1870: 33 & 34 Victoria c.38: An Act to disfranchise the Boroughs of Sligo and Cashel.
[1st August 1870.]
WHEREAS representations were made to Her Majesty, in joint addresses of both Houses of Parliament, to the effect that the judges selected in pursuance of the Parliamentary Elections Act, 1868, for the trial of the petitions complaining of undue elections and returns for the boroughs of Sligo and Cashel at the elections of members to serve in Parliament, respectively held for the said boroughs in the month of November one thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, had respectively reported to the House of Commons as to the said borough of Sligo that corrupt practices extensively prevailed at the said election, and as to the said borough of Cashel that there was reason to believe that the corrupt practice of bribery did extensively prevail at the said election:
And whereas, in pursuance of such representations, Commissioners were appointed under two several commissions, both dated the twenty-third day of June one thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, for the purpose of making inquiry into the existence of such bribery and corrupt practices, in pursuance of the Act of Parliament passed in the sixteenth year of the reign of Her present Majesty, chapter fifty-seven, intituled “An Act to provide for the more effectual inquiry into the existence of corrupt practices at elections for members to serve in Parliament:”
And whereas the Commissioners so appointed reported to Her Majesty:
(1.) As respects the said borough of Sligo, that corrupt practices had extensively prevailed in Sligo at the elections of the years one thousand eight hundred and sixty, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, and the said election of the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight:
(2.) As respects the said borough of Cashel, that the election of the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-five was conducted in a corrupt manner on the part of one of the candidates, and that corrupt practices were committed at the said election, and that the said election of the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight was conducted in a corrupt manner on the part of each of the candidates:
And whereas it appears by the report of the said Commissioners as to the said borough of Cashel, that corrupt practices extensively prevailed in Cashel at both the said elections:
Be it enacted by the Queen’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, as follows:
[Disfranchisement of Sligo and Cashel.]
1. From and after the passing of this Act the boroughs of Sligo and Cashel shall respectively cease to return any member or members to serve in Parliament.
[Persons reported guilty of bribery in Sligo disqualified as voters for the county of Sligo in respect of qualification arising in said borough.]
2. Whereas the Commissioners appointed for the purpose of making inquiry into the existence of corrupt practices in the borough of Sligo by their report, dated the third day of March one thousand eight hundred and seventy, reported to Her Majesty that the persons named in the schedules (E.) and (F.) annexed to their said report had been guilty of bribery in either giving or receiving bribes at the said election in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight: Be it enacted, that none of the persons so named in the said schedules shall have the right of voting for the county of Sligo in respect of a qualification situated within the said borough of Sligo.
[Persons reported guilty of bribery in Cashel disqualified as voters for the county of Tipperary in respect of qualification arising in said borough.]
3. Whereas the Commissioners appointed for the purpose of making inquiry into the existence of corrupt practices in the said borough of Cashel, by their report dated the eighteenth day of December one thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, reported to Her Majesty that the persons named in the schedules (C.) and (D.) annexed to their said report had been guilty of bribery in either giving or receiving bribes at the said election in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight: Be it enacted, that none of the persons so named in the said schedules, except Patrick Connor named in the said schedule (C.), shall have the right of voting for the county of Tipperary in respect of a qualification situated within the said borough of CasheL
[Evidence of reports.]
4. Any copy of either of the said reports by the said Commissioners appointed for the purpose of making inquiry into the existence of corrupt practices in either of the said boroughs of Sligo or Cashel, with the schedules thereunto annexed, purporting to be printed by the Queen’s authority, shall, for the purposes of this Act, be deemed to be sufficient evidence of either of the said reports, and of the schedules annexed thereto.
Source: Public General Statutes, 1870.
Further reading: Wikipedia.