The National Register.
London, England, 1818-08-24 00:00:00

11L'ON.11'.11ZTE.

The 3fornhrg Chrnnicle has re-published come letters
of Mr. O'Meara, and adds the tiro following, which we
give, as they afford a clue to the dispute betwan the
Physician and the Cuvcruor:—

I.lolgyronol, I)t.r. 23.1:!17.

onsetmence of some eirconostmees which bare
latterly oreurreil relative to the obliLoations expected from a
person filling the 4itnation I have the laminar to hold, I con.
eesve it to be es amtially ceeessary to lay the folittritog state-
ment before valor F.seellenty for your eonsid:rat ion.
When in Anemot, ISIZ, Count Bei train) (after harlot! re--
celeed satienctory answers from Captain Maitland, of his
Majesty's ship Bellerophon, to inquiries made by him, touch-
ing my character and rOnlinet) dill me the honour to make
application to Aillooiral Loll Keith for me to accompany
Nark ou floomooporie to St. Helena in quality of surgeon, his
Lordship n as pleased to approve of, and sanction my areept-
ina of the aloe ve named situation, whirl', at hie Lordship's
recommendation. With aftervartls confirmed by the Right
Hon the Lords Commissioners of the Ad • •ally ; the
n poointment, therefore. visas not of my Arcking.
f never fora moontoot entertained the most dastatot isles, that,
independent of toy oneolient 'Wiles, it Was expected that I
bhontol make a leper, of the eonversootions which I miglit losve
svoth the persi:n•. minim my dillies led toe to sisit ; suet' pre.
position was ever made to me either by Lord Keith or Sir
Georg* Coekhoorn, nor bras eves, the most distant insinom.
tions to that effect made by doe above mentioned distiopish-

ed characters.
Who) asked by Iv, r.polcon Buonaparte to tell hint catiditlly
%shriller 10 ought to consider me as a surgeon d•en NutYc, or
as a medical man in whom he could repose ,otifidence, I
replied, that I was not a surgeon d'on Geier ; that I was 4
an rgeou awl not u Spy, and oue in whom I hop e he inizht
place conticience—that my pi inciples atce to forget the
conversations I had with my patients on leariog the room,.
unless us far as regarded my allegiance as a British otfice•r to
my sovereign .and country—anti that my orders only obliged
me to on. tiring, viz. to give immediate not tee to the governor
in case of any serious illness hrtalliag kin, in order that the
best medical advice might be promptly afforded.
When asked again, subserviently, whether I am not obliged
by your cutlers, sir, to go to ire u week to Plantation house
to make reports, and what the nature of and, repot is or
communications was? I referred to thesentimenta expressed

above.
Wshen minntelv interrogated by yon, Sir, as to the number
of interviews, and- the enbjcet olconversations I have had, and
when informed by you, Sir, that I was no judge of tip; im.
portance of the subjects of any conversof I might have ;
that lirad no business to Pet up my own judgment upon the
n mare of them: that rots might think several tbiugs ufgreat
importance which I inigl.t consider as trilling and Ind:detests
• log; I have hail the honone to reply, that it I was not ;It liberty
to exereise soy disci etion or judgment as to t:re importance
e:othcrwise of stir!' emiveisations as I might be present :it,
the, e nas evidently no otheralternative than that of repeating
to you every syllatilo which passed, the doing of which a mild
place eve in the situation of a man acting the most bnse nod
dishonourable part. In fact, that I wroth' be a spy and a
'• mutton." •1 bat such conduct would cover my name a ith
wellmerited infamy, and render rue unfit fur the society of
any mail of honour.
He who, elisatimil with the spfcions garb of a pliyajcialt.
ir.sinuates himself into the irolifidence of his patient. and
avails himself of the frequent opportunities and facilities
which his Adulation necessarily presents of being near Isis
person, to wring (muter pude:ire of curing or alleviating
his inartuir its. rind in that confidence which has heen from
time immemorial reposed by the sick in persons professing
the healing art) disclosures of his patient's s-etetiments and
opinions, fur the purpose of afterwards betraying them, de,
most justly to be branded with the appellation ut
" ',Paulen."
In answer to your question on the lath of this month, of
*4 whether I had given any word of honour not to make any
"ritten reports of the stale of Napoleon Runiraparte's health,
withoirrohtaining his consent, and leaving the originals iiv his
possesston." I had the honour to reply to yon, Sir, that I
Lad avoided giving •mela a pledge, by stating, according to
your directions, that none would be asked without first at.
(painting him.
halt. the 114111er to nermhint yon, Sir, that ('oust
Bertrand has siguiiied to site, that with respect to the title, it
might be P• 14,, 10 so range matters, by making use of nu pro_
per names in the repot es, and by substituting the word's per.
Sri ace, or the patient. in lien thereof; that provided this
4A es dune, preSions consent being obtained, and the originals
being deposited wills one of the French suite, there would he
no objection to written reports of the state of Napoleon
BuonaptilieN health hide: tirade. The substance of this J
bare had Ills• limionr to stake known to you verbally, on the
lath of Oetolier, nail the Ilth of this month.
Having so ()nets received emittailictioy instructions from
Sir, I most beg leave to reiterate the request / have
quently snarls to )011 before, to wit, tn be furnished with his
Artietions in writiog, to the end that I may well comprehend
ray situniiioll, mod what is requited from me, 4111110 prevent
thin possibility of mistakes which may arise from verbal in-
structions being either forgotten or badly romprehentled.
iswhit infinite pain., Sir, that I feel ut)self obliged to
?e'er .10 the ignominious treatment which I have suffered fi ton
you lit your own house, especially mom two occasions. Were
I entrant., even d Conti M;titial could cal antliori.e the
-intesupel ale and opprobrious epithets so liberally bestowed
upon me, :cal being twice turned 01St duos in the presence
of witoosses ; die last time not without appichensions man%
pare of rape' jvitrittg ttrlAMlell ViOICUPC. I have, Sir, hod the
honour of serving au:: eirantry in the Royal Navy for ',aye",
years, until linty without corsair, and peiliaps lint %%Won't
some little colour mbition ; yul I most protest ug.tinst any
person. however superior to one in rook, conking list-, of 14n.
gaunt *oil 41.41.1 w-oil too:Arils me uuwurihy id, and ,legrAd,,,e
to, an officer, wins has the bottom. to Pet lit. ill Isis Majesty's
Nave. I have the honour to be, Sir, %veils all doe respect,
your Excellency's must obedient limettle servimt,
MARV F. o'3l EPA RA, Surgeon, R. N.
To his Excellency Lieut. (levet:ll
Sir Hudson I.uut, K. C. 8., Ay. Governor.
St. Helena, Ipeil ;O. Tata.
ann directed by Lieutenant OVIICIdi Sir Hudson
/Awe, In) co.iscy to von I'd. Instructions, that except its the
event of any thing estraordinary °centring, which )on might
ft el it gone dotty In report t•tiotediately in person to him, 'too
ate not to (111?, without his permission, unless under
a call 101 medical attelt•-itnee, whet, other medical aid is not
at hand, or sinless under the circumstance lit' Napoleon
naparte p 5.3:11g outside the grounds of Loop*. twit, when, if