Star. — London, England, 1807-03-03 00:00:00

her pe fons whore tharaders were implicited in the Oaf gei,and who, in equal juttice, were entitled tobc heard by their Counfel. • Mr. SHERIDAN deprecated delay. He would give his opponents all the Counfel in the world, and would rely on the honour and good fenfe of the Hurtle. The fame conduct he would recommend to his friends, who were al o implicated in the charges. The motion for the petitioner being heard by his Coonfel was put and carried without a divifion. On the motion of Lord HOWICK it was refolved, OA the Speaker fhould acquaint the Counfel, that they fhould confine themfelves to the fimple Rate• ment of the fads to which they meant to bring evi. Lltice, and that they were not to enter into a difcuf ti,,o about the eledion itfelf. Mr. WARREN was then called in as Counfel for Mr. Paull. His flatement was merely a recital of the allegations of the Petition. The firft witnefs fhquld call, the Learned Counfel laid, was a I.it-oren. nt in the Royal Navy, a Gentleman who I served in it with diflinguiffird reputation. Pe infiruded to fay, that this Gentleman had t• :o•erfed with Mr. Sheridan twice at his own and once at Mr. Homan',. The next witnefs a Mr. Wetherhead, alfo in the Navy. The others .fre in the poorer clafs of perfons, but he was fure the Honfe would pay every due attention to their evi dence, fo far as it was confiltent, as much as they would to perfons of property. The arts charged in the Petition were generally pradifed on perfons in the lower fphere of life, and where could perfons go for evidence but to thofe channels in which it was to be had ? He had no doubt but thofe witneffes would give their evidence fairly and jußly. The prayer of the Petition was, that the Houle would take the Pe• thinner's witneffes into their protedion ; for if he could not be lure of them when wanted, it would be vain for him to profecute his petition fur a feat. The Houle would therefore fee the necetfity of adopting lonic meafures— The Witrefs and Counfel were here defired to withdraw ; and The SPEAKER acquainted the Tioufe,he thought it his duty to obferve, that the Learned Counfcl was, contrary to the rule laid down, going un to difcufs the manner in which the Houle ought to regulate their nwn proceedings ; and he wiflu_d the Houle to ditermine whether that rule ihould not be aridly adhered to ? Lord HOWICK faid, he was at the fame moment going to make the fame nbfervation ; and he moved that the Counfel be called in and informed, he mull confine himiclf Ilriftly to the farts contained in the Petition. The Counfel.was then called in, and— The SPEAKER. laid, he was directed by the Houle to acquaint him, that, according to the rule laid down he mull confine himfelf to the faits to be proved by the witneffes. He had already done that, and he 1;10 now call thofe witneffes, and abflain from any comments on the future proceeL!ings of the Honk. Mr. Warren then called Mr. Drake, who began to bive his tellimony to the following effect :—" I h a ve een an officer in the Royal Navy—l was ailing Lieutenant. I entered the fervice in the year 1795, and quitted it in tilos. I know Mr. Sheridan very veil. The firil acquaintance I had with Mr. Sheridan was through my marrying a natural daughter of his . --(loud and material peals of laughter).—My acquaint. ance with him began about five years ago. I became' acquainted with Mr. Paull fince the eleCtior for Weaminfter. I fupported Mr. Sheridan during the eleCtion, and brought him a great number of votes. During all that time, Mr. Sheridan made me a great number of promifet: But he never kept one of them; and when the eleetion was over, he took no notice of me ;he would not fee me. I wrote to him fre quently he would not anfwer my letters; I called at his houfe, but could not get a fight of him, and was mfolted by his porter or footman who opened the door ; I was infulted by his fervants. But timing the election, he law me repeatedly, and made me promifes—he knows it, by !—(Here there were loud murmurs all over the Houle, and feveral Mem -I),:rs cried curt " Order : Order! (: lyrir ! !" ) Tire witmfs was ordered to withdraw. When he came again to the air, The SPEAKER Paid—" Witnefs, you mull (peak more flowly, and you mull conduet yoorfelt before this flonfe with propriety and decency." The Witnefs proceeded in his evidence" Mr. Sheridan afterwards fent for me. I was told that he wifhed to fee me. I went to the bottle of a Mr. Ho roan, and took (hare of feveral bottles of wine. At this time Mr. Sheridan did not appear. I after wards went to the bottle of a Mr. Edwards, and there I law !Ir. Sheridan. I told him I had been fuminow:d by Mr. Paull ; that t had a fummons from the Speaker of the Houle of Commons. I told him what I had done ; he laid to me, th;:t I ought to have cnnfulted him and his agents. He then offered me money, and offered to procure me a place. He laid he would provide for me." O When Mr. Sheridan had this converfation with yotr, did defire you to do any thing ?—A. '• Yes ; he laid I ought to keep out of the way, and he detired me to get a letter from Emanuel Harris, a Jew, in Holywell-flreet, which he had written to him. This convercation took place at the honfe of Edwards • Mr. Sheri.lau was Wit:l me in a room in private. I was with Mr. Sheridan nn the 9th or loth, ard OR thz 19th. I was to meet him on Friday. I law him fign the !otter to Emanuel Harris, and I took it to him to liolywel.flreet." [Here it i, necelfary to obferve, that Mr. Srt . eridan ha. been ciarged with writing two let-ers to Harris, prrmiting to recommend him as a fl7p-feller to his flt;ps, &c. at the different ports, on condi to.a r t his fupporting Mr. Sheridan at the Eleetion.] L rd HOWICK, at this part of the examination, inter poled, and expretred a wills that it might be con. hued to the limple fafts of tampering with witneffes, which were complained of in the petition. With re (peel to any letter that might have been written during the time of the elation, no evidence ought to be given in that Hnufe. Mr. SHZRIDAN—'. I hope, Sir, the Houle will not cut fhort the train of this examination, nor prevent this evidence from going forward ; becaufe on this very evidence 116411 be able ro prove that the witnefs fpcaks Wkly. Mr. Aaron Graham, a worthy Ma! gillrate, who is known to many Members of this Houle, and feveral other Gentlemen, are now waiting in the lobby, ready to deny every word he lays.— T'llettfo:c I truft the Houle wallet him go on." GRENItILL obferiea that every thing: which occurred fince the examination commenced, only fetved to•furnith the firongeft proof cf that in- 1 convenience he had pointed out a quarter of an hour before. The Houfe could not. even by the confent or defire of Mr. Sheridan, lilten to mat ter which ought only to be cognizable before an Eleetion Corn mittce. General PHIPPS role, and complained that the Petitioner was at that moment talking to his withers behind the Bar ; and thought that when they retired from the Bar, they ought alfa to withdraw from the Honk (loud crier of Hear, bear! Chair, chair!) The SPEAKER—" Serjeant, fee that the order of the Houle is obeyed." Mr. Paull, the petitioner, who had all this time been under the gallety, or behind the Bar, imme diately came forward, and Paid—" I have no oppor tunity of addreiling this Houfe as that Right Hon. Gentleman has againfl whom I petition ; but now, when I hear a (fen ions fo grills and fo— ( Herefbouti of, Chair, Chair, Order, Order, were vociferated from all quarters.)__ The SPEAKER raid, the Houle would judge for itfelf how it would at after what had palled. He' ', wished alio to be more precifely informed as to, the praetice of the Houle, whether, when a Petitioner had prayed and obtained leave to be heard by Couniel, he ought to be heard by himfelf alto? Lord HOWICK laid, he was jult going to take notice of the violence of the Petitioner's conduit, ' which was a great infult to the Houfe, and a goofs outrage on its dignity, and which it would be impof fible for the Houfe to pats over without particular notice. He moved therefore, that Mr. Paull fhould be called to the Bar, and informed of the improprie. ty of his conduit. Lord A. HAMILTON thought, as the Hon. General had been millaken, and fuch a charge was likely to wound the feelings of the Petitioner, that the Houfe might in fome degree mule the trau f. greffion. Lord HOWICK —•' The notice taken of it was very lenient, and lefs than that ought not to take place." Mr. BAKER thought the conduit of the Peti. tioner both improper and indecent, but that it would be better ;t fhould be communicated by the Serjeant than from the Chair. Lord HOWICK's motion was then put and agreed to, and the Petitioner and CountA being again called in— The SPEAKER Paid—" Mr. Paull, I am direeted by the Houle to acquaint you, that in the judgment of the Houte ycn have been guilty of a great impro ptietv of condo& and have committed_ a igrofs nut rage on its dignity and alto, that you having made an eleCtion to be heard by Counfel are nat at liberty to be heard by vottriclf." The SPEAKER then informed the Counfel, that he molt confine himfelf to the allegations contained in the Petition. The witnefs being again called in, The SPEAKER acquainted the Counfel he might proceed an his examination as to the fuppreflion of the letter, but not as to its contents. The fccond or third queflion as to this letter again caufed the Conniel to withdraw—and Mr. GRENWLLE Paid, he mutt once again very I, reluftantly intrude himfelf on the Houfe, and renew his former objection, that the Houfe were about to entertain a quellinn relative to the Elation which was only proper to be entertained by a Committee. Mr. WARREN proceeded, in confequence of an obfervation of the Speaker, to thew the mode in which the Petitioner's Counfel wifhed to proceed, in order to prove the allegations of the petition. After forme obfervations from Members, Mr. Plomer fol lowed on the fame fide, fisting, that the Petition contained the charges both of tampering with wit neffes, and of preventing the produflion of written teftimony. Erake then continued his evidence.—The fecond letter of Mr. Sheridan to Emanuel Harris, he flated, was delivered three or four days after the com mencement of the Eleftion. Mr. Sheridan had told him, at Edward's, he acted improperly in going out of town, as he wanted him in fo critical a time, and promifed to get him fome place, as he had dant for feveral years paff, and that he would not lofe fight of him. He likewife mentioned circnm fiances that occurred at Mr. Homan's, 22, Frith- Ai tet.—Objeetions were taken to fome of the inter rogatories, and the Counfel ordered to withdraw.— After obfervati•ms from Mr. ADtM, the LORD Au• v care, and Mr. BATHURST, the Counfel returned and ;domed. The witnefs went on to (late that Mr. Sheridan faid that the getting of the letter out of the hands of Emanuel Hauls, was of ferious confequence to him. Subfequcntly to the eleCtion he confidered himfelf ill treated by Mr. Sheridan, and was very ill ofed by his porter, when he called at his Houfe. He wrote accordingly to Mr. She ridan, llating to him that his behaviour fince the election had been negleftful and improper; and' that if he did not fulfil his promifes he would acquaint Mr. Paull with the cireumfiances. He afterwards informed Mr. Paull that he could prove bribery and corruption againff Mr. She r idan. When he went to Mr. Paull on the fubjeft, Mr. Paull requelted him only to (late facts : that he fhould efleem his information a favour. but begged him to (late nothing that he could not verify on oath. Being farther examined with refpeft to Mr. Paull's wifhes for his communications on th• fubjeft, be faid that Mr. Paull refired him to take them to his Com mittee. In anfwer to quellions put by feveral Members, lefpefling any authority given him by Mr. Sheridan to offer money 4 .0 Emanuel Harris, he slated th rt nn fpecific 1 ins was mentioned ; but being quenioned as to any general authority, he fail tat Mr. Sheridan had only Paid, " Get the letter by all pollible means, as it is of great confeqnence. To which the witnefs replied, " He Is a Jew, and perhaps he would think a little money 'lreful to him." He , of. fered him 3)l. which the Jew refuted. This was at the Old White Rorie Cellar, where he met him in company with a friend of his, who ached him to (up per there, by the content of the witnefs. This cum he offered from his own authority, and from what he thought would be agreeable to Mr. Sheridan, who, he was confident, would gladly have refunded the furn ' to have the letter in his hands again. The offer he made to Harris was abnut two or three days after his firß interview with Mr. Paull, at which &ft in terview he had no convolation with Mt. Paull about . . the letter. He declared he had no lt.ftrOStiJn:, nor requeit from any perfoa to procure that letter, except from Mr. Sheridan and his agents. In anfwer to quenions from the Speaker. he Rated, that he had no intention to procure this letter from Emanuel 1 Harris (which Mr. Sheridan requelled him to get) for Mr. Sheridan's benefit, but fcr the purpofe of getting it into his own priffefilon, as he was now fighting againti Mr. Sheridan. He told Mr. Paull Ihe had received a letter from Mr. Sheridan, for Harris, to promote the felling of his fl Ts, and that this was a recompenfe to him for getting voters. He never told Mr. Paull, tin now, that he had been with Harris, and made the offer. (Hete nn farther exnnination, be correded himfeif.) He was afked if be had ken the Petition ? He faid he had not feen that which related to tampering, but had didated what concerned the letter and paper at Edwards's honk, to the Solicitor a few days back. Being afked where he was to have found the 301. had Oie Jew agreed to his offer, he laid, that tlonigh he might not have it in his pocket, he could draw for it ; that he was a wounded Lieutenant of the Navy, and hzd feveral fmall penflons of 81. and 251. a year, &c. befides one of rol. a year from Lloyd's fund, which he received after the battle if Camper down. He fpoke of receiving pay, w;:ich occa fioned a reference to the Navy Litl, where his name was not to be found, and admitting that he had not been confirmed at the Admiralty, it appeared that he could be only a Midthipman, and consequently not entitled to half-pay. He afterwards, however, explained himfeif to mean by pay, his pennons. He Rated, in anfwer to feveral queflions, that he re• ceived a pennon at Greenwich half yearly, but teem• ed not perfectly to recoiled the amount of his allow antes. Being ordered to withdraw, Lord HOWICK commented with mach force on the prevarications of the latter part of the tefiimony of the witnefs Drake. Mr. moNTAGUE wifhed to proted him from the anger of the Houle, and pleaded as finne kiad o! cx tenuating circumlance for him, the wounds lie hart received, and the lots of his leg, in the ler + iC2 of hi , country; and there evidently was a deficiency of un derflanding about him which entitled him to peculiar confideration. But he mull be a fool beyond all folly, if he were capable of liming any thing about pay which was unfounded, as the fallehood could be fo eafily deteted. Lord HOW ICK repeated that he did not mean to prefs any proceeding again(' the witnefs, but begged the Houle to recoiled that he had fpkeir of birth pay and penfion—the former of which he could not have received, and of the amount of the latter he was quite ignorant. Captain HERBERT obferved, that the witnefs in having confounded pay and penfion could not plead a mere miflake, for no man in the fervice could be un aware of the diaindion. After a few words from Lord HOWICK. General PAULETT, &c. the witnefs returned, and related in his further examination, that his motive for offering the thirty pounds arnfe from his fear lea Mr. Sheri. Jan fhould get the letter out of Harris's hands, and from his ailual defire to make ufe of it again(' Mr. Sheridan. He received his firs penfion is 1797, of 181. a year. He had received no money fince the cledion from Mr. Sheridan or Mr. Paull. He had, in order to get the letter from Harris, (Nerved to him, that he had voted as Henry, and not as Emanuel Harris, and that he could bring that forward. He had not received any commit ion, or any money or protnife from Mr. Paull. The firs letter written by Mr. Sheridan he admitted that he bad defiroved, and before he had procured the fecond from Harris.— The fira letter was written three or four days before the election, and he denied that there was any doubt call upon it of its being a forgery. He had not re ceived any divirion of prize money recently, nor had any money been left him by relations; nor had he Rated, that he had any command given him of either of two {hops (the l'hifbe, and another that was named by Mr. Sheridan) ; nor had he Paid that he was only in want of money to enable him to gn on board, fince he teed he at no lots for money. In anfwer to a cluellion by Mr. Sheridan, he admitted that he had pretended to have filch a command ; but that his reafon £.r cluing fo was merely to prevent him from being troubled by Mr. Sheridan. He had never (in anfwer to Mr. Jeffry's Trellian) applied to Gentlemen for money, Elating that he had been ill treated in the Navy, and none dare fay fo. He would (wear to Mr. Sheridan's hand writing. He wrote the firs letter to Harris, and pot down M. P. at the end of the place for Mr. Sheridan's fignature, and then Mr. Sheridan figned his name and returned the letter to him, and he took it that night to Harris, who objeded to it, tirtl, becaufe of the M. P. there being n a exiaing Par liament ; fecondly, becanfe there was not Treafurer of the Navy under the fignature ; and, thirdly, be cattle of the badnefs of the writing. He never laid he was determined to get tome money out of the', Candidates. His meeting at Edwa-(l,'s was Cubic ; quently to his 111 ufage ft orn Mr. Sher idart's let vants, `but denied any previous quarrel with Mr. Sheridan. —ln the entitle of a very long and tedious exam. nation, he was frequently interrupted by diteuf lions on points of order, and interrogated by Mem bers, particularly Lord Howick, the Speaker, Mr. I Sheridan, Mr. Whitbread, General Phipps, Lord Mahon, Mr. Montague. Mr. Spencer Stanhope, the Attorney General, the Lord Advocate, Su. John An. flruther. Mr Giles, Lord Folketlyne,C , Jonel Barry, Mr. Jeffry, Mr. Horner, Mr. Wonkier, Mr. Mathew, I Mr. Adam, Capt. Herbert, Mr. 131 agge Bathin a, Sce. • Weatherhead, the fecund witnefs, was then called in. He had been to Mr. Sheridan's, where he faw Drake and lime others (Homan, &c. &c.), a curious motley groupe, in a large fpocious room fronting the Thames, in the Government houfe. The letter alluded to was written by Drake in his pretence, but he did not fee 'Mr. Sheridan adually tip it. After Mr. Sheridan had figned it, he faw Drake put it in his pocket, but faw no more of it. Mr. Sheridan afterwards did not deny the fignature, though he teemed at firs to Phew . , fuck an inclination. Upon crofs.e xamination, he ad -1 mitted that he had been on board Captain Trollope's 1 fhip, and that he had been difcharged by the Captain for his own pleafure, and for no other reafon he knew ! o% Refpeding the fuppufed forgery of the letter, he allhwed that he had Paid, i.; the pretence of a Mr. - Bedal and -tilers, that Drake ought to thank him !for having advifed him to defiroy the firs letter. He t i had no other reafon, for believing the fecond lett:4' figned by Mr. Sheridan, to have Ms fighatuii tlag the firft. He admitted that Mr. Sheridan had faids in his hearing, that he would not talk in any QC; pri the Weaminiter eleEtiOn bufinefi, unlefs other perfons were prefent but he did riot care how niagy Were prefent when he w a s at Mr; Sheridan's. ne.con fefTed, that he might have beeri introduced by' Dra.ke. to Mr. Sheridan, as a clergyman ; he tould not help what Drake told Mr. Sheridan : but he could fay; that he was no thumper, though Drake had called him the Rev. Mr. WeatLerheal Weathethead's interrogati.,n was continued for a confiderable time. The Pethinner's Cognfel next called Mr. Powell, as a wand's, for the purptfe of Inftaining the charac ters cf the two preceding vitneties ; but Mr. Avast flrongly objeeed to the addunion of evidence for the charaftgrs of Men, whole veracity was not i:n• peached.; otherwite than by their own teflimn4. The - Petitionet 's Citinfel next proprifed going ints evidence, for the purpofe of proving many of tpe al:cdg:d in the Peiiiion a„,uainft Mr. Burzei . , and other alledgeci agent's ri Mr. Sheridan, and afterwards to identify them with Mr. Sheridan him fell as the principal. Lord HOWICK anted, if the Learned Counfel then had doled their cafe as ag tinfi Mr. Sheti?an himfelf ? Counfel anfwered, they had, except fo far as ter timcny might arife out of the evidence about to be examined againf Mr. Shrridan*s agents. Lord HOWICK objected to their going into evi dence again(' any other perfons until they fhould have &it doled as again(' Mr. Sheridan, which he hoped they would do to-night. Mr. TIERNEY decidedly objeeed to the Counfel going into evidence again(' Mr. Sheridan's ;.gents with a view to fifh nut further evidence againii Mr. Sllevidan, with re;pee to whom, individually, he thought they flinuld now declare whether or not they h a d d o l e d th e ir evidence. Mi. ADAM wilhed the Houle to he extremely cautious in the kind of evidence they received in the prefent Rage of the bolinefs, and hoped the b.tre af fertions of the witneffes to be adduced, and who knew not the le!Tal diftinelon between Solicitor and Agent, as admiilible evidence to prove that Mr. Burgef, or Mr. Wallace, though employed as Mr. Sheridan's Solicitor, were alfo his agents, or aced under his au thority, fa as to involve him•in relponfibility for any thing done by them without his exprefs clireeion and authority. Mr.SHE R IDA Ndifclaimed allfu:h refponfibility, as he had not authorVed any man to aft for him on the late election. Lord HOWICK repeated his quellion, whet h er Conniel had doled as to Mr. Sheridan ? Mr. PLost ex Paid he had, except In far as he could fubitantiate proofs againg his known and avowed agents, in the perfons of Mr. Burgers, Mr. Wallace; and a Mr. Galland. John Richard; Wl5 then called—he flated that he had been employed in the election by Mr. Downes, and that he had received money from Burgefs by re= commendation of Downes, for his Cervices and ez. pences. On being crofs-examined by Mr. Sheridan, he raid he had never feen Mr. Sheridan with Mr, Burgcfs. He had not written a threatening letter to Mr. Downes, but he was obliged to acknowledge that he had farce the elation written a letter to Mr. Thomas Sheridan, complaining that he had not been tufficiently remunerated, and threatening to go to Paull's fide, and to d.. every thing in his power against Mr. Sheridan, rollers hi; demands were com plied with. Being examined by the Petitioning Coma fel, Elated, that he had been prefent at cnnverfations, in which Wallace had Rated, that the Warrants of the Speaker would be out when the confederation of this Petition was pollponed, and thofe who cbofe might go out of the way, and would recvive money to that purple. Jeremiah Jam: likewife (poke to different meetings at the Peacock. and afterwards at the Barley Mow, Drury lane, where Pullen, Richards, and Sperring had met Wallace, who, lie laid, had treated them with a dinner at the Barley Mow, and allowed them money for their lots of time in Meeting him on the days mentioned. Wallace had told them that the sswrants would be out in confequence of the Petition being pr:ftpnned, and that thole who went out of the way would get rncney to dot). Wallace had afked him what lie meant to do ; but he would not tell him.—Wallace laid, every one in danger might go away.—Witnefs being t•ficed :that he meant by that? He frid that he imagined the danger referred to was of th-.;fe who had voted being bad votes.—The firft converfations in which Wallace had ufed expreffions to the above effeet were aboot the roth January. Daniel Rickard; fpoke to the fame circumftances, of Wallace talking about thofe who were in danger going nut of the way. Witnefs Paid, however, that he himfeif had no nccafinn to go out of the way.— The witnefs was preffed to explain what he meant by that danger; or why it Outdid have been pr °pored that any in :ull go out of the way. He gave no precife artfwer. At fan he dropped down, overcome with fatigue or 'agitation, and was carried o u t. Krt. Ici:hardr, or Richarcycn, the wile of the pt*. ceding witnefs, fpoke to the conveifations of Wal lace at. the Peacock and the Barley Mow. She added that he Paid money to the extent of fix or Leven gui neas woold he given to thole who would go out of the way. Wallace had given 53. a day to her hat band James, &c. for the lots of their time the days they met him ; bt:t at laft he declined making them any more allowances, as he laid he had loft 71. in the Lottery. She denied that fhe had feen any agent or attorney of Mr. Paull. j. Bell faid he had feen Wallace on the Bth of Ja nuary, who, he faid, had requefled him to (peak to Sperling to keep out of the way, and that Mr. She ridan would find the money. Fie had been at the houfe of Burgefs with Wallace, Pullen, and Sperring; that Burgefs gave him sl. for his lots of time. Sper ring had told him that he (Sparing) had voted for Paoli and Hood, on the firft day in his own name, and on a fubfequent day had voted for Mr. Sheridan in the name of Bryan, giving a different defcription of his abode. Sperring faid he had received sof. from Stephen Taylor, in the pretence of Burgefs. Wallace faid he was employed by Burgefs. When prelled to date %eh': he was to keep away, ot make others do fo, be could state no particular reafon. He faid he bad given information to Mr. Paull's agent of whit he had mentioned. He had teen Mr. , Powell frequently, had told him what bad paired when be law J3jargefs. }