Star.
London, England, 1820-09-05 00:00:00

THE QUEEN.

It is rumoured that the evidence for the Bill of
Pains and Penalties will close this day. Ministers
give out that a large party, including some of theit
principal witnesses, took fright at Beauvais, and Bed
on hearing of the reception given to tbose who landed
at Dover, and that they have no hopes of being able
to produce any of them. It was understood that if the
QUEVed Counsel insisted en cross-examining the wit-
nesses for the Bill a second time, the Counsel for the
Crown should not be okliged to sum up the evi-
dence till after such cross-examinatior ; but we 'have

heard that it is intended (perhaps on an understanding
that there shall be no future cross-examination), to
sum up the evidence for the Bill at present, and that
an adjournment to November next will then imme-
diately be proposed, in order to allow time to her
MansTE.sotuing forward her witnesses. It is ru-
moured,- Iniviewer, that the QUEEN'S Counsel are sa-
tisfied that they caR with ease disprove the statements
of the witnesses for the prosecution, and discredit
their evidence; and that they mean to demand that
there should be no interruption in the proceedings.
The prevailing belief is, that the Div'wee Clause
will, at all events, be given up; and it is rumoured
in some of the best informed circle;, that-a majority
of the Bench of Bishops have declared, that under
all the circumstances of the case, they cannot possi-
bly reconcile this part of the measure with the prin-
ciples of the Christian Religion.
We understand that it is the QUEEN'S particular
wish that her defence should be proceeded with im-
mediately after Ministers have closed their case, but
of course her MaJesres Law Advisers will use their
own discretion on this point.
There were seven witnesses examined yesterday,
none of whom underwent any cross-examination be-
yond the'ascertaining of certain minute points, arising
obviously out of the witnesses' direct testimony. Yet
even unprepared and surprised as the Counsel for
the QuuN evidently were from not having an
opportunity of knowing the names and places of
abode of the witnesses, sufficient was extracted from
some of them to invalidate their testimony, or at
least to weaken the strong impression which their
direct examination might have produced. We
know nothing as yet of the characters of these per-
sons, their allegations are but repetitions of the stale
stories which have for some time floated wide upon
the Public, and until the Counsel for the QUEEN have
a fair opportunity of rebutting them, the assertions
of these grooms, stable-men, and labourers, ought
not to be considered as lending any additional weight
to the rumours previously circulated. This feeling
we mist the sooner entertain from the knowledge af-
forded us by the cassia Majocei and De Mont, alias
the Countess of Coknabiere, that in the only two
cases wherein her MAJESTY'S Counsel were prepared
with some knowledge of the witnesses' characters and
habits, they effectually overthrew the pretensions of
these witnesses to credibility. If this be the case with
respect to the two principal witnesses, why nay we
not fairly entertain the presumption, that if the same
opportunity bad been afforded to the Counsel for the
QUEEN to sift the pretensions of some of the others,
they would be found no less inadmissible?
The only circumstance of the smallest weight in
the evidence of yesterday, was that stated by Ilascelli,l
the courier, a man who admitted that he was dis-
charged from the service of the Princess of Wams
for some alleged misconduct ; and that he had never
mentioned the ciicurnstance to any one for a twelve-;I
month, nor until he had heard of the Milan Commis-
sion.
The fact stated by this witness seems, on the
face of it, quite incredible. The parties in the open
carriage were covered With the front leather apron
to above Me middle: he had not to cone up to them
from behind—he was in the advance, and rode back
to meet them—and it was broad day, and on a
_pub-
lic road. Had the QUEEN'S Counsel been informed
of the names of the witnesses, we may easily infer
in what further light this witness would have been
placed. But the time is coming in which the, will
have a full opportunity to speak tithe witnesses ; aye,
and to re-examine them too,..should this be found
necessary.