The National Register. — London, England, 1820-10-08 00:00:00

lafionalf3A titia c3e etsy Eting, eamititution, anti gatE. SUNDAY, OCTOBER a, 18RO. their families, he granted that she moved in a more choice and dignified company. She was charged with having associated sometimes with the nobility of Italy, and some times with the commonalty. Bet who brought that charge against her? Others might hare brought it, but surely their Lordships should not. They were the last persons who should have presumed to do so, for they presumed to judge her, and they were the witnesses who were to vie. dicate her. While she was in this country, she courteously opened her doors to their Lordships' families, and gra ciously condescended to receive them. As lea; as it limited particulars views and interests, her doors were crowded; bet when other views and interests interfered —.when the lust of power and place broke in—•her doors were opened In vain, and she was compelled to the alter native of submitting to the neglect, or leaving a country in which she bad been treated contemptuously. She adopted the latter as the most tolerable of the evils. In the midst of till those afflicting circumstances she had one support—the undiminished love and dutiful respect of that beloved daughter!—Au event was about to take place, at which all England were looking with anxiety— Ibe projected alliance. Europe had heard it announced. The only person to whom it was not announced was the mother of the bride; and all tbat had been done to deserve this neglect was the establishment, by the evidence against her, that she was hot guilty. A prospect now appeared of giving additional stability I. the royal family. The whole of the period passed without any comninnication between the daughter and the mother; and, if the Prin• cam's own feelings had prompted her to open one, it would only have subjected her to a struggle between power and authority on the one hand, and affection and duty on the other. When that event occurred which plunged all England into the most heartfelt grief, and when all Europe sympathised in that event, it was com municated to every Court with which we had an alliance, and to many with which we had no alliance. The person, of all the world, who had the; deepest interest in that me lancholy event, whose feelings were mat whelated by it, was left to be shinned and overwlreitned still wore, by learning it accidentally I She learnt It from a courier who was going with Intelligence to that most faithful ally the Pope! lint if the Princess had not heard it, she would soon have felt it; for the death of the Princess Charlotte announced to the afflicted mother, the Milan Commission, and the commencement of proceedings against her. It has beets the lot of the Princess of Wales to lose her surest stay and best protection when dangers most thickened around her, and scarcely one of her de fenders was left; and it has been the signal for new per secution. Mr. Pitt was her early defender; be died in MO, and a very few weeks after, the enquiry into the low than new attacks were made upon her. Mr. Whit bread then undertook her defence; and when that catas trophe happened, which was deplored by all ranks and parties, then commenced the distant grnmbling of the storm, fen it did not dare to approach her Royal High• ness, as the Princess Charlotte was then living—and men worship the rising sun! But no sooner was the daughter dead, than the Milan Commission commenced its pro ceedings against the mother. And the day—the very day —which saw the venerable remains of a revered Sovereign consigned to the tomb—that Sovereign, who, from her first arrival in this country, had been her constant and steady defender, that same sun ushered the ring-leader of the perjured witnesses into the palace of his successor. The learned gentleman, after expressing his regret that her Majesty had not In him the able defender by which she had formerly been supported, proceeded to direct the attention of their Lordships to the opening speech of the Attorney. General, and to chew how it had failed in being supported by evidence.—The Attorney-General's speech was not a hasty production; it was from a transcript which he had before him, and he would leave their Lord ships to judge how that transcript had been prepared. He gave his leurned friend credit for his sincerity, when he declared that, conscientiously, he would not state any thing but what he most sincerely believed himself able to prove by evidence. He bad told their Lordships what he had got from the mouths of his witnesses, but who were driven from their assertions in the course of their exami nation. He would now select a few examples of the assertions of the Attorney-General, and the evidence of one or two of the leading witnesses, which aottlil sliest the value of that evidence. The learned gentleman het said, in his opening speech, that he would bring evidence to prove the improper conduct of the Queen almost up to the present time. But whet is the fact ? Why, that the evidence conies np to the present time, all but about three yeats—an equal period with that respecting which any evidence is given. He bad told their Lordships, that the guilty intercourse so long wished for, had commenced at Naples. Now. if this tails in proof, it not only threw a stigma on that part of the evidence, but on the whole.— The learned gentleman said, he would prove by marks in the bed of Bergami, that two persons slept in it ; that the Queen went into liZrgami's roots in the night; and that, nest morning, she was not seengsutil a late hour, and was not at home to any person that called. Now, every one of these assertions not only failed, but were negatived by the very witnesses to support them. Dumont staled, that she did not know where the Queen went when she left her own room; that she did not know where Bergami was at the time; and that, next morning, the Quern was sip as usual. Nor was there the slightest evidence odered to prove that any person had called upon her 'loyal Highness. It was tree, that &wither the AitutuerGetieral nor the Solicitor-Geberal had gained their iiiforusaiion respecting foreign manneis Item a residence abroad. Thus had they 'heti n that they korw no• thiog lit Italy. They had told their Lord,bupr that her Sta jebty %tai, black-balled at the Casino at Shim!, arid that to hr blot k-balled at the Casino %oohs tutu toe hest tot characters. No. 1,2711.—V0L. XIII.] 3mpertal Vartiamtnt. 1• , HOUSE OF LORDS. TUESDAY, OCT. 3. This day the House met, pursuant to its adjournment. At its o'clock prayers having been read, the roll was veiled over, when excuses from 15 Peers were allowed, and three declared absent without excuse. Lord LIVERPOOL then rose, sad at considerable lengtb unsuccessfully attempted to clear Colonel Brown from the charge of having threatened that the Alien Act ilbould be pnt in force against Signor Marietti the younger, who is now resident in Loudon as the Queen's Agent, if be did not desist from exerting himself on behalf of her Majesty. Lord DARNLEY afterwards moved for an account of all the expenses of the Queen's prosecution. The motion was, however, postponed.—Counsel were then called Is. THE DEFENCE. •- Mr. BROUGHAM immediately commenced the defence of berMajesty.—The time had now arrived, he said, when It became his duty to enter upon the defence of his royal ; client, and it was with feelings of great embarrassment he - - steed at the bar of that august assembly to perform the important duties that now devolved upon hint. It was not from any Ipprehension that their Lordships would refuse to him the necessary indulgence, for he had often times experienced the indulgence of their Lordship; it was not from the novelty of the proceedings, calculated as they were to perplex and to agitate, for the mind of man became gradually reconciled to the strangest things. It was not from the magnitude of the undertaking in which be was engaged, for he was borne up by the con viction of the justice of the cause which be had to advo cate; a conviction in which all mankind joined. It was not from the operation of those circumstances that he felt embarrassment, but it was by the force of that conviction that he was oppressed; it was by the fear of showing his unworthiness to enter upon a subject of such awful im portance that he was now agitated; and while others Might tremble for a guilty client, or he clipped or chilled by the indifference ' or dismayed by the hostility of public opinion, ho knew he had nothing to apprehend but the feeble discharge of his own duty, end the consequetitet to which that might lead in the opinions of the millions et his countrymen who had their eyes fixed upon him as to the charges against his Illustrious client. Ile felt so troubled under those impressions, that he could hardly compose hle • spirits to the discharge of the duties he had to perform. It Vas with great sincerity he now expressed a hope, that 1a the course of the proceedings so unexampled, his character for loyalty would not suffer in the opinion of their Lord. ships. The Princess Caroline Amelia of Brunswiek arrived in this conntry in the year 1795, the niece of the rlovereign,and the intended consort of the heir apparent, and stills a distinct title, at no very great distance, to the throne. But it was not his inteution to allude to the in terval between that period and the year 1814. He rejoiced that the faithful discharge of his duty did not require, at this moment, any reference to that period. The attempt to prove his royal client criminal did not require recrimination—did not require that a whisper should be made against her illustrious husband. His duty prescribed to him at the present moment silence upon that subject. But their Lordships might be assured that but for the conviction of the expediency of observing that silence, his lips should not be closed 'llion that inipui lent topic. In postponing what he could say upon that snb• . ject, he felt confident that be was waving • right ; but It should not be supposed, that because he abstained from neakiug such a statement, lie would not, if hr felt it no. cessary to do so upon a future state of the proceedings. He was actuated by that feeling which lie knew prevailed universally at the bar—to discharge his duty without looking to the consequences. He had once before taken leave to assure their Lordships, that an advocate knew but one person in the world, that person his client—that It was his duty to serve that client with all expedient means, to protect him at ell hazard and coat to others and to himself, and not to regard the pains and injuries, and even destruction of others, in the performance of that most sacred of duties. The advocate must in tact go on reckless of all consequences, even if amongst those con sequences should be the confusion and mho rrrrr meet of the make. He felt that if he were to proceed by recri. situation, if he were to approach that branch of the ease, he should scent to their Lordships to be justifying, when be pleaded Not Guilty—to be palliating crimes and impro prieties, the least of which lie denied to exist; for he would say that it was false and foul in those who pretended the observance of their duty towards God to forget it Inwards Man. It was scandalous in those to t that isupaoprieties were admitted to be paused manna the (burn. He deeded it. He would show that the evidence, so tar front proving that, ;flowed the reverse. One thing lie would admit, and the eliensies et his client might take the full bruefit of the admission. He granted that his client left this counity and went to Italy, and that she associated with persons, Welty foreign/ is. 11 hile the Queen was enjoying the society of their Lordship; and ittor t miMMINEMNIMIMIN ~. ~ r_Paicz 9jd. They bad forgot that other persons, ircluilitig the famous Col• Brown, had also been black-balled there. The Attui ney- General had asked, with powerful emphasis, and becoming horror, who ever heard of a Royal Pr incess—dhe wife of the heir apparent—going to a masked ball in disgnisc ? (Much laughing.) Why did she not go in her own Mate conch, with all her retinue and attendants, instead of going In a cai riage without even the royal arias on it, and passing through a back door in the garden? He (Mr. Brenham) Wondered the Learned Geuileman did not add that she comtnitted the aggravated crime of going to a masquerade in a domino I— ( Laogbiag). It was not frusta knowledge of Murat's Court, hat from Dumont sad Illeisiechi that they gained their lafor madam, but those witnesses, when under exasaination, had forttleately recolletted *hat was false and forgot what was tree. The Attorney-General bad said, that he Was ism sheeted to state that the Princess had gone to the theatre in a dress so very indecent, that she was hooted from it by the audience. The witness to support this amertioa, mid that the Princess was in au ugly dress, in disguise. Rot strange as it might appear to his Learned Friends, persons at masquerades generally wished to conceal themselves I—A laugh.) The Attorney-General had stated, that at Messina Bergdmi was locked in the same room with the Princess at night, and that voices were heard ; but Dumont, called to prove this, denied it. The Attorney-General had said, that Majocchi beard the Princess in Bergami's room, and that they were kissing each other; but Majocehl only says they Were whispering, In the same opening speech, be bad Mated that &weld one night, not finding Bergami In his room, went to look for him, and saw him come out of t►e Princess's room. undressed and farther, that Bergami, being confused, said he had gone into the room to see his child, who had been crying, and begged Saechi not to mea. tidn it. Seca' is brought forward, bat he denies It as strongly as possible, by saying he does not recollect anything of the circumstance; and yet this was not for want of red. minution, for the Solicitor-General had examined him very closely. The next was the s andalous scene at the Barone, which the Attorney-General had painted snore like a brothel than a palace; bat there was no evidence In support it.— In Naples and Sicily, their Lordships had been told that the conduct of the Queen had shocked all the Nobility. and that none doubted of her improper connection with a menial, but of this there was no proof.—With respect to visiting with the Nobility, he would admit that the Prisms.'" had, from motives which he would not pretend to inquire into, been treated with the same neglect and abandonment, as some per. sons bad, from motives which he well knew, treated her with here. But when the Attorney-General stated her Royal Highness to have been abandoned by the whole of her English suite, he bad forgot that Lady Charlotte Lindsay joined her at Naples. Was it not singular, said the Learned Gentlemen, that this Lady should hate joined the Princess if there was one atom of truth in the scandalous stories of her misconduct? Was it to be believed that this Lady and her own servant,, should not mix with the Neapolitsin domestics of her Royal Highness, and bear something of those hide cencies that were so notorious? ur was it to be supposed that these Italians concealed all they knew until they were safely lodged in Cotton-garden? But the Princes' had been treated in some places wish the same rispeet where she had been received by several foreign Princes—by the legitimate Prince of Baden—by the still more legitimise Stuarts of Sardinia—the legitimate heirs, as distinguished from the heirs inheriting on the principles of liberty and by 'lie will °film people. Another Prince, who he doubted not would contend in point of ancestry with die Stuarts ur the Hour lions, the Bey of Tunis had received her Royal Highness with honours becoming her rack. The Learmd Gentleman must uow solicit the indulgence of Lordships while he looked mote narrowly to the case thus opened and not proved by the Atturiwy-General.—Was it not a marvellous thing that the evidence should stave fallen, slot only so far short of the case as stated in the Attorney-Geiseral's opening, hut short ,even of any foredation for the charge against Ms illustrious client? Wa4 there ever a charge of erimilial conversation brought forward under such auspices, or supported by such witnesses? 'the very ten persons, a tin, of all other*, must know most of the °deuce changed—thc valet of the man, and the waiting-woman of the Lady—were here in the array of testimony for the prosecution. In ordinary caw', to have even mu such witness, is thou ht decisive; but ac cording to the form of proceeding in ordinary cases, it is rare indeed that the hod) seivaiit, either of the defendant in the action of damages, or of the Lady, can be procured. In no case perhaps, that ever before occurred, were two such o itiicsses united in support of the cliarge.—Critt-idtr 400 the impaled conduct tif the parties against whom the charge is brought. if the evidence fur the prosecution is its be in - breed, they had dung off all regard to decency, all tianduels of restraint, all ordinary prudence; they had given way to their passion as if they were in the hey-day of youthful i• lood, and were united by such ties as made the foululgrure of it a conduct of her Royal Highness began. Mr. Percival, her firm, undaunted, and able defender, was no sowier laid virtue and not a vice. They sought no concealment—they rather courted observation. And yet with all this want of eircumspeetiiia on the part of the parties accu s ed, and with witnesses who, of all others, acre most likely to • ma blish guilt, if guilt there had been, was it not mar vellous, indeed, that the Counsel for the prosecution had slut been able to prove more than the few imulaied facts from which they had pretended by inference to make out the charge against her Majesty? In stating that there had been no attempt at cone( almcnt on die part of the indi vidual acensed, lie had greatly understated the ease; for, if the eviilencu fur the prosecution was to be believed, .hey had, instead of tiling every precaution to prevent, 'abet' e%eiy possible pi ecasttiou to flame their town de. Section. Evt iy part of the case was subject to this observation; exactly in promotion n. Ails I f ilti 111 al and atrocious were to be comsat tt«l, so if... Fait". had taken roue that tlaktp *hod., bt .;41N1 a.P•.- the buoy of then 61141111 e to then tin MA. aI C 111/11.