The National Register. — London, England, 1809-03-19 00:00:00

oNTARCII 19. objection , to that v. ituess's evidence, which he took fait& into 116 con-ideration before he decided upon th merits of her testi mony. There were, however, eer:Liu strong - points in her evidence, w Melt, though she came before the House as a per.-..0u herring,; reentntent against his Ito\ al . k 7 !:.hrie s `' , were Milt ell -- titled to impiicit credit. :here the Lean:::;! Gentleman com mented upon the featurej of Mrs. Clarite's in.inner and te,titnonv, which particularly entitled her to credit. The apparent levity t:to former, iie thoty,.,ltt must ht.7..e removed from the mind of every impartial nt ttay suspicion that her evidence wa , fin...tied upon tiny preconeerted plan, and consequcutly, that its it was her object to deceive, she w until have used more circum spection. With respect to the latter, ninn to.y. her evidence it self, it stood completely uuontradieted in any material parts, and it was supported, first, by the ttnimpeacited te , timony of J.iss Taylor, and the epistolary cot respoto:ence of the Oto.se of York. ; and, scrutiny, the imincrous witnesic, who bore het oat it) almost every sWr-tatitial tact. The honourable and Learned Gentleman contrasted the case of his Royal with that of Lord Melville, and cot tenikd strongly that it was impussib:Le for the ilouse to pass over the conduct of his ;loyal ighoess without adopting some similar course of proceeding in tie present instance. Ile would yield as little to popular cla incur as any man, yet he could not help cousidernig, tit:lt by their own act, the evidence hail all ;wen given to the pehlie, and they woui:: form a judgment upon the case as: well as them sAves. The Hon. and I.:ran:oil Gentleman concluded a most able and eloquent speech, -,ith declaring thatti& felt he had a to t!-,t sokum duty to perform, and however pitiful to his feelings it might be, he should vote for the original motion. il, SI! rr it spoke at considerable length ; but AO much noise prevailed in the House, that it was impossible to collect Iv hat he The Sc LIC ITOR-GENER A T., in a speech of nearly three hours, supported ttk resolutions of the Chancellor of the Exche quer, and at - tat that it. would be unfair to condemn his Royal llighness without ,sending him before a tribunal where he might have an opportunity Of vindicating his innocence. The Learned -Ueittleman took a copious review of the evidence broug - ht in support of the charges, and concluded with expressing his full 011‘ictioo of the iniliießi:Ce of the Royal Duke 4..tti the Motion of Lord ('.A STLL•'iLEAGLU the house adjourned. Tuesday, March 14, TILE DUKE OF YORK. Mr. WYNN rose, nod said he lamented that the ll . onse should be called upon to pursue a line of proceeding, which would pre vent them from sating distinctly either aye or no, to the pro positions offered to their consideration. Whether the Duke of York was unfit to hold the situation of Commander in Chief, and not that of subjecting him to particular trial. Be would simply compare his case to that of any domestic servian, who =hoot(' he indicted for an offence, of which however there was not sufficient evidence to convict him capitally, :set that it should come out that there had been very good ground for accu sation. Under such circumstances, he would ask, was there any Member in the Howe who would retain such a servant any tenger in his service i Ile believed not. lle should conceive the case of Samuel Carter, who was certainly a very improper petT,mt to have been put into the army, but whose case was cer tainly of all the others the least deserving of reprehension, to he one on which a verdict could be given. It was more than proba ble that his fLoyalllighness on this would be acquitted of corrupt connivance. Let him then suppose that there were fifty other cases of improper promotions of the sal e. kind, still if there was no stronger proof of corruption in any of them than in the first, he would in all probability be acquitted of the wh)le, and by that means thegerieral culpability of the person so arcused would go unpunished. The charge which appeared to him the heaviest against the . Duke of York, and which could be made the ground of impeachment, was the case of Kennet the money-lender. In this case the charge of corruption Would have been fully proved, had not the negociation been broken off by the circumstance, :Is appeared by the testimony of Mr. Gr eenwood, of his being nn appeared With able to provide the money he p romised to advance. out laying any stress whatever on the evidence of Mrs. Clar ke, although he was not disposed to think that she ought to he put so entirely aside, as Honourable Members on the other side of the House were pleased to thin k she deserved, yet the remaining evidence on the Minutes was sufficient to sustain the charge of corruption and connivance agai nst hie It y llighness. The evidence of Miss Taylor, a witness,proud to have heard a Learned (it:adman (the Allister of tht itolls) state to be per- THE NATIONATOtEGISTEL_ 183 feet ly unim peacha'ale in her character. With respect to the applt cation in favour of General Clavering, it was incontrovertibly proved, that his Royal Highness gave his direct car to the ap plication by Alt's. Clarke in that °dicer's behalf. The case of, Taayn, which the Right lion. Gentleman ( Mr. Perceval) still considered doubtful, airs equally incontestihha if there was t atty one man in th'ss House who oug ht to entertain It doubt up• t this point, the Right DA. Gentleman he should have 511 pponca to be the last to harbour ate, a Len be remembered, that on a prosecutian, which was comineted by that tight lion. Gentle taan a hilts In' was . 3 , mane v-General, in the Courts below, against judge Johnstone for a had, the conviction of that gentleman was obtained by a mere caraparison of hard-writinas, alth lp ough ex the evidence was equ al on both sides ; he cottld not he pressing his surprise that he should entertain any doubt upon the subject of his Royal llighness's time. The third case was that of Samuel Carter. llow would Contlemen blush for that profession, to tad that their sons were become . the companion of the foothov of I.‘larkeC:a r : that AN ns d ear, he •ovteld his promotion to the tits:ltlie:lce of las. C M rs. ke tliat from the improbability that the reeonrreodat 0 ioh of Capt. Sutton had any Nveight a ith tile Puke of York ; and, secondly, the grateful letters of the young emu himelf, hich were highly to his hotionr, were still more convincing proofs that it was through Mrs. Cairke's influence with the Duke that he ohtainod the conuni:,,ion. To hta; was he indebted for lils outfit, and ever other necessary to his appointment. Dr. O`Mcara, Mr. El el'rton, and Mr. Dowler's case, f orm ed the 1-ta n intlittingueuve thupree, wherein it w a:, to:wire - it, that to Clarke's on the Duke of York they owed the object of t heirresnective upp!i cations. (le did not mean a t all to infer, that th 1. Dube of Yarl: participated in any of the galas thus made by Mrs. Clarke, butted he thought the charge of connivance Was billy substautia against him, and consequently that he ouaht to be deprived of the command of the army. Mr. CROlina said, he coald not give silent vote ade b upon y this subject, more especiAly after the obavervations m the lion. Baronet (Sir F. Burdett) wit h respect to the Learecil Gentleman who commented upon the evideace adduced upon this question. The Hon. Gentleman then analized, the e vidence of Mrs. Clarke, in vs . hich he pointed out many incow.i:•tencie.:, which appeared to him obviously calculated to impeach the whole of her testimony. It was upon this ground he rested the defence of his Royal Highness, for lie emaciated that it was tit- • t er ly impossible to c onvict him, with justice, upon the testi. mono of such an abandoned woman. 'lnererticalar were conside other pa rati r tson. of the case which called for his mo re' pa lie requested the House most earnestly t c o look t facts, to I ry the veracity of the witnesses, and not toconfide in a vain sartnises. Throughout the whole of Mrs. Clarke's evidence, in :11l the do cuments which, through her means, had been brought before the H ouse , there was a con stant want of dates. This circumstance was not extraordinary, as it strongly supported the execution of her nefarious projects. Samuel Carter was represented as an orphan boy, a menial dependant on her pleasure and h ..t . b o unty ; but w hen were such representatio u nfortunate youth, ns 'malty ? W hen Capt. Sutton, w ho till then had protected the w as dead. She then suddenly started into his benefactress; de clared her influence alone had procured hitu his common, and her liberality supplied his wants. That was the account given by Mrs, Clarke; the following was given by truth : Captain Sutton procured the commission for his prolege., who lived with him when it was obtained, and %%hose thanks were returned to to the Duke, in a letter that was still i loht n ex a i ll sense of his skeare. if, after the death of this o ffi cer, t he. young vvas his man dig nity, and willingly stalk into a serva nt of Mrs. Clarke; s account ? lt was the re degredation chargeable ou the Duke' the of Captain Sutton alone that had placed him in the army in the rank which lie occoliied. The date of his com mission fully proved that at the titats when he was said to stand behind Mrs. Clarke's chair, three days after she ha How couldd repaired t t o Gloucester -place, he hag received his be said then, that it had been obtained through the resistlets influence of that woman? She forgot all the claims which the young, inexperienced Carter had upon her. She boasted she had rai , eti him from a foot -boy into a gentleman, and now that he had for sometime enjoyed all the advantages which the latter i nto in society, she wished to degrade him from a gentle man into a footman. The Ron. he Membam oaton of on twhicho the case of Captains Speding and `Conn, t ex prove to the House, how small and nugatory was the por tion of influence which I\lrs. Clarke possessed. 'Both applied at the stunt: kime to this pretended yeader of promotions ! but the foonei paid he r two hundreti ponntli wore than the latter i t , ,~. t F I'IN IF ONALAEGISTER; 183 ...,... _. ,_ • into - fee unim peach:l l 4le in her character. W ith respect to the appla. ~ • t. testi- cation in favour of General Clavering, it was incontrovertibly a her proved, that his Ito\ al Highness gave his direct ear to the erzOU plication by Airs. Clarke in thataollicer's behalf. The case of 1, 2 !i en- Toayn, which the Right Hon. Gentleman ( Mr. Perc ' eva6 - Still: il coal- considered doubtful, was equally incontestihle• If there was k 1 a n tong, any one man in this 'louse who ought to entertain a doubt upon levity this point, the Right HA. Gentleman he should beet supposed ,f ind of to be the last to harbour awe, when he rememd, that on a .1 i ew a , prosecutinn, which was cotaineted by that Right Hon. Gentle- r ; that it man while he was A ttornev-Lieneral, in the Courts below, against I ' irczon. I 3 udge Johnstone for a lia . el, the conviction of that gentleman i nee it- • was obtained by a mere eeraperison of hardtings, although he cottld not help ex- I i parts, the evidence was equal on both sides ; finny of pressing his surprise that he should entertain attv doubt anon 1? ,. !.,,-' ail se of the subject of his Royal llighness's woe. The third case ' ,ire het was that of Samuel Carter. How would Gentlemen blush for a il e " i.. ad that profeasion, to tad that their sons were become • the I, tie iOss companion of the foothoy of lAlas. Clarke: that he • •00tfitt • it was his promotion to the tient-% ciente of Mrs. Clarke AN ns clear, I . A, (it al 1 hilt front the improbabill . ty that the reeomtreodatioh of Capt. 'ding in 1 Sutton had any Nveight w ith the Puke of York ; and, secondly, .. tar t l 1 the gratefui letters of the young emu himself, o hich were highly il ha by \to his honour, were still more convincing proofs that it was A a i i, pehlic, through Mrs. Clarke's influence with the Duke that he obtained o Ls them- 1 the conwal:,,ion. To hea vvas he indebted for his outfit, and e a mo st ever other accessary to his appointment. Dr. 01Mcara, Mr. El- ..,l ii me had a el'rton, and Mr. Doppler's ease, formed the rernainiog three, feeling, wherein it wit:, warife-it, that to Mrs. Clarke's influenve upon' the Duke of York w they owed the object of theirresnective appli- s o much 1 cations. lie did not mean at all to infer, that th! buhe of Yark o collect participated in any of the gaias thus made by Mrs. Clarke, but i l lt ' he thought the charge of connivance W:tC billy substaatiated ty three against him, and consequently that lie ou:.;ht to be deprived of e Exehe- the ' command of the army. t ' its Royal 'Alr. CRON: mt said, he could not give a silent vote upon this t he 'night subject, •more especiAly after the otr.ervations made by the ‘ i e Learned -ought in 1 Hon. Baronet (Sir F. Burdett) with respect to the Learacit . 11 4 fib his full Gentleman who commented upon the evidehce adduced upon this A question. The Hon. Gentleman then analized, the e vidence i of Mrs. Clarke, in vs . hich he pointed out many inconsistencie.:, uljourned. It which appeared to him obviously calculated to impeach the whole of her testimony. li was upon this ground he rested the defence of his Roy al Highness, for lie contended that it was ot- • , t er ly impossible to c onvict him, with.justice, upon t h e testi. i% .11 many of such an abandoned woman. Tere were other parts of 3 1 ., rose should the case which called for his more poeticalar consideration. ;. would pre- lie requested the House most earnestly canticlek atfacts, to try i -1.. a the pro- the veracity of the witnesses, and not to in v tanises. the Duke Throughout the whole of Mrs. Clarke's evidence, in all the do- • il-i imander in currents which, through her means, had been brought before th 1.• . 1 ,„ ' trial. Be House, there was a constant want of dates. This circumstance 1 tic servant, was not extraordinary, as it strongly supported the execution of • kvever there her nefarious projects. Sanita•l Carter was representedrete as yet that it an orphan boy, a menial dependant on her le a le.tr z. 1 nit for am- bounty ; but when were such representations - made ? W hen , was there Capt. Sutton, who till then had pratected the u nfortunate youth, servant any was (lead. She then suddenly started into his benefactress; de- 1 ild conceive shared h-er influence alone had procured hint his cominision, and ry improper her liberality supplied his wants. That was the account given ase was ccr- by Mrs, Clarke; the following was given by truth : Captain elision, to he Sutton procured the commission for his prolege', who lived 'with than proba- him when it was obtained, and vt hose thanks were returned to dof corrupt to the Duke, in a letter that was still ia existeace. if, after A .c. fifty other the death of this racer, t he. young man lost all sense of his dig- s accountthe re- .: ... ...,... . . iif there was nits', and willingly sunk into a servant of Mrs. Clarke; was his t .. .. nin the first, degredation chargeable on the Duke' tale, and hv commendation of Captain Sutton alone that had placed him in 11a - used would the army in the rank which lie oectepied. The date of his com- p the heaviest mission ► fully proved that at the time when he was said to stand de the ground behind Mrs. Clarke's chair, three days after she had repaired o v-lender. In Gloucester -place, he hag received his commission. How could(t t.....• I fully proved, Ibe said then, that it had been obtained through the resistlets ttilliStanCe, as influence of that woman? She forgot all the claims which the his being lin- i young,. inexperienced Carter had upon her. She boasted she /mute. With- `hat val.:ea him from a foot -boy into a gentleman, and now tat , f Mrs. Clarke, he had for sometime enjoyed all the advantages which the latter i ght to b e put possessed in socie t y , she wished to degrade him from a gentle- e other side of man into a footman. The Ron. Member oat on to the case of t the remaining Captains Spetting and Tony n, the examon of which would 1 the charge of- proVe to the House, how small and nugatory was the par- ii, Ugliness. The 1 lion of influence which Airs. Clarke possessed. 'Both applied at , i to have heard the striae time to this pretended treader of promotions ! but the •,_ , state to be per- fps' paid her two hundreti poandi sore than the latter i ~ 1, 4 , l