Star. — London, England, 1811-06-27 00:00:00

;;..:.J.: ; ~. __ possesowiewqmarommommo."+"PmP"'"Posor".•••••••• FIVE GUINEAS REWARD. IF the YOUTH who left his Friends on Friday Night at Bath will immediately return, he will be kindly re cetied•roind if any person will give information where he may be fouotl to Mr. Physick, St. James's Parade, Bath, such person shall be entitled to FIVE GUINEAS Reward. He Is about 14 Years of Age, about 4 feet 6 Inches high, dark contplexidn, black hair, blue eyes, andlong eye-lashes. Had on,l — *hen be went away, a short green jacket with white buttons, a light waistcoat with yellow metal buttons, a.blaek handkerchief round his neck, and pair of blue cloth pantaloons. The said Youth is supposed to be gone to some Sea-port Town. N. B. Persons Are cautioned against detaining the Youth above described. as he is an Apprentice. Bath, June 23, 1811. _ - R""~ - - - ~,, ..,,,, . s• . O • • 1 1 ARL141MENTARr PROCEEDINGS. HOUSE OF LORDS, JUNE 26. Their Lordships met early in a Committee of privilegeepn the Berkeley Peerage. Serjeant Best was heard conclusively to be ' halt of the senior claimant: I The ATToa N rs-G ENca AL then , proceeded to address their Lordships on the part of the Crown, when be was interrupted by a motion from the Woolsack for adjournment, which took place at about half-past four o'clock. Prayers being read, and the Committee resumed, the Attor ney-General re-entered on Om argument in behalf of the crown, and went on at considerable length. The House being resumed at about half-past five o'clock, the Royal Assent, by commission, was given to tie Votes of Credit, Drawback Suspension, Bank Silver Tokens, Army Prize-Money, Snow-hill, and Temple Bar Improvements , Maidstone Gin, Norway Timber Duty, Glebe Houses, the Appropriation Bill, the Lottery Bill, the Irish Stage Coaches Bill, the Militia Bills, the Soldiers' Families Bill, the Cornish Miners bill, Lord Clon curry's Divorce Bill, and several local and private bills ; in all 67. The Commissioners went—the LORD CHANCELLOR, Lord AT LEIF ORD, and Lord WALSINCIIAM. The Militia Interchange Bill was brought upfront the Commons. Earl STANHOPE gave notice that be should, to-morrow, make a Motion of the most extreme conseque ice, relative to the purchase of Guineas, and the Depreciation of Bank Paper. Lord WALSINGHAM presented a Petition from Mr. Lop den, requesting that the Bill then before the House, respecting his Divorce, should not pass into a law.—Ordered to be taken " into consideration to-morrow.—Adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS. Writs were ordered for the election of new Members to serve in Parliament, in the room of the Right Hon. Wellesley Pole, IMember for the Queen's County, who had accepted of the office of Chancellor of the Exchequer for Ireland; of General Cie ' plane, who had vacated his seat for the Borough of Kinross, by accepting the situation of Commissioner of Excise in Scotland; landuf Sir John Sinclair, late Member for the County of Bute, who had been appointed Receiver-General of the Taxes in Scotl and. MR. ST. JOHN MASON'S PRTITION. Mr. SHERIDAN, in rising at this late period of the Session for the purpose of bringing before the House the claims of a much injured individual, would begin by signifying his wish that the future cognizance of them should be submitted to the Irish Government, which, from the manner in which the late commission for the inspection of prisons had been conducted, had proved itself fully competent to the reformation of abuses and to the redress of injustice ; and they would find ample materials, upon which to exercise the good qualities he had attributed to them in the case of the petitioner, which was one of as flagrant outrage and oppression as had ever fallen beneath the notice of any human tribunal. Admitting, as he did, the good effects of the commission he had adverted to, and the upright intentions of the persons who had acted by' virtue of it, he could not pass over in silence the ' shocking disclosure which had been consequent on their inquiries. The state of the prisons to which their attention had been directed, as described in their Re port, was shocking to humanity, and, if resting on any inferior authority, it would be perfectly incredible' how it could exist, when Members of Parliament, whoi talked so much in this country of Irish grievances, and Members of the Irish Government had the means in their power of inquiry with respect to it, and pro. 'curing its reformation. The petitioner, Mr. Mason, did not now come for Ward for the purpose of procu ring compensation for the losses he had sustained in point of fortune, severe as they were : his profession hael entirely, and his patrimony, in a great measure fallen a sacrifice ; but his chief concern was- his cha racter, and with a view to the recovery of that, he had made the present application to the House. The Hon. Member then read a clause from the Petition,, stating the confinement of the petitioner for two years, under very aggravating circumstances, without having had any charge preferred against him. The Govern- . , ment of Ireland, he continued, while under the admi nistration of Lord Hardwicke, stood charged with an act of the most violent injustice and oppression, and it was incumbent on that Noble Lord, if he felt that he could exculpate himself from any share of blame in the affair, to promote an inquiry. He was certain that nothing could be more gratifying to him. As to the private information which had been re ceived against Mr. Mason, it was obvious, that if the prinliple was admitted, that a man might be ruined, and torn for a period of two years from his friends and family, no man would be safe under his own roof. The present Petition was as much the business of the public as that of Mr. Mason.— He had originally intended to propose that the Peti tion should be referred to the cognizance of a Select Committee ; but he was apprehensive that the late period of the session rendered that now inexpedient"; and according to what he had already stated, he felt that the petitioner would have every reason to expect justice from an inquiry instituted by the Irish Govern ment. He should therefore move— " That az bumble Address be-presented to his Royal High ness the Prince Regent, praying that he would cause an inquiry to be instituted into the substance of the Petition of William St. John Mason, Esq. which had been laid before'the House on the 7th of May last ; and which Petition charged the Government of Ireland, under the administration of Earl Hardwicke, with an SWEDISH AND GERMAN PAPERS, NICE, MAY 12.. An English frigate had conceived the project of seizing upon a xebeck laden on account of Govern , snent, , anchored in the gulph of Rotta ; on the 7th, at 45 minutes after ten in morning, the wind having tailed, and being within half cannon shot of shore, • she commenced a cannonade upon the vessel. The battery iif the Gulph, and that of_Bordighera answered .it by a lively fire. The combat lasted till two in the afternoon. During this interval, the under Prefect _of San Remo, who went, upon the firing of the first cannon to Bordighera, in concert with the Mayor of that town, ordered the national 'guard and Custom house officers to take up arms, and placed them so as to defend the vessel threatened, and prevent the boats which the frigates had launched to assist her in her designs, from approaching the coast. The fire of the batteries was so well directed, that several balls hit her in different places, and completely destroyed one of the boats launched. After a battle of several hours, the frigate was obliged to renounce her intention, and get without reach of she battery. _ Her loss must have been very considerable. FRANKFORT, MAY :30. On the 29th they began to take off the seals placed upon the warehouses of several merchants of this town. The result of the eery rigid examinations which have taken place are not yet known. BERLIN, MAY So. We arc not fertile in 'political events, and Prussia continues to enjoy the most perfect tranquillity. The Goverbment principally occupies itself about the finances, and in protecting the coasts from all insult. There incessantly depart for our ports, troops, artil lery, and ammunition. We are well prepared to re ceive the English, should they, which is not likely, be inclined to attack us. ST. LOO, MAY 30. At five o'clock this morning his Majesty went out into the Roads, and ordered the squadron commanded by Rear-Admiral Troude, to put out to sea. This squadron performed several evolutions, at several leagues distance from the Roads. At eight o'clock their Majesties took their breakfast on the Dyke, at Cherbourg. The squadron, which had returnedkaut again to sea. At noon their Majesties ascended their carriage, and at seven o'clock in the evening arrived gt this place. ST. PETERSBURGH, MAY 22. The Duke of Vicenza, hitherto Imperial Ambassa dor at this Court, who on the 19th instant returned to France, was on his departure presented by his l i mpe, rial Majesty with the Order of St. Andrew, richly set with brilliants. STOCKHOLM, JUNE 13. His Majesty's most gracious letter to the Directors of the Custom House, regarding their pajings atten tion to the order of the 30th July, 1744, for pievent ing the exportation of gold and silver Coin, contains a-circular letter from the King of Sweden to the Go. vernor and Magistrates of the several provinces, ad monishing them to keep a watchful eye over the due fulfilment of the said order, and to bring all persons offending against the same, to due punishment. His Majesty has, by a Proclamation oldie 4th inst. re-opened the Chest at Wadslena, for disabled soldiers and seamen. They are tobe divided into four classes . , and to receive a pension of from three riz-dollars 16 shillings to 24 riz-dollars per annum. SPEECH OF BERNADOTTE, PRINCE REGENT OF SWEDEN, ON THE OCCA6ION OF A REVOLT OF THE INHABITANTS OF WERMOPEN, IN CONSEQUENCE OF THE ORDER FOR EN . FORCING THE CONSCRIPTION. " 'llw King received with the deepest affliction, the . • lntell lgence of the criminal outrages which have taken place in Wen - moden. If his Majesty had not yielded to those emotions of cle mency which influence his conduct on all occasions, he would have declared your isle out of the Constitution, and affixed to the inhabitants the sell of reprobation. The King has not commanded any ti d irg to be done contrary to the laws. He has only caused to be entorced a resoltition of the States of the kingdom, sano. tioned and approved by himself. His Majesty has therefore a right to exact the strictest obedience. The ►eason of disorder is passed—the reign of the laws must begin. The King being em powered to levy 50,000 men, in conformity to the resolution of the States, fur the recruiting of his army, has required only 15,000, because he thought the latter number amply sufficient for the de fence of the country. And do you presume to put a false con struction upon the paternal motives of his Majesty I Had your ancestors been no better patriots than you, Sweden would now have been under a foreign yoke. I would put this question to you —Have you a mind to remain as you are—free and independent Swedes? " lam a true Swede in my heart. I was summoned to this country by the united voice of the nation and of the King. I came with confidence to protect and defend you ; bat if any one dare to resist the execution of orders, the guilty shall be struck by the arm of the law, as promptly as if he were struck by the lire from HEAVEN. I will for a moment put myself in your situation. You still cherish• a remembrance, though a melancholy one, of the venerable Landtvarn, who beheld the cruel death of ' • one of his sous ; he, indeed, might have been excused for giving reluctantly his consent to abandon another to the same fate. rex I have no swell excuse—and I repeat what l have already said, if the interest of the State required your sons to inarch„ which is not likely to ►e the case immediately, I am ready to maelh at their head, and they shall be treated with paternal tenderness,- 1 • Banish -then your groundless apprehensions, and always bear in - mind that the most effectual mode of preseving the independence of your coutity,is to be prepared to repel foreign aggression. " 1 have beheld with satisfaction the contrition you have ma pifested in your countenances, which experience has taught me to decypher ; your consciences!, f perceive, accuse you, and 1 am sa• Ogled that your min& are not corrupted. You have been under 4 niomen'ary delusion, and entered yourselves to be the victims of misconception and misrepresentation. I will beseech the King c e extend his clemency to you, and to bury what has just hap pened, in obliyion, in copslderation of your prompt submission; Out I admonish you to prove, by your subsequent demeanour, that yog were worthy of such a signal mark of the Royal bounty. i do not desire even to know the names of those who took apart in the ituedisturbances, but I shall always hold in grateful remem brance such of the inhabitants of Wermoden as have proved dyer to be good Swedes; and happily their number greatly , exceeds those of an opposite description. To convince you of my wish to drisw a veil over recent occurrences, I propose ere long to pay you inisit, accompanied only by my son ; no guard shall attend me, being confident that my ben security is in your affec tions." ' ' ' N. ' ... that he had found every apartment in a state of the most perfect cleanliness and comfort. He had gone ' a second time, on the supposition that they had been prepared for his inspection, and at a time when Dr. Trevor could not be apprized of his coming; and the result of this second visit had satisfied him that the complaints against that Gentleman were without foundation,indeed, be had always thought him in capable of acting in the manner in which he had been represented to have done. Mr. WILLIAM SMITH said, that his acquaint ance with' Mr. Mason was very slight, having only met him once at the house of a common friend ; and be now rose chiefly to express his opinion in conse quence of the connexion the subject had with the pub lic interests. A Right Honourable Gentleman op. , posite had contended, that the case of Mr. Mason was ' similar.to that of any other individual imprisoned un• tier the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act. He did not wish to deny the general-expediency of im prisoning persons who were supposed guilty of endea. vouring to subvert the Constitution ; but whenever such inquiry existed, and was acted upon, a violent outrage was committed against an individual, if inno cent; and it was the business of the people for whose welfare it was committed, to make compensation, a case of perfect innocence being made out. He did not contend that the injury should not be inflicted— but that the injured person should have.a right to re dress. He wished that the Petition had been made the subject of discussion at an earlier period of the Session, when it might have been referred to a Select Committee. He did not wish to cast any imputation psi the Members of the Irish Government ; but it was 'only natural to suppose that they would not look with a very severe aspect on the acts of their predecessors. Having presumed thus much, he would assent to esti "motion of his Hon. Friend. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that when Mr. Mason was confined, it was not by virtue of a suspension of the Habeas Cotpus Act, so that if he had felt conscious of innocence, and sup posed that he could prove it, he might have sought his remedy by an action at law, But in no case, where the discretionary power vested in the Crown for the protection of the State was fairly used, and that no feeling of private malevolence could be pro ved, would a Jury give damages ; and it was hs opi nion, that Mr. Mason's confinement Was attributable to no cause butaftecessity, real or supposed. He did not, therefore, feel at all surprised that Mr. Mason neglected to adopt what would have appeared to be his most natural course of proceeding. He approved much of the reference of the subject to the investiga tion of the Irish Government ; and he would beg leave to observe, in answer to the objections that had been made to it, that if Mr. Mason and his friends were dissatisfied with the result, it would still be compe tent for the House to institute the inquiry, which, in that case would be only delayed, not given up. Sir FRANCIS BURDETT said, tl‘at if the rea sonings of the Right Hon. Gentleman were admissi ble, then he could not conceive why we should affect to plume ourselves on living under a tree form of Go vernment. The Right Hon. Ge'ntleman had stated, and but too truly, that the case i f Mr. Mason was not singular ; but it guilt was to be imputed to that gentleman, because he had neglected to bring his ac . tion, what were we to say of the acts of those Minis ) tern who required a Bill of itistemnity to screen them from their consequences ? It the subjecting Mr. Ma son to solitary confinement for two years were to be considered mer ly as a measure of prevention, he should wish to know what additional punishment re mained for established guilt ? He objected to persons not legally authorised interfering in the economy of our jails, a practice of late but too prevalent. Doctor Trevor seemed to be a person of this description, and it was in consequence of some undue interference of the same kind, that the Petition of another aggrieved individual (Mr. Finnerty) had been met the other night by reflections on his conduct. Whatever were the motives by which the Government was actuated in the affair of Mr. Mason, and others of a similar nature, it would not be said that those of their subor dinate agents might not be of a very improper nature; but that on which he grounded his chief objection to "the doctrine of arbitrary imprisonment was, the spirit by which all Governments were impelled by, of mak ing 4 4 assurance doubly sure," and thinking light of any infliction on an individual, when the stability of their own power could be thereby incr .ase.l. "I The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER xplained. Sir CHARLES BURRELL replied briefly to-the F arguments of Sir Francis Burdett. ' Sir HENRY MONTGOMERY thought that the characterof Lord Hardwicke, and that of the Secretary of State in Ireland, during nis Administration, were sufficient vouchers that no step had been taken with respect to Mr. Mason bat what had been cal'ed for by necessity. .. _._______ .that ;-- set of injustice and oppression." Mr. HIiTCHINSON said, . in voting with Mr. YORKE rose to second the motion of the Ho. the . We. Gentleman •on the floor, he must not be .nourable Gentleman, but at the same time felt him. supposed a. tacitly censuring . the -conduct of Lord :self bound to animadvert on certain parts of the speech Hardwicke ; the Administration• of that Nobleman he had just heard. When he had stated that the re- in Ireland had been characterised by lenity and mo- , suit of the commission appointed to inquire into pri- deration. He was satisfied, indeed, that the suspi.i son abuses in Ireland, was the bringing to light their cions entertained against Mr. Mason had no fbunda-i [ existence in so terrible a degree as he had de. tion; but he could suppose, from what be had wit- 1 scribed, he very clearly proved that he had not read nessed in that countr y in 1798, that it was easy for a" the Report upon which he had founded such an asser- Chief Governor to be misled by a multitude of alar , tion. With respect to the mode of reasoning he had mists, who were ever forward with expedients to quell I adopted as to the hardship Mr. Mason had sustained, insurrectionary symptoms, the produce of their own -and the general bearing it had on the rights of the cruelty. subject, it was sufficient to observe, that it would ap- Sir H. MONTGOMERY explained. • ply to every case of imprisonment under the suspen. Mr. LONG believed, if ever a man was disposed ston of the Habeas Corpus Act. He was aware that to lenity, that man was Lord ,Hardwicke. He the Honourable Gentleman had been always hostile had no doubt, but that he would be fully justified, to that measure ; but this was not a time to invite a were any examination made on the apprehension of discussion as to its demerits. Mr. Mason's desire to Mr. Mason. The apartments where he was confined clear his character from any imputation attaching to were airy and clean, every way fitting to preserve a it, he considered as highly laudable ; but he must beg prisoner?* health, and much lenity seemed to be ; leave to enter his caveat against any supposition that shewn to him by the jailor; though he considered •-the establishment of his innocence involved the crimi- the Motion to be somewhat premature, he would nation of Lord Hardwicke. That Nobleman had agree with it. never heard the name of Mr. Mason previous to his Mr. SHERIDAN denied any charge against Lord confinement, and it was absurd to suppose that he Hardwicke, no man doubted his humanity i but he could have - had any motive for persecuting an indivi- believed that he might have been imposed on. With dual wholly unknown to-him. respect to the delay in producing the Petition, he ob. Sir EVAN NEPEAN could testify, from his per. served that it was not in a shape suitable to be pre sonal,knowledge of the transaction, that Lord Hard- sensed, else he would have given it to the House wicke had never been actuated by any personal a n i. sooner. The sus p ension of the Nodes: Corms \ did not tziosity against Mr. Mason. He would further state, warrant the committal of Mr. Mason, though it had that he had-visited the room in which that Gentle. I been ingeniously argued, no regular information was man had been confined, and could assure the House then Waited on; but every min Goasidtral by the r;' Government as dangerous, at large, was instantly committed. The suspension did not justify that no, it was usurpation and not law. If Government confined every person they chose, and Parliament were to confirm it, they would extinguish every prin ciple of liberty. According to the statement which Mr. Mason had made, the gaol in which he was coa -1 fined was ill aired and incommodious. and the water. pumps had been incapable of working for five years, occasioning a smell altogether intolerable. It wan on the statement of Mr. Mason, that be had brought fm - ward his motion on the regulation of Irish gaols, and all the consequent amendment was owing to his statement. From the general conduct of Mr. Ma son, he was induced to assert that there seemed not a consciousness of guilt in any thing which he had ' done or asserted for his confinement. The motion was then put and agreei to nett. cert. ( "and the Address ordered to be prepared and presented accordingly. MESSAGE FROM THE LORDS. The Peers intimated by message, that they rev' ' red front the House the First and Second Reports t.: the Committee appointed to make inquiry concerning the Bogs of Ireland.—The copies were accordingly ordered to be delivered, PUBLIC EXPENDITURE. Mr. BANKS produced th;"third Report of the Committee on Public Expenditure, which was orde re to lie on the table. The Honourable Gentleman took occasion to observe, that there were seve.al tions of considerable emolument to the Public prop,:. god in that Report, which he hoped the Hon. Gentle elan (Mr. Perceval) would attend to. ' He did not mean to assert that all the curtailments and saving; of national expenditure necessary to the counlry wer,- here proposed. It was only a totrxdation on which a better regulation might be constructed, for s.tving in military and naval expenditure. He felt consciou s that his Hon. Friend (Mr. Percevil) would end, oa the examination of that Report, much of that embar rassment removed which attached itself to adminis tering in that branch pt government. He hoped that the views contained in the Report would be carried into execution ; he therefore moved, that the Report should be printed, which was agreed to. EAST INDIA MISSIONARIES. Mr. PRENPERGAST, pursuant to his motion relating to the Indian Missionaries, called the atten tion of the House to the subject. •He observed that none, he believed,- existed in the House, who were not friends to the spirit of the Christian Religion being disseminated over whatever part of the world was its the possession of Britain, He particularly requested the attention of the House, and mostly that of the Honourable Member for Yorkshire (Mr. Wilberforce) to a paragraph in a newspaper, so very exceptionable, that he wished it to be explained to bun. He saw the Honourable member for Yerkshire . betcre him,ready to answer what he had alledged, and he felt assured, that, without some sufficient, but concealed reason, he would not have lent his great name to the aid of such a paragraph. He would not press the motion farther, but wait an answerfrom the Hon. Gentleman. Mr. GRANT replied, that there had been a so- ciety established for the promulgation of thiChristian Religion in Africa and the Indies, the report of that society was utterly unknown to his Hon. Friend Mr. Wilberforce and himself, until it was read in a general meeting. He and his friend were removed to a dis tance, and heard not distinctly every word, and what had been objected to created no alarm at all, they never once thought of it._ The whole was to alto., money tor fit and proper persons to translate the Scrip. tures isto the native tongues where the MiSsionanes had ..spreiad themselves. rile Committee proposed that resolution unto the s 'cietyi and it was Apra without fear of any consequences ; ho wished to have it known that he distinctly stated for his Honourable Friend (Mr. Wilberforce) and himself, that they never knew of such a proposal until that It WAS made; they soon found, however, that the Government had established regulations which the proposal of t heCian. mittee was not agreeable to, "and that no such thing could be done uoless they had the conciarence of Go vernment ; and that it might excite commotion ucre it persevered in. He had never binsscif considered that an 7 commotion would be excited by it. His whole atm was to have the Gospel disseminated over the world ; and he deemed it the duty of Governmait to press such a salutary measure forward. Mr. PRENDERGAST declared himielf satisfied with the explanation, and dropped his motion. Ac cordingly he was interrupted by the SPEAKER from farther observation, which he seemed inclined to make. MILITARY PUNISHMENTS. Sir FRANCIS BURDLTT said, during a late discussion on ttie subject of Military Punishments, it had been asserted, that the clause in the Mutiny Act. giving an option to Courts Martial to punish, if they thought fit, by imprisonment, had not produced that -amelioration in the situation of the soldier, which se• veral Honourable Gentlemen contended it hadeffected. In support of this statement, a ease had recently come to his knowledge, in which a soldier of the name of Evan:, belonging to the Royals,' had, for a very tri• fling offence, been sentenced to reeeive.a.flogginv the Court-Martial.not having heels pleased to commute the punishment. The unfortunate man, sooner than suffer this cruel, unmanly, and ignotpinious punish ment. had cut his throat. A surgeon was, however, .sent for, the wound was sewed up, and the unhappy soldier was then lying in the hospital with every hope .of recovery ; which, he supposed, would be toilowed with additional punishment for the attempt he had made on his life. This circumstance occurred in Isle of Wight—and he should feel it his duty early in the next Session, to submit to the House a Enotiorh ca the subject. IRISH MINISTRY. Sir JOHN PARNELL inquired of the Hon. Gentleman (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) who ther on the accession of Mr. W. Pole to the Chancel lorship of the Exchequer of Ireland, the commuai cations made to the Board of Irish Revenue, when by them reissued, would be signe I with the name cf Secretary of the Irish Treasury, or Chancellor of the Exchequer ; under whote name would the control of the revenue be made ? . The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUE .Whatever *Mr. Pole did as Secretary, would as o .ci be signed, and whatever he performed as Chancel . would be avowed under that name. He could rat see any difficulty in the fulfilment of those o ffices is one person, fik they approached close to each ether is more than resemblance. —AS PT,771 . I - n dr to ni -db th ti' hi fr IC