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Parliamentary Elections (Ireland) Act 1803
(43 Geo 3 c.25, 24th March 1803)

An Act for better securing the Freedom of Elections of Members to serve in Parliament for any Place in Ireland, by disabling certain Officers employed in the Collection or Management of his Majesty's Revenues in Ireland, from giving their Votes at such Elections.
[24th March 1803]

'FOR the better securing the Freedom of Elections of Members to serve in Parliament;' be it enacted by the King'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, That, from and after the first Day of June One thousand eight hundred and three, no Commissioner, Collector, Surveyor, Supervisor, Gauger, or other Officer or Person whatsoever, concerned or employed in the charging, collecting, levying, or managing the Duties of Excise in Ireland, or any Branch or Part thereof; nor any Commissioner, Collector, Surveyor, Comptroller, Searcher, or other Officer or Person whatsoever, concerned or employed in the charging, collecting, levying, or managing the Duties of Customs in Ireland, or any Branch or Part thereof; nor any Surveyor, Collector, Comptroller, Inspector, or other Officer or Person whatsoever concerned, engaged, or employed, by or under the Commissioners of his Majesty's Revenue in Ireland, in the charging, collecting, levying, or managing any of the Duties, Taxes, or Impositions in Ireland, paid or levied under the Direction of such Commissioners, or any of them; nor any Commissioner, Officer, or other Person, concerned or employed in collecting, receiving, or managing any of the Duties on stamped Vellum, Parchment, and Paper, in Ireland ; nor any Person appointed, by the said last-mentioned Commissioners, for distributing of Stamps in Ireland ; nor any Postmaster or Postmasters General, or his or their Deputy or Deputies; nor any Person employed by or under him or them in receiving, collecting, or managing the Revenue of the Post-Office in Ireland, or any Part thereof; nor any Captain, Master, or Mate of any Ship, Packet, or other Vessel, employed by or under the Postmaster or Postmasters General in Ireland, in conveying the Mail from and to Ireland, to or from Great Britain, or to or from any other Place whatever; shall be capable of giving his Vote in any Election for the Choice of any Representative in Parliament for any County, City, County of a City, Borough, Town Corporate, University, or other Place whatever in Ireland ; and if any Person hereby made incapable of voting as aforesaid, shall nevertheless presume to give his Vote during the Time he shall hold, or within twelve Calendar Months after he shall cease to hold or execute any of the Offices aforesaid contrary to the true Intent and Meaning of this Act, such Votes so given shall be held null and void to all Intents and Purposes whatsoever; and every Person so offending shall forfeit the Sum of one hundred Pounds Irish Currency, one Moiety thereof to the Informer, and the other Moiety thereof to be paid into the Hands of the Treasurer of the County, City, Town, or Place in Ireland, within which such Offence shall have been committed, to be applied and disposed of to the Use of some publick charitable Institution, or to such other charitable Purposes, within the said County, City, Town, or Place, as the Justices at the next General Quarter Session of the Peace to be held for such County, City, Town, or Place in Ireland, shall think fit, and to be recovered by any Person that will sue for the same by Action of Debt, Bill, Plaint, or Information, in any of his Majesty's Courts of Record in Dublin, in which no Essoign, Protection, Privilege, or Wager of Law, nor more than one Imparlance shall be allowed; and the Person against whom any such Penalty shall be recovered, shall become and is hereby declared disabled and incapable of ever bearing or executing any Office or Place of Trust whatsoever under his Majesty, his Heirs or Successors.

II. Provided always, and be it enacted, That nothing in this Act contained shall extend, or be construed to extend, to any Office in Ireland now held or usually granted to be held by Letters Patent for any Estate of Inheritance or Freehold.

III. Provided also, and be it enacted, That nothing herein contained shall extend to any Person who shall resign his Office or Employment on or before the said first Day of June One thousand eight hundred and three.

IV. Provided also, and be it enacted, That no Person shall be liable to any Forfeiture or Penalty by this Act laid or imposed, unless Prosecution for the same be commenced within twelve Calendar Months next after such Penalty or Forfeiture shall be incurred.