Star.
London, England, 1820-08-18 00:00:00

. . . . • • . " • . . .
Mont to th' illaitiage of their Majesties. To that treat micas. against her With a green bag of doetallentary etidence in die
ana all-important question I will not advert at 'present.— one hand, and this Bill of degradation in the other? How hap,
I will postpone the danger of such a discussion as long as poasi- ! pened it that they had never before thought of the character of
ble, until, indeed, I bray be compelled to resort to it by the last ; the country, the honour of the Royal Family, and the dignity of
necessity. But should that necessity arise, an advocate has but : the Throne? Where was their: boasted sagacity, when these evil
one duty, and no natifei; iiiineipalities, or even nations, shall 1 Counsellors could not foresee what might be the consequences
prevent me from performing that solemn duty which I owe to f of the step they were so earnestly recommending? Then there
my client. I will, however, do everything in my power to stop I was no whisper of anything of the sort ; all was to be e.:se, trau-
the progress of this Bill, in order tc avert the deplorable neces. quillity, and liberty, for the test of her majesty's life: there was
aity of duly animadverting upon such language as the preamble to be no watching, no prying, no spying, no asking 'why do eon
,contains; such, for instance, as ' a most unbecoming and de- do so or so?' Lot all was to be kindness and tub ration. With
leading intimacy' with ' a foreigner of low station,' who had these promises, the next thing was to assist the Queen tq depart.
been ' engaged in her service in a menial situation; and with The ship of war, which was refused to bring her back. had been
whom my client is accused of having 'an indecent and Wien- readily granted to take her away. Money was also r ffertel with
sive familiarity,' and carried on an adulterous intercourse. But equal liberality for her outfit, and her residence abroad cram-
the preamble professes that this Bill is necessary from a ' re- menced under the happiest auspices. Yet report's soon came
gard for the dignity of the Crown and the honour of the na- over; they increased by degreei; the slander ocean:. blacker
don.' Now, how comes le. that the dignity of the Crown and and more malignant; and as early as four.years ago it head as-
the honour of the nation should be so deeply concerned in this suined a certain consistency. Still there eels no jealous watch
question as to compel you to proceed? The contrary, indeed, ing, no hunting- for evidence, and no hint given to_the Queen
is the. fact, ind I feel myself bound to tell your Lordships, that it would be fie to be nitre guarded in her conduct : 'the cha-
that this preamble speaks falsehood-that It states that which racter of the eoentre yes! the honour of the Omen were then
is by no means correct. We are nut arrived at that state of never dreamed of. Miniver, had never said, ' Return - this
excessive polish which would forbid us front calling things is dangerous—the country suffers-khe Crown is dishonoured-
by their proper name, and I would appeal to the spirit of the Royal Family degraded, by these. 'calumnious reports.'—
Justice which presides. in this House, but especially to that On the contrary, they had done everything to encovreee her
holiness which le second under the Crown, as the head of staying ; and he (Mr. Brougham) would venture to stake his
the Church, whether, if. .adultery be a crime on the part existence, that any man would have been deemed an enemy,
41-a female, it be not a crime, also, on the - part of a and have had the Court doors flung in his face, who should
male; ar Whether, if the dignify of the Crown and the ho- have had the hardihood to counsel that her Royal Highness
sour of the histion be so tarnished by the practice of what the should have been requested to revisit this country—(Hear!).e-
fmble to this Bill calls ' adulterous intercourse on the part Yet these very men, after forcing her away—after aiding, abet-
Vie-Male riietnbei" of the Tfoyal Family as to render necessary ting, and encouraging a foreign residence—after taking no sue
Bill of Painsand Penalties, the adultery of a male member oh step to putit an end to that which they themselves alleged to be
that family_ should be allowed to escape the visitation of any such the sole cause of the evil : even at the twelfth hour, and when
, Attie*? But the allegation in this preamble is a fallacy or how the twelfth hour was about to toll, did they then come with a
came it that, uo Bite pf Pains and Penalties, nor legislative mea- request that she should return? Did they then suggest that her
sure whatever was ever proposed in consequence of the adultery Majesty, having changed leer station, could no longer live
of a certain mate member of the-Royal Family, which some years abroad with safety—that what thieht be good for a Princess
ago was not only proved, hut confessed by his Royal Highness was evil for a Queen? Did they came forward with atty plain
himself. It is, I assure your Lordships, with peculiar pain th et funk disclosure that some inquiry !allele 1,1! rei.d,dred necessary
elds stetement is wrung from me; for no one can be more aware -What reports had got abroad to nia.i7c:lnt that they could
than myself of the obligation which not only England, but all not „be overlooked—that suspicion attached, acid that that
gotope, owes to the services of that most Illustrious Individual suspicion must be removed ? Was anything of this soft
`4irlectir it refers. In mentioning this circumstance, indeed, I done, not in kindness to the Queen, but in compassion to
awn° disposttion whatever to act harshly towards his Royst the long-suffering people of Eneland, cow agitated by this
Highness, but to record my opinion of thh motives and princi- great question? No such thing: to the last moment she was
pies of the base conspiracy with which that proceeding originated. warned no: to come back : she was to be esensiene.d, largely
As an A(.17/fleeter, I feel myself compelled too to state, that the pensioned, for not coming home; and she was to enjoy the
allegation of the authors of this Bill was unfounded, even in the rank she had degraded, and the privileess she had forfeited.—
lesiews of those persons themselves, or the adultery confessed in She was to have an income to enable herc to be wicked on a
1809, by the. Illustrious Individual Co whom I have referred, larger scale; all levity, all indiscretion, even ' Adulterous inter-
would have beeu met by some similar measure; for the conduct course,' was to be pardoned on one condition, and that condi-
of his. Royal Highness was pronounced of. a most derogatory dens was, that she should continue abroad, hefore the eyes of
character, in a Resolution proposed in the other House of Par- foreigners who envied and hated us ; she was to be the de-
!lament, by one of the very authors of the present Bill. But no grading spectacle of the Queen of this country, without one
Bill of Pains and Penalties was ever mentioned, or even hinted of the vie toes that ought to belong to her sex and her condi-
at, upon that occasion, nor was it even pretended that it was time With these fatty before him, he must have a mind.
necessary to " the dignity of the Crown and the honour of the capable of swallowing the most moostrous improbabilities who
nation," to propose any measure of the kind. I ask whether could lend himself for one moment teethe belief that Ministers,.
such conduct be consistent, or whether it can he reconciled with themselves gave the least credit to the preamble of the BilIA-F-
-any principle, unless it be maintained that the male members of It would never have been heard of, if the Queen had returned
the Royal Family may all do what they please, while if calumny from Calais ; but her larding at Dove r celled up sill those phan-
should fix a stain upon any female belonging to that family who toms of national degradation and insulted honour, of which top
should happen to he abroad, whither she was encouraged to go, much had recently been heard : they were all raised by the (dot
who was left at full liberty to indulge herself there as she which the set upon the English shore ; ;led if she had consented,
pleased, she .should, upon her rewn hoine, have a Bill of to restrain it, she might sell have lived witheut imputation, at
Pains and Penalties immediately preferred against her, upon least from the quarter in which it now orieinateti. I end here
the hypocritical, :canting, and disgusting pretence, that such a (ca el Mr. Brougham) What I have to urge, not that I have no-
proceeding was necessary to the maintenance of the dignity of thing more to bring tors: are, but becanse am sure tkavysone
the Crown and the honour of the nation?—(Hear, hear, tear I) Lordships are men of justice, that eou are men of principle, Inert
We in England may call this proceeding by what name we please. of ordinary sagacity, and, above all, that you are men of heeihnis
We may pronounce it a serious and solemn measure; hut what I have made my appeal to you upon this Bill, and I feel code
are our continental neighbours likely to think of it? Is it not dent that I have not made it in vain. True it is that your Com.
possible that they may regard it with pity, if not with disgust, nettee has reported in its favour, tut thee cannot pledge the
and that they may suppose the ratio masarie and the nraiejnity.ca House ; and'he is the greatest of rll fool, who consults his appaf
are considered the same in this country? I would then exhort rent consistency at the expense of his thrnitit; ruin. The sooner
yout-Loedehipsofor sake of the reputation and judgment, as well you retrace thcestep into which you may hate been led at an
as for sate of the peace and interest of this cost try, not to allow unwary moment, the greater will be the service you render
its grave, rational, enlightened, and moral character', as well as your country : if you decide that this Bill ought not to proceed,
its internal tranquillity, tube sacrificed, in order to gratify the you will be the saviours of the State, and, indeed, promote the
caprice or will of any individual, by the adoption of a measure substantial welfare of the kingdom, and the truest honour of
of such an extraordinary purport as that before the House._ By the Crown." r.
this Measure it is proposed to enact a divorce in a peculiarly no- The LORD CHANCELLOR observed, that at
tie' manner ; for where, I ask, can an instance be found in the there were only two Counsel to be heard upon this
whole history of the law, where, after a legal carriage, which I
assume that between their Majesties to have been, it was.ever subject, the second was then at liberty to address
attelopted to dissolve that marriage, except upon actual proof of the House.
adultery, and upon the application of the husband or party Mr. DENMAN said, that it was his intention to ad-
aggrieved ?—The Standing Orders of the House were express dress some observations to their • Lordships i .but 'aft
on this subject, and one of them even provided that-the husband hour was arrived at whifh an adjournment was
himself should be examined, in order to shew that there was no the
collusion, and that he stood redus in curia. If the House wished expected to take place, and as, from the state of his
to know in what light marriage was regarded by the law of health he was then unable to proceed, he requested
the land—the Bill showed in what light some people regarded their Lordships would he so flood as to.adjourn the
adultery, or rather a crime not known to the law, called " adul- further .
re proceedings until to-morrow.
- tercets .intercourse"—he would submit to them the opinions
'of tae soundest lawyers, and he would appeal in an especial Lord LIVERPOOL observed, that after what. the
manner on ibis" piiint to the guardians cf the sanctity of that holy -Learned Counsel had stated, he thought he was sure
,contr.act. He would contest himself, however, with one of the there could be but one wish in the House as to the
latest authorities—one of the greatest Consistorial Judges--
ropriety of complyi with his request. He there-
He
who had described it in language not more eloquent than just.
He meant Sir William Scott, who, in delivering his judgment. ore, moved that fhe House slu,uld adjourn.
ea the case of Gordon v. Dalrymple, thus expressed his opinion : The LORI) CHANCELLOR stated, that only tWO
' Marriage is a contract of natural law; it is the parent, not Counsel would be heard throughout, either for or
the child, of civil society. (In civil society it becomes a civil against the 13111.—Adjourned' at about listen 'clock.
contract, registered and prescribed by law, and rendered of civil so
. consequence.) t' In most civilized countries, acting under a sense
of the force of sacred obligations, it has the sanction of religion
superadded: It then becomes a religious and civil contract, far
it it a great mistake to suppose, that because it is the One, there-
fore it may not likewise be the other. Heaven itself is made a
party to the contract, and the consent of the individuals pledged
to each. ether, is ratificel and confirmed by a tow to God.'—
Matthew, xis. B.—,Dark, 1. 2.—ls It possible, then, that your,
'Lordships can ever he persuaded to lay sacrilegious hands
'upon such a sacred compaetthat you will attempt to put
tatunder those Vile= -Goa bath united, or to cut that knot
which bath been tied by the combined laws of GOD and man ?
The Masa was called upon to dissolve this compact; first, be-
*use the parties bad disregarded it, sacred obligation ; and, se-
condly, beciuse the husband himself slid not come forward to
complain. For let' it be 'obseiVed, that this was the way in
which it was put, in melee top:et-id of some of the stringent
arguments against the Bill.. The King, it was asserted, was not
concerted; he sent no CiiiiiiiFtenlie liiiiise; and the Attor-
ney-General, with his !oral ingenuity, prevented its being,
wrung from him that the King was his client. It was no pri-
vate Bill; it was a State measure, justified by State necessity;
and he had astutely avoided everything that could shew any
other connexion than with the State. The Attorney-General
had said that be was merely the organ of the House, and'
that he was desired to defend the Bill for the sake of the

Copy of an Address to her Mares-re from the Privates of the
Leicestershire :
We;'the Privates of the Leicester Militia, beg leave to coils;
gratulate your Majesty on your arrival in•these realms.
" We lament the afflictive dispensations which it hal pleased
.Goo to visit this counfry with in your Majesty's absence, parti=
cularly in the death of her in whom our hopes, and those of the
whole Nation, were fondly united; but deeply as we feel, and
much as we sympathize with your Majesty, iu such irreparable
losses, we deplore the ?resent proceedings of his NI ajesty's Mini.
stens against your anguit person, in using such artifices to alum.,
Mate and degrade yoar Majesty in the eyes of your subject&
" We cannot refrain front expressing our indignation at the '
charges founded on documents examined by a Secret Committee,.
of the House of Lords. Upon the allegations contained in elite
said papers, his Majesty's Ministers have brought forward a Bill'
to deprive your Majesty of those dignities which Ace your just /
right—and to divorce you, withoureven granting your Majesty
a fair and open trial. We regret that they should. refits* you a
list or the witnesses who are to appear againstyou7—a Oche
which is not denied to the Meanie iubjeci of the kingdom,
" We trust that the
.4.tioniiiye yelicise arm is all-powerful,
will support your Majesty under all, those trial. •
• Whatever may be the issue of 'thePer.ding inquiry into the'
foul charges brought against your 'Majesty at the instigation of a
corrupt and infamous Administration, wipeare seeking to de.
stroy the happiness not only of your Majesty, and our gracious :
King, but of his faithful and loviae subjects; by undermieing
that Constitution, which, in its primitive state, is the pride anti
glory of EuglishmeN.wi cannot but admire That heroic firmness '
displayed ay your Majesty in the midst of such unheard-of per, - •
secutions ittid cruelties, which could never manifest itself but in -
a consciousness of innocence.
" We sincerely hope your Majesty will eventually triumph. • •
over the machinations of your enemies, and continue-a blessieg
to your subjects for many years to come ; and that your Me.
jesty will shine as a star of the first order, not only in this world,
but eclipse the sun in its meridian splendour, in that which is to •
come, for ever; which is the prayer of
" Your -Majesty's most affectionate subjects,
THE pitlvATEs OF THE SAID ItEGIAIENT." •
," Leicester, July ft, I sect."
THE (4(3:TN's ANSWER.
" I receive with great satisfaction this kind Address from.the
Soldiers of the Leicester Militia, who, in condoling with me on •
my melancholy-losses—in sympathizing with mein Illy nuffoings
praying for my safety and • happiness, and in coneernitieg.
the-advisers of the eruihie% inflicted urin me, give the best and
most striking roof of their fidelity to their King, who Can
have no real interest, no tt tic glory, in which the Queen does
not participattse 'tJo •
" My name; given =lt is as a Mark of honotir to many of tho
Regiments of his Majesty's Army, the (ei-tom of her late Maje ty •
to address bodies of this gallant Army weiald teach me, if. stir
own heart ditd:iioy, that that part of his Majesty's subjects who
-bear-arnis in defence of their Coentee and the Throne aie.neyer
to be excluded front my attention,- my gale, and my gratitude. •
." To the cowardly only it belotes to be cruel ; valour audi
generosity are inseparable associates ; and while the world pro_
claims the matchless valour of the British soldiers, it *hall be for
me to proclaim their goitrous sympathy and affection

public at large. He had accordingly sought for information
a id instruction, and for this purpose he found no place more
cmvenient than the Home Department, and no person more
an dons to aid him than the Home Secretary. He might
nave gone further and fared worse; and accordingly he
made his appearance at the Bar as Catinsel for nobody !
Thus the King made no complaint, 'and the Hcuse was called
upon to dissolve the marriage without the suggestion of either of
the parties most interested. The whole, in tact, was unprece-
dented, illegal, in opposition to all analogy, and in the teeth of
the most sacred part of all civil and ecclesiastical justice. Per-
haps he might be allowed• further to state, that the mode of
proceeding afforded sufficient evidence to skew that the story of
degradation and dishonour was a mere pretence from beginning
to end. ,The only way to judge of the sincerity of men's pro-
fessions, was to look at their conduct ; it was good and whole-
some at all times, and with all sorts of men ; but at no time,
and with no sort of men more so than in our own, and with po-
liticians such as the authors of this measure. One little action'
was worth more than a volume of writing, or a week of speik-,
big ; and had the conduct of Ministers been such as to make
the House believe that they eredittli one word of the preamble?
As his Learned Friend disavowed all connexion with them, and
as they presented the papers in which it origiitled, they must
be. looked upon as the authors of the Bill ; and had their actions
been consistent with the allegations of the preamble? Who,
•he asked, had encouraged the Queen to go• abroad ? When
that Illustrious Personage, word out by all she had experienced
in this country, naturally began to skink repose a blessing, who
had recommended that she should4eek it on the Continent?—
Who had opposed the advice given by the friends of the queen, to
which they had set their hands, and he (Mr. B.) among them,
that they woilld answer with their heads fo( her safety while in
Ertgland, but that when abroad she would be surrounded by
foreigners, spies, and informers? Who had counteracted this
faithful suggestten ? Who but those who wore now arrayed