The Statesman. — London, England, 1818-09-17 00:00:00

FRENCH PASSPORTS AND ENGLISH CUSTON,HOUSES. TO THE EDITOR OF THE STATESMAN. Srn,—The rage for peregrinations into France has become so general of late, and the vegatirsos to which oar countrymen are expesed, through the Pass port business and `"custom-house searchers ow both sides of the water, are so frequent, that I think they ought to be apprised of the nature end extent of the alloy to which the enjoyment of a trip to France is liable. Much of this necessarily arises from the • ignorance of the inexperienced traveller ; but there is 'also a great deal to encounter, which no ordinary prudence can guard against. I propose to distin. goish the limits of each, that the tourist may know bow to avoid difficulties which are avoidable, nod be prepared for those from which he cannot escape. Preparing for an exclusion to Paris sit weekr since, I sent for my passport to the office of the Se cretary of the French Ambassador, at No. 10, New Cavendish-street. I described my name, residence, family, and object in visiting France. In two days , a polite letter was recei ved, including the passport; -free of espence• The tr ouble g enerall y taken of ap plying personally on one day, attending a secornkfne the passport, and feeing the person i n . waitiag,is we. sece ssiry. Delaying to app l y until' arrived at an outpost is still worse. Ten shillings is then required for each passport. A companion of mice at Brighton waited four days for a passport, and in the end yea tured to embark without one, and was compelled to remain at Dieppe under the surveillance of the Police until it followed him. Arrived at Dieppe, every article, even to ridicules and great-coals, was ,taken to the Costom-house and examined. The Ladies and Gentlemen were march ed to the same depot and examined in due order. A rubbing down of each party took place indifferent apartments. By virtue of his office, the Inspector took off the wig of a young Gentleman—it could be for no other purpose than pour rare. The Ladies were only disrobed of their caps and bonnets on this occa sion, although on others I have heard them state they were inspected to their skin. The change of passport; which was required on entering France was productive of more difficulty— the Officer was not at his bureau. The travellers were impatient, as the Diligence was soon to depart ; but their impatience was to no purpose, until one of them said he would give two francs to an underling, if he would fetch his principal. This crested a visible change ; and several others making similar declara tions, the principal was sought and prodriced, and the instruments filled up, about a quarter of an hoar after the Diligence had left the town. Some, in conse quence had to proceed io private carriages, at an in. creased expenre ; others waited until the followingday. Arrived at Paris we presented our passports by our valet de place. But we availed ourselves of former experience and began the operations for procuring leave to quit a week before we intended to leave.— In the first place we sent our valet to the Prefecture de Police for our original passports—the Officer chose to send him back with a message that we must attend in person ; we did so, when finding 50 or 60 persons of all descriptions crowded in the room with us who bad a claim to priority of attention,after wait ing an hour, we determined on postponing our at tendance to the following morning, and then pro cured our passport. The nest step was to t ke it to the hotel of the MIMI Minister, at the western ex tremity of Paris. Ilia office is only open for two hours daily, viz. from eleven to one. It was past one before we could reach his house, so that another day was required for that 'operation. The nest thing 1 was to take the passport to the hotel of the Duc de Richelieu, in the southern part of Paris; we there paid 10 francs with each passport, and were directed to call or send for them after four o'clock. This done, the nest day we had to attend again at the Prefecture de Police; the officer there made his en . tries, and referred us to another office, where another signature was added, and this office to another for the ornament of a stamp. All these ope rations performed, we were at liberty to leave Paris, and arriving at Boulogne and paying ten sous at the Police-cflice, we were empowered to quit France. This passport system is a heavy tax upon the time and patience of travellers; the delays are sometimes , productive of very serious consequences, end they impose continual impediments •on commerce. It might be considered as a counterpart to the arbitrary licensing system of England—excepting that by the passport system some security or benefit is supposed to be derived to the State, while, by the licensing system, nothing but injuries are produced to the State es well as to the People. At Boulogne we intended to embark for Hollings, but the rhetoric of the Captain of the Vigilant packet succeeded in persuading: us that a directly adverse wind was the best in the world for Dover; we, therefore, suffered our luggage to be put on board his vessel, end had the mortification to find that we were unable to quit the harbour, while the Hastings packet rode out in gallat style to its destination. — The next day, however, we crossed, and might have cleared the Custom-house by nine the following morn ing, but our Captain neglecting to report his vessel in due time, we were kept an additional day in Dover. The method, attention, and I may add civility, with which the Custom-house officers at Dover per form their duty, deserves praise; but there is a facility shown in passing large quantities of foreign wearing-apparel on some occasions, cud a severity, not to say injustice, in confiscating • the smallest quantities in others which requires some explanation ; for instance, my family con sisted of six persons, including two grown op and two young Ladies, who had been in Prance two years ; we had no laces or veils, or silk shawls or dresses, excepting only two plain black silk gowns which had been made up on the report of the death of an Illustrious female Personage reaohing Boulogne ten days since. Both these dresses had been visibly worn, and the fact was offered to be proved by the •aths of three- witnesses, but about a yard of silk was left over, and this was tacked to one of the gowns to repair it if oecessary. /Or this and this PRICK OF STOCKI THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. Rank Stock• 5 per Cent. Ntlvy 105 i 3 per Cent. Red. • India Bonds 81 84 p S per Cent.Cuthols 751 Long Ann. 36 per Cent. • Exchequer Hills 17 19 p Lomas for Ace. 751t1 °maims 31 die. 4 per Ceut. THE STATESMAN. LONDON: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER, 17, 1818. THE QUEEN. The Bulletin of the QUEEN'S health, issued this morning, is of in unfavourable nature. It is as fol. 161•11:-.—• " Kew Palace, Sept. 17. " The QUEEN has not bad so good a night as the two last, and is not so well this morning as she was yesterday. (Signed) " H. HALFORD, " F. MILMAN." Throughout the whole of yesterday her MAJESTY was somewhat better then on the preceding day. She has not complained of pain, but her lassitude and ex haustion appear undiminished. The PRINCESSES took their usual promenade in the Botanic Gardens, and along the delightful walks towards the Pagoda, sc. companied by the Earl and Countess of HAncounT, wbo arrived at the Palace, in the early part of the day,from their seat, St. Leonard's•hill, and remained with the PRINCESSES till three o'clock. They had scarcely departed, when the Deke of You arrived from town in his cuticle, and, after a short inter. view with her MAJESTY and Sir HENRY HALFORD, passed nearly an hour in conversation with the PRIN• COM, and was about to leave them, when the PRINCE REGENT arrived from Carlton-hoose. Their Royal Highnesses conversed some time, and the Duke of YORK then returned to London. The PRINCE REGENT remained tilt sis o'clock at the Palace, and then returned to Carlton-house to dingier. We are still given to believe that the Allied Powers will interfere in the disputes between Spain and South America ; but the tone in which the armed mediation for enforcing submission to the pack overtures of the Beloved FERDINAND was announced, is now softened into the intimation that the Congress of Aix-la.Chapelle will not Wend its interference farther than to renew those overtures, and to offer their solemn guarantee for the falfilment of the terms proposed by the King of SPAIN to the revolted Colo nies. This, we think, is interference enough. It will be remembered how many objections Lord CASTLE NEAGH started to the proposition for making some humane representations to the Spanish Go vernment in favour of the persecuted Cortes, by whose aid Lord WELLINGTON was enabled I. clear the way for the present despot of Spain to the Throne of that kingdom. But although it would have been inconsistent with delicacy and Royal dig- nity to have thus interfered in behalf of these op. pressed men, though every motive of policy, justice, and gratitude, and the character of British humanity, urged and warranted such an extension of the duties of Government, and the best Patriots of Spain have been suffered to remain and to perish in prisons, or beg their bitter bread in lonely esilement, it seems no objection is made to direct interference in the affairs of his Catholic Majesty, when the cause of legitimacy requires assistance. This is the way in which the supporteri of the principles on which the Alliance is formed for the maintenance of bigotry and tyranny, construe the duties of Government — this is the commendable use which is now made of the British power ! Hear it not, shades of the Pa triots, to whom we owe the Constitution of our land, and the brightest illustrations of philanthropy and humanity. flow would your pale cheeks be crimsoned with the blusb of shame and in dignation to witness such. prostitution of at power of your country ! The influence of the, British name cannot be employed against freedom and the rights of humanity without an everlasting , taint attaching to it. The honour of the British na tion should not be staked upon such an interference —for not to socceed is to be disgraced ; and no pro. positions for the submission of independent, free, and enlightened States to the rule of despatisoi and intolerance can be successful. A Government that cannot be confided in deserves not to be supported. The South Americans cannot confide in the Go vernment of FERDINAND ; the necessity for this me diation is a prod that hirsincerity is unworthy of confidence. Wherein has his sincerity sod liberality been displayed ? Not in his condMct to the illustrious Friends of Freedom, who are pining in the dungeons of the Inquisition, or wandering the earth, perse• cuter!, and driven from one country to another by every despot that holds the doctrine of the interfering Alliance—nor has the Kingly qualities of mercy and good faith been better manifested in tbeTrans-Atlantic Provinces, where the Royal power has hems fortunate enough to obtain the ascendancy. By w bat ineausis this King, in Whom his subjects cannot confide, to be 'ME STATESMAN enly the gown was &Chard. to be conesckted, end also ft*o pair of black silk •stockings which were pecked op with it. For vesations such 'Obese, not to mention the pains and perils of the seas, and the impositions to which all travellers in strange countries are subject, it is necessary for these who cross the Channel to be prepared. . . • B. )3. made a more faithful observer of his promises to the Colnies than lushes proved to the Mother Country ? and in what manner are the Allied Powers to fulfil the stipulations of their guarantees, should the King of SPAIN be unwilling or unable to execute his en." gagements, as be has already proved in the case of the Treaty with Await', in regard to the Floridas Were the South Americans so silly and confiding as to surrender their liberties and new establishments to the grasp of despotic and ambitious authority, on the faith of promises from distant Powers ; such guarantees would impose on the European Powers a task which they would feel as much difficolty as reluctance in performing..--What are the securities which FICIDINANIVS Allies are to give to the Inhabitants of South America • for the privileges they demand , ? I/ the guarantee af fords no actual oecurkly, it is absurd to talk about it. It isabsurd, we know, to think a moment of the possibility of men who have gone so far, and obtain ed so much genuine. liberty and power, voluntarily giving op their valuable acquisitions, to trust to fo. reign Governments, who have proved themselves ini; mica! to the freedom and the rights of mankind, in every instance, for the benefits arising from such blessings. But it is necessary to examine such rea soning as is intended to reconcile men's minds to slavery. The Courier will have it that 46 the.natives• of South America are yet too feeble in their ink*. l tactual character, to govern themselves wisely," add therefore it is a piece of great kindness and-humanity 1 in the Allied Powers, who have so signally, shown their talents to govern men humanely and wisely, to undertake the regulation of south American affairs, —the Petticoat King, it might have been added, being also ton feeble in his intr.!. hams' character, to manage these concerns himself. Feeble however es the South Americans are 'apposed lobe, we apprehend they will make the experiment of governing themselves, rather than trust to the.tender mercies of FERDINAND, and the faith of Kings who ,have destroyed the liberties spa independence of every State they have overrun. We do not believe that it is proposed as a security, that the Colonists shall have the benefit of Representative Assemblies, 'tor that, in order to guard against a sudden re-esta blishment of despotic Government, and to afford time for the arrival of succours from the Allies, it is letended that the Spanish troops in the Colonies shall be reduced to a limited establishment, and that the principal strong holds shall be garrisoned by the native militia. Are the Allied Powers to have resident Agents in the different Colonies to superintend the conduct 'of the Native Au thorities, and of the Spanish Civil and Military 101ficers, end to report thereon to their respective Sovereigns; or may the Colonists, like the French Royalists, take this mode of redress without the charge of disloyalty ? If such securities are implied in the vaunted guarantee of the High Allied Powers, it is obvious that the Sovereignty of Spain over her Trans•Atiantic possessions will, henceforth, he merely nominal. If their guarantee does not go to this Went, it amounts to nothing, and will effect nothing. In short, we rejoice to say, that whatever may be pro posed, it is evident that the form of 'things in South America cannot now be so altered that uncontroul led despotism can resume the reign which it has so long held to the injury of mankind in that extensive region. South America will not listen for a moment to such arbiters. They offer their mediation only for the purpose of betraying. They invited the South Americans to subvert the power which prostrated their strength ; and afterwards calmly listened to the proposals of that power, to bind the Patriots again in chains! They solemnly pledged them selves to the world, not to interfere in the in ternal government of France ; and yet combined with the bondsmen of the Holy Alliance, to compel that country to receive its Sovereign from them ! They offered protection to the venerable Republic of Genes, and unrelentingly consigned her to the bondage of the Sardinian King ! They honourably sent British soldiers to assist the Spanish Cortes against the French invaders, and when the Invaders were swelled, dishonourably left its liberal Members to the vengeance of the restored and ungrateful tyrsut ! --ew— By the Bombay Papers which have arrived to the _9th of April, we have received Copies of two Pro clamations lagged at Candy by Generil Bltowtvittnn, which confarn the previous accounts of the distracted state of that island. One, dated the fist of Fe. br ua ry , declares. Martial. Law to be established throughout all the Caudian. Provinces against all persons guilty ofTreason or Sedition; and the other, bearing date the 2d of March, orders the confiscation of the property of a Native Chief, named ELLA. POLLA, who had fled from Candy and joined the Re bels ; it also declares him to be out of the protection of the Lazo, and his life to be forfeited; and offers a reward of 1000 riz dollars to any one who will de. liver him up to the British Authorities. We suspect that such sanguinary measures are not likely to suc. geed with a Nation of the spirit and temper of that of Candy. It was stated in the accounts of the early part of the campaign in India, that two British Officers (Messrs. HUDITgR and Mottnrsow), Cornets in the Madras Cavalry, had been taken Prisoners and put to death by the troops of the PitssuWA. Prism the India Papers recently arrived ; we rejoice to find that no . i * . - • , • P• t ) , • • • A , t jai eseh wanton. cruelty has been practised, and that 'these two ceftives were, on the contrary, treatq with every a&ntion toiheir personal comforts. w e are indebted for this information to the captor, or the fortress of %note, on the surrender of whi c h they were found in the place. The 6gw e r e l cit. 1 cumstance of a British General hsnginethe Coo. minding Officer of the fortress of Talnier, after ler. .)\ t, .. A 4,1 & ••Z' render, we regret to say, is not likely to recei ve any such contradiction. That was anuotinced - to as oti. cially. By a "ti es o f Demerara Pa t p h e o r s s e t e o g t a h i e ns l t 3 t t h h e l is : we perceive, in the Royal Gazette of the 30th W l ' a Proclamation by the Governor of that settlemesZ for tin - establishment of an Admiralty Court, tehe r ai all offences usually cognizable by such judicator% will be tried; and especially Trade. Abolition Act. This Court was opened, for the first time, on the 2d July, when a case of piney was tried, but the parties were acquitted. O n 1 4 11th of the same month, Manuel Gdrciat and R O . mond Rodrigues were indicted for a violation of tm Slave Trade Felony Act, in importing from Cny ens , not being a place in the British West Indies, befog. ing to hie Majesty, three sievii — a mau l a boy, and a girl. The evidence against them was sot, harrve r , sufficieht to establish the alleged delittqesochead ' de Jury, therefore, ecquitted them. PRTERtiIIURGIIy Ana. IQ.—Rear-Aerial lkiy, Port Admiral and Commissioner at Rollettlsta, at the j Thitcb Navy, arrived here yesterday, Inelega nt% deputed by the King of the Nreeettgatim to cots 'icy the intelligence to this Court of the birth X kbexklaDen, the second son of the Pdme of. filittinade:' 'he Admiral, who has travelled with as prerisible ea-edition, has been only 15 days in per. 'griping the journey. Before his departure hoe Seolitylt, where he witnessed the ceremony of eta chtistenilig of the young Prince, he had an inter. view with the Pri9cess of ORANGE, and rewited from her own mouth her remembrances and assn. _apex" of doing welt to her brother, the Emperor Ai.AvtatnEtt. A true bill was yesterday found by the Grad for the County of Middlesex, against the RM. W.. Ft Renvoize, S. T. .S'iuter'sset, J. B. traroin, Stephen Wiiherden, W. Bragg, J. G. Grua. wood, and S. Antes, the younger, all of the pariahs( St. • Matthew. Bethnal.greett, for a conspiracy to defraud the Poor Rate funds of that parish, in pas. lug the accounts of Mr. Merceron (who, it will bs recollected, was convicted a short time since for t fraud on the perish), and thereby enabling tilt Gentleman to pocket Ito less a Sunk than 9001. sad upwards out of the - Poor Rates, for his own private purpose in paying his Solicitor's hills for delete:lg' certain proseeutions which had been itistitoted arias him. SAILING of LORD COCDRANE's SITANAIOAT. This vessel the departure of %abaci has been so lot/ in contemplation, has at length taken place. laor morning, at an early hour, she left the noct.yail at Rotherhithe, and dropped down the Rim; * has a regular complement of officers and men, II whole-of which •rownder the command el a Fiat who,unde under the i Immediate ordersssaidtwillonttrstiiiiit COCHRANE. . . Harrogate, this season, has been enema* crowded;. so much so, that the inns and WO houses have been uisahle to accommodate the deism, many of whom have been obliged to reside 'tinsel. borough and ilarewood, until vacancies occurred. It is calculated, that not less than 1300 Ladies 's/1 Gentlemen have assembled in a morning at the Wellt MANCHESTER, SEPT..I4.—I. have the aoudad , a to state, that the whole of the Spinners this motl went to their work, at the respective Mills its ill town and the neighbourhood, with the exceptiou d those who have been proscribed and set 'down Os black book by the Masters, .who have determinsi never to employ awaits those whom they consider as instigators and leaders in the tate turnout. h had been 'reported here, that DRUMMOND, BACADAY, and JOHNSON, with the other persons accused of Iv dition, bad proofed bail, and returned to their tr• spective homes; but by accounts I have this instsot received from Chester, I learn that tech is not fact ; nor are they at all likely, when the bay amount of the ball required is contrasted with the humble stations its life. There is little doubt of Mr being compelled to remain in prison until the est* Chester Assizes, which take place next April. The Acta of Sederant, and the Procurator Fe eels, in Scotland, will, no doubt, experience snow, thieve this pelt Sessions of Parliament. The aboi of these initesisents of oppression will (hen aolofir etiSt - thus a brave mud loyal People wi ll at ()list relieved: It has been said, by a L earned Preddlei slat " The Acts of Sederunt. are the Law of Iht Land." To set the question at rest, is it nut one; eery to know, whether the Logi,lative authority* M lle o United Kingdoms ever sanctioned and madell. PteCiOut:Actsj— f 'f,"ot —how can any urn dare ('• 1 them the law of the land, they must have heed user . ed and imposed upon the Scotch Pe o p le ; ace"' importance to the liberty, sod property of tiie sobio4 is that of the Procurator Fiscila Mr. DAVID HoLT of Manchester, who* firetreturueet to.their duty, is one of the sewed ° Society of Friends. He is highly esteemed in : 41 " cheater for his enlightened understanding and hit Ir mussily. His factories for the spinions; of crAle• end the making of cotton.threae, aro of the rn6 , interesting description, theinside of them heist;" clean and as neatly arranged with greeis-l.ouse etas' as the green-houses of - atiy Nobleman in I : N4Oi _CROWN AND REGALIA OV SCOTLANn.--A ari has been issued under the s;gcs manual, and aIA • mission expede under the Great S,.al of SC' Es appointing his Grace the Duke of Gott4JN• llosi ti Viscount /0 r.t.vmr,E, the Ri t ;ht Ancllls', Comenotiti, Lord Register, the Right lI ANDER MACONOCIDE, Lord Advocate, and tie R l tt o lion. DAVID BOYLE, Lord Justice Clerk, sioners for keeping the Crown and R.Pgalis land. A Meeting of the Commissioners, hvid to t Register Office on the 19th last, Capt. ADAM t le GO , RON as appointed Deputy-kerper. Oa t, ROBE w RT WALKER, Est, is eieCled biliyOr fir v and RICHARD HART, jun. Eq. Mayor of felhe liv for the ensuing year. / !!! lb 1 4: ?