The National Register.
London, England, 1809-12-24 00:00:00

his character, nor would in the least diminish his claim to pub-
lic gratitude. He would maintain, that however the credit of
a witness might be affected by receiving a donation of this kind,,
yet that it would be no crime in making her a present ; and it
would only be analogous to a common course of proceeding in
other cases, as witnesses brought forward by the Crown and by
public bodies do frequently receive considerable rewitals, not
for giving false testimony, but for rendering great service to the
public by furriduing useful information and bDi% Mg evidence of
CI" truth. ser% ices which Colonel Wardle had rendered to
the public, did not consist merely in bringing the Duke of York
to justice ; but he was the man who had developed the whole
system of corruption which had pervaded every department of
the State, and was feeding on the very vitals of the country.
Under these circumstances he thought there could be nu doubt
but that the public ought to pay that which was expended in
their eau,e; and he trusted they would feel, what he declared.
to be the firm persuasion of .his mind, that nothing which had
rinse eccurred in any degree weakened the claims which Coloue
Wardle had to the gratitude of his country.
WAMr. IT HMAN then rose, arrlitiSt universal bursts of ap-
plause. He said that Mr..Wardle had boldly and fearlessly cou-
tended against the whole phalanx of corruption and undue influ-
ence; and, in spite of their resistance, be had gained a noble.
triumph for his country. As to the calumny and abuse that were
now thrown out ati.;:iiust Mr. Wardle, he did tint value it, as
he found that they were the very same men who abused him
now, who had abused him from the moment that he stood
up iu the public cause. The activity of these calumniators
was wonderful. What might not be expected tbat they would
do against Colonel Wardle, when he could assure them, tha
even against such a humble individual as himself they had
' taken uncommon palm to collect calumnies ? His enemies had
even taken the trouble of sending over to America, and oM:ring
a man. who had fled from his country, 5U guineas, to publish a.
story reflecting on some part of his private character. When
they would take so much pains to iajure him, what would they
not do to itjure Colonel Wardle? As to the trial which had-
lately taken place, he should make no observations. He took
it for granted, that the Jury did their duty, and he was hound
to suppose that the Judge did his also. if in his charge he had
forgotten to state the improbabilities of one side of the case, he
supposed it to proceed merely from depending on his memory,
and not looking at his notes. He, however, would say, that he
hoped we might never again have a political Judge in t his coun-
try. If any Judge in future were to be appointed a Cabinet
Minister, it would be an honour that other Judges would be
looking to; and they would naturally contrast those political
prejudices which would be very injurious to the subject, in
any case where Government was a party. if the public
were now to suffer Mr. Wardle to be pressed down by debts,
to which he only became liable in consequence of his zeal
for their service, !.low was it to be expected that any other
man would rise up in their cause again, and expose himself
to such risks and to so w eked and cruel a perteetaion?
Feeling, therefore, that Mr. Wardle had now more than ever
a claim on the sympathy and support of the public, he beg-
(red leave to submit to them the Resolutions which were agreed
to by the Committee.—The purport of the Resolutions was that
Col. Wardle should he indemaitied against all losses, charges,
aod expellees he may have incurred or be liable to far having
persevering in performing his part towards the public in con-
sequence of the late investigation, &c.

THEATRICALS.

LYCEUM THEATRE.

" It is an ill wind that blows nobody good," says the old
adage ; and of this the Managers of this Company seem
to have availed themselves during the hoitilities at Co-
vent Garden. Knowing the fondness of the public for
theatric amusements, it would appear that they considered
themselves secure and certain of full houses, so as to preclude
all necessity of cultivating public favour, or of gratifying
the •pnblic taste for variety, and even for propriety ; as
their performances have been in general not only of the
mediocre kind, but every thing connected with the busi-
ness of t'le Stage, has betrayed a poverty of conception,
and a disregard to theatric tolally inconsistent with
the witchery of the Drama, and unworthy of the patron-
age they have received. We here allude both to their