The National Register. — London, England, 1809-07-09 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER. of the nature of his liability ? No. Does he not advise Mr. WRIGHT to bring an action against the Dune of YORK for his 200/., as the person with whom Mrs. CLARKE lived, and against whom*there could only be set up an implied liability. And does it not appear in evidence 'that Mr. WARDLE, in the pure spirit of patriotism, offerei to defray the expences of the action ? It is true, in one sense,• that Courts of Law have no thing to do with the motives of a prosecutor, but the House of Commons, and 46 the People of the United Kingdom," (to whom he has addressed his Letter) have not only a right to examine into the means employed to prosecute anti maintain a great public accusation carried on in their names, but also to examine the motives in which such an accusation originates. Mr.'W‘RDLE, however, denies the inference drawn by the Jury, and has endea voured to bolster up hi; popularity by an appeal from the Judgment of the Court to the passions of the People. This is a new sort of appeal ; it may aniwer the purpose of dis cruisintr from himself, for a short period, the annihilation of his popularity, and in common` parlance may he calculated to let him down wily. Tho patriotic CoLosiez. will dis cover his blunder very soon. The expedient he has hit upon to rectify it is a child of the same imbecility that pro ! . duced it. When Mr. WARDLE is cool, we do not hesitate to say, the delusion will Vanish. But let us examine the grounds upon which thii appeal is made. !‘ My counsel were foolish, the witnesses were perjured, and the jury *ere im posed' upon. I really could have prodticed respectable evidence that. would absolutely have contradicted the evidence of Mrs. CLARKE and Mr. Waloirr." This is a libel of the most gross and infamous character we e v er heard. Will any one of the people of the United King dom believe that Mr. WARDLE could have produced such witnesses, and that hie own counsel rejected the proof? We have here at least the opinion of Serjeant BEST as to the effect of their evidence, and no man will doubt the prudence' of his advice. We have often known disap pointed clients pro v e angry ones ; but though this may certainly be a symptom of ireit ability, it is no evidence of understanding.. We are not acquainted with Col. WanDLE, but if we can draw any csinclusion from this . part of his conduct, he is a weak man ; if we take other parts into considerat ion, vie must conclude he is a nicked Man ; but beyond the effects of this verdict, as a pecuniary punishment inflicted on Mr. WARDLE, we Must consider the impression it will make upon the public feeling. Mr. WARDLE'S Counsel state to the Jury, that Mrs. CLARKE is not to be believed upon her oath, and Mr. WARDLE expressly declares her to Le guilty of perjury. Mr. WARDLE declares this before God and his Country.— Can any thing be inure monstrous. A few weeks since Mr. WARDLE brings forts ard the most extraordinary charges against the DUKE of YORK, and Balls down the vengeance of Parliament and of the Nation upon the parole evidence Of this very woman; when) he now engages to prore guilty of perjury. —W hat is there in her character or con duct that can justify such a belief upon the very heels of Mr. WA RDLI:S panegyrics? Did Mr. WARDLE become acquainted with her eh/trifler and disposition ouniso THE INVESTIGATION OR SIN The Public, who are deeply interested in this b us in es s, hav e a 'right to k now. If Mr. WARDLE he convinced that Mrs. CLARKE really is such a character, he ought, as a man of honour, to go do‘sn i immediately on the meeting of Parliament to the House and state his belief, and himself propose a review of its proceed ings. This would be dignified,' his would he manly, this would be candid. But it would not he like the rest of Mr. WAEDLE'S conduct in the business.—Mr. WIN plum Mthe langnage ola Gentleman,and with the nice feelings of a man of honour,isas properly characterised Mr. WAPDLE'S behaviour in that transaction. The means and motives of itare now developed, history will tell the tale, and posterity will be in possession of the" bane and antidote together." If the Dune of YORK be pity, it is upon the evidence of Mrs. CLARKS,—NOW 443 the prosecutor of the Duke instructs his own Counsel to tell the Jury she is not to be believed upon her oath; and the Colonel, although in Court, sutFered her evidence to go unciratradicted to the Jury, in the" full confidence that such testimony would not he credited," thoughltipported in every part by an evidence which was not even at. ? tempted be Mipeached. Besides—this same prosecutor has given it under his Own hand, that she is' perjured. What is the course he has pursued ? Why, the very same as that which vas so violently ridiculed when pursued by the Debt of Yoax. The one wrote a letter to the House of COmmons declaring his innocence upon the honour of a Prince, before he was condemned ; the other addresses a letter to the people of tile. United Kingdom, and gives his simple assurance that he is not guilty, after being convicted—andi this he expects the people are to credit upon his word in opposition to the oath of a we. man, for Whose veracity he stands pledged to the country end the world. Once more we advise these Reformers to begin the .'work " AT ROME." We most sincerely congratulate the pdblic upon the im portant discoveries which' this trial has produced, .and we venture . to pronOmice, that no man whose opinion is worth having, will any longer consider , Mr., WARDLE• either as - a man honour, veracity, or understanding. We have stronger proofs of this assertion than we think necessary at present to produce, but when the tricks of a man, who has risen into notice upon the shoulders of the people are disovered, eery person possesiing a stake in the country, has a right to investigate the means by which he acquired his popularity—Every thing connected with his conduct becomes interesting. Mr. WARDLE will, theretbre, excuse some interrogato ries that we are disposed to put, and which we challenge him to answer—if he dare. You say you had no intimate connexion with Mrs. CLARKE, and we are disposed to give some credit to the declaration from three circumstances-Ist. That the Young woman yomsedueed from Wales, was in town, you remem ber the period when leer inoculation of the last little one took place—this may bring the circumstance to your recollec tion ; Because we know that Mrs. WARDLE receives and reads all letters directed to you, and dictates the en mers ; 3d. And tLough last not least—Because Mrs. CLARKE has corroborated your assertion, by a similar de claration, she certainly has stated this to be the fact, not withstanding the anecdotes respecting ihe Du/cc of Yogic with which you were perpetually irritating her mind—a mind already wonnded by the desertion of his ROYAL. HIGHNESS, and the apprehensions of a mother, lest her family should experience absolute want. These transac lions shall come to light, and the world shall be acquainted with the arts which you employed to goad and worry this unfortunate woman into a conduct that was perhaps never wholly congenial to the generosity of her nature. Admitting this to be the fact we have a right to ask for what purpose were the sums expended upon Mrs. CLARKE• You are not rich, nay, we believe ourselves warranted ,in saying that your own Attorney. told Mrs. CLARKE, on the day he subpcened her, that " WA a DI.F. knew he was a ruined man, and therefore might as we/i hare a run through the Court of King's Bench to save all that money''—lF E Can you persuade yourself that the poirse of Commons will not think it due to their own honour and the purity of their - proceedings, to investigate the charge of bribing a witness, who was about to give evidence before it. if there be any sense of dignity in that Body, if they really d , , not want reforming, they must. 0 damning thought—expul pu ion if the charge be. true. But, Sir, your popularity was of such importance to yo: , party (at least they now say so) that theN would have paid the money, if theN had known either that Noll could nut or would na: have said it without theleansaction being exposed in a court of Justice. , Do you believe, Sir, that at this moment there is a man in th^ kiw. , ;(foin more heariily despised thin v;O7 ) 11‘.;CI1 LI• vi Ui iiiii j '' one of the people DI me united King- dom believe that Mr. WARDLE could have produced such 111'. VI A RDLE Wlll9 LIMI GIVIA:9 VACAUSG sunk lisavrrogaw- ries that we are disposed to put, and which we challenge witnesses, and that his own cou n se l re j ec t e d th e proo f ? him to answer—if he dare. i We have here at least the opinion of Serjeant BEST as to You say you had no intimate conneltion with Mrs. the effect of their evidence, and no man Will doubt the CLARKE, and we are disposed to give some credit to the = prudence' of his advice. We have often known &sap- ' declaration from three circumstances-Ist. That the loung pointed clients pro v e angry ones; but though This may woman yom-seduced from Wales, was in town, you remem- certainly be a symptom of irei:ability, it is no evidence of her the period when leer inoculation of the last little one took understanding.. We are not acquainted witli Col. WARDLE, Ware—this may bring the circumstance to your recollec- but if we can draw any cwnclusion froin this . part of tion ; ‘2.d.. Because we know that Mrs. WARDLE receives his conduct, he is a weak man ; if we take other and reads all letters directed to you, and dictates the an- parts into consideration, we must conclude he is a steers ; Sd. And tLough last not least—Because Mrs. • • nicked Man ; but beyond the efleTts of this verdict, CLARKE has corroborated your assertion, by a similar de- as a pecuniary punishment inflicted on Mr. WARDLE, we ' claration, she certainly has stated this to be the fact, not- Must consider the impression it will make upon the public withstanding the anecdotes respecting :tie Dung of Yoitic " feeling. Mr. WARDLE'S Counsel state to the Jury, that with which you were perpetually irritating her mind—a Mrs. CLARKE is not to be believed upon her Oath, and Mr. mind already wounded by the desertion of his ROYAL o WARDLE expressly declares her to be guilty of perjury. HIGHNESS, and the apprehensions of a mother, lest her Mr. WARDLE declares this before God and his ('ountry.— family should experience absolute want. These transac Can any thing be inure monstrous. A few weeks since Air. lions shall come to light, and the world shall be acquainted WARDLE bring s for is and the most extraordinary cha r g es with the arts which you employed to goad and worry this against the DUKE of Yoa x , a n d Call s d own th e veng eance unfortunate woman into a conduct that - was perhaps never of Parliament and of the Nation upon the parole evidence *wholly congenial to the generosity of her nature. Of this very woman; when) lie now engages to prone Admittincr s , this to be the fact we have a right to ask for guilty of perjurp.—W hat is there in her character or con- what purpose were the sums expended upon Mrs. CLARKE, duct that can justify such a belief. upon the very heels of You are not. rich, nay, we believe ourselves warranted ,in Mr. WA RDLI:A panegyrics? . sayiog that your own Attorney. told Mrs. CLARKE, on the Did Mr. WARDLE become acquainted with her chsra F t o r day he subpeened her, that " WARDLE knew be was a ruined and dis Position DIMINO DE INVESTIGATION OR SIN t':-. ; man , and therefore might as well hare a run through the The P ublic , who are deeply interested in this b u sin es s, h a v e Court of King's Bench to save a ll that mo,iey"—lF j E COULD. . righ t a to know. Mr. «' ARDLE he convinced that Mrs. CLARKE really is such a character, he ought, as a man of honour, to go do‘sn Can you persuade yourself that the Bouse of Commons If will not think it due to their own honour and the p ur ity o f theirproceedings, to investigate the charge of bribing a immedialely on the meeting of Parliament to the House and witness, who wits about to give evidence before it. If there . 1 1 state his belief', and himself propose a review of its proceed- be any sense of dignity in that Body, if they really d , , not • lugs. This would he dignified,' his would he manly, this would I want reforming., they must. 0 damning thought—expul . be candid. But it would not he like the rest of Mr. WA r:D GE's you ion if the charge be. true. . conduct in the business.—Mr. WIN plum in . the langitaceola But, Sir, your popularity was of such importance to yo: , P Gentlelnil/I,alld with the nice feelings of a ;Tian of honour,Jias party (at least they now say so) that they would have paid properly characterised Mr. WAP DLE'S behaviour in that the money, if thep had known either that poet could nut or transaction. The means and motives of it,are now developed, would no: have paid it without the' transact being expoied , . . history will tell the tale, and posterity will be in possession in afourt of Justice. of the" bane and antidote together." If the Duitz of YORK Do you believe, Si . r, that at this moment there is a man be gulty, it is upon the evidence of Mrs. CLARKS.—.-NOW - in 01^ kin7;fom more heariily despised Thin v : ,o; 'ire, e • • i i .. . . .. - - • _ I: [ 4.. • . .. . JULY 9