Star. — London, England, 1809-04-12 00:00:00

PRIVATE LETTERS. " Cadiz, March 20, 1809. A n Fnglish ship of war has arrived with a seasonable supply o f 50.01 C inusketc, and with ammunition and military cloathing, ~, :e been brought to Seville as a prisoner, with a young ranh tried, Sandpniit i supposdeard, the Eitord It will go har of the Bayonned with the Paper m . Th Of ey , t , . ; pa lt.,:ns in the interior, we have very imperfect inform a - N doubt is eniertained of the security of this fortress." " Cadiz March 25. s e ee-al .hips belonging to Sir John DUckworth's fleet have i t , water at this port. The arrival of intelligence, stating ckair of the Frenc h Oeet in Basque R oads, has relieved th e P " sdi „, r3 l from the anxiety h e f elt from the ir sailing , and their .. oc b ein g unknown. The Ville de Paris left us yesterday, t'c, the rot , wi.h the exception of the Atlas and another, will arm the upon different services, tome of them to Lisbon to join al Berkeley, and the others for the Mediterranean, taking v e e r pro!ection ab out fifteen trans p orts with a large proportion of the French prisoners, who are soon to leave us. Some are to It seer to Niahon, and about 3000 to l'entriffe, in three Spanish t hy; of the line, which are to bring us in exchange 3000 Spa ?tiaras All the Spanish ships which had been laid up in the Cameras *re fitted out, and are in the outer bay. Two of them have re ceived orders to proceed to South America, and take under their pro!ection a number of vessels. u We have been very active in putting Cadiz in the best possi• lie state of defence, also the island, the Caraccas, &c. The same evrt i n ni have been used at Seville. We have no doubt that our *m ks will be soon in a situation to meet the enemy in the field, and that ir. two or three months we shall have nothing to dread on that head. We are certainly in a better state for resistance t han at ;.ry period since the hostile entrance of the French into Sp i n . There art new landing here 30,000 stand of arms, three million' of ball cartridges, 20,000 sabres, 20,000 pikes, loathing f or 30,E men, and boots, shoes, &c. to a great amount. This circumstance has diffused universal joy among the people." A private letter, received by a mercantile house in City, states the defeat of General Reding in the lowing terms : Valenea, March 11. g , Since my last letter to yon, 1 am grieved to say that our af f::73 have taken an unfavourable turn in Catalonia. The French paving received large reinforcements, attacked General Reding, whose army was on a most respectable footing, and who had taken an excellent predition. Two desperate engegements were fought vith various success, but without compelling the gallant Reding tareiire (rum his position. The enemy having received a fresh reinforcement of 8000 men, renewed the attack a third time, and after a most sanguinary battle, compelled Reding to retreat to Tarragona. During the engagement he received five different wounds, and his Aid-de-Camp, Read (son of our worthy friend), was wounded and made prisoner." " Lisbon, 24th March. We are to be encamped at a few leagues distance from this c:.y. In the event of proceeding into the interior, which is vet. likely, we shall have great difficulties with respect to provisions ; for we can obtain nothing from the country. The whole army must he subsisted from the shipping on the coast. Such is the destitute condition Of the inbabit.ints, that they have scarcely suf ficient for their own support. The weather !siren! fine, and vege tation is as forward as it is with you at Midsummer." THE EVENING STAR. LONDON. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12. FRICF 01 S POCKS Trilti DAY AT ONE o'ol ACK. Consms, for money, 67+—Dicto for April 67+ 68. Navy 5 per Cents. 983-olnnium 1 pr. Exchequer Bills, 11$. 14s. prem. By our letters from Plymouth, received this morn we learn that the French corvette from which tne. Pixcbt; received the news of the surrender of,Fort Bourbon, was not captured by the PH BE. She was goair, to I - rance as a cartel, having the late Governer M:irtinique on board. Some of the letters state, th . ! she had also an English offi.;er on b mrd, with .'isp..i:ches for Government, and that he was received eaard the PiiCEBE. if the latter circumstance be c . r:ect, we may soon expect to have the official dis ia:.:hts communicated in the Gazette. SPAIN AND PORTUGAL. Spanish papers and letters to the 25th have arrived : their contents are interesting.—We stated some days age: that the patriots under General REDING had been sncescfully engaged with the French in Catalonia. accounts now received confirm that statement, but we are concerned to add, that he afterwards ex perenced a reverse. It appears that though General RED!NG, after the fall of Saragossa, was exposed to the whcle force of the enemy, he had defeated the F:ench in two terrible conflicts, in which the Spa niards displayed great valour, and, in consequence, obtained considerable advantages. But in this situa tion of affairs, when the strength. of the competitors was nearly balanced, the enemy received a reinforce ment of 8,000 men, which turned the scale in his fa vour. Thus encouraged, he made a third attack, when the Patriots were completely routed, and General RE LING, with five severe wounds, was conveyed from the field of action to Taragona. Capt. READ, his Aide ea-Camp, whom we understand to be the sots of a merchant of this city, was also wounded, and made prisoner. In these circumstances the French have nothing to oppose their progress through the extensive and luxuriant !meadows of Valencia, and it is highly probable that they are now beneath the walls of the principal city of that province. Thus critically situated we are happy to assure our Readers that the litters from thence betray no symptoms of despon :!..ncy, bar on the contrary manifest a firm determi- .titn in the inhabituats to resist the victorious armies the invaders. Accor:iin g to the letters fromAsturia it appears, as before in letters from Gijon, that General Ro 4f.NA had arrived safely on the frontiers of that pro- .nce. On the 16th ult. accounts were received from the ct,:t::t at Cadiz, that Reus and Cabrille were both in the hands of the enemy. There are great doubts concerning the state of the ric , t.i!e armies in the South of Spain. It appears on the fine hand that the enemy is advancing towards )s ; and yet, on the other hand, it is by no means sct:rtair,td that the combined army of CUESTA and ALM QUERQUE has been dispersed. It is nevertheless kry unlikely that Marshal VICTOR would march to wards Seville, as has been announced, and leave an -'73ly of fifty thousand wen in his rear. towards the in 1.4 Mancha. The Spanish Papers mention feet of some impOr tance. The French prisoners have been in part re moved from Cadiz to Port Mahon. By the private accounts that have been received from Portugal, there is every probability that before this time Marshal Souza. has obtained possession of Oporto: HOLLAND. The latest accounts state, that a change his taken place in the Dutch Government. VAN MEEwEN is appointed Minister of Finance, and Inspector General of the Customs, in the room of GAGEL. Ron is no longer Minister for Foreign Affairs. JANSSEN is removed from the Administration of the War Department. His successor is not men- tinned. Dunaoco, the Grand Marshal de Logis, is ca- shiered. PANDER HEIM, Minister of Marine, has requested leave to resign. The cause of these sudden changes is not mentioned. It is reported in the City, that a - French Paper has been received, containing a message from BONAPARTE to the Senate, in which, after some severe' animad versions on the conduct of the Emperor of AUSTRIA, he states, that the differences between him and that Monarch have been adjusted ; and that, in consider ation of some important concessions on the part of the Emperer FRANCIS, the Confederation of the Rhine has been dissolved. It is added, that BONAPARTE has avowed his determination of treating Spain as a con quered country, in consequence of the resistance which his usurpation of the Sovereignty of that coun try has experienced. We have not ourselves seen the paper which is stated to contain this'article, and can not, therefore, vouch the authenticity of The state ment. FALMOUTH, APRIL 9. Arrived his Majesty's ship OrtEsTor, from Ply mouth. Sailed his Majesty's ship HeMnyi, with about 2,0 vessels under convoy for the Downs. PINNIOUTH-DOCK, APRIL 10. The P/HENIN, QUEBEC, and STATIRA, frigates, hav ing had a thorough repair, came - out of harbour this day, and anchored in the Sound. —Arrived the AT TACK gun brig, from Rochefort; and TONNANT, Rear-Admiral HERVEY, from the same place.—Also arrived several transports from Lisbon, with soldiers' wives and children ' • the Good Intent, SEWARD, from Lisbon, laden with wine, wool and fruit for this port, left Lisbon the 2'2d ult. in company with 40 sail, un der convoy of the LAVINIA frigate ; parted company yesterday morning off the LIZARD: the Captain posi tively states, that previous to his leaving Lisbon, the whole of the British forces there, amounting to up wards of 10.000 men, had quitted that place ; their destination and object not known.--Arrived the French Chasse-maree la Fane, with wine and cider, bound to Rochefort, taken by the PILCHARD schooner; Draper, PHILLIPS, from Drogheda, laden with oat meal, bound to Portsmouth ; schooner Mary, from 1 St. Michael's, with fruit, for London, put in here in distress ; the Fame transport, HORCA.ND, from Malta, last from Ireland, bound to Portsmouth ; Flora, from Demerara, bound to London, with rum and sugar, left tile former place .the sth of October, under con. voy of the GALATEA frigate ; the Margaret of Dart mouth, GARDNER' master, from Alicant and Gibral tar, last from Cork, laden with brandy, &c. bound to London, sailed from Gibraltar under convoy of the ACTIVE frigate.—Sailed the SWALLOW sloop, for Jer sey ; Adrian hired cutter, for Rochefort ; Violet letter of marque, Captain DARE, for St. Domingo, Madeira, and coast of Chili Portuguese Conde de Peniche, for Lisbon ; and nine Swedish ships, which arrived here yesterday, all laden with salt, from St. Übes, bound to Gottenburgh. PORTSMOUTH, APRIL li. Arrived his Majesty's ships LAVINIA and Ins, with a fleet under convoy from Lisbon ; also a fleet of transports from Cork. Sailed his Majesty's schooners MACKAHEL,with dispatches for Newfound land, and the ALPHEA, on a cruize. DEAL S APRIL 11. Arrived from a crn'ze the CORDELIA sloop and GALLAvrgun-brigi ROYALIST sloop from a cruize off Flushing ; STARLING and Fuiuous gun-brigs, with convoy I, orn Yarmouth ; WEI - MOUTH store-ship from Woolwich, and sailed for Portsmouth, under convoy of the HOPE sloop. The Expedition for Lisbon, under convoy of his Majesty's ship FRZDERICKSTEIN, which sailed from Portsmouth on Saturday, • put back to Yarmouth Roads in the Isle of Wight, where it still remains, in consequence of contrary winds. Yesterday morning marched from Deal, to join the ith Regiment of the Line, about 150 volunteers from the North York Militia ; a parcel of fine young men. Monday a detachment of dismounted cavalry marched from the depot at Maidstone to Portsmouth, preparatory to their being embarked for the East- Indies. The East Kent regiment of Militia has already furnished upwards of 170 volunteers for the line, nearly one-third of its numher. Captain GILL is appointed to the command of the St. Domingo, of 80 guns, at Woolwich. At a meeting of the WHIG CLUB yesterday, a vote of Thanks was unanimously carried in favour of Mr. ,WARDLE and his supporters in the House of Com mons. Resolutions were also passed similar to those of other public bodies respectipz a Parliamentary Re form. The bealths of Mr. WARDLE, Mr. WAITH MAN, Mr. PLUMNIEN Mr. WiIITBRICAP, Mr. DENNI SON, &c. were afterwards drank with great applause. CORN MARKET, MARK -LANG, APRIL 12.—There are middling supplies of Wheat to-day ; second and ordinary are heavy sale, at rather lower prices— Rye again cheaper, and a falling article—Barley in toler able supply ; inferior almost unsaleable—in Malt and White Peas little variation—Beans, of the two kinds, at somewhat better price—of Oats there are likewise tolerable supplies, and this article is brisk sale, and rather dearer—Rape Seed at less—and Flour with ' out variation. MIDDLESEX MEETIffIo. Yesterday, pursuant to a requisition, a numerous and respectable meeting of the Freeholders of Mid dlesex was held at the Mei-Maid Tavern, Hackney, for the purpose of expressing the sentiments of the county on the abuses disclosed by the late ParliaMen tary investigation, J. J. SMITH and C. S. HUNTER, Esqrs. Sheriffs, Chairmen. Mr. Sheriff Srateu read the requisition, in pursu ance of which the Sheriff had the honour to call the present meeting. Mr. Tutiaseit. stated the object of the meeting, which was to express the opinion of the county upon those transactions which had been brought to light by the laudable exertions of a Gentleman, who might now be called one of the most distinguished Members of the House of Commons, and ivho had in that investigation displayed a courage and coolness of which there were but few examples. It had been proved by the confession of those who had looked with the most lenient eye, that corruption did exist in that department, where, of all others, it was of the greatest importance that not a suspicion of corruption should attach. The country was now engaged in a contest in•which not the least success could be obtained, un less there existed that confidence between the pete-le and the Executive Government, which was the very essence of the Constitution. It was always to be re gretted when the voice of the public was in direct contradiction tothat of a mak:thy of its rept e,enta fives in Parliament ; but it was sonic. consolation to recollect, that there was nut a man in the count . y (whom some improper bias had not swayed) who did not think, that, on the present occasion, the opi nion of the people was distinctly and decidedly right, and the opinion of Parliament distinctly and decided ly wrong. ( Loud cheering.) Those Gentlemen, who had taken tip this cause with the zeal of advocates rather than with the impartiality of judges, had been pleased to denominate this opinion polzular clamour, the meaning of which was, that it was not the sort of public opinion that Ministers wished. In their vocabulary, if the voice of the people was with them, it was public olsinion ; if against them, joltulae clamour. But even if it were true that the sentiment so gene rally prevalent on the present occasion, was only that of the ignorant, instead of that of every well inform ed thinking man in the country, its reprobation came with a very ill grace from Ministers, who must be conscious that they owed their present situations to one of the most ignorant popular clamours that had ever been excited. When, as in the late investiga tion, corruption had been detected through every guise, it was highly important that such detect should receive the only reward he was ever likely ti) receive—the thanks and approbation of a gra!ef.il country. Such was the claim of Colonel Wardle, and such Mr. Twit - tell hoped would be his reward.— it gave the speaker peculiar pleasure to have an op portunity, upon the present occasion, of suggesting the Thanks of the Meeting to their worthy Represen tative, George Byng, Esq. who added one more to the many independent votes he had given during the. time they had had the honour to be represented by him ; and it would have given the speaker equal pleasure to have added to that vote of thanks, a simi lar one to their other representative, but he had placed it completely out of their power. Mr. Tufitell then moved the following Resolusions : 1. That circumstances of public notoriety are, for a consi derable time past, placed beyond a doubt the eviitene:: of pi - 0.'4 and scandalous abuses in various departments of tlie executive Governm6nt of the Country. 2. That the abuses which ffaVe been found to prevail in all those departments in which inqiiries have heen inctituted, have fully satisfied the Freeholders of this county of the neces,ity of fur:her strict investigation into the remaining Public Departments of the State. 3. That Gwyllim Lloyd Wardle, Esq. by the unexampled courage, ability, and perseverance with which lie pursued and completed the inquiry into the conduct of the Commander in Chief, has faithfully discharged the duty of a Member of Parlia ment, and Inn in a high decree merited the thank and appruba• Lion of his country. 4. That the Thanks of this Meeting be given to Sir Francis Burdett, Bart. who seconded 'Colonel Wardle's • mo;ian, and to Lord Viscount liolkstone, for the active, uniform, and able sup • port which he afforded to Colonel Wardic during tha whole oh the above Inquiry. 5. That the Thanks of this Meeting he given to S. Whitbread, Esq. Sir Samuel Romiliy, Henry Martin, Esq. Sir T. Turton, Bart. 'l'. W. Cehe, Esq. J. C. Curwen, Esq. Hon. T. Brand, Hon. W. H. Lyttleton, Lord Viscount Milton, Lord Viscount Althorpe, C. W. W. Wynne, Esq. Lord Stanley, and the Mi nority of 125 Members, who divided in favour of Colonei War dle's Motion for an Address to his Majesty. 6. That the Thanks of this Meeting be given to the Min o ri t y of 137 Members, who on the above occasion supported the Amendment proposed by Sir Thomas Turton, Bart. 7. Thilt George Byng, Esq. by the uniform, independent, and upright conduct which Me has observed during the time he repre sented the County of Middlesex, mid more particularly by the support he gave ColonelWarelle on this occasion, has 1414 me rited the thanks and approbation of this Meeting. 8. That the conduct of Ministers in the House, during the course of the late inquiry, has been a complete dereliction of that duty which as Representatives of the People they owe to their Constituents, and has proved them to be wholly unworthy of the confidence of the Country. 9. That from the part which Ministers appear to have taken on the above occasion, no hup•. can be reasonably entertained of any accrual reforaiation of evil. so generally and loudly com plained of, until the executive departments of the State shall be entrusted to men who will honestly endeavour to detect, not shield abuies, and to whom the people may look up as tke aven gers, not the abettors of corruption. . _ 10. That of the unitt.d kingdom will be ani.nated by the result of the Ltte Inquiry to prosecute a reform hi ali the departments of tho. State, by returning honest and independent Representative 3, who sit:at faithfully and zealously exert themselves to correct and annihilate ourrtsptitin, which weakens and even endangers the existei.cv of the empire. Mr. CROMPTON seconded the motion. The first and second Resolutions were then put, and carried unanimously. Upon the third Resolution, containing the Vote of Thanks to Colonel Wardle, being put, Mr. BENTLEY rose, and asked leave to mention a matter of prime importance which struck him ; —he meant in reference to the pains which Administration had uniformly taken to suppress all inquiry whatever; and thought that thanks were particularly due to Co lonel Wardle, for being the first to break this spell.— It was well known to many of the present meeting that more than twenty prosecutionS had been institu ted against persons who hhci attemptea to open the eyes of the public to the corruptions which existed.— Whether these prosecutions were to be persevered in or abandoned, he did not know ; but if they were not to be abandoned, he trusted that the spirit of the coun try, which had now risen, would brand them with their true name, and instead ofprosecntions call them persecutions. (Loud applause.) There was not a man in the country but must allow that there had • teed .Jiscloieci such *buil ant proofs of corinpiioiil that any attempt to thwart inquiry; couli claim hd Other name than that of persecution: Mr. Bentley asked the indulgence of the Meeting, but he could no forbear to express his thanks to Colonel Wardle upou that one particular point. _ The third Resolution was then carried unanimous ly ; as was the fourth, of thanks to Sir F. Burdett, the seconder of Colonel Wardle's motion, and the fifth of thanks to the Speakers and Voters in its favour. Upon the sixth Resolution of thanks to Sir Thomas . Turton and Mr. Bankes, and the Voters for their amendments, being put, Mr. WAITHMAN ruse, and said, that however pain-. fel it might be to occasion any exc:?ti n to the una. nimity of the Meeting, he nevert! eless felt it his duty to oppose the present Resolution, upon the principle that it was inconsistent to thank gentlemen ;n one Resolution who had voted in direct contradiction to those who had just been thanked in another. In the last Resolution, the Members who had divided upon Mr. Wardle's motion had been thanked, ar.d the prc sent proposition went the length of thanking his &tea opponents. Another obintion which Mr. Waithman had to the present Resolution was, that there was so much splitting hairs in the several Amendments, so much dividing and subdividing, that he could view them in no other light than as attempts to snatch the credit of the business out of Mr. Wardle's bar J..— The mischievous tendoncy of the-2 Amendments had been seen in Lord Melville's case. Those gentlemen who'.e conscience would not stiffer them to vote for Ministers, would not suffer them to vote for Mr: Whitbread; and having obtained a little credit for their exertions then, they had tried the same trick in the present instance. _ _ _ Mr. Waithman concluded bf moving, as an Amend ment, that that part of the Resolution relating to Mr. Bankes should be omitted. Mr. Waithman's amendment was seconded. Mr. TUFNELL explained his motives for inserting . the vote of thanks to those Gentlemen, to whose thank-woithiness Mr. Waldman had objected. It did not follow that because they did not vote for Mr. Wardle's motion, they voted against it. There di vided on that motion a number of Members, that amply left it probable they never voted at all. Mr. Tufnell's reason for his vote of thanks was, that though these Gentlemen did not go the whole length, they did better than nothing at all (a laugh) ; they did better than many others, and it was encouraging them to do more another time (the laugh resumed). — If it were distinctly ascertained that they voted against Colonel Wardle's motion, Mr. Tirfnell would then withdraw his Resolution ; but he did not see how that ascertainment was possible. Mr. WAITHMAN replied, that at best then they were thanking Gentlemen for doing what they did not understand. The House of Commons was as open to those Gentlemen upon Mr. NVardle's motion as upon Mr. Bankes's ; and if they neglected their duty upon the thrmer occasion, he thought their con duct the more reproachable : it was less manly to * s t a y away, than to come and give their vote even against `:lr. Wardle. It appearing to be the sense of the meeting, Mr. Tufneil withdrew the objecionable part of the Reso lution, which was then carried unanimously. Thai seventh Resolution of thanks to Mr. Bvng was then put, and carried unanimously. After long and loud applauses, Mr. 131 - NO rose and spoke very nearly in the fol , lowing words : " Mr. Sheriff and Gentlemen Elec tors of Middlesex, I feel highly gratified tr• tt my conduct on the present occasion has met with your approbation. I can assure you, that next to my own honour and conscience, nothing is so dear to me as the approbation of those who sent me to act for them in Parliament. If upon the present occasion I had had the misfottune to differ from them, I would have felt it my duty to have surrendered to them that trust I should have felt myself unfit any longe to exercise —(Loud aftplasar.)—And indeed, Gentle men, I hope to live to see the time when the term for which the Parliamentary trust is delegated shall b: so short, that it shall he impossible for any represen tative to act for any length of time in opposition to the opinion and wishes of his coastituents—(The ap plause continue..)—After having heard and perused the evidence on the late investigation, I should have acted contrarily to the dictates •pf my conscience if I had flinched from my duty, however painful it might be ; I should have felt degraded in my own mind, and ashamed this day to have appeared before my constituents—(Loud cheering).—lf; Gentlemen, the late inquiry should end merely with the resigna tion of the Commander in Chief, it would be of as little use to us as the dismissal of Lord Melville was; but I hope we may now look fin-ward to see how far that spirit of the country which is now roused will avail, and whether a radical reform of all abuses whatever is not attainable. If the people are true to themselves, and will but speak out, their voice will be irresistible, and that reform will follow, with-tot which the country cannot be saved ; and if they fed that they are represented in Parliament by men iden tified with themselves, there is no man who will not carry arms, and give his last shilling, provided he is assured that his ui•>od and treasure will be spent glo riously and honourably for the service of his country." Mr. Brag's speech concluded amidst fipplauses,which lasted for some minutes. Mr. Ct. A ay.sos then rose and said, that having done ample j;istice to one of their representatives, it was necessary that ample justice should be done to the other. [lt being Are suggested to him that the regular course was iirst to dispose of the Resolutions which had been read, he declined at that time proceeding farther.] The eighth resolution, which declared " the pro- sent Ministers to be wholly unworthy the confidence of the Country," was put and carried unanimously. The ninth resolution, declaring " that there was no hope of any important reform until the offices in the Executive department were filled by honest men, anxious to detect instead of shielding abuses," was also put and carried unanimously. When the question was put upon ti,e tenth resolution, Major CARTWRIOHT rose and slid, that he did not perceive that any of the Resolutions went farther[ than to reform abuses prevailing in ditferent departments of the State ; but none of them appeared to him to go to that which was by much the most important oapartment, the House of Commons. He rose pprri• . cipally for the purpose of informing the Freeholders II I