4th July 1812: General Maitland writes to the Home Office about Joseph Barrowclough

Buxton
4th July 1812

My dear Sir

In my last letter to Lord Sidmouth, I informed him, that I thought some thing important, might be derived, if we succeeded in getting, hold of a Man, that we had sent out a Party to seize. We have taken him, but I can give no satisfactory Report to his Lordship on the results.

He is now under examination, but nothing has transpired of any Moment.—

It would have been my Wish, to have tried him quite in a different Way, than by Examination, but I could not interfere upon such a Subject, & I have no doubt, that on Monday Mr. Hay will do what is right.

That he knows much, is my Belief, & if the original Information, upon which I sent my own Aid de Camp to seize him, with Lloyd, whose Character you well know, is correct, he must know who other Murderers of Mr Horsfall, & is a Ring leader in all the Proceedings about Huddersfield.

I have stated my Opinion to Mr. Hay distinctly, & have pressed him, as far as I can, to get the Information the Prisoner may possess, & send it forthwith to Government. But with every respect, which I really entertain for Hay, & others, there is a sad feeling, that if we can commit a man that is implicated himself, that it is the Extent of their Duty, whereas by letting him easily down, we might implicate twenty others, all of them of greater Importance, & if it be necessary for the good of the Country, lead them all to trial and condemnation.

I write this certainly without Pique or Prejudice, for to do Mr. Hay the Justice he merits, he is extremely ready, and Active, but I must regret, there are not Modes of trying these men, previous to, & in a different manner from any Judicial Proceeding.

At the same time however I say this, I am not without Expectation, that even, according to their Forms, real Information will be got out of this Gentleman—

My Anxiety was, if he had any to send it up, pending the Proceedings in Parliament, if there be any Opposition given to the Measures of Government—

I am [etc]
T Maitland
[To] John Beckett Esqr.
Under Secretary of State
&c &c &c