Examination of the claim of John Lindsay Crawfurd

128 EXAMINATION OF THE CLAIM OF
and that she refused, and declared solemnly she would disclose the
whole truth, on which I am stated to have observed, that I would
' gar her rue it,' which words you explain as follows, — ' make her
repent it, be sorry for it.'
" This statement, if ever Agnes Gibson made it, was totally false
as those which I have already noticed ; and I believe that my word
is as ready to be taken as that of William Davis. It is well known
that Agnes Gibson was in her dotage at that period. If ever she
uttered such words, it must have been either a wilful misrepre-
sentation on her part, or the consequences of her imagination act-
ing on a weak judgment. It is most probable, however, that this
story has been hatched by the same fertile mind, which has so elo-
quently and feelingly described the other stories I have mentioned.
There is another circumstance, however, which you have omitted,
and it is proper that I should now state it, that you may hereafter
keep it in view. Mr Montgomery, whom you represent as one of
the most amiable and generous of mankind, who threw his protect-
ing shield over Mrs Crawfurd and family, thought proper, shortly
after her husband was transported, to expel her and her whole
family, &c. by violence, from an old useless house, which they occu-
pied upon his farm of Ladeside. Mrs Crawfurd sent for me at that
time to protect her from his violence and cruelty. I was from
home ; but a son of mine went for that purpose, and when upon
the spot, he saw Mr Montgomery at the head of a posse, with wea-
pons in their hands, and a great crowd of persons attracted by this
humane act. The insult and abuse which she received at that time
can scarcely, I think, be removed from Mrs Crawfurd's recollection.
Mr Montgomery kept always aloof from her and her family, until
Mr Crawfurd's return from Botany Bay, when I suppose, to use
your elegant phrase, expecting to be one of his toad-eaters, he has
again thrown his protecting shield over them, and I believe you
yourself have rested under its benignant shade. I am," &c.
These sensible and spirited letters remained unanswered. The
libeller was chased into a corner from which he could not come out,
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