The Statesman.
London, England, 1818-10-24 00:00:00

ETRONGITHARM IN LUKYNT.

From the state of the pleadings, the affrmative in
thie case tieing on the Defendant, Mr. EIiSKINC,OIIO
was leading Counsel for Mr. Lukyn, opened the

CR9O.

This, he said, ass en action brought by the. Plain.
tiff, who was holder of a Hill of Eschaitgo for 501.
■gainat the Defendant as drawer. Nothing was clearer
than that the law would take care that no niell Plonk,
come into 'Court of Justice to enforces con upt and
illezal contract. _ _

The case be had to lay before his Lordship, and
the GP1111441111 of the Jury; teas this:—Mr. Lokyti
applied to Plaintiff((no matter by whom desired) to
do that, w hicn w hen it was done, in the opinion of
the Learned Counsel, was one of the wickedest things
that could be done, aryl certainly extremely disgrace-
ful to a nation that practised it: as it was effecting
the ruin of thousands of innocent persons. Although
the Plaintiff might not be subject to any indictment,
for forging plates for French Assignsts : yet he ep.
prellended his Lordship would he of opinion, if it
turned out that the consideration of the bill in ques.
Lion was, plates for printing off Forged Assignats,
that the Plaintiff could oat recover; if his Lordship
entertained any doubt upon the point, he would re
serve the consideration of it till another opportunity.
Independently of the principle of the Wino, it might
be extremely dangerous to encourage such applies•
lions, in as much as they might lead to other forge.
ries of that sort that might prove fatal to ourselves.

K mat' possessing the dexterity of the art, might
be tempted to destroy the public credit of our own
country, by forging our own Bank-notes: very few
persons, it was confessed, had arrived at such a de.
gree of dexterity : only one person had appeared
dexterous enough in the art of engraving to be able
to accomplish it. The foundation of this action was
forgery, fraud, and falsehood.
Mr. Otslon, letter-founder, was here celled on the
part of the Defendant.
Mr. MlNG.tir, the leading Counsel for the Plain.
tiff, objr cted to his being exlmined. He contended
Mr. Caslon was not a competent witness, in as much
as he was an endorser of this bill, and, therefore,
came to invalidate his own security.
Mr. ERSKINE submitted to the Court, that Mr.
Caslon came ►o speak against his interest, for if
the Plaintiff obtained a verdict in consequence of
Mr. Caslon's evidence, he would be obliged to pay
one half of the bill, because he and the Defendant
were partners in this business. On the other hand,
if the Plaintiff was defeated in this &clot', he might
•commence another against Mr. Casio'', as indorser
of the bill in question. Mr. Caslon was here call-
Mined, who said, that the consideration of the bill
'in question, was plates made by the Plaintiff, in
consequence of directions from him (the witness), and
which directions he had received from Lukyn. He
said, he was employed as the middle person between
the Plaintiff and Defendant : Lukyn gave him a copy
of a French assignat, which was produced in Court,
and that assigns t, be said, he delivered to the Plaintiff,
to direct him in making his plates. The Plaintiff
at fist refused to do it ; but Lukyn said, they were
for the expedition, and for the Duke of York's
army, and that it was with the knowledge and
approbation of the Secretary of State : that the
I Plaintiff was perfectly safe in doing it, and that if
he still entertained doubts, he might call on the Se-
cretaries of State ; this he said was confirmed by
Colonel Smith, AGENT TO THE DUKE OF YORK'S
ARMY ! ! !—The witness believed the plates were
very well done. Lukyn had immense numbers of
these forged assignats printed off, and went abroad
with them.---On cross-examination, he said the Plain-
tiff certainly refused to make these plates, till he was
told the Government of this country thought it was a
good measure.
Lord liEwiroti said, if the Plaintiff had forged
these plates for the purpose of fraud, he was of opi-
nion that it nuzht not tjt have been made the founds.
lion of an action. Lift Mr. Callon swore the con-

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