las (of that Lady Douglas, whose statement and the injustice which had been, inadvertently and deposition they are convinced to be so malicious unintentionally, no doubt, done to me, by the and false, that they propose to institute such four noble Lords in their Report, upon the eviprosecution against her, as your Majesty's Law | dence of these witnesses, to state to your MaOfficers may advise, upon a reference, now at jesty, that they agree with these noble Lords in length, after six months from the detection of their opinion, though they cannot, it seems, go that malice and falsehood, intended to be made) the length of agreeing any longer to withhold -after having seen this William Cole, submit- the advice, which restores me to your Majesty's ting to such repeated voluntary examinations for presence? And with respect to the particulars such a purpose, and although he was all that to my prejudice, remarked upon in the Report time a servant on my establishment, and eating as those "which justly deserve the most serious my bread, yet never once communicating to "consideration, and which must be credited me, that such examinations were going on-ai "till decisively contradicted," instead of fairly I to understand, that your Majesty's confidential avowing, either that there was originally no preservants agree with the four Lords in thinking, tence for such a remark, or that, if there had that he cannot, under such circumstances, be been originally, yet that my answer had given suspected of unfavourable bias? That after having that decisive contradiction which was sufficient had pointed out to them the direct, flat contra- to discredit them; instead, I say, of acting this diction between the same William Cole and just, honest, and open part, to take no notice Fanny Lloyd, they nevertheless agree to think whatsoever of those contradictions, and content them both (though in direct contradiction to themselves with saying, that "pone of the facts. each other, yet both) witnesses, whose veracity or allegations stated in preliminary examinathey see no ground to question? After having seen "tions, carried on in the absence of the parties Fanny Lloyd directly and positively contradicted, "interested, could be considered as legally or in an assertion, most injurious to my honour, by "conclusively established?" -They agree in Mr. Mills and Mr. Edmeades, do they agree in the opinion that the facts or allegations, though opinion with the four Noble Lords, that they stated in preliminary examination, carried on in see no ground to question their veracity?-After the absence of the parties interested, must be having read the observations on Mr. Bidgood's credited till decisively contradicted, and deserve the evidence: after having seen that he had the har- most serious consideration. They read, with the dihood to swear, that he believed Captain Man- fullest consideration, the contradiction which I by slept in my house, at Southend, and to in- have tendered to them; they must have known, sinuate that he slept in my bed-room; after hav- that no other sort of contradiction could, by ing seen that he founded himself on this most possibility, from the nature of things, have been false fact, and most foul and wicked insinuation, offered upon such subjects: they do not quesupon the circumstance of observing a bason and tion the truth, they do not point out the insufsome towels where he thought they ought not to ficiency of the contradiction, but, in loose, gebe placed; after having seen that this fact, and neral, indefinite terms, referring to my answer, this insinuation were disproved before the four consisting, as it does, of above two hundred noble Lords themselves, by two maid-servants, written pages, and coupling it with those exwho, at that time, lived with me at Southend, aminations (which they admit establish nothing and whose duties about my person and my apart- against an absent party) they advise your Maments, must have made them acquainted with jesty, that " there appear many circumstances this fact, as asserted, or as insinuated, if it had "of conduct, which could not be regarded by happened; after having observed too, in con- your Majesty without serious concern;" and firmation of their testimony, that one of them that, as to all the other facts and allegations, exmentioned the name of another female servant cept those relative to my pregnancy and deli(who was not examined), who had, from her very, they are not to be considered as legally situation, equal means of knowledge with them- "and conclusively established," because spoken to selves—I ask whether, after all this decisive in preliminary examinations, not carried on in weight of contradiction to Robert Bidgood's the presence of the parties concerned. They do testimony, I an to understand your Majesty's not, indeed, expressly assert, that my contraconfidential servants to agree with the four noble diction was not decisive or satisfactory; they do Lords in thinking, that Mr. Bidgood is a wit- not expressly state, that they think the facts and ness, who cannot be suspected of unfavourable allegations want nothing towards their legal and bias, and that there is no ground to question his conclusive establishment, but a re-examination veracity? If, Sire, I were to go through all the in the presence of the parties interested, but remarks of this description, which occur to me they go far to imply such opinions. That those to make, I should be obliged to repeat nearly all opinions are utterly untenable, against the obmy former observations, and to make this letter servations I have made, upon the credit and chaas long as my original answer: but to that an- racter of those witnesses, I shall ever most conswer I confidently appeal, and I will venture to fidently maintain; but that those observations challenge your Majesty's confidential servants to leave their credit wholly unaffected, and did not find a single impartial, and honourable man, un- deserve the least notice from your Majesty's serconnected in feeling and interest with the par- vants, it is impossible that any honourable man ties, and unconnected in Council, with those can assert, or any fair and unprejudiced mind who have already pledged themselves to an believe. I now proceed, Sire, to observe, opinion upon this subject, who will lay his hand very shortly, upon the advice further given to upon his heart, and say, that these three wit-your Majesty as contained in the remaining part nesses, on whom that Report so mainly relies, are not to be suspected of the grossest partiality, and that their veracity is not most fundamentally impeached. Was it then noble, was it generous, was it manly, was it just, in your Majesty's confidential servants, instead of fairly admitting tr of the paper; which has represented that, both in the examinations, and even in my answer there have appeared many circumstances of conduct which could not be regarded but with serious concern, and which have suggested the expression of a desire and expectation, that such a conduct may, in future, be observed by me, Your Majesty will permit me to add one word more. -Your Majesty has seen what detriment my character has, for a time, sustained, by the false and malicious statement of Lady Douglas, and by the depositions of the witnesses who were examined in support of her statement. Your Majesty has seen how many enemies I have, and how little their malice has been restrained by any regard to truth in the pursuit of my ruin. Few, as it may be hoped, may be the instances of such determined, and unprovoked, malignity, yet, I cannot flatter myself, that the world does not produce other persons, who may be swayed by similar motives to similar wickedness. Whether the statement to be prepared by the Prince of Wales, is to be confined to the old charges, or is intended to bring forward new circumstances, I cannot tell; but if any fresh attempts of the same nature shall be made by my accusers, instructed as they will have been, by their miscarriage in this instance, I can hardly hope that they will not renew their charge, with an improved artifice, more skilfully directed, and with a malice, inflamed rather than abated, by their previous disappointment. I therefore can only appeal to your Majesty's justice, in which I confidently trust, that whether these charges are to be renewed against me either on the old or on fresh evidence; or whether new accusations, as well as new witnesses, are to be brought forward, your Majesty, after the experi I ence, of these proceedings, will not suffer your may now close this long letter, in confidence Montague House, Feb. 16, 1807. C. P. As these observations apply not only to the official communication through the Lord Chancellor, of the 28th ult.; but also to the private letter of your Majesty, of the 12th instant, I have thought it most respectful to your Majesty and your Majesty's servants, to send this letter in duplicate, one part through Colonel Taylor, and the other through the Lord Chancellor, to your Majesty. (Signed) To the King. C. P. [Here should have come in the Princess's Letter to the King of the 5th of March, 1807, which letter was the last she wrote; but it will be found in the foregoing Number of the Register, at page 410.] Published by R. BAGSHAW, Brydges-Street, Covent-Garden. COBBETT'S WEEKLY POLITICAL REGISTER. VOL. XXIII. No. 15.] LONDON, SATURDAY, APRIL 10, 1813. 5451 [Price 1s. [546 by those who live in London, and will be easily believed by those who do not live in London, that so short a notice is insufficient to cause the thing to reach the knowledge of a fiftieth part of the Livery of London. Nevertheless, it appears, that the Hall, large as the space is, was as much crowded as upon almost any former occasion, when all the means of collecting large assemblages had been made use of. We now proceed to the Report, and I once more beg leave to request the reader's particular attention to the parts performed by the several actors; because we shall, and must, have much to say upon their conduct. SUMMARY OF POLITICS. CITY OF LONDON ADDRESS.In my last Number, at page 501, I made some observations upon the subject of the proposed Address of the City of London to Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales. Since those observations were made, or, I believe, at the very time I was making them, the City of London met, and agreed to an Address.The proceedings of this body are always entitled to respectful attention, when they relate to matters of general interest; but, upon this particular occasion, they are so entitled in an extraordinary degree, as they not only give us a "A Common Hall assembled yesterday, striking proof of the sentiments of the peo-" at Guildhall, in pursuance of the notice ple as to the treatment which the Princess" which had been given, "to take into has received, but they discover to us the consideration the propriety of presenting workings of the two great factions who live" a loyal and affectionate Address to Her upon and hunt after the public money." Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, These proceedings show, in the clearest" on the subject of the lately exposed wicked possible light, the difference in the views of " and cruel attempts against Her Royal the different descriptions of politicians." Highness's character and life."-The Therefore I shall bestow particular atten- " Requisition having been read, the LORD tion upon them, more especially as it may "MAYOR said, that, in pursuance of the be, and must be, of great importance to "wish which he always entertained to do place the thing in its true light before the" justice to every individual of the Livery, eyes of Her Royal Highness, the Princess," he should beg leave to read a letter he and also before those of her Royal Daughter," had received from one of the Liverymen whose opinions become every day of more "who signed the requisition.The let and more importance to the nation.- "ter was then read; it was signed VANViewing in this light the late Meeting of "DERCOMBE, and stated that the writer the Citizens of London, I shall, previous" had been induced to sign the requisition to the observations that I intend to make on "when the ferment respecting what had what passed, insert the report of the pro-"been so inappropriately termed the Deliceedings, as I find that report in the Morn-" cate Investigation was at its height, but ing Chronicle of the 3d instant, and which" the state of things having changed, he did report I must request the reader to go over "not think the measure required was exwith attention. He will here see a new" pedient (not from any doubts, however, distribution of parts amongst some of the" as to the innocence of the Princess of principal actors; and, he will obtain better" Wales), and begged that his name might means, perhaps, of judging of the real" be withdrawn from the Requisition. views of those actors than he has ever be- "Hisses.) The LORD MAYOR said, fore possessed.The reader will please" that not being at liberty to withdraw the to bear in mind, that the requisition was name in question from the Requisitions delivered to the Lord Mayor on the 29th of" he had deemed it his duty to have the March; and, that the notice for holding" letter read. the Common Hall was not published by him till the 31st of March, leaving but one day's interval; and, it is very well known" "MR: ALDERMAN WOOD then came forward and addressed the Hall. He said, that in offering to them a moS 66 could rescue ❝tion for presenting an Address to Her" who, in such circumstances, "Royal Highness the Princess of Wales," the Princess from the conspiracy against "he only regretted his inability to do jus- her, and could compose this letter, which "tice to the cause, which he should have" did honour both to his head and his "wished to have fallen into abler hands. "heart. The other professional men of the "Much pains had been taken to put a stop" Princess had acted in a manner which did "to any proceedings in this case, and he" them honour, and but for the letter of "had been astonished at the number of ap." Mr. Brougham, he did not know how the plications, with that view, he had received" innocence of the Princess could have been "both from the City and the West end of" shewn as it had been. He could not "the Town, from persons whose motives" conceive who would oppose this motion; "for so doing he could not guess at. He" not the Gentlemen who called themselves "had another ground of complaint in the "the loyal of the day (laughing). It "conduct, which had been the cause that" could do no hurt to any part of the Royal "there was present a less numerous meet- "Family to shew the innocence of the 66 ing than he could have wished. He had Princess; and least of all could the Prince "called on the Lord Mayor last Saturday," Regent be hurt at the innocence of his "with the view of receiving his Lordship's wife. He had once thought on propos"determination on the assembling of the "ing also an Address on the subject to the 46 present Hall; he had called again on "Prince Regent himself; but at any rate Monday, and on Tuesday, and his Lord-" the Prince Regent would be glad to see "ship had desired him not to call on Wed-" them go up to the Princess with an Ad"nesday; and he had learned by accident," dress recognizing her innocence.-t "by a note at his counting-house, that the might be said that this was not the time "Hall was summoned for that day. It for such an Address. He had had "had been so managed, that the Livery-" thoughts, when the Prince of Wales was "men could not have had more than a day's" called to the Regency, to propose an Ad"notice. He (Mr. Wood) had wanted a "dress, such as the present, as he was at "full Common Hall, to know whether the that time able to have gone into as much "Princess of Wales was not to be cherish-" evidence as it present, but it was object"ed by the City of London, and in this heed that the subject was unknown to the had been disappointed, and he was "public. The Princess had lately been "equally certain, that in their voting with oppressed by the weight of another inhin he should not be disappointed. It "quiry; that was not now the case. He "had been rumoured, that many of his po-" had waited to see whether, on the motion "litical friends, who usually voted with of Mr. Cochrane Johnstone, any satisfac "him, had intended not to act with him "tory measure might be adopted by the "on this occasion; this had been said in "House of Commons, but he had been "the one solitary news-paper which did" disappointed; and if they waited for the "not support the cause of the Princess." House of Commons, they might wait "He (Mr. W.) had not heard this from" until they had no breath to express them"them, and if such was their intention," selves with. There was very little in "he hoped it would be, as in former cases," his motives for bringing forward his pre"when, after having been of a contrary" sent motion of a political, and less of a "opinion to him, they had supported his " party nature. He had been asked by "proposition when they found it friendly" one of his friends, whether he thought he "to the liberty of the people. He hoped could do any good by this motion-that "that at present they would also come for- "he could not change the Administration "ward and shew themselves friends to jus-" by it (a laugh). This, he answered, tice and enemies to conspiracy. (Ap-" was quite immaterial, as the parties "plause). It would be unnecessary for were all alike. The political motives "him to go into the case before them; he" for such a motion were sufficient, as it hoped they had read the excellent letter" was connected with circumstances which "of the Princess to the King, though he affected the succession of the Crown, and "feared it had not been read by 9-10ths of "might involve the country in a civil war. "the people of England. Though he (Mr." But his principal motive was, to do that "Wood) had been always an enemy to Mr." justice to an injured woman, which he "Perceval, by whom it had been written," should have been willing to afford to one "because he was an enemy to the liberty" of the lowest rank, and which, as he had "of the people, yet he revered the man, "been always a loyal man, he should ai 66 ways be glad to advocate for one of the " geance, that no credit should be attached "highest. He should not go into the evi- "to it. The Commissioners had not given "dence of the case, but merely remark," in the testimony of Edmeades and Mills "that it was wonderful that the Princess" as respectable, and yet as respectable "had, under such a conspiracy, behaved "men as themselves. The House of Com"with so much moderation. He hoped "mons had refused justice in this case, on "the City of London would do all they "account of their own regulations, though "could to support this good woman, by" they broke them at any time when they "supporting his motion. He should now "found it convenient. The Ministry, too, 66 propose his motion. "had offered to abandon the Princess, as "Mr. Canning had stated in the House of "Commons; and they had not denied it, "because they knew he was an old sinner "like themselves. Her innocence was, however, so well established, that on the present occasion, when she had been de"clared innocent, even Sir William Cur"tis cried "Hear!" Sir John Douglas "had come forward with a petition, know"ing it would never be granted, and a "letter had appeared under the name of "Lord Moira, insinuating new charges "against the Princess, which that Peer "ought to disavow, or to prove the asser"tions it contained. He (Mr. T.) was "THE LORD MAYOR said, that be"fore the worthy Alderman concluded, he "wished to set him right as to what he "had stated concerning the summoning of "the Common Hall. He (the Lord Mayor)" "had desired the worthy Alderman to call on him on Wednesday, to receive his "determination. 66 "Mr. Alderman WooD said, that he "had understood, that the Lord Mayor had "desired him not to call on that day.- 66 (Cry of "No consequence.")-Mr. W. "concluded by moving, that a Loyal Ad"dress be presented to the Princess of "Wales, on the late disclosure of the "wicked and cruel attempt against Her" convinced the Princess was free not only "Royal Highness's character and life." from criminality, but from any levity. 66 (Cry of Read!)-The worthy Alderman "and it was their duty to lift up their "said, it would be more regular to read "hands against those who had conspired "the Address he should propose after the " against her. The conduct of Charles the "motion was seconded. "Second should have been imitated on this "occasion by the Prince Regent. When "the Ministers of that Monarch proposed "to divorce him from his wife, he said, "" I do not like her, but I will not suffer her to be insulted." "The motion having been seconded, "MR. THOMPSON said, the Princess "of Wales, after having been denied jus"tice in the House of Commons, had come 66 66 66 "MR. TADDY said, he should not "have come forward on this occasion, if "he had not been alluded to by the wor"thy mover. He allowed that the Princess " had been injured and neglected; but he "did not conceive that she would wish to "come to the Common-hall to justify her "character, which stood in so fair a light, "that she needed not such acquittal. "did not think it the proper time, because " he looked forward to the conciliation of He as a last resort to the people, by whom," "he hoped, that in spite of the parasites of 66 power, the most decisive verdict of acquittal would be declared. They should suppose what their feelings would be if they had a daughter in the situation of "the Princess, separated from her hus"band, and surrounded by spies. But the "Princess had no father, and had been "lately deprived of her mother; and he "hoped the City of London would supply "the place of both. He did not know "why the Mother-in-Law of the Princess "had not been condoling with her. Fe "male malice must have been at work "against her. He should not use the "SIR W. CURTIS said, that he was "words of Lord Ellenborough (for they "not affected by any illiberal allusion might, by marking the effect of ungo- " which had been made to him, as he met "vernable passion, avoid language, which" them with confidence that they agreed "was fit only for Noblemen); but let "with him. He agreed that the Princess "them look at the contradictory evidence of Wales was wickedly and cruelly treataffixed to the Report of 1806, and say "ed applause), and that the witnesses "what man of them would have affixed his "were perjured. His wish was reconciliname to it. The evidence of the Doug-"ation, but the question was, what was "lasses began with such a principle of ven- "the way to go about it? It was a dan 66 "all parties. The question was one of "feeling, and they should take care not to "disturb the existing tranquillity. |