Star.
London, England, 1820-09-19 00:00:00

jesty, Trim, to prorogue Parliament; and this' House and the country, it would not; and,.-con7
therely to prevent the further -progress of measures
,vinced that it ought he should now support the
against his Queen" Amendment pro by his Honourableitituend the
I After a pause, the SPEAKER put the question, Member. for Westminster.
when— The ATTORNEY-GENERAL rose With much.
Sir ROBERT WILSON said he was not aware this warmth to repel the charge brought against him by
Amendment was to be moved, nor was he aware.Of the Honourable Member for Shrewsbury. He had in
the dignified silence which the other side had deter-- conducting the case entrusted to him at the bar of
mined on. They might call it dignified, but he did the House of Lords, only acted in the conscientious
not believe such conduct would satisfy the people. discharge of his duty; had he acted Otherwise than
He should, although he had no hopes of carrying he had done, he shbuld have felt he was guilty- of a
the Amendment, feel it his duty to state his opinion dereliction.of that duty. With respect to the Hon. I
freely. He had attended daily in the House of Lords, Gentleman's opinidis; he should always feel himself
and had heard the evidence, and had now no doubts disgraced by any approbation of his conduct from
'left ; he was able to judge for himself, and so judg- that Hon. Gentleman, and, on the contrary, he should-'I
ing, had no doubt, or any hesitation in declaring his consider his censure an honour—( Hear, hear).—He
opinion, on his honour and conscience, before GOD, should not, however, suffer himself to be betrayed
I that the whole proceeding against her Majesty ori- into the same error into which the Hon. Gentleman
ginated in a foul conspiracy !—(Hear, hear).—He had fallen,. namely, the making observations on evi-
was aware these were bard words, but he was bound dente, and on a case not before the House.
to speak his sentiments, and would repeat he believed Mr. HUME denied that his Honourable and gal-
the whole proceedings originated in a foul conspi.... lant Friend was open to a charge of having made an
lacy, the foundation of which was laid at Hanover. ex-parte statement. What his Honourable Friend had
Who had not heard of Baron Ompteda and his prat- stated was known to all the world. He would ask
tices, his breaking open locks and stealing letters; who had been guilty of ex-park statements, and &
and who could read the evidence, as taken at the Bar prejudging a case? it was those who had, previous to'
of the House, and not see that there was a conspi- Liquiry, condemned her Majesty—who had refused to
racy ? One of the witnesses examined there, Sacchi, insert her name in the Liturgy—who had refused
or Sacchini, stated, that he was receiving 70 Louis-. her a passage to this country, and who, since her ar-
d'ors from the Austrian Government, and that this rival, had treated her as a convicted criminal—who
was all his income. He had a letter now in his had prejudged the case upon ex-parte statements.
pocket, stating, that this person, who stated his in-' He must agree with his Honourable Friend, that the
come at little more than fifty pounds a year, was Attorney-General had disgraced himself; he meant
living in this country, keeping a servant, and paying not to use the expression in a personal sense; he
five pounds a week for his board only. So the mas- meant, that he had disgraced himself by a statement
ter of the polacre was kept here, and receiving £1,500 in his opening, which be had not proved in evidence.
--oa sum fully equal to £5,000 in his own country. How had he crated tocharge her Maiesty with living
Was this a remuneration suited to a sailor, whilst the in adultery six years; and then only prove her having
Prime Cardinal of Rome had an income of not more done so three years ?—(A laugh).—He was glad he
than £12,000? Would witnesses he wanting, if they had made this slip, as it gave him the opportunity of
were so well paid ? The house at Milan was a ren- again repeating, that the Attorney-General bad stated
dezvous for discarded servants, where every-one who facts in his opening which he had not-even attempted
would come. and say anything against their Royal to prove. He had heard talk of partialitrobut he
Mistress was sure of being well paid. He would believed partiality was principally exercised against
again repeat his belief that the whole charge was a her Majesty. He had now a letter in 'his pocket, on
foul conspiracy, in which his Majesty had been be- the authenticity of which lie believed he could rely,
trayed, and the Queen insulted. His Majesty had which stated the difficulty Mr. Henry, her Majesty's
been deceived as to the evidence which was to be Agent, had in obtaining permisfion for her Majesty's
brought forward, and her Majesty had been most witnesses to come to this country; and stating, that,
grossly insulted by examinations to subjects the n:ost by the interference of Colonel Brown, four witnesses
disgusting, disgraceful, and improbable, and in no .at least,'out of twenty-four, had been prevented from
way whatever connected with the case. If the House coming over. He had further been informed, that
should ever be insulted by the Bill being introduced, Razzelli, one of the most active witnesses against her
he gave notice he would oppose it in every stage, Majesty, had been dispatched to Italy on a mission.
until it should finally meet the fate it merited. • Under these circumstances, where did partiality lie?
Dr. PHILLIMORE was surprised at the speech of It had been said, that morality and State policy de-1
the lion. Member who had just sat down. The manded this inquiry. He denied both, and he would'
gallant General had drawn the House into an e.r- further declare, in the face of all the Bishops, that
parte statement this night on what had passed at she this proceeding would do more to demoralize the
Bar of the other House, and had, with a fore-know- People and degrade Royalty, than all the blasphe-
ledge which he alone could possess, declared an opi- mous' pamphlets and seditious meetings which had
nion on the whole case, though only one side had existed for years past. Ile trusted the promoters of
been heard—(hear, hear).—He had been most re- this proceeding own ld be impeached before the House.
luctant to say a word on this subject, but he had of Commons. The law should be equal, and why
been forced into it by the gallant General, and he should a poor weaver be hanged, and a Prime Mi-
must declare his disieut from the doctrines held by nister escape?—(A laugh).—He hoped the Bishops
the g.illant General. He should feel it his duty to would consider the situation in which the Church.
vote against the Amendment. Ile was most anxious stood, or 'rather, on which their authority rested.
her Majesty should-have justice done her ; and, not- Scotland was as religious and moral as England; yet
withstanding what had been said by the gallant Ge- they did without Bishops or any such expense!—(A
neral, he had no doubt but that illustrious Assembly laugh).—He could not agree to the proposed Amend-
(the other House of Parliament) would decide with ment; because by doing so they would deprive her
justice; and he had the fullest cohviction, the House Majesty of the opportunity of defending herself. He
of Commons would aet on the same principle, if the wished the inquiry to proceed, and to have Lerd
question should come before them. Stewart, Mr. A'Court, and other Ambassadors and
Mr. BENNETT felt it his duty to state his opinion Ministers, called and examined, to shew how this
on this proceeding, which was a continuation of a case against her Majesty had been got up.
system long pursued by his Majesty's Government, Lord CASTLEREAGH could not suffer thikques-
and which had the effect of bringing all the establish- tion to go to a division without adverting to the
nients of the country into contempt ; this was su- temper and feeling with which Gentlemen had dis-
premely so, for he had heard the Prime Minister of cussed this question on the other side of the House.
the Country, in the other House of Parliament, say, The vein of argument which they had this day
that although her Majesty might have so degraded adopted,
.deciding on a case not yet,before them,
herself as to be unworthy longer to continue Queen and on a question on which, as yet, they had not heard
Of the country, yet she *as still worthy to remain the a single tittle of evidence, shewed how well quali-
wife of the Sovereign—(Hear, hear).—Was such doe_ fled they were to become hereafter Judges in that
trine ever heard ? Again, his Honourable Friend case. Although the question was not now properly
ho last addressed the House, had described this as before the House, yet, in consequence of what had
an ex-parte statement. Ile would ask, what was the, fallen from several Gentlemen on the other side, he
whole proceeding but an ex•parte statement? Was'. felt it his duty to offer some observations in reply to
such a proceeding ever known or witnessed even in them. lie denied the assertion of the Member for
the days of the Star Chamber, or even in that Court Westminster, that the House had decided against
in u hich Bradshaw presided, and which took away this inquiry. On the contrary, this was at least the
the life of the Sovereign? Did it ever before occur third time the House had adjourned to await the
that ex pare evidence against the accused should be proceedings of the other House. Nor was the Hon.
sent into the world unanswered for weeks ? and such and Gallant General quite correct in the view he had
evidence, so disgusting, so abominable, so disgrace- taken of the proceeding. He must be allowed to say,
ful to the Learned Gentleman who had brought it that the Hon. and Gallant General's pledges to op-
forward, and ho had even opened disgusting and pose the Bill in every stage, would not dispose of t,
degrading circumstances, reflecting on her Majesty, in the other House of Parliament: The Peers would
which he had not afterwards dared even to attempt if they chose, notwithstanding the threats of the Ho-
to prove ? He would repeat, it was evidence which mutable and Gallant General, send down the. Bill
disgraced the Honourable Gentleman,' and those to them, and they would afterwards dispose of it as.
under whose instructions he acted. Ile could not they considered right. The Hon, and Gallant Ge-
look at this evidence and not fail to compare it with neral might, if he pleased, oppose the Bill in every
the conduct cf that heroic woman against *horn it stage. He might oppose it on its being first brought
was levelled. Was it ever known, that a guilty per- down; how far he would be discharging his consti-
son, who had the opportunity offered of isle/Nog tntional duties in so acting with such a Bill, would
punishment, and of being declared innocent, should be another question, but the Hon. and Gallant Ge--
insist on inquiry, trial, and investigation, at the risk neral's threats would not divert the House from pm.'
of conviction and degradation? Yet such, if we could suing the true line of its duty. Much had been said
believe the evidence, had been the conduct of her of an existing conspiracy on this subject, yet it was
Majesty. He agreed with his Honourable and Gal- urged that nothing had been positively proved against
lant Friend, that this was a gross conspiracy ; and her Majesty. If such a conspiracy had existed, would
with respect to the Court where the inquiry had been there have been any difficulty in getting persons to
instituted, their Lordships bad assumed a judicial swear to one fact as well as another, —(Hear, hear ! )
character, and he should feel himself at liberty to But even supposing such a conspiracy to exist, Geis-
comment on their proceedings withers much freedom tlemen would not convince the House or the world
'as he should on any judicial proceeding_ in the Court at large of that fact, by thus eagerly leaping to it
of King's Bench or Common Pleas. He considered and adopting such an opinion without proof—
it as the worst Court which existed in this country, (Hear!)—By doing, so, whether they were the friends
As regarded judicial proceedings. He believed this or the partizans of the Queen, or political or legal
was the first time that Judges had been seen cheering advisers, they were injuring her Majesty's cause, and
witnesses, and declaring a disposition to believe only rendering their own testimony of no use—(Hear!)
one side. This was the first time that Judges had not even of a feather's weight in the scale—(Hear,
been seen brow-beating and putting down Counsel— hear ! )—By acting thus, in adopting an opiniors
(Hear, hear).—He begged pardon, not potting the without proof or foundation, they displayed a want
Counsel . down, for his Honourable and Learned -of judgment, a want of justice, and a lack of abili-
Friend was not mobil deterred in the discharge of his ties as judges—( Hear, hear ! )—lf a conspiracy ex-
duty, but endeavouring, though unsuccessfully, to isted, the inquiry was the more necessary. No man
put down the Counsel of the accused party. Such could feet more anxious than himself to fathom it to
had been the result of the judicial proceedings in the the bottom; and this could only be done by investi-
Lords, in a Court consisting of 200 Judges! It yet Ration—yet the Gentlemen who talked so much of
remained to be seen how a Court, consisting of 600 its existence, at the same time exclaimed, let inquiry
Judges, would conduct the case, should it come be- proceed no further. Much had been said by the gal-
fore them. He trusted, imwever, for the honour of taut General add the Hon. Member for Shrewsbury of