dwelling-house, he applied to Bligh's secretary for permission to employ Crossley in his defence. Bligh, who had
already begun to consult Crossley, asked[1]Atkins, the Judge-Advocate, for an opinion on Gore's behalf, although Atkins
had officially prepared the indictment against Gore. Bligh
sent to Gore the opinion he obtained from Atkins (in
whose office Crossley was employed), and Crossley went to
the Court to defend Gore, but was ordered out of the
Court; the members of which declined to allow such an
innovation as advocacy before them by any of the convict
class.[2] Gore was acquitted; but was tried for fraud in
twice obtaining payment for the same note of hand.
Crossley in this instance drew the information; and,
though the obtaining of the money was sworn to, the
Court found that as the note was "made payable neither
to order nor to bearer," the obtaining payment could not
be charged as fraud. Gore, at the trial of Col. Johnston
in 1811, swore to many things absolutely untrue. Col.
Johnston called Lieut. Ellison, R.N., of H.M.S. Porpoise,
who deposed that from what he had heard of Gore he would
not believe him on his oath. Such were the principal
advisers of the passionate man who assumed the reins of
government at King's departure. Though he allied himself
closely with Crossley and Atkins, he described the latter to
the Secretary of State in the following terms:—
"Accustomed to inebriety, the ridicule of the community, pronouncing sentence of death in moments of intoxication, of weak determination, and floating and infirm opinions; his knowledge of the law insignificant, subject to private inclination, and so constituted that confidential causes of the Crown, where due secrecy was required, were not to be entrusted to him."
Bligh's demeanour in 1807 may be gathered from its description by Dr. Harris.[3] Those who have been misled by the assumption that King did nothing to repress traffic in spirits have necessarily misinterpreted the events of Bligh's short rule. Imagining that Bligh arrested traffick-
- ↑ Idem, passim, and in Bligh's reply read to the Court by the Judge-Advocate.
- ↑ To protect their position, the Court referred to section 4 of the Act 12 Geo. I., cap. 29, imposing transportation for seven years on any convicted perjurer practising as attorney, &c., "in any suit or action." (Confirmed by 21 Geo. II., cap. 3.)
- ↑ Supra, p. 392.
