The Trial of Charles Random de Berenger, Sir Thomas Cochrane - LightNovelsOnl.com
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_Q._ You are secretary to the Commander in Chief?
_A._ I am.
_Q._ Do you remember any application being made in the department with which you are connected, in behalf of Captain De Berenger?
_A._ I do.
_Q._ About what time was that?
_A._ It was in the latter end of December, or the beginning of January.
_Q._ Do you recollect by whom the application was made?
_A._ Sir Alexander Cochrane.
_Q._ What was the purport of it?
_A._ Sir Alexander came to me twice, I think, if not three times, to urge the appointment of Mr. De Berenger to go to America, for the purpose of applying his talents as a light infantry officer, to the service on which Sir Alexander Cochrane was about to embark.
_Q._ Were any difficulties started to this application?
_A._ Great difficulties.
_Q._ What objection was made to it?
_A._ I represented----
_Lord Ellenborough._ I do not know to what point this applies?
_Mr. Brougham._ Merely that it confirms the statement made by Lord Cochrane, and shows a connexion between the different parties, consistent with that statement.
_Lord Ellenborough._ It shows that he was acquainted with Sir Alexander Cochrane, and that he recommended him to the appointment; we are not trying the propriety or impropriety of the orders of Government?
_Mr. Brougham._. No, my lord; but Lord Cochrane's statement refers to the difficulty itself.
_Lord Ellenborough._ But what the difficulties were is not at all material; it would be going into that with which we have nothing to do?
_Mr. Gurney._ I do not object to it.
_Mr. Brougham._ I will not enter into it, my lord. In consequence of those difficulties which were felt, the appointment did not take place?
_A._ It did not.
_Q._ But the appointment, in consequence of this application, came under the consideration of the Commander in Chief's office?
_A._ Certainly.
_Q._ Were those difficulties, without asking what they were, particularly personal to Captain De Berenger?
_Lord Ellenborough._ No; that we cannot ask.
_Mr. Park._ It goes to character?
_Lord Ellenborough._ Then put the question to character at once; you must not go indirectly into it, if Colonel Torrens knows his character at all.
_Mr. Park._ You do not know, personally, his character?
_A._ I do not, personally.
_Q._ Are you acquainted with the hand-writing of Mr. De Berenger?
_A._ Not in the least.
_Q._ You have never seen him write?
_A._ I never did.
_Q._ Have you received letters, purporting to be from him upon subjects of business, and have you answered and acted upon those letters?
_A._ I do not recollect, since I have been military secretary ever to have received any.
_Q._ He had been, I believe, in the rifle corps of the Saint James's.
_A._ I believe he had.
_Lord Ellenborough._ Do you know him, personally?
_A._ I know nothing of him, personally.
_Henry Goulburn, Esq. M. P. sworn._
_Examined by Mr. Serjeant Best._
_Q._ You are under secretary of state for the colonial department?
_A._ I am.
_Q._ Can you tell us, whether any and what application was made to your department for Mr. De Berenger going abroad with Lord Cochrane?
_Lord Ellenborough._ The terms of the application I think we cannot hear; I do not think Government secrets (when I say secrets, I mean the detail of them) ought to be stated; we cannot go further than the fact, that an application was made.
_Mr. Serjeant Best._ That is all we want, my lord; was any application made to the colonial department?
_A._ Yes; there was.
_Q._ By whom?