casion. We know not how to designate, how to characterize this transaction. Here are wheels within wheels, an imperium in imperio, with a vengeance! A Secretary of State giving one set of public instructions, and an Under-Secretary giving another set of private instructions, as it would seem, totally different in measure and effect! Public applause-secret accusation! What a chaos!We can plainly descry, however, through the obscurity in which this dark transaction is involved, the features of a plan, the probable effect of which on the fame and the fortunes of a distinguished officer, who, but four months before, had received the commendation of the Secretary of State, may be easily conceived. Colonel Draper feels as a man, as an officer, as a gentleman, should feel on such an occasion; he summons Mr. Sullivan to answer for his conduct at the bar of the public, and calls upon him to declare by whom was Mr. Fullarton instructed to investigate Governor Picton's past conduct? I have a right, Sir, to ask you this question; and I do now, in the face of your country, call you to the bar of the English nation, and I do demand of you, as a matter of right, which you are bound, as a gentleman and a man of honour to answer; I do say, I have a right to demand of you, by whose authority was Mr. Fullarton instructed or commissioned "The Colonel asserts that Lord Hobart, by his letter of July 19th, 1802, totally disavowed the transaction; and so did General Grinfield, the Commander in Chief in the West Indies, who declared in August, 1803, that Colonel Picton's "fame will rise the higher for the unmerited persecution under which he now labours."

"The then Premier, Lord Sidmouth, I know, has disavowed it utterly and in toto; and it would appear an unseemly insinuation of my want of confidence in that declaration, if I presumed to remind his Lordship or the public, of the particular language which announced that disavowal. I believe his Lordship was, and is, perfectly sincere, in that statement. Where, then, are we to look for the author of those instructions to investigate the conduct of Colonel Picton? There is no doubt that Mr. Sullivan's threat, for at present I shall give it no other name, was rea lized; his conduct was investigated, although Colonel Pifton was not ordered to return to England,' as Mr. Fullarton has falsely asserted*; yet Colonel Picton did certainly leave Trinidad, to return to England in about six months after Mr. Fullarton's arrival there: I, therefore, say, that the character of the British nation, the honour of his Majesty's government, the public service itself, and the safety of the individual who hereafter de

"General Grinfield, the Commander in Chief's words are: 'You will, therefore, not hurry yourself, either in coming here or in going to Europe, either of which is in your opin‚'

(Signed)

If Barbados, June 13, 1803.”

"W. GRINFIELD.

votes his service to it, are all equally connected, and most deeply interested in this momentous question. I do, therefore, again call upon you, Mr. Sullivan, to come forward and to answer my question. In the name of the British empire, in the name of the army that supports, serves, and sheds its blood for that empire, in the name of every thing honourable, just, and fair, do I call upon you, John Sullivan, Esq. to avow the author of those secret instructions. You must, Sir, now come forward; this business shall no longer be overlooked or forgotten. While I live, and have a pen, or a tongue, you shall not escape investigation or notice. I will take you from your hiding place, or your protection, be it where or who it may, and summon you as an officer and a gentleman, to avow your author for those private instructions, The task, I know, is Herculean; but I will endea vour to draw the Cacus from his den. It is in vain, Mr. Sullivan, to sophisticate about the business; a disavowal on your side is totally and utterly impossible-entirely incredible. You, Sir, I am satisfied, will never think of it. Doctor Lynch, I state, is anxious and ardent to re-assert and corroborate his affidavit at the bar of a British Court of Justice.. Nothing, therefore, but an open, manly, unqualified, avowal of the author of those private instructions will satisfy the nation. I do not, Mr. Sul. livan, mean or insinuate any thing contrary to your honour or reputation, when I say that the nation knows of your connexion with Mr. Ful. larton in the East Indies. It is asserted, Sir, that you were the chief cause of his being appointed to the Government or Commissionership of the Island of Trinidad: however, of this I do not pretend to be fully informed. That you had any hand in suggesting or in forming that un. happy and ill-fated Commission, is very unlikely; for giving you all credit for abilities, Under Secretaries are, in general, not the persons consulted in those important measures. However, Sir, all these things apart, not to spin my web too fine, and that I may be at once understood, I assert, you have been, and were, the friend of Mr. Fullarton on the occasion. I do not blame you for this, Mr. Sullivan. I blame and accuse you in the face of your country, and before that body of men, the root and source of whose honour and reputation you have attempted to undermine and de. stroy for ever, by secretly, insidiously, and without any just cause, pre. suming to circulate a report, for which you had no right or legitimate authority, no honest or honourable pretext for circulating or insinuating. This, Mr. Sullivan, is my charge against you, and you will now clear, yourself before God and your country as well as you can."

Lieutenant-colonel Draper pursues this spirited appeal through several pages. He justly characterizes the prosecution of Colonel Picton, he points out the nature, progress, operation, and effects of it, both on the immediate object of it, and in its relation to the service itself, and to the public at large. His pamphlet should be read by every officer in the service, and, indeed, by every other person.-Before we quit this part of the subject, however, we must again most seriously, and most solemnly, exhort the Government to investigate this dark and mysterious business;--the honourable and comprehensive mind of the gentleman who now presides over the colonial department will, we are persuaded, grasp, at one view, the whole bearings and tendency of this important

question i

question; and will apply an effective and permanent remedy to the evil. In this persuasion, we leave it for the present.

We cannot conclude this article, long as it is, without adducing some testimony to the character of an officer, who has been represented by his foul-mouthed assailant as every thing that is bad, base, and infamous. Mr. Fullarton, however, seems to insinuate (he is particularly addicted to insinuations), that people were induced, by fear, to give Governor Picton a character which they knew he did not deserve, while he was present in the colony; but that after his removal they would be more likely to speak the truth. At least, in page 45 of his Refutation, he says this of the inhabitants of the sea-ports on the Spanish Main; and we do not well see how it can apply better to them than to the inhabitants of Trinidad. But it is of very little consequence in what degree of estimation the testimony of honourable men may be holden by Mr. Fullasten. A Briush public will know how to appreciate such testimony, and will give it its due weight. The testimonies which we are now about to extract, were delivered upon oath, before the Court at Port of Spain, in the summer of 1805:

1. The Honourable Saint Hilaire Begorrat." Q. What was the general character of B. G. Picton, as his Majesty's representative in this colony? -A. Of great integrity and disinterestedness; a man of knowledge and firmness, and who had saved the colony by his talents.

2. Colonel Denis Julien Gaudin De Soter." Q. What was his (B. G. Picton's) general character?-A. A character full of dignity, justice, activity, and generosity, beloved by all the inhabitants, feared by all the disturbers of tranquillity, and generally considered as the founder of the colony.

"Q. Did you ever know him guilty of any act of cruelty ?-A. No,

none.

3. Don Francisco de Forfan.-" Q. Did you know General Pi&on, and what was his character?-A. Yes, particularly. He was a man just, dis. interested, and capable by his talents to govern all men.

"Q. Did General Picton, to your knowledge, commit any act of cru. elty during any part of his government?-A. No. If in any case, he ordered punishment, it was necessary for the tranquillity of the colony. Amongst the honest part (mind that, Mr. Fullarton) of my country. men, he was considered as a man of considerable talents, doing honour to his own country.

4. The Baron de Montalambert.-Q. Did you know Brigadier-general Picton, and what was his general character as a chief of this government? -A. I knew him very intimately, his character was the most honourable and most respected that a chief could desire to possess in his govern ment. I wish to declare that I came to this island to settle in conse quence of the honourable report of the character and reputation that was made to me of Governor Picton, by his Majesty's Ministers, his Grace the Duke of Portland, and the Right Honourable Henry Dundas.

5. Dr. Williams." Q. Did you know General Picton ? &c.-A. I did know him; his general character was that of an upright just governor, and generally esteemed in the colony, particularly by the foreigners.

F4

6, John

6. John Lynch, Esq. Commandant of the Quarter of Tacarigua. His answer to the same question was-" I knew him from his first arrival, and his general character was that of a very honest and upright man, esteemed by all good men of every country.

7. The answer of the Chevalier Louis de la Sauvagere, formerly Governor of Tobago, and now Superintendant of Police of the Town of Port of Spain, Trinidad, to a similar question. I knew him; his character was that of a man calculated to govern a colony, and knowing how to keep every man in his proper situation, and rendering justice to all.

1

8. Bernois Dert, Esq. an old inhabitant and proprietor of the colony, said, —“ I knew Brigadier-general Picton, and his character was that of a man who made himself feared and beloved by all.

9. James Mettiver, Esq. Garrison Surgeon. I do know him inti. mately; and his character was that of an able good officer and a good governor. He was considered to have maintained the island in peace and tranquillity with great difficulty.

10. Vincent Patrice, Esq. Commandant of the Quarter of Ventille.—“ I knew General Picton. I considered that he, at the capture of the island, restored tranquillity, and caused commerce and agriculture to flourish, and, as far as I was acquainted with him, he always was a just

man.

11. Chevalier de Gannes, Regidor of the Cabildo." I knew him intimately. When I arrived at this colony, there were a number of very bad subjects in it, and it was threatened with a general subversion of good order. Brigadier-general Picton restored order, maintained tranquillity, protected justice, maintained the police, protected commerce and the importation of provisions, helped the value of land in cultivation; and I always knew him to be extremely just towards all the inhabitants of the colony, without any prejudice to any of the various foreigners in it.

12. Etienne Maingot, Esq. formerly Commissary of Population, and now Assistant in the Surveyor-General's Department." I knew him inti mately. As a proprietor, I always found protection and justice from him; and his general character was that of one who administered justice to all.

13. Comte de Castellet." I have known him very well since 1800. He merited the warmest praises of the inhabitants of this colony, and I entertain for his character the highest esteem.

14. Count de Loppinott, Brigadier-general of the Militia in Trinidad."I knew Brigadier-general Picton as Governor in Chief in this island. I saw him govern with all dignity, loyalty, and perfect justice, with a firmness which secured the tranquillity of the colony, to the satisfaction of every honest man, and which repressed all the evil-minded persons

in it.

15. Lazare Achard, Esq. I knew Brigadier-general Picton as a just man, and of integrity; and I shall always owe him an eternal gratitude for having preserved my life and fortune by his courage, activity, and abilities, in times when we were threatened with fire, and the malevolence of the negroes, and other vagabonds, who only waited for a favourable moment to cut our throats.

16. The Hon. John Nihell, Member of His Majesty's Council of Trinidass

dad, and Judge of the Court of Consulado, &c." Q. Were not the French very numerous, and the revolutionary principles of France among all colours and classes in the colony ?-A. Most certainly.

"Q. Did not Brigadier-general Picton preserve order and tranquillity in the colony after the capture ?-A. He certainly did.

"Q. To what do you ascribe it ?-A. To the firmness of his govern ment, and his apparent determination to suffer no such principles to remain in the colony; in consequence of which, in a very short time, the principal leaders of the faction before described, disappeared, and the others of the party remained quiet and peaceable.

"Q. To what do you ascribe the present flourishing situation of this colony-A. I certainly ascribe it to the firmness and uniform conduct of General Picton, in giving ample protection to all peaceable subjects, and driving from it all of a contrary character."

17. Nicholas St. Pé, Esq. late Alcalde of the Second Ele&ion.—“ I knew Brigadier-general Picton since 1798. He was a man of good morals and practice, frank, impartial, and disinterested; zealous for His Majesty's Service, and for the preserving the colony; there are very few inhabitants of those who were here before the capture of the colony, who do not believe that they owe to his vigilance their whole family.

18. The Hon. Philip Langston, Alcalde of the First Election.-"I had the honour to be intimately acquainted with General Picton; and all the respectable characters that I have ever heard talk of him in this colony, join me in opinion, as considering him an active, intelligent, and disinterested. magistrate, warmly attached to the interest of his Sovereign, and of this colony."

Our readers will observe,. that this is the evidence of men of property and respectability, most of whom had resided in the island for many years, and who, of course, were fully competent to speak with decision on the subject, from their own knowledge and experience. Mr. Fullarton should be told, that anonymous letters, which form a part of his authentic vouchers, cannot be opposed to such documents as these,

There are many more very important points, both in a limited and in a general view of this subject, that call for our animadversion; but our circumscribed limits forbid any farther extension of the present article, and compel us to postpone all farther observations to our next Number.

N. B. Since the preceding observations were consigned to the hands of the Printer, we have heard that Mr. Fullarton, F.R.S. has brought an action for a libel against Lieutenant-colonel Draper. Does Mr. Fullarton, then, among his other extraordinary pretensions, lay claim to a monopoly of censure? Is he exclusively to lavish his invectives? and while he is dealing forth his attacks by wholesale, on the most respectable and honourable characters, does he inean to deny the right of con-tradiction or reply? This is, indeed, a pretty bold attempt of his to silence the press, at least, that part of it which he has not been able to influence; but it will not, it shall not, answer his purpose; he has made a voluntary appeal to the public, and every individual of that