610 
tual burning and destroying of 
books, vouchers, &c. from which he 
said a conscious guilt was deducible. 
But hesaid, accident had thrown an 
account-book in the way of the ma- 
nagers, whieh had been lost by Mr. 
Trotter, which when given in evi- 
dence, would throw considerable 
light upon that part of the case. 
Tt was said, in extenuation of the 
defendant, that he was now a poor 
man, according to his station ; 
b> which .he should reply, that 
whether a man defrauded the public 
with a view to amass great wealth, or 
to dissipate with prodigality, and 
assist pompous hospitalities, it was 
equally the same—the country was 
alike injured. Mr. W. concluded 
his address by referring to the cases 
of several distinguished personages, 
among whom he particularized the 
great lord Verulam, who had bven 
charged with high crimes and mis- 
demeanors, and regretted that in an 
evil hour the noble defendant had 
suffered himself to be overcome, his 
character and high reputation to be 
sullied, and his dignity and honour 
degraded, so as to bring him into 
the state in which he was then plac. 
ed, and from which it was impossible 
he should extricate himself with 
honour. 
THE EVIDENCE. 
The first piece of evidence given 
in by the managers, was the third 
report of the commissioners who 
sat in 1782, new modelling the 
office of the treasurer of the navy, 
and fixing the salary at 40001. a 
year, in lieu of all emoluments, per- 
quisites, &c. 
The next was the production of 
the warrant, appointing Mr. Isaac 
Rarré to the office of treasurer of 
the navy ; the difficulties in doing 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1806. 
which, occasioned a variety of legal 
objections and delay. ‘Then the 
warrant appointing Mr. H. Dundas _ 
in the room of the former, at the 
increased salary; also his subse- 
quent resignation on the 11th of 
April, 1803, and his re-appoint- 
ment the 5th of January, 1804. 
This was followed by the reading of 
extracts from the journals of the 
house of commons, forming the 
ground-work of that bill for regu. 
lating the office of treasurer of the 
navy, which Jord Melville himself © 
suggested the necessity of, and pre- 
pared its way into parliament. 
The managers then opened ano- 
ther head of evidence respecting the 
accounts of Mr. Douglas, a former 
paymaster under lord Melville, and 
got the length of shewing, that when 
Mr. Douglas died he left some pub. 
lic accounts locked up in a box, 
which Mrs. Douglas gave to Mr. 
Whitbread and Mr. Creevy. From 
this box a book of accounts was 
produced, signed by Mr Douglas 
and lord Melville the 8th of August, 
1782; but much time was dissipats 
ed before it was made evidence. 
At length the managers succeeded in 
reading the following three entries 
of monies issued by the exchequer to 
Mr. Douglas, on account of lord 
Melville, for naval purposes :— 
6th Nov. 1782 -~ 1.45,000 
22d Nov. 1782 - 50,000 
19th Dec. 1782 = 93,000 
Mr. John Gummingham, a 
clerk in the bank, who attended 
principally to the exchequer war- 
rants, was then called. He proved 
that part of the issue of 45,000I. 
made the 6th of November, 1782, 
wasin five 10001. bank notes, Nos. 
9,10, 11, 12, 13, all dated 24th 
October, in the same year; and on 
being shewn a bank note, No. 12, 
3 : - Said — 
— 
