456 Proceedings of the Royal Society 
not unfrequently observed, that injustice is done to a man by bis 
political friends for fear of their being supposed to show him undue 
favour by protecting him from attack. However this may be, a 
step was taken which, in the opinion of many, was greatly to be 
deprecated. 
A criminal charge was preferred against Mr Thomson for defal- 
cation in his accounts, and it became necessary for him to appear 
for examination before the sheriff under that charge. At this time 
a change of government took place, and it happened that, as an 
official under the new crown authorities, I was entrusted with the 
duty of conducting Mr Thomson’s examination. It was carried 
out with every degree of fulness and particularity, and I had much 
satisfaction in being able to report to my constituents that there 
were no grounds for a criminal charge. Mr Thomson had been 
guilty of laxity and carelessness, he had sometimes mistaken 
and exceeded his powers of expenditure, and he had ventured 
upon disbursements for what he considered to be important objects 
not authorised by the strict letter of his instructions. But there 
was no trace of anything corrupt or fraudulent, and the applica- 
tion of the criminal law to his case appeared to mea harsh and 
inappropriate proceeding. These views were adopted by the crown 
counsel of the day, and Mr Thomson was liberated from any 
responsibility beyond the civil consequences of his pecuniary errors. 
It was impossible, however, that such occurrences, overtaking a man 
of Mr Thomson’s high position, unblemished character, proud feel- 
ings, and eminent public services, should not be overwhelming, 
particularly at the advanced period of life which he had reached. 
The whole colour of his existence was thus changed ; he had lost 
his office of “Clerk Register,” and although he retained that of 
“ Clerk of Session,” the salary attached to it was appropriated to 
the discharge of his debts. “ It was intimated to him at this time 
that another person was to be employed to complete the first volume 
of the Acts of Parliament.” This is the language in which the 
occurrence is mentioned in the Memoir of his life. Mr Innes was 
the person so employed, and nothing could well be conceived more 
painfully interesting on both sides than the relation that came thus 
to exist between the pupil and his old master. Mr Thomson must 
