The Impeachment of the House of BrunswickBradlaugh, Charles
History
The Impeachment of the House of Brunswick
Bradlaugh, Charles
Great Britain -- History -- 1714-1837; Hanover, House of
The family insanity, shown in the case of George II. by his persistence
in wearing his Dettingen old clothes; more notorious and less possible
of concealment in that of George III.; well known to all but the people
as to George IV., who actually tried to persuade the Duke of Wellington
that he (George) had led a regiment at Waterloo, was also marked in
William IV. In April, 1832, the King's own secretary admits "distressing
symptoms" and "nervous excitement," but says that the attack "is now
subsiding." Raikes, a Tory, and also a king-worshipper, in his, "Diary,"
under date May the 27th, 1834, says, after speaking of the King's
"excitement" and "rather extraordinary" conduct, that "at the levee a
considerable sensation was created the other day by his insisting that
an unfortunate wooden-legged lieutenant should kneel down." On June
11th, visiting the Royal Academy, the President showed the King, amongst
others, the portrait of Admiral Napier, and was astonished to hear his
Majesty at once cry out: "Captain Napier may be damned, sir, and you
may be damned, sir; and if the Queen was not here, sir, I would kick
you downstairs, sir." The King's brother, his Royal Highness the Duke of
Gloucester, died November 20th, 1834. Raikes says of him: "He was not
a man of talent, as may be inferred from his nickname of Silly Billy."
This is the Royal Family, the head of which, according to Mr. Disraeli,
was "physically and mentally incapable of performing the regal
functions," and which yet, according to the brilliant statesman, so
fitly represents the intelligence and honor of Great Britain!
In 1836, Sir William Knighton died. He had been made private secretary
to the late King, and had made his fortune by means of some papers which
Colonel Macmahon, confidant of George IV., had when dying, and which
came into Knighton's hands as medical attendant of the dying man. Sir
W. Knighton was made a "Grand Cross," not for his bravery in war, or
intelligence in the State, but for his adroit manipulation of secrets
relating to Lady Jersey, Mrs. Fitzherbert, and the Marchioness of
Conyngham. Sir William Knighton and the latter lady were supposed to
have made free with £300,000; but great larcenies win honor, and Sir W.
Knighton died respected.
In August, 1836, William--hearing that the Duke of Bedford had helped
O'Connell with money--ordered the Duke's bust, then in the Gallery at
Windsor, to be taken down, and thrown in the lime-kilns.
On June 20th, 1837, William IV. died. Ernest, Duke of Cumberland,
by William's death, became King of Hanover, and was on the same day
publicly hissed in the Green Park. Naturally, in this loving family
there was considerable disagreement for some time previous to the King's
death between his Majesty and the Duchess of Kent.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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