The National Register. — London, England, 1818-05-18 00:00:00

4 1/-i:a.. / _‘:.u. . ,; ..--- .. - 7 . 2.L., . . .nir Iliationai .13,taiti CL, try. Our iling, Condtitution anb f 411330. 58t—VoL. XL MONDAY, MAY a, 18M. 'aim Ind. POLITICAL WSW tsrrioN. FOREIGN IVIT,I.LIGENCE. ON THE EDUCATION OF 'fall POOR,--EMPLOY 31ENT OF CHILDREN IN COTTON FACTORIES— EUPPRESSION OF FORGERY, &c. PAM, MAY 10. --A report in cironlation, that the Duke le Leuchtenberg (Plume Eugene) vont in be appointed Go' nerali.simo of the Bavarian army * is eoettadieted in an arti cle from 'Munich. A letter from Madrid of the 9/th of April contains tore intelligence respecting South America. A tattle Is eel now. leulged to have been fought near eidoboso, lathe beginning of last February, in which Murrillo was defeated by superiority of slumbers; but ou the 13th of the same nroath, having oc cupied the village of Sombrero, he egaia attarli.ed the minor greiWi and gaitiod a Aesisive victory. " Want of eaval try one,' obarrved•Othrillo, se bik eiespapsb o ." prevent ed hint from potting an end to the cmitempllble'Republic of Veneiula." Time Insurgents left 400 dead on the field of bats tle, besides a great number of wounded And prisoner*, and the loss of all their nurecerl. The loss of the Spaniards was es timated at one chief, 13 officers, and 2r,s killetl;. 4 officers, 61 privates, wounded: and 94 prisoners. A letter from Albi speaks thus of some of the persons whe have excited so much painful notice there :—'' Madame Mae son is not a handsoMe woman, yet she is agreeable t her eyes are small, but live:y ; her mouth large, and her complexion very brown : her figure small lint well turned, is assisted by an elegant dress ; the sound of her voice is agreeable. 'Fite woman Banes' no traits of crime in her countenance; she is small, and may be about years at age. Anne Benoit it is dif ficult to speak of. a large hat corers three-quarters of her fea tures ; she moves no more than a statue during the whole day. I have, however, caught a sufficient view of her to say that she is moderately hands: me, and may be about 2S years of age.-- Next is the notorious Bastidc Granintont. This is a man of large size, a real Colossus; but he has in his features and in the habits alas person every timing to anion:rice a profound villain. He txptesses himself with consoles able facility, mingling with every thin he says much irony and still more audacity. I saw him Hy into a passion twice in the sitting of the 21t1i, and am convinced that, if he had not been held by two gendarmes, lie would easily have escaped. Colar't seems like one ready for ally crime that might be suggested to him. After Colat.d is Jaussion. lie is the only one of the accused who has the appearance of having been well educated; but his features indicate insincerity. Vet I must do him the justice to say, that when the yourg M. Fitaldes spoke in flue sitting of the 2241, Jaussion alone showed any sensibility. Ile passed for having a fortune of 400,000 francs, a-liaised by means little delicate •by this fortune he obtained an alliance . with the family of liastide Grammunt, one of the must tinguished in the department of L'Aveyroo. The little Madelain 13aneal is an astonishing child for faculties and for gentility of mannets. Such has been the interest felt far livr by great oomberi of persons of condition, who have visited her at thohosisital, that their benevolence has placed her above want for the remainder of her days." TIIE suiieets.above mentioned have of late desetr- , c4lly occupied the public attention, and we think it right, as fin as lies in our power to keep alive that attention ; crovinced that the most important step towards ins_ provernent is the well-grounded conviction of its noses- This necessiy is., hided* so obvfous,. that, on Avhatevver other points the various partietrof out lance may differ, they seem time and all to be agreed on this ; and the only motive of variance in their senti ments is the mode of effecting the desired improve ments. It is unquestionably the most amiable trait in the national character, that the higher and middling classes of society, arc ever on the alert to ameliorate the eendition of the lower. No nation in existence, nor of which history records the manners, is to be compared to our's for the virtues of Charity and Benev'olence.--a- Virtues more eminently rare awl incomparably more amiable than any that can possibly adorn either a na tion or an individual. Where amidst the records of history do we find the patrician equally sensible of that equality established by nature between himself and the plebian ? Equally anxious to lighten the pressure of grinding penury ? Equally willing to lay open to the poor man, the road to all those advantages lie himself enjoys, either in hic, property, or in the improved state of the intellectual powers, by which, more than by any other advantage, he stands distinguished from him? We repeat it—the comparison is no where to be found in ancient' or Modern times. If there be one fault in our Poor Laws more generally conspicuous than ano •hor, it is that they embrace too much benevolence ; but independent of the provision thus made for the pauper, what sums are not voluntarily npproptleted to his com fort and hi.. Itopmvement Let not any one here object that there are abuses: We speak here only of i the benevolent spirit of the laws ; not of their corrupt or injudicious administration of them. We only pay the just tribute of admiration to the virtuous fceliugs of a benevolent nation; we do not mean to deny that it: most praiseworthy objects are often defeated by nutty intrigue, by avarice and hardheartedness in those en trusted to carry them into execution ;—but for all this, the flea of good intent, of generous disinterested tender feeling, mends estatdished,—and we congratulate our countrymen that it does so. Among the many proofs of this we will particularly notice those charitable institutions for the education of youth, the abuses in which formed the subject of the very eloquent speech lately made by Mr. Brougham in the I louse of Com omits. We cottceive the country in general greatly indebted to this gentleman for his conduct, and sin eerel:, hope he will have the satisfaction of seeing his veil meant exertion crowned with success. But in congratulating otr countrymen on the mass of genet r, ls feeling which exists among them, as evinced in C.e extent and magnitude of the institutions before eleationed, we cannot refrain front expressing our reset, that the annals of the country should be "at a ined with the record of such a motion as it has been found neecs , ;:r; to make in Parliament, for the protection of von h , o rather, we should say, iiffarq://, against the unfeciing exactions of a few avaricious individuals, %dime conduct classes them more with the unfeeling herd of Egyptian taskrnastcrs, than with any other tescription of hutnan beings that we have known, heard, or read of What will be thought of our humanity by other civilised nations, when they hear that chil dren, infant:, are subject to Lit hours labour out of the 24, confined within the contaminated atmosphere of a manufactory What opinion must they form of the medical profession amongst us, when they hear that individuals of it are ready to come forward aLtt declare that such a practice is compatible with health and longevity ! The part which the House has minim on this subject, does honour to its feelings. The cause .of reason and humanity mast, doubtless, prevails and we should really blush for those Members *ito have bcca' left in the minority on the 'BIB in question, if they should persist in wishing.tat expose more than they have done, the want of .inaliK r iu themselves and the absence of common tin-:!srstptling nvliviltuak , .erhose profession requires more thin an ordinary degSei in all who are allowed to practice it. Allowing for an instant, that it were possible to bring forward such medical evidence, as here alluded to, is it reasonable to suppose that, with the exception of their employers, any Member of either House could be found su stupid as to allow it the smallest influence on his decision ? Certainly not—ln spite of all the efforts of those in Slavery of this description, the stigma attached to the country from its prevalence is on the point of disap pearing. The humanity of the legislature is too inti mately concerned, the character of the cesintry too much at stake, to admit a doubt that our expectations can be disappointed. But the regulation of public charity, and the protection of youth against cruelty and oppression do not constitute the only subjects for approval in the pro ceedings of Parliament during the last treek ; even cri minals participate in the result of those feeling en which we pride ourselves. The punishment of death in eases of fOrgery which the public has lung pronounced out of proportion to the offence, has at length.oecupied the attention of Parliament, and we trust that the period is fast approaching when our feelings will cease to be revolted by the many capital punishments with which this crime is annually attended in this country. 'We can scarcely, however, permit, ourselves ts' hope, that any change that can be male in the 13ank N'ote will be sufficient to check the evil in question. The arts in this country have attaintsd. too Reuel pc.firtion justifY such a Loncluaion. Were it possible to frustrate all attempts to fitbricate Bank Notes, the Bank Direc tor would indeed be deserving of the severest censure for having so long postponed a measure of such cryltig importance—ehut the thing, we feel persuaded, is too difficult, if not impossible. We rather incline to think that, admitting the punishment to be out of proportion to the crime, the remedy should be in the alteration of the law itself. We have now ample proof that its ef fect is quite inadequate to the prevention of crime, and an axiom, we boldly venture to assert that when the effect of any law becomes as the one in question merely vindictive it is time that it should be erased from our Code. Forgery is unquestionably a most serious offence at all times, but certainly never can be more so, than at the present moment. Could the punishment of death, unifiTnily inflicted, tend to prevent the perpetration of it, we should not, much as we deprecate the too an proportionate severity of the punishment' to the offence, feel inure than pity fur 11c offender; but convinced as we feel that the preventative effect of the existing law is inadequate to its object, we cannot but feel disgusted at the lam itself In all ot!e.tces we should presume the offender to . be influenced more by what may appear to him the probability of escape from detection alto gether, than by any reference to the punishment which would attend the detection, and perhaps on this assailip , tton the punishment of forgery does not claim the at terference of the legislature. We rejoice, however, at what has been done already, and doubt not, that the humane efforts of the Member who made the motion, which has led to the latter part of this discussion, will ultimately be rewarded with success. Admiral Sir Josias Renyley is to premed forthwith to Ireland, to assume the command on the Cork station, in the place of Admiral Hallowell, who is appointed to command the squadron ordered fur a two months' cruise in the Channel. cki . troitz ASSIZE of TRIAL OP THE NIVRIVERERS OF FUALOF:S. SITUNG UP MAY 2. Young Pualdea addressed the Court in 1111 energetic and electing manner, expressing his gratitude for their ettarta to bring to justice the assassins of his unhappy father. The at cnsed were asked by the President, if they had any thing to otter in their defence ; the only reply was, a vehement recri mination between Anne Benoit and the woman liancal. SITTING OF THE 30 OP bUY. The examinations and defence of the accused having been conclndcd in the lin,t sitting, the Prosidrut-this day entered upon the recapitulation of all the pra,:eetlings relative to this► horrid affair. At two o'clock the jury retired to ti.:ii:)erotc. An express order was given by the President, iigoro.rrly to prevent all communication with them. _ _ _ The accused were not re-conilaetcd to Ft. Cecile, to wait until their Judges determine their fee. They were tat: is to a room adjoining tee Asir:-caurt . a strew,: guard wrts placed over them. Tim olelibesations of the jot y tweed foer hours and a half. Mor*n! this time the spectators which tilled the Conrt did not quit their places. At ; o'clock the jury returned; a profound silence reigned in the an.litnry, each waited with eager ansto ty a verdict which wonid acquit or comolenni. The fbreonan of the jury, with his hand upon his heart, and with evident mnotion, read answers to the quest 1(1113 which had been submitted to them. They were all age eJ span unanimously. Th.. .w.iuri Barton', Bastiole, JJ I ISSi4III, Colonel, and Back were. Gould guilty oil being accomplfors in the murder, with premedortim. Aims! Benoit, guilty as an accomplice without premeditation. Bastide, Jaussion. Bach. and Colurd, guilty of three Rine the body into the liver the hornier guilty of the burglin ions robbery. Mossinnier not g uilty of being comeerired in the murder, but au acemnplice in the throwing of ';it: body MN the riser. Maolante Manson was unanimously ilecto... sd not guilty. Alter pronuencing fhe verdict of the Court, the foreman of the jury Waned it and the President order: d the accused to be brought beflre them. """1" was so wea lt t,*Mt the gen d arme.were obliged to support him. Ile api!eated to knew already the late which awaited him. Flastide, a.ways Moo, had an am of confidence which dl.played a utrikm; contrast with floe dejection nt his brother.in-law. M o unt audacity, appeared calm, and tebigned. Anne ltenoit s countenance expressed the deepest glier. Madame .tannin was restrained, by pity for the unhappy objects %%boo surrounded her, from displaying the joy Abe must have felt at the prosper tot toeing immediately set at liberty. The Cooirt retired to deliberate upon the sentences of pu niAhrffeot. It WAS theft that Jamosion gave vent i„ grfef.— llis o Apressions were - Ali! gentlemen," he ex claimed, " you wmild nut hear the truth. lum inatorrilt.— You should ask M. Nettle% utoo were his eneuuie.. When I arrived here, the Prociiretss.th nerd sw:,re he: wooloht rein Int. Oa the scaffold 1 will speak as at the ,present moment. trod