The National Register. — London, England, 1822-05-13 00:00:00

RELIEF OF THR DISTRESSES IN IRELAND. A highly respectable meeting took place at the City of London Tavern, on Tuesday fist, to consider of a general subscription for the immediate relief of the temporary distress prevailing ill Ireland. The chair was when at one o'clock, by I'. WILSON, Esq. one of the representatives of Ihe City of London, who stated, in feeling terms, the objects for which the meeting had been called, and ;mimed out the claims which I rebut!. as a part of the British nati o n, had upon our benevolence. He remarked that some surprise might be felt at private individuals turning their anentiou to this interesting subkct, when government, in the corn se of the proceedings in the House of Commons, had pledged theinselves to afford considerable aid towards the vlionititition of the miseries which preva led. He had to state, however, that a communication had taken place with his Majesty's ministers 011 the subject, and that so far from their ohj Tting to this course, it had their wannest approitation. Mr. Rowe Rot r begged to correct an error into which the worthy chairman had fallen. No such communi cation hail takru place, and MI that had transpired with those gentlemen on this subject, was the receipt of let ters at a late hour last night, nom the Eat I of Li , erpool, Mr. Peel, the Se-retary of State for the Home Depart silent, and Mr. Vatisittart, enclosing their indiviaual subscriptions of 2001. each. Several gentlemen read letters from Ireland, describ ing the sufferings of the peasantry in terms the most appal hog. One letter from the County of Care b:11,1, it was not distress, but stared:ion, the people in that part of the country suffered ; upwards of '200,000 were with out Any utcausof suul , mt, and double that number had but one meal it' tin, 24 boors H—The typhus 6:vet was appearing, and unless assistance be immediately sent, pestilence mint be the inevitable consequence. A motion was made, and carried by .seclaittation, that a subscription be immediately enter(] into for the relief of the present distress in Ireland. It was next moved, aml carried in the same manner, that a committee be formed to attend to :he collection, and application of the 511b$C111:11011, 311(1 tile following were elected members of the committee: — His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury RI. Hon. the Lord Mayor Mr. Alderman Brown Mr. Uhlman Geri alt R. H. l‘larten, esq. Sir Charles Flower, bort. Earl of Blessington RI. Hon. H.Oonlintrn Sir Edward O'Brien Siting Rice, ell. M.P. 14; -,.0t Thomas Wilson, csq. M.P. Thomas Bainbe idge, esq. Thomas Reid, esq. John limes, e..q. M.P. M. Attwood, esq.' M.l•. Edward Ellice, esq. M.P. J. Thompson, esq. 31. P. aid. C. H. Turner, Lord Bishop of Norwich Ito. Hon. Charles Grant Hobert Steven, esq. J. H. Trition, esq. &Hanel Busauquet, esq. N. M. Rothschild, esq. Thomas ltichaid.on, usq. I)4lrid Barchs., req. 'l - homes Ito%sci oft , csq. Rt. Hon. J. C. Villiels ..sis (Ir. the I). of Devuubitirt Lord Alo lllllld, It's Lend Bishop of Oxford Steven E. Klee, esq. J. lolistoart, esq. Lord FilzAerold Sir It. Wig' am, bait. Charles A. Ttilk, esq. ltenjmnisi Hawes, veer. Dlarquis Conyugh tut J. Petty Mitspratt,esq. Mr. llowcaorr said, that a lady, who would not allow her mute in be mentioned, had chartered a vessel, and WAS sending forty tot's of potatoes and twelve tims oi*uattto..al to Ireland. (Great applause.) Ile had that Illenn1111; received a letter from Bristol, saying that the example of London was to he initiwiliawly follow .•11 there by entering into a suhscription for the relict' of ire- Lind i and he hart received letters from L , verpool and Glasgow, which said titry were °illy witting the example id London to begin. Indeed he was e011V19Ce(1 all parts of this Island would uuitc in it —(Great applause.) Mr. Manor; sahl, he could not, as an Itishinan, sup press the expression of his heait'elt gratitude for the splendid scene before him. \\ lien it should he known in Ireland how deeply the people of England felt for her distress, it would t acne alt her gratitude, and attach her so this country hoods of the dearest affection fur ever. The Earl of I.II..essINTON Said, alumni : oi he had nn authority to state it, yet he knew the fact, that the Margins urlierttord had sent 3001. to Messrs. Coons for the relief of Ireland. (Great applause.) Mr. SPRING RICE Sabd, a few days since lie had re ceived an anonymous letter enclosin6 2001. for the relief of Ireland. (Rear, hear.) lie was persuaded this great work of benevolence would attach alit' cement the hearts of the people of Ireland And Ell/land lire ever. As i e had been appoin;eil a member of the committer, lie would give me 1/e3l.l33i3tifice lit 1113 power, although he could almost wish that the whole nut itageutets of the fond should be left to the generous Ettglisii. Sir EDWARD O'BRIEN said, it might possibly be sup posed by some that lie had exaggerated the distress of Ireland in the statetnetit lie had made in the liouse of 4..;finnuotis, but lie was convinced he had tut gone lit the talent of it. lire hon. Baronet read extracts Irom some loiters he had r cently received from die County ill Clare. One (ll' their', (kited April said, " Since you left the country, want acid misery have made rapid progress—in many instances the aced has been taken out of the ground and eaten ; and Instead Of getting any rent from my tenants, I .at obliged to distribute my oats amongst them, to try and keep them !rum slAivillit ! Our sub set-mum Isere amounts to 3,6681., and our dependence now is on Cio..ertintent. Another Ic ter satil, " The (11,Ires, heft! IS Ilepintl all description—slarVation is seen e.• ry !vbeirt—..ll the popery ire resicent gentry hate would tue butt a drop the sea in 111,. rein-I of sin II nil. se.y as outs. I wish 1 could take my (mai) , front %vit ro wretc.ied scene." 'rite hon. bars. said, he would be happy to Irate the whole management of the hat to the .bruet blew Englishmen who had come for ward fur the relief of Ireland. but Irishmen could give local tuoirmation, which Want . it expedient that some of them should attend the committee.. ((tear, hear.) a\lr. Rowetturr read she list of subscriptions, which was received watt great applause 'the Earl of BLesatteni ox put . a vote of thanks to theCtkustnao, wtttelr was passed by acclamation. IMMOLATION IN CHINA, ..,._=_-.. It is well known that the Chinese pursue the principle of an " eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth" to the very letter, and though the English have nobly withstood on all occasions the demands made for the delivering up the persons of those who have unintentionally caused the death of a Chinese, knowing that the unfortunate victim would be murdered by them, yet the Americans appear to have had less firmness as will be seen from the sub sequent relation. A short time ago a rumour was current that some disturbance had taken place be tween the Americans and the Chinese, of the same nature as has two or three times taken place between the Eng ish and the Chinese, on the allegation• of murder, or some other charge. The charges against the English sailors have usually been of the most vague and frivolous nature, and intended more as a means of exacting money, than on any belief that that the crimes had been committed. The firmness of the Company's officers has on every occasion re sisted those attempts to impose, and the best results have followed ; but the conduct of the Americans on the late occasion, is likely, in the opinion of those best acquainted with the character of the Chinese, to threaten very serious evils to the English and other Europeans at a future time. We believe the fillowing to be the most correct account of the affair :-- • The circumstances of the alleged murder of the Chinese wo man, and the ttial and subsequent execution of the unfortunate American seaman, were so differently termed both by the Chinese and the Americans, that it was difficult to ascertain the truth ; but it was generally believed that the following was the most correct account :—A seaman, a native of Italy, then ageing second officer on board the American vessel, (sset sing a woman hand sonic samso (spirits) into one of the ports of the ship, threw a small stone jar at het, which struck her on one of the tempt::. The woman, either stunned by the blow, fell overboard and im mediately sunk, or fell overboard in consequence of the pin, on which the oar was fastened, breaking on her pulling away flout the ships; both accounts are given. She was found next morn init. at sonic distance fom the ship, with a small wound, as the Chinese asserted, on one of the temples, but stated by the Attie. ricans to have been made by the Chinese atter she was found drowned, but without any injury of the skull. The family to which the woman belangcd threatened, next morning, to represent the alleged murder to the Chinese authorities, and to demand the murderer to be given up tin trial, but at the Sallie time gave them to understand, that all would be flushed over if the Ame ricans would give them three or four hundred dollars. This was refused, and, on Walt of the inferior Mandarins getting notice of it, the demand was increased to as many thousand dollars. The Americans still refusing to pay this don:me or bribe, las the unfortunate man had no money,) although they were aware that the affair was taking a serious turn, time Mandarins at Canton were intim - lied of it, who immediately demanded the man tin trial. All trade with the American situps in the Canton river was immediately stopped. The Americans at drst steadily refused to give the man up, and the Chinese came to the resolution of trying the mat, on board his own ship, to which the Americans consented. During the mock trial, not one witness was examined for the defendant, and the Chinese also refused admittance to Dr. Morrison, who volun teered his services as interpreter at the trial. The man was of coit:se found guilty by such a tribunal. and it was now more insisted on that he should be given up. It was likewise demanded that he should be confined in irons, which was complied with.— About a week afterwards the Americans began to waver, and at last it was agreed on that lie should he given up thr • second trial at Canton, which was said would be public and fairly con • ducted, with examination of witnesses toe and against the pri- MAIM the man was accordingly taken out of the ship by a strong party of Chinese soldiers, and conveyed to Canton, where, a few days afterwards, the trial took place. During the mock trial, not an .I,nierican or any person ou the man's part was present. A body of Captains and officers of the Hon. Company's ships went to tit.. Chincliwo or Court-house, and demanded admittance, in order to see justice done to the unfortunate man. but they were refused it, on the plea that as the piesoner was an American it was no affair of theirs us Englishinen. It is understood from some of the Chinese who were present, that after a few questions put to the poor man, and the miming( lion of two witnesses, they produced a Pape.: which they advised him to sign by imprinting the mark of his open hand upon it, with red ink. They represented to him that it was metely a statement of the trial, which must be sent to Pekin for inspec tion, before they could proceed further, and that it was likely, on its being sent, and an answer returned, lie would be iminei diately acquitted. The unfortunate man, surrounded with strangers, without any other advice, and put off his guard by the t•ir promises of a security merchant of high rank, and two China street merchants who acted as interpreters, and who pretended to he his friends, imprinted his hand upon the paper. All further proceedings were immediately Aopped. It was a confession of his guilt, which was imineutately forwarded to l'ekin, and completely screened the Viceroy and Dlandarins, in the event of any disturbance with the American uovceameni. The poor man, still ignorant of his fate, was taken back to prison; and according to the Chinese custom, his irons were taken off; and he had plenty to eat and think. From the flattering assurances of the Chinese, and this kindness, he hoped to be liberated in a few days. On the 6th or fifth day after the trial, about four o'clock in the morning, the security and China street merchants, who attended him on his trial, visited him and told him that they had heard from Pekin, and that it was necessary he should go into the city, in older to hear the contents of the despatches. not alluding in the most distant way to their purport. The untintunate man, an high hopes of being soon liberated, cheerfully obeyed. lie was taken into the heart of the city in a sedan chair, attended by the merchants, anti put into a room, where he was told lie must m ullein a short time. Soon after, sonic Chinese soldiers mitered and took him out at another door ; and the first intimation he Intel of his cruel fate, was the executioner and implements of death before hint, and the howls of decapitated Citiuese hung round a kind of square crowded with spectators. lie uttered a yci of despair, rallied his hands to heaven, and was understood to protest his innocence and to implore the sight of an European or Ainerican—(perhaps the priest, 1 , 1, lie was a Roman Catholic, aid had previously, when on board ship, seen the Chaplain of the Imperial frigate, then hying in Whampoa reach.) The executioner paid no attention to his cries, but immediately proceeded to strangle hint according to the usual horrid way directed by the Chinese law. linpes were first tied round his anat.: and wrists, and then gradually round the more vital and sensible pats ; and finally round the neck, until he expired by a languishing and cruel Oath. His body was next day given up to the Ameticanz, who buried bior on Dane's Land. The something worse than indifferent conduct of the Ameri. can Consul and Captains of the 30 ships then in the river, was considered highly blameable throughout the whole proceedings, in leaving the man to his fate in that manner, and the affair was eoncluded with an act of glarin. , inconsistency on their part. It was ordered that the remains of unfortunate man whom they had neglected e• see justice done to. should Ibe buried with all the honours of an officer, and the funeral was accordingly very numerously attended. This amounted to a confession that he had suffered innocently; tor they could never think of showing such attention to the tuners) of a murderer. It was at one time understood at Canton, that the man was found innocent by a trial that took place among the American captains, and at that time they were firmly resolved to resist the-Chinese in their de. mends ; but their conduct proved different, and it was generally believed they acted from pusillanimity and interested motives.—. The security merchant for the ship owed the American a very considerable stun of money, and it the man had not been given up, he would have been so severely mulcted, as to endanger his credit, and probably so as to strip him of every part of his pro. perty. There was likewise no other prospect of the trade being speedily opened, and that the Americans very likely began to feel individually so much, as to overcome their national feelings, as well as their feelings of humanity, Their conduct and the termination of the affair may lead to ver serious consequences in the event of any future affair of the kind happening, as has before happened. with seamen of Jingli,h or any other country. The insolence of the Chinese towards Europeans of every country was much increased by the manner they had treated the poor man ; and the English supercargoes were seriously afraid some tray would happen betwixt them and the English sailors, whose hatred towards them, after the execution of the American, nae iu proportion to their insolence. THE NATIONAL BE( ISTER MEE7IAG ar TUE TREASURY. The adjourned meetingot the leading capitalists in the city took place at the Treasury Chambers, on Friday morning las:, at eleven o'clock. The gentlemen present were nut so namerras as on the former occasion. _ . The meeting having been introduced to the Council Chamber, to the Earl of Lives pool, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the Governor of the Bank of England shortly afterwards entered the room. The Eat! of Littguenot. then said, that they were de sirous of knowing from the gentlemen present, whether they had considered the plan that hail been proposed— whether they had wished any further explanation, or whether any of them were ready to state that they tumid become bidders? Mr. GnENIFELL begged to be informed if any alteration had been made in the plan? Mr. VA NSITTART replied, that a few insertions had been made fur the purpose of making the plan 1410,6 clear. The Earl of LIVERPOOL then read the plan over again, pointing out the insertions to which Mr. Vansittart had allud, d. The only thing material was in the paragraph referring to the " deposit of 500,0001. in Exchequer bills, to be lodged in the Hank of England within three days alter the signature of Contract and here it was added, that the deposit might consist of 600,0001. Three per Cent. Consols. Mr. BOIIANQUET, the Governor of the South Sea Com pany, now observed, that a statement had been prepared, by the Directors of the South Sea Company, to lay before the Proprietors of the South Sea Stock this day, but if it would be carried in the affirmative we should require a louger time than Tuesday next to obtain the necessary subscriptions towards the increase of capital which will be required. The Earl of Li VIM 'cwt.—We are of course desirous of heating parties who may bid fur the whole, in the first instance. If it should turn out that no party bids for the whole, then will come the consideration of the propositions of those who may bill for a part. It is very desirable that the whole thing should be settled as expeditiously as may be, to prevent the effects which are produced in the money market while the matter is in doubt. Mr. BOSANIAUF.T remarked, that it was probable, in the course of the al tertioon, he shookd be enabled to ascertain the disposition of the South Sea Proprietors on the subject. After some loather observations, it was ultimately fixed by the Earl of Liverpool, that the next meeting should stand fixed, as already appointed, for Tuesday. A very singular circumstance occurred on Friday last, involving a question of some interest to bankers. About three years ago, a bill at a month's date for 10001. was drawn by a country banker on a highly respecrable firm in the City, and duly accepted.— The drawers (of whose stoppage we some days since apprised our readers) appeared on Saturday se'nnight in the Gazette. On Friday, to the great astonish ment of the acceptors, this bill, which for some reasons unknown to us appears not to have been before presented, made its appearance at the counter. Payment was declined fur the present, and a circuit'. stance so extraordinary will probably become the subject of litigation. DEATH Of ISIS GRACE TUE ARCHBISHOP Of CASUEL.—Died, on Monday evening last, the 6th inst., in Rutland-square, Dublin, at a quarter past eight o'clock, his Grace the Right Hon. and Hon. Charles Brodrick, I). D. Lord Archbishop of Cashel, Primate of Munster, and Lord Bishop of Emly.— His Grace was translated to the Archprelacy in 1801. He was consecrated Bishop of Clonfert in 1795, and Bishop of Kilmore in the succeeding year. His Grace was brother to Lotd Viccount Midletun, was a Commissioner of the Board of Education, a Treasurer to the Board of First Fruits, and a Vice President of the Society for discountenancing Vice. The Ladies of the parish of Camberwell have land..bly opened a subscription among themselves, their children, and their servants (which in no instance is to exceed 2s. 61 but admits the smallest donations), in aid of the larger one at Lloyd's Colke-house, for the relief of the distresses in Ire land, and they have already collected a considerable sum. It is nothing but right that their generou s example should be made as public as possible, and we hope that it will stimulate the ladies of Great Britain in general to exert themselves in a similar manner in their own families and nrighbouthooda. ISO