The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1807-03-03 00:00:00

it in ;,•!it he permitted. Counsel might easily be cat eitine I net to enter into any mat ter that respeet. esl the moots a the Lleaion itself He wished to Nye it in his prayer to spew, that there WAS not one of r.e Witnesses proposed to be examined by the Committee, that were worthy of credit. The question with him, was not whether he should preserve his seat lir Westminster, but his ho. pour ; and he was anxious that the stigma ; attempted to be thrown upon him, might not be un necessarily continued one hour. He therefore ear nestly retreated the House to permit the witnesses to be called its iminediately ; for he was sure no Ho nourable Gentleman could tel happy any more than himself, in the idea of sleeping under this stigma for s i / week. to come. When the witnesses were b r ought forward, it would rest with him to chew of what sort they were. BRAGGE BATHURST thought that Counsel should be admitted, but that they should not be permitted to enter into the general .• atement .1 the Petitioner's case ; nor in such restraint could the Petitioner sustain any serious inconvenience or detriment.—( Mee there was a general cry for the euritire.) Mr. BAKER considered it the incumbent duty of the House to proud the witnesses to be brought forward by the Petitioner, as well as by the Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Sheridan). He was inter rupted by Mr. W. W. WYNNE, who obje&ed to the Hon. Gentleman's argument, which he understood to be to admit counsel to be heard in answer to the ails• gations of the sitting Member. Mr. BAKER and Mr. WYNNE severally ex plained, amidst loud and repeated calls for the I question. The ATTOR NEY.GENERAL said, he hoped to be indulged in making an observation, which he considered to be necessary to answer the ends of public justice. It appeared to him that the House wished to hear the merits of the Petition by counsel and witnesses, as a Court of Justice ; if so, they ought also to hear those who are charged in this Petition by counsel, and witnesses also ; for if they were allowed on one side, they should be equally heard on the other. It should be re colletted that there were others beside the sitting Member, who were impeached, namely, his agents and partisans, who, if the allagations stated were preyed, must find themselves in perilous circum. stance., and who had therefore as much right to be km rd by Counsel as either of the other parties. Mr. SHERIDAN declared, that he was willing to stive the Petitioner all the Counsel upon earth ; bin for himself, he would have no other Counsel but what the honour and the justice of the House would grant him. The SPEAKER stated the current praetiee of the House to be, that all parties desirous of being heard by Counsel, must pray it expressly by Peti tion ; and also, that there were on record, various instances of supplementary Petitions to that effeCt. The question wits then put and carried, that Counsel be called in. Counsel appetred at the Bar accordingly, when, upon the Mi•tion wf Lord HOWICK, they were ordered to withd,aw. Lord HOWICK moved, " That the Speaker be desired to state to the Counsel, that he should con fine himself to state the matters of fad, which he proposea to adduce." This question being carried, Counsel was again called in, and the Speaker directed him accordingly. The Counsel then went ever the allegations in Mr. Papa's Petition, charging Mr. Sheridan and his agents with endeavouring to corrupt, dissuade. arid deter certain witnesses from appearing before the Committee on the Westminster Eleflion, and swing that he had evidences to produce of these CHI ruin prat%ces of Mr. Sheridan t at the tarns time it was the wish of his client (Mr. Paull) that the Right Honourable Gentleman mignt be able to e atricate himself from the charges now brought against him. The first Witness he should call was a Mr. Drake, a Lieutenant in the Navy the second was Mr. Wetherhead, also a gentleman of the Navy; both respedable charaders: the other Witnesses were persons in lower circumstances in life, but equaliy Minkel to credit, as they came forward with honest and upright charaders. The Counsel was proceeding in his argument, when the SPEAKER desired him to withdraw. He then said, he wished to know of the House, whether the condu& which the Counsel seemed disposed to pur sue, in pointing out what ought, or ought not to be. the future proceedings of the House should be per. ;flitted ? Lord HOWICK again expressed his opinion, that Counsel should be confined to these gene ral direflious, which had met the wishes of the House. Counsel was again called in, and direded by the SPEAK ER to confine himself to state matters of fad ; on which he proposed to call in his witnesses, but to abstain from any comments, which he must not presume to make, or to utter any suggestions re lative to the future proceedings of the House. Mr. Warren, the Counsel for the Petioner, then immedi ately proceeded to call in the first witness. illiam Drake stated, that he was en acing Lieutenant in the Navy, into which referee he entered in the year 1793, and left it in the year S di. His first acquaintance with Mr. Richard Brinsley Sheridan arose from his marrying a natursl daughter of that Gentleman.—/Loud /aushiae.)— It was five years since he first be came acquainted with him. During the Election for Westminster was muck in his company ; he often met a Mr. Homan, whose letter to him he could produce. 'fhe witness was frequently re quested by Mr. Sheridan and Mr. Homan, to obtain from one Emanuel Harris, of Holywell-street, a letter signed by the said Richard IL Sheridan, and delivered by the witness to the said Emanuel Harris. It was on the Dth, 10th, and 19th of Feb. that he was repeatedly requested by Mr. Sheridan to procure this letter from Harris. He, the witness, had told Mr. Sheridan, during the Eledion for Westminster, that the said Harris would influence six or seven voters, if Mr. Sheridan would only write to him. That on such suggestion. Mr. Sheridan did sign a letter, which lie. the witness, had written, and afterwards delivered to Harris. and which letter Mr. Sheridan had since, by all means, • requested him to ge‘back. Having been asked by Counsel what were the contents of the letter, and whether any nr what persons were present, when the same was written t Lord HOWICK rose to observe to the Noose, th•t it wet the du:y of the Petitioner, and the pro• vince of his Counsel, to confine themsel►es to the proof of tampering with the evidence, as alleged i►, the Peition presented against his Right licmnurAhie Friend. When such was the admitted line for the C motel to adopt, it was, in his mind, not only irre levant, but trenching on a suhjefl which was re.,erv ed for the consideration of another tribunal, to enter into the particulars contained in the alleged letter, and coosequ.mtly into the merits of the El-lion itself. lie therefore felt it his duty to move, 4. 1 hat the last question put by the Petitioner's Counsel to the Witness, be expunged." Ms. SHERIDAN. —" Mr. Speaker, I take the liberty of risi ig to entreat the permission of the House, for the Petitioner's Counsel to proceed in the train of evidence which they have commenced. M► principal detente will be on its incredibility, and I will be able to prove to this House, by the testi mony of that respetclable Magistrate, Mr. Aaron Graham, that I atlually arrrested this Emanuel H srris, for his infamous proposals to me dosing the Lieflion Lord HOWICK could not as c ent to the prac tice of allowing the individual feelings of his Right WEI. Friend to lead the House into an examination foreign from that to which, iu the present use, it -a, its duty striftly to adhere. Mr. PERCEV AL contended. that, as the Peti tion alleged, that man. were used to suppress the letter, the Counsel for the Petitioner were enti tied—first, to prove i:s exigence i and next, eve! y other circumstance conneaed with that existence, • from the period it gees sig..oJ, until the moment the Right Hon. Gentlemen is said r hAve enaeavottred to prevent its being produ cd in evi dence. Mr. THOMAS GRENVILLE insisted. that the question of Counsel went to an examination not cognizable by the House. The Cott.tsel had cer. tainly a right to examine as to the suppression of this alleged letter. but the moment he endeavoured to ascertain from the witness at the bar, what were its particulars, he then entered into a discussion, from which he was precluded by the usages of the House, and which it could on no account entertain. Mr. SHERIDAN Mr. Speaker, as to the purport of this letter, I shall reset ye my obser ra tions for another opportunity; but as the conside ration of any end-avour to suppress it, is com pletely within the duty and privilege of the House, I do again most humbly hope, that the sttiaest in vestigation may take place, and the entire case be sifted to the bottom. The Magistrate before whom this Emanuel Harris was brong..t"..—(Chaar, Mir) —The Right Hon. Gentleman then sat down, and the motion for expunging the question, as pat by Petitioner's Counsel was agreed to. The Counsel fur the Petitioner having again pro ceeded to examine the witness, Drake, as to the na ture of 'his alietted letter, Mr. 8A ri-luksT and Lord HOV'ICK insisted on the nee." sty of adherin4 to the sanctioned usages of tae House, and consequently of confiiiing the examination solely to paints wh ch went to prove the duff rent allegations of the Petition. Mr. SHERIDAN observed, that the Witness. Drake, ha'i asserted, that he had conversations on this subjee with hint, ( Mr. Sheridan) at his (Mr. Sieridan's) House He could fully and conscien tiously affirm, that the said witness never was in his house to his knowledge, nor was he (Mr. She ridan) there at the time mentioned by Drake." Mr. PE ItCEVAL continued in the opinion, that the House should receive evey point of evidence hearing upon the suppression of the letter, if there was any ming in that evidence which would tend to prejudice the cause of the Right Hon. Gentleman before the Committee appoinsed to try the merits of that return, he himself was the most competeat person to make the objection. The Counsel were again ordered to withdraw. GLLBL'ItT HEATHCQ FE conceivxd, that as it was the duty of the House to deal out intoartial justice to both parties, and as he was convinced that it was the wish of his Right Hon. Friend (Mr. She ridan) to court the minutest investigation, he mild not suppose the question put by Petitioner's Counsel of very material importance, at least not of sufficient importance to engage so long the attention of the House. Sir W. W. WYNNF.--.. Mr. Speaker, I conceive it my ditty to state to the House an opinion, which the condo& of the Petitioner seems fully to justify. I have observed him, on difftrent occasions, since the evidence was ordered to withdraw, going out of the House, and from expressions vrh.c:s I heard fall from him, I feel convinced he hai been commu nicating with the witness." Mr. PAULI., who, as Petitioner, was entitled to a seat under the Gallery, immediately came forward and addressed the Chair—" Mr. Speaker, I feel myself called upon by the principle. of honour and the impulse of a manly spirit, to deny the gross charge that has been made agaiast me, by the Ho nourable Baronet ; I must say, it is hour unfounded and unjust. The situation in which I a:n at present placed, forbids me from making any further com ment ; but I could not continue silent, when such an accusation was made against nee. in addition to the numerous calumnies and misrepresentations, in which the Right Hon. Gentleman, my opponent, has this night so frequently indulged himself." Lord HOIA'ICK dechtied himself restrained, mere by personal feelings than Parliamentary duties, from interrupting the Petitioner, in his adopting a line of condudf, inconsistent with the usages of the House, and in a high degree offensive to its dignity and charaCter. He could not Wirer such concise! to pass unnoticed; and he, theretore, should move, " The. the Petitioner be reptimanded by the Chair, for the extreme impropriety of his conduct." Lord ARCHIBALD HAMILTON feit for the unguarded expressions of the Petitioner. ye:, at the same time, when so direct a charge as that of going out of the House, for the purpose of communicat ing what .had passed to the witness, was made against the Petitioner, he could nut furb-ar from expressing his hope, that the Home would pardon and overlook that irritation, which a c0n5:1,34p.m%. of innocence, and unfounded suspicion, nad oc.a.- sinned ( Hear ! Aear ! Mr. Will ['BREAD supposed the Honourable •Baruset mast have been Thou: as the Petiuuner did not, to his knowledge, withdraw from the House. Lord HOWICK did not conceive, that such a circumstance palliated the impropriety of the He. t;tioner. He at first moved what appeared to him the most mitigated question ; and ie what had since fallen from hi: Noble Friend opposite, thou h h highly as he appreciated the generosity of his na ture, he did not see grounds lot withdrawing his mr,tion. _ The 111!tinn fnr censure having been carried, Mr. Paull, the Petitioner, was called to the Bar, and re primand-d, by the SPEAKER, in language to the following effect: " Mr. Paull, I am directed by this Honourable House to acquaint you, that, in its judgment, you have been pithy ot a gross im propriety, in having committed a culpable vi.ilation of its privileges ar..l form:. Having ma le your elettion to appear by your Counsel, you aged ex tremely improper in addressing Oils House, and you will in future recoll.et striEtty to rcfrain ftttm such a praetice." Mr. GRENVILLE wished that as the Coun sel were again to attend, he thought it the du - y ot the House to advise them, that they were so con. fine themselves to the suppreoion the !Liter, gi.J not at alt advert to its contents. Mr. Wane :,C•sonsel for Petitioner, resumed the examination of the wnnesi 11.akr. Whs sts ed, that the letter sigio.d by :str. Sheridan, and deli vered by witnesr to Emanuel Harris, was SO sig led four days after the eleaiou ; that wet, he ra,,ant, four days alter the commencement of the el-Won. /le could mit precisely m.nii nt t he exact date ot the day when it was signe d by fair. Sheridan, but it was on the third tar fourth day of the eleftion. There was also another letter, consequence of the solicitation of Emanuel Harris, and the promise of a sum of money, he procured from Mr. Sheridan, direCteil to Sir Peter Parka, and Sir Samuel Hood. Some conversation took place between Lcrd HO%VICK, Mr. THONIAS GRENVILLE, and Lord FOLKES CONE, as to the irrelevancy of the question as put by Pe:itioaer's Connsel. And the SPEAKER was again obliged to intimate to Com ' eel, the necessity of confining themselves to me alle gations contained in the Petition. Mr. Plumer, another of Petitioner's Counsel, con. tended, that it was the right of Petitioner, first, to prove that such a document as the letter as anually written, and next to prove the present efstence of the letter, and to point out to the House, by what means that letter could be procured, as evidence for the House ter go on. The. witness further stated, that no later than Friday se'rnight, he had a conversat:co with Mt. Sheridan, in a hackney coach—went with him to Mr. Homan's, No. 22, I'6lh-street ; witness then informed him of his having been summoned as a witness en the pending Petition, and asked him what he was do ? " Leave that to me," sz.id Mr. Sheridan ; " for a number of years I have been sinzions to provide for you, and can now procure you a situation under Government. At present, you must go nut ot the way, but, if pessitole, get the letter from Emanuel Harris. When Witness asked what was he to do, if Harris refused to deliver up the letter, a Mr. Johnston, who via. present, replied, " to knock him," mean ing Ilan's, tt down." Mr. Homan also advised him to g.:t back the letter, and Mr. Sheridan assured him be shoold have any money he wanted He, the witness, was an old acquaintance of Mr. Sheridan, in consequent:a of having married his na tural daught,r„ and he was most carve in procur ing him votes during the late EleCtion. The SPEAKER was obliged frequently to desire the witness to confine his answers to the specific questions, but neither the order of the Speaker, or the recommendation of Petitioner's Counsel, could restrid him to the specific answers. The witness then said, that Mr. Sheridan repeat edly offered him securities, but not ponds, only some paper writings, at the time he was married to Eliza Sheridan, w en Mr Sheridan told him he never would forsake him till he had provided for Counsel and witness were desired to withdraw ; when, After some ohjeSions to the questions by Mr ADAM, the LORD ADVOCA E. and Mr. BATHURST, as to the nature nt those ques ions, Mr. SHERIDAN declared, he had no prissaile objeSion to anv question heiv put to this witness. as he should show that every word of his testimony was (site. Counsel And Witnest; b-ing again called, the Wit nes' rail, that in a conversation with Mr. Sheridan, he desired him ci get the letter int , ' his possession by ;;qty means he could. lie called on him at Mr. Homan's, where this request was r-peated. became acquainted with Mr. Paull :tier the elec tion. He wrote to Mr. Sheridan, that if he did n.t do something for him he would acquaint Mr. Paull with all that had happened during the eledinn : he then went to Mr. Patin, and told ham ne could prove bribery and corruption Against Mr. Sheridan, Mr. Paull desired bum not to say any thing but the truth. Being el +mined by Lord II iwiek ; he said. that he aitint 11:14ards's in a coach at night with Mr. Johoston ; he did not know who Mr. Jotintton was. Mr. S'ieridan told him, he mutt procure the letter from Harris by any muss he c,euld, either by money or otherwise. IVitness said that Harris, being a Jew, he would do any thing for money. He did not make any communication to Mr. Sheridan. of his offer to Harris of 301. for the letter. He did it by his own authority and Mr. Shericlaa'a, and c sidned Mr. S. responsible, if he had advanced 10001. Examined by Mr. Adam—He made the offer on the IYtli February, At night I could not soy wl•en he nude the communication ro Mr. Paull. I:e could not say whether it was the first, se:ond, third or fourth week in that month. Thought it wAs betore the I lth. Examined by Colonel Barry—lle was not au thorised direaly or indirealy to offer a:iy sum of money whatever, but thought he should do so. Examined by Mr. Whitbread— !le worn money was made use of by Mr. Sheridan to him in one con vers.stion, the authority front Mr. Sheridan was, do as you please." Witness said, th.: letter could be procured t , m money. Examined by Lord liowick—ln the course of couvetratiou, he did imt appiy tu Mr. Shtfid4o money. lie did not wane, nor would he a,k for aoy. In answer to a Tuition by the Lord Advocate. be (Auld sot ,sly wn-ther he ofra--d , be aura on • behalf of Mr. Sh-ritlan or %Ir. Paul. By Lord Ilowick Wit ess having sal. Oar, afirs quarrelling with Mr. Sheridan, Ise wt ~t to Mr. Pauli, And then to Ematiutl Hestia ; its Lordship si.ked, did he make the o'ff'er tat m ntey fur the bent ft of Mr. Sheridan taw were.!, he went to i let ris Merely to e .et the • L mit into nil post:Hsi-us, his: he co ild n n have d .ne it for the ben. GE of M Sher id in, as he had previ any gear refold vtth him. He teceived no &ream* wtiat eve- f rom .11 r1.1:1V. CO this letter, nor dolts" te'l Mr. Paull of tits inteusionace go for it ; nor did he tell anv pt:,on aliout it till now. -rh Petition was his "wn die ti,a, he never caw the etßitioa sl:earn to him W at he +crated was to Mr. P0w.1., Mt Pauli's Agent. He never wanted tor 3UI he ctund always get it from his Aient. or Irma his tarnily. He had itioi.ey of his own. —He was not now i, the Nia!y, bat ie. i .d pay a wounded nfficer. He was only a M rata, ai.d never ranked AS a Li utenant. He declorat ti UAW t na. tire of his pa i, oad ts.e Speak that he must. answer the q s.ssaoio. Hs re c Eyed so in my pAySTP-71tS, Me c.,.6.(1 n..t tell. le got severa..maii sums hi consequen,s .11 ass te.tundt. Ile had 101. per an turn Irow we Vatroitic and a pen ion of 101. more He coal ni.t &lately say, that he had his pension front we 'Wo f . He had one for the loss of his left le;, aa. arici:Etr for a wound he received in his right Fle nests memorialed the Board of Admiieltv for hit pay. Here L'-rd FIOWICK observed, that the cvss'enca qow displayed such a scene of prevarication, as the House could not pass over. Mr. MON L'AGUE thought that the understand ing of the witness WAS not quite ••!...-1, and having suffered so many woos is in tae :jet v.ce of Isis ccuts. try, the House ought to look on hem with some in dulgence. Cord HOWICK said, there was no Inch thing in the navy as half pay for a Mirl:II; I :mar. Captain HEilklEßlthought it was impartible the Witness could make such a mistake ualtosioringly. Being called in again and examined—He said his olijed in getting the letter was, that he m-got state it in evidence against Mr. Sheridan. His first pension was settled on him :a 1797, but he never arended an examination at the Admiralty. He never received any money from Mr. Merida - . Mr. Davies, of Holywell-street, se.ss present when he offered twenty or thirty pounds for the lent; to Harris. Mr. Paull did not then know it. Le received his pension from the Pariinric Fun' s since he was wounded in Lotd Dencan's en gagement. He never received any money from Mr. Sheridan, nor any promises. He nev er want ed any money from him, and refused to take any. The Erst letter to Harris was destroyed by himself, because there was no use in hay ing two letters. The second letter was written during the Ele Sion. The first was not destroyed. because Harris said, it was a gross forgery. He never complained of being ill-treated in the navy. He was not present when Mr. tiheridan sired the letter. M.P. was written at the end cf the name. He got t.ns later back, because it was blotted, because it was signed M. P., and because the denature sees not plain. tie never said that ha 1 1 would have money e: toer from one or the other. Weatherhead —the next witness called.—He knew Drake, the last witness, who was his ship mate for some time. He frequently saw Mr. S riden ; he last raw him on the 19th of February, I his own bathe, the Government House; there W.. 4 several people there. He met Mr. Drake and Mr. Human there. Tney were total strangers to him. Mr. Sheridan was not there at first, but, when he came in, he chiefly addressed himself to, Drake. He did not hear their conversation ; it lasted ten minutes, and they were el ,ow and elbow together. They met in a sumptuous room, looking towards the l'hames. There was a contused noise in the room. Mr. Sheridan said, he suourd follow the busi nessup.becauselte bad a parcel of rascals to deal w th. Witness wrote the body ut the lever in (pest on. and gave i to Mr. Sheridan for his signs, are. I II signed it as Treasurer of the When tat w nt to the house at first then: .-as oely oee old wo-nAn in black th-re ; soon attei to aher per.''as rit sire-loons t.lierase rs, ...a a:. one ttem a w-street Qtficer. Harris be wooly h. II Bu-gas taken up. Drake wrote a soriilar laser. It ha 1 M.P. • ter the sigiotime. kaaritiard ay Mr Sheridan—He said he had served on bowl a ma, n• war with Capt. Trollop; he was discharged at lit own pleasure, and nothing else. Ike letter ea* sed to the Captains and Commanders of His Maj oty's N.vy, desiring they would employ Harris. The body of the letter was written by the witness ; he could n t tell who wrote the Initials M. P. but he thought it rather an extraordirrare, acidities', when were was no Par. liament then existing. He did say before Mrs, Beadle, that Drake should be obliged to hifilp fir ;se:Reding him to destroy the first letter. He beiieves he might have bees intredured on that occasion to Mr. harridan as a clergyman ; Drake presented him as the Rey. Mr. IA etherhea 4 . He WAS t..e White Ham, Piccadilly. with Drake, but could not awe the ennversation. There was not a word about the second letter, cannot say what passed about it. Mr. Powell, Mr. Paull's attorney, was then called, to speak to the eb.maSer of the former witnes,es, but was not permitted to be examined, as their tes timony had not been challeeged. John Pullen, John Richards. and Jerenslith Jame+, were severally examined in support of the charge against Mr. Sheridan and his known agents, offering sums of money and other i.sducemeats to the tue-ses to keep out of the way ; bat nothing ma terial turned out upon their evidence, nor did it appear that either he or any of his agents had inters. !crest in the manner charged. Dansel Richards gave his evidence very indi stinetly, and %hen Mr. Sheridan was cross-examin ing him, he tell back, suddenly, upon the door, in a faint, and had to be carried out. Mr. Richards deposed to Eve guineas a-pi.cit haverz been given by Mr. Rurgeei to some work ing men, in order that they might keep out of the *Ay ; and also spoke of rive or tax guises. having I been offered on one occasion. • • 4