Detection of infamy

27
occasion, obtain the Perth estate of Duneira, near Drum-
mond Castle ?
It certainly has been reported that the noble Lord
bought the estate, as also that he otherwise obtained it :
but the one report is imagined to have been propagated
for the purpose of misleading the minds of indifferent
persons, while the other is believed to have originated in
the genuine dispositon of unbiassed people, inclined to
S'peak the real sentiments of their minds' conviction.
The purchase story seems to be founded upon the cir-
cumstance that when certain parts of the Perth estate were
offered for sale in order to raise the sum of ,£52,547 Is. 0d.
charged on them by Government, there was a great de-
mur on the side of those who were disposed to become
purchasers, by reason that the estates were considered un-
der a strict entail, and as such, the power to sell was view-
ed in an equivocal light.
To remove this obstacle, it is stated that the noble
Lord put himself at the head of the list of purchasers,
and thereby set an example for others to follow.
But this specious countenance has not taken away the
suspicion that the whole was a trick ; that the same was
a nominality of purchase, without any real consideration
paid, though the consideration might have been previ-
ously performed. Indeed, could it for one moment be
deemed that the estate was acquired for an absolute money
consideration after a fair rate of value, an awkward
surmise might arise, — -as to the quarter from whence the
said purchase money was obtained ; — the public mind has
already had its suspicions, aftd the purchase of this estate
would not render them the more unfounded.
The Duke of Melfort is by no means disposed to
make false insinuations against any man ; he scorns ca-
lumny, though he has suffered much under its effects from
the spleen of his enemies ; but he feels it a duty he owes