The Late Mrs. Jordan.
The Times, 1824-01-26T00:00:00

jThe following letter has beh addressed to the Editor of a Morning Paper:- The attention of the public lias lately, as it has many times before, been drawn by a notice in the daily papers, to the case of the late Mrs. Jordan, and much pains have been taken to stigmatize the conduct of an illustrious personage, as it relates to that celebrated and much esteemed favourite of the public. These censures upon the conduct of the Duke of Clarence have been often repeated, and as often treated with silence on the part of his Royal Higlhness's friends. This silence has, however, been con- strued by many into an admission of the accusations; till, at leng h, the stories so often told of iDlrs. Jordan's having been obliged to leave her country. and fly to a neighbouring kingdom, where, it is said, she died insolvent, for want of a trifling allowance being made to her by the Duke, are assumed as facts. It has gone on thus until some persons bave exclaimed, " lias the Duke of Clarence no triend. who, if the accusations are groundless, can rescue the character of his Royal Highness from such gross calumny ?" All who know the Duke or his connexions intimately, are ac- quainted with the truth; but none being so fully possessed of the whole case as myself, I fepl that anv further forbearance would amount to a dereliction of duty on my part ; and therefore, in jus- tice to a much-injured character, I take upon myself to submit the following statement to the public, acquainting them in the first place, that it was through my hands the whole transaction upon the separation of the Duke and Afrs. Jordan passed; that it was at my suggestion Mlrs. Jordan adopted the resoltition of leaving this coun. try for France, to enable her the more readily and honourably to ex- tricate herself from troubles into which she had fallen through a nisplaced confidence; arid that I possess a correspondence with Jlrs. Jordan, subsequently to her leaving England, which corrobo- rates my statement in the minutest points. Upon the separation which took place between Airs. Jordan and the Duke, in the year 1811, it was agreed that she should have the care, until a certain age, of her fbur youngest daughters, and aset- tlement was made by the Duke for the payment by him of the fol- lowing sums:- For the maintenance of his four daughters per ann. For a house and carriage for their use 600 For Alrs. Jordan's own use . . . . 1,500 And to enable lUrs. Jordan to make a provision for three married daughters, cliildrcse of a foriner conitcxiol . . 800 In all. ?4,400 This settlement was carried into effect, a trustee was appointed, and the nmonies under such trust were paid quarterly to the respective accounts, at the banking-house of Alessrs. Coutts and Co. It was a stipulation in the said settlement, that in the event of MIrs. Jordan resuming her profession, the care of the Duke's four daughters, together with the 1,5001. per annum for their maintenance, should revert to liis Royal Highness; and this event actually did take place in the course of a few months, in consequence of iltrs. Jordan's esire to accept certaini proposals made to her to perform. Airs. Jordan did resume her profession, and not long after reflec. tions were thrown out against both the Duke and herself, whereupon Mrs. Jordan, indignant at such an attack upon his Royal Higlhess, wrote the following letter, which was published in the papers of the day:_ " Sir,-Though I did not see the morning print that contained the paragraph alluded to in your liberal and respectable paper of yester- day, yet I was not long left in ignorance of the abuse it poured out against me. This I could have silently submitted to; but I was by no means aware that the writer of it had taken that opportunity of throwing out insinuations which lie thought might be injurious to a no less honourable than illustrious personage. " In the love of truth. and in justice to his Royal Highness, I think it my duty thus publicly and unequivocally to declare, that his liberality to me has been noble and generous in the lhighest degree; but not having it in his power to extend his bounty beyond the tenn of his own existence, he has, with his accustomed goodness and con. sideration, allowed me to endeavour to make that provision for my- self which an event that better feelings than those of interest make me hope I shall never ljve to see, would deprive me of. " TIhis then, Sir, is my motive for retuming to my profession. I nut too happy in having every reason to hope and believe, that under these circumstinces, I shall not oflend the public at large by seeking their support and protection; and wbile I feel that I possess those, [ shall patiently subnut to that species of unmanly persecution, which a emale, so peculiarly situated, must always be subject to. Ever ready to acknowledge my deficiercies in every respect, I trust r may add, that I shall never be found wanting in candour and grati tude-nor-forgetful of the veneration that every individual should feel for the good opinion of the public. I remain, Sir, your most obedient hunible servant, 11D. JORDAN." It sbould have been before stated, that upon settling the annual allowance to Alrs. Jordan, every thing in the sbape of a money transaction was brought to account, and that the most trifling sums, even upon recollections ivere admitted; and, interest being calcu.- lated upon the whole in her favour, to the latest period, the balance waspaid by me, on the part of the Dake, and-for which I hold Mrs. Joruan's reeiapt. It should also be understood, that up to the day of their separa- tin, Ml rs. Jordan had received a large annual alowance from liis Royal Highness. A- cessation of correspondence between Airs. Jordan and myself ensued, until September, 1815, when I most unexpectedly received a note from her, requesting to see me immediately. I found her in .ears, and nnder much embarrassment, from a circumlstance that had burst upon her, as she said, " like a thunder-storm." She found herself involved to a considerablcaamount, by securities, which all at oiice appeared against her in the sbape of bonds and promissor notes, given incautiously by herself, to relieve, as sbe thonght, &o trifling diffculties, a near relation, in whom she had placed t greatest confidenlee. Acceptances had beeis gIven by ber in blank, upon stamped paper, which she supposed were smnll andunts; but which after- wvards appeared to have been laid before lher, capable of carrying larg,cr sums. bile was fearful of immediate arrest. She wished to treat all her claimants most fairly and hotourably, and to save, if possible, the wifeand children of the person who had so deceived her, from utte: ruin. She could not enter into negotiations wits her creditors unless at large,aand apprehending if she remained in England that would notlong be tbe-case, she instantly adopted the resolution before men- tioned, of going to France. A list of creditots was made out, and an arrangement was in pro- gtess to enable her to return to this country. All she required in order to set- her mind at ease on thel extentof the demandsethat might 6e out a.aiust her was,- that the person who had plunged her into aUl these aiflculties shiuld dedarc upon oath that the list he had given tolher included the -whole. This5the party from time to timnedeclined to do, and, disappointed thus,',im the-hope she hidso fondly cherished of again returning to-her country, and seeing these children for whom she had the most tender affection, she sunk und the weight of her afflictions, and in the month of June, 1816, dvff at St. cloud! Il tupport of the foregoing narrative, the witvr has the most incontestabhe evidence, but hetratdse nodiing can be siioiC satisfac. tory,or convincing to the publie, than the following extract from a letter, addressedby Airs. Jordan to him, dated at Pari6, 18th Jan. 1816. "Dear'Sir,-I have' forborne writing to you, that I might oc- cupyas little ofvourtitme.asposusible. Ay spirits are inso disturbed a statc, that my vweak hand is scarcely able to trace- the still more feeble efforts of my mind. a a He assures you, th'at I am in possession of the names of my cre- ditors, to whom he has made me answerable, by, filling up those blank acceptances, that I so unguardedlv gave him, and yet declines mraking an oath to that purpose: this has caused me much uica- siness, for it appears to me vague, if not eqsivocal. " I can solemnly declare, that the names I sent yo-. are the only ones I knov; of, ant the greater part of them utter strangers to me. " Iwas in hopes that not onlv out of humanity and juitice to me, bout for his owsrn sake, he vould'have done it voltntarily, as it would hxave been a means of removing, in a great degree, the unpleasant impressions such a determination'might cause on the minds of those who still remain anxions for his future well doing. "I do not command or enforce it,-but entreat it, as the only re- lief he can give to a bping wbom he has almost destroyed a * * What interpretation can be put on his refusal? If he says he will not take the oath, it is cruel and if he adds that he cannot, what is to become of me? Is it in nature possible for me to retuan to an un- certain home, vith,aU the horrors I have sufFered there fresh on my mind, with the constant dread of vhat maybe banging over me? I really think (nder'these circumstances), that when my presence would, be absolutely necessary, that it would not remain in my own power to be able to enccunter such misery. " It is not, believe mfe, the feelings of pride, avarice, or the ab- sence of those coniforts I have all my life been accustomed to, that is killing me by inches ; it is the loss of my onlv remaining comfort, the hope I nsed to live on from time to.time, of seeing my children. The above assertion I canconvince the world of, if driven to it, by leaving the bond (all I bave) to thecreditors, and the Duke'sgene- rous alowance 'o the decision of the law. fl lb 5uwws MuLL cL:er na ucs IlY WlOl IA W YW - - ; for even now I fecl a regard for him I cannot conquer; but surelv I may expect some return of gratiude from a man, who, by a single simple act, could relieve those fears that are nearlv insupportable. The idea is shocking. " Excuse tnis long letter * but I am sure you will seeand feel the motives and the urgency. Once more, dear Sir forgive and excuse your's, "D6RA JORDAN." I trust, Sir, that I have thus put in a fair point of yiew the whole of this delicate question; and I shaU trouble you with bit little more on the subject. With the death of Afrs.Jordanceased the allowance wbich, by his Royal Highness's nmeans, she was enabled to make, of 2001. a-year to each of her three married daughters. Surely, then, no blame can attach to the Duke of Clarence, whose liberality, in 'rder to enable MTrs. Jordan to make a suitable provision for them, in the event of her death, has been acknowledged bv her to have been" most noble and generous in the highest degree." All sorts of means were resorted to by one of the parties (now no more), to compel a eon.inuance of these allowances. The Duke did not olhoose to be driven in this respect; but when the importunitv, from the inefficacy of threats, had died away, his Royal Highnes of his own generous accord, did give to each his kind assistance: and I nm to this day paying, and as long as it shaU be his Royal High- ness's nleasure shaUecontinue to pay, annual gratuities to the two surviving daughters. Who then, after this statement of faets, shall accuse the Duke of Clarencewith want ofgenerosity towards lirs. Jordanor ier mernory? o The administration to the efiects of Mrs. Jordan, by the solicitor of the Treasury, was e.r oqcio, and the advertisement which appeared in the napers, and wlitch has called forth this last attack, was put in, in regular discharge of the duties of tie administration. I must conclude with one assurance, that after having given a true, and I trust a candid recital of facts, I shall treat with contempt any thing further that may be said on this subject; resting satisfied, if after an attachment of six and thirty years' service to a good and generousnmaster, I shall have added any thing to his comfort in con- vincng a single individual of the injustico he has sulstained, T am, Sir, &c. &e. Royal Mlint, Jan. 21, 1824. JOHN BARTON. THE LATE MRS. JORDAN.