Examination of the claim of John Lindsay Crawfurd

JOHN LINDSAY CRAWFURD. 73
sible, force, a certain end in view through the channel of what is Evidence
commonly called legal means ; and, as already hinted, Lord Garnock death of
was not inclined to expose his uncle's cramped circumstances, and ncLaWe
therefore takes no farther notice of the matter, although that a de- crTwfurd.
creet of adjudication may have been obtained, but, take notice, not
executed."
Such is the nonsense submitted by the Claimant and his friends,
by which they attempt to controvert, nay, to overturn, the evidence
of the proceedings adopted, and carried through, by Lord Shewalton,
and acquiesced in by the nearest relatives of James Crawfurd im-
mediately after his death, than which nothing can be fancied so
outrageously absurd.
Here we beg leave to submit an abstract of the life of the Abstract
Honourable James Crawfurd, as it has been detailed in the foregoing of jame' s e
pages, and as that detail is supported by the documentary evidence a/support'-
before engrossed or referred to. It is submitted, that the lives of evident
few individuals can be so well traced eighty years after their glTe ""
decease, without memorials put upon record for the purpose of
aiding their posthumous biography.
James Crawfurd was born at Kilbirnie in . . 1700
He was prosecuting his claims against his brother the
Viscount, both in his own right, and as curator for his younger
brothers and sisters, in ...... 1723
He was in Edinburgh on 23d September, . . . 1727
He resided there from 1st to 26th April, . . 1729
He was appointed surveyor of the customs of Irvine in
July, 1729
He was suspended from the duties of his office, by an order
dated 29th September, but he was afterwards reinstated.
Certain charges of fraud were preferred against him on
16th September, 1731
He was at Edinburgh on the same day, and answered the
charges preferred against him ; but these answers not being
satisfactory, he was dismissed from his office on the 27th of
said month. It appears, however, that during the whole
K