was examined before the Magistrate. An attempt is made to pervert an observation of mine into an endeavour to make Mr. Edmeades alter his testimony, injuriously for the Princess. So far from there being any thing of conciliation in my tone, Mr. Conant must well remember my remark to have been made as a correction of what I deemed a premeditated and improper pertness of manner in Mr. Edmeades. It was an unmitigated profession of my belief that he was using some subterfuge to justify his denial; a declaration little calculated to win him to pliancy, had I been desirous of influencing his testimony. My conviction on the point remains unchanged. One or other of the parties was wilfully incorrect in their statement; if Fanny Lloyd were so, it was downright perjury; Mr. Edmeades might have answered only elusively. I have been told that some individual, pointing at the direct opposition between the affidavits of Mr. Edmeades and Fanny Lloyd has indicated the preferable credit which ought to be given to the oath of a well-educated man, in a liberal walk of life, over that of a person in the humble station of a maid servant. I shall not discuss the justice of the principle which arbitrarily assumes deficiency of moral rectitude to be the natural inference from humility of condition. The inculcation in the present instance would have been somewhat more rational, had it advised that, in a case of such absolute contradiction upon a simple fact, the comprehension of which could have nothing to do with education, you should consider on which side an obvious temptation to laxity appears. Fanny Lloyd was not merely a reluctant witness, but had expressed the greatest indignation at being subject to examination. When she swore positively to a circumstance admitting of no latitude, the only thing to be weighed was, what probability of inducement existed for her swearing that which she knew to be false. It will appear that her testimony on that point was not consonant to the partiality which she had proclaimed; that by the other parts of her evidence she was barring the way to reward, if any profligate hopes of remuneration led her to risk the falsehood; and that she could not be influenced by malice against Mr. Edmeades, with whom it was clear she was unacquainted. Nothing, therefore, presented itself, to throw an honest doubt upon her veracity. Mr. Edmeades was very differently circumstanced. A character for dangerous chattering was absolute ruin to him in his profession. He had the strongest of all motives to exonerate himself from the charge, if he could hit upon any equivocation by which he might satisfy himself in the denial of it. And the bearing of my remark must not be misunderstood. No man would infer any thing against the Princess on the ground of such a random guess as that of Mr. Edmeades' must have been, unless Mr. Edmeades should support his proposition by the adduction of valid reasons and convincing circumstances; but there was a consequence ascribable to it in its loosest state. His having been sufficiently indiscreet to mention his speculation to others as well as to Fanny Lloyd, would well account for what was otherwise incomprehensible; namely, the notion of the Princess's pregnancy so generally entertained at Greenwich, and in that neighbourhood. It was my conviction that such indiscretion had taken place, not any belief of the fact to which it related that I endeavoured to convey by remark.-4. This construction is not put upon the circumstances now, for the first time. A paper of mine, submitted to His Majesty at the period of the investigation, and lodged with the other documents relative to that inquiry, rebuts in the same terms the base attempt of insinuating conspiracy against the Princess.-Why that paper has not seen the light with the other documents may be surmised. I had thought it incumbent on me, from the nature of the transaction, not to furnish any means for its publication from the copy in my possession. The present explanation unavoidably states all the material points contained in it. But it will be felt by every one that the detail has been extorted from me.-5. The Editor of a Sunday publication has asserted his having been told, by a person known to him, that I had commissioned that person to insert in an Evening Paper anonymous paragraphs, injurious to the Princess. The procedure is so little consistent with any custom of mine, that, to the best of my recollection and belief, I never sent an unauthenticated article, of any form or tenor, to a newspaper, but once in my life. That was upon an erroneous statement, affecting myself alone, which I pointed out to a Gentleman who happened to call upon me, expressing my wish that he would contradict it. A matter so trivial would not have been mentioned by me, did it not shew that, even in cases which might be considered indifferent, I had habitual objection to sending any thing for insertion in a newspaper; there fore I could not have slidden inconsiderately into the turpitude with which I am now ject, any expression of mine is equivocal; charged. But if upon insertions that might but if there be room for a double construcbe uninteresting to others I speak only as to tion, even from a want of advertence in memory, it is not the same with regard to persons to the context, I must think myanonymous attacks on the character of an- self fortunate in an opportunity of renderother. On that I make no reservations; I ing the points distinct.- -Your remarks deny with the most solemn appeal to the attach upon two passages: that which reSupreme Being, the having ever levelled presents Jonathan Partridge as devoted to such a shaft against the feelings of any indi- the Princess of Wales; and that which survidual whatever. I know not the seduc- mises the existence of Kenney to have been tion on earth that could reconcile me to what a check on the advisers of Her Royal HighI consider as equally mean and atrocious. ness.- -The word devoted presented itself No excuse of wit, no plea of public good, to me from recollection that it was Kencould palliate to me the baseness of wound-ney's phrase; but I certainly used it in no ing another covertly. If I feel this gene- other sense than that which it was intendrally, I must do so in a peculiar degree to-ed to bear by him. If it be supposed cawards the exalted Personage in contemplation, whose sex, whose station, and whose circumstances, would make such detraction execrable beyond what words can express. I know not any person who would pass that sentence on the act more decidedly or more indignantly than the Illustrious Individual whose favour might be supposed to be sought by the dirty procedure. These were the points which I advanced to the House of Lords; I there vouched them, on the faith of a Gentleman, and I repeat to you that assertion of their accuracy. I have the honour to be, my dear Sir, (Signed) MOIRA. Lord Moira to Mr. Whitbread. April 2, 1813. Dear Sir,-The first report of what had passed in the House of Commons, made me conceive that your procedure had been hostile; and the matter was the more inexplicable to me, from my thinking that your access to documents, as well as the conversations you had held with me, ought to have secured me from any misapprehension on the points agitated. From that impression I found myself strangely embarrassed about an explanation which I was at the same time highly solicitous to give. I felt invincible repugnance to answering you in an Assembly where you could not reply; and direct address to yourself was precluded by what I had understood as the tone taken by you. The correct statement of your speech in The Morning Chronicle, which I must consider as the true version, has done away all difficulty; and I am truly indebted to you for having now the means of correcting an ambiguity, if any thing of the sort be supposed to exist in my statement. I cannot say, that in my view of the sub pable of implying that Jonathan Partridge 66 Lordship's procedure. With any refer- Your Lordship has most emphatically ence to the Princess, it was absolutely in- asked with respect to Kenney, "What condifferent, and was treated by me as such at "sequence to her Royal Highness could atthe time. Not so, with regard to those attend the bringing forward the discussion whom my observation was pointed. The" whilst Kenney was alive'; when the whole assertion, that the long forbearance of the matter (as related to her) was dismissed Princess's advisers could only be solved by" in 1803, when Kenney was forthcomtheir being too cautious to touch on the " ing?" Your Lordship's answer to this points when Kenney was alive, alludes to question is implied, and must meet with their knowledge of the meeting on the immediate and universal concurrence.— Thursday a fact which, represented as it No consequence whatever."—Respecthad been, made inquiry into the circum- ing Partridge, the word "devoted" is stances unavoidable. The existence of stated by your Lordship to have been used Kenney barred the unworthy imputation by you, from the recollection of its having which those Gentlemen were desirous to been the phrase of Kenney, when examined affix; because Kenney would have exposed by your Lordship, and not intended by him such a wilful suppression in Partridge's to convey the slightest imputation upon the deposition, as was necessary to give a co- Princess of Wales. Your Lordship has lour to their purpose. In that purpose the thus disarmed the world of all imaginable Princess could have no community of in- offence. As to the alleged additional terests: it was simply a measure of politi- visit to Belvidere, not mentioned in the decal intrigue. With regard to the visit at position of Partridge, it is unnecessary to Belvidere House on the Thursday; though make much comment, as your Lordship has Kenney be dead, Mrs. Fitzgerald could said, "that with any reference to the Prineasily be questioned whether it took place "cess of Wales, it is absolutely indifferent, The substantiation of it involves" and was treated as such by you at the no kind of charge against the Princess. It" time." Besides, the parties are alive; only rebuts the management of those who, by attempting to make it be conceived that there was but one visit (a visit so circumstanced as to be incapable of any possible misinterpretation), would fain establish their position, that the inquiry was wanton" the substantiation of it" (the additional or designing.I trust I have been explicit on these points; and I must feel myself entitled to hope, that this answer of mine to your call upon me, may have as much publicity as the doubts which you thought it expedient to urge.--I have the honour, dear Sir, to be your very obedient Servant, or not. (Signed) MOIRA. Samuel Whitbread, Esq. Dover-street, April 3, 1813. My dear Lord, I had the honour to receive your Lordship's letter in the afternoon of yesterday; and I take the earliest opportunity in my power of expressing to your Lordship my perfect satisfaction at the explanation you have thus been pleased to give of the passages in your published letter to a Member of the Lodge of Freemasons which had been so generally misconstrued. and if a suspicion of impropriety could exist, they might and would have been examined. Your Lordship's judgment on this matter, after investigation, is most satisfactorily decisive, when you further say, visit to Belvidere)" involves no kind of "charge against the Princess of Wales." I am concerned that any report of my Speech in the House of Commons, should have led your Lordship to think, for a moment, I had proceeded hostilely towards yourself; and I was sorry to see how very inaccurately what I had said in the House of Commons on Wednesday, was reported in some of the papers of the succeeding day. The report to which your Lordship adverts, as containing the true version of my Speech, had been seen by me late on Wednesday night, and was intended for insertion in the paper of Thursday morning. I was afterwards informed it had arrived too late to find a place in the paper of Thursday. I was glad to perceive it in The Morning Chronicle of yesterday. Having seen it before it was sent to the press, I can have (To be continued.) Published by R. BAGSHAW, Brydges-Street, Covent-Garden. COBBETT'S WEEKLY POLITICAL REGISTER. VOL. XXIII. No. 16.] LONDON, SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 1813. 577] TO JAMES PAUL, My dear Friend, Letter VII. In [Price Is. [578 man, and I take this opportunity of inform ing persons in America, who get newspapers from England, that the Statesman is the very best daily news-paper that we have. "At a quarter past twelve o'clock yes"terday, the Lord Mayor, attended by the "Sheriffs, and the usual retinue, proceeded "in state from Guildhall to Kensington Pa-. When I concluded my last Letter to you, I" lace, to present to the Princess of Wales did not suppose that I should find it necessary" the Address, voted by the Livery, in to address you again upon this subject; but," Common Hall assembled, congratulating an event has occurred which induces me to "Her Royal Highness on her triumph over. do it. Towards the close of that Letter, at "the foul conspiracy formed against her page 500, I told you, that I had heard," honour and her life. There were upthat the Citizens of London were about to "wards of a hundred carriages in the proaddress Her Royal Highness, the Princess," cession, which extended from Guildhall. upon the subject of the conspiracy against to the west end of Cheapside, where a her, and I stated the reasons, which, in my "short pause took place, for the purpose opinion, rendered this a proper step. "of receiving instructions; when a card deed, I had, in a former Letter, told you," was handed to the City Marshal from the that it was a matter for the people to take up "Lord Mayor's carriage, with orders to without delay. You may judge, therefore," proceed by Newgate-street, Skinnerof my pleasure at hearing that it was ac- "street, Holborn, through St. Giles's, Oxtually done by the City of London, which," ford street, entering the Park at Cum-. when not misled by the base sycophants of "berlaud-gate, Tyburn, then to Hyde the Court, has always given an example of " Park-corner, along Rotten-row, and out good sense and public spirit. "at Kensington-gate, on to the Palace ;Upon the present occasion, the Address" thus making a circuitous route of more (a copy of which you will find below) was than a mile. The crowd in King-street proposed by a MR. WOOD, who is an Alder-" and Cheapside was considerable, but not man of London, and, I have the pleasure to " to be compared to the immense assemadd, that, as SHERIFF at the time of my "blage of persons of all descriptions who imprisonment for two years for writing" collected in St. Paul's Church-yard, about the flogging of English militia-men" at the town of Ely, in England, who had been first subdued by German troops, he was very kind to me, and assisted in procuring me what, in all probability, was taking a circuitous route. Mr. Alderman the cause of preserving my life. This MR. "Combe fell into the procession, next to WOOD it was, who had the honour to pro- "the state-coach, just as it turned down pose the Address to the assembled Citizens" Newgate-street. The acclamations of joy of London; and, this Address having been" with which the procession was greeted, unanimously agreed to, it was, the day be-" evinced the deep sense entertained by the fore yesterday, presented to Her Royal" public of the honest and manly expresHighness, at her apartments at Kensington" sion of the sentiments of the Livery of Palace. Not being in London at the time," London. They were loud, cordial, and I cannot give you an account of the proces" reiterated. · In the Park, however, sion from my own observation: I, there-" which contained an assemblage no less fore, give it you in the words of a very ex- respectable than numerous, no disapcellent daily news-paper, called the States-"pointment occurred. The carriages, horse along the Strand, Pall Mall, and in the streets through which the procession was "expected to pass, and who felt, as might "be imagined, greatly mortified at its 66 T 579] แ POLITICAL REGISTER.-City of London Address to "PRINCESS OF WALES. [580 "the setting down from their carriages. men, and spectators on foot, were nume"It being announced to the Princess that 66 rous beyond all precedent, and the procession was greeted, as it passed, with the" the whole were arrived, Her Royal "most enthusiastic shouts and plaudits." Highness entered from a back anti-room 66 About eleven o'clock Her Royal" into the grand dining-room, and took her "station at the upper end of the room, "Highness the Princess of Wales, attend"ed by Lady Charlotte Lindsey and Char-" with her back to a small marble slab, be"lotte Campbell, left Montague House, "fore a large looking-glass; Ladies Char"Blackheath, for Kensington Palace. Her "lotte Lindsey, Charlotte Campbell, and "Royal Highness travelled the most pri-"Lady Ann Hamilton, Her Royal High"ness's ladies in waiting, stood to her "vate way across the country and over Battersea Bridge, and arrived at Kensington" right hand; and Mr. St. Leger, her Palace at a quarter past 12 o'clock." Vice-Chamberlain, and Mr. H. S. Fox, "The populace had began to assemble" on her left. The Town Clerk, in the "absence of the Recorder, approached the "round the Palace by eleven o'clock. "Princess, and read the following AdSoon after one, Bacon, belonging to Bow"dress: "street office, who was intrusted with ❝ the direction of the Police upon this occasion, cleared all those assembled near" TO HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE the entrance of the Princess's apartments, to the outside of the railing which encloses the grass-plat, to enforce which he ▲ called in a number of the military to his assistance. The Lord Mayor's gentlemen in waiting arrived about one o'clock, A to be in readiness to receive his Lord-May it please your Royal Highness, ship. At ten minutes past two, the "grand cavalcade arrived; the crowd that accompanied it overpowered the police and the military, and burst open the gates, at which it entered. The Lord Mayor was received with marks of disapprobation by the incalculable crowd that surrounded the Palace and those in" The Aldermen were received the trees. with three huzzas; Alderman Wood experienced unbounded applause, his carriage being drawn from Holborn to the The Com"door of the Palace by men. mon Councilmen who attended on the occasion, did not appear in that character, but merely as Liverymen. Among them" "Mr. Waithman was discovered, and he "The humble Address of the Lord Mayor, "Aldermen, and Livery of the City of "London, in Common Hall assembled. "We, His Majesty's loyal subjects, the "Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Livery of "the City of London, in Common Hall "assembled, bearing in mind those senti"ments of profound veneration and ardent affection, with which we hailed the arrival of your Royal Highness in this "country, humbly beseech your Royal "Highness to receive our assurances, that "in the hearts of the citizens of London, "those sentiments have never experienced diminution or change. Deeply interested in every event conwas received with loud huzzas. The nected with the stability of the Throne of "Lord Mayor, Aldermen, &c. were shown "this Kingdom, under the sway of the "into the small dining-room, between the "grand dining-room and the drawing-"House of Brunswick; tenderly alive to The Procession consisted of the every circumstance affecting the personal er room. "two City Marshals, in their state uni"welfare of every branch of that illus forms, on horseback; the state carriage, "and six bays, in which was the Lord "trious House, we have felt indignation Mayor, the Mace-bearer, the Sword of and abhorrence inexpressible, upon the State, and his Lordship's Chaplain; Al-disclosure of that foul and detestable.com❝dermen Combe, Wood, Goodbehere, and "Heygate; Sheriff Blades and the City "Remembrancer, Mr. Sheriff Hoy and his "Chaplain; the Chamberlain, the Comp "troller, the Solicitor, the Town Clerk, "and about 150 of the Livery, in their "gowns. It occupied exactly half an hour" "spiracy which, by perjured and suborned " traducers, has been carried on against your Royal Highness's honour and life. "The veneration for the laws, the mo deration, the forbearance, the frankness, |