The National Register. — London, England, 1812-03-22 00:00:00

I 1s 'lllt NATIONAL RFAIIgTtit: LAW INTELLIGENCE.. COURT OF CHANCERY, MArtcu ti. . , .. 1 10:Pii.RTE READ, IN THE M ATTER OF P ETER SOWERES. This W S; ana.pPlieation by one of the Assignees of the Bankrupt, to OAT his cartill.aate, until he should undergo a turther examination before tfit Commissioners, and make a full disclosure of his estate, for the be nefit of his creditors. About a. year before the Act of Bankruptcy, the Bankrupt had taken in his son, then not twenty years of age, in t ano port at - Iltrinip, assigning him one - t hird of his stock, debts and , profits, ,:l the time of committing the act of Bankruptcy was still a minor. When the Bankrupt came to be examined before the Commissioners, he could give no other account of his property, than that it had merged into the copartnership with his son, in which the other' Assignee (a MT. Redish) acquiesced, so that there appeared to be little or no property for the sepa rate Creditors. It was further contended on the part of the Petitioner, that the assignment to the son was fraudulent, and the Bankruptcy ob tained by collusion, in order to defeat the Just demands of his creditors; and that the Bankrupt sail continued in possession of kis effects, con. jointly with his son. On the part of the Bankrupt, Mr. Hirt contended, that from this certificate it appeared, by the signature of the Commissioners and the majority of the Creditors, that the Bankrupt had conformed to the pro -1,161011S of the Act, and whatever collusion or fraud there might be, although it might effect the validity of the Commission, was no ground for staying the Certificate. The LORD CHANCELLOR, however, thought otherwise, directing that the Certificate should be stayed; and that the Bankrupt and his son should forthwith be examined before the Commissioners, touching a full disclosure of his estate and effects, and the circumstances con nected therewith. ._ . JOHN HORNE TOOK, E, ESQ• On Thursday morning this gentleman died at his house at Wimbledon. I lie had been distinguished, for nearly half a century, in the literary and political world, and was the last surviving writer ot the school of Ju- talus. With many eccentricities, Mr. 'l'ooke was a man of a most lively and brilliant wit. He possessed the facility of shining in private. conversation, in a superior degree, to any of his later enatemporarles, Professor Porson excepted, who, in some measure, divided with him, while he lived, the admiration of their acquaintance. As a man of ge neral learning, and more especially as a philologist, Mr. Horne Too.te will rank amongst the most eminent men of his day. The sagacity and excellence of his philological labours have never been disputed, and it has only been regretted that those talents which might have been turned to such good public account, in . the pursuit of such studies, should at any time have been diverted from to politics. We understan d that he had been for several weeks in a declining state, at; had lost the use of his lower extremities. A few days ago, mortification appeared, 1 and rapidly advanced. Dr. Pearson, Mr. Cline, Mr. Toelte's tw c daughters, and Sir Francis Burdett, attended an him, and he was in formed that his dissolution was approaching. He signified, with a pla dd look, that he was fully prepared, and had reason to be grateful for having passed so long and so happy a life, which he would willingly aeon e I had extended if it had been possible. He exressed much satisfactio p that he 11104,111 e surrounded in his laq momer ts by thonewhowere most dear to him, He professed his perfect confidence in the existence of a Supreme Being, whose final purpose was the happiness of his creatt:r. s. The eccentric facetiousness, for which he was so remarkable, did not forsake him till he became speechless, and, even then his 'evoke wore an aspect of cheerful resignation s A short time before his death, when he was supposed to he in a state ot entire insensibility, Sir Francis Burdett mixed up a cordial for him, which his medical friends told the Baronet it would be to no purpose to .administer; but Sir Fraeci,, persevere.; in offering it, and raised Mr. Tooke with that view. 'rite latter opened his eyes, and seeing who offered the draught, took the glass and drank the contents with eagerness. He had previously ob served, that he should not be like the man at Strasburgh, who, when doomed to death, requested time to pray, till the patience ot die Ma gistrates was exhausted, and then, as a last expedient, begged to be permitted to close his life with his favourite amusement of nine p ins; but who kept bowling on, with an evident determination never to finish the gamer-He desired that no funeral ceremony should be said over his remains, and that six of the poorest vital in the parish should save a guinea each fir bearing him to the vault svhipla had been pre pared in his garden. We recollect to have read, in a very ancient arid respectable author, of an automaton made by a prisoner in an Italian dungeon, and which amended a flight of twenty-five steps, and delivered a Petition on its knees to the Prince, in whose power it was to pardon the ingenious 4nechanilit ; but really this is nothing compared to what we have seen It the Little Theatre, catherine•street; it appears as it the power 40'd:inking had been communicated to matter, and as if action were at plt will of the constructors of those curious automatons. The astonish omit, attention, and silence of the spectators, make them appear auto-. ratans themselves, at tAie %mondetful night of the animated flutes. mAn'en ‘DISTURB4NCE IN'GOSI)0111'. A very serious disturbance took place at Gosport on Tuesday evening last, which still further justifies a remark we have fr..iveritly made, that there does not exist any necessity for a soldier - rt brit.` entrusts with his side arms when off duty : more espe , cLilly in times of. allaw e A festivity. It being St. Patrick's day, the Pron•commissioned Officers arid privates of the Dublin and Cork Militias, stati.int:d at Gosport, were intlidged in their ac.custonted annual merry.makine; dkputes arose inconsequence of some of the lower order of the town ridiculing the national badge, by wearing carrots, radi,hei, &c. in their hats. Exas perated to matinees, the soldiers proceeded to the most summary mode of vengeance, by drawing their bayonets, rushing through the streets, and striking at whoever came in their Way. A great many persons are dangerously wounded, several of them innocent pns•.entrers ; among whom is a little boy, the son of Mr. I,:llicrop, who was stabhed through the left breast, and is not expected to recover. For several hours the town exhibited the appearance of a siege—shops close shut up—picpiets guarding every avenue—and the inhabitants running to secure them selves within their dwellings—the Watermen on the beach took shelter in their boats, and pushed otf from the shore ; while those who were arriving with passengers, put back without landing them. At length, by the Indefatigable exertions of some of the inhabitants, aided by other parties of the military, tranquillity was restated. . ACCIDENTS ANn OFFENCES. MR. SKEFNE. The unfortunate Mr. Skeene, who on Wedne;day forfeited Ills life to the !aws of his country, at the Old commenced his e2te,l iniquity at the age of ses.entero, wh...ui h. ctrried off the Countess c.. kite, Upon a divorce taking place, her Ladyship bromic the wife 4 Mr. S. by whom she had four chiAreu. The el..tst, a klan , hter, ritd, and some time afterwards destroyed hert.lf. The three 011)i r children died prematurely, and Mrs. S. met In.r death by falling into t!..: fire, and perishing in the flames. So dreadful a history requires comment,-13ut that which adds to its singularity is, that this wretclud man was the heir of an old gentleman pessessed of 10,001. per aunt: a, which estate will now devolve to the late Mr. S.'s brother, a captain in his Majesty's navy, a man of highly respectable character. Mr. tikeene had powerful frienO.s, and no exertion was Fparcd, on choir part, to obtain a reprieve, but in va in . His was nut an offeace mitted in the wild inexperience of youth, but in the cool sea'oa of na may. A wan who has passed his fortieth year should hay,: su waned with his ImiC. o Ps as to guard against their effects by disrtrming their vio lence. 1 died with resignation, and it is some consolation for his friends to think, that the pitnishravnt which has overtaken him in this world, may leive tilled up the measure of divine vengeance, and have left him nothing but peace and felicity to enjoy in tho Next. _ , On Monday morning \,Villiam Ctindal and John Smith ; convicted oi high treason in the Isle of France, were executed, purstiant to the tence of the law, at Horsemonger-lare. They Seemed to be laity sensible of their guilt, and conducted themselves with becomi ngfii tilde. :after their bodies had been sulk nded the usual tire, the; wire beheaded, and their remain, ::orosigned to their friends fl,r intern lit. Rrcoxricit's Rtroa - r.—On Friday the Recorder r.l::(,=R , ort to ei the Prince Regent of the folloW:ng prioliers capitally convicted at tae last Sessions, viz.'—William White, fgr returning from trans:)ortati,n ; David Dickson, for stealing goods in a dwellingehouse ) James Setrce, Charles Wheeler, alias Walker, and Edward Drouet, for stealinom g heifer ; Robert Green, and John Parton, for burglary ; Thomas T kips, alias Ekin Britten, Elizabeth Buc kle y , a nd Jane Badger, fur steal ing goods in a dwelling-house; and Benjamin Hitchcock, for stealing a letter containing Batikolotes. , When they were all respited during Li, Royal Highness's pleasure. 0u Saturday last, a Coroner's Inquest was held on the body al -Tar n-1h Miller, who, ou the Thursday preceding, was shot by the 10-v. W. Brookes, of this Borough, which, after a long and patient Pao* Ption, returned a verdict of Wi/jii/ AfirrtLn. niut s p•ca iiar delicacy we have forborne to enter prematurely into the deta:l this nicaanclioly itansaction. The great :ilia awful quest; s th vvi4 hut t; he determined lyfot . e a competent tribunal , w hen the trial leng ..ianstriunicated to out P.eatlers.—( Iffuetricic Paper _ a.................. Tuesday se'nnight, a party of gentlemen, for a considerab le het, st t o 1 from the 6eorge Inn, Portsntouth, in Billet's baroushe ;Ind four, w ., reach i.ondon, a distance of seventy-two miles, in seven hours alit.* thiee quarters , which, to the astonishment of both parties, was accort plisheu in five hours and thirty-one minutes, being two hours and for' teen minutes less than the given time, averaging about fourteen unit: an hour. 'l h. erection of the new Gaol, Town-ball, & c. for the countY t+ Kent, is gone on with some d e g ree of briskness at Maidstone; .d... estimate of the expense Is 160,001. l'he county of bent is certa;nl). opulent and very populous , but a , nutnber of the le..ser farmers a l 4 others, dread the clemands coming ro und for the increase of rates the 1 buildings must occasion; and think this is not exctly tae 011ie 1 g cile!ne sgcli all envAllsir: V1;14,11444. t FIN \ WIPE 4