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could he have any official connexion with the meeting of the colonels of the county of Antrim, or of any other county in Ulster. This I assert, on the authority of the reports so often quoted; and leave my readers, as before, to form their own opinions.

Prolix as I may have been, on the matter of Mr. Hughes' examinations, a circumstance, most perplexing, yet remains for consideration. Mr. Hughes swears that, " as he (Dickson) knew there was to have been a meeting of the colonels of the county of Antrim that day, Dickson wished to know whether he had heard any thing from it-be said he had not heard of the meeting." Again," Dickson told him that the reason why he would remain at Ballynahinch till Wednesday was, that the Antrim colonels had adjourned till the Tuesday." And " Dickson requested him to send him intelligence, to Mr. Pottinger's of what should be done in the Antrim meeting."

I have called the circumstance, now repeated, "perplexing." I cannot review it without perplexity. This, however, does not arise from its obscurity, but from the confusion, inconsistency, and self-contradiction, with which the relation of it is so strongly marked. He not only asserted repeatedly in words, but swore thrice, at three very different times, and

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before three tribunals, to the same inconsistencies and contradictions. He swore that dr. Dickson came to him the 1st. of June, desiring information from him respecting a meeting of colonels-that dr. Dickson gave him the very information which he expressed a wish to procure -and after having given him this information, dr. Dickson, on parting, requested the same information to be sent after him &c." Now, if these words do not express contradictions, I cannot conceive what the word" contradiction" means. And if swearing to these words does not constitute perjury, I am equally at a loss to know wherein perjury consists. However, should it be deemed perjury, let it be observed that this is the second instance in which Mr. Hughes stands self-convicted of that crime, in his examination respecting. dr. Dickson, as published by authority.

To account for all this, so far as it respects Mr. Hughes, let it be remembered that, when he was smuggled into the stove, where dr. Dickson was put under a sweating course in the prevost-prison, he was deranged, or affected to be so that he was carried off daily for a few hours, no doubt to allow him an opportunity of breathing a better air: that, during these hours, none of his fellow-prisoners were admitted, lest their breath should affect him and that on these occasions, general Barber was

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his principal nurse-tender. In such a situation, it may be supposed that general Barber might ask him some questions; and, as his case was alarming, might require a confirmation of his answers by an oath. Hence, his inconsistencies and contradictions may be ascribed to a confused recollection, nervous agitation, temporary derangement, or palsy of the mind, arising from terror. Once involved in these, and entangled by this oath, he could not recede.. To recede would have been, not only to forfeit his honor as a real penitent and faithful witness ; but to embrace the lamp-iron and the hatchet, as the reward of his virtues, and only remaining portion of his inheritance.

But, whatever may have been the agitation, derangement, or mental palsy of Mr. Hughes; and however uniform and inveterate the disorder of his mind may have continued for two months; we cannot suppose that all the members of the secret committee of lords-nay, that all: the members of both houses of parliament; and all the law-officers of the crown, including even their clerks were as stupified, or palsied in intellect, as he appears to have been. What then are we to suppose? Let us suppose the best. That is, that they were all so deeply and unceasingly immersed in a great eventful political project, that they had neither eyes, ears, or common sense to perceive the absurdities, inconsistencies,

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inconsistencies, and self-contradictions of John Hughes and his fellow-laborers for the churchyard, or the sides of the king's highways. These even if implicitly received, and acted on to the utmost, could only relieve them from the impertinence of a few individuals hostile to their views. The other, if succeeded in, would not only disburthen their country of an imperial crown, and secure it against the protracted curse of a national legislature; but gratify their own unqualified love of their native soil, by condemning a great majority of themselves, and their successors for ever, to languish on its surface, or riot on its produce, clothed with well earned contempt, pious execration, and unenvied political insignificance.

On the whole of what I have stated; and on the supposition that my readers have a moderate share of common-sense; I ask, could any thing above stupidity, ignorance, or insanity, have encouraged or received any part of the examinations of John Hughes as information? Could any thing short of the same mental defects or derangement; or an inattention, unpardonable in counsellors of a crown, legislators of a kingdom, and guardians of the property, lives, and liberties, of a nation, account for their publication to the world, as containing evidence to criminate any human be ing? Nay, I ask, must not the government, or underlings,

underlings, entrusted with, or usurping and exercising its powers, which acted on such information, to the distress and ruin of many individuals and families; and even to the privation of life; be charged with blind credulity, mis.. guided passion, personal enmity, or gratuitous malice? These questions I do not confine to the advocates or the opponents of the ministers and legislators of that day. To themselves, or such of them as providence yet preserves, I freely propose them. Let such answer, as at a future day they must answer, and their answers shall be decisive.

With respect to dr. Dickson, there can be but one opinion, in this matter. From the examinations of Hughes-the only examinations, pointing at him, an authenticated report of which has yet reached my eye or ear-even a shade of criminality does not attach to his character. Every thing, which can be darkened into such, rest entirely on words attributed to himself: and which, if spoken, conveyed a falsehoood. In fact, after all the eager, insidious, virulent, and long protracted attempts, which have been made to purchase, create or extort, evidence against him, he is represented, even now, to have been his OWN, and his ONLY, supposed accuser. And this, notwithstanding the publicity of his character and conduct, for more than thirty years, in the county of Down; and the con

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