Star.
London, England, 1809-03-10 00:00:00

ealin language. The 'Right Hon: Chancellor of the seemed astonished at- the 'audacity of the witness is
Exchequer had, in one of his resolutions, expressed it inventing (as they supposed) such improbable false-
as the opinion of the House, that his Royal Highness ; hoods. It then became necessary to shew that she
would in future he less liable to fall into such de- had told the truth, and the Duke's letter about Dr,
structive connections. History indeed afforded many ; O'Meara was also produced. There dilnot 2ppear
examples of men, who had risen from disgrace "to , any thing of deliberate vengeance in this conduct of
greater eminence and renown than they could other- Mrs. Clarke. Site exposed no letters but what were
wise have attained ; and, in consideration of this, as , absolutely necessary to support her testimony ; and
well as for the sake of his Majesty, and for the sake ' if she had mentioned a number ef names and cir-
of the Duke of York, he would most cordially agree cumstances not immediately bearing upset the guess
with the motion of his Honourable Friend. Undue tion for which she was called as a witness, it was be-
influence had been proved to exist to.a great extent, cause those answers were extorted frOm her in the
and the House were called upon to mark their sense cross-examination. He really thought that the At-
of it. None but drivellers would shrink from the torney-General had not bettered his case at all by his
duty before them, and refuse to vote either that the long cross-examination of Mrs. Clio lee He would
conduct of his Royal Highness was corrupt, or that not go into an examination of the other letters.—
he had a knowledge of the corrupt practices carrying ' What, he would ask, could send Dr. O'Meara to Mrs.
on, as their opinion stood ; and it was easyfor Them Clarke, but the supposition that she posensel all the
in agreeing to this resolution to mark distinctly what influence over the Duke of York that was generally
their sentiments really were. Thus having made a attributed to her? Would any man have tralieved such
few general remarks on what had been said on the a circumstance, if this letter had not been. produced ?
other side, he begged leave, with the permission of , 'What could have sent the Protestant hierarchy of Ire-
the House, to say a few words on the nature of the ; land, bearing a recommendation from the Archbithop
examination of the witnesses, who, for three weeks, of Tuam, but the persuasion that she could effect all
had attended at their Bar, and of the degree of cre- , that her agents asserted? A learned Gentleman stated,
dit due to their testimony. The Right Hon. Gen- that he had a list of twenty-eight instimces in which
tieman had said a good deal on this subject ; and the Mrs. Clarke's testimony was contradicted. One of these
Honourable and Learned Gentleman had given them related to bet declaration that she had never repre-
a lecture on evidence, and the caution with which the sented herself as a widow. By whom was her evidenct
testimony of accomplices was to be received. The impeached ? Why,'by Mr. Nicholls; in his opinion, a
Learned Gentleman had, from his own experience, most impeachable evidence himself; for it must be in
stated; that they ought not to be believed ; but he the recollection of the House, that this most worthy
contended that they ought; as well in this case as in evidsnce came into possession of a number of most
cases of life and death, which they were every day important documents, for such they turned out to
called into criminal courts to prove or disprove. How be, beleeging to Mrs. Clarke, and that he, disho-
many murders would, have paSsed away unpunished nestly, or at least illegally, withheld them. They
but for such witnesses ; and in this instance, where the . might be papers affecting her life, and yet he would
life and death of the character of the Duke of Yoi k, not suffer her to peruse them. The Right Ho-
and the life and death of the country were involved, nourable,Member had spoken much of Mrs. Clarke's
he could not see why it ought to be rejected. Where, dexterity ; but what dexterity could have ena-
in cases of corruption, was evidence to be got, but bled her to produce such incontrovertible proof
such as was brought forward on this occasion, out of of all she had stated respecting General Clavering's
and unconnected with the Office of, the Commander . application to her ? Did she know, at the time
in Chief. The Hon. and Right Hon Gentlemen had she first mentioned him at the Bar, that this letter
undertaken a task of no small diflicuty to accomplish, was in existence' Dexterity ! one ounce of nature was
when they attempted to disqualify all the witnesses , worth 5000 weight of dexterity. He had often seen
on various grounds, some from parts of their testimony, rude nature bring an evidence through, but he never
some from their situation in life, and others in classes, saw that sffected by whatwas called dexterity. Of this
which they endeavoured to make out. Although nature Mrs. Clarke disclosed a genuine and fine trait.
women of the description of one of these witnesses, ! When Clavering's letter was produced to her, at thebar,
might suffer from this mode of arrangement, he would ' a smile of joy beamed upon her countenance. She saw
wish to know how they were to manage with their Cap.; with a glance that every thing she asserted respecting
runs and Generals. Could they disqualify Mrs Clarke this man was confirmed, and that in one point at least
because she had lived in open prostitution with several her truth was unquestionable. But it was that she
persons. Those unfortunate creatures who sunk, de- represented herself as Dowler's wife, and that he ac-
graded, and lost in the distinctions of social life, could, quiesced in the imposture. Good God! was she on this
if they were called on, convict many, many of the othei ' account to be deprived of all pretensions to veracity?
sex of the blackest treachery and perjury. If Mr& ! Let them recollect their youthful days. Let them
Clarke's testimony was thrown out, what were they ; lay their hands on their hearts, and say whether they
to think of receiving the testimony of the lowest and have not sometimes made a wife of some one that was
most degraded of womankind, living in the most infa.! no wife at all ? Nicholls was the chief evidence to this
mous and miserable state of being, who were daily I fact, and yet upon a pinching question being put to
heard in cases where the life of an individual depended him, what kind of exhibition did he make ? He was
upon their evidence. There was a matter of which t asked whether he ever sued Dowler for the debt con-
he had heard, but which he would not now prarti. treated by Mrs. Clarke ? What was his answer ? Never.
cularise, that a Lady of the same description had ; This shewed that no imposition had been practised on
twice given her testimony respecting a Will in Court, him, and that if even Mrs. Clarke represented herself
Which was proven by her evidence alone, unimpeach- as the wife of Dowler, that he did not believe her asser-
ed by any of the considerations stated by the Learned! tion. Astothe otherwitnessesthat wereproducedin cor-
Gentleman.--(The Honourable Gentleman, we roboration of Nicholls's evidence, Reid, the master of
were informed, alluded to Mrs. Carey).—The Ho-; the hotel, the waiter, and the porter, and the incidents
nourable and Right Honourable Gentleman had also of carrying the wine to this and that place, they made
attempted to prove that -Mrs. Clarke was actuated by for nothing. They did not prove that Mrs. Clarke ever
wilful and deliberate revenge. He would not men- really represented herself as the wife of Mr. Dowler.
tion the provocation the Duke of York had given her, If, instead of being such a case as it was, this were a
nor the manner in which he treated her in pecuniary I case affecting life and death, so help him GOD it would
matters, which was, to say the least of it, not very I not affect him. Ahother evidence was brought to sup-
creditable to him. Had there been any attempt to port that of the four evidences he mentioned. It was
show she had acted improperly ?. and yet the _Right that of Mr. Few, the auctioneer. Now what did he
Honourable Gentleman had said, that if his Royal • prove' Why nothing more than this; that in a conver-
Highness had agreed to the demand contained in her I sation with her, she talked of her late husband—that he
letter, (they. were not claims, they were solicitations) , perceived one morning a cocked hat in the window,
he would have been acknowledging that he was corn-land that he was told by the maid that her mis-
pletely in her power. The Honourable Gentleman/ tress was a gay widow, and that she had been at
here went into a defence of Mrs. Clarke's conduct in the .Masquerade toe night before. And was such
this respect, and contended, that there was no proof a flimsy circumstance as this to shake the whole
of a vengeful disposition towards his Royal Highness, evidence she had given at the bar of that House ? It
and that the present discoveries might be accounted also appeared that on a Court Martial she had been
for on other principles. When she appeared at the described as a widow, but there was no proof that she
Bar, she certainly displayed all that pertness, levity, was ever examined to this point. This was the only
wit, acuteness, effrontery, and impudence with which case upon which the Learned and respectable Member
she had been charged ; but on being examined three made any observations ; the remaining 2'T continued
hours by a late Attorney-General, the present Attor- untold. He lamented extremely that the Learned
ney-General, and others, with the Solicitor-General Member (Mr. Burton) had not an opportunity of
at their back, by way of corps de reserve, and being seeing the persons who gave their evidence at the
called in again and again, and re-examined, till she bar. If that advantage were within his reach, he
was like to faint through bodily fatigue, they had not was persuaded their testimony would have made a
been able to make any thing out. The Learned , different impression on him. Much depended on the
Gentleman ( the Attorney-General) might observe, manner of giving their testimony, and on the persons
that she had baffled him, and when he thought that by whom the questions were put. It would fre-
he had got her fast, off she went into a new beat.— quently happen that evidences might be provoked
He then made sonic observations on the mode in Lto say many things that were highly improper
which she was treited, and did not think it strange, I This he would admit Mrs. Clarke had often done,
that if all the Members encouraged her by laughing ; bunt her
veracity was riot to be wholly shaken on
at her answers, she should continue in a course that that accouht. This observation applied especially
appeared so amusing, till she exceeded propriety and to the testimony of Mr. Stower, who had been
decorum. The Learned Attorney-General had ques- brought forward to prove that Mrs. Clarke's husband.
tioned her for three hours, and made but little of it. i was a stone-mason. The Right Honourable Gen.
He got out some stories which led to the disclosures ' tleman, in the course of his admirable speech, had
respecting General Clavering, Dr. O'Meara, and the touched on many cases, in most of which Mrs. Clarke
production of the correspondence, which Mrs. Clarke ; was triumphantly set up by other evidences, and in
would never have produced but from these circum- none more than in that of General Clavering. But
stances. How thendid Gentlemen exult in her hay- it was said that her evidence was contradicted by Mr.
ing advanced falsehoods ? On the first examination R. Knight. He had the honour of being long ac-
of Mrs. Clarke, she mentioned nothing about those +Lamed with this Gentleman, and entertained a
great respect for him ; but he could not help thinking
letters of the Duke of York, and did not spew the
least intention of producing them. She was in a man- that in some instances he had been led into an over-
ner compelled to produce them, by General Clavering statement of the case. When Dr. Thynne was asked
choosing to come down to the House for the purpose whether he- understood from Mrs. Clarke that he was
of impeaching her testimony. The evidence of Ge- to keep the transaction a secret from the Duke of
neral Clavering would have borne down Mrs. Clarke, York ? he replied, that " that was a matter of sur-
if she had not produced the letter of the Duke, men- mice." Mr. R. Knight stated that Mrs. Clarke told
tioning the name of Clavering, and proving that he him she would expose the Duke of 'York : but
did apply to her about military promotion. • After- was there tiny evidence to spew that she meant
wards, by accident, the letters of Clavering, which .by this thre it that she intended to expose him at
were discovered at Hampstead, completely overturn- the Bar of that House; -or was it not rather such
ed the testimony of General Clavering, and left an exposure as that threatened; in her letter to his
him as black as Erebus. It was equally neces- Henourable Friend (Mr. Adam)? That this was
sary for her to produce the second letter. She had the impression at the time upon Mr. Knight's mind
been asked in the course of the cross-examination was evident from this, that aceceding to has own
whether she had been ever applied to for promotions statement, he requested, "if she was going to pub.
in the church ? and she mentioned, in answer, that I,shher memoirs, he hoped she would spare his bro-
Dr. O'Meara, who wanted to be made a bishop, had
applied to her. This answer occasioned great laughter
in the House. No onebelieved fora moment a story that
seemed so absurd and preposterous. Gentlemen

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tiler." Mr. Knight had stated, that gie requested
of him that the business s'aourd be kept secret from
the • Duke of York, and every one must telietN: him.
He bad no doabt that she did make sume sapubit- *.