of the house to protect him. [Witness withdrew.] Mr. Wardle observed, that, it was far from his wish to have any of his royal highness's transactions made the subject of discussion, which did not relate to the charges brought forward; but a learned gentleman (Mr. Adam) had stated on a former night, that it was impossible for Mrs. Clarke to have any pecuniary transactions with the Duke of York, without his knowledge! He (Mr. Wardle) had then stated, that he could prove that transactions to a much greater extent than any thing he had mentioned had taken place within the knowledge of that learned gentleman. He had pledged himself also that a man of business could prove this accommodation; and he now wished to shew by this evidence that the accommodation had taken place through the medium of Mrs. Clarke. The witness being again called to the bar, he stated, that he told his royal bighness he could procure the loan, and after some conversation, his royal highness referred him to Mr. W. Adam, of Bloomsbury square. He called on Mr. Adam, and mentioned the business to him, which was at length agreed on.— He applied in consequence to a rich friend in the Temple for the loan, who made the usual objections, but at last complied with the terms.-The witness recollected having a conversation with the Duke of York respecting Mrs. Clarke. His royal highness said to him, that he had been subpoenaed to appear in a cause in which Mrs. Clarke was defendant. before the court of King's Bench, and in which she had behaved very ill, in pleading her coverture. His royal highness stated that as the reason of his separation. His royal highness said, that he and Mr. Adam had agreed to allow her an annuity of 4001.but she was to pay her own debus. She had some furniture and valuables (he said) which would enable her to pay off her debts.-This witness also recollected paying the bill due by Mrs. Clarke to Mr. Few, on Mrs. Clarke's account. J. Pierce, who lived as butler to Mrs: Clarke, in 1805, at Gloucester place, testified, that the housekeeper, one morning in July or August, delivered a note to Lodowick Armorand, the Duke's servant, to procure change for, and that he went out and obtained it accordingly; it was about eight in the morning; the Duke was above stairs; and he believed that no other servant but Lodowick usually attended him at Gloucester place: the Duke left town that night; and Mrs. Clarke about eleven the next day. Captain Hurley Sundon gave in evidence, that Colonel French and himself were introduced to Mrs. Clarke by Mr. Cockayne, a solicitor, and Mr. Corri, both of whom represented themselves as her agents: that it was agreed that she should receive for her interest in procuring them letters of service, 500 guineas, and 2000l. more in case the levy succeeded; the agreement was made by Colonel Freuch, and the witness had very little conversation with Mrs. C. on the subject; that it was eight or ten weeks before they obtained the letters of service, and subsequently an advance on the bounty, from 13 to 19 guineas, was granted in consequence of a regular application to the commander in chief that on Colonel French's quitting town for Ireland, he commissioned him to advance about 5 or 600l. to Mrs. Clarke out of their joint stock, and he also gave Mr. Corri, for his agency, a bill for 2007.-that Colonel French was never worth 50001. in the world, and conse quently believes that he could never offer a loan of 50001. to any one-that he called once, in company with Col. French, upon the Duke of York, to thank him for their appointment to the levy; but saw Mrs. C. fiity times after the levy was put in progress. In answer to the questions of various members, the witness said, that the appli cation was regularly made, and that the matter passed regularly through the office: that though he was of opinion that Mrs. Clarke had no influence (from the length of time of obtaining the letter of service after they applied) yet he was induced to pay her money in compliance with the desire of Col. French, who wished to try the experiment :he did not think their request would have been refused; but merely applied to Mrs. C. to facilitate the business. That Mrs. C. desired particularly that the business should be kept secret, and had never told him that she had informed the Duke of York of the circumstances: on the contrary, wished it to be kept from him and all the world. Mr. Corri, on his examination, confirmed the statement of the preceding witness. He had been applied to by several persons for places: he mentioned, and he did not see her or hear from her till about the time when he was sent out to South America, in 1806. He positively denied having ever applied either by himself or friends, to Sir B. Watson, for his place of commissary, for which he was solely indebted to Mrs. Clarke's influence with the Duke of York, but had never said further than that he bought his place, and he challenged ministers to say he had not done his duty. ed their names to Mrs. Clarke, and heard no more of them. She always enjoined him to secrecy respecting the above levy, and had some time since desired him to burn several letters connected with the subject, of the contents of which he did not profess to have any recollection. The 2001, he had received from Captain Sandon, he gave to Mr. Cockayne, thinking him more entitled to it than himself. Mr. Dowler was next examined. He stated, that he was commissary to Lisbon, and had been in the commissariat department five years. That he had purchased his place of Mrs. Clarke; that he had given 1,000l. for it. That she engaged to procure it for him; that he had no other possible interest, and had made no application through any other channel; that he had in consequence paid her the thousand pounds as agreed upon; that he knew Capt. Sandon and Col. French, and saw them pay 500l. to Mrs. Clarke for the levy! He had known Mrs. Clarke about eight or nine years. He had seen Captain Sandon and Col. French in Gloucester place, when Mrs. Clarke was under the protection of the Duke of York. He saw Col. French there several times, and understood that he came on the subject of procuring a letter of service. After Colonel French left the house, he endeavoured to dissuade Mrs. Clarke from having any thing do do with the business, as it was exceedingly wrong. He understood that Mrs. Clarke was to have 1000l. or guineas, and also a guipea per man, for all that were raised under the levy, that was to be procured through Mrs. Clarke's influence. He afterwards saw Colonel French, who said, that to enable him to fulfil this, the number of boys in the levy should be increased, as then it would cost a less sum to raise them. He understood that Colonel French, in the end, obtained his wish as to the increased number of boys. The answer that Mrs. Clarke gave to the remonstrance of witness, when he attempted to dissuade her from having any thing to do with the business, was, that the Duke of York was so distressed for money, that she could not bear to ask him for a supply, and that it was the only way in which her establishment could be supported. Soon after this his friendship and connection with Mrs. Clarke ceas On being interrogated by Lord Folkstone, the witness stated, that he had been in the commissariat department ever since 1805. He purchased his situation of Mrs. Clarke. He first of all advanced to her 1000l. and at dif ferent periods lent her other sums to a considerable amount. He could not recollect all the sums of money that he lent her, but he well remembered one sum of 170 guineas, which she signified that the Duke of York would repay in two or three days. He thought the amount of the monies was upwards of 1000l. Mr. Grant, solicitor to Col. French, deposed that he had heard the latter say that Mrs. Clarke had received 1700!. on the levy account, and that she was the only gainer by that transaction; Colonel French had also applied to him to raise a sum of 30001. for the Duke of York, but he took no immediate steps in consequence, Mrs. Clarke was then called, but when she came to the bar she sent a message to the chairman, stating, that, from her having been eight hours in at attendance, she had become very much exhausted; and she begged that her examination should, on that account, be deferred until another evening. Mr. Yorke said there was too much reason for believing that the witness had been conversing with the last witness but one since his examination, and that she wanted further time merely to digest her thoughts, and make a more plausible story on her next appearance. He therefore proposed, to prevent a recurrence of a similar mischief, that the serjeant at arms should be ordered to take her into custody, and detain her till her next examination. The Speaker, after stating the necessity of grave deliberation on a case which involved the liberty of the subject, stated, that he knew of no precedent that existed for such a procedure as the hon. member had proposed. Mr. Sheridan said, that if the witness said she was not well, the house could not proceed to examine her. He thought it would be rather severe treatment to confine her to solitude till Thursday, without observing a similar precaution with the other witnesses. It was at length agreed, that she should depart, but that Mr. Dowler should be asked whether he communicated any part of his examination to her. -He was then called in, and stated that she had enquired of him what had been asked him, and what answers he had given; but his own feelings prevented his giving her any such informa tion. The house then adjourned at two o'clock to Thursday. Thursday, Feb. 9. The amendments on the militia establishment bill were agreed to, and the bill ordered to be read a third time. The annual land, malt, and pen sion duty bills; also the 10,500,0001, and 1,500,000l. exchequer bills bills, were all severally read a first time, The house then resolved itself into committee to investigate the conduct of the Duke of York. Mr. Sheridan presented a petition from Mr. P. Finnerty, stating his surprise and regret that in the course of the examination now carrying on before that house relative to the Duke of York, his name should have been mentioned in a manner calculated to produce an impression injurious to him in a prosecution instituted against him by the attorney general, and which is expected to be very shortly brought to trial. The petitioner concludes with expressing his readiness to appear at the bar of that house to answer any questions that might be put to him.-Ordered to lie on the table. Mrs. Clarke being first examined, as to Col. French's levy, stated that she remembers receiving one sum of 500 guineas, in bank notes, on that account, either from Col. French or Capt. Sandon, and which she paid to Birkitt, the jeweller, for a service of plate; his royal highness told her he had paid the remainder with a bill. She received several other sums on the same account, but cannot now recollect the amount. Col. French subsequently wrote her several notes to procure some alteration in the levy: these notes she presented to his royal highness, who complied with the request contained therein. That she remembers perfectly well communicating to the Duke the offer of Col. F. to negociate a loan of 5000l. on condition that the Duke's influence was exerted in procuring the arrears due by government paid to him. That she had been under the protection of the Duke of York since the years 1802 or 1803; but her establishment in Gloucester-place did not commence till 1804: it consisted of two carriages, eight horses, nine men servants, &c. to defray the expences of which the duke allowed ber 10001. per annum, to be paid monthly. That she had a small establishment also at Weybridge (near the Oatlands): the house belonged to his royal highness. The sums she received from the duke were barely adequate to pay her servants their wages and liveries; and when she informed him of it, he replied, that if she was clever, she would not ask him for money. That the applications for her interest in military promo tions were very numerous; she mentioned them to his royal highness, who told her which were likely to be successful. At one period she had a long list of applicants, procured either by Capt. Sandon or Mr. Donovan, which she gave to the duke, who said that he would procure the appointments by degrees; she stated to him at the same time the sums which she should receive for her interest in procuring them: that the appointment of Mr. Dowler to the commissariat was through the interest of the Duke of York, who knew that she was to receive 1000l. for it. On being asked to whom she applied for that appointment; she replied to the Duke of York, who some time afterwards told her that he had talked tɔ Mr. Long about it, and that it was settled at last. Before this Mr. Dowler had undertaken to procure some votes for the defence act, then in progress, and Gen. Clavering was to bring up Lord John Campbell from Scotland; and that she gave Dowler a list of 17 Members who might be brought over. That she was in the babit of shewing these numerous letters applying for her influence to the duke, but not all of them. If a man wrote one letter first and ten afterwards on the same application, she shewed the first to the duke, but perhaps not one of the others, although she might mention them. To the question of Lord Folkstone-If the first letter contained an offer of money to her his royal highness must have been aware of it, the witness replied-He was certainly aware of it, though she never was indelicate in her manner of communicating such of fers. He told her who was proper and who was not, and 100 were rejected on that account.-His royal highness had a most excellent memory. She recollected once giving him a long list of applications, a short time before Col. Tucker, (lately dead) was made a major; as his royal highness had promised that major Tucker's name should appear in the Saturday's Gazette, but on coming to diner one day, he told me that Tucker had behaved very ill, and that Greenwood had him, and desired me to enquire into it, as Tucker came only to sport with me, and meant nothing serious.--On being asked when she received any list of names, how she gave it to his royal highness; she answered, that it was pinned up to the head of the bed, from whence his royal highness took it! She could not recollect from whom she got those names.— She was surrounded by a great many persons, and she believed she had got into very bad hands, or this busiDess would not have been made so public. She had seen in the lobby I am with Mr. Donovan, a lady who had brought many things to her recollection, but did not remember her name. She is an officer's widow (an Irish woman) well acquainted with these transactions, and quite in the habits of military intrigue. She wished her to be examined.— After a short pause, Mrs. Clarke, in a tone of voice, indicating considerable emotion, said, "I should be glad that the house would ask Col. M'Mahon some questions respecting my conduct towards the Duke of York, and whether there was any thing unhandsome in the propositions I made him. I would wish Col. M'Mahon to say what those propositions were, and what was the substance of the messages that he brought between us. extremely sorry for being obliged to expose the duke in the manner I have." She said two applications were made through the medium of Mr. Donovan, for promotions in the church-one for a deanery, the other a bishopric; and Dr. O'Mara, who expected one of them, applied to her for a letter of introduction to his royal highness, but the King did not like his name because there was an O in it. That the duke was fully acquainted with the extent of her establishment, as he visited her every day-he had once given her 1,300i. for a service of plate, and paid some incidental debts which she had incurred, but, at the time of separation, had not made any advances of cash for three months, and, in consequence, left her involved more than 20001. in debt. [The progress of the inquiry was materially interrupted by a letter having been written to Mrs. Clarke by the Rev. W. Williams, of Somer's-place, East, requesting of that lady to proceed no further in her evidence, but to abandon the country with her children, and on her compliance, engaging that a very ample allowance should be made her by the Duke of York. On this letter being read in the committee, Mr. Williams was taken into custody by the serjeant at arms, and being examined at the bar, declared that the offer he had made in the letter was spontaneous, and by no means authorized by the duke's friends or agent. It was subsequently stated, but not believed on sufficient proof, that Mr. Williams was subject to mental derangement, and as such immediately discharged out of custody without paying his fees.] Miss Taylor being called, stated herself to be a relative of Mrs. Clarke, (her brother having married Mrs. C's sister) and to have resided with her at various times, particularly while under the protection of the Duke of York at Gloucesterplace. Remembered a conversation between Mrs. Clarke and his royal highness relative to Col. French's levy. In answer to a question from Mrs. C. the Duke replied, "I am worried with Col. French's levy; but how, darling, does he behave to wards you?" Mrs. C. answered, "but indifferently-very middling." To which his royal highness said, "Then Col. French had better take care of himself, or I shall cut up him and his levy too." The witness declined answering any questions respecting her father, but said she lived with her sister, who kept a boarding-school at Chelsea. Col. Macmahon related a conference he had with Mrs. Clarke, in which she complained of the neglect in paying the annuity of 400l. promised her by the Duke. He told her that if her statement were cor rect, were orthodox, he had a full persuasion if she waited on Mr. Adam, she would obtain relief; but mentioning the affair to the Duke he said he would have nothing more to do with her. Mr. Donovan was then examined: He acknowledged that he had, at the request of Mrs. Clarke, endeavoured to procure a writership to India 'for Mr. O'Hara, (by means of Mr. Tahourdin) for which she was to receive 3,500l. and he would have received a compliment of 2501. for himself. The negociation was, however, broken off in consequence of some disagreement about raising the money: He allowed he had been concerned in another writership transaction; it was the same which had been refused to O'Hara. He succeeded the second time, and the consideration paid was 30001. of which he got 3001. He had also been engaged in endeavouring to procure a place in the custom-house, through the medium of Mrs. Clarke. On being asked by Lord Folkstone-Did the witness conceive these things were proper, he replied-As he knew that such things passed daily, he did not think the offence very heinous ! He acknowledged having applied also for the deanery of Salisbury, for which Mrs. C. was to have received 3000l. but the Duke of Portland, with whom he believed she had great influence, had not much interest in church preferments, as the Queen had taken the patronage of the church into her own hands, and the application was in consequence unsuccessful. The witness, on his further examination, said he never had any dealings in commissions, while Mrs. Clarke lived with the Duke.—The first he had was in Nov. last; he knew Mrs. C. was then at a variance with the Duke, but applied to her from her great interest with general officers and members of parliament. Mr. Perceval thought the gross sales alluded to should be suppressed; and therefore would move te bring in a bill, making it a misdemeanor, and to forfeit all money which might be deposited for them. Adjourned at 4 in the morning. |