The Statesman. — London, England, 1818-08-20 00:00:00

• tr -: ~' N Vita • - . lion, your Couimitteehave confined their instruction to their Chairman to the single point of furnishing salt to agriculture with additional facility, but it is desirable that a Bill should be brought forward in the ensuing Session ; and that in the mean time any relief that can safely be given by official regulation should be afforded; and that menus should be adopted to vender the administration of the Salt Laws in Scot land, in all respects, similar to the administration of them in England. Resolved, That it Is the opinion of this Committee, that the consideration of this subject should be re sumed early in the omit Sesiiou of ratliameut. Jane 1, lets. • • i ii......... t 1 " 4- , • TfiE STATESMAN. ' TREATMENT or NAPOLEON AND HIS Ph YJICIAN. COPISSOF LETTERS RESPECTING MR. 011 EA RA's CAS , 1;“ •• .f.r.ogwood, Dee. 89, Sta,—ln consequence of some circumstances which have latterly occurred relative to the oblige lions espected from a person filling the situation I have the honour to hold, I conceive it to be essentially necessary to lay the following statement before your Escellertcy for your consideration. 64 When in Augost,lBls, Count Bertrand (afterhay. ing received satisfactory answers from Capt. Maitland, of his Majesty's ship Bellerophon, to enquiries made by him touching my character and conduct) did me the honour to make application to Admiral Lord Keith for me to accompany Napoleon Bonaparte to St. Nelms in quality of surgeon, his Lordship was pleased to approve of, and sanction my accepting of the above-named situation, which, at his Lordship's vecousmendation, was afterwards confirmed by the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty; the appointment, therefore, was not of my seeking. " I never for a moment entertained the most dis. lent idea, that, independent of my medical duties, it was espected that I should make a Report of con. emotions which I might have with the persons whom my duties led me to visit; no such proposition was ever made to me either by Lord Keith or Sir George Cockburn, nor was even the most distant insinuation to that effect made by the above-mentioned &stirs• guished characters. 66 When asked by Napoleon Bonaparte to tell him candidly whether he ought to consider me as a Sergeon darn Gulere, or as a medical man in whee l he coold repose confidence, I replied, that I was not' Surgeon truss Gakre ; that I was Surgeon, and not a Spy, and one in whom I hoped he might place con idence—that my principles were to forget the con versations I had with my patients on leaving the I I TOOM, unless as far as regarded my allegiance as a British Officer to my Sovereign and Country—and that my orders only obliged me to one thing, to wit, to give immediate notice to the Governor in case of any serious illness befalling him, in order that the test medical advice might be promptly afforded. 66 When asked again, subsequently, whether I am not obliged by your orders, Sir, to go twice a week to Plantation House to make Reports, and what the nature of such Reports or Communications Was I referred to the sentiments I.:pressed above. 66 When minutely interrogated by you, Sir, as to the number of interviews, and the subject of conver sations I have had, and when informed by you, Sir, that I was DO judge of the importance of the subjects of any conversations I might have—that I had no busi ness to set op my own judgment upon the nature of them —that you might think several things of great im yortance which I might consider as trilling and unin teresting-1 have had the honour to reply, that if I was not at liberty to ezetcise any discretion or jatig ment as to the importance or otherwise of such con. versations es I might be present at, there was evidently no other alternative than that of repeating to you every syllable which passed, the doing of which would place me in the situation of a man acting the most base and dishonourable part. In fact, that I would fie e spy and a mouton.' fhat such conduct would cover my name with well-merited infamy, and tender me unfit for the society of any man of honour. 66 Ho who, clothed with the specious garb of sician, in,inuatee himself into the confidence of his pa tient, and ;moils himself of the freynent opportunities and facilities which his situation necessarily presents of being noar his person, to w ring (under pretence a curing or alleviating his infirmities, and in that con fidence which has been from time immemorial reposed by the sick in persons professing the healing art) dis closures of his patient's sentiments and opinions, for the purpose of afterwards betraying them, de serves most justly to be branded with the appellation of s mouton' 66 In answer to your. question on the 16th of this month, of 6 whether l had given any word of honour not to make any written reports of the state of Na.. poleon Bonaparte's health, without obtaining his consent, and leaving the originals in his possession ?' I had the honour to reply to you, Sir, that I bad' avoided giving such a pledge, by stating (according to your directions), that none would be asked with out first acquainting him. " I have the honour to acquaint you, Sir, that Count Bertrand has signified to me, that with respect to the title, it might be easy to arrange matters by snsking use of no proper names in the Reports, and by substituting the words personage, or the patient, in the lieu thereof; that provided this was done, previous consent being obtained, and the originals deposited with one of the French Suite, there would be no objection to written Reports of the state of Napoleon Bonaparte's health being made. The sub. stance of this I have had the honour to make known to you verbally, on the 15th of October, and on the 14th of this month. " Ha►ing so often received contradictory instruc tions from you, Sir, I must beg leave to reiterate the request I have frequently matte to you before, to wit, to be furnished with instructions in writing, to the end that I may well comprehend my situation, and what is required from me, and to prevent the possibi lity of mistakes which may arise from verbal instruc tions being either forgotten or badly comprehended. " It is with infinite pain, Sir, that I feel myself obliged to refer to the ignominious treatment which I have suffered from you in your oars house, especially upon two occasions. Were I culpable, even a Court . Martial could not authorize the intemperate and op. probrioas epithets se liberally bestowed upon me, and being twice turned out of doors in the presence of witnesses; the lasitleee not without apprehensions on my part of experiencing personal violence. I have, Sir, had the honour of serving my country in the Royal Navy for several years, until now without censure, and, perhaps, not without some little com mendation; and I must protest against any person, however superior to me in rank, making rise of lan guage and treatment towards me unworthy of, and degrading to, an Officer who has the honour to serve in his Majesty's Navy.—l. have the honour to be, Sir, with all due respect, your Excellency's most obedient humble servant, " BARRY E. M FARA, Surgeon, R. N. " To his Excellency Lieut.-General Sir HUL144141 Luwe, K.C.B. &c. &c. Guveruor." St. Helena, April 10,1818. 66 Sus,—l am directed by Lieutenant-Getteial Sir lledsou Lowe, to convey to you its instructions, that except in the event of any thing extraordinary occuring, which you might feel it your duty to re port immediately in person to him, you are not to quit Longwood without his permission, artless under a cull for medical attendance, when other medical aid is not at hand, or sinless under the circumstance of Napoleon Bonaparte passing outside the grounds of Longwood, when, if he should require it, you may follow him, observing however, (list pursuant to the •riginal arrangement made by Rear-Admiral Sir George Cockburn your attendance upon him cannot be considered as supplying the place of a British Meer should he pass• beyond the limits. 6 ' Your immediate attendance upon the Naval Commander-in-Chief, should he at any time require it, is also an exception to the above rule. " In case of your feeling it necessary or desiring to call in, or consult with, other medical aid, you will apply forthwith to Mr. linter (or to any nearer meth. cal person, if the suddenness of the csse should require it), making known the same to the Orderly Officer, who has orders to place a dragoon at your disposi tion, for the above or any other purpose you may want one, connected with your medical duty. " I am, Sir, your obedient servant, (Signed) '* T. R I; A DE, Liem.-Cui. U. A.G. " Burly O'Meara, Esq. Lfingwood." ‘• Longwood, April 12.1818. rr Sin,--1 had the honour this morning of receive ing a letter from Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Thomas Reade, Deputy Adjutant-General, containing in• structions, In your Excellency's name, by which I find that I am assimilated wits the French prisoners at Longwood. " When, in 1815, Count Bertrand asked me to accompany Napoleon Bonaparte as Surgeon, I de clared to Admiral Lord Keith and Captain Maitland (both of whom strongly recommended my accepting of the offer), that I would accept of the situation on certain conditions, viz.—that I should continue upon the Navy List in my rank as Surgeon, with my time going on ; that it should be permitted me to resign, should I find the situation not to be con. sonata to my wishes ; that I should not be considered as dependant upon or paid by Napoleon Bonaparte, but as a British Officer e•nployed by the British Go vernment (and consequently not subject to any re. striction or restrictions imposed upon French pri soners), preferring to renounce any situation, how ever advantageous, rather than give up my inde pendence, and the rights to which every British subject is entitled by the laws of the land which gave him birth ; the subsequent arrangements made by the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, show that all these conditions were approved of. " In June, 1817, you, Sir, manifested some inten tion of imposing upon me the same restrictions as the French prisoners were subjected to. I bad then the honour to communicate to you, the stipulations which I bad made, and the conditions under which I had accepted the situation ; adding, that l would prefer giving in my resignation, to submitting to any such restrictions. I, therefore, Sir, consider your order, of the 10th of this month, as a demand for my resignation, and I have the honour now, Sir, to tender it to you, and also to demand permission to return to England ; as no pecuniary advantages are sufficiently powerful to induce me to give up my rights is a British subject, and to sully the uniform which I have the honour to wear.—l have the honour to be, Sir, with all possible respect, your Excel lency's most obedient humble servant, (Signed) •• BARRY E. 0' MEA RA, Surgeon, R.N. Tu bb Esrelles.cy Lieoi..6eii. Sir Ho.tbon Luoe, K. C. B. ac. tkc. Qr. &err, our." " Longwood, April 12, ISM " SIR,—I have received this morning a letter, bearing date the 10th of this month, containing di rections from the Governor of the Island, that I am not permitted in future to stir out of Longwood ; which is equivalent to saying, that I am to he sub jected to the same restrictions as the French pri. toners. When, in 1815, I resolved, in consequence of the confidence you had manifested towards me, and the advice of Admiral Lout Keith and Capt. Maitland, to accept of the situation of Surgeon, I made a spe cial condition, that in so doing I should be conti nued upon the Navy List, in my rank as Surgeon, with my time going on; and that I should be consi dered as a British Officer, paid by the British Go vernment, and consequently not subject to any re• inaction or restrictions, which it might be thought proper to impose upon the French ; desiring thereby to preserve my character as a British Officer un sullied. " Ten months past, the Governor conveyed to me some intimation of his wish to submit me to the same restrictions as the French; to which I replied, by making known to him the engagements which I had made, and that, however flattering might be the confidence which had been placed in me, nothing would induce me to degrade my character and the uniform which I wore, by renouncing the privileges to which every Englishman is entitled by the laws of l his country. " It appears clearly to me now that the intentions are, by subjecting me to such restrictions, to oblige me to quit the Chief Personage at Longwood, and I am under the necessity of representing to you, Si r , that however painful it is to my feelings to On so, in the actual state of ill health in which he is at present, it is iMpossible for me to sacrifice my character, and my rights as a British subject, to the desire which I have of being useful to him; trod I have ; lu consequence; formed the resolution to depart, and retatn to My native country. In doing Ibis, I do not conceive that I break through any engagements which I may have contracted with you, since it is caused by a su perior power, as independent of my will, as ao irresisti ble physical force, or death itself. It is doubtless, true, that [ made a promise to stay as long as you remained in the state you are, and whilst I could be of any service to you ; hut in so doing I only ex pressed my volition to execute, which is now as im possible as it I were labouring under sickness, or no more. " had an interview this morning, but, in cense quence of observing him to be very unwell, I did not like to communicate to him the novel intelligence which must cause my departure from him ; I there (ore beg of you, who are most accustomed to, and have a greater right to his confidence, to make it known to him.—l have the honour to he, Sir, with the greatest respect, your most obliged humble ' servant, (Signedl " BARRY R. O'MEARA, Surgeon. r "To Lieut.-General C.,unt Bertrand, " &r." ••,* AT NINE O'CLOCK NEXT TUESDAY MORN ING, TWO PRIZES OF £30,000, TWO PR I ZES OF .et.ooo, 1,000 SOVEREIGNS, &c. WITII GOLD, CL A RET, PORT, MA D A.---A LL MUST HE DRAWN NEXT TUESDAY.--LOTTERY FI NISHES. I _, LONDON: THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 11118 The facts that have tranqpired, in spite of all the eforts to prevent communication with the Prisoners at St. Helena, of the unworthy treatment to which NAPOLEON and his Physician, Mr. O'M EARA. have been subjected by the petty and pragmatical despots who • now lord it over the mightiest of men, have recited a genuine burst of sympathy from every honest mind that has listened to the mournful tale. We have alCeady given most of the documents that have been so fortunate as to reach Europe in spite of the vigilance of the chosen officials, who lay their interdict upon all correspondence in or out of the suspected Island. We are enabled to place the question between the complaining parties and their oppressors at St. Helena in a still clearer point of view by. continuing the correspondence which has taken place on the occasion of Mr. O'MEARA'S re markable case. The letters which we insert today on this subject are of extreme interest, and it is a duty we owe to the Public, as well as to the parties most concerned, to lay the signal instance of harsh, unnecessary, and undeserved oppression which the Correspondence unfolds, fully b.fore the British Reader. We now learn that Mr. 0 9 MEen.4 has been reinstated in his attend ance upon 1 4 14POLEON until the pleasure of the Go vernment here is signified respecting him. This is a pretty plain admission that Mr. O'MEARA is in the right, and that there are some doubts about the jos tice and propriety of the conduct pursued towards the Illustrious Invalid, whose state of health was so little calculated to sustain the consequences of the illegal and unauthorised punishment inflicted upon him, in addition to the effects of unwholesome cli mate and the other privations of his situation. The letters from Madrid give este understand that public distrust and dissatisfaction rapidly increase.— No wonder. Such is the system of the Government and the preponderance of the Inquisition, that no body and no man's house are secure from their horrid poser. The Holy Tribunal, aided by the Govern ment force, have lately seized a number of persons, among whom is a Rev. Prebeudary, a Colonel of the Guards, and some merchants, and shut then. up in the dungeons of the Inquisition, confiscating their pro perty at the same time, on the appalling charge of being Freemasons I It would seem that FERDINAND feels by no means secure himself, notwithstanding the vigorous support he is receiving from the Priests' t home and the MIN Brotherhood abroad. Not the least cause of danger and alarm to the virtuous Government of this legitimate tool of the Inquisition is his own father, CHARLES IV. who, it is said, has pledged himself to accept and support the Constitution abolished by his son, FERDINAND VII., establishing religious tolera tion. The Ministers are fools it seems, who do not know what to do in regard to their foreign relations, and are equally puzzled about their unsocial plans, and the Government at home. Mails from Hamburgh, and German Papers to the 16th inst. have arrived. The King and Crown Prince of SWEDEN left Stockholm on the 6th inst. for Nor way. The object of this visit is, doubtless, to endea vour to conciliate the Norwegians ; and if the con- qoeror of that country takes the proper method to effect this, and stone for the flagrant ♦iolation of rights which he pretends to respect, we shall not be displeased to hear of his success. The Royal Visitors will, no doubt, be received with the most enthu►iastic acclamations of their Norwegian sub. jects. This is not the only occasion on which a serrowful heart has been associated with a smiling countenance. Sweden, however, it can. .:..am. e__'_~ - 3 111. .~ • hot be denied, it priifiting < largely trots rha "I m o nistration of the new Sovereign. lii addition to th e many other benefits r which he his con(prred ou his subjects, it appears.lhat hi has procured from th e French Government a promise of indemnification fo r the Swedish vessels and cargoes captured in the Balti c in 1811,12,13, by French privateers. The Carnes entsce has beet appointed Commander of the troops in the province of Sonia. The Russian Ambassador it Berlin has gnus i s Ais.la•Chapelle, to make the requisite preparations for the reception of his Sovereign. • It appears from the Nova Scotia Papers, 014 have arrived, with letters to the 21st nit. that O nt o the execution of Mr. ARBUTHNOT, the confereurro between the British and Spanish Embassies at Wod k „ ington had hien more frequent, and of longer darsti f i r ' than heretofore. The Halifax Journal contains s olos articles complaining that she Americans persist in firb„ ing in the Straits of Belle Isle, and on the coast of 6 4 , brador, not withstanding the instructions recently s k i nut respecting the encroachments of the Almaden fishermen on the coasts of British North A m m o , direct, that when found in the Bays or narboori, such Americans shall be seized and broughtiu k r trial. THE QUEEN.—The account of the state of her M A , SESTY'S health yesterday The QUEEN hss a Yeti, good night, and continues Netter"—En dition to this, we learn that her 111a3corY gM strength very fast.—Tne PRINCE REGENT confirms . at Hampton Court. The LORD CHANCELLOR did not sit in his prints Lincoln's Inn, yesterday (as he promised) to give judgments. We cannot believe the statement in the follow's paragraph The Grand Duke !•Itcti tut., whets' Drummond, now the seat of Mr. B DRURIMOND,wu presented with the sword of ROBERT BRUCE, which, tradition says, was wielded by that hero at the bat. tie of BAnnockhurn. The sward is so heavy, that it requires both hands of even a powerful man to I 1 it." Is this the reason for the owner parting with its We cannot believe that the descendants of Balmy weak as they may seem, prize so lightly the smseest emblem of their national freedom and glory, as is " give their fathers' swords sway" in this manner... The sword of BRUCE in the hands of a Russian Dakel It saved Scotland from the fate of Poland. Such I compliment to KOSCIUSKO might have been mond. DRY ROT —lt is important to be well aware of the progress of the dry rot in our ships of war, and indeed in all shipping whatever. The ships et Ports- mouth have lately underwent an investigation, free the zeal and scientific research of Mr. Nl•Wtwee. This Gentlemen, we are informed by a letter from Portsmouth, proceeded last week to visit the skip el war in ordinary in that harbour, which had hen stated in the London Papers to be effected nithtlie dry rot. After minutely examining the Nelson, Cla. , • Noce, Anson, Rivoli, and several others, he left that place for the Isle of Wight. He was rather re served in repressing his opinion concerning the con dition of the ships in question ; though he said enough to make us understand that he thought them far from being in the deplorable state in which he had been led to expect them. He remarked that the ship which was most affected with the dry rot was the Rivoli, which had been built by the French, and is not many years of age. Orders ere" gone down to the several dock-yards, to repair and make a very considerable nom' , er sf anchors for the ships of the line, end upwards of tee hundred for frigates end vessels of a smaller farce, es on a survey there were not found a sufficient number of the established weight in store. We understand that steam-packets are new esti in the Mediterranean, and that at Naples a beautifel packet of 240 tons, and 120 feet in length ess launched on the 24th June last, intended to sail frost Naples to Palermo. The steam-engine for theatre,* vessel was sent from hence ; it - has been contused. by Messrs. HAGUE and Tomas, after the principles of Messrs. BOLTON and WATTS, of Birmingham. We understand that the Memoirs of Comfit de Las Casa:, the companion of NAPOLEON, will be peb. lished in London and Weymar, on the lit Septettes ber. Besides the Letter to Lord BATHURST, writ ten from Frankfort, it will comprise the Secret Cor respondence of Count LAS CASA% with Least, BONAPAIITE, discovered and seized by Sir 11U0Soll Lowe, a copy' of which it appears the Author WS preserved among his Papers and brought with him I. Europe. At a General Meeting held et Carlisle on the llth inst. of persons interested in the prosperity of Caste berland and counties adjacent, it was resolved imeres•• die fel) , to commence the formation of a canal hetweee the city of Carlisle and the Solway Firth. The esti. mated expense is 71,0001. rfettos FEYER.—Its the village of Govan, in the neighbourhood of Glasgow, washing the inside the houses with quick lime, has tended very much to prevent the spread of the typhus fever. Some mer chants of Glasgow humanely subscribed a sum of money towards the relief of the prior of the village, many of whom were suffering under this disease. It is certain that the management of Drury.lan• Theatre, for the ensuing season, is confided by this Sub-Committee to Mr. STrettesr KEetsce. Report states, that the price of adnsisslous to the Theatre ars to be reduced. Mr. and Mrs. EGERTON, and Mr. Sleets's has been performing with extraordinary attraction it Gloucester and Cheltenham. The popular drama, of Guy Mannering and Rob Roy have been got eft with great care and taste. Mrs. EGERTON and hi% CLAIR retain their original characters, and ECM' TON performed Colonel Mannering and Rob Roy. Sunday evening Mrs. Harvey, of Clarendon-0 0 N Clarendon-square, Semers"f own, was attacked en the New Road, by three lads and two wow's, who knocked her down, and robbed her of her ridicule, and three ostrich feathers. Oa the 27th alt. about one P. M. a slight shock of an earthquake was felt at Albano, is Italy. -~ PRICE OF STOCKS TM' Bank Stan 413 3 per Cent. fled. 791 3 per Cent.Cattsols 554& Serer Cent. 86ft Coasnl4 for Ace. 4 per Cent. Vbi THE STATESMAN. DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. 5 per Cent. Navy 10.4} India Hondo 87 p Long Ann. 201 Eveheqaer Bids 16 20 p • Otnnitun 2.1 dii. II • I