The National Register.
London, England, 1809-12-17 00:00:00

L REGISTER.

Government, as a chastisement for having discharged tbeir duty
to the country. Major Dodd, however, could not hear this
statement without expressing some indignation; and the fact
was, that he himself (the Attorney General) had given his opi-
nion with respect to the propriety of his removal, many months
before Major Dodd had come before the Grand Jury. As to
the conduct of Col. Wardle, it was in evidence on the former
trial that he did perfectly know that Mrs. Clarke was to be pro-
duced as an evidence against him, and did, in consequence send
her a threatening letter the night before, and directed his At-
torney to tell her, that if she came forward on the trial, Set-
jeant Best would cut her up in cross-examination ; and he (Mr.
Wardle) would spread a report that it was all a trick of the
Ministry. If Mrs. Clarke had spoken falsely in this respect,
Mr. Corfield, the Attorney, might have been called to contra-
dict the statement. The Jury must observe, that in this case.
the Defendants sere deprived of their esidence by the ma-
iactivring of the Prosecutor. The oldest or the most learned
loan in the profession of the law, had never met, either from
his experience, or in his reading, such a case as the present.—
It was a most unusual and unheard of course, and it was in vain
to say that there Was no other remedy hut un indictment of
conspiracy. If the two witnesses on the late trial, Mr. Daniel
Wright and Mrs. Clarke, had been guilty of perjury, and
that it was supposed that Mr. Francis Wright had suborned
them to commit that perjury, the natural mode of proceeding
would be to indict the witnesses for perjury, and to indict Mr.
Francis Wright for subordinatiim of pz!rjurv. His Learned
Friend (Mr. Alley) was then mistaken, when he said the emerge
of justice would have• keen impeded, if any other course hail
been taken besides that of indicting for conspiracy. The Pro-
secutor no came forward with every advantage. Ile shin the
mouths of the Defendants, by the manner in which he brought
the business forward, and at :he same time he opened his owe
mouth. lie really thought, that if he pleased, he might now
ask his Lordship, whether there was any evidence at all of a
conspiracy ? Unequal, however, as he might appear in the
contest for want of evidence, he did. not decline the contest,
however unequal it might appear ; and if the Jury wrath! 'fa-
your him with their attention, he felt no doubt but that he
would not only prove to their satisfaction, that there was no
conspiracy, but that he would go farther and prose to their
satisfaction, that the verdict was right. In the year 1808.
Mrs. Clark appeared by no means poor. Upon an old accosts*
it appear's], that she had owed Mr. Wright 26001. of which she
bad paid him 2000/. Her situation, however. had much
changed of late; she had no longer the means for contirsuiug
the great expences to which she had been accuinstomed, and
was absolutely hopeless. At the time she was met by Colonel
Wardle, she was absolutely penny fess. Wright was an uphol.
sterer, who was under an obligation to her for former employ-
ment and recommendations, and would have been happy to
have seried her; but at the same time, it would be ridiculous
to suppose that he would trust her with 2000 f. when sliesalready
owed hini above COOL which he had very little prospect-of ever
getting. At the same time, however, that it was improbable
that n Wright would have trusted her, it was not at alt
improbable, that Mr. Wardle should have given her credit.—
Colonel 'Wardle was a man, who at that time certainly ex-
peted great renown from the course lie was pursuing, -if he had
no further personal objects. His whole mind was then fixed on
one single object, .which was the card by which he.steered his
course. At that time it was not known by those who took a
part in the investigation, Mr. Wardle had given 1001 within the
first three days that he ever saw Mrs.. Clarke; and if Use cir-
cemstance.had been known, it would have excited the utmost
astonishment. When it was considered that Mrs. Clarke had
excluded herself, from' the moment that she joined with Col.
Wardle, from the advantages she oncoeqjoined, and might still
hope to enjoy, it could not be supposed that she would make
so great a sacrifice, without sufficient protbises and inducements.
Whether the promises were definednr not, still it must be sups
posed that she expected him to do something for her. -As to
Colonel Wardle, he considered him implicated up to the chin, as
far as any man could be by influence and iuterest, wit hout,be..
coming •an incompetent witness. As to Major Dodd, he
knew nothing more distressing to hi4illustrious master, than that
this investigation should -be -proceeded its against the Duke of
York Knowing this, as Major Dodd must have known is.
*hat could have been more indecent than Mr. Dodd going from
'the Duke of Kent to Mrs. Clarke and to•Colooet Wardle, with•
out. ever apprizing the Ilinsteious' Prince of these visits 2-4
Could it be suppasett that Mr; Dadd,,as well au Mr. Wardlik

. SO6

was not actuated by some consideratious of great personal
advantage to themselves ? Mr. Glennie was the next witness,
- and he would appear to be as much interested as any of the
rest, and he said that it was by mere accident that he hap-
pened to make one of the party to go down to look at
the Martello Towers; and yet it appeared that he took
notes not only of military affairs, but even of these things,
which it would be supposed no man would wish to register, the
secrets which Mrs. Clarke chose to divulge respecting the
Royal Family. As to Colonel Wardle, there was no improba-
bility at all in his pledging himself for the money. Mrs. Clarke
was so material a witness to him, in the cause which he had so
much at heart, that he could have done nothing without her.—
lie could not even have opened his case without her. What
should have brought Mr. Wardle into the shop of Mr. Wright,
unless for the purpose stated ? lie had every reason to keep
away, and vet he was found spending half an hour, or three
quarters of in hour in the shop at one time. Nothing could be
snore probable that the account given of this by the Defendant,
-Francis Wright, who said, that he would not have trusted goods
out of his shop, unless.the person on whom he could rely on
for payment had been. introduced. This was a good reason
for Mr. Wardle being SOCA in the shop of Mr. Wright, and
it was.the only good reason.. 4s, to the note of Mr. Illing-
worth, it 'appeared altogether:4 juggle. There was no reason
for the circuitous round about course that was taken, but that
it was absolutely necessaiiir t ontetil the names of Major Dodd
awl Mr. Wardle. 'o4they Mit/given their notes directly to
Mr. Wright It tr/Wild have' deep imisoisible to conceal the de-
gree in which they ''Wiete eniuSeeted with Mrs. Clarke. The
receipt which hadiessen produced; appeared to be in inlet( con-
'halve of the cause. It ran its follows ;—‘, Received from Mr.'
aceepttone of WO.. which, when paid, will be
ea *email of goad, deliverid to Mrs, Mary Ann Clarke, at her
bouse in Westboorue-pfacA." Hose. did that receipt, which'
was in their possessioo, agree,witfrthe story they had told, that
the bOOL which Mrs. Clark waged *as on account of the 600/..
°f ad debt, with' which she had been pressed by Mr. Wright?
His Learned Frietid tMr. Alley); bad taken great credit for his
marmairnity in" allowing the Ater of Francis-Wright to he
read. The fact Was, that Insteactof magnanimity this was con-
trivance; for it the answer had not been read, Mr. Francis
Wright might immediately have been acquitted for want of any
sort of evidence against 'him, and then he might have gone into
the barrio vritnesal It was the reading his answer that so far
implicated him as to preyetit his being a witness. Ile should
say but little of Colonel Wardle personally, but he would say
of his situation, that he was a man against whom a verdict for
above one thousand pounds had been lately given, and who had
a hope or expectation that a Court of Equity would protect
Itiin from the payment of it.- It was impossible to conceive
any person more interested than Colonel Wardle. He was not
interested merely by pecuniary consideration, but by his cha-
racter, which was deeply involved in the transaction. Major
Dodd was also deeply interested; who, from his attachment to
his new friend, had sacrificed all his opes from his old friend
and benefactor. The story itself was in the highest degree im-
probable, that a tradesman would lend property to the amount
of two thousand pounds to a person who already owed five
bundled pounds, and from whom he had no other 'chance of
payment but lending her money. It was certain that the
Wrights were bait for Mrs. Clarke; but then they run no risk,
as they knew she could plead her coverture. By his going bail,
Mr. Wright shewed a disposition to befriend her, but by no
means to give her credit. It was curious, however, to see
bow the testimony on the part of the Plaintiff in tfie last ac-
tion was endeavoured to be shaken. It was strange to see
Mr. Wardle impeaching the evidence of Mrs. Clarke'. When
she was his witness she was all sincerity, simplictty, and
truth ; but, ai soon as she gave evidence which touched the
pocket of Mr. 'Wardle, then she was every thing that was
foul and abominable. When by the assistance of Mrs. Unite,
he had contrived.- to ruin the character of another, it would
• be-..teon hard that 'he should be allowed to redeem his own by
impeaching her testimony. •Whrensgivtire whole of the incesti-
gatioo be did not end any period to doubt her viracity ; but
DOW when her evidence gets to prove him liable to a debt
which he legally contracted, then she is every thing that is
false and foul. There was another ss linen against whom
shore was nothing like impeachment. Mr. Daniel Wright
was a most unimpeachable witness, and if he could be impeach-
ed, it must he allowed that Tußicient industry was exhibited
the count of this trial to bed mit-something agaiset him. Thi

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