The National Register. — London, England, 1814-07-10 00:00:00

K THE NATIONAL REGISTE Out Wing, Constitution, aim Labs. PUBLISHED AT NO. 11, NEWCASTLE-STREET, STRAND. SUNDAY, JULY 10. 1814. No• 336• PRINCESS OF WALES. We Wit day insert a copy of the letter of the Princess of Wales, sent to the Speaker of the House of Commons on the 4th inst. and which, our readers will perceive, was in conie quence of a communication made the preceding day by Lord Castlereagh to her Royal Highness. The largeness of the proposed increased income, consider- Pig the state of the country, is not the least insidious fea ture of the proposition ; and though met by the Princess in a way to qualify to a certain degree the unpopularity of its Leing made at all, if any thing can qualify it, neither takes from the burthen or lessens the imprudent acquiescence in a measure intended to cheat her of her rights, and to stop all further inquiry on subjects of the deepest moment to the country and her own character. It may now be seen in the case before us how much the forms of Parliament are abused, for objects sinister to their common usage ; and with what a grave indifference the I most exalted public character may lend itself to . aid the de lusions intended to be practised on the people; and we per ceive with disgust that the hint throWn out by Mr. Canning, of setting hetself up against the sense of Parliament, has in duced her to compromise the redress sought after, and to accept a part of the additional allowance proposed by Lord Castlereagh. But will this measure meet all the bearings of her case? Will it stifle the rancour that evidently preys upon the quiet of both parties ? Will there be no future disagreements—no new attempts on the one hand, or com plaints on the other ? If money can satisfy all these que ries, it is the first time it has been known as a specific; and, in our opinion, instead of diminishing, but increases the odium, and still leaves the Pi ince Regent exposed to all the censure that has been heaped upon him, without clearing the personal conduct of his wife. But the main question at last lies with the public: they are to be satisfied as well as the Princess,—and, having in listed their best feelings and judgments in her cause, will txpect to have the motives laid before them which have in duced her to forego the further prosecution of objects so dear, as she herself as told us, to the future safety and wel fare of the country. For men will reason more or less fa• vourably as they Lay be acted upon by the ignoble and de grading love of money ; but those whom a fiction of Parlia ment may not satisfy to the ptejudice of moral justice, Vii. No. cccidur. PnrrE f)d. require more substantial reasons than any yet laid before them. The moment, indeed, that Mr. Methuen brought forward his motion, and that that motion was acceded to, we foresaw the danger which surroottded the PI incess,—we trembled for her firmness. and are now overwhelmed with the conse. quences of our apprehensions. In the name of truth, if the Princess be as free from debt as stated by Mr. Whitbreait s what can induce her to accept an additional allowance, with . . out atonement, without apologies for past treatment ! It is absurd to talk of " unexpected munificence," which was first suggested.—All will not do. She is still excluded from the Drawing-Room—Her name still impeached—and, what is worse, she has to all intents and purposes accepted a boon to bury the recollection of what she has suffered if she be innocent, and the public have unequivocally ac quitted her, she had her consolations in the verdict of those to whom she had appealed,—she had the support of their honest and unaffected devotion. Will not this step induce them to revise their judgment ? It is in vain to offer to ex tenuate. Here is an evident truckling to pecuniary relief: the larger or the lesser sum make no difference in the guilty compromise. The people did not take up her cause on this ground, but out of a more noble principle. She appealed to them, and she was beard. As to the " good opinion" and protection of the House, which she is made to talk el, ex cept Mr. Whitbread and Mr. Tierney, and the latter indeed has alone acted a manly and patriotic part, who has said a word in her favour ? The generosity of the' Prince has in deed been highly praised ; his forgetfulness of past exclave gance, and his solicitude to lirn:t an unnecessary expenditure in future, are admirable topics for those who allow hundreds of thousands to be lavished without censure, without con troul, and without remark. To such people there is nothing so valueless as their money, nothing they despise more, unless a truth be to be suppressed, or a witness to be suborned. For our own parts, if we have ventured to express our selves rigidly upon this part of the case, it is because the cha racter of the Prince has nothing to do with it. A linked and insulated proposi;ion took place, wLich should have been met as Mr. Tierney advised : the money should have !well refused. It is dangerous, nay.criminal, to tamper with the public feeling. If, with the whde nation on her side, het case has been pictured as deplorable, what will be the bitua tic* ,of the Princess with the whole colaltry against La. ka .;.:-.0"