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Much has been said, in the debate, about the "clamour out of doors," and about the people having been misled by garbled statements."When the popular opinion is for any measure adopted by the government; when it is in approbution of the conduct of the king's ministers, then it is termed the "voice of the

people," or the "sense of the nation;" but, when it runs in opposition to their wishes, then it is "popular clamour." It could not fail to be observed, in the debate, in answer to this charge against the people, that those who now urge it, advised the king "to appeal to the sense of his people," when they came into power, under the cry of no-popery. Then the people had sense, it seems, but now their wish is mere clamour, though it is pretty clear,

the country, and which, in fact, it was that I have wanted courage, that sort of courage carried him safely through all the perils, which is much more rare than the courage with which he was encompassed. Com- necessary to mount a breach bristled with plimenting, I never knew succeed in gaining bayonets, namely, the courage to overover, or in softening, any ministry; while come solicitations, to encounter the frowns I never knew it fail to weaken more or of all the fashionable host, and to see the Jess, the confidence of the people. It is so world of your acquaintance turn their much in the style, in the common cant, of backs upon you. This sort of courage professed feed advocates, that it never Mr. Wardle has been found to possess, fails to excite some degree of suspicion as and I trust, that nothing upon earth will into the sincerity of those who use it. There duce him to deviate from the plain path, is, honest nature tells every living soul, a in which he set out. fit antipathy of right to wrong; and, if we would be not only right, but thought to be so in sincerity and in earnestness, we must take care that the fashion of the times does not lead us into that sort of refinement, which must excite a doubt as to the existence of such antipathy. There is, on this account, a great draw-back from the excellence of Mr. Whitbread's speech, who sets out with almost fulsome compliments on that of Mr. Perceval, which he praises for qualities, not only which, it is evident, he perceives it did not possess, but of which he is prepared to shew, and of which he actually does shew, that it is completely destitute. This may, for aught I know, be refinement; it may suit the manners of the times; but, I shall, I hope, always continue to look upon such refinement as but a very bad exchange for sim-I think, that they understand this subject plicity and sincerity; and I am sure, that such refinement, though it may be considered ornamental in an orator, and may tend to smooth his intercourse in life, will never be compatible with earnest and efficient efforts to rescue the nation from the effects of corruption, which is a monster not to be dealt with courteously, not to be even smiled upon without the danger of contamination, or, at least, of suspicion of such contamination. There is no occasion for brutal manners, or rough language; and Mr. Wardle has gained much by his mildness and good-nature; but, these may exist in the highest possible degree, without any of that over-strained civility, that refinement, which is at war with sincerity, and, indeed, which is at war with truth. It is this very refinement, this fashionable refinement, this prevalent desire to keep smooth the intercourse in high life; it is this, and this alone, that has prevented these and similar corruptions from being blazoned forth long ago. There have not been wanting men, and men enough, of talents more than sufficient, and of integrity too, who have seen these things, and who have felt indignant at their existence; but, they

full as well as they did that, to say the least of it. Why is this not called an “ appeal "to the sense of the people?" One of the advantages, which the Duke's friends expected, and said they expected, from an examination at the bar, was publicity. What did they mean by publicity, if it was not the communication of the evidence to the people? and what end was that to answer, unless it was that the people should express their opinions upon the case? Their opinions, it would seem, from this charge of " clamour," are pretty distinctly expressed against the Duke of York; but, whose fault is that? They might have been expressed as loudly in his favour; and yet, in that case, I very much doubt, whether we should have heard a word about " popular clamour."

-As to garbled statements, it is, as Lord Folkestone observed, quite wonderful to see the fulness and the accuracy, with which the evidence has, from day to day, been given in the news-papers. One must actually see it to believe the thing possible; to believe it to be within the compass of human ability; nor is the fact a little creditable to the literary talents of the country. Gentlemen of the House of

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speech, the people ask for, and wish for nothing but justice." Many," he said, "had been the warnings which the House "had received against popular influence. It might be unparliamentary to say, that "the House could be swayed by any un"due influence-but of all influence that could possibly operate, that of the people he believed was the last to be feared. "There were indeed, other kinds of in"fluence, which would weigh more with

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ordinary men, although they could not "be supposed to have any effect on the "minds of Members of Parliament. But "the anxiety in the public mind was, "that the decision should be just. The "people of England had always been re"markable for their love of justice, and jus"tice alone was what they required. If "their minds were divested of the opinion "of the prevalence of undue influence in "that House, the decision would readily "be received as just, whether for or against "the Duke of York. If the Chancellor of "the Exchequer and the Gentlemen who held places under him would walk out, and leave "the rest to decide, whatever might be "the result the people would be satisfied."

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Commons now complain of their fatigue of body and mind. This complaint is reasonable enough; but if their fatigue is great, their fatigue, who sit at their ease; who can walk out and return at their pleasure, and who can be absent for half the night or more; what must be the fatigue of the gentlemen, who report the proceed-" ings; who are sometimes squeezed, from eight o'clock in the morning to three in the afternoon, into a close and hot passage, there compelled to stand all the while; who thence remove into a not less crowded gallery; who have no convenience for writing other than a book in their hand and an ink bottle at their breast; who are obliged to attend to all that passes, the fingers moving, while the ear is constantly upon the stretch to catch the often inarticulate sounds that proceed from below, and amidst a buzz of whispering and noises of various sorts; and who have had to follow this, night after night, with little cessation, for six weeks past: what, I ask, must be the fatigue of these gentlemen, and how great ought our admiration to be at what they do actually perform? -But, as was observed, the garbling, if there has been any, has been reciprocal, at worst; and, I am sure, that every candid man will say, that, of all the London Daily papers, the only one guilty of flagrant and base partiality; nay, the only one which has pronounced judgement, has been the Morning Post, which has pronounced the acquittal of the Duke of York, and which has loaded all the witnesses against him with every term of proach contained in our language. hope the reader will bear this in mind. No other paper; no other editor; no other public writer, that I know of, or that I have heard of, has attempted to anticipate the decision of the House of Commons; but, the editor of this paper has told them how they ought to decide; and, not only that, but has told them, that, if they do not acquit the Duke, and consider all the evidence against him as lies, they will not do their duty. Yet, do the friends of the Duke, and they alone, complain of partial and garbled statements! -No: never were the people, upon the whole, so amply and so faithfully informed, upon any subject, within my remembrance. To impose upon them would, indeed, have been very difficult; but, except in the case of the Morning Post, I have not seen an attempt so to do. There is, indeed, extreme anxiety prevailing; but, as Sir Francis Burdett observed in the closing part of his

re

-This virtue, this love of justice, is so deeply rooted in the hearts of Englishen, that nothing can extirpate it. Their enemy, be he who he may, the moment he is arraigned, loses, in their eyes, the character of enemy. If the whole nation could be impannelled, and had the Devil upon trial, they would, if left to themselves, use him fairly.

The plain truth is, that all this queruIlousness, on the part of the Duke of York's defenders, arises, not from any thorough persuasion, that there is really what might properly be called a "popular clamour" against him; that the people have been misled by garbled statements; but, from a feeling of uneasiness and impatience to see, that the people, upon a clear understanding of the whole of the case, are steadily fixed in opposition to their views; and that, at last, they have been rouzed, beyond the power of all the soporifics in the world, to a sense of the existence of a system of corruption more extensive than they could, with reason, have supposed to exist.Yet, I think, it is as clear as the noon-day sun, that, if this nation is not to be conquered; if this government is not to be overthrown; if England is not to share the fate of Holland and Italy, as I trust she is not, she will owe her salvation to those, who have set about, and shall set about, and shall effect, the rooting out,

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not have without justice being now done. --The "conspiracy" has again beer mentioned, but, I observe with pleasure, in a feebler tone of voice; and jacobinism, poor jacobinism, has fallen into such disrepute as no longer to be deemed worthy of assisting to swell out a period. Nobody will believe Mr. Coke to be a jacobin and leveller, and yet, we see, that he has a very decided opinion upon the conduct of the Duke of York. His short speech

while there is yet time, those corruptions, and all those abominations, which, more than the armies of Napoleon, have contributed towards the fall of the old governments upon the continent of Europe. MR. COKE of Norfolk, in his speech of the 14th, which, to obviate the charge of garbling, I take from the Morning Post news-paper, is reported to have said, "that, "though the original Address may not be "carried, yet in conscience he would say, "from the evidence, that there was corrup-is worth many a long one; worth whole "tion in the extreme, personally attached to volumes of some speeches, and will tell "the Duke of York. Circumstantial evi- for more throughout the kingdom. These "dence he built upon, and this he felt to out-cries about a conspiracy and jacobinism "be much stronger than positive evidence, did, at the first, indicate no confidence "at least it had carried more men to the of the goodness of the cause of those who gallows. Had any doubt remained on made use of them. Nor did they indicate "his mind in the matter, the speech of much of that which the world calls wis"his hon. friend Mr. Whitbread would dom. From that moment to the close of "have removed it all. (Order! order!) the Inquiry, they gave us proofs of no “He (Mr. Coke) was determined to op- wisdom. Wise men would not have goaded pose corruption, whatever form it may Mrs. Clarke; wise men would not have assume; and its defence he would leave done many other things, which were done, "to those who were likely to thrive by it.—— and every one, aye, to the very last, ope(Order! Order!)-If the country were rated against themselves. But, in fact, "to be saved, it could only be by opposing there is nothing that is a match for Truth, "such corruption. When he looked to the if she has only a small portion of fair play. situation of the hon. gentlemen on the In my next I shall, I doubt not, be "other side, he would no longer pay any able to record the result of this long and degree of attention to what they said on the interesting inquiry and discussion. The subject.- -(Loud cries of order! order!) public have, as I wished, fixed their atten-The hon. gent. concluded by returning tion wholly and exclusively upon it; they "his thanks to the hon. mover, Colonel have thought and justly thought, that, "Wardle."-Yes, if this country is to be until this question was decided, it was saved, it must be as Mr. Coke says, by oppos- time wasted for them to attend to any ing corruption. The people must be brought other matters of a public nature; that, to a conviction, that they are fairly dealt until this was decided, they knew not how by; that the means collected from their to feel, what to wish for, or what to fear. earnings are honestly and judiciously, or, The campaigns of the continent; the views at least, honestly disposed of; and, surely, of courts! what were they, what could this conviction they ought to have, if it be they be, to us, until this great question at possible to give it them, which it is, by home, at our very doors, was settled? This letting them see that the parliament and is the light, in which the people have viewthe servants of the king are ready to co- ed the matter; they have, at last, fixed their operate cordially in bringing to light, and eyes upon that which is to thein the only in punishing, all corrupt practices, let the interesting object; having so done, there is guilty parties be who they may.-MR. little fear of their being deceived in future; PLOMER (the Solicitor General) and some and, let all those who have lived upon others, spoke of the pain, which a sentence corruption, who have thriven only because against the Duke, must give to him and to the people were blind, take warning in time. the king. Those gentlemen are not the Botley, Thursday, 16 March, 1809. only persons that feel this. The people in general feel it as they ought, and every one is anxiously desirous to spare the feelings of the king. But, it is here a question of justice, and that is to be done at all events. There is nothing vindictive in the feeling of the public. All they ask is, security for themselves; and this they are convinced they can

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SUBSCRIPTION

FOR

MISS TAYLOR.

Botley, March 12, 1809. IN consequence of the observations, made in the last number of my Register, respecting the distressed situation of Miss

TAYLOR, I have this day received letters, which have determined ine to endeavour to set on foot the Subscription there recommended.

The Statement of her Case is this: She and her Sister (not having parents able to support them) set about, and, after great difficulty, had succeed ed in establishing a School, at Chelsen, by which they hoped to be able to support themselves; that (as Mr. WARDLE has declared in the House of Commons), when he told her that he must have her Evidence, she said, that "if she told the truth, she knew it would "be to the utter rain of herself and her "dearest connections, and that she hoped « he would not force her forwards;" that, since she appeared at the bar of the House, where suspicions were raised with respect to her character, she has lost all her Scholars, the number being twelve; that her goods have been seized for rent and taxes due, and that she is now actually in danger of a prison, her debts amounting to about a hundred and fifty pounds beyond the utmost extent of her means.

Now, though it is true, that the rent and taxes and debts were due previous to the Inquiry, to give evidence in which she was forced; though it is evident, that she must have been struggling with great difficulties before; still it is not less evident, that it is that circumstance which has, at once, disabled her from longer maintaining the struggle; for, in taking from her her scholars, it took from her the possibility of paying her Debts, it rendered her insolvency irretrievable, and, of course, brought all her creditors upon her.Thus has this young woman, in whom, especially if we consider the circumstance of her family connections, it was no weak effort of virtue to set about and effect an establishment whereby to gain an honest livelihood, been completely ruined; reduced to misery almost as great as can be conceived, not by any fault of her own, not even with the assistance of any foible, but merely by having been forced to appear as a Witness in a situation, which exposed all her connections and acquaintance.

Of the particulars relating to her pecuniary affairs I am informed under her own hand, through a gentleman whom I requested to make the inquiry of her; but, in any other respect I know of her no more than what is known by the public in general; and, if that public think, as I do, that he evidence, from first to last, was clear, Consistent, and unshaken; that, after every effort had been made to find out grounds

of imputation against her character, not the smallest grounds were discovered; and that the only fault of her life imputed to her, by those even whose object it was to throw discredit upon her, was, her having lived upon terms of intimacy with Mrs. Clarke, with that Mrs. Clarke, in whose company she met with a Prince of the Blood, and with which Mrs. Clarke we find a Baroness, a General, and a Dr. of Divinity in the closest habits of intercourse and professed friendship, and of which Mrs. Clarke she was a relation: if this be the opinion of the public, I am persuaded there will be persons enough ready to lend a hand in lifting her from that ruin, which without such assistance, is inevitable.I propose, if I should succeed in this Appeal to the compassion, and I must say, the justice, of the public, first to call her creditors together, and discharge her debts; then, with whatever remains, to purchase her something that she may be sure to enjoy for her life, jointly, I think, with her sister; because it is the ruined female, and not the witness, that we have it in contemplation to relieve, and to sustain.

Subscriptions will be received at the Banking House of MESSRS. BROWN, COBB, and Co. Lombard Street; by my Publisher, MR. RICHARD BAGSHAW, 10 Brydges Street, Covent Garden; and by MR. JOHN BUDD, Bookseller, 100 Pall Mall, who have Books opened for the purpose, and who will, to any gentlemen in the country, that may choose to subscribe, send receipts for the sums they receive. Each Subscriber will be so good as to leave his address, it being my intention to transmit to each, ́ on the 1st of May, when I purpose to close the Subscription, an Account of what has been received, and also of the manner in which it has been expended.

*

WM. COBBETT. ** I have to acknowledge the goodness of several Gentlemen, who have stepped forward to assist in this undertaking, especially MR. TIMOTHY BROWN, who has kindly offered to receive Subscriptions at his Banking-house, and into which I have directed Messrs. Bagshaw and Budd to pay all that they may receive on this

account.

OFFICIAL PAPERS.

SPANISH REVOLUTION. - Palafox's Procla

mation to the Arragonese.(Concluded from p. 256.)

2. That such towns as do not contribute all in their power to the relief of our present no

Twenty-Eighth Bulletin, of the French Army in Spain, (concluded from page 352.)

cessities, shall be treated as enemies to our | sued to all the towns and villages, to receive king whose sovereign rights we defend, them with kindness, to supply their wants. and their inhabitants of every rank shall -10. That all Frenchmen, who may hapbe punished as traitors.-3. That every pen to be within the city, shall be preindividual of the army of reserve, and the sented to the judge of the police, in order recruits of Arragon, already enrolled and to be removed without the walls. All the regimented, who shall not join his corps, women and children of the same nation within the space of six days thereof, shall shall be removed with their husbands and be treated as a deserter in time of war, fathers; as also all the prisoners and deand as such shall suffer the pains of law. serters from the enemy's army, to places 4. That the alcaids shall scrupulously appointed for their reception.-11. To examine the soldiers in their respective prevent those persons, whose virtue is rewards, who may not have so joined, and spected by every catholic from being exmake a return of their names and the corps posed to insult, I permit the nuns to prothey belong to; and that the justices of ceed to occupy other convents, without the kingdom of Arragon do, under the re- the limits of the city and suburbs, where sponsibility of person and property, trans- they may have an opportunity of devotmit an exact list of all the individuals of ing themselves, without interruption, to their jurisdiction, who have served in the their holy exercise. army, distinguishing the cavalry from the infantry, and remarking their state of health and personal vigour.-5. That all who profess want of confidence in the chiefs of the people or the army, who make pasquinades, excite riots or disturbances, shall be immediately apprehended, and carried before the newly-appointed judge of the police, Don Santiago Penicela, who will pass judgment according to the times and critical circumstances in which the country is placed, and suitable to their crimes; imposing the punishment of death he shalt consult me.-6. That all the measures adopted shall be obeyed with religious respect, since they are all directed to the good of the country, which will recompence in more happy times the sacrifices we make, and which are so pleasing to God and the celestial protectress who guards us.-7. That all the houses shall be well supplied with cisterns and vessels of water, in order to be ready to assist in extinguishing any fire which may occur: and that the Alcaides de Barrio shall in particular superintend this important preparation.-8. That the entrance and departure of persons by the gates shall be watched with the greatest care, recollecting that the enemy even assume our dress, and resort to every artifice, because they do not trust entirely to their force, though greatly superior in numbers.-9. That precisely three days shall be allowed for the departure of all the women, old men arrived at sixty, and all the boys not able to carry cartridges, with moderate equipages, for whose convenience orders have been is-several important occasions.

The English Government is like the liar in the play, who has told the same untruth so often, that at last he believes it himself.-Lugo was pillaged and sacked by the enemy. We cannot impute these disasters to the English general: it is the usual and inevitable effect of forced marches and precipitate retreat. The inhabitants of the kingdoms of Leon and Galicia hold the English in horror. Under this head, the events that have taken place are equivalent to a great victory.-Zamora, whose inhabitants had been animated by the presence of the English, shut their gates against general Maupetet: general Dorneau proceeded against it with four battalions; he scaled the city, took it, and put the most guilty to the sword. Galicia is the province of Spain which manifests the best disposition, it receives the French as deliverers, who have relieved them at once from foreigners and from anarchy.-The bishop of Lugo, and the clergy of the whole province, manifest the wisest sentiments.-Valladolid has taken the oath to king Joseph. Six men, the leaders of revolt and massacre of the French, have been condemned to death. Five have been executed. The clergy asked pardon for the sixth, who is a father of four children. His Majesty commuted his sentence, and said, he wished thereby to testify his satisfaction of the good conduct of the secular clergy of Valladolid on

LONDON: Printed by T. C. HANSARD, Peterborough Court, Fleet Street; Published by R. BAGSHAW, Brydges-Street, Covent-Garden: Sold also by J. BUDD, Pall-Mall.

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