Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1820-10-03

reputation. On investigating the mat
ter, however, at that period, her royal
brothers concluded not TO mention any
of the circumstances to the Prince OF
Wales, as they conceived them to " rest
entirely on the misapprehension of both
parties"
Notwithstanding this resolution on the
part of the two brothers, measures were
taken, by some one, to make the Prince
acquainted with the stories which had
been told about his wife; for, in Novem-
Der, 1905, an investigation of the matter
was gone into by his authority, In the
December following, lady Douglas and
her husband gave in, as she stated in
consequence of commands to that pur-
pose from the Prince Of Wales, written
statement of facts, relative 10 the lam
gnage and behaviour of his wife, and
particularly relative to the birth of a
child, which she asserted the Princess to
have brought into the world in 1902.
Thus in possession OF an assertion OF
his wife's criminality, the Prince lost but
little time in laying the statement before
his father, who on the Goth of May, 1906,
issued warrant to the four lords, Frs
kline, Spencer, Granville, and Ellen
borough, to examine into the matter.
The four lords having thus got their au-
thority for acting assembled and called
such persons as they chose in order to
examine them on oath, touching the
matters alledged against the Princess;
and when they had gone through the ex-
animation, beginning with those of lady
and sir John Douglas, they made, agree
ably to the warrant under which they
acted, report thereof to the king.
In this report, which was of great
length, they stated as the result of their
inquiries, and as their perfect convic-
ton, that there is no foundation whatever
for believing that the child now with the
Princess is the child of her royal high
ness, or that she was delivered of any
child in the year 1902, nor has any thing
appeared to us which would warrant the
belief that she was pregnant in that year,
or at any other period within the COM
pass of our inquiries" Besides the
specific charge of criminality brought
against the Princess, of which the report
entirely cleared her, there were others
of minor import, implying improper
leyity of conduct in a parsonage Of her
rank and dignity, respecting which the
commissioners stated, that they "must
be credited until they shall receive some
decisive contradiction and, if true, are
Justly entitled to the most serious con-
siderations."
The Princess, upon being furnished
with copy of this report and its accom-
panying dispositions, wrote several letters
containing her defence against those mi
nor charges, with which the lords com
missioners had left her furnished. In
the performance of this task she had re-
course to the legal advice and assistance
of Mr.. Spencer Perceval, the late chief
Justice Gibbs, and the present master OF
the Rolls, sir Thomas Pioneer. In the
letters to which we alude, her royal
highness, after most able refutation OF
all which had been urged against her
concluded with a prayer to be restored,
to the presence of his ma esty at court,
and thus to be cleared in the eyes of the
world.
The King, having the defence of the
Princess before him, and also her de-
mands ofjustice at his hands referred her
letters to his cabinet ministers, and re-
CURED their opinion, and advice as to
what he ought to do in the case.
The Wings, who were in power, felt
some difficulty as to the course which
they should pursue but at length on the
25th of January, 1907, they came to re-
solution in the form of a cabinet minute,
in which, after adverting to the subject
submitted to their consideration, they
concluded by stating, that "they have
agreed humbly to recommend to your
majesty the draft and message, which if
approved by your majesty, they would
humbly suggest your majesty might
send to her royal highness through the
lord chancellor. Having before hum
bly, submitted to your majesty their
opinion that the facts of the case did not
warrant their advising that any further
steps should be taken upon it by your
majesty's government, they have not
thought it necessary to advise your ma
jesty any longer to decline receiving the
Princess into your royal presence. But
the result of the whole case does in their
Judgment, render it Indispensable tina,
your majesty should, by a serious admo-
milton, convey to her royal highness your
majesty's expectation that her royal
highness should be more circumspect