Star. — London, England, 1822-02-14 00:00:00

orr w iz .„ o„ • !" , 7 4 . • • ~... r 4or quis (Londondestils made IMO, reply, but put him under the necessity of opening . the question, and bringiog_all the torresilhodence tnto discussion. Th e Noble Marquis and his friends should-then abandon that silence which they observed, and the motives which actuated their conduct would be explained, however studiously they were concealed inside of the measures which they adopted. They were far from follow ing the doctrine which was laid down by a Noble. Lord (Eldon), whom they took for their guide and master in constitutional law. The Noble Baron, in another place, had said, on an occasion like the present, "Goo forbid he should ever see the Minis ters of the Crown of this country disposed to sup press any particle of evidence which might be neces sary for the justification or acquittal of any indivi dual r His Majesty's Ministers had, however , with held from him the grounds on which they proceeded 'against him. He was come there to solicit his ac cusers for the facts—(Near, hear)--°° which he had been arraigned—(Hear, hear). —He had been ar raigned and condemned in his absence, unheard, and on et-parie statements, preferred by he knew not whom. It not us ual to question the right of the Crown to dismiss its servants. He would not here enter on that subject, lest it might prejudice his cause ; but he would shew thikarbitrary exertion of it to be aViolation of the Oonstitntion of the country, and a violation of the military laws. He would sfiew that the prerogative of the Crown, if exercised as it had been in his case, would be destructive of the Constitution—that such an exercise of it was incom patible with military independence, and that it de prived the Army of those independent members who were so necessary to be scattered through it. The exercise of the prerogative of dismissing Officers from the Army for votes given in that House, was most' dangerous. Above all, it disqualified Officers of the Army from discharging those duties which they owed to that House, the Public, and themselves. It was a power too dangerous for all good purposes, and too liable to be perverted to bad ones—(Hear, hear).—The question which he was going to propose could not be considered as infringing on the prero gative of: the Crown. That prerogative was not ex ercised except through the agency of responsible ser vants. He knew there was a time when a different maxim prevailed. He knew, from history, when the Officers of the Crown proclaimed a different doc trine. He knew when the Judges on the Bench maintained, that in the prerogative of the King was implied a power to punish, because he had the power to pardon. He knew the period of our history when the doctrine prevailed that the will of the King was the law—(Near, hear).—He knew of a King (James the First), who, in a speech said, 44 that as it was blasphemy for a man to dispute what Gon might do in the plenitude of his power, so it was sedition for subjects to dispute what a King might do in the ful ness of his power." There was a time when those doctrines did prevail, and when it would be dan gerous to deny them; but, thank Gov, opinions were since greatly altered. The Revolution of 1688 established a different doctrine—(Hear, hear, hear). That Revolution admonished Kings and Kings' Mi nisters not to set up their own will for constitutional law. Before entering on the proof which he was prepared to submit to the House, it would be neces sary for them to have a description of the person who was the object of this bnjust and cruel measure. He was an officer of nine and twenty years standing, who, though he could not produce the proofs of services requited by his own Government, could shew the testimonials of the Commander-in-Chief of his con duct, as well as testimonials from foreign Generals to the met it of his exertions. He was also a Member of Parliament, who felt it his duty before GOD to op pose the policy of his Majesty's Ministers, because he was in his conscience persuaded that they were acting in variance with the interests of the country— that they were dishonouring its character, and were enemies to a free Representative Government—(Hear, hear). —Was this Officer degraded merely on the ground of some supposed delinquency on the parti cular occasion alluded to, or was the measure not dictated by a morbid resentment arising out of a re view of his political exertions in Parliament ? If not, why was good faith broken towards him? Why this illegal act to his prejudice? Some misconception had arisen on this subject. It was supposed that by his removal he did not forfeit the sums vested in his commission. Why did Ministers cashier him and act so disgraceful, that it was only next in rank to the punishment of death ? Did they hope by this means so to embarrass him in his circumstances that he would be obliged to take refuge in another coun try? It. was indelicate to allude to family circum stances, but, however painful, he felt it to be his duty to make the allusion. It was notorious that it pleased PROVIDENCS to visit more than one member of his fa mily with one of the most deplorable of all infirmi ties, and that his Majesty, in consequence, in the most benevolent manner, granted an allowance to his family, which continued for some time. But when Ministers persuaded the King to sign an instrument which would at once deprive him of so considerable an emolument, and mar all his prospects for the fu ture, it would be supposed that they had done so with a view to create an impression in the Public against him, against which no character would be proof. — What did some of them say in France, to his know. ledge? They stated their opinion, that his removal without trial would not take place, had not Ministers thought that it would be better for him and his fa mily that no trial should take place. He could not but *complain that the Ministerialists should have sent forth the most slanderous attacks upon him, when the fact was before the world of a dismissal, which, for aught that appeared, might be the result of the most degradin . g conduct. Did Ministers believe that they were acting with justice, when they deprived of rank, and emoluments, and prospects, one who had con tended in so many campaigns for his country ? If they denied him justice, Ws called on the House to afford its prolection. He called on Hon. Members, as they were Gentlemen, and men with a sense • o f justice in their breasts, to do to him as they would be done, into. If he was ionocent, he had a right to be tried in order to get the benefit of his innocence. if trial *was also necessary—the Law, the Country, and the Artily, had a rightlo know the of fence—(ileac, henr).—lt was necessary to proclaim his crime to the world, for the sake of example, which was the end in all punishment. But this was as bad as the Inucceditigs of the Inquisition. In Turkey, a ..~. VMttrr .a 44 tory the best enoru.... - voluntvil come before that House on this occa sion. He had. lied to the Commander - in - Ch ie f , and t o , J r the Ho Department, and be.did not know, until that time, that persons swearing maliciously and falsely were protected by the rules of office. He would now state the u uth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. There were several Hon. Members who could bear testimony to the truth, and he called upon them to correct him if he said anything not warranted by the facts. He believed he need not state to the House that his removal from the Army was connected with some imputed act at the funeral of the late Queen, or at some time immediately before it. On the 9th of August, being at Paris, he was informed in a public office, by the English Ambassador, Sir Charles Stewart, of the death of the Queen of Eng land. It was necessary for him to state this particu lar, as it had been reported that he had heard the news whilst at dinner, and that his expression on re ceiving it shocked two or three Officers present. The Honourable Member for Coventry (Mr. Ellice) who wits'then at Paris, and himself, agreed to return to Englaid immediately, and accordingly left Paris on the morning of the 11th. That Hon. Member could support him in the assertion, that up to that moment no other information reached him on the sub ject than the simple fact of her Majesty's death. One or two posts beyond Boulogne they met a courier, and he told them that the remains were to be removed to Hanover. On the 12th he wrote to Dr. Lushing ton from France, understanding that the funeral was to take place on the 14th, offering to place himself at the disposal of the executors in any way they should think fit. He at the sametiine wrote to his son to wait on the executors for their answer. He and his Hon. Friend arrived in London between two and three o'clock on the 13th. By the direction of his son be went over to her late Majesty's house, in South And ley-street, where Dr. Lushington and Mr. Wilde, he was informed, were sitting, but was too late. He then crossed over to his friend Alderman Wood's, and they all three proceeded to Brandenburgh House. He would appeal to his Hon. Friend (the Member foe Coventry) if he had not reason to know that it was his (Sir Robert's) intention, from the first moment, to attend her Majesty's funeral ? At Brandenburgh House they waited till five o'clock, and there, he could solemnly state, he had no interview with any one ac cept the persons immediately employed in making arrangements. This particularity was necessary, be cause it was said that he had attended a Meeting at Hammersmith, where the arrangements were planned for the obstruction of the progress of the funeral-- Having returned to town, they found Dr. Lushington and Mr. Wilde at South Audlerstreet, engaged in a correspondence about the funeral with Lordlaverpool. They said they did net know if the funeral would take place next day; but Dr. Lushington told him I that the Hon. Member for Aberdeen would meet him that evening at nine o'clock, and state the arrange ment, which he was sure by that time would be com pleted. He then begged of Mr. Hume to call on him on his way to the Freemasons' Tavern; but having waited in vain for that Gentleman, he went to the Freemasons Tavern, where Mr. Hume had not arrived. The time he was absent was so very short, that his rapidity excited the surprise of his brother in-law, Lieutenant-General Burrowes. He then pro ceeded to 13rookes's, to see the Hon. Member for Winchelsea, and there Dr. Lushington and Mr. Wilde came also, some time after eleven o'clock. Up to that time no arrangement bad taken place; they did not even know if the funeral was to take place next day. However, between five and six o'clock next morning he proceeded to Alderman Wood's, and finding that he had gone, went on to Brandenburgh House, and on his way overtook the worthy Alder man. It was necessary for him to state, that he was mounted on a handsome little chesnut horse, orthe worthy Alderman's, and not on a tall, grey, thin one, as was stated in the information which - he had reason to believe was laid before Government. Oa the way he had no conversation with any one except Alder man Wood. There was not the least indication of any obstacle on the road. They remained at Bran tlenburgh House for some time, and during that pe riod had no conversation with any one except the persons employed about the funeral ; indeed, they could not have any, on account of the strictness with which the police officers kept everybody from the door. At length, at the desire of Dr. Lushington, he and his Hon. Friend came down to be present at his protest against the proceedings of the undertaker, and the demand made for the authority under which he acted. Instead of an instrument signed by a Se cretary or Under-Secretary of State, he could chew nothing but the programme of the funeral. How ever, the executors did not choose to resist the ar rangements of the undertaker. He (Sir Robert) ad dressed himself to Sir George Nayler, who was there he believed in some heraldic character. He said to Sir George, that he and some of his friends wished, as much as possible, to testify their respect for the me mory of the Queen, and wished, if it were permitted, to ride by the side of her hearse. The answer was that it was contrary to the rules, and that their proper station was behind the last mourning-coach. This answer he conveyed to his friends, and accordingly they posted themselves behind the last mourning-coach. The procession advanced as far as half-way to Ken sington Church, where it remained above an hour. A man who had apparently passed the line of pro cession, said that it was obstructed; he was immedi ately checked by the Hon. Member for. Shrewsbury. After about half an hour more, he and his Honour able Friends went on : some of he horsemen proposed to accompany them, but they would not permit them to be of the party. They went as far as the head of the procession ; and there be posted himself near the Blues, and got into conversation with an O ffi cer, who* countenance was familiar to . him, but whose name (which he afterwards found to be Captain Bouverie) lie did not then know. He asked this Officer the question if the procession was to pass through the City ? The Officer replied, that lie did not know— that he was commanding a guard of honour, and must be guided entirely by instructions: he observed, at the same time, that the people were doing very • • .4: procession, . - bridge, until they came to a part of the road appeared to him - to have a dead wall on one side. Here a slight halt was made, and some one came up to him, and seeing he was wet, asked him to have. some refreshment. The procession had not advanced. far, when a Gentleman came riding by from he di rection of Hyde Park Corner, ind stated that he was authorized by Sir Robert Baker to state that the pro cession would go through the City ; but to their asto-, nishment they found, on reaching Hyde Park Cor-, ner, that the procession turned up through the Park. It proceeded rapidly through the Park, until the y' reached Stanhope-gate. He stopped th ere, and in a little time saw an Hon. Member of the House, who commanded that day, tiding dcwn, and the instant suggestion was, that he was going for more troops. , The head of the procession having passed through Cemberland-gate, it appeared to stop, and somecon fusion ensued. There was a rush of the people, and he (Sir Robert Wilson) saw at the time the Guardsi cutting at the people, but was certain that it was nol more than the flourishing of their swords. A second and a third rush took place. He then proceeded to the place, and by the time he arrived there the lead ing, horses of the first coach had pas sed the g ate, and the hearse was surrounded with the Blues. The Guards were all in disorder and confusion, such as he was in the habit of seeing cavalry bodies in when suddenly repulsed in the field. He saw at once that the conduct of the Guards, and their continued firing only tended to break the peace. He addressed him self to one of the parties, and asked if they had or ders to fire, They said they had not, but that they were exceedingly ill-treated by the populace. He then rode up to another party, who made him the same answer. He said to them, " Now that the at tacks of the populace are over, now that they have ceased to throw stones, for Gon's sake, have done!" One of the men said that the Guards were firing only blank cartridges ; but the fact was otherwise, as was but too well proved. At the moment that he was speaking to the man, a shot was fired from behind him, which grazed his cheek so nearly, that he put up his hand to-feel if any part of his face, was in jured. He immediately turned round, and saw three men in the act of reloading their pistols. He ad dressed them, observing that this was most disgrace ful; that they were soldiers of Waterloo, and should not disgrace themselves; that they had stood before cannon-shots, and should not mind these paltry stones. This was all that passed. He was as cool at the time as he was at that moment—not an oath had escaped from his lips during the time, so help him Goa ! At this time he saw a Gentleman in coloured clothes, mounted on a dragoon horse, approach, whom he immediately took to be a Magistrate. He said to him, " - Sir, you, as a Magistrate, ought to have been here; this is the place for the Magistrate to be." The Magistrate replied, " I have been oc-: cupied in removing the obstructions to the progress of the funeral, and that was my place." He (Sir Robert Wilson) observed that he (the Magistrate) must have been aware of the disorders which had just taken place at that spot, and how necessary wan his presence in order to check them. The Magistrate, in answer, made a remark which he (Sir R.lWilson) would much rather bear repeated by that Gentleman at the bar. In fact, as he would not wish to become the accuser of any person, he would rather decline repeating that remark at present—(Cries of " State it I")—At that moment he saw an Officer come up, who he believed was the Commanding Officer (whose name he afterwards discovered was Major Oakes), to whom he (Sir Robert Wilson) communicated what had taken place. This Gentleman said he gave no orders to fire, and distinctly declared that he was sorry the firing had taken place. He (Sir R.Wilson) then presented the Magistrate to Major Oakes, who received him with the usual courtesies and acknow ledgments. He repeated to them the propriety of their remaining near each other, and how beneficial it would be if they kept constantly near the men.— He ought to say, that the men generally felt the rebuke, and said, let us give up and form. There was at this time a considerable pause. He then re presented to Major Oakes that the Guards had made themselves so obnoxious to the people, that so long as they accompanied the procession there could be no expectation of tranquillity. He (Major Oakes) observed that he and his men had now done the duty appointed for them, and that it would be no longer necessary for them to stay, and he would go to the Commanding Officer for further orders. Seeing that the Guards were to be drawn off, lie (Sir R. Wilson) suggested to Major Oakes, that it would be proper for him, in order to the safety of the soldiers and the preservation of the peace, to order the men to advance in frontof the procession, and take the part turning to the right. He agreed in the-propriety of this sug gestion. On turning the corner one of the soldiers was violently struck with a stone, and he (Sir Robert) must say, that he never saw a man behave with more temper and forbearance than the soldier. In fact, up to this time, there was nothing like that alarming throwing of stones which would justify the Guards in having recourse to their loaded pistols. The pro cession having advanced a little, an Officer with six men, came up with an order from Lord Liverpool. He (Sir It.) said to him, as he had only six men, it might beimproper for him to remain with 'the' procession, and inconsequence he did withdraw. *After this tome confusion ensued, in consequence of one of the horsis of the hearse becoming entangled in the traces, and some of the people, taking advantage of this disorder, attempted to impede the procession. But this attempt he (Sir Robert) laboured, and successfully, to prevent. He then returned to his station in the procession, after having conversed with Sir Robert Baker, who entirely agreed with him upon the propriety of whathad been done, and never left that station until the procession arrived at Ilford. He then returned to town, and could solemnly say that he took no refreshment ex cept at his own house. This he was the more anxious to impress on the pause ? asite.was given to under slandthat Government were in possesSiiniolinforpki tio n, in which it was stated that he (Sir Robert) had dined witk a certain Gentleman, and after dinner had given a most vulgar, if not a tlta .0 %Ale toast. He I ~., day to Colchester, and *re be atteadoi •in the capacity of a mourner. Re the% to Harwich, and returned to town. So m e after, one Of his friends met him, and said s to be misled, as it was *wen out that be head of a plan for the obstruction of d ie He heard the story repeated so often, t u t at length to Lord Harrington, who the Guards, and the honotir of whose fri en d. ship he could boast. Mis Lordship was not at he s% but he (Sir Robert) saw his son, and explained mi nt the object of his visit. He then took the advice of hi s friends and colleagues, and they agreed that it wo ad be .premature in him to send in any statement a n the Government upon the subject. On the 27th ',wp m be went to the office of the Commander-in-Chief, bra his Royal Highness was not there. He saw Sir Fi er . bert Taylor, the Secretary, and explained to hi m due he had waked on his Royal Highness in consequence of certain reports that he had heard , imputing coo; duct of a very serious nature to him — that he did think it necessary to send in any statement, b ut t h at be was ready at a momen t s warning to meet any rilleCUSatiOn which might be }sought against him...— He added, that he was aboet to retura 'to P ar i g , and that if he received no official communication froth his Royal Highness, he should consider that thine was no foundation for the report that it was in the contemplation of Government to bring forward ter tails heavy charges against him.—(Here the Honour able Member read site minutes of what had passed, and which was to the above effect, signed by Sir Herbert Taylor.)—He should add, that he offered to 'give Sir Herbert Taylor the perusal of a statement ' which he had drawn up in his own justification, to be used by him in whatever manner he should think Sr. He waited until the .sth September, and, receiving no answer, he returned to Paris. On the 19th of that month he received a note from Sir C. Stewart, the A mbassador there, requesting him to call upon him, as he had a communication for him from his Majesty's Minis ters. lie determined to wait on his Excellency next dm —ln the meantime he happened to go into a public coffee-room, and there saw, in one of the French papers, an extract from the Courier newspaper. an nouncing his removal from the Army, in almost the terms of the Commander-in-Chief's letter to him._ He waited on Sir Charles Stewart on the 20th, who gave him the scaled letter, declaring that he was ig norant of its contents. The letter was couched in these words:—" Sir, I have it in command from hit Majesty to inform you, that his Majesty has no further occasion for your services." This letter was signed by the Commander-in-Chief. Thus, in two lines and a half, did he find himself deprived, absolutely plun dered, of his rank and emoluments—the benefits of so many years service, and a stain endeavoured to be affixed to his character which the lowest and basest dereliction of duty only deserved. The name of the Commander-in Chief was signed to this letter. To that illustrious person he begged to say he should ever feel grateful for the acts of kindness bestowed on him by his Royal Highness. Headdressed a let ter immediately to the Commander-in-Chief, and his Royal Highness returned an answer, dated the 23th of September.—(This correspondence has been al ready published in this Paper). He came to England on the 7th of October, and was still determined, if possible, to obtain redress entirely through the me dium of the Military Authorities. He again, on the Bth of October, wrote a letter to the Commander-ia- Chief. He ayes satisfied that he was entitled to a Court Martial, not only on the authority of Lal George Sackville's case, but on that of many others, which, if necessary, he could produce. His Royal Highness's answer conveyed the expression his re solution not to take any further steps. Thus he found the avenues to justice completely shut up : he had hoped, however, that by establishing the talsehocd of the imputations which he believed to be the ground of the hostile proceedings against him, he mil s :at be able to make some impression in his favour. He therefore wrote to the Secretary for the Home Depart ment, stating that he had heard that information was in his possession, charging him with being pesent at a secret meeting, whete a plan was organised for the obstruction of the Queen's funeral. His Lordship replied_ that he was not the proper channel through which the application was to be made.— He then applied to Sir Richard Birnie, in whose hands the depositions were, and after several inter views, he admitted that the information to which he had alluded was proved, at the very first n:eeting of the Magistrates, to be entirely groundless.—He then understood the depositions were in the hands of the Secretary for the Home Department, in which was stated that he was seen, on the 14th of August, with a pot of porter in his hand, encouraging the people to pull up the pavement, for the purpose of obstructing the procession. He demanded the name of the deponent, in order that he might be prosecuted for perjury. But Lord Sidmouth replied, that he did not consider himself justified in giving the informa tion required. He should now state that a corre spondence took place between him and Major Oakes, which had never yet appeared Before the Public, and to which he begged the attention of the House. He wrote to Major Oakes from Paris, on the 21th of September. The Hon. Member read the letter, which was to this effect—He said he had just seen in t:te Public Papers the statement of a reported convey:- tion between himself and Major Oakes, and tl.'at he . addressed him at that moment for the purpose having his correction of the erroneous statem-n, and his evidence as to what really did take plice. He 'then reminded him that, instead of approaching hint in a hostile manner, he had addressed him in a most amicable way—that he had asked him (Major Oaks , l if he had. ordered the men to fire? on whic:i he de clared that he had not, and that he was sorry that it had taken place; and that he had presented to hint the Nlap,istrate, whoM he received with the usual civilities, and that he had suggested to him that Par ticular movement of the troops when they wereabour to withdraw from the procession, in the propr ie ty of which he(Major Oakes) fully coincided. Major O akes, . in his reply,. first of all declined to be the organ ot contradiction of the statement alluded to. lie had no hesitation in saying the report of the cctiversation did not originate with him, nor did he know who was the author of it. He said it was distinctly in his recollection that he (Sir Robert Wilson) a.ked . him,. on the day and on the' occasi o n a lluded to, it he had given orders for the soldier's' filing ? and that lie had replied he had not . He also admi t t ed that 'le (Sir Robt. Wilson) suggested the flank nanveincnt . , label was rated to the WO etattlatented otiatinnis ikiabotenetina ti tt .13 - ' rt • went next d smiting Vs crime; but such a came at was pinged dost • vomit Two • • ) remains , with regarirto him, seemed to llttaie•pmeunor of •• -refitiliat.aie people weillactiag `g,. mod a l icurip proceeded to military government. The Offieeis, if slick were to otily, aceritupenied by Ni gin. Friend, IHr.alltrate, short elan a be the system, would become bliatinettwnents in the went up to th! place, arid, after alittleremonstrance, that he was hands of the Sovereign, would enable him to destroy they suffered the horses to be yoked and - tbe Waggon was at the 1. all the institutions or the country, and reader nuga- to proceed. They then returned to their station in funeral. H tar.' the best effortsii their ancestors. He did not the procession, which now advanced towards Knights- be went at ....... 1....4.1~._ until thoir cattle to a Dart of the road which minded the dri wa but too /fib its tau atm ha oc S in ft VA re to t ii is ▪ a a 0 tl o 1 a is id of )e st 'o Id - I• ! ,