\ 254 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE Rev. E M'Gaver. 12499- And you have more reason to believe that than the contrary?— I have. 1 June 1838. 12500. Now, have you not stated in your subsequent evidence that Mr. Robinson gave to nine of those Roman- catholic tenants land of Lady Ross's ?— Yes, I stated he gave them land, but he gave them no leases. 12501. Does not the fact of his having given them land induce you to think that he did not act upon the principle upon which you said you believed he did act ? I am not able, nor am I bound to state, what his motives were afterwards in giving land to those tenants; he stated that to those persons, as they told me, and I believe what they stated to me was the fact; if he acted other- wise subsequently, I am not able to judge of his intentions. [ The last question teas directed to be read to the Witness.] 12502. Do you consider the last answer an answer to my question ?— It does not induce me to believe that he did not act upon it; I stated in one place what he declared, and, if I am to take him at his word, I must believe he did ; I am bound to believe those who told me so; I stated the reasons upon which I grounded my belief, and if he has acted otherwise it does not change, and it is not capable of changing my notions of the gentleman, with regard to that parti- cular fact. 12503. But I now ask you, whether you believe he acted upon the principle of that declaration, viz. " that not one of the Roman- catholic profession should get a sod of land from my Lady Ross" ?— He might have acted otherwise after- wards. 1 2504. Answer the question.— I am inclined to answrer every question, but I expect I shall be dealt with fairly, and that if a mistake is made, I may be allowed to set the Committee right. 12505. I will put the question again ; you stated, in answer to question 12149, that you were informed by one of these tenants who was dispossessed, that Mr. Robinson said to him, " Not one of your profession will get a sod of land from my Lady Ross" ?—" From me or Lady Ross ;" I believe I stated so ; that is their own words. 12506. That was your answer ?— Yes. 12507. And when 1 asked you whether you believed that Mr. Robinson acted upon that principle, your answer to me was, " I do believe it;" was it or was it not ?— Yes, that is the difference of the way I took it; I was asked first ( and if I am mistaken 1 shall be thankful to be corrected) whether I believed those persons who told me that of Mr. Robinson, and I said I did. I was then asked how I grounded my belief, and I said I had it from persons who had no interest in leading me astray, but they came to me with that complaint, endeavouring if possible to get redress ; I therefore had no reason to doubt them, and I believed what they stated to me with regard to Mr. Robinson. 12508. I now ask you, do you believe that Mr. Robinson acted upon that principle ?— He did act then upon that principle ; I do not know that he did afterwards= 12 509. I ask, do you believe he acted upon that principle, or that he did not act upon that principle ?— It is clear that he gave land to some persons who were enemies to the system of extermination in that parish. 12510. Then your answer now is, that you do not believe he did act upon that principle ?— No, because I have given instances where he did not act up to it, but I believe the persons when they told me he made use of those expres- sions. 12511. I did not ask you then whether you believed or did not believe that he made use of those expressions, but I did ask you whether you believed he acted upon those principles, and your answer to my question was, that you did believe it. I now ask you, whether you choose to retract that answer, and tell the Committee you do not believe it ?— No, I do not mean to retract any answer I gave; I gave no answer I did not think was consistent with truth; and if I was not understood in the answer, I will make myself understood by the Com- mittee. 12512. Give any explanation of the answer you think fit.— His general con- duct since 1831 and 1833, with regard to the tenantry upon Lady Ross's estate, was that of the extermination of Catholic tenants; and if in some instances he did,