The National Register. — London, England, 1809-11-12 00:00:00

.THE NATIONAL REGISTER. NOV. 12. defeated by the 0. P.'s and forced to make a precipitate retreat. The concert before the curtain had all its usual variety of horns, rattles, whistles, cat-calls, barking, crowing, groaning, and vociferating. Between the acts the per formers rested, and returned again fresh and vigorous, to the contest, when the actors made their appearance on the stags. The pit dance was repeated with great activity, and large parties afterwards beat time to the sound of 0. P. The Pittites amused themselves with sham-fights, fencing-matches, and capering with great glee from bench to bench. Amongst the placards, was a caution, placed atithe extre mity of a long stick like a pole—" Beware of b ad Houses.' Three or four placards with a key were exhibited in the pitt and boxes. ' 4 Conquer or Die," was displayed in one of the dress boxes, and loudly applauded; as was the fol lowing : " Eloped, a Young Lady with a certain Officer; they were seen late last night coming out of the new (the sentence was com pleted by the figure of a key)." The following hand-bill was in circulation : " ONE HUNDRED POUNDS REWARD ! ! !—Absconded from the duties of his employment, a man who has the audacity to call himself an Actor: He is about fifty years of age, five feet ten inches high, of a very dark complexion, and is well known by the nick-poi:ate of Black Jack : his features as well as his prin ciple savour those of a Jew, and his temper and manners come very near to an imperious Bash nw ; h e h a d on when he was last seen in his employment, a superb dress of green velvet and gold, which is said to have cost the amazing sum of five hundred guineas ! It is that the extraordinary degree of pride and the wonderful obstinacy and unwillingness this man has lately shewn to the voice of his Employers, have been the prin cipal causes of his thus absenting himself; although he is consi dered by many to be touched about the upper tiers, as he has been observed, when it has been his business to face the 0. P. side of the House, to—start and stare—and in a most hideous and incoherent manner, to rave out-' What do you want ! ! What do you want ! ! !' " Whoever will give such information of him as will lead to his apprehension, so that he may meet the punishment he merits, shall, upon application to the Office of the 0. P.'s, at the sign of the Rattle and Horn, Pit-street, receive the above reward." On Monday and Tuesday evenings the 0. P.'s'imarch ed out in order, two and two, and proceeded to the Offices of several Newspapers. Before those averse to their cause, they gave three groans; and to those in favour of them, three cheers. After parading about for some time, they went to Kemble's house, where they unfortunately did not content themselves with expressions of disapprobation, but actually broke several of his win. ows. Upwards of 40 of the 0. P's. were taken into custody by a large party of constables ; which has had the effect of preventing such Wanton outrages. • ....40101..... . TERMINATION Of TIM DISPUTE AT COVENT GARDEN TIREATRE. The Managers of the above Theatre, it is said, have come to a determination of putting an end to the disturb ances. The following is only a hasty copy of the Address : " LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, " I am authorised by the Proprietors and Managers of this theatre, to address you in the language of subini,sion, and to propose such conciliatory terms, as they trust will secure the return of your favours, and tend to obliterate all past animo sities. " Ist. Upon the subject of your displeasure, the Manngers have no hesitation in cunfessing how sorry they are, that any part of their conduct should stem to have deserved it; and if, in the moment of executing what they deemed it their duty . to en force, some improper examples have been pitched upon, and some cases of severity have been exercised to the injury of the individual, they repent of such precipitancy, and implore your pardon and forgiveness for it. Moreover, they are vi illing, on the ground of atonement, to renounce all further prosecutions in the business. " 2dly. On the subject of annual private boxes, the Managers 7,5 are ready to admit ti►e principle of giving up private advantage to public benefit; and, since it coincides with your will in this particular instance, they will endeavour to conform to it as soots as possible; but the engagements being made for the season, they hope you will permit their ratification till the close of it; after which period, the number of private boxes shall be confined, as formerly, to the upper tiers, w ithin the extent of the orchestra. Sdly. Upon the subject of the prices of ad►nission, the Mana gers, anxious to remove the impression that an unfair advantage has been taken, of an opportunity when no rival Theatre is in existence, will give way to the pressure of the intouent ; hut, confident that the intention of the public does not go to the ex tent of a wish to destroy their legal claims and rights, they beg leave to wave only the exercise of them f►►r the present; limit ing their obedience to a more plausible opportunity, VI hen ano ther New Theatre is opened for competition. In the mean time, with the profoundest respect, they presume to solicit the return ing favours of a generous and forgiving public; under whose patronage, they will endeavour to carry on the concern at Old Prices." L4IV REPORTS. --...-- COURT OF CHANCERY, NOVEMBER e. ELOPEM ENT. Mr. Richards called the attention of his Lordship to the ease of Miss Nicholson, a ward in Chancery, who eloped on Wed• nesday, the 23th ult. with a comedian of the name of Giles. from Tunbridge Wells. The lovers• made the best of their way to:Lnndon, and took lodgings in the parish of Mary-le-bonne, in which church the banns of marriage were published. Through the activity, however, of the family Solicitor, and a Bow street officer, their residence was discovered on Saturday, w hen the person of this most prudent young lady was ►eeured, and delivered over to her friends. Mr. Blythe, as Counsel for Mr. Giles, stated that he had much to offer in extenuation of his conduct ; but that he refrain• ed, from considerations of delicacy to the family of the Lady. He stated the contrition of Mr. Giles for what had passed, and his readiness to submit to any terms which it might be his Lordship's pleasure to impose. As to the conduct of Mr. Smith. the brother comedian, who had assisted in the elopement, and had lent money towards carrying it into execution, he had a, affidavit from him, stating his utter ignorance at the time of the Lady's being ward in Chancery. He read this affidavit, awl also another from Mr. Fry, Mr. Giles's solicitor, in extenua tion. The Learned Gentlemen then stated, that Mr. Giles was without friends, and without any means of subsistence; so that his utter ruin was certain, in case of confinement. The Lord Chancellor said, he could not avoid remarking the impropriety of the Clergyman's conduct, who had published the banns. He (lid not wish to impute any wilful impropriety to the gentleman who had acted upon this occasion; but an error he was certainly guilty of. His Lordship now deemed it neces sary to lay down the law precisely for the guidance of those who might he hereafter concerned in such circumstances. He under stood that Clergymen frequently published banns, upon their being handed up to them, after the first and second lesson. The law, however, allowed no such power. By the Act of Parlia ment for the regulation of marriages, the banns should be made known to the Clergman at least seven days before their publi cation, together with the christian and surname of the parties,; christian and surname of the parties, the parish in which they resided, together with their respective residences, and how long they had occupied them. It was the duty of the clergyman, after the first not ice, to go to the house to which be was directed, and make enquiries there as to the correctness of the facts. If on such enquiry he was deceived, then he certainly was not to blame : but if he neglected to make such enquiry, he was subject not only to heavy ecclesiastical censures, hut to punishments of another description. Ignorance on the part of the Clergyman, would not avail him as au excuse. He cited the strictness of Lord Thurlow in the case of Doctor Markham, and recollected himself a cause, in which the absurd excuse of the ollkiating Clergyman was very near subjecting him to a severe prosecution. The Clergyman said he had given the strictest orders to his cu rate : the curate had given the same orders to his clerk; the clerk to his wife; and so they accounted and thought to apolo gize fort the dereliction of their duty. His Lordship advised a petition to be sent up in the course of the day, from'Mr. Siler t which he would take into consideration. A petition was after- 1 . : •