And last not least will he concur in the taking down the bridge and putting it up again at the expence of others or his own?

It has been proposed by total strangers to myself to raise a subscription to remove all difficulty or hesitation on his lordship's part as to the removing the bridge, and I shall carefully record the names and addresses, and proposed contributions of all persons I meet with willing to concur in this enquiry as to the truth, and vindication of the law, as well as of Lord Leigh's character, that I may know where to look in case of need, that is, if the prosecutor in the recent cases should not proceed further and Lord Leigh should not choose to search the old vault for the coffin plates; to incur the expence of removing the bridge himself, or to do any of the many things I have alluded to on account of his character, or otherwise. I have reason to anticipate that many and I know that some persons friendly to Lord Leigh would be amongst the foremost to contribute to the expence of removing the bridge in order to relieve his lordship from injurious suspici

ons.

Lord Leigh's omission for many weeks to make a public inspection of the vault is by no means a favourable omen, but indiscretion is not guilt, though often both its consequence and cause, and time may enable his lordship to adopt the wiser and more manly course, and to repudiate the counsels of short sighted, and probably arrogant overbearing or inexperienced friends. His fate is, (or ought to be) in his own hands, and I publicly and respectfully ask him to satisfy the public anxiety by meeting these serious questions in the face of day, and if he feel himself unable to decide calmly, or promptly take the very decided course it is expedient he should adopt, then to place himself in the hands of counsel entirely uninfluenced by party, by family connection, or pecuniary interest, and abide by their cool and honest counsel.

I now solemnly, sincerely, and earnestly implore his lordship, for the sake of his character, for the sake of the youth who is heir apparent to his title and estates, (in whom I have

perceived on the magisterial bench some of those gentle qualities which sit so gracefully on a youth prematurely offered to public notice,) for the sake of his numerous family, for the sake of the matrimonial connections formed by some of hat family, (which connections may be all very amiable though I must not be expected to admit they are all very wise) for the sake of his parishioners, and his tenants and dependants in six counties on whom the example of a Lord may be expected to produce marvellous effects, for good or for evil, and for the credit of the laws of England under which he enjoys the honour of being numbered with the four or five hundred of England's nominally noblest sons: for all these considerations I ask him to offer up to the vindication of public justice, and of his own innocence, the whole of his personal exertions, the whole of his personal influence for a short time, and a fraction, a contemptible one indeed, of that private property which at present hangs on a mere thread, on a title thrice questioned, and on a refutation of he sworn evidence of scores of disinterested witnesses.

APPENDIX.

THE FOLLOWING OBSERVATIONS.

Are extracted from the 10th No. of 66 THE PUPPET SHOW" pub lished 20th of May, 1848.

" ARE ALL MEN EQUAL IN THE EYES OF THE LAW?"

"On Saturday, the 6th of May, a most extraordinary charge was "brought against Lord Chandos Leigh before four of the county "Magistrates at Warwick, and which, although at the same time "nearly a week has elapsed, has been passed over without comment by the daily press.

"A man named Richard Barnett comes forward, and deposes to the "murder of several individuals at his lordship's instigation, and "points out one particular spot, under a certain stone of the abut"ment of a bridge in his lordship's park, where two of the victims "lie. Other evidence brought forward at the same time seems in 66 some measure to corroborate this man's statement.

"All that the counsel for the prosecution required was leave to 66 remove that stone, and see if Barnett's statement was really "founded on fact. This permission Mr. Jones on behalf of Lord “Leigh, refused, on the pretence that the proposed search would "disclose nothing, and that if one portion of the bridge were re"moved, the complainants would then require the destruction of "the whole edifice, followed by that of the Abbey itself, and every "building on the estate, before they were satisfied. As well "might Mr. Jones say to a creditor, "I shall not pay you your 66 account; for if I do, you will then require my income for the year

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next ensuing, and finally my whole property."

"As to the search, if permitted to take place, ending in the total demolition of every building on the estate, that is mere nonsense, "were the bodies not found on the spot pointed out, the man

Barnett's accusation falls to the ground. But supposing that "it did not, we should say that any man, with the least spark of honourable sensitiveness in his breast, would rather see every "stone from his hearth rooted up and grass growing in its place "than suffer such a foul aspersion to rest for one instant on his

"Mr. Adderly, M. P., Lord Leigh's son-in-law, with several "others present, seemed, by the unbecoming levity of their "behaviour, for which they were deservedly reproved by Mr. "Pollock, to treat with contempt any idea that it was possible for "a lord to be a murderer. Without in the least desiring to say

aught in condemnation of Lord Leigh, or refuse to a nobleman "the right enjoyed by the poorest prisoner, of being supposed inL. nocent until proved guilty we would merely remind Mr. Adderly "that if he is at all acquainted with history, he will not fail "to recollect that some of the most atrocious crimes ever known were those perpetrated by noble, nay more, royal hands; and "that the lordly and regal purple has often attained a still deeper "hue from blood.

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Although the magistrates-acting upon some principle which "it is utterly beyond our power to understand-have dismissed the "matter, the Secretary of State is bound to take it up; by so "doing, at the same time that he fulfils a duty to the public, he "will be conferring a positive boon on Lord Leigh himself, by 66 proving, if such be the case, the calumnious nature of the charge "preferred against him.

The Author has much satisfaction in adding the following extract from the Adelsthorp, or Adlestrop register, as an answer to a rumour that has been circulated for some time to the prejudice of the Adelsthorp family, the nature of which it is not necessary to specify. "1765.

"James Henry, son of James Leigh, Esq. and the Right "Honble. The Lady Caroline Leigh, his wife, was born "and baptised February the 8th."

P. S. Since the foregoing was nearly all in type, a legal mode of proceeding has occurred to me that I have little doubt, if Judges are to be depended upon to carry out their own principles, would place the claimant in possession of the Stoneleigh Estates in a month or two, in spite of the Statute of Limitations, but I have not time to develope, nor space to detail, the new legal bearings of the case that have begun to open to me till a future occasion.