^ Ireland.)— f^ TB REPORT* otf THE COMMISSIONERS [ Appx. No. 24. The Examination of Mr. GEORGE WALLER, First Clerk in the Office of the Secretary of Excife ; taken on Oath, the 21st January 1807. This Examinant faith, That in the Spring of the Year 1803, he a£ ted as Secretary to the Board of Ex- cife, during the Abftnce of Mr. Worthington ; that, to the bell of his Recolledtion, a Memorial was at that Time prefented to the Board by the Diftillers of Dublin, remonftrating againft being examined touching the Fees which they paid to the Officers in charge of their Diftilleries ; that no Order was made thereupon, nor is it now to be found among the Records of the Office, though Search has been made for the fame ; he has heard that fome Copies were made of it, but none are now to be found in the Office. George Waller. X S. Rochfort. Fred Geale. Robert Alexander; Gha Saxtoh. - n- '. 3 - 1 No. 25. The Examination of the Right Honourable Earl ANNESLEY, Firft Commiffioner of Excife} taken on Oath, the 19th and 20th of Ja- nuary 1807. This Examinani: faith, That having, fome Time previous to the Month of March 1803, heard that the Officers in charge of Diftilleries were in the Habit of receiving Gratuities, or, as he confiders them, Bribes, to a large Amount, he reported the fame to the Revenue Boards and the Diftillers were thereupon fummoned to attend in order to be examined relative thereto: That, inftead of attending purfuant to the Summonfes, they pre- lented a Memorial to the Board, which, as this Examinant has ( on Application to the Secretary to the , Commiffioners of Excife) been informed, is not to be found among the Records of his Office. To the belt of His Lordfhip's Recollection, the Copy, inserted in this- Examination^ contains the Subftance, if not the very Words, of that Memorial. 1 f To the Right Honourable and Honourable the Commiffioners of His Majefty's Revenue. The Memorial of the Diftillers of Dublin. iviy Lords and Gentlemen, We folemnly affure your Lordfhips and Honours, that, in declining to attend you upon the Summons which you have lately iffued upon the Inveftigation of the Conclud of the Revenue Officers of the City of Dublin, we did not intend to fhew any Difrefpctt to the Com'mifiioners of His Majefty's Revenue, or to the Laws which they adminifter, and we intreatyour Attention to the Reafons we affign for declining tor- take any Part on that Inveftigation. We are well apprized that the Object of the intended Examination is to compel us to make Difclofures of confidential Communications, which we cannot difclofe without involving ourfelves in Ruin and Difgrace. We intreat you to confider that the Officers who are placed over us, and againft whom you feek our Teftimony, are armed by the Laws with fuch Powers as would enable them to crufh the moft refpec- table Men alhongft us ( or) any Diftiller, be he ever fo regular or guarded, if he fhould happen to become an Object of Refentment. We do not murmur againft the multiplied Severity of thofe Laws, and the numberlefs Regulations enforced by high Penalties, and which it is not in the Power of human Precaution exactly to con- form to, but we deprecate being compelled, by Afts of Perfidy, to irritate Men,'' who 13 have