VOL. 36.---No. 13.] LONDON, SATURDAY, JUNE 10, 1820. [Price, 6d.

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THE REFORMERS,

A DEFENCE OF THE QUEEN
AGAINST THE DEFENCE

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interesting to us; because it may possibly lead to important consequences to ourselves; and, besides this, every man must feel some interest in the treatment of a woman under such

MADE BY HER "CONSTITU-singular circumstances, espeTIONAL DEFENDER."

London, 8th June, 1820. FRIENDS AND FELLOW

COUNTRYMEN,

cially a woman, for whom we have been praying (by name) to God, every Sunday, during the last twenty-five years. Having been taught, and even enjoined and commanded, to pray to God for her, during so many

Here is a new and great event; and, in the state in which we are placed, every years, gives us some claim to event, no matter what it be, inquire about her now, when may be looked upon as of im- we see her an accused person, portance to us; because it may and, apparently, with scarcely lead to some change or other; any friends. and it is next to impossible to The articles, which I subjoin suppose any change that would from the Daily Papers, give a do us any harm, while it is al-fair account of the progress of ways possible that a change may the Queen through France, and de us good, be the change what up to London from Dover. But it may, and come how it may, that which is most worthy of. and when it may. our attention, is, the chain of

We certainly have had no proceedings, beginning with hand in producing this event; the propositions made to her and yet I, for one, shall be at Saint Omer's in France, by very much surprised, if, in the the Courtier, Lord HUTCHIN end, the whole of the mischief, SON, and ending with the mes and every particular part of it, sage of the Queen, sent, last be not ascribed to "the Radi-night, to the House of Com cals." We have been accused mons. of producing every other of the evils that our wise men are now engaged in curing; and, if this charge be added to the rest, why need it surprise us?

It is well known, that, i 1300 and 1807, accusations were made against the Queent that four Lords, ERSKINE, GREN VILLE, SPENCER and Mora, In the mean while I beg your wore appointed by the King to attention to some remarks, investigate the charges pre which I have to offer you on the ferred against her; that she, case of the Queen. It is a case having the late PERCEVAL for

Printed and Published by W. Benbow, 209, Strand.

could have been carried on without such assistance!

However, things were kept comparatively quiet, as long as the PRINCESS CHARLOTTE was alive. She was heiress to the throne. The king was, in fact, no more in law, except in case

her lawyer, repelled the accusations, and demanded a trial; that PERCEVAL collected all the papers belonging to this affair, had them printed, and ready to publish; that he just after got into office; that all the printed books, except one or two copies, were destroyed by PERCE- of a restoration to reason, which VAL; that to get at these immense sums were offered; that, at last, in 1813, this publication got out into many new editions; that it was then, and still is, called THE BOOK.

no one could believe possible at his great age. The now king's life was, as all our lives are, of uncertain duration. He was fifty-five years of age; and, therefore, the daughter, who Great discussions took place was heiress apparent to the at the time here referred to; Crown and all its powers and and the result was, that it was, emoluments, was looked towards on all hands, allowed, that the as the rising sun. It was well Queen was innocent of all crime known, that the Princess was of the nature alluded to. Some-much attached to her mother ; time after this, the Queen went indeed, what but the comabroad, and has never returned mands of nature was wanted to until now. This was a very un- cause such an attachment?wise step. I declared this at There may be some excuse for the time, and I foretold, in sub- a child who has not a natural stance, the consequences that it attachment to a father; but that would produce. In order to child, who is deficient in natural enable the then Princess, now feeling for a mother, must be Queen, to go and to live on the next to a monster. Such feelContinent, thirty-five thousand ing was not wanting in the pounds a year was to be al- Princess, notwithstanding all lowed her. Mr. CANNING was, that had been said and done it appears, chiefly instrumental against her mother. And, therein this work and a fatal, workfore, as long as the Princess it was for the illustrious lady. Charlotte was alive, the, calumShe had not been long gone, nies against her were confined out of the kingdom; when tales to low and infamous whispers. began to be circulated to her These whispers, however, reach, prejudice, These were very ed far and wide. They got to artfully managed. Officious tools people's ears across the At were, after her watching her antic. But, still, no measurea movements, wherever she went were talked of. on, the Continent, A Pars ON As soon, however, as the and a Lawyer have been men young Princess was dead; as tioned amongst these, and cer- soon as that sun was, set for tainly, it would have been won-ever; as soon as that most underful indeed, if such an affair expooled event took place; as

soon as it was seen, that the Mr. BROUGHAM, who, some unfortunate mother had lost all time ago, received an appointchance of ever being able to ment as her Attorney-General, promote the interest or contri-set off, with all speed to meet bute towards the aggrandize- her in France. Lord HUTCHINment of any body; as soon as SON went off too; and, it was this event happened, the mo- lucky enough, that both these ther's enemies began to assume persons, the Legal Adviser of another tone, and they openly the Queen and the Negociator talked of crimes and of accusa- for the ministers reached St. tions,

Omer's (where they met her) in the same carriage! Nay, we afterwards find, that, when Lord Hutchinson is writing to Mr. Brougham the terms which he has to propose, he employs Mr. Brougham's brother's hand in the work! How refined! This is court-etiquette, I suppose! Ancient dandy formality and dignity!

In this state things were at the time of the death of the late king. Then the unfortunate lady became Queen; and, unless something were done to prevent it, she must, it was well known, be crowned with her husband. The day for his coronation was fixed on; and, therefore, it was necessary for her to return to England, or The proposition, as now exshe must, in case of not return-plained by the ministers theming, give up, tacitly, all claim selves, in their speeches, was, to be considered as Queen, and, that the QUEEN should receive indeed, all claim to be considered as an innocent woman; because she very well knew the nature and extent and currency of the calumnies against her.

50,000 pounds a year, on condition, that she should remain out of the kingdom, and that she should travel, or live, under some title, other than that of She, therefore, resolved to Queen of England. And, she return; and she did return, in was told, that, the moment she the manner, and under the cir-set her foot in the kingdom, cumstances, that we have wit-proceedings would be commenced nessed. But, it now appears, against her.

that the ministers had no thought The QUEEN received this proof her returning; that they ex-position with indignation; and pected, that she would consent immediately resolved to brave to remain abroad, on condition the threateners to their teeth. of receiving a good thumping Mr. BROUGHAM hesitated, when income to be paid out of the she asked his opinion. He did taxes. Therefore, when they not advise her to come; and, in heard, and knew, that Mr. AL- his speech of Wednesday night, DERMAN WOOD was actually he very plainly blames Mr. gone to meet her, they appear WooD for advising her to come! to have taken serious alarm; She left her "Legal Adviser” and to have played off their last and the Negociator to commune scheme for preventing her return. together; and, fearing some

trick to stop her on her way, meals to go towards making up and perhaps, to defeat her in- the money-part of the transac tention altogether, she hastened tion. Observe, that the Miniaway from Saint Omers, got to sters believe the Queen to be Calais, and went instantly on guilty, or they did not believe it. board an English packet in the If they did believe it, how were harbour. The tide was out. they to answer to us for having The Pier is lofty, and the shoal tendered her fifty thousand water of great length. But, she pounds a-year; for having tenbravely went through all diffi- dered to a criminal, to one culties, in order to get clear of whom they believe to be a polthe French authorities. When luted woman, as much money she came off the shore at Dover, annually as goes to the maintethe sea was rough, the vessel nance of two thousand five could not get close in; but, she, at once, ventured into an open boat, seeming not to think herself safe, till she was actually on English ground!

hundred labourers' families? And, if they did not believe her to be guilty; if they did not believe her to be a polluted woman, how are they to answer Let us pause here, and reflect to us; how are they to answer for a moment, if we have pa- to the laws of the land, to comtience enough, on the nature of mon justice and humanity, the this proposition. Here is a lady; having made such a proposition a Princess by birth, and a Queen to a Queen of England? Let by marriage, offered a sum of them, whenever they charge money as the price of her aban- us with a want of respect for donment of her title, her state, the Government, give us, at the and her country; and she is told same time, an answer to these that if she set her foot in that questions. Let them, when they country that she will be prose- next accuse us of disloyalty of cuted. To have hesitated one endeavours to degrade rank and single moment would have been dignity, tell us whether this a complete proof of the foulest was a loyal proposition; tell us, guilt. All mankind would have whether this proposition was pronounced her guilty. It calculated to inspire us with would have been utterly im-respect for the Government, possible for any one to suggest and with veneration for the any thing in her defence; and kingly office and authority. yet, covered thus with pollu- Monstrous, however, as this tion as she would have been, the proposition was, there was, it people of England would have seems, found upon the face of had to pay her fifty thousand the earth, a man to be the pounds a year. The insult of-bearer of it, and happy I am to fered to the Queen was most say that that man was not a Raoutrageous certainly; but we dical! We ought to feel pride, ought never to forget, my also, that the legal Adviser; or, friends, that something was to as he is called in the debates, the be pinched off from our scanty constitutional adviser," has

taken particular pains of late to been suffered to approach her convince the world that he is not person, who from incapacity to a Radical. Yet, we are now to give advice, had led her into see, that the whole of the flame such a crooked and dishonouris to be imputed to us: all the able path, he trusted she would mischief that has taken place; awaken to a sense of her own all that is taking place; and all dignity, and submit her case to that may possibly take place in that tribunal only, which would future! Mr. TIERNEY is, in- afford the best means of vindeed, to come in for a small dicating her character! Mr. share with us; but amongst us BROUGHAM, the "constituwho are called the factious and tional adviser," observed that disaffected, we are to divide the Queen had not courted those the flame of all the hubbub, all Mobs of which the noble lord the noise, all the scandal, be- had spoken. He prayed and longing to this transaction. implored the house to consider CASTLEREAGH, in speaking of the Queen's forlorn situation, and the advice, supposed to have not to blame her for listening to been given to the QUEEN, to certain recommendations, which come to England, calls it crimi- he was persuaded were well nal. He calls the persons giv-meant, " although he admitted ing that advice, mischievous" that they were not those of and false advisers. He says that" absolute wisdom. (A LAUGH they advise the QUEEN to make" HERE!) Undoubtedly he conan appeal to the lowest orders" sidered those recommendaof the people; he says that he "tions as well intended, and, is sorry to perceive that there" therefore, as not justly subject is no lack of a disposition in" for an instant to reprehension; a portion of the country, to turn" but he flung himself on the the affair to mischievous ac- House, as the illustrious Fecount; he says that he trusts" male had done for her justifithat she will awaken to a sense "cation, whether it was very of her own situation, and reflect" extraordinary that the conduct upon the stain, opprobrium, and " consequent on those recomreproach that must await her, if "mendations had borne the apshe suffer herself to be the dupe" pearance of making an appeal of such weak, designing, and" of the nature and tendency of wicked men, who, in the worst" which she was, nevertheless, event, would render her cause not in the slightest degree less pitiable, as well as more" aware? To that house she now odious, in the eyes of all ho-" applied for justice. Nothing nourable men. He says that if" which he could say could add the spirits of those partial and to the force of the solemn apgarbled disclosures, which were" peal which she had that night calculated to agitate the coun-" made to it. But, he might be try and awaken crime, had been" permitted to remark that it suffered to penetrate into her" was not extraordinary that an mind; if any individual had" individual placed in the pes

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