, how he could extricate
himself out of his difficulties and leave the Bench, he
answered, '_All was settled on that score; that in consequence
of the services he had rendered Lord Cochrane and Mr. C.
Johnstone, in devising, whereby they had and could realize
large sums by means of the funds or stocks, Lord Cochrane was
his friend, and had told him a day or two ago, that for those
services his Lordship had, unknown to him (De Berenger) kept a
private purse for him, placing therein a certain per-centage
on the profits Lord Cochrane had gained through his stock
suggestions; and that now this purse had accumulated to an
amount adequate almost to liberate him from the Bench._' When
he said this, he appeared overjoyed, and said it in such a
manner as to make me credit him. He remained with me this said
evening, drinking hollands and water, till near two o'clock
in the morning. On his leaving me, I thought of the
conversation, especially that part which related to the funds,
and conceived, from the numerous stock-jobbing reports,
whereby the funds raised or were depressed, that he must have
been deeply concerned in it. A few days after the 21st of
February, it was whispered that Lord Cochrane was concerned in
the hoax. Immediately, De Berenger's former conversation with
me forcibly occurred to my mind, and I then mentioned to two
friends, with whom I was in company, (_and this prior to Lord
Cochrane's affidavit, or De Berenger's name being mentioned_),
that I would lay my existence De Berenger was the sham Colonel
De Bourg, and I stated my reasons for supposing so.
Recollecting myself afterwards, I made them, as officers,
pledge their oath and word of honour, that what I had said on
the subject they would never repeat, or even hint at; and I am
most fully persuaded they have not. The same day, but prior to
the conversation above mentioned, the hoax being the topick in
the coffee-room, I said, I thought I knew more than any one
relative thereto, except the parties concerned, but I never
mentioned any name whatever; yet some days after, I received
two anonymous twopenny-post letters, recommending my giving up
my information, either to Ministers or the Members of the
Stock Exchange Committee; that I might depend on their
secrecy, and an ampl