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CHAPTER XVI. 



APPROACH OF THE EPOCH OF THE TRIAL OF QUEEN CAROLINE 

 RETROSPECT WHITBREAD'S SERVICES PERNICIOUS COUNTER- 

 ADVICE THE MILAN COMMISSION VISIT TO HER AT ST OMER 

 NOTES OF CONFERENCE WITH THE QUEEN AND LORD HUT- 

 CHINSON FRUITLESS ADVICE AND WARNINGS HER DETER- 

 MINATION TO RETURN ARRIVAL IN LONDON THE GREEN 



BAG POLITICAL SOURCE OF " THE BILL OF PAINS AND PENAL- 

 TIES" NEGOTIATIONS FOR AN ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN THE 



KING AND THE QUEEN THE CONFERENCE THE DIFFICULTY 



WITH THE SECRET ADVISERS THE MESSAGE TO THE COMMONS 



THE PREPARATIONS FOR THE CONTEST OPINION ON THE 



WHOLE CASE AWARE OF INDISCRETIONS, BUT DISBELIEF IN 



THE ACCUSATIONS THE WITNESSES ADJOURNMENT. 



I CANNOT recount the great events of 1820 without 

 again referring to Whitbread, who continued to the 

 end of his life to be the firm and effectual supporter of 

 the Queen down to the last. I recollect his writing 

 me a few lines to mention his having called to see 

 Fitzpatrick, then on his deathbed, and how much in- 

 terest he felt in our proceedings. This was, however, 

 in 1814; but one of the last times I saw him, the 

 year after, he discussed the risks we considered the 

 Princess to run from the machinations of her enemies, 

 and the facilities which her residence abroad gave 

 them, and we resolved to urge her return, or at least 

 her residing in France or Switzerland. I must add 



