Part 158

Thursday, 9 June 1814.

The Court met, pursuant to Adjournment.

EVIDENCE FOR THE DEFENDANTS.

Mr. Brougham:--We will first read the letters which were proved yesterday?

Lord Ellenborough:--These are read to contradict Le Marchant?

Mr. Brougham:--Yes, they are, my Lord; he proved the handwriting himself.

"Glo'ster Hotel, Piccadilly, 6th April 1814.

"My Lord,

"Although I have not the honour of your acquaintance, I beg leave to address you, to solicit an interview with your lordship, for the purpose of explaining a conversation I had with Mr. De Berenger, a few days prior to the hoax of the 21st February last, and which must be interesting to you. If your lordship will condescend to appoint an hour, I will not fail attending punctually at your house, or elsewhere.

I have the honour to be, my Lord, your Lordship's most obedient humble servant, Js Le Marchant."

Rt. Hon. Lord Cochrane, &c. &c. &c.

"Glo'ster Hotel, Piccadilly, London, 7th April 1814.

"My Lord,

"I had the honor yesterday to address your lordship, for the sole purpose of giving you that information you are not aware of; and knowing my letter was delivered (your lordship being at home when it was presented at the door), I beg to say, that I am now justified, from your silent contempt and defiance thereof, to make my information public; and which I should not have done before consulting you on that head, my sole wish being to state facts, and not to be considered acting underhand. As I feel exonerated from the last charge, and being in a certain degree called on to give my evidence relative to 21st February last; and as the rank I hold in society will give weight to my testimony, with the witnesses I shall bring forward on the occasion, I feel justified in the steps I am about to take, nor can your Lordship blame me in so doing, understanding the business in question will be brought before Parliament on a future day. I am sorry to have intruded myself on your Lordship's notice, by addressing you yesterday; but, to be correct, I thought it my duty to inform you by this, what have been and are my intentions.

I have the honour to be, my Lord, your Lordship's most obedient humble servant, J. Le Marchant."

Rt. Hon. Lord Cochrane, M.P. &c. &c. &c. No. 13. Green-street, Grosvenor-square.

"13, Green-street, April 8th, 1814.

"Sir,

"I should have hoped, circumstanced as I am, and attacked by scoundrels of all descriptions, that a gentleman of your understanding might have discovered some better reason than that of "silent contempt," to account for the delay of a few hours in answering a note; the more particularly as your note of the 6th led me to conclude, that the information offered to me was meant as a mark of civility and attention, and was not on a subject in which you felt any personal interest.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant, Cochrane."

Colonel Le Marchant, Glocester Hotel.

"Glo'ster Hotel, Piccadilly, "8th April 1814.

"My Lord,

"I ask your Lordship's pardon for my letter of yesterday, and which was written under the supposition of being treated with silent contempt. To convince you of the high respect I have for your Lordship, I have the honor to enclose to you a statement of what I know relative to the 21st February; and I also now declare solemnly, that no power or consideration shall ever induce me to come forwards as an evidence against you, and that all I know on the subject shall be buried for ever in oblivion. Thus much I hope will convince you I am more your friend than an enemy; as my testimony, corroborated by the two officers, would be of great import, not (believe me) that I myself doubt in any wise your Lordship's affidavit, but De Berenger's conversation with me would to your enemies be positive proof; as for my part, I now consider all that man told me to be diabolically false. If my conduct meets your approbation, can I ask for a reciprocal favour, as a temporary loan, on security being given.--I am just appointed to a situation of about L.1,200 a year, but for the moment am in the greatest distress, with a large family; you can without risk, and have the means to relieve us, and I believe, the will of doing good. Necessity has driven me to ask your Lordship this favour. Whether granted or not, be assured of my keeping my oath now pledged, of secrecy; and that I am with the greatest respect,

My Lord, your Lordship's most obedient, humble servant, Js Le Marchant."

Right Hon. Lord Cochrane, &c. &c. &c.

Js Le Marchant's Statement and Conversation with R. de Berenger.

"I became intimately acquainted with De Berenger about eighteen months ago, and have continued so till a few days prior to the hoax of 21st February last. He was in the habit of calling on me at the Glo'ster Coffee House, Piccadilly; and did so frequently, between the 10th and 16th of last February. He generally called late in the evening, saying he had dined with Lord Cochrane: Once he called about noon, stating he had breakfasted with his Lordship, had been with him on particular business, and was to return to dinner: he mentioned being very intimate with Lord Cochrane and the Hon. C. Johnstone; that they were kind friends to him, with whom he frequently dined. In his apartments, in the rules of the King's Bench, he shewed me the devices he was drawing for Lord Cochrane's lamp invention. The last time he called upon me, it was very late; he appeared elated somewhat by drinking, having (as he said) dined with his Lordship; and in consequence of there being company, he could not then shew Lord Cochrane a copy of a memorial he had written to the Duke of York, praying to be given field officer's rank, and to be appointed to be sent out under Lord Cochrane, for the purpose of instructing the marines in rifle exercise; that his Lordship was very anxious to have him on board of his ship; that he objected going, unless with field-officer's rank, hoping to procure a majority; and that Lord Cochrane had said he would try and get him a lieutenant-colonelcy. De Berenger shewed me his memorial to the Duke, the head of which not being in propria forma, I corrected; it was very long, and related to the losses his family had sustained as American loyalists; also on the cause of his first coming over to England. On my asking him, if the Duke of York was to appoint him, how he could extricate himself out of his difficulties and leave the Bench, he answered, 'All was settled on that score; that in consequence of the services he had rendered Lord Cochrane and Mr. C. Johnstone, in devising, whereby they had and could realize large sums by means of the funds or stocks, Lord Cochrane was his friend, and had told him a day or two ago, that for those services his Lordship had, unknown to him (De Berenger) kept a private purse for him, placing therein a certain per-centage on the profits Lord Cochrane had gained through his stock suggestions; and that now this purse had accumulated to an amount adequate almost to liberate him from the Bench.' When he said this, he appeared overjoyed, and said it in such a manner as to make me credit him. He remained with me this said evening, drinking hollands and water, till near two o'clock in the morning. On his leaving me, I thought of the conversation, especially that part which related to the funds, and conceived, from the numerous stock-jobbing reports, whereby the funds raised or were depressed, that he must have been deeply concerned in it. A few days after the 21st of February, it was whispered that Lord Cochrane was concerned in the hoax. Immediately, De Berenger's former conversation with me forcibly occurred to my mind, and I then mentioned to two friends, with whom I was in company, (and this prior to Lord Cochrane's affidavit, or De Berenger's name being mentioned), that I would lay my existence De Berenger was the sham Colonel De Bourg, and I stated my reasons for supposing so. Recollecting myself afterwards, I made them, as officers, pledge their oath and word of honour, that what I had said on the subject they would never repeat, or even hint at; and I am most fully persuaded they have not. The same day, but prior to the conversation above mentioned, the hoax being the topick in the coffee-room, I said, I thought I knew more than any one relative thereto, except the parties concerned, but I never mentioned any name whatever; yet some days after, I received two anonymous twopenny-post letters, recommending my giving up my information, either to Ministers or the Members of the Stock Exchange Committee; that I might depend on their secrecy, and an ample reward, in proportion to my report: of course these letters were left unnoticed. As soon as I suspected De Berenger to be Colonel De Bourg, I called twice on him, but could not get admittance; I also gave one of the officers above alluded to, a letter of introduction to De Berenger, for him to gain information on the rifle manoeuvres: he called; was not admitted; left the letter; and, as well as myself, has heard nothing since of De Berenger.