The Sun.
London, England, 1809-03-15 00:00:00

. .
bronght forward, he confessed that, in his opit(o',,
they had commenced under most unfmrourable
spices. The Hon. _Gentleman had hinthelf declare
teat the letters whieb had tUrmed.so great .a part
of the evidence were taken by him from Mrs. Clarke'
-against her will. That the Honourable Gentle-
man's views in such a proceeding were satistadory
to himself he had no doubt t but he must say that
they-differed ciimpletely from his own"; and he
scarcely knew. any charge of whiCh he, would not
rather be•guilty than that of being a pArty in such an
affair, '

Lord CesTLERAGII Would not trespass much
length on the House, but felt it to be his paramount
duty to slate thy groundS on which hoshould give
his vote. It was certainly perfectly competent to
the House to address thAtcrown to dis Miss a public
servant, without ',oy cause for such an ad,
dress, but merely ilitte.lerefirte of contidepce., But
in such a case as thieee'esent, where offences cog-
nizable by the law were alleged, he could not con-
ceive'any thing more painfel than the feelings which
his Majesty would experience, to find hiseem charge
ed with the foul crime of connivance in corrupt
practices, on the testimony. of witnesses received
without the solemnity- of an oath, and without that
lair trial to which every British subject wes entitled.
Proceeding to the consideration of the general sub-
ject, he remarked, that Mrs. Clarke came forward
under the most decided feelings of resentment. Her
letters to Mr. Adam and to Colonel 'McMahon stile
ficiently• evinced that more vindictive malice never
existed in a female mind; and` Yet. she represented
herself as au unwilling witness, whom nothing but
the imperative order of the House could have in-
diced to appear at the Bar. He did not mean to
impute to the Honourable Gentleman opposite, any
inetive incomistent with his duty as a Member of
Parliament, but it was certainly evident, that, aware
of the resentment which Mrs. Clarke entertained
against his Royal Highness, he had devoted much of•
his time to intercourse with her, and had by vio-
lence, more or less, possessed himself of the letters
which he bad adduced. • He bad also been fotind
at supper at Mrs. Clarke's with one of the professed
libellers of the Duke of York. Mrs. Clarke
had net been' only preparing herself, but arrang-
ing others fur the transactions that ensued.—
Whenever Mrs, Clarke dealt in particular cases
her evjence bad been disproved.—lf the House
gave credit t 9 a witness so- systematically false
in . her testimony, where that ' testimony went CO
inculpate .another, the character and life of no in-
dividual in the country would be safe., The
Right Honourable Giei!lernan who had just sat
down had taken too just a r'ew of Miss Taylor's
evidenees to render it necessary for him to add any
thing on the subjeta. For his own- part be was con-
vinced that a combination had existed between Mrs.'
Clarke; Mrs. Fevery, her ball-sister, and Miss
lor, her sister-in•law, to ruin the Duke -of-York.
The mode in which his Royal Highness bad se-
patiated from Mrs. Clarke,. was a sufficient proof
that he entertained no apprehensions from any dis-
closure which the Might be ioducediO, make. lie
had never shrunk from any threat of that nature
which had been thrown out. Could there have
been a more distitia pledge of the purity of his
Royal, H4,lneeets's mind, than his thus def.) ing the
malice of Mrs. Clarke, and intrepidly subjecting
himself to any. imputation which she might choose
to cast upon lihn ? An Hon. and Learned Gentle-
man (Sir S.:Remaly) had declared, that he' wished
the Letter - written by his Royal Highness, to the
Speaker, could be blotted „taut of?the recolleetion of
the House -tor ever ; for such a wish he could see
no loundatian, • It was the letter of -an innocent
man, who was 'anxious that his character should
be cleared, and that he should experieoceeliejus-
tide which is the right of .every Englishman. • lino
such aseurance had been made by his Royal High-
ness, how loud would have been the accusation,
that would have then followed ? It Alit Royal Highness
were, not entitled to declare his innocence and de-
mand a fair trial, he was placed in a worse situe
ation than any man under the British Constitution.
Ii the House felt with him, that his Royal Highness
had neither been corrupt himself, nor connived at
corruption in others, it would thee befor them to
r'consider what remained of impropriety to be alleged
against him..? In his opinion, there was enough to
-require a grave and solemn notice; butetot a notice
of that description wlO.Oll Would disqualify his R 'yal
Highness from retaining a command which, in ins
opinion, .he.had hitherto held .with the highest ho-
nour to himself, and advantage to the country. The
Noble Lord dwelt with much emphasis upon the
services as rendered to theiarmy by
.his liuyal High 7
.ness: There .was a inethOd,. a precision, -a correde
ness, introduced into it by his Royal Highness,
which jelled never before been: thought susceptiblee'
and, under that- convidiou, he felt entitled to call
upon the House and, the Public to do justice to his
'Annie merits. This claim would be the muse im-
pressed upon the mind Of, the House. and Of the pube
lee, when they considered that his Reyal Highnette-
might one day be destined to wearethe Crown ,W)
these Realms. This was a pregnant consideretiritr
for the House and the Country, amid the mode by
which,. on the preseet et:elision, they would convey,
their sentiments to IrtitAlejetity, was also matter of
delicate managementlV No doubt the House would
avoid every thing that could iniugle bitterness in any
Address that should be presented to his Majesty.
Mte Ceeceeer eas ready to acknoWledge that;
every thing had, n,A,!il done for theeletence of the
Duke of York, that could have been eepeatel front
the most 'eneione aii.l ble exertion of professional
abilities. Thef ie,ir, Gefeletnan briefly commented
on. the other different easel, and expressed his regret,
that, however,upon the examinations.ef the whole of
thorn his Royal` [highness Might appear to be some-
: what remiss and unguarded, yet there appeared no
prtiof of personal corruption, or criminal participation.
Tine it was incumbent on the House tobear in their
minds when they came ip a-decision on this most
important question.
Lord PASTLeaRAGn shortlyteXpleined, and in come
pliance:with .the general wish of the House, movett
an atti6urnment:
leed TeeePLE and Mr.,POIOQNSY would not press
fora hearing at so late an houri but must beg leave
to put in their claim;` to be beard on it future oeta-
siotL •: • • , ,

After a few observations from. the. CuAgcp.Lort
of the Fxcit F:(41 int , the adjournment ryas agreed to;
fuld alter disposing of irks other Orders (.4 the Day,
the,E,nise find the debate lop 0 adjouralti, at FPlir
9'Ciock, till thiz (liy