132 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1809. 



had most carefully examined the 

 evidence, not only of the wit- 

 nesses produced at their bar, but 

 also of the written and official do- 

 cuments ; and that it was with the 

 utmost concern and astonishment, 

 that they felt themselves obliged 

 to state, that the result of their 

 diligent and laborious inquiry was 

 such, as to satisfy them, that the 

 existence of those corrupt prac- 

 tices to a very great extent was 

 fully established; that they were 

 restrained by motives of personal 

 respect and attachment from lay- 

 ing before his majesty a detailed 

 account of those corruptions and 

 abuses, which could not fail to 

 produce the greatest grief and in- 

 dignation in his royal. breast : that 

 without entering into any such de- 

 tail, they most humbly represent- 

 ed to his majesty, that if ever the 

 opinion should prevail in the army, 

 that promotion was to be obtained 

 in any other way than by merit 

 and services, such an opinion must 

 materially tend to wound the feel- 

 ings, and abate the zeal of the 

 army, and to do it essential injury. 

 That it was the opinion of his ma- 

 jesty!s faithful Commons, that 

 such abuses could not have conti- 

 nued to such an extent, for so 

 long a time, without the know- 

 ledge of the commander-in-chief: 

 but if, contrary to all probability, 

 it should be presumed, that the 

 commander-in-chief was ignorant 

 of these transactions, that pre- 



sumption would not warrant the 

 conclusion, that it was consistent 

 with prudence, that the command 

 of the army should remain any 

 longer in his hands. His majesty's 

 faithful Commons, therefore, hum- 

 bly begged leave to submit to his 

 majesty, that the duke of York 

 ought to be deprived of the com- 

 mand of the army." 



Lord Folkstone seconded the 

 motion ; immediately after which, 

 Mr. Burton rose and said: " Mr. 

 Speaker, I should not thus early 

 obtrude myself on the attention of 

 the House, if it was not through 

 the fear of being too much ex- 

 hausted to deliver my sentiments 

 at a late hour.* The habits of 

 my life, during the last thirty 

 years, having engaged me pretty 

 much in the investigation of cri- 

 minal causes, I have thought it 

 my duty to bestow my best atten- 

 tion upon the present important 

 case. I have done so the rather, 

 that few persons are so uncon- 

 nected, as myself, with the com- 

 mander-in-chief, now under accu- 

 sation. I never had the honour 

 of exchanging a word with him, 

 and it so happens, that I have not 

 in the army any relation, any friend, 

 or even any Intimate acquaintance, 

 nor any one for whom 1 have ever 

 received, or can expect to re- 

 ceive, a single favour. With his 

 accuser I have had the honour of 

 some acquaintance about twenty 

 years, and had frequent occasion 



to 



Mr. Burton, when he rose to speak, drew the most respectful attention of the 

 whole House, which was continued from the beginning of his speech, which was 

 long and elaborate, to the end. He was above eighty years of age, and had be 

 come blind. In Wales he held the office ofjudge in a court of law. Having both 

 attended the whole of .he examinations at the bar, and had the evidence read over 

 *o "™ two or three times, he took a critical review of all the cases in the order 

 m which they were exhibited in the inquiry, without omitting any circumstance 



