§ Sir J. Newportpresented a Petition from certain inhabitants of the city of Limerick, complaining that they were under the hardship of being obliged to register their freeholds, or be deprived of the privilege of voting at elections of members to that House. It was notorious that the magistrates in that city were completely in the interest of one of the parties, and that even a half hour was refused to those who came to register their freeholds, except they were the friends of that individual whose claims to be elected were sanctioned by the magistracy. The magistrates had no power by law to enforce this registry, but they nevertheless did it, and therefore electors had no alternative but 1311 to do so, or lose their privilege of voting. The petitioners were fully prepared to prove these facts at the bar. The House would at once see that if magistrates were allowed to exercise such arbitrary power, there was a door opened to every violation of the rights of the subject, and he therefore trusted they would not allow such a glaring abuse to pass unnoticed.
§ Ordered to lie on the table.