The National Register.
London, England, 1814-07-31 00:00:00

TIIE W %TIONAL.

4g2

LORD COCBRANE AND BARON DE BERENGER.

De Berenger's confession.was pnlilished yesterday, but its int•
menie length pi emits our ittsertirg it. professed object is to
avoid Ewing connected in future with Lord Cochrane in the public
opiaion. Iterenger's letters begin after his arrival in custody in
LotidoiL, April *,7tlt he acquits Lord Cochrane of knowledge of the
hostel. He sans, ' Rest assured, my Lord, that nothing could ex
teed the. pain I telt, when I perceivril how Clielly, bow unfairly,
sly wifortuna:e visit of the 21st of February webs interpreted (et 'licit!,
visit its object. 1.4 so correctly detailed in your atlidavit.)"—His
next letter, June 12, complains of Lord Cochrane's silence. It
begins, " after the extraordinary proofs Of fidelity I have given
con," and is such as mitlit have been written by a man concealing
Lard Cochrane" participation. His next letter, July 3. complains
of Lord Coe!prone's- sactificing others to serve himself, and says
they• must go hand in band, or both will fall. The next is elated
July 11, and is in sobstance the same as the following, the only one
of impot lance, and the last.
',lli -e letters Lord Cochrane Itimwlf has bad printed. and he has
circulated them mom; his private ti lends, intending to extend the
circulation, a step from which, it is said, his friends dissuaded him.
The letter above alluded to concludes in the Wowing manner :--

That your Lordship may be convinced that I have reasons to guard
agahist being linked to you hereafter, when Sour mis.tattements will be
discovered, and which will take place some time, with or without any
disclosure ; I will state theta. briefly—iind I trust, altliontth I have
erred, I may Mill claim a tenacity not to be suspected of aiding in.
rot plan of defence.
When I read your ill-judged affidavit, I was divided between asto-
sishment at the weakness of that step, and the hardihood with which
yea swore, even unntked. I was angry at your diulging my name,
after your solemn promise, but surprised I was not ; ti,r atter such an
oath, I could not imagine that such a promise would bind you. Wino
shortly after, I saw the affidavits of your servants and others, I felt
great regret, mixed with disgast, that I had hastily and improperly con-
nected myself with a person who could stoop to ask set vants to :,sear
falsely. When I tound that Mr. C++chsane Johnstone had pledged his
Latour to his innocence iu the Muse, I was startled—but much mote
so, i 4 hen he told use that he hoped that the prosecutors would enter a
Nolle Prosequi against me, in order to make use a witnes., in which
case I could •4 swear through thick and thin." I cold him, with a mien
which did not seem to be acceptable, that such a proceeding would
be the most fatal that possibly could happen to the cause ; for, instead
of "swearing thre+e►yth thick and thin," that I certainly should tell the
whale truth—and that•l should do the same if I should ever be exa-
mined before the House on my hewer, as that pledge was us sacred
with me as ray oath. . .
Mr. Cochrane Johnstone seemed perfectly gloomy sad disap-
pointed, and my consequent reflections were directed' if, caution;
for in every stage 1 per (-rived that designiik persons, having once
prevailed on another to err, are not content till they-have harried
trim on to a criminal level with themselves, at least to beeeine a
pitiable victim et their avat icions pkgs. Often did 1 think of ilia.
engaging myself from such 'n :m06.16014. by avowing the ti ans-
action, lint a.: often did 11+c reflertion, that' the woad would hot
ascribe such act to the pine motive of repentance, but to meanness,.
.avarice, or tre..ehery,l-,revent me; I tberefere resolved to do so,
only after I had borne my MU share of every- danger,—or ;ev4y
pnuishment, which I conceived would not fail to prove, that my
piotives, ultimate Iv executed, were consixtent and honourable. Tim,
4 have atreiloy sr tleied much mote than either of the other three
(for I comot allow the four persons last mentinted in the indictment
to bear a share in the calculation, not knowing airy thing Of them).
calm() t be di puled ; that, in the event of success, you three would
have cleared a very large sum of money, where the.person who lint
only ran all Me risks in its execution, but who also saved you three
f. oat in sit ,ble ruin, would have received frit a scanty remunera•
ii ,a, is also from youi present condoet placed beyond the possibility
of doubt : all this your Lordship's good understanding must have
pointed. mit to yon but where was its exercise when yen deter-
Mined. to save yourself by dastardly endeavours to brand him
with the greatest of all infamy, who not only motonditionally
.avya you; lint who, although betrayed and neglected by
you, continued Inthfill to his promise, rejecting pardons and
prospects of an ample fortune, which, no doubt, he could have
so easily secured,— brit nothing shall prevent me front openly
reproaching you with my -ruin : for I find by your public
conduct, and by the private infamous efers•wbich recently have
been made to use, that I must immediately declare myself to
the world, as otherwise I shall be in huruinfut danger of being con-

TX 3l

•p , - .
founded, or at least suspected., of participativ . glii Purl' ae %fin
wonder that I should think it time to stop the injuries yhu are over-
whelming me with ? In addition to timst already stated, have 1,01
fan and I‘,lr, Cochrane Johnstone .denuded me in the eyes of the
world, by unanimously committing :I vile brcaeli of promise and
ronfidenc.c, by burning my letter, which rimed out to niy heenri-
tie4 the provision which I had made for their protection ?—Thist
not shudder with horror and dread when I'perceive tiro yoii so-
lit unnecessarily and wantonly, invoke the Almighty 604
iu support of the untruths that you have advanced ?
hare compulsively born guilty of some falsehoods in this defence,
but I used es en these sparing y, and wilh an ill grace ;—I certainly
complained, and still continue so t,) 4.1 the 1.11,e evidence, of the
un!airness which was en: p_oyed'ut the truth the ; but where, bit
in your own Elertion, will your Lut &hip hod the portinr.nicau whiff:
coutnined my eLangt of dress ?--Wl.ere the lecer of the 17th of
hruary, which you quoted so improperly and fool'•,,rdy in the
(or vi•ihtv purpose 1)11 that of tin Mt inv a suspicion upon Ali% la.
hourdin, Whom you know to be perfectly innocent of the whole flan,-
sc;ion ?

Perhaps this " loth," letter, einanatiog from my certainly " per-
turbed mind." o ill also be perfectly .imiuteilicitile" to you ; hut I
can espl in easily to the public mind, which nowt on are hcatino, for
election and other purposes, into sonic act which [ Nlli not bear lay
share of blame in ; and vi hich, should it, of s to my silence, caoiir
blood to be spilt, would lily heavy on my cart-cience ; tor, believe me
or not, I have one, although was t oo,Troed in a plan which Yon
were perfectly acquainted with, and to which you eagerly contribateri
your share of expenses, afthough you now call Gid to witness in pouf
of your totil ignorance of it. I agree Nith your Lordship, that mi•
titer of us viewed it as a" crime," and I cannot persuade myself even
now, that it merits that harsh apped,tion, or the puoi.hment pro-
flounced. Bat what name should I give to the (tektice,
cularly since the sentence, you have resorted to ? What pounds have
your friends to suppose tue the base villain wfai can consent to dec:are
a certain great Personage, although perfect:y innocent, as the ;cal
projector of, and reaper of the harvest occasioned by this plot ? The
moment I received the infamous and cowardly anonymous letter, de•
daring is to proceed from your friends, and requiring me to co omit
that vile act, for which 1114land.ortie provision for life was held out, thief
moment I indignantly wrote your Lordship word, that if such levers
were repeated, that I wenlii n:11 them, with my commontsi to the
chain I door. It may be poi—ible that you do not know thn author.;
in that case it is strange that you should express no desire to know
its contents ; it is more so, that the writer should de sire in to write
to you--and it is still more so, thst a few days alter my refo~al, awed
which I sent to yon, my Lord, !ILA a person in garb, looks, and ehirize
of language, resembling a gentleman, should verbally dare to otkr me
a itegociation, promising toe a fortune, provided I •would ho a scowni
Bret sufficient to acknowledge myself Colimel vu Bourg, employed
by Lord Yarmouth, for the double purpose of raising the funds, and
ruining Your fame ! —My ragr at such an insult, my indignation at
being thought capahle.ok ungratefully and cowardly stabbing Lord
Yarinpudi, who has endeavour's! to serve me, alone enabled this
wretch to make hie exit, in which be was nimble. If ever I meet him,
he !hart not escape again ; and if your Lordship does not know him, it
%%ill be well to advise your friends, never again to offer me so dating an
insult.

To prevent such calculations in restore, and also to separate myself
trim all Se horrible consequences, which my imagination depict* to
me, as emopus►nt; the train of your defence, I i;tid it necessary now,
ins►ead of hereatier. to make thi• public avowal before described.-1
am, toy Lord, your Lordship's most obedient humble servant,
C. K. DE BEREN(I,EIL

P. S. I have to request the return of the Damascus foible aof belt,
which you persuaded me to leave at your house on the tjst of Fe-
bruary i it belonged to ti relative which makes tt valuable, su much so,
that no price would purchase it of me. As 1 most not have it here,
your Lordship %s ill have the goodness either to send it to Mr. To-
hourdin, or to when and where my servant shall call fur it, fur I
serioissly desire its return.

Tu Lurd Codirnne, &c. &c. &c.

The Emperor of 'Russia' has declined the proffered title of
" blessed," conferred on him by *the Russian Senate, as well
as the offer of erecting a •monument to hi• honour. His Ma-
jesty, in his reply, said, he could not without a violation of
his principles accept the proffered`title ; and as to the monu-
ment, posterity might erect one for him if they thmight he
deserved it.