The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-11-27

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giving The names OF several persons known 10
be obnoxious 10 she Government, The time,
place, and proceedings Of meetings, which he
declared them 10 be present at; the manner and
day on which the plot was 10 be carried into 9 r
feet; and wound up by implorng the Consul. as
there was still time left 10 ward off the dsesdful
catastrophe, not 10 lose a day in forwarding the
necessary information TO Sir Robert, then Ibe
Right Honorable Robert Peel, Secretary for
the Home Department. All this time he care
fully abstained from even Inning al q wish 10
be sent home; on the contrary, when il was
first proposed to him, he begged that il possible
he would be lett where he was; as, after the in
iquitous part he had taken, he could not hope for
mercy if once placed within the reach Of Eng
lish law. To those at all acquainted with how
affairs were managed in 1897, il need not be
told how valuable such information as the fore
going was deemed by all officials, and the Consul
no doubt considered himself not only fortunate
in being the channel through which SO impor-
tant communication was 10 lass, but more
than fortunate in having prevailed on the re-
pentant, and now patriotic Mr.. Higgins TO ac-
cept gentlemanly outfit, reasonably filed
purse, and a cabin passage 10 England, where
he was certain to receive q suitable reUdrd!
The Consuls communication reached Sir
Robert in due course, but it was not verified on
oath, and alas, there was no Mr.. Higgins forth
coming to do so. Al this stage matters rested
for some weeks, when a letter bearing an Irish
post mark. was received at the Home Office,
from near relative of Mr.. Higgins, stating
.'the melancholy fact of that gentleman being
far gone in consumption, and wholly occupied
IN preparing for the awful change that was fast
approaching. yet still most anxious to assist the
Government in bringing TO justice his former
guilty associates-for which purpose he had put
the writer (his cousin) in possession of every
particular, and would, through him, if approved
Of, devote all the time (not employ ed In making
has sOuD to the furtherance of the object in
view. Sir Robert sGullibie, as he ha, been
termed by some Of his opponents, swallowed
the bait The letter was answered. money for
warded, and in due course. the cousin Gin the
person Of The reritable MI Higgins Aimsel,
"nder. another name made his appearance be-
fore the Home Secretary. What transpired a,
that interview is known only 10 the parties
themselves; but in few days after, the cousin.
accompanied by Government officer, returned
to Ireland, and there for some four or five months,
he continued to furnish, through the officer
mentioned, authentic Information to the pro-
per authorities, receiving in return, for subsis-
teDce, trGpeiiing expenses, pay of auxiliarits,
and bounty, or spending money, without which
latter item, nothing important could be got al,
such appropriations of the Secret .Serrice
Fund as his eminent services justly entitled
him to-. But the longest day will have an end
Mr.. Higgins's inforuaa,ions, (Which, in justice
to him it mus, be said, were not sworn TOY were
found insufficientto hang even one man. The
purse strings were tight drawn, and The dread
full conspiracy reluctantly ackno aledged to have
existed only in the brain of Mr.. Higgins, alias
Mr.. Hughes, alias the cousin
His next appearance was as special officer
Of the Bow Street sguadron-ihence a conf
Dental servant of the Home Office, and next, a
Government Reporter, in which capacity il may
be well to remark, he has never been employ ed
or associated with the regular gentlemen of the
corps, but only on such occasions as rcquir. the
services of an official with particularly tender
conscience!
For the ruth Of the above, there could be ad
duced many vouchers, exclusive OF, sir,
Your obedlent servant
DELTA.