The Sun.
London, England, 1820-11-07 00:00:00

Bill should he influenced by evidence only of the most unsus-
picious and unsuspected nature—such as must carry convic-
tion to the minds of all. Now he bad given the closest attest
tion throughout the whole proceedings, and he must say that
he could nest give the evidence which bad been produced at
the Bar of that House so fair a character. It had been said,
that enough bad been proved to ensure a verdict in any of the
ordinary Courts, in any ordinary case ; but this was not an
ordinary Court, this was not an ordinary case. On this occa-
sion they were not trying how far an offence had been com-
mitted against a particular law; but they were framing a law
to meet a particular offence. In this respect, therefore, they
were both Legislators and Judges. He kaw so many difficul-
ties to be encountered in passing this Bill, both there and in
the other branch of the Legislature, that no human foresight
could provide for the result: and he could not help thinking
that the wisest and the best course for the interests of the
country would be, that the measure be put an end to at once.
He was aware, that even in throwing it out, there would be
many difficulties to meet and risks to incur. There was a
mischievous and malignant faction in the country, which
caring no snore for the Queen than for the Monarchy or the
Aristocracy, would be gratified by such a Course, making it an
occasion to inflame the passions of many who were not so well
informed as themselves. These men, ha was aware, would
have a temporary triumph, but lie was convinced it would
only be a temporary triumph; for lie a,,,,,reed with a Noble
Earl who had spoken from the gallery (Lord Harewoud) that
tile good sense and right feeling of the country would not
long allow it to remain in error, but would soon set the tines-
tioa spun a right foundation. If this bad been a direct case
of impeachment, in which he was called upon to declare
Guilty' or Not Guilty,' he should be in no difficulty how
to make up his mind. In the evidence which had been pro-
duced there bad been many contradictions, but there remain-
ed grave and heavy suspicions from the evidence of the ac-
cused's own witnesses. And what had great weight upon his
mind was, that many important witnesses had not been called
who engirt to have been produced if the Queen were iuno-
cent. tinder these circumstances, though he would say Nut
Coutrut to the passing of this Bill, be could not lay his hand
upon his heart and say Nut Guilty !
',Ord BLESSINGTON spoke against the second reading of
the Bill. lie contended that the evidence respecting the pi-
here was not conclusive of her Majesty's guilt. Barbara
Kress's evidence was, be thought, entirely destroyed by that
of Vassali. Some persons had said that her Majesty ought to
have called the Countess of Oldi, and others, to disprove.
testimony brought against her; he must say that she could not
advisedly have produced those persons to he cross-examined
by the Attorney-General, after the way that officer treated
Lady C. Lindsay, the daughter of an Earl, and the sister of a
Noble Peer sitting in that House. He should oppose the se-
cond reading of the Bill tin the ground of its inexpediency,
and also because the evidence was such as could not be be-
lieved.
Lord GOSFORD said, that if he were called upon to decide
upon, the evidence, he should hive been under the painful
necessity of saying—guilty. But he should not give his vote
for a measure so inexpedient as that before the House. He
trusted he was as little to be intimidated by popular clamour
as any one of their Lordships. They could not pursue a more
effectual cuticle for allaying the irritation which was now
spreading over the country, than the rejection of the Bill.
He was at a loss to conceive how any man could vote fur the

Bill without the divorce. And he was
.6611 wore at a loss to
conceive how they could vote for it with the divorce clause.—
(A laugh.)—The Noble Lord concluded by declaring his in-
tentiontovoteagainst the second reading of the Bill.

The Duke of ATHOL assured their Lordships he never
rose with so heavy a heart. He had attended to the evidence
and the arguments, and he must say, that he considered the
Queen's guilt proved by her own evidence. If he did not
state this to the House, feeling as he did, he should not think
himself worthy to remain within the walls of Parliament.

Their Lordship; were humid to protect the murals of the
country, which could not be dune without particular attention
to the authority over the conduct of the feinaie part of socie-

ty. It be:atne necessary, for the purpose of hreping imma-
culate the Fair of Great Britain, that the House should mach

its sense of such conduct as had been incontrovertibly proved
against the Queen. He hoped the Bill would be read a second
time ; and he should do all in his power to effect that object.
The Duke of SOMERSET expressed his dissatisfaction at
the evidence against the Queen, and reprobated the inter

fetence of Foreign Powers; who had not only been employed
to obtain evidence against her Majesty, but to withhold evi-
dence in her favour. He called upon the House notto forget
that her Royal Highness was a foreigar Princess, and had been
educated abroad ; and that her manners had been notorious
for their freedom, before she had been selected to he his pre-
sent Majesty's Consort. He admitted that her conduct had
been extraordinary, imprudent, and hardly to be accounted
for ; hot these was nothing in the evidence which could lead
to a cooelnsion of guilt. The Noble Duke concluded by stat-
ing that he dissented altogetho from the Bill, and should give
his vote against the second reading.
Lord GRENVILLE rose with extreme reluctance at the
conclusion of the debate, to do that, which until he had en-
tered the House that day he had not completely made up
his mind he should do. At the close of the tempestuous
period of which his Noble Friend near him (Earl Grey) had
so eloquently spoken, he hoped it would not have been con-
sidered a dereliction of duty, if after thirty-eight years of
pOblic service, he had permitted himself to dedicate to
quiet and retirement the few remaining years, be they
more or less, which Providence might be pleased to grant
him. Even if he had been in his most active time of life,
there were circumstances which would have made him de-
sirous of withdrawing from the present proceeding, and
the principal was, his having been. engaged some years ado
in an inquiry touchiug the conduct of the Illustrious Ac-
cused. For these reasons, he should have wished to take no
part in the progress of the investigation, or at its close; but
their Lordships had thought proper by their order to require
the attendance of all their members. It was his duty to obey,
and he bad to perform a task which be had no power to avoid.
Under these circumstances, be had long doubted whether it
would he consistent fur bins, at any period of the proceed-
ings, to endeavour to attract their Lordships' attention, as he
was unwilling that any thing should fall from him to influence
the vote of any other Noble Member. On other occasions be
had been willing to urge their Lordships to the adoption of
that policy which he conceived to be most consonant with the
best interests of the country ; but in this case he considered
that his first, and on this day Isis sole duty, was of a judicial
nature. In the sent intents, therefore, which he should express,
he should snake no endeUvour, even it he had the power so to
do, to shake the opinion of others, but should merely account
for his own. On an occasion, in which many noble per-
sons who were not in the habit of addressing the House, had
thought fit to express their sentiments openly, he considered
it to be Isis duty not to shrink from stating the grounds on
which he should give his vote, with no presumptuous hopes
that he could, and with on desire to influence the opinion of
any of their Lordships. The question on which he had now
to address their Lordships, was not whether this sill or any
other Bill, should finally pass through their House, but whe-
ther this Bill should be read a second time. 'That question
was compounded of mixed considerations of justice and po-
licy. Of justice, because no man could give his vote, or pro-
ceed one step in this business, Milos lie were convinced that
the evidence produced at the Bar had established a clear case
of guilt of the nature described in the Pi ramble of the Bill.
Without that conviction, it was impossible for any man to
vote for the second reading. But he admitted on the other
site, that persons might conscientiously say, that guilt was
established far more than they 'could hava wished. and
yet that considerations of public interest required that
the House should proceed no further. Ott the first point, he
felt bound to say, as a necessary preliminary, that if he could
have brought his mind to concur in the belief that suspicions
and presumptions only bad been made out in the present
case, and that guilt had not been legally established, his
vote should have been given against any measure what-
ever. Bill on the evidence, as it now stood, he was bound
to state„ that in his mind the adulterous intercourse charg-
ed in the Preamble of the Bill had but too sufficiently
been proved to have taken place within the period and
with the person mentioned. Let the doubtful points be
disposed of as it might please the House, one would still.re-
main behind, which being admitted on all bands, formed, in
his opinion, a clear and judicial proof. If it could have hap-
pened that what Was now clear should have been taken out,
and that their Lordships should have had to pronounce their
verdict on what 'was doubtful, he could not decisively say
what opinion he should have expressed as to the great question
of guilty or not guilty. If that which was admitted bad been
removed, there would have still remained sufficient grounds
to make a Judge and Jury hesitate, even allowing the accused
the benefit of every possible doubt. As it was, however, he
was enabled to found his verdict on that part of the case which
was clear He meant the circumstances which bad taken place
on board the polacre. These were not to be separated from
others of a less decisive, nature. They ought to he coupled
with the sudden elevation of Bergarui from the condition of a
menial servant, to the station, not only of Chamberlain to her
Royal Highness, but of her constant and almost only compa-
nion. With this, too, must be coupled other parts of the evi-
dence, which were undisputed and unshaken. There were not
less than seven or eight persons who spoke distinctly to the
commission of acts .of gross indecency. Those testimonies
must be joined to the rest, for the truth was to be elicited
from an accumulation of suspicious circumstances, all con-
nected with the same fact, and leading to thes,samc conclusion