Examination of the claim of John Lindsay Crawfurd

Buckton
JOHN LINDSAY CRAWFURD. 129
and he had not even the courage to turn and bark at his followers.
He tamely submitted to their reproach.
What can we think of Mr Bell and of his client, thus gravely
issuing a statement which they knew to be false, and one which, when
challenged, they durst not defend ? We are happy to be the means
of exposing such fabrications, and of removing any impression they
may have made on the character of a clergyman so much respected
as Mr Urquhart, or on that of so faithful a servant as Hugh Orr.
3d. The only other calumny we mean to notice, is that against Mr A g ainsti\ir
Buckton. In the Case of 1824, this gentleman is grossly libelled.
He is openly accused of treachery to his client, as being sluggishly
indifferent to his duty, as injuring the Claimant by a direct and
wilful junction with his adversaries ; and it is more than insinuated
that he was bribed over to the interest of Lady Mary by her agents,
and that he made a report of the Claimant's case, not only unfa-
vourable to him, but that the greater part of it was " a mere com-
pilation of nonsense." These calumnies are repeated in the Craw-
furd Peerage, and Mr Buckton is accused of rudeness and incivi-
lity to the Claimant and his wife, and altogether is held up as a
person of no character.
Our readers, by this time, must be satisfied, that the slanderous
accusations of the Claimant and his friends require to be supported
by something more than their own assertions. All those that have
hitherto been submitted to the test of enquiry have vanished into
" thin air" — so we are persuaded will those which have been direct-
ed against Mr Buckton. This gentleman was not employed by the
Claimant, who had no control whatever over his proceedings ; and
it was not Mr Buckton's aim to please him in his mode of investi-
gation. In the introductory section, we mentioned that a number
of patriotic and benevolent gentlemen in London, thinking favour-
ably of the Claimant's case, had resolved to have it fairly enquired
into, at their own expense ; and it is most gratifying to think,
that in this country the poorest person can find friends so liberal
as to interfere in their behalf in the manner done by these gentle-
men. They employed Mr Buckton to make the enquiries, and of
course guaranteed his expenses. The subscribers to this fund were
R