of this evidence will be made; and, whatever has been said against the Question will be introduced into the text, as well as what has been said in favour of it, with the strictest impartiality. The evidence bearing on other distinct subjects, will hereafter be selected and published, if a work of this sort seems to be required by the Public.

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Do you find that they are acquainted generally with their political circumstances ?-Generally speaking, they are very sensible that they are debarred the privileges the rest of His Majesty's subjects enjoy.

From what privileges do you consider that the lower orders are debarred ?-They feel, in common with all the other Catholic people, that they have no chance of getting forward in the state; and instances occur very often to satisfy them, that if they had the same privileges as the other classes of His Majesty's subjects, they would have similar chances of promoting their objects in life.

Has any instance occurred in your neighbourhood, in which a Protestant of the lower class has advanced in life?-I think a very singular one; a farmer's son, of rather the lower class, some few years back, went to Dublin, and got a clerkship in a house of business, was a well-conducted young man, got married, and into the corporation; from his being a Protestant he had the honour to fill the office of high sheriff of the city of Dublin, a very short time back, and is now a knight; there is not a Roman Catholic around the neighbourhood that is not sensible that no such chance for any of them exists.

Is this occurrence matter of conversation amongst them?Yes.

Do you find, from your communication with them, they are well acquainted with the laws that bear upon them ?-I find by conversation with them, that they are fully sensible that they have not equal privileges with their other fellowsubjects.

Could you mention any instances in which they display their feelings, either on public occasions or elsewhere?The instances are so numerous, it is hard to particularize any; in all their conversations they will express their conviction, that there are not the same chances for them as for the rest of His Majesty's subjects; they will mention instances of such and such persons having fortunately got on in the world from their being Protestants.

Do you mean this representation to extend to the lowest orders of peasantry ?I mean to apply it to all classes of Catholics in Ireland.

To those residing in the poorest cabins ?-To all classes, generally speaking.

Do you think they occupy themselves in conversing upon those matters ?-I believe they do.

Do they take a great interest in all public events that relate to them?-Yes.

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