administration of justice, continued vacant till the close of
the year.

Meanwhile the examination of Gregg had proceeded, and
though the criminal continued to acknowledge his own guilt,
he repeatedly and solemnly declared that Harley was inno-
cent of the slightest connivance in his treasonable practices.
As his confession threw no new light on the transaction, he was
deemed unworthy of the royal mercy, and preparations were
made for his execution. The queen at first refused to consent,
and appeared extremely agitated on the slightest allusion to
the conduct of the criminal, as it affected Harley. ^* But as
a pardon would have fixed a stigma on the disgraced minister,
and as the behaviour of the criminal was highly insolent, she
at length gave her sanction; and a dying confession, pub-
lished in his name and at his request, strongly asserted his
own guilt and contrition, and at the same time vindicated
the innocence of his principal.

On the 18th of March, a report from the committee of
lords was published. Although the examination had pro-
duced no new fact, to disprove the asseverations of the cri-
minal, yet as it showed that Harley had been guilty of
culpable negligence, in suffering papers of the highest im-
portance and secrecy to remain open to the inspection of the
common clerks in his office, it left an unfavourable and in-
delible impression on his official character in the public
mind, though it appeared to produce no change in the sen-
timents of the queen.

A letter from Mrs. Burnet to the duchess is here intro-
duced, to show the opinion of the Whigs, and the burst of
zeal and attachment which the crisis called forth from their
party.

"Tuesday morning. -- Had I not been prevented, I had yesterday
wrote, to wish your grace joy of the late victory, which I hope, if it
please God, will have as happy effects as any the Duke of Marlborough
ever got. I should have done it before the success, since I was well
satisfied the resolution was right, be the event what it would; for 'tis
not to be expressed with what indignation it was generally received, that
the lord treasurer and the Duke of Marlborough should be put one mo-
ment in the balance with Mr. Harley and his party, who in all respects
have appeared so far inferior to what they were ever thought to be,

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