Part 9

In March, the City of London (John Ansley, mayor) petitioned both Houses for parliamentary reform, and the abolition of sinecure places and pensions; but they received the expense attendant upon their exertions for their reward, and the mortification of the ministers' apathy for their satisfaction. Popular indignation, however, is not so easily allayed; for, though extreme appearances may for a time be concealed, they will eventually break forth with ten-fold force. The public reasoned upon a rational ground, and was fully aware that their strength was spent to support _enemies_. Their resolve to petition for freedom was the dictate of an unerring and fixed principle, ever inherent in the breast of man. The blandishments of folly, and the encouragement given to imposition, have rendered the industrious and honest citizen a prey to the lordlings of arbitrary power; and so long as he can assist to supply means whereby their cravings may be satisfied, so long do they seem to suppose he lives to a sufficient purpose. Under these circumstances, the oppressed classes were perfectly justified in making a stand against farther innovation; and also in resisting the intolerable injustice in force against them. Still the administration continued inexorable to the pressing prayers and miserable condition of the people. The political disease, however, was rapidly advancing to a crisis.

Similar distress and dissatisfaction existed at the commencement of the year

1809:

provisions were dear, and labour scarce; yet an additional sum was required for the state, to uphold its _secret_ machinations, and pervert the ends of justice.

It will be remembered that, in this year, the celebrated Mrs. Mary Ann Clark, formerly a mistress of the Duke of York, appeared at the bar of the House of Commons, as evidence against him. Mr. Wardle, with an intrepidity worthy of the cause in which he was engaged, took upon himself the awful responsibility of preferring those serious charges against the duke, which it were unnecessary for us here to repeat. The public officers of the king volunteered their services to rescue his royal highness from public odium by denominating the proceeding as a _conspiracy_! In spite, however, of every artifice which a knowledge of the law enables bad men to practice to defeat the ends of justice, there were exposed to public view scenes of the grossest corruption, of the most abandoned profligacy, of the most degrading meanness, and of the most consummate hypocrisy. The contagion had reached every department of the state; nor was the church exempted from its baneful influence. It was fully proved that, not only subordinate situations, but even deaneries and bishoprics (which had been supposed to be the rewards of piety and learning) were applied for to his royal highness, through the intervention of his mistress! A great majority of the boroughmongers, of course, acquitted the duke from these charges, and talked of voting an address of thanks to him for the manner in which he discharged his official duties. Fortunately, however, the mode of investigation adopted enabled every man in the kingdom to judge for himself. Englishmen, for once, spoke out, and the duke was compelled to resign. This step on the part of the _illustrious_ debauchee prevented further exposure, and saved him from the severe and heavy weight of being _voted out of office_, and degraded! Behold, then, reader, what the principles of Pitt achieved! That minister always persuaded the male branches of the family, that the queen's protection (through the medium of the minister) would prove at all times a sufficient retreat and asylum, in case of complaint or _refractory sensation_ of the people at their frequent derelictions from duty and honor.

The fluctuations of the public funds was an opportune chance for speculation, and the queen's love of money induced her to turn her sources of information to the best account; she therefore acted in concert with her broker, and immediately, upon any rise taking place, she "sold out," and when gloom overspread the market, she "bought in." By this speculation alone, the Duke of Kent acknowledged that his mother realized _four hundred thousand pounds_! At the same period, her majesty had another excellent speculation in hand; namely, the profits arising from the sale of cadetships for the East Indies. Dr. Randolph and Lady Jersey were the chief managers of these affairs, though her majesty received the largest portion of the spoil. Dr. Randolph himself acknowledged, that the queen had realized _seventy thousand pounds_ upon this traffic alone! In one transaction with a candidate for a cadetship, an enormous premium was required, and the applicant was very much incensed, as it appeared to him to be nothing less than a bold imposition. He expostulated; but Dr. Randolph made short of the affair by refusing any further communication upon the subject. For once, Dr. Randolph forgot his own interest, as also the _public character_ and _safety_ of his royal mistress. The gentleman, shortly afterwards, was visiting a friend in Paris, when the conversation turned upon the English constitution, and the immense revenues of the kingdom. The friend spoke in raptures upon the liberal feelings and generous provisions exercised and provided towards, and for all, aspirants to honor. At length, the visiter could no longer conceal his mortification and chagrin, and he candidly explained every particular of his correspondence with Dr. Randolph, in which her majesty's name was as freely introduced as the doctor's. The astonishment and surprise of his friend were great indeed, and he recommended him _to publish the whole affair_ in France, and circulate it through the surrounding kingdoms. A printer was sought for, who required a certain time to determine the risk he should run in the undertaking; this was accordingly granted, and the parties separated. As soon as the person intended to be employed found the consequence attached to it, he communicated the important information to a solicitor, of some eminence, in London, to whom he had formerly been known. The affair was subsequently made known to the queen's youngest son, and by him the queen was fully acquainted with the probability of public exposure. An overwhelming infamy she well knew would be inseparably attached to it. Her majesty had been accustomed to deception, but hitherto she had not feared detection; but the moment of her fancied security was the moment most likely to prove fatal to her existence as a queen.

The Duke of Kent was unremitting in his exertions to obtain a settlement of this nefarious affair, and _twenty thousand pounds_ were actually paid for the _correspondence_, and _two thousand pounds_ given by the queen (through the medium of the duke) to the person who effected the settlement of the business, under the provision "that that business might never transpire to the public." His royal highness was too well aware of the general disposition of the queen, and her avaricious character, not to _affect satisfaction_ at the high price her majesty paid for silencing this unpleasant affair. It may be inferred, that if the queen had committed herself by such flagrant acts of injustice as these, there might be many more dishonourable transactions of a minor description, occurring nearly at the same period. Yes, the inference is correct, for her majesty was truly born and bred a German!

We will relate another instance of Queen Charlotte's ungenerous conduct. She had the superintendence of the education of her daughters, as far as related to the choice of their preceptors. Her majesty appointed a very clever and scientific gentleman, who resided in London, to teach herself and the six princesses--geography, astronomy, arithmetic, and the nature of the _funds_. Besides which, he was asked, as a _favour_, to settle the very deranged accounts of the princesses. This accomplished and worthy gentleman also held of Princess Elizabeth a bond for ten thousand pounds. After dancing attendance upon these _illustrious_ individuals for twenty-six years, without receiving any remuneration, though he had frequently pressed for payment of his long-standing account, he again solicited a settlement with the queen; but, as he only received abuse of an unmeasured description for his pains, he determined to maintain himself and his large family out of the profits of his private scholars, leaving the royal debt as a provision for his children after him. His expenses were considerable in attending the royal family, as he was always obliged to go full dressed in a bag and silk stockings, to hire carriages to go down to Windsor, to live at an inn, and to sleep there, if they chose to take lessons the two following days, by which he was also often obliged to neglect and disoblige his private scholars. For all this attendance, he received _no remuneration whatever_; and Queen Charlotte had the heart to say, "I think you have had remuneration sufficient by your youngest son receiving a pension of eighty pounds a year for teaching the younger princesses only writing!" The preceptor, however, still claimed _his remuneration_, and was, at last, referred to the lawyers, who required him to produce proofs of every lesson he gave, the day and the hour, for twenty-six years! To their astonishment, he produced his diary, and such clear accounts, that there was no contradicting them. But as lawyers are never at a loss how to gain their ends, they next required him to declare, upon oath, the name of each particular servant that had let him in during the twenty-six years! This he could not do; and her majesty, not to be behind the lawyers, advised they should plead the statute of limitation! The lawyers, however, persuaded _her most excellent majesty_ that such a proceeding would be against her interest. After being harassed about in this manner for a considerable time, the old, care-worn, broken-hearted master was most injuriously persuaded to suffer the business to be decided by _one_ arbitrator only, instead of trusting to the laws of his country. The poor old gentleman never held up his head afterwards, but always used to say he should leave all his family beggars, which, alas! proved too true. He shortly after died at his house in Manchester-street. He was a very worthy and an exceedingly clever man. On one occasion, Mr. Pitt sent for him to solve some difficulty in the finances of the country, for which none of the ministers could account. He instantly set them all right by showing that such an error was _possible_ to occur, though it very seldom did occur.

Besides the claims upon Queen Charlotte, the worthy preceptor had a bill against the Princess Charlotte for eight hundred pounds. On applying to the Prince of Wales for this money, he refused to pay it, and referred him to the king, who was then quite deranged! The Princess of Wales knew all these particulars, and told her daughter, the Princess Charlotte, the desperate state of the poor man's family. Her royal highness spoke to her uncle, the Duke of York, about it, who persuaded her that the venerable master was an _old rogue_, who had robbed the princesses and all the family, and her royal highness chose to believe him. That he was a scientific man, his books and valuable mathematical instruments bore ample testimony. These were sold after his death for eight thousand pounds, which went to discharge his debts.

Many other instances might be recorded to prove the unfeeling and barbarous behaviour of the queen; but this alone must be sufficient to convince our readers how totally unfit her majesty was to reign over a _free people_.

In the September of this year, Lord Castlereagh sent a challenge to Mr. Canning, which was accepted; but the effects of the duel were not _very serious_, though it subsequently led to the resignation of both. It is hardly worth while, perhaps, to recur to this now-forgotten, and always, as far as the public were concerned, insignificant business. Lord Castlereagh acted as a vain and high-spirited man, who fancied his confidence betrayed, his abilities called in question, and, like an Irishman, saw but a short vista between an offence and a duel. Mr. Canning, equally high-spirited, felt that he had got into a disagreeable business, and that the fairest escape from it would be to fight his way out. Lord Castlereagh's conduct, when we think of a sober and wise statesman, is ridiculous. Mr. Canning's, when we picture to ourselves a high-minded and frank-hearted gentleman, in spite of the _plausibility_ of explanations, is displeasing.

The wretched policy of this year required _fifty-four millions of money_ to support it.

1810

was ushered in under distressing and unsatisfactory circumstances. The royal family were divided amongst themselves, and every branch seemed to have a separate interest. Under these circumstances, it was not a matter of surprise that _truth_ was now and then elicited; for it is a veritable saying, that "when rogues fall out, honest men are gainers."

The king was at this time labouring under a severe attack of mental aberration: the situation of the country, his children, and his own peculiar sorrows, made impressions on his mind of the most grievous description.

In a former work of our's, called "The Authentic Records of the Court of England," we gave an account of the extraordinary and mysterious murder of one Sellis, a servant of the Duke of Cumberland, which occurred this year. In that account, we did what we conceived to be our duty as historians,--we spoke the TRUTH! The truth, however, it appears, is not always to be spoken; for his royal highness instantly commenced a _persecution_ against us for a "malicious libel." We say _persecution_, because almost every person is aware, that filing a criminal information against an individual can be done only with a view of _preventing the exposure of truth_, which, though such procedure be according to English law, cannot be reconciled with the original intention of law, namely--to do _justice_ both to the libelled and the libeller! In America, no such monstrosities disgrace the statute-book; for there, if any person be accused of _scandalum magnatum_, and can prove the truth of what he has stated, he is honorably acquitted. Yet as we are not in America, but in England,--the boasted _land of liberty_,--we must, forsooth, be seized as _criminals_, merely because we wish to institute an inquiry into the circumstances of the murder of an individual, whose assassin, or assassins, have hitherto escaped the slippery hands of justice! We are no cowards in regimentals, nor did we make our statement with a view of slandering the royal pensioner. We would have willingly contended with his royal highness in a court of law, if he had had the courage to have met us on _fair grounds_. At the time we write this, we know not what the judgment of Lord Tenterden,--we beg his lordship's pardon, we should have said _the court_,--may be; but, whatever the punishment awarded, we hope to meet it with that fortitude which never fails to uphold a man "conscious of doing no wrong!" If the Duke of Cumberland, however, imagines he can _intimidate_ us from speaking the _truth_ OUT OF COURT, he has mistaken us. We are not, as we said in our first work, to be prevented from doing whatever we conceive to be our duty. Though it may not be in our power to prove _who_ was the murderer, the very suspicious circumstances attending the death of poor Sellis fully warrant renewed inquiry.

Passing over the various reports in circulation at the time of the murder, we proceed to notice the very contradictory evidence brought forward at the inquest. That we may not be accused of partiality, we take the report of this _judicial_ proceeding from that Tory organ, "The Morning Post," which, it will be observed, deals out its abuse with no unsparing hand on the poor murdered man, whom it calls by the _charitable_ appellation of _villain_, and sundry other hard names, which had better suited the well-known characters of other persons, who acted a prominent part in this foul business. After a few unmeaning preliminaries had been performed,

"Mr. Adams addressed the jury, and informed them of the violent attack that had been made upon the Duke of Cumberland; and that there was very _little doubt but it was done by the deceased_. He stated, the circumstances had been fully investigated by the _privy council_ on Thursday, and that the depositions of the numerous witnesses _had been taken before Mr. Justice Read_, which he should read to them; after which the witnesses would be called before them, and the depositions would also be read to them, when they would have an opportunity of altering or enlarging, and the jury could put any question to them they thought fit."

In this address, some of the privileges of royalty are explained. Because the murder had been committed in a palace, the privy council must examine the witnesses _before_ they may be allowed to meet the jury, and their depositions taken by a justice, under the influence of the suspected party. The coroner may then tell the jury that there was very _little doubt_ of the deceased person having attempted his master's life, and afterwards cutting his own throat to avoid detection. Merciful heaven! can this be called an impartial administration of justice? Are such _careful_ proceedings ever adopted in the case of a poor man? To be sure, the jury were told they might _ask any question they thought fit_; but is it to be supposed that, after the INQUIRIES they had undergone, the witnesses would let slip any thing likely to criminate themselves or their royal master?

"The first affidavit that was read was that of his royal highness the Duke of Cumberland, which stated, that about half-past two o'clock on Thursday morning he received two violent blows and cuts on his head; the first impression upon his mind was, that _a bat had got into the room, and was beating about his head_; but he was soon convinced to the contrary by receiving a third blow. He then jumped out of bed, when he received several more blows; from the _glimmering light afforded from a dull lamp in the fire-place, and the motion of the instrument that inflicted the wounds, they appeared like flashes of lightning before his eyes. He made for a door near the head of his bed_, leading to a small room, to which the assassin followed him, and cut him _across his thighs_. His royal highness not being able to find his alarm-bell, which there is no doubt the _villain_ had concealed, called with a loud voice for Neale (his valet in waiting) several times, who came to his assistance; and _Neale_, together with his royal highness, alarmed the house."

The blows of the assassin must have indeed been _slight_ to resemble "a bat beating about the head of his royal highness;" but we cannot understand how the _cut of a sword_ can bear any _similarity_ to the beating of a little animal, like a bat! Poor Sellis, however, was but a _little man_, and his weak arm might be still more enfeebled by the consciousness of his ingratitude in attacking so _kind and liberal a master_! Sellis had been the duke's page, or valet, for more than five years, in daily, nay, almost hourly, personal communication with him; and it must, therefore, appear very strange, if Sellis was really the assassin, that his master did not _recognise him_! If the room was so dark that the duke could not _see the person_ attacking him, it is singular that the _assassin could see to strike his royal highness_, as he did by "cutting him across his thighs, after he was out of bed!" As the supposed murderer followed the duke, who thought it best to take to his heels, we think his royal highness should have stated whether he meant his thighs in _front_ or _behind_; but, of course, an examination of the _scars_ would soon set this matter at rest! They would, no doubt, be found _behind_, as it is _unreasonable_ to suppose that, in a _dark room_, the _pursuer_ could have cut at the _pursued_ in front. The Duke of Cumberland is a field-marshal, and a BRAVER man, IT IS SAID, never entered the FIELD; but _in a dark room_, with a man little more than half his weight, it would have been _cowardly_ to _fight_, particularly as his royal highness might, IF HE HAD SO WISHED, have taken the weapon out of Sellis' hand, and broken it about his head. No! no! the Duke of Cumberland knew what was due to his honour better than to take so _mean_ an advantage of a _weak_ adversary, and therefore _coolly_ endeavoured to ring his bell, that a more _suitable_ antagonist might be procured in his valet _Neale_!

"Cornelius Neale, sworn.--He said he was valet to the Duke of Cumberland, and that he was in close waiting upon his royal highness on Wednesday night, and slept _in a bed in a room adjoining the duke's bed-room_. A little before three o'clock, he heard the duke calling out, 'Neale, Neale, I am murdered, and the murderer is in my bed-room!' He went immediately to his royal highness, and found him bleeding from his wounds. The duke told him the door the assassin had gone out at; he armed himself with a poker, and asked if he should _pursue_ him. The duke replied '_no_,' but to _remain with him_. After moving a few paces, he stepped upon a _sword_; and, _although in the dark_, he was convinced it was _covered with blood_; it proved to be the _duke's own regimental sword_. _The duke and witness then went to alarm the house, and got a light from the porter._ The duke was _afraid the murderer was still in his bed-room_. His royal highness was obliged to lean upon him from the loss of blood, and he gave directions that no person should be let out of the house. They called up the _witness' wife_, who is the housekeeper, and told _her_ to call _Sellis_. He then returned with the duke to his bed-room. At that time the duke was very faint from the great loss of blood. Upon examining the premises they found, in a second adjoining small room, a pair of _slippers with the name of Sellis on them_, and a dark lantern. The key of the closet was in the inside of the lock, and, to his knowledge, the key had not been in that state for _ten years_. He had reason to believe the wounds of the duke had been given by a sword. Sellis took out the duke's regimentals some time since, and put them by again, but left out the _sword upon a sofa for two or three days_. It is the same sword which he trod upon, and it was in a bloody state.

"The foreman of the jury, (Mr. Place, of Charing Cross) asked the witness if he thought the deceased had any reason to be dissatisfied with the duke. He replied, on the contrary, he thought Sellis had more reason to be _satisfied than any other of the servants_; his royal highness had stood godfather for one of his children, the Princess Augusta godmother. The duke had shown him _very particular favour_ by giving him apartments for his wife and family, with coals and candles.