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it was stated, that a draft for 70001. stances relating to these transac. Pegable to the rigut hon. Thomas tioas. He said, the two suns Sterie (at that time one of the joint measioned by Mr. Thomas Fere is. paynasters), or bearer, had been sued by my direction, and I have so drawn by the cashier ca the 11th besitatioa in stating that they were of May, 1769, under the head of sot issaed for the pablic service. I extraordinaries of the arny, and en. thosgat, as others did at the tine, tered in the cash accoant of the that I had fall ar thurity to direct orice, with Mr. Steele's receipt as a those issues.-I was ergal to do voucher; and that another sun of so by private consideratioas of a 12,000l. was drawn for, precisely in very peculiar natnre, which opera. the same manner, aad a receipt ted at that time açon my mind; aad givea in the same terms, on the 3d I thought that, by directing them of Jalg, 1800. Of these two sams, to be issued to myself, and making the first was not repaid until the 3d myself responsible for them, I could of February, 1907 ; nor the latter not by possibility incar the suspi until the 8th of April ; with inte. cion of concealmeat or fraad. It rest upon both sums, from the date was my intention that they should of their issae to that of their repay. hare, been replaced in a very short ment, amounting to 73901. 13. time, but it was not in my power

“ The correspondence between to accomplish it; they remained Dr. Steele and Mr. Thomas ; let. charged against me in the pay. ters of earl Temple (one of the olce book till the beginning of the joint paymasters in 1807), addres. present year, when the former of sed to lord Greaville, Mr. Steele, the two sems was repaid; and the Mr. Rose, and lord Harow by; three whole subject hati ng been brought minutes of the lords of the treasury, lately under the consideration of directing what steps should be ta. the board of treasury, they have ken for securing the sum remaining directed me to repay the remaining due (for the first sum had been re- sum with the interest due apoa paid previously to any proceedings both sums, by instalments, at stated of the board of treasury): minutes periods, which I have engaged to of the paymaster-general entered do. I cannot take upon myself to in the book of the office; and sere. defend ny conduct in this instance, ral other papers, are inserted at which I must admit to have been length in the appendix, though not incorrect, but I console myself perhaps absolutely necessary for on. with thinking that the public will derstanding the subject, that no hate sutiered Bo loss.” And, be. circumstance which has reference to ing asked, whether he knew of any this business, may be with held from other transaction of the same kind, observation. But the part to which during the time he was in the pay. the committee think it most material otice? he said, “ I do not." And to direct the attention of the house, being asked, whether he knew of is the account given by Mr. Steele any arrear of the like nature ari. himself, when he desired to atteod sing from the transaction of any the former committee on the twen. former paymaster? he said, “ I ty-sixth of March, 1807, and made certainly do not." And being ask. his own statement of the circum- ed, whether any notice was tašen of this transaction by the treasury accounts, irregularities can hardly previous to the beginning of this be prevented; and that temptation year? he said, “ I apprehend it will never be wanting to make use was not even known to the trea. of public money, while there exists sury, previous to this year.” And a great probability of its being for a being asked, whether any notice long time uncalled for. After the was taken by any other public accounts come before the commis. office? he said, “ Not to my know. sioners for auditing, no attention is ledge."

wanting in requiring proper war The report then proceeds to state, rants in discharge for every paythat Mr. Rose, being examined, said, ment, and no sum is allowed withthat the facts respecting Mr. Steele out a voucher of that kind; but so were not communicated to him un. slow has been the progress hitherto, til the 10th of February, 1806, at that notwithstanding the observawhich time he considered himself tions made on the subject by the completely out of office, and could committee of finance in 1797 and not interfere officially, but he desi. 1798, not one account of any pay. red Mr. Thomas to write to Mr. master-general has been finally setSteele; he also had a conversation tled and decared, nor made ready with that gentleman, and wrote a for declaration, in the nine or ter letter to him upon the subject, the years which have since elapsed." answer to which led him to rest sa. tisfied, that the whole matter would be communicated without delay to Mr. Paull and Sir Francis Burdett's lord Grenville, or the paymaster- recent Ducl.-Mr. Cooper's state. general. The report then notices ment. two sums of 110,000l. paid to Boyd and co, for services, which failed; A publication which appeared in the former of which was repaid, and the morning papers of Saturday the second was not, but is still in a last, signed “ John Bellenden course of legal proceeding, in con- Ker,"* renders it impossible for sequence of the bankruptcy of that me to remain any longer silent un. house. The report coucludes with der representations and aspersions suggesting regulations to prevent the most artful and unfounded that similar abuses.

ever made their way to the public. Upon the important subject If I have remained hitherto silent of recommending measures which under such aspersions and misre. may prevent similar abuses in fu. presentations from the pep of John ture, your committee observe great Horne Tooke, and others, it has concern, that the most obvious, and really been from contempt for the perhaps the only effectual remedy, calumniators, and not for any aphas been found by experience hi. prehensions of the result of a full therto unattainable; but they think developement of the circumstances it necessary to represent as their of the recent duel, either as affectdeliberate opinion, that without an ing Mr. Paull, or myself. I shall earlier examination, and auditing of be brief as possible in stating the

* See p. 426-488.

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observing that many of these facts Mr. Gawler on the recent duel. · will appear in a very different

The public has been already in. point of view to that, in which formed of the meeting at the Crown they are given to the public by Mr. and Anchor on the 1st of May, John Bellenden Gawler: he will and the letters that were then read excuse me for using the name by by Mr. Jones Burdett at that din. which he is best known to the pub. ner. I attended as a friend of Mr.

Paull, to whom I had been introMy object was not concealment, duced by a near relation in the In. but I understood distinctly from dia service.--After quitting the Mr. Paull, that both he and sir Crown and Anchor, he requested Francis Burdett had decided against me to attend him as his second the utility of any statement beyond upon a most unforeseen, unexpect. a mere mention of the meeting ; and ed, and unfortunate affair, in even that, if judged necessary, to which he found himself engaged be without the names of the sc. with his friend sir Francis Burdett. conds. To this moment I cannot Mr. Paull said he was loth to im. imagine one substantial reason for pose this duty on me on account of any other line of conduct; and I iny family circumstances ; but that leave it to the public to judge, if the hour was late ; and from what I there is one new fact brought to had seen, not a moment was to be light, (though a most reprehensible lost, if he (Mr. Paull) meant to attempt has been made on the part stand well with his friends or the of Mr. Gawler, to turn my conduct public. He immediately wrote and character into ridicule, on a two addresses to the electors

of most serious occasion,) except, in. Westminster, which having disdeed, that he has proved, what I patched, he then wrote a letter to never denied, my ignorance- " in sir Francis Burdett, and gave me the loading of a pistol, the measu. instructions, from which I was upon ring of a distance, and the dropping no account to depart. These inof a signal.” He, on the contrary, structions were,“ to explain coolly is an adept in the science of duel. and deliberately to sir Francis Bur. ling; that he has long traded in af. dett the injury he (Mr. Paull) had fairs of this kind, that he seems sustained, both in a public and pri. equally indifferent to his appear. vate point of view; that after the ing in the field, or in the forum, explanations that had passed be. where he certainly has been no in- tween him and sir Francis in the considerable actor in his day. Un. early part of the week, and espe. fortunately for Mr. Paull and my- cially on Thursday, sir Francis self, Mr. Gawler was the second to was left without an excuse for his sir Francis Burdett, on the in- conduct; and that, at all events, tended affair with Mr. Whitbread. the manner, the time, and terms For the sins of my principal, and made use of to strike the blow, myself, an opinion was given by without any previous hint having Mr. Paull to Mr. Gawler on that been given of the mode of attack, occasion, wbich did not seem to was so unfeeling and unkind, that

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an apology he had a right to insist October, (which was at a dinner at, upon, and that, if refused, one the Crown and Anchor,) a dinner other alternative only remained. was fixed on, and sir F. named as

As we proceeded to Wimbledon, the chairman in a public advertise. Mr. Paull represented to me the ment, and of which sir F. was ad, painful necessity of this measure ; vised on the same evening by Mr. but he had no alternative, as the Paull, who received in insult was gross, wanton, and un- that extraordinary private letter, provoked. He stated to me it was which read by Mr. Jones long the wish of his heart to see Burdett, at the Crown and Ansir trancis Burdett in parliament, chor; upon the receipt of which but that unhappily his wishes were Mr. Pauli dispatched, by express, counteracted by an influence supe- answer to sir F. at Wim. rior to his own. That on Sunday bledon, in which he expressed last, he (Mr. Paull) repaired to his sincere concern that any mis. Wimbledon on hearing that a dis. take or misconception should have soliition was intended ; that he had taken place, and the grounds upon a long conversation with sir Fran- which he (Mr. Paull) was induced cis, the result of which was, that to conclude sir F. would have ta. though sir Francis would not pub- ken the chair. He apologized, he licly offer himself as a candidate for . said, in a manner rather humiliating, Westminster, and though (contrary for the liberty he had taken under to Mr. Cobbetts opinion) he de. the influence of misconception, and spaired of the country, he should be offered to do away the effect of well pleased to find that so much the advertisement in any manner public spirit existed in the city of that sir F. would prefer; that in Westminster, as to return both Mr. another letter on the following day, Paull and him to parliament. Mr. sent by express, Mr. Paull reiteraPaull said, he concluded the con. ted these expressions of regret, and versation by requesting sir Francis offered the same means of remedyto nominate him, as he had done. ing the advertisement; but no far. last October, (which was at a dinner. ther objection was stated, no de. at the Crown and Anchor,) to which sire expressed for withdrawing the sir Francis most readily consented ; advertisement, no remedy pointed Mr. Paull stayed dinner, and was out; all which he attributed to the sorry to perceive that Mr. Tooke's subsequent consent given by sir opinion was decidedly against sir Franeis to serve if he was elected to Francis Burdett going into parlia- represent the city. That on Thurs. ment ; to' which opinion he (Mr. day, Mr. Paull, on entering the Paull) attributed the conduct of drawing-room of col. Bosville, was sir F. Burdett, as exhibited by the accosted by sir Francis in the most letters from him, which were read cordial and friendly manner; that by his brother at the Crown and Mr. Paull took sir F. into an ad. Anchor meeting. Connected as joining room, when he shewed him Mr. Paull had been for a long pe- an advertisement in a newspaper riod with sir Francis Burdett, and called the Pilot, in which Mr. Paull the assent given by sir Francis was announced as the chairman, to Burdett on the Sunday, to nomi. put certain resolutions, which perrate Mr. Paull as he had done last sonally regarded sir F. Burdett.

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No observation was made by sir sed, Mr. Paull said, with Mr. Bur. F, tending to disapprove of the na. dett's stating, “ that he had an im. ture of that advertisement; they perative commission from his bro. then retired with the rest of the ther to execute; that he was detercompany from the drawing-room mined to execute it in the very manto dinner, and as soon as the cloth ner prescribed, whatever might be was removed, Mr. Paull gave to the consequences. He admitted it sir F. across the table, the resolu- to be a most disagreeable duty to tions that were to be moved on the perform, and that he would do it ensuing day at the Crown and for no other man on earth but sir Anchor, which he very deliberate. F. Burdett." About one o'clock, ly read, and in returning them to we arrived at Wimbledon, and 1 Mr. Paull he said, he highly appro. delivered the letter to sir Francis, ved of them, that they were excels and explained to him Mr. Paull's lent. After quitting the house of expectations.

Sir Francis obsercolonel Bosville, sir F. Burdett, ved, it was a most unfortunate busi. Mr. Jones Burdett, and Mr. Paull, ness; “had the interval of time adwalked towards home together, mitted of it, I would myself have seen and parted at Blake's Hotel, in Mr. Paull, and probably this unfor. Jermyn.street; and the result of tunate business would have been prethe conversation during the walk vented;" to this I replied, “Sir Franwas, that sir Francis should discon. cis, did not Mr. Paull put into your tinue his address to the electors of hands, last Thursday, at the house Middlesex, until the result of the of colonel Bosville, the Pilot news. meeting at the Crown and Anchor, paper, containing the advertisethe next day, should be known. ment alluded to, and were you Nothing occurred from that time not then silent on its alledged imtill the moment of entering the di. propriety?" His answer was, ning-room at the Crown and An. am, Mr. Cooper, one of the most chor, when Mr. Jones Burdett careless men in the world ; and as made his appearance; that Mr, it was at the moment of going down Paull, little imagining what brought to dinner Mr. Paull put that paper him there, immediately led him to into my hand, I certainly did not the top of the table, and placed him pay attention to the advertisement.” on his right hand.-- That during He declined any apology, but prodinner, he (Mr. P.) had repeat. ceeded to write a note to Mr. Paull, edly and momentarily solicited which note, when copied, I deliverMr. Jones Burdett to. explain the ed to Mr. Paull. His direction to nature of the communication, which me then 'was, to tell sir Francis, he had declared his intention to “ This is adding insult to injury; I make to the company assembled ; shall proceed to Kingston, and do that he (Mr. P.) persevered in you fix as early an hour for the these efforts of obtaining that know. meeting as possible.” On my reledge, mentioned the potes that had turn to the house, I delivered Mr. passed betweon him and sir. F. and Paull's - message ; upon which sir alluded strongly to the friendly Francis solicited I would be second terms on which they parted the even. to both; which upon my declining, ing before; the conversation clo. he (sir F.) said, he must then write

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