back as April, 1808. I certain-tain kind, and see the display of by acknowledge that to me at great talents on a subject, howleast it is difficult to discover ever unworthy; I say that all why Mr. Hunt should complain such readers must be aware of of Mr. Cleary's conduct, after the sudden changes that the the use which he had so unjust-opinions of this able writer unly made of a private letter of dergo with respect to the chaMr. Cleary's; but why Mr. Cob-racters of public men and public bett should complain of this, measures. Almost every numagainst whom Mr. Cleary had ber of The Weekly Register is said not one word, but on the distinguished by this variation. contrary spoken of him as the The Chief Justice-We are stay and prop of their common confined at present, Mr. Brougcause, in terms not merely re- ham, to those parts of the pubspectful but reverential, that lication which are set forth as Mr. Cobbett should turn round libels upon the plaintiff in this with vehemence, I will not call | action. it ferocity, is not easily account Mr. COBBETT My Lord, I ed for, at least, it would not be wish that the most extensive easily accounted for on any other scope may be allowed to the mode of conducting an argu- Learned Gentleman. ment than that which those po- Mr. BROUGHAM-It is cerliticians so pertinaciously pur-tainly my wish, my Lord, to sue. The letter which had been confine myself within those lithus read by Mr. Cleary, un-mits which your Lordship justly doubtedly represented Mr. Hunt observes ought not to be passed to be a very different person over. Well, then, Gentlemen, from that gentleman, whom Mr. because Mr. Cleary produced Cobbett was then, at a consider-this letter, which Mr. Cobbett able distance in point of time I had written, because he had admit, in the habit of eulogis-used it in the manner which I ing. But, why should Mr. Hunt, have already described, Mr. of all mankind, be rendered un-Cobbett proceeds to attack him manageable by such treatment? as what? As the person who Was this the only instance, and forged, or caused to be forged, was he the only man whom Mr. the letter so read by Mr. Cleary; Cobbett had violently abused, and as you know what Mr. Coband as speedily afterwards la-bett's manner is, knowing the vishly praised? It was not, you levity with which things of so will recollect, Gentlemen, the public a nature are apt to be retraction of a single year, or a read, and how soon they are single month, or a single day on forgotten, to dwell systematithe part of Mr. Cobbett, and all cally upon the same subject, and who are in the habit of minis- never once to let go his grip tering to their own pleasure by until he has made his impresthe perusal of this Gentleman'ssion, sometimes varying the productions, for it, is most un-form, and very often using the questionably a pleasure of a cer- identical words, so that from the very repetition they acquire interests of this case had I read force; in that his peculiar man- those libels to you, and simply ner does he heal in this case with asked you what would you have his unfortunate victim-until felt had you been their object, every one who reads Mr. Cob-and what would you have given bett's Register necessarily mixes that none such had ever been up the name of Cleary and for-written of you, and then calling gery, until they at length be upon you to try by such a cricome associated, and the pur- terion the case before you? But pose of the calumny is thus com- as Mr. Cobbett is here to defend pletely accomplished., After himself, it becomes necessary to having dwelt on this, the most say a very few words with respect pernicious of all these libels, to the charge itself. You will it would be useless for me to oc- observe the great advantage cupy your time in alluding to that defendants are placed under the others, which however se- who deal in general abuse, in rious or severe, are less calcu- vague and undefined censure, lated to do mischief to the which is incapable of justificaplaintiff's character. But I may tion; but here is the case of a tell you, that I have not stated defendant charging an indivithe worst part of this libel, be-dual with uttering a forged letcause you will find in another ter, knowing it to be forged," part of it that which alone was and the evidence is within his wanting to complete the ca- own reach to substantiate that lumny the motives of the for charge. If the letter is not Mr. gery are there assigned. After Cobbett's, he had an opportutalking of a petition which had nity of justifying upon the rebeen signed very generally as cord, and thus defeating the the effect of his own exertion, action at once, by proving that Mr. Cobbett proceeds to state it was a forgery, and shewing that this forgery could have ori-that Mr. Cleary had uttered it, ginated in no other motive that knowing it to be a forgery. he could divine, than that of a What has he done? he has reward from Sir Francis Burdett, merely pleaded the general his opulent and base employer. issue, thus admitting that the So that this charge involves the letter is not a forgery, though basest and the worst motive by he has hitherto repeatedly dewhich the vilest man on earth nied that it was his hand-writcould have been influenced. ing, and has asserted that it was And now I ask you, Gentlemen, forged by Cleary, for the purif ever a worse libel was pub-pose of gaining a reward or a lished than that which I have bribe from his base employer. now described to you?-INow, gentlemen, to anticipate shall not occupy your time in what may be the line of his dedwelling upon the peculiar fence would be quite impossible. shade of criminality by which it All topics are open to him: but is marked, and, perhaps, I trust that you will not listen should have better consulted the to him on one topic, should he happen to dwell upon it. If you Are we to be told that the only hear any thing said about free- property which is not defended dom of discussion, if one word by law is character, that this escapes him about the liberty which every honourable man of the press, do not shut your prizes more highly than all ears against it; but hear it for other earthly boons, is to become the sake of free discussion, for the sport and sarcasm of every the sake of Mr. Cobbett, and coward calumniator? Are we for the sake of the liberty to be told that an unbounded liof the press; and no advo- cense is allowed to fritter down cate of that freedom of dis- the fair fame of every honest cussion, of its champion or individual? If Mr. Cobbett can its liberty, will require less than leave any doubt on your minds I do, namely, that it should be that such a law would not be restrained by no other fetters fatal to the press, give as small than truth. Gentlemen, I will damages as you please against give to Mr. Cobbett, and to all him, but if all he says tends who write for the public, the only to confirm you in the conamplest means of attacking all viction of a contrary opinion, opinions, of violently assaulting then I only ask that you should those establishments under which revert to that criterion to which these opinions have been che- I have before alluded. rished, they shall have the use yourselves in my client's situaof every weapon they please tion, and say what would you for the purpose of eliciting not give, rather than suffer untruth without stint or control. der such unmerited calumny? I will not quarrel with the wea- I only ask that you should award pons they use any more than I against the defendant such dawill with the subjects which mages as you would give to one they attack; their vulgarity whose peace of mind, not to say shall pass for strength, their ri- whose health, has been incubaldry shall be wit, their buf- rably injured by these publifoonery playfulness, they shall cations. libel all men as well as all things, they shall month after month, or day after day, blacken or illustrate those characters From Register, of 5 Septemthey please; there must be but ber, 1818. THE LIBELS. Place one limit to their range, and "Now, though you doubtless that is truth-one control to" would not forge a Letter for their aberrations, and that is" so base a purpose, I declare falsehood. They must not range" that you have re-published a under the dominion of that" forgery; I declare this by the spirit of mischief, but if they" said defendant, and produced assert, they must be prepared and read by the said plaintiff, to prove, and if they do not" to be a forgery; I accuse prove, they must be held guilty," Cleary, before the people of not of invective, but of calumny." America, as America, as I have done "before the people of Eng-" gery of my hand-writing; land, of having forged this" and this he does from no other "letter, or, which is the same" possible motive, that I can "in point of baseness, of having divine, than that of a pecu"obtained it from a man who" niary reward from his opulent "had forged it, and which man“ employer." "he well knew to have been 66 guilty of forging my writing From Register of 5 Decem"and name, for fraudulent pur ber, 1818. Cleary, we are told, was "mounted on a white charger: "emblem of purity! He should poses, many times. Mr. Cleary now appeared in a new character, instead of shunning obHe servation, he courted it. "expressed great gratitude to "me; and, he accused Sir "Francis Burdett of desertion "and cowardice. Yes, that 66 66 have had a pillion behind him for his forging associate. "That would have capped the climax of purity, though God "has not given to Man a dominion so absolute over inferior animals, as to justify so horrible a degradation of the. honest charger." very Sir Francis Burdett whom "he now endeavours to uphold" by blackening the character "of my friend, and that too, through the means of a for "Baronet.-My dear and faithful friend, thou reason'st well, It must be so. (Sits down to write.) * Here! (rising) This potent checque to Coutts's swiftly bear; The means, far more than ample, you'll find there, To drench my householders and deck their wives; To make them, 'gainst Hunt's mob, expose their lives, You'll swear, dear Cleary, I have got the gout. "Cleary-We'll Hunt, my Liege, attack by forgery, And make him black as "Baronet. -Hell, you'd doubtless say; Ah! dearest Cleary, that's the only way! But, who'll believe? "Cleary 'Tis Cobbett's name we take. Baronet.-The sound, dear Cleary, gives my nerves a shake. But, can you blacken absent Cobbett too! Cleary-We'll try, my Liege, what your bank-notes will do With Walter, Stewart, Perry, all the tribe, No man of whom who will not take a bribe. "Baronet.-Bless'd paper-money, last and best supply ;. That lends corruption lighter wings to fly! † * Play of Cato + Pope's Satires. That from the poll makes men like Cartwright flee, 46 Cleary. My Liege, I haste your wishes to obey; His affairs most private will we enter; His debts and dues, the treatment of his wife, And though he still may act the patriot's part, "Baronet. One word, dear Cleary. "Twere well, indeed, to talk of debts and dues, With another's wife; but, if a child he have "Cleary -Ecod! To horse that's blind a wink's as good as nod! To forge myself, or hire a forging scribe; To make our England's Glory' brighter shine, "The challenge of the little" been deserted by the Baronet, " contemptible reptile, Cleary," and who had called him in was, however, the thing which " my hearing, and that of an"had most offended him. He" other credible witness, by all "had seen this creature, the" the names descriptive of a "mere cat's-paw of the Baronet." deserter, a coward, and a mean "He had seen him stuck upon "wretch; this Cleary, that the "the white charger, but he did" Baronet shuffled out of pre"not, till he saw me here, know" senting his memorable peti"the political history of this" tion, by pretending it was too "Cleary; this challenger of you;" humble, and by saying, 'I'd "this would have been hang "66 see them damned before I'd present such a petition to them ;' this Cleary, who "laughed heartily at this shuf"fle, which I compared to the bullying shuffle of Falstaff: I "This Cleary, who had been". call thee coward, Hal: I'd "the Baronet's authorised agent see thee damned ere I'd call "in the work of founding coun-"thee coward! This Cleary, "try Hampden Clubs, who had" who, after reading my attacks 66 man of the unfortunate re- 68 6 "sisters in Derbyshire. Wor-" "thy agent of the Baronet!" From Register, 26th Dec. 1818. 66 |