The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-10-26 00:00:00

arm—
go they act, sufficiently account for the vileness of I
twit conduct. lint to what, except the most revolt- '
mg mate depravity, and the most shameless contempt
all the decencies of life, as well as of the princi-
ote pfjustice, can we ascribe a similar course pursued
by those of distinguished rank, who cannot plead the
hoe excuse of poverty and subjection. Nothing
be the grossest arrogance, or the most besotted
iivotiote, can lead them to imagine that practices
0 repugnant to the whole spirit and form of
0 English Court of Judicature can be pursued
is 3 ~,,nent, without rousing in every English breast
the warmest indignation and abhorrence. How de-
testable, accompanied with such a course, are all
thme hypocritical and disgusting pleas of deference
for motility, on which the prosecution of the Qrarst
`are been impudently attempted to be justified ? It
00oduct like this, that repels the hearts of honest
o,‘ ',lightened men from the system that excites it,
0t pokes them cleave with greater sympathy and
welt to her whom it strives to destroy. It is by
maw like this that the minds of Englishmen are
arm front the authorities which they are expected
word. more than by any means that ever have
hoc or can be directly employed, for inspiring them
‘4l disaffection. The Throne, we read, is established
; but it can never be supported by
hypocritical pretence. To think of thus promoting
tkikgratlation of the QuEsst, and by these vile arts to
stwagtben the interests of morals or of political
sr social order, is, of all attempts, the most absurd and
lawsnistent. in sifting at the degratlation of her
Naar', the men who are so base as to employ these
mans, if they do not actually effect, must awfully en-
danger their own.

General Per, it has been announced, has taken
possession of Palma.), which surrendered on the
7th instant.

DEFENCE OF THE QUEEN.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—This SIORNINU.

Aft,:r the ceremony of prayers, the Peers were called.
—The dr:Auiters were Lord Nortliesk, the Earls of (ins-
tant and At lesburr, the Marquis Cornwallis, the Mar-
gaisys of •Exeter and Winchester, and the Duke of
Counsel were then called in, and Dr. 1.1-sittswrox, as
NMI as silence could be obtained, addressed the House
all/lion 6:—
• -

Lords-11ne1 I been suffered to exercise my own
discrerian, I sbottld not now have the honour of address-
t; but on the present occasion, I am about to
disehar.,,.e a ditty whirls Las been east upon me by the
better opinion of my learned colleagues, who consider
this vas • so entem-ive in its branches anti so important
la its affects that, Ives after the powerful exertions'
of my learned Friend oho atitireoted you yesterday,
there yet some room for observation upon this extra-
ordinary ease. Your Lordships are aware that tins task
which has fallen upon me is one of no ordinary diffi-
culty to perform ; but although 1 an► conscious of my
inability to perform it, I have one consolation which
will attend me throughout the discharge of this doh• :
it is the consolation, that in the sound judgment of all
my Learned Friends, this case, it would be my duty to
assist, stands upon a foundation so firm, that the faults
of the most unskilful advocate cannot injure it ; and an
additional consolation I feel is, the assurance that the
none tWs case shall undergo discussion, the more clear will
he the innocence of the illustrious lady on whose behalf
I stand. I feel it, my Lords, to be my duty, in the first
instance to notice tuu circumstances in this case,
witich, in toy humble judgment, render these proceed-
ings with •tit precedeut in all the annals of Ilistorv.
In the first place, I observed, that not only is the
Governrucnt of this eottntry the prosecutor, but to Iry
astonishment, I see the Members of that Government
sitting in
.111,1 g-went on the artotseil. In the next
place, I should remark, that althouOt that branch t f
my profession which has been my inure immediate
study, has brim:hi me to the frequent consideration
of cases of adultery, I never yet knew or heard of a
ewe set extraordinary at the present, with referenr•e to
the age of the accused. Not only have I never known
or ht art!, but I do not believe I ever read a case
of a husband orekitic the divorce of his wife on
a charge of adultery committed at the age of
fifty. 'the Learned Gentleman then proceeded to a-k
are out the dnties in the marriage state reciprocal'?
Is there nue duty fer the subject, another for the seep-
tred Monarch ? Where shall I look for that inter-
course that nature ordained between the mother and
the child? That same spirit of persecution that ex-
iled n:y illustrious but unfortunate client from this
land, has fotlow•ed her into her testing place. These
are eireamstancoa of a disagreeable nature, that my
it:sinful duty obliges me to advert to. It is needless to
&Paw thus subject 'brooch all its bearings; but if I
were to introduce those topics which arc handled in
those courts to which I have the honour to belong.
what should I say of the husband, who, insensible
ct: his own honour, would come to this House and
call fur justice i What would I say of the man,
who, if he hail the misfortune to discover any frailties
in his wife, would say, not indeed, as he would say,
"do thy way, and sin no more ;" hut would say,
Co, indulge thy criminal passion and desires ; go, en-
joy as long as you please, your adulterous intercourse,
and I grill /Sssis.is yam witA the mesas." My
lards, we have introduced no recrimination.
Thanks to the wisdom of those Learned men, to
whose bands the rause of the Queen is entrusted ;
thanks to thtir prudence, the nation has been saved
from the d,eadful consequences of such a proceeding.
hut, my Lords, unless you are prepared to violate the
laws of God and man, unless that Learned Bench,
wham I see before use, and who constitute a part of
this august assembly, are prepared to abandon the
sacred tenets of the Gospel. you cannot. 1 say. pro-
nounce as unfavourable decision on this case. Al-
low rue to call your Lordships attendon to the