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TRIAL

OF

QUEEN CAROLINE.

IN order to render this more-than important history,

complete, we must commence the subject-matter from the period when Lord Liverpool brought a message from His Majesty to the House of Lords, on June 5, 1820: which was read by the Lord Chancellor, in the following words:

"GEORGE R.

"The King thinks it necessary in consequence of the arrival of the Queen, to communicate to the House of Lords certain papers respecting the conduct of her Majesty since her departure from this kingdom, which he recommends to the immediate and serious attention of this House.

"The King has felt the most anxious desire to avert the necessity of disclosures and discussions, which must be as painful to his people as they can be to himself; but the step now taken by the Queen leaves him no alternative.

"The King has the fullest confidence that, in consequence of this communication, the House of Lords will adopt that course of proceeding which the justice of the case and the honour and dignity of his Majesty's Crown may require.

"GEORGE R."

His Lordship then laid on the table the papers referred to in the above message, and moved that His Majesty's message be considered the next day.

Lord Castlereagh in the House of Commons, brought in a similar message to the one in the Lords; and which occasioned a very animated debate; on the next day, Mr. Brougham delivered to the House of Commons a message from her Majesty, of which the following is a copy :

“The Queen thinks it necessary to inform the House of Commons, that she has been induced to return to England, in consequence of the measures pursued against her honour and her peace, for some time, by secret Agents abroad, and lately sanctioned by the conduct of the Government at home. In adopting this course her Majesty has had no other purpose whatsoever but the defence of her character, and the maintenance of those just rights, which have devolved upon her by the death of that revered Monarch, in whose high honour and unshaken affection she had always found her surest support.

"Upon her arrival, the Queen is surprised to find that a Message has been sent down to Parliament, requiring its attention to written documents; and she learns with still greater astonishment, that there is an intention of proposing that these should be referred to a Select Committee It is this day fourteen years since the first charges were brought forward against her Majesty Then, and upon every occasion during that long period, she has shown the utmost readiness to meet her accusers, and to court the fullest inquiry into her conduct. She now also desires an open investigation, in which she may see both the charges and the witnesses against her; a privilege not denied to the meanest subject of the realm In the face of the Sovereign, the Parliament, and the Country, she solemnly protests against the formation of a Secret Tribunal to examine documents privately prepared by her adversaries, as a proceeding unknown to the law of the land, and a flagrant violation of all the principles of justice. She relies with full confidence upon the integrity of the House of Commons for defeating the only attempt she has any reason to fear.

"The Queen cannot forbear to add, that even before any proceedings were resolved upon, she has been treated in a manner too well calculated to prejudge her case. The omission of her name in the Liturgy-the withholding the means of conveyance usually afforded to all the branches of the Royal Family- the refusal even of an answer to her application for a place of residence in the Royal mansions, and the studied slights both of English Ministers abroad, and of the Agents of all Foreign Powers over whom the English Government has any influence-must be viewed as measures designed to prejudice the world against her, and could only have been justified by trial and conviction."

In the House of Lords, on the following day, Lord Liverpool moved that a select committee of 15 Lords, be chosen to examine the papers in the Green Bag, relative to the Queen: this motion was opposed by Marquess Lansdown and Lord Holland; but at length agreed to; and the next day, the following Lords were chosen as the committee:

The Archbishop of Canterbury

The Lord Chancellor,

The Lord President of the Council,
The Duke of Beaufort,

The Duke of Northumberland,
The Marquess of Buckingham,
The Earl of Liverpool,

The Earl of Donoghmore,
Earl Beauchamp,
Viscount Sidmouth,

The Bishop of London,

Lord Redesdale,

Lord Ellenborough.

The Earl of Lauderdale,

In the interim measures were proposed for an amicable arrangement to accomplish which desirable end, the Duke of Wellington and Lord Castlereagh, on the part of the King; and Mr. Brougham and Mr. Denman, on the part of the Queen, had frequent conferences; and they mutually agreed on all points, except the insertion of her Majesty's name in the Liturgy.

These negociation having thus failed, Mr. Wilberforce moved in the House of Commons, on Thursday June 22, the following Resolution:

Resolved, That this House has learned with unfeigned and deep regret, that the late endeavours to frame an arrangement which might avert the necessity of public inquiry into the information laid before the

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