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
On the 7th of August Queen Caroline died. In Thelwall's _Champion_ there
is a full account of the disgraceful conduct of the King's Government
with reference to the funeral. On the morning of the 14th, after a
disgusting contest between her executors and the King's Government for
the possession of her remains, they were removed from Brandenburgh House
towards Harwich, on their way to interment at Brunswick. The ministers,
to gratify personal feelings of unworthy rancor beyond the grave, gave
orders that the funeral should take a circuit, to avoid manifestations
of sympathy from the Corporation and the people along the direct route
through London. At Kensington, the procession found every road but that
of London barricaded by the people, and was constrained to take the
forbidden route, with the intention of passing through Hyde Park into
the northern road. The Park gate was closed and barricaded, but was
forced by the military. The upper gate was also barricaded. Here a
conflict took place between the military and the people, and two persons
were shot by the soldiers. The procession moved on, the conflict was
renewed, the people triumphed, and the corpse was borne through the
city. Sir Robert Wilson remonstrated with some soldiers and an officer
on duty; but his humane interference caused his removal from the army.
In return, a large sum was subscribed by the public to compensate Sir
Robert Wilson for his loss. The directing civil magistrate present,
for having consulted his humanity in preference to his orders, and
to prevent bloodshed yielded to the wishes of the multitude, was also
deprived of his commission. On the inquest on the body of one of the men
shot, the coroner's jury, vindicating the rights of the people, returned
a verdict of "Wilful murder" against the Life Guardsman who fired.
While the King was in Ireland he paraded his connection with the
Marchioness of Conyngham in the most glaring manner. Fremantle says: "I
never in my life heard of anything to equal the King's infatuation and
conduct towards Lady Conyngham. She lived exclusively with him during
the whole time he was in Ireland, at the Phoenix Park. When he went to
Slane, she received him dressed out as for a drawing-room. He saluted
her, and they then retired alone to her apartments."
If it be objected that I am making too great a feature of the
Marchioness of Conyngham's connection with the King, I plead my
justification in Henry W. Wynn's declaration of "her folly and
rapacity," affirming that this folly and rapacity have left their clear
traces on the conduct of affairs, and in the increase of the national
burdens. Her husband, as a reward for her virtue, was made an English
peer in 1821. Lord Mount Charles, his eldest son, was made Master of the
Robes, Groom of his Majesty's Bedchamber, and ultimately became a
member of the Government. On this, Bulwer said: "He may prove himself an
admirable statesman, but there is no reason to suppose it."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account