§ Mr. H. Thorntonadverted to the subject of certain contracts of a former year, for supplying the army with great coats, which was brought into discussion towards the close of the last session, by an hon. gent, opposite (Mr. Wardle), and rose now for the purpose of moving that there be laid before the house the copy of a letter of the 29th of June, 1808, addressed by Messrs. Pearse and Co. army clothiers, to h. r. h. the commander in chief, the production of which he was confident would vindicate the conduct and character of those respectable persons from the obloquy which had been thrown upon them by the hon. 208 gent. and prove that the statements on which that hon. gent, had founded his motion were completely erroneous. Indeed, he had hoped that the hon. member himself, now that he was apprized of the circumstance, would have been forward to acknowledge his error, and do justice to the characters and feelings of those gentlemen, for the injury they had sustained from his statements. He moved for the letter above stated.
§ Mr. Wardlesaid, he felt himself taken by surprise in this motion of the hon. gent. He however felt confident, that the letter in question, so far from exculpating the conduct of those persons, would render it still blacker; as he could prove, that they had no scruple in falsifying upon one page of their books, when it served their purpose, that which they asserted on another, and that the public suffered great injury from their conduct.— After some further conversation the motion was withdrawn.