The National Register. — London, England, 1817-01-20 00:00:00

The LU.IN to the FRENCH GOeEILyME:N: —.No— - THIS transaction► hap excited, nal estmorainary sensAtions, lath iii France and England_ ne funds of both countries hare been considerably af:ected by it, bat in a manner totally opposite ; those df France hav ing lit en raised, while those of Eng - lima were depressed. The degreestowerer to which the termer wereexalted, much exceeded thollvroportiou b. which the latter have heen reduced; and the termlttation of the week seems likely. to re.torti the llritit.h funds, at least to their furiner level. it was generally • presumed, that sonic measure of vital impo:tance to the interests of France had been recently in the contemplation of our Cabinet. The sadden and unexpected arrival of the Duke of Wel-. lington in this country, the rapidity of his departure, and the subsequent asietublage of the Russian, •Pros sian, and British Staffs in Paris, confirmed this opini , 'r.. There was a slight rumour of a loan, and it was also believed, from the embarrassed condition of the French finances, that some extensive retrenchment in their expenditure would be fimnd indispensible. Hence it wet 'supposed that the numbers of the army of occupa tion would be lessened, and this supposition turns out to hare been well !bonded. The allied army are to be diminished by 30,000 men, of which number our contingent finmas six thousand, who are in consequence returning home. With this measure we arc not in clined to dispute. We presume, befere it was adopted, it was well aseertained that no danger could arise to the liberties of Europe, from such a concession to the distresses of France ; and that the fbrVes remaining nye* her flmatiers, will be sufficient tocheck that wound ed and indignant spirit, which still burns within her. We would sincerely rejoice, if sufficient reasons for the dislianding of the whole allied army, were found in the impmved moral state of that unhappy country. If she b d begun to feel the value of her constitution, to ve n ral6 the laws of society, to cherish obedience to her 1 gitimate authorities, and, above all, to recognize and ✓ spect a practical religion, we would repose some con fidence in her solemn promises, and feel no necessity to ensure their fulfilment, by the di..play of our artillery. We hope, indeed, that some symptoms of such a regene ration, have been already perceived, and that in this instance they operated in no slight degree upon the councils - of the Allied Sovereigns. _ _ The rumour of a hem to the French government, appears also to have been founded in truth. No docu ment has indeed. yet transpired to enable us to speak with certainty of this transaction. But it is well known, that there was a deficit in the revenue or France fir the last year, of three hundred millions of francs. In' other words the expences of that government ex ceeded its income to the amount of that sum. The French Minister had attemped several plans for sup plying that deficiency, none of which in the result appeared practicable. In this situation of affairs a pro posal was made for negotiating a loan in England equal to a large portion of the sum wanted; but the gentle men to whom the application was confined in this coun try, demanded, in the first instance, the guarantee of our government. This was wisely refused, and that negociation was in consequence suspended. In a short time after, however, it was stated to have re-oeened upon different grounds. It was proposed that the forests of Bondi should be vested in Trustees, and the island of Martinique be left in the hands of this country as a security fur le millions sterling, the sum required. It is confidently stated, that this wasagreed to ; that the entire loan is to be paid up befbre the ex piration of two years; that seventy millions of franes,be ine about a quarter of the whole amount, are to be advanced before the month of June next ; that the only hottses in London connected with this affitir are those of Messrs. BA reING • and HOPE, who are to contribute three millions sterling. The houses of Messrs. PA at; n and Co. at Ilambdres, and a fourth house at Paris are mentioned as the parties who arc to supply the remaining nine mil lions. The negotiation is now said t) ho nearly conclud ed, as Mr. BARING left London on Friday fie. Paris, in oll=l. to effect the ratification of the signatures. Them it appears that our Government stands altogether dis selmected with this important transaction. It belongs entirely to private individuals, and those individuals who advance the largest proportion are foreigners. It is is truth, a commercial speculation, with the benefits, A! the losses by which those alone are concerned, who we embarked their capital on the adventure. A cry has been raised agstinst sending, so much wealth out of Great Britain in its present state of distress. But to this it may be replied, that every British subject has aright to apply his personal property in whatever manner he may Clint fit. Of this privilege he cannot be debarred by say proceedings consistent either with freedom or .jus tit.e. In the next place, it is the want of trade ; the want of an extensive consumption of our manuflictures, and not tlx want of capital, which has produced our twat sufferings. If, in these circumstances, Messrs. and poet: had three millions of capital uneme dit.... .... \ ./ . THE NATIONAT REGISTER. 1110, why should, they net appropriate it, to those uurposcs which they esteem tho most tulvantagcOus? Besides, how can it be asserted, that the absence of this sum from England can contribute to its detriment ? It is a trifling amount if compared to the millions whi:di are still lett behind. I.:pon the whole, • therethre, we are rather surprised ta the effect which the report of this loan operated Agrai our fonds ; and if the subject had not excited generai observation, taut some malig nant remarks on the.part of those who are disposed to represent every occurrence in the worst possible light, we should not have felt it necessary to discuss its merits. FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. r• ROLE. By the arrival of the Ana and Elizabeth packet, Capt. Daniels. from Dieppe, we gcant the result of the trial of the Custom-horse officers at Rotten, fw the murder of Captain Partridge, of tie Nancy packet, off Dieppe, by wantonly firing into the vmsel as she was laving-to, in the month of August last. Two (X the Offimders have been found guilty, and sentenced to two mouths' innris•mment and to pay a fine of 3,000 francs each. 9.--General Count Woronzow, who commands the Russian Contingents in France, hits ar rived at I'uris, from his head-quarters ut Maulieuge. CHAMBER OF Dr.PUTIE4, ../ANuAkv R. M. Poyfcre de Cere presented a Petition from the Booksellers of Paris, in which they . elaimal the free im portation into France of every book published in f6reig►n countries; with a continuance of the duty on lioAs ori ginally published in France, but reprinted in fbreign countries, and imported into France. The Petition was referred to the Committee on the Budget. The . Chamber proceeded to the general scrutiny on the Law respecting the Elections, when there appeared for the Law 13:2—against it, 100. COU iti ER EXTii:O2 DINA Ne uty 0. The Duke of Richelieu yesterday morning visited the Duke of Wellington, and had a long vonference with his Grace. The Minister of the Interior visited the Duke at the same dine, and both Ministers went away together. - The Kin; has created a large number of Knights of St. Michael, for the purpose of distinguishing men who have rendered themselves celebrated in literature, sci ence, and the arts, or by useful discoveries. This does great honour to the King. It is the only Order of Knighthood, we believe, in Europe, that pays such a tribute of honour and respect to those who may be well called the benefactors of mankind. CHANIBER OF PEERS.—BULLETIN or JAN. The Minieer of the Interior, accompanied by M. Becquey, Under Secretary of State, and NI. Cuyicr, Counsellor of State, presented the Election Law plan, with the amendments made by the Chamber of Depu ties, and on which the King has deferred his determi nation until after both Chambers shall have decided on the measure. The plan, the receipt of which was acknowledged, was ordered to be printed and distributed. The Bu reaux meet on Tuesday, at one o'clock, for its examina tion ; and the Chamber will assemble at two fin• its dis cussion. The Chamber was :t have heard in the same sitting the report of Special Committee appointed to examine the propositions relative to the responsibility of Ministers ; but the Committee gave notice by one of its members, that circumstances rendered it necessary to delay the report.—Adjourned. PARIS, JAN. 13. Much busine:s WAS done on the Exchange on Satur day. It is s►id, that one broker purchased more than 1,100,000 francs of annuities, at the rate of 604 _ . Saturday, Marshal Lefebvre, Duke of Dantsie, being presented by the Minister of War to ttie king, took the oaths, and received from his Majesty the Baton of a Mar shal of France. A very uncommon event has occurred at Boulogne, On the 3th between one and two in the morning, at low-water, the sea returned into the port with such im petuosity, that in less than half an hour it rose 5 feet, that is to say, .2 feet above high tide. The wind was in the N.W., blowing a tempest. in consequence of this flo&l a great number of cables gave way, and se veral vessels which drifted against the jetty of the port sustained damage more or less considerable. Some parts of the quay have been injured. Persons acquainted with the natural history of the sea attribute the flood to a distant earthquake. General Leclerc has died nt Paris. His obsequies took place two days since in the churdt of the Assump tion. A horrid ci hie came on for trial at the Court of Assirec in Paris last week. It wag that of a man (Willy 11:1Ift of Ileitseli, a house porter, charged with stabbing his daughter and al*: promptedos it appeared, by an incestuous passion tOr the former, sod actuated by a furious rage at their Wbillifila to avoid his society. Such v - as the debasement Of this wretch's moral'. that lie audaciously sought to justify hiuutelf by say ing, " that his daughter was his property !" Vu:sNt, Dec. 29.—Letters from the North of Ger many inform us that Russia has just p.mnitted the frec importation of fur:ign cloths into her doiniaiuns. The JANUARY 20. taxes which the Crown renounces by thi: new (?rdon .nar.oe, will amount to six millions of roubles for the year 1817. Bitussms, J.N. 11.—The expectation of a propo sition relative to the genend prohibition of the expor tation of corn attracted a numerous audience to the galleries in the second Chamber yesterday ; but this communication, so important to the bouthern provinces, was not made. The amount of the charitable snbscription for t 1 numerous poor of this city is already above 65,009 francs. At the request of their Majesties the Emperor of Russia and King of Prussia, our Sovereign lots per mitted the transit through the kingdom of 9-1.5 hecto litres of corn -waling from abroad, and destined for the supply of the Russian and Prussian troops in France. The Governor of Hainanit has published on this r.nasion un address to the inhabitants, assuring them there is no reason fir alarm on this account ; that the strictest measures arc taken that the quantity- fixed shall not be exceeded ; that his Majesty has requested his allies in future to let the corn pass by any other route than through the Netherlands. The King of Naples, unlike, his namesake and cousin, the sovereign of Spain, has signalized his restoration by confirming the blessings of u free Constitution already enjoyed by Sicily, and conferring others equally solid. None but Sicilians are to be permitted tt. told offi c es i n the Sicilian chtmit ; the Archbishop of Palermo is in future to be a native. One fiairth of the Neapolitan Council of Stow is, to be composed of Sicilians: the abolition of feudal rights, a boon which was granted several years since, is fully confirmed. A sinking fund is established, to place the finances of Sicily on the same respectable footing with those of other Eu ropean States ; and, in short, the civil and religious liberties of every individual in the island are protected by the usual bulwarks of a free Constitution. When measures thus calculated to ensure the happiness of the people emanate spontaneously from the Throne, they promise a double harvest of blessings, both to Sovereign and people. CURIOUS FRENCH LAIN-SUIT. -11 9 0 .'" GILLES T. RIGEL.. Gilles was horn in 17Tr1,attheWli:ige of Chambly, in the Lots i'litimurg, of parents whose only Levey to him was the valve of 3 acres of land. Ile came to Paris, where his comic of earls life exhibited a picture of profligacy. However, he took his degree in medicine ; but Ins medical s 1 Hl 4•44 It S 4 gainfol to him than his Lassie for Insinuating into &milk s, and invading the property of lawful heirs. He surceede,l in gaining the coulidence of M. Drval de Soyrourt, who took him for his physician, and gave him in that capacity to his two daughters, of whom the eldest was a valetudinarian. Dr. Gilles SOolldiscovcred that she was attacked by cancer. She sank into a state of deadly languor; and Gilles, who could calculate the duration of her life. availed himself of his skill to get possession of her fortune. He procured one .Mitten, his friend and pupil, to sit ] a certificate. attesting .that Miss de Soyeourt was attacked by athematic fever, for which he had to attend her ; and the same day he wrote to the Mayor of the second district, requesting, that in rouse. queuee of its being impossible for her he meant to make his witc to repair to the municipality, the Mayor would roue hil:191:11 . 31. 7 in the evening, and marry them in - the patient's chamber. This civil officer consented to perform the office rcquerted, and the dying woman espensed the physician, who was not appalled by the visage of death already seated on the pillow of his lICNV bride. lie recei . :ed from her an entire donation of all her property, in return for which he conceded, in the event, a very probable one, of her surviving him, the usull rug if various landed property. This marriage was kept secret; Miss de Soy court retained her funily name, and it was not till the moment when she felt life departing, that she munitioned Ire r sister to into ust her with the secret of this fatal union. tier sister was unwilling to disturb the repose of her last nputients by reproaches ; but, after her death, the doctor was requested not to abuse the spoliAtory disposition in his favour which he had extorted from ad) ing woman. He refused all negotiation, and declared his intention to remain master of a fortune so well acquired. It became, therefore, necessary to resort to an action at law. The .in+:es of first resort pronounced, •that Dr. Gilles, a stringer to the Soycourt had no other claims to the gratitude of the donor than the attentions lie had paid to hi r as a physician. They were bound to consider a marriage concluded mider such auspices as a fraudulent sacrilege, em ployed ae a Veil fur Spolllololll ; that the lair protected Mal , riage, but proscribed donation. It would not suffer a tes:a. inciitary disposition equally repugnant to legitimacy and morals to be legalized by a routract. It foresaw the dangers nine!' families and society generally would incur from the fraudulent cupidityof 3 11.11siC;illi without principle (or hoanur, if be any mischance there should happen to be such a person uu the profession: 1)r. 'Gilles, however, who did not view the matter in the same lieht in which it presented it-t If to the tribunal of Crst resort, charged M. Tripier, his counsel, to make a new effort before the Hoye, Court ; anti this appeal is auw depending. Thi n a d voca t e , in th^ course of the appeal, endeavoured to skew, that lie was not her physician, but her hired, her ten der f r i e nd in proof of this he proiltieed so re pa••iimate letters, in st hien she ho:ronrd the lamrisage of At.iiii to ea. press her passiots. lie married her 1.1 prevent her film dying of love: he was nut to blame it she died of a putrid fever, afa , r hating been cured of her rheumatism and her cancer. lie received the bequest In return for other valua ble considerations, and in the order of nal ure his wile shuulJ have survived him. It might appear rattier strati.A., indeed, and •oniet% hat irregular, that the mai nage ceremony ahnnlct be perrorilleil at the fire side of the sick lady ; but ilia de Sovrttart W. 1% really in much better health, that Dr. Mi•ten auk d iu his et' rvii by complaisance, and only with a Vie %v to savelilt new bride from the of mnairipal