Star. — London, England, 1811-02-21 00:00:00

tiler, from trench Influence, injure the trade, nor obstruct the prosperity of the nation by which he has been adopted. It is certain that neither letters of marque, nor reprisals, have yet been issued in pursu ance of the declaration of war against Great Britain. It may be considered that the professions of the Crown Prince are hypocritical, and intended to delude, until he can obtain the support of the French army t• but, if we are correctly inforMed, by a de tot who left Sweden within d i e se 10 slays, not a rrench sol dier has entered that territoi7 ; and the jealousy and enmity of the natives towards France is such, that the attempt, at present, to introduce the armed bands of BONAPARTE, would b 4 lath to his designc. Another Pourer_ in. the Baltic, after a persevering system of determined hostility, has shewn a temper that may be deemed conciliatory to us. A Decree irons Copenhagen is in town, which states, among other arrangements, that ships with English Licences shall not, on account of being provided with such licence:, be liable to confiscation. In consequence of this Edict, a great number of vessels, which were detained in the ports of that kingdom, will, it is understood, be im mediately set at liberty. The article most deserving attention is, the Ordi nance of the Duke of RAousA, sequertrating the pro. pert" of all Austrian su bj ects in the Illyrian Province:. At the Council held on Monday se'nnight the np-. nual Order in Council, usually issued in December, was agreed to for authorising the Lords of the Ad. miralty to istte press warrants. IRISH CATHOLICS.—The following is. a copy of-the' Circular Letter of the Committee of the Catholics. of Ireland, which the Earl of LIVERPOOL has moved; to be laid before the House of Lords : - Sts-1 am directed by the General Committee of the Catho lics of Ireland to solicit your particular attention on the present occasion. " The Committee 'ming entrusted with the Petition of the Ca tholic Body, feel it incur. bent on them to state to you their con • %Jetfoil of the imperative necessity of an increase of their numbers, so that there may he managers of the petition connected. with every part of Ireland. It is highly desirable that the Committee should become the depository of the collective wisdom of the Ca tholic Body, that it should be able to asco 'tali, in order to obty, the wishes, and clearly understand the wants of 41 their Catho lic feliew-subjects. 'I his is the more requisite at the present mo ment, when there appears to be so sear aprospeet of complete emancipation; and the Committee arc convinced that their eman cipation can now be retarded only by criminal apathy er neglect amongst the Catholics themselves. " They beg leave to suggest to you the propriety of appointing ten 'Managers of the Petition in your county. There are now three survivors of the persons who were Delegates is the year 379 E. These persons are already constituent Members of the Committee, and as such Managers of the Petition; so that you have to appoint only seven additional Managers. " The Committee desire to add, that by law, as it now stands, to species of delegation or representation On be suffered to take place; nor can any person, without a gross violatioo of the law, be a representative or delegate, or zct under any name as a repre sentative or Delegate. Engaged as we are, in a struggle fur Legal and Constinitional Rights, it is our duty, as well as our in caution and.decided determination, not to violate the spirit, nor even the letter of the law. It is, at the same time, to be observed, that the law to whek we allude dues not interfere with the sub ject's undoubted right to petition Parlianenti—nor, of course, with the only method by which so large a body as the Catholics of Ireland could concur in forwarding a Petition; nantelt, by leavieg the mailagentent of it in the hands of a few persons, who deserve and possess their confidence. - - - - " And the Committee cannot refrain, on this occasion, from calling to your recollection the words of that celebrated champion of loyalty and reliiion, Edmund Burke, relative to the Irish Ca tholics—" Your enemies are embodied: what becomes of you, if you are only individials ?" " The Committee does not presume to interfere with the mode in which you shall think fit to nominate those managers of the PetitiOS, s ave that it writ net be by any eleetion or appointswent to represent any person or persons, or any district or place whatsoever. They moreover beg leave to suggest the propriety of erpedition, and request that you will have the goodness to reply to this letter, and to state your sentiments on this subject; adding, if it shall so pleae ycu, the names of seven persons whom you CINICafe most , fit to manage the petition in your county. " In appoisting those Managers, the Committee respectfully solicit your particular attention to the many advantages to be de rived from naming Managers whose avocations require, or leisure permits their permanent or occasional residence in Dublin, where the ultimate arrangements, as to the Petition, can best be made. I have further to observelo you, that all the Noble Lords who constitute he Catholic Peerage are already Managers of the Pe tition " Letters received yesterday from Dublin assert, that the measures taken bythe Lord Lieutenat, to prevent the assembling of a General Convention of the Ca tholics, has met with the approbation of several of the leading men of that persuasion. are said, however,to be hostile to the dissoltproti li o l fle existing Committee. This body consists of only 38 wesubers •—the propi , sed Convention was to consist cilia. A letter from Plymouth states, that the TIORITINT gun brig has brought an account from ,Lisbon of MsssEwA having broken up from Santarem, and com menced his retreat to Spain.—We deem it necessary, however, to observe, - that the Fravax-r arrived at Torbay m days ago, where she landed her dis patches,aol these, we understand, contain no such aecnunt dureponetat Slpasouth to have been _Lraught by he . ''-• • • Th*letters from Itimbinh are to the sth instant. They state that many counting-houses of 'the princi pal merchants were shut up, money extremely scarce, and trade in a condition of total stagnation. It is sar castically observed, that the paternal solicitude of NA POLEON inclines him to relieve his new subjects from the vici ssit u des and anxieties ofcotnmerc i al speculation. General Wearusaau. and family, some time since bald prisoners by the French in the Mauritius, were permitted to proceed on their vnyap to India three weeks before the Isle of France fell into our hands— a pretty clear proof of the good understanding be tween the General and the French Governor, or of the improbability of his being long able to maintain it against the attacks of British perseverance and bravery. His Royal Highness the PRINCE REGENT, 011 a re presentation m a d e i n f avour of a man confined in Coldbath.fields prison, for a riot during a late poli tical ferment, has been pleased to sign an order for his liberation. • At the Leicester Sessions a man was sentenced to I-. transported for 7 years, ibr haying two wives, and Lis Wife at the same time was sentenced to be impri •nred for one y ear , f or h av i ng two h usbands ; and at . icent Sessions a man was sentenced to be impri soned two yeais, for having three wives. AtAYAL INTELLIGENCE. FALMOUTH, FEBRUARY lc Put back the Lord Hobart packet, bound to Suri nam, in consequence of having been on shore at Ply mouth.—Arrived the Trusty, FLAXTON, and another trawort with cavalry ; two brigs, the Benjamin and Eli 11; and his IkNesty's ship ABUNDANCX. The above vessels sailed from Torbay on Saturday last, with a large fleet cf transports, &c. for Lisbon, which have bore up for Torbay. TORBAY. FEBRUARY 19. This day was boarded off Berryhead the ship Hi bernia, from Rio Janeiro, by his Majesty's hired brig LORD COctiRANR. The ship is bound to London, baying had 77 days passage; brought home dipatches fof Government, which were brought on shore by the LORD COCHRANE, and forwarded per mail by this post. PLYMOUTH, FEBRUARY 19. The Lisbon and Mediterranean convoys, under the protection of the FRANCIIISE frigate and RIFLEMAN sloop, have sailed with a fine breeze at E. S. E. that soon waft them down Channel.—The brig Ran ger, NOIRE master, from London, with a cargo, bound to Teneriffe, put in here yesterday in a leaky state, and must unload to repair.—The Union, from Ali cur, bound to Jersey with a cargo of salt, put in here 110 wait for convoy.—Sailed the Eliza and Jane ten ,' , for*Cork ; the Srr sloop of war, and ULYSSES frigate. on a cruize.-.-Came up harbour to repair, the ANA frigate.—One of our cruizing frigates recently captured a French brig bound to the Isle of France, frith dispatches,which were intercepted, and entrusted to the care of a Lieutenant to bring in here in the prize. These dispatches were, by some means or other, afterwards lost, and a Court of Inquiry is this day sitting on the Lieutenant, to examine into so ex traordinary a circumstance. I will PORTSMOUTH, FEBRUARY to. Nothing arrived. Sailed the SARPEDON on a cruize. DEAL,' FEBRUARY 20. Nothing arrived or sailed to-day. SHEERNESS, FEBRUARY 20. Arrived the NONPAREIL, from the Westward. NAVAL APPOINTME NTS. Captain Sidney Horton, to the Standard; Captain Hollis, of the Standard, to the Achille. vice Sir Richard King, who comes home; Captain Bullen, of the Volontaire, to the Cambrian , vice Fane, takers prisoner; Captain Ferris to the Volontaire ; Captain Johnstone, to the Venger, vice White, posted; Captain R. Tho mas, to th e Undaunted. Lieut. W. Ltigg is appointed senior Lieutenant of the Princess Carolina; Lieut. John Pettey, to the Impress Service at Graves end, vice Foley; I.ieut. A. Mentgamerie to the Aquillen, Lieut. H. Pigott to the Ethane°, Lieut. Niven to the Avenger, Lieut. W. Davis to the Fame, Lieut. R. S. More to the Cytme, Lieut. H. Pyne to the Tremendous, Lieuts. T. Reid and Peter Dispowe ries to the Waldemaar prison-ship, Lieut. Birdwood to the Prin cess Sophia Frederica prison ship, Lieuts. Legg and Butts to the Princess Caroline, Lieut. T. Came to the Caledonia, Lieut. Raw. tins to the Southampton, Lieut. John Julian, late of the St. Al bans, and Lieut. Wilson, to the Boyne; Lieuts. D. Price, James Niven, and J. Aroderick, to the Ardent ; Lieut. Sweny, to the Aquilon ; Lieuts. Evans and Morgan to the Recruit, Lieut. Hodge to the Thracian, Lieut. Saurin to the Akmene, Mr. Weir, late Master of the Chatham, to the Glory prison-ship, at Chatham. To be Pursers—Mr. Edgcombe to the Britannia, Mr. Robert son to the Belleisle, Mr. Rickford to the Venerable, Mr. Child to the Goree; Mr. G. Waller, Purser of the Goree, to be Secre tary to Sir Joseph Yorke; Mr. Anderson, Purser of the Roman, to the Woodlark. Manley Hulke, Esq. is appointed Agent Victualler at Palermo. Mr. Morgan, sen of Mr. W. Morgan, of Portsmouth, is ap plated Chief Clerk to the Agent Victualler at the Cape of Good Hope. Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Powlett, of the Sd R. V. B. is pointedap- Captain of Carisbrook Castle, Isle of Wight, vice Majost- General Richardson, appointed Governor of North Yarmouth. INDIA Houss.—Yesterday a Court of Directors was held, when the under-mentioned Captains took leave of the Court previous to departing to their re spective destinations, viz. Captain W. GLLSTON, of the Europe ; Captain J. MURR AT, of the Devonshire ; and Captain I. CA RNIGIL, of the Baring, for Madras and Bengal. Captain Hoch SCOTT, of the Ceres, and Captain J. CowNs, of the Warley, for China direct. The under-mentioned Captains were sworn into the command of their respective ships, viz. Captain G. WiLLIA is 50N, of the David Scott, for Madeira and Bengal ; and Capt. B. SOTZZLT, of the Tottenham, for Bengal. The Scaleby Castle, consigned to Bombay, is to proceed to China, and to be afloat the 24th instant. The voyage of the Mnffatt was altered from Bengal to Bombay direct. The extra ship belonging to Mr. MESTAER, and the Minerva, were taken up for one voyage to Bengal. The Court adjourned at six o'clock till, to-morrow. List of the Killed and Wounded on board the Ho. nourable Company's ship Astell, in the action of the Sd of July, 1810. The Astell sailed on the 13th Sep. tember.from Madras for Bengal :- Seamen Killed—Robert Eagle, butcher; Thomas Hutchln, Erick Munson, Andrew Peters, stamen. Wounded—Captain Robert Hay. severely; *Mr. Martin Sth ollicer, slightly ; George Cressy, armourer. severely ; Cloff An gerson, Wm. Dunn, Laurence Hansen, Robert Stewart, 'Win. Robertson, seamen,aeverely ; Antontu Lilivarez, Francis Pease, John Davis, seamen, slightly ; Carim, one of the Lascars,severely. Gentlemen Cadets Wounded—Messrs. Cartwright, Holroya, Easson, Laurie, and Coventry, slightly. Soldiers Killed—James Merrick, Wm. Martin, Edw. Murray, John Resea. _ _ . Wounded—James Conway, scrjeant, John Davies, corporal, slightly; Win. Bruty, Wm. Carter, Jas. A.hby, Edw. Driver, John Cole, Thos. Jackson, Wm. Lemman, itichard Pike, George Pitcher, as. Law, privates, severely ; Edward Duffle, John Ey.. ton, Thos. Ra.p, Jobe :Veal, John Robertson, Wen. Alford, Wm. Wareham, Wm. Jones, privates, slightly. Total—Ships company, 4 killed, II wounded ; I Laster wound. yd ; 5 Gentlemen Cadets wounded ; 4 soldiers killed, 20 ditto wounded.-45. The Astell was very much shattered in her masts : land hull, and must be ducked at Bengal. We have' the pleasure to say, that the gallant Capt..HAY was recovering fast of his wounds. 1 Miss OwENsow's EASTERN NOVEL.-.—STOCKDA La, jun. respectfully informs the public that, owing to the almost unprecedented demand for Miss OwENsou'a beautiful Novel, The Missionary," he finds it expe dient to delay the publication till Monday ner.t, the 25th instant, when it will be delivered as rapidly as possible. It would be esteemed a favour if Ladies and Gentlemen would, to prevent disappointment, send for their copies. The price is One Guinea. The whole of the First Edition is already ordered, widlout any reserve being made far the demand which must necessarily take place before the fleet sails for ludia. 'No. 41, Pall-wall, February 20. £4W . DifftltenNble. ' ARCHES COURT, WOWS' COMMONS, FEL 20. , LOVE/AN v. LOVEDKN. This cause was originally instituted in the Consistory Court of the Bishop or Londbn, by Edward Lovederi, Esq. agr inst Ann Loveden, his wife, for a separat MI from heti, board, and mutual cohabitation, on the ground of adultery, alledged to hsve been cosnmitted with Thomas Raymond Ihrker, Esq. It appeared that the Court bz)ovt pronounced for the remedy which the husbar.l prayed a from which decision, an appeal was prosecuted on the part of 'Mts. Loveden. The evidence to establish the fact of adultery, being similar to that produced in the Consistorial Court, we deem it unnecesary (it having been so recently re ported) to state it again. The Learned Judge, Sit JOHN NICHOY.L, after hear ing the Advocates on both sides, was clearly of opi nion, that there was full and satisfactory proof of adultery having been committed between, the two parties, and therefore said, he had no hesitation in affirming the sentence of the Court below. TEE ARMY. 'Me Plymouth slivisiou of the reinforcements for Lord WELLINGTON, have at length fairly set sail, with a fine breeze at E. S. E. Our Falmouth letter states the arrival at that port of some transports, with troops on board, which had sailed from Torbay on Saturday last, But which were obliged to put back. General WIJETHAM left Portsmouth garrison on Monday for London, for a few days. General Poll- TER, in his absence, commands the District. A General Court Martial sat at the Royal Marine Barracks, Portsmouth, on the 11th, 12th, and ISth , instant, for the trial of Peter Taylor, for repeated desertions. Colonel WINTER, President ; Lieutenant Adjutant PA TT1314, Judge-Advocate.—The Court found the prisoner guilty of deserting •from five dif ferent recruiting panics, and sentenced him to be • transported as a felon for life. The military disturbance at Arundel, last week, will become the subject of investigation in a Military, Court of Enquiry on Saturday. . Seventeen deserters were on Saturday brought into Southampton, from Ireland, escorted by a party of the 60th regiment from Bristol. 1 Monday upWards 0f,500 French prisoners marched+ from Edinburgh Castle, for Pennyc ui ck, under a strong escoz t of dragoons aad militia. EXTRACT OP A LETTER, DATED LISBON, NM S. 44 The ardour of the Spaniards, on which so much has been built in the hopes of England, is nearly ex hausted. We still indeed hear reports of exertions ; but the exertions are no where to be found. During' this mighty struggle, scarcely one Spaniard of suff cleat weight has appeared to embody the powers in herent in Spain against the common foe. This was expected by many as the natural consequence of a . worn-out Monarchy, a weak Nobility, and people ful of prejudices, with a religious antipathy to the assis tance of foreigners under Protestant Commanders.— More would have been done in Spain, had we sLtnt only arms, money, and ammunition. One man in deed made a splendid, but solitary exception, the Marquis de ROMANA. His death is deeply felt by us. He was loyal to his country, and friendly to the English. 44 In Catalonia, Valentia, and Granada the sparks of hatred to thrFrench are alive, but they never will be lighted up into a flame of resistance. 66 BLAKE has been defeated by a very inferior force under Szaarrtatcr. His army is dispersed, and is retreating to Cadiz, against which the preparations are increasing every day. 44 Lord WELLINGTON has made every exertion in his power. Whether his conduct has been according , to the rules of military science is doubted by many ; but, in my opinion, new circumstances require new modes of warfare. Our retreats after victories give the foe a handle to boast of success. We gain the honour, they gain the country. We are not in want of provisions. We are well supplied, both in this city and in the army. 66 Should they attack us in. our formidable lines, they can expect no success, unless they determine to make an immense sacrifice. The motto of Masscs* is— , A throne or a grave.' If we are defeated, the blow is fat.ll; if he is repulsed, his retreat is open through a strong country, and he would be -sure of reinforcements. His plan of subjugating Portugal would not then be abandoned. MORTIEN with about 12,000 men from the Sontil,i is in Spanish Estramadura. A part of his force sur rounded 4000 Spaniards in Oliviera, a neglected for tress in the Guadiana, below Badajos. The place surrendered at discretion, it is said for want of provi ;i•us. You must not be surprised to hear that the same fate has attended Badajos. Thus we are strait ened every day. It is scarcely to be conceived that thetnemrshould bring inch a force into Portugal,' without a single diversion nrade by the Spaniarc 44 We have one consolation : the fault is not ours,"; Extract of a letter from the Head-quarters of Ge neral SILVEIRA% army, dated Peso da Regoa, January lE. _ 14 For 19 days we have found means to retard the progress of an enemy's division three times stronger than our own, from Pinhel to Lamego. After always keeping the enemy within view, and having fought three several actions uniformly to the advantage of this divisionove retired to the right bank of the Douro, to cover this province and that of the Minho; on the 13th evacuating Lamego, at the time when the enemy were entering that town. We have made good our retreat without the loss of a man or of any baggage, bringing off 140 sick soldiers whom we found in the hospital at Lamege, 4 pieces of artillery, and 35 cart loads of ammunition. Being without the means of transport, The sick and the ammunition were carriel on the backs of the soldiers. On the 14th the enemy came down to the Douro in great force, but after placing their guards without the rangepf our artillery, they retired. The 15th they spent in robbing the vi cinity; to-day we have not yet learned what they mean to do. For these 20 days past our division has not had a U ment's repose." ..7..„.....„ , - - citotrY imp "rim- Yesfetclay a Melting was hetet at the Croarii iiill Author Tavern, -corNeried by public advertfier;!ent; for die purpose of taking into considemlitm the Le mode of assisting Mr. Finnerty. . About one o'clock Sir Francis tt-edoltariye i j, He was received with considerable applaUX Sir FR A Nal Buxom having taken the Chitin rosd to address the meeting. The Honotirable &met observed,Thatit could not bnt have been noticeskwicat povverful, and but too successful, attacks h f late been made oh the remaining vestiges of our' ties. The long-boasted right of Englishmii, the * f to lit complain, had been attacked ; and if die cobalt 0 did not manliilly come forwatd hi sappett - of that tight, it was in danger of being lost: Deprive the peopw of England of the liberty of the press, and through whit medium could they then -send forth their comp ?aims to the world ? Deprive them of that, And then *hers? would be the liberties of the country ? Let o:ern have the liberty of the pressoand they.would dety the Mitts of power add the strides of corruption. That the li berty oithe press had of late been attacked most powerfuily, and but too successfully, no man coula deny ; and the manly and honest manner in which Mr. Finnerty had come forward in vindication of ,himself, and in support of the remaining vestige ofthe 1 liberty of the press, entitled him to the thanks of the country. Mr. Finnerty had stepped forward to en deavour to - save the expiring liberties of the country, rand the people ought to support him. (App/awe.) .I Ittisupperting Mr. Finnerty, they would be endea vouring to save their expiring liberties. (Amdeese.) I He "meld say a few Words with respect to the law of libel, as it was phrased. The " Law of Libel" was that terrible. power exercised by the Attorney Gene ral to Ok criminal informations against whom be 1 pleased. That was the" Law of Libel," and a dread ful one it was i— (Applause !)—h was in violation of Magma dharta—that compact between the people, a compact that was irrepealable, even by the Parlia tneht itself,.becatise it was made by the people. The law of libel was as unconstitutional as was the power that had been exercised by the Star. Chamber. The Star-Chamber assumed a jurisdiction over the press —and that unconstitutional power " lorded it" over all these publications which happened to be " &start:- fa to people in power." The Star-Chamber was at last go; rid of, and it was at the same time deter minecrthat no such power should be again exercised. [Thllliloneurable Baronet here went on to contend that a power similar to that exercised by the Star -1 Chamber was now a:sinned- and acted upon, but wn cannot report his arguments.)—As to . the law of libel, he Would defy all the lawyers in England to tell him what it was. If the writer of any production which might be " distasteful so men in power" attempted to prove the truth of what he had said in justification of what he had written, he was told that truth Will as .jurtiPation. He was happy to hear that Lord Bo'. land was going to bring before the House of Lords tee excess in the practice Of Ping criminal imforma. tions, ex tAio. He felt much confidence in that No ble Lord, but he would rather tbab that Noble Lort should let things remain as they were, if be did AOt go to the root of the evil The Honourable Bartmat then dwelt at considerable length on the obligation Mr. Finnerty had conferred on the people, by his "late ' manly and able effort," on the state of Leland and this country; ind . m4intained that nothing c. sisld .be .expected without a Reform in the Representation of the People. In conclusion, he contended that the liberty of the press was of vital importance to the People. The salvation of the country depended on the liberty of the press.—(Much amlaust.) Mr. Alderman WOOD then said, that he had been called upon to propose the series of Resolutions which had been prepared, and which he did most cheerfully. He had not the pleasure of knowing Mr. Finnerty personally, but he considered him as a _most able, ar dent and strenuous advocate for the rights of his fel low-countrymen and for the cause of humanity. He thought that there were other victims of the persecut ing' spirit of the times. Other estimable men suffering most severe St ntences, because they were inflexible in the maintenance of what they regarded as the birth right of Englishmen—the privilege of animadveiting on the conduct of public men. He particularly men. tioned Mr. White, who had suffered imprisonment for two years and eight months, in a distant gaol; and whose health, he understood, to have fallen a sacrifice, He recommended his case to the individual consider,, tion of the humane ; but on the present occasion it was his duty to restrict himself to the pprpose for which the Meeting was called; and certainly, none 1 of the persons who had stoed forward in the cause of liberty, deserved their attentien and favour more think Mr. Finnerty. He then read the Resolutions, which .went merely to a declaration of Mr. Fuuferty's just claim to public countenance, and their determina tion to indemnify him in the expences which he haul i incurred, and in providing for his comfort during his 1 confinement. Mr. Mar.Lry seconded the motion in a 'most clo luent speech—in which he painted the sufferings of the sister kingdom in'a most affecting manner, and said that it became the duty of Englishmen to show that they sympathised in her distresses; and they could not do this better than in distinguishing by their pro tection, the bold and virtuous man who had been the most spirited and the most undaunted advocate in her cause. He described the anomaly of libel with peen. liar felicity. He said it was not merely not defined by the law—but no two Judgeragreed in what was the law= - nay no one Judge agreed with himself on two different occasions. the Judge and the Attorney. General diffc, ed from one another as to what was and what was not a libel—and it was not unfrequent to see an Attorney-General Shen he became a Judge, differ from himself. No man knew, or could know, what would be the interpretation given to any thing written and published, however innocent, 'and hose ever true; and it was a matter of wonder under the lamentable uncertainty in which the practice of tilt Courts put the construction of libel—how we enjoyed any printed discussion at all. The Resolutions were then read severally, and I adopted un4nimously. Mr*. Bingham, the clergyman, charged with being the author of an incendiary threatening letter, addressed to Mr. R. Jenner, Maresfield, and with arson, underwent a 61i,i1 examination in the prison at Lewes, and N% as fully committed fur trial un both choges at the n:xt EUtizes. . I