The Statesman.
London, England, 1818-05-08 00:00:00

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LORD KINNAIKLPS MBAIOIR.

4s4w•—

" On the ff9th Jemmy last, a Frenchman*, wheel
1 met at Brussels, requested permission to call upon
me the day following, to speak to me on en affair of
importance. With this Frenchman I had the conver-
sation detailed in the following letter, addressed by
me, to General Murray, the translation of which fol-
lows :
I" Erase* Jan. 40,16111.
46 6 It is after baying consulted the Doke of Rich-
mond. that I communicate to you the following fact :
—A French refugee, of whom I know but little,
called upon me this morning, and told me that three
of his friends wished to return to France, if they
could do it with safety; they are two literary cha-
racters and au Officer 'of the Partisans, who are
larder the sentence of a Proves' Court. He asked
me if I thought it would be possible to interest the
Doke of Wellington in their favour; I answered
' him, Chit I did not think to, for two reasons--
the first, becaue I did not suppose that he would in.
tenure in it ; and the second, because I did not per.
Mee any motive for request,ing him to do so. He
asked me if I thought be cc;eld request this of M. de
Cases,
.01. revealing
,to him a. commit-au which
threatened tlie Duke's life; l'itteAvered, that a ter-
"ice of this nature would certaltity give him a claim
to his attention, but .test it was very difficult to in-
duce the Dukaftweety any attention to menaces of an
ettack upon his person, and that
.It would require
strop; exidence.to remove the oath,' suspicion that
the whole
.was an invention to further some private
views. He replied that, as far as he himself was
concerned, be had nothing to ask, as he was defini.
Lively condemned for the part that ha had acted- thst,
Moreover, he was free. from restraint, had formed ,
other plans, and had no desire t'• return to France:
that he was only inclined to divulge the conspiracy
from the horror with witifh assassination inspired
him, and that the only advantege he wished to derive
from it was to render a service to hie friends. j en-
quired of him how he obtained information of the
projected conspiracy : he said that an officer (I be-
lieve on half-pay), whom he had from time to time
supplied with the means of subsistence, had commu-
nicated to him an offer which had beets made to him
some months previously to 'carry it into execution,
Which he bad refused, and another individual had ,
accepted it : that the latter had been paid during
toils months by those who employed him: that he
had been the whole of that time constantly watching
the Duke wherever he went, and he was at that mo-
ment established in Paris, where he waited his arrival.
'l'-he person who gave me this information added, the
blow is meditated by a party which is totally differ-
ent from that *hose cause I have espoused, end is
even opposed to it. I then told Lim that I would
without delay impart what he had related to me; but
desired to know by what means he proposed to ex-
pose the plan, or at all events to prevent the effects
of i• immediately : he answered, that there were
two methods of doing it; that he never would con-
sent to he the instrument of bringing any one to pu-
nishment, and that lie was not in a position to do so;
but that if would be impossible for him to repair to ,
Prance without a special passport (sauf-conduit). and ;
that if be could procure one from the Police Minister
or the Duke of Wellington, he would return thither;
that this would suffice, and it; 2-I hours he would
eertainly denounce the person, whom the Police
could have no difficulty its recogniXiog as an admen.
tarp and a foreigner, of which they ortuld afterwards
be convinced ; that if this measure was no approved,
he would endeavour to learn from a friend the name
which the wretch had assumed, aed, if pussiblet his
description, sufficiently exact to be useful,. although
it was to be feared that keweeld Tittles this last diffi-
cult, by means of disguising Mama. This is whit
be has agreed to perform. If I can °Mein It from him
before the departure of the Courier, I' ill communi-
tate it to you.
" • Such has been the subject of our conversation,
the details of which are of a nature to induce me to
give this recital credit enough to convince me of the
necessity of instantly informing you. It if for you
to decide whether it is requfsite to interim the Duke
of it. If it be judged expedient to forward the pass-
ports, I will endeavour to accelerate the departure
of the person by the diligence, without losing an in-
stant. I troy perceive what advantage this indj.
victual would derive from inventing such an affair,
which would place him in the heed's of the Police
during the whole time he might he in Paris, and
whose only ultimate advantage would consist in the
favour granted to his friends.
66 4 At all events, have the goodness to answer me
very promptly. I send this letter to Mauheuge, be-
cause I think, should you be absent from Cambray,
that this is the best course.
"' I am, Stc.
(Signed) `• KINNAIRD.'
" On the 13th of February, I received the answer
of General Murray, who announced to me that the
Doke of Wellington did not attach any importance
to the news ; that he himself conceived the report to
be a perfidious contrivance (one aftrope), but he
thought, that I should blame myself (as others would
nccuse me), if any misfortune happened, fur too
much reserve on my part, in not naming the person
from whom I receipt' the communication."
A second letter to General Murray, from Lord
jiiiinaird, follows, after which his detail proceeds.
" On the 17th of the same mouth, the Secretary
to the British Embassy arrived from the Hague at
Brossela. Being together at the residence of trim
Duke of Richmond, and in presence of the latter, issi
asked me the name of the individual who had ow
inonicated to me the details contained -in my fetter of
th.e.30111 January. I answered him, that having ac-
ceptert from that person, as a sufficient guarantee„
. his engagement to-repair to Paris, to certify the truth
- or his &position, areloon as he could •go there with
safety, I had niyen him my word 'of honour not to
• make it known at Brussels without his previous con-
sent.
" T13811;1:4; ,ell Richmond, the Secretary of the
Embassy' Chad), and myself,‘ sent together to
the residence of,the Attorney• General of that town.
I there reiterated my Aerostat to give the name of the
informant ;.. but in declaring thit I was co.nrinced be
would faithfully moire the engagememtehe had made
_ _

• M. Marines, Auditor of the Council of State, condemned
t' donth par comlunace, in 131, by the Piero %) Court of