ook at the proposal
itself; what must Mr. Cochrane Johnstone have thought of the Stock
Exchange Committee? surely he must have thought that they were selected
for their extraordinary gullibility, when he made this proposal to them.
Undoubtedly they would have had no objection to the assistance of an
accomplice, but it must not be an accomplice chosen by his associates.
No, Gentlemen, an accomplice chosen by his associates is not chosen to
divulge, but to suppress the truth. I should have thought that Mr.
M'Rae, knowing that they had complete proof against him--which had been
obtained at a cheaper rate than L10,000 might have made a more moderate
proposal. I should have thought that impunity for himself, which is the
common price of an accomplice, would have been sufficient to have had
the evidence of Mr. M'Rae, but Mr. M'Rae's price is ten thousand pounds;
his worthy companions are willing to contribute three--that is, they
will give him three thousand, and will obtain for him seven thousand
more; and I have no doubt, that if the offer had been accepted, Mr.
M'Rae would very honestly have earned the whole, and have duly
recollected to whom he was obliged for it.

Gentlemen, when Lord Cochrane, a few years ago, was preparing for an
attack upon the French fleet in Basque Roads, suppose the French
admiral had sent this letter to him:--Sir, You are preparing to attack
me to-morrow, the bearer is the best pilot on our coast, I should be
sorry that you should run upon a rock, he will pilot you safely, do but
accept his services; but as his skill is great his price is high--he
requires ten thousand pounds; but so anxious am I for the success of
your enterprize, that I will give him three if you will but give the
other seven.

Gentlemen, this is the modest proposal which Mr. Cochrane Johnstone
makes to the Committee of the Stock Exchange; and when he has so done he
affects to be extremely angry that the Committee do not accept
it.--Gentlemen what can be said more; what men would have resorted to
this expedient but men who felt that they were on the eve of detection,
and who tried this desperate expedient to see whether they could ward it
off.

Gentlemen,--I believe I have now arrived at the end of my long trespass
upon your attention. Survey the whole of these transactions. You find
that the principals,--those who were to benefit above all others, were
the Cochranes and Butt; Holloway in a smaller degree, but still not
slig