Comments in refutation of pretensions advanced for the first time, and statements in a recent work "The Stirlings of Keir and their family papers"

72 COMMENTS ON KEIR PERFOEMANCE,
the Keir papers, as being possessed of the entire confidence of himself and
all his family. With you, accordingly I had the honom- to confer so fully in
regard to their papers, when you expressed your acquiescence in so handsome
a manner in om* being allowed to see them. When Mr Charles Stirling
thought fit to alter his course, and declared so decided an opposition to our
proceedings, you continued to be the person with whom I still communicated
in regard to the new turn aSairs had taken. It was to you that I delivered
the cojyy of our brieve of Service, along with the frankest ofier of our whole
evidence. It was to you that I afterwards forwarded notice of the day fixed
upon for oui" service ; and finally, it was at your individual request that the
Service has been, not only hitherto deferred, but still continues in suspense.
" Moreover, you are the person who gave me a solemn assm-ance, on the
day on which I last saw you on this business, which I believe was the 28th
January, that, in case the Keir family should, on investigation, be found to
be possessed of any documents hostile to our claims, that such documents
should be formally communicated to us previous to our intended service.
To this courtesy you were pleased to say that we were particidarly entitled,
from our very handsome conduct hitherto in this business ; that you had no
doubt Mr Charles Stirhng, to whom you would write the same evening,
would cordially concur with you in opinion as to this ; that I might set my
mind entirely at ease on this head, and consider it a settled point ; but, in
case any accident should happen, or that Mr Charles Stirling should be
capable of acting in so very ungentlemanhke a manner as to withhold such
documents if they did exist, that he must look about for another agent than
yourself, who in that case ivould not act for him.*
" If I be correct in my recollection of the above cii'cumstances — and
if I am not, I shall be glad to be set right — you will see how utterly impos-
sible it is for me to enter into these matters with any other than yourself,
whose honour is bound for the due performance of what you have undertaken,
and on which I now call for the production of the documents in question,
if any such exist ; and, on the other hand, continue wiUing to give you every
fair accommodation in reason as to further time, or anything else in our
power to gi'ant with propriety. W. S.
" (Yr- of Drumpellier.)"
* So, it -svill be seen eventually, Mr Dundas quite consistently acted.