The Statesman. — London, England, 1823-01-23 00:00:00

self threatened by . , the powerful league of the four Great Powers who pretend to divide among them the government of Europe." (Here follows the reply of the British Government, already published.) ,ILs. DOB. ARIL DWI. Y Dublin . - 1 0 Holland - 1 1 Waterford 1 0 Hiunbro' 6 O G. & Jersey - 0 0 France - • 1 O Lisbon , 0 0 Flanders • ii 0 U Metal:burg - 1 U Brazil 0 PRICE OF STOCKS TAI! Rank Stoek. 24Se 3 per Ct. Red 7Bl 78 3 per Ct. Cons ni hi se per Ct. 4 per Cents. gniglii New Fours 98 971 6 per Ct. 1797.. Long Ann.. Imp. S per Ct Irish 6 per Cents. I DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. India Stock . Ditto Bonds .. 41s. Ws. pm South Sea Stook ... South Sea Old Ann ...... Ex.9111.2d. 1 I 10001. __ 5 $ 14s 12spm. 1.115129 pm. -Small 14a 14s pm. 1 Con.for Aect......... . 7711 LotteryTicketa Ziitt *tatetonan. LONDON: THURSDAY. MUSING, JANUARY 23, 1823. SOMERSETSHIRE COUNTY MEETING. In another part of our paper will be seen, the proceed ings ofthis meeting, which was bad on Tuesday. A pour silly tiling of a petition was moved by Mr. HAN- Nt ma, who was,* year or two ago, High Sheriff of the county. Mr. HUNT moved another petition as an amend ment upon the former. This amendment contained a prayer for Parliamentary &form. The High Sheriff refused to put the question if reform was included in the petition. After some dispute with the Sheriff, the latter positively named Tuesday nest for holding the county meeting on the subject of Reform. This part of the pe- tition having been withdrawn by Mr. HUNT, and the petition of Mr. liusT having been seconded by the Rev. r.Cn esstveLt,,the question was finally put to the meet ing, and carried, almost unanimously. We have not time for comment un this Important transaction; but we re quest our readers to look at the things prayed for (eight in number) in Mr. HUNT'S petition ; and they Will see what are the feelings of the County of Somer• ' set. Mr. I:1;NT, petition no prayer for reduction of the interest of the Debt, either conditionally or uncondi tionally; and, perhaps, since Mr. Dtattmsos ant the other Country gentlemen have such a horror of break ing faith with the public Creditor, it is the best way to let them pay the interest of the Debt in full.—We were very happy to see Mr. larssweLL second the petition. IVe have no time for any thing more to day. We shall worn to the subject to-morrow ; for, all circumstances considered, it is one of the very greatest importance. AIM. BOURBON WAR. We beg our readers to bear in mind that we bave all along contended that the probabilities were in:favonr of this war. We now think that there is DO doubt of its taking place before the month of April. It would be r.eless to cram np oar...colonies with extracts from French papers ; bat we read them, and we think we can perceive the intention of drawing a German army on the northern frontiers of France, while the French army shall enter Spain. It is curious that onr contemporaries all speak of thefict of Mr. Comma having sent a sort of threat. ening message, demanding many millions of money from the Spanish Government, on account of alleged spoliation on our commerce: it is curious enough that they should all have stated this fact, and that no one should seem to look upon it as having any thing hostile t oirirrlls the Spaniards, in its nature. The Austrian (the deidly , Austrian) sends his threatening message; the pious son of Emperor Paul sends his; the Prus sian sends his ; Lewis the desired sends his ; and our gallant, spirited Minister of Foreign Affairs sends nut a threat of war absolutely, but a bill for payment! The other four threaten the Spaniards with a violent n.sault, one gentleman drops in his bill, just at the same time: Dues not tender a " shield"; that celebrated shield, for the interposing of which, in behalf of Spanish freedom, be was so applauded by our friend the Chronicle. —We shalt find, in the end, that there is no inclination whatever on the part of our Government to prevent the French from overturning the Constitution of Spain. Mr. CourremaT's pamphlet, talks about Jacoloinim in • just the sante sty le that Mr. CA N Nimes newspaper talked about it, twenty years ago. We shall find that just the same spirit animates Mr. CANNING that animated him twenty years ago ; and we are very sore, that if they Itud the money, the Ministers would enter into this war just as eagerly as they did into the war of 1793. They intend, perhaps', to remain neutral. This will be very difficult ; but, at any rate, to war they cannot go, without blowing up the Debt. Mr. t'ocurrNav's pamphlet, as far as it relates to' the subject, is as good a defence for the invading of Spain by France, as can probably be made Out. No wonder that the Chronicle should not like to look back to the shield. This has been a great stock jobbing affair for many months. The English have lost millions by it, and thr French have gained those millions. It is impossible for us to say precisely what will be the result, bat we bill advise every one to make his calculations upon an expectation of war. THE REVENUE. It seems to be a sort of maxim that what is called the prosperity of the Revenue is a sure indication of the Protperity of Me people. Without entering into this r•slijeet, in all its parts, one may venture to assert that 'lofting was ever more fallacious, as an answer to th e complaints of distress. which complaints are now made I.y the landlord and tenant. It is possible for every man to lose his estate; for every farmer to lose his capital and yet for the Revenue to increase, and that, too, with ..nt any sew taxes. By taking the rent from the rent from the landlord, and the capital from the farmer, th e means of purchasing taxable commodities; the means which the rent of the landlord and the profit o" the capital of the farmer; the means which these gave them of purchasing commodities, may pass intq hands which will bestow a larger portion of them in taxed cotomoditieo, than wonld have been purchased by .he landlord and farmer.—Sappose I have seven shillings THE sTATEgAN - - a week to pay to a soldier, and twenty-eight shillings a week to pay to three fain, labourers, with their families. The soldier will lay out a great deal more in taxed com modities than the labourers will. He will have a great deal more gin and beer and tobacco than they will ; and will pay much more tax than they, who must lay out almost the whole of their money in bread. Now suppose more soldiers to be raised ; more taxes'to be wanted, and in such a degree, too, as to take away one of the seven shillings that I have been giving to the labourers ; and thereby compelling me to reduce their wages to about five shillings a week. This money, so taken away from my labourers, would be carried and given to another great consumer of taxed commodities: and thus the revenue would rise though I and my labourers should be growing poorer and I oorer.—The whole of the land might have its produce taken away from it by the government, leaving just enough for the husbandmen to subsist upon. The embus would rise, in such a cute; but what comfort would that be to the man who had lost his estate? This revenue story. therefore, is all a delu sion. Its rise is no favourable symptom to the Landlord and Farmer; but it may serve to convince them that there is nothing to check the Government in its present course of taking away their estates.—" Our revenue keeps rising," says the Minister. " All must, therefore, be right. You cannot be in any danger; for our revenue keeps rising!" Ridiculous as this appears to the sensible reader, it is what will be said ten thousand times over when the Par- liament meets. We suppose that before the Session be over, this delusion will be nearly dissipated ; but it will have its day, and that day will probably do the business of the Landlords for the next Session. A sit-sink there will be, nevertheless. We have always foreseen this struggle; we have been foretelling it for years ; we always wish to wit ness it; and witness it we shall. cause, of the above rise is attributed to the great Bear ac count. At the dose of the Stock Exchange yesterday after- noon, it furs generally reported that the French Government had left the affairs of Spain to tho mediation of the British Cabinet. Other reports say the King of France is resolved to leave the determination of the question to the Legislativd Corps, which opens on the 28th inst. It is this moment re ported that Bpahish Bonds at Paris are 42/, and left off 434. Chili, 724—New Spanish,44--01d,62—New Prussian,so4 —Old, 62—New Prussia, 80i—Russia, 794—Danish, no thing done—Neapolitan, 731—Peruvian, 70—Colombian, 66 to b9—Spanish Scrip, 205 to 21 die. . - STOCK EXCRANGT, ONE O'CLOC.C.—AII the Funds have been very heavy within this half boor. It is again re• ported that LaGarde is going to leave Madrid. Consols are 77 1; Spanish Bonds, 441. Its the private bargains at Paris, on tbe2lat, the Rent is were 80, and Spanish 41i. Pads papers have reached us to theTist. init. They do not confirm the report of the recall of the French Ambassador from Madrid, but seem to consider that measure of &decisive character. Whenever it is men- tioned, it is coupled, by the Ultras, with some statement of a change of Ministry. Besides, a variety of sperm . lations of this kind, these papers brought additional in. telligence from Portugal which we give in another column and which bas removed the obscurity of that published yesterday. and has established a the feet, that England has resolved to stand by Portugal and not to suffer any attack on its territory or indepen. dence. FONDS ON MONDAT.—Five per Cents. opened at SM. and closed at SU. 10c., for money ; for the account, the closing price was Mr. BSc.—Bank Shares, I,32of.—Neapo titan Stock, 7-4 —Spanish Bonds, 44f. to 43c.—Exchange on London, one month, 25f. 35c.; three months, itsr. 20c. Mr. Secretary Canning arrived in town yesterday from Sunning Hill, where he had been since Sunday. I a the afternoon the Right Hon. Gentleman proceeded to the Foreign Office, where he transacted business fur a con siderable time. On Tuesday night, Mr. Jackson arrived at the Fo• reign Office in Downing Street, in a chaise and four, from his mission at Madrid_ _ . The Chancellor of the Exchequer transacted business at the Treasury yesterday. Yesterday, a Connor Directors was held 'at the East India House, when Richard Thomas Goodwin, Esq., was appointed to a seat in Council at Bombay, in the room of tiny Lennox Prendergast, Esq. ; and James Joseph Sparrow, Esq., was appointed a Provisional Member of Council at Bombay. The Right Hon. F. Robinson, it is understood, is to be the new Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Right Honorable Nicholas Vansittart retires from the Chancellorship of the Exchequer, in which important office he is to be succeeded by the Right Hon. F. Robinson. Mr. Vansittart is to be appointed Chancellor to the Ducby of Lancaster, in the room of The Right Honourable Charles Bathurst, and is to be raised to the Peerage.—(Courier) Mr. Jackson arrived last night at the Foreign Office, with advice. from adrid, which he left on the 1 3th .— The Russian, Austrian, and Prussian Ministers had re pented-their passports, abd were on the point of leaving Madrid. An officer, who crossed the Spanish frontier so recently as the 12th inst. states of the force of the French army stationed on the Pyrenees, between Bayonne and Per pignan to be eighteen regiments of infantry, consisting each from 1,000 to 1,200 men ; two squadrons of horse artillery of 200 men each ; one regiment of foot artillery of 6110 men ; and five regiments of horse chasseurs of 500 men e..ch; ;n all about 25,000 men. The staff of his army is very numerous, and its material con siderable ; but it is fair from being well disposed to the ser vice on which it is at present employed, and still less to that future destination which has been marked out for it by the war faction in Paris. The devotion of the cavalry, it is understood, may be relied on, but that of the artillery is extremely doubtful ; while among the ranks of tl:e infantry the order to march into Spain would, in the opinion of our informant, bring on serious disaffection. Yet this is to be the instrument for effecting that which .100,000 of Buonaparte's best soldiers failed to accom plish. Baiottrox,Jan.22.—We have the satisfaction to state, that the recovery of the King, though gradual, continue, to be uninterrupted by any unfseourable change. The report at the Palm..., to the latest hour last night was " His Majesty is much better." The King is still con fined to his room.—(Brighton Chronicle.) Tut Duke or YORIL—His Royal Highness was yes terday pronounced " a little better." Most of the Ca binet Ministers called at York liou‘e to make their inquiries. Sir Herbert Taylor the Secretary, and Mr. Difhton, the principal Clerk at the Commaad , ,r-in- Chters Office, attended for a considerable time at York House during the morning to transact military business with his Royal Highness. HORIZONTAL liatnous...-Nothinh• shews in a more striking manner the advantage of a horizontal road along a bridge, than the ease and safety with which horses and carriages pass over Waterloo bridge at present, In spite of frost and snow. When the number of accidents which daily happen in crossing► the other bridges is taken into consideration, it will probably lead to the adoption of a similar construction in the pro ' posed new London Bridge. According to the idea of the late Mr. Ralph Dodd, the horizontal line ought to com mence near East Cheap, and the inclined plane termi nate in St. Thomas's street, in the Borough. Oisitzas.—From the inclemency of the weather, no oyster smacks have arrived at Billingsgate since last , 'Thursday; and most of the dealers have not been able to knish a dish tot their best customers; in fact, scarcely aby have been brought to the London market, and those only by land carriage. On Monday one waggon load arrived at Billingsgate, which was eagerly a. ized by the principal fishmongers, at 4 guineas per bushel, a price unprecedented since the year 1812; when the River, as now, was rendered unnavigable by the intensity of the frost. The demand for the few that arrived was a) great, that much squabbling ensued ; and serious conse quences might have ensued, but for the timely interfer ence of a Police officer, who was absolute in deciding " first come, first served." A Gentleman, residing- in Brighton. has in his posses sion a considerable number of London Gazettes, of a very early date ; in one of which, dated April 8, 1678, is the following Advertisement:—" All persons are desired to take notice, that there is settled a safe and constant conveyance of letters and parquets by pest three times in every week, upon the usual post days, to and fr0..1 the City of London, and the towns hereafter men tioned in the Counties of Surrey and Sussex, vie. ; Epsom, Leatherbead, Barking, Gifford. F arn h am , Godaltnin, Haslemore, Midhurst, Petwortb, Horsehao , Arundel, Stayning, Shoreham, WWI telluston, Lewes and Bastbourn ; so that a correspondence may be had between all or any of the said places, and no money is 'required till the letters are delivered, I and Lam's only suc h rates as are established by Act of Parliament.'; MR. WESTERN. It is said (with what truth we know not) that Mr IVarrsux means this year to make his motion for a re duction of the standard of money, in a few days after the Meeting of Parliament, in order to put the Ministers to the test. This will be the wise course; for by follow ing it, Mr. WESTERN and the rest of the landlords will see shat the Ministers really mean to do. If they reject his measure, then the landlords will probably set to work at once with , :::her measures hostile to the fundholders ; for measures of no other kind can be efficient as to the affording of them relief.—The Morn. ing Chronicle says that twelve millions of taxes can be taken off, without any reduction of the Debt. Half the ' army must go, then ; all the barracks and academies ; a large part of Mr. RODT., WARD'S affair, commonly called the ordnance; part of the Navy; and another batch of salaries. We should like to see this very well ; because it would make the government so mild; and we have not seen a mild government in England, for a great many years. The taking off of twelve millions of taxes would be about equivalent to the further fall of price of wheat, which will in all probability, take place daring the present year. The gold payments at country banks will cause this further fall of price. So that, if twelve millions of taxes were takewsg, withiput-mittet ing the interest of the Debt, the labouring classes would be greatly benefited ; and the estates would pass away from the landlords just as fast as they are passing now.— We have no objection at all to this. If the Chronicle and the wise Landlords can manage this motter,God speed say we, with all oar hearts. What we are anxious to do Is to put a stop to the rein of the farmers. That is what we wish to accomplish. Let the landlords take care of themselves. Never shall they have our consent to take a shilling from the fondholder until they have reformed the Parliament ; and until the sinecures, the church property, and the crown lands be justly applied. We found some of the landlords in Herefordshire, ready enough to take from the fundholler ; indeed, we found them all ready enough to do this, but we heard but one who was willing to touch the church and crown lands. There was one SMITHIES, who was for another Bank Restriction Act, in the first place; then for a direct tax upon the funds, until he had pared down the funds to their amount in 1797, and even then he was paying the interest in depreciated paper ; or else his petition has no meaning at all. After this, the men of Kent will want nothing to satisfy thenkof the truth of what was told them by Mr. Conners; namely, that before a twelve month could pass over their heads, they would see his pooposition sink into nothing. One thing is very err. tain, however, and that is, that the whole of the estates would speedily pass away from the present owners. Where there are entails, there must be Acts of Parlia ment, to enable the parties to sell. Or, at the least, the present possessors must sell their life interest; and that, in a short time, will fetch but very little. DECREASE OF CRIME IN LONDON. A very interesting document has appeared, giving an account of the decrease of crime in the metropolis, during the last three years. It 'appears, that, amongst the disorderly persons, there has been an increase; but, amongst vagrants and felons, a great decrease. This has certainly been the effect of low prices, which, in spite of every thing opposed to them. has diminished the distress among the labouring classes; has lessened the number of vagrants and the number of criminals. In the face of such a fact as this, he who clamours for high prices, must be a pretty bold man. KING OF BOHEMIA. We understand that Mr. Canning iaiikely to have the company of this illustrious personage during his re election at Liverpool. His Majesty has, it seems, been made a freeholder of that town, and intends to go down to exercise his franchise. Whether he will vote for the Right Honourable Gentleman is more than we can say. It is farther said that the Editor of the .Iflorning Chro nicle is to attend, and to be the bearer of an enormous shield, typical of the Right Honourable Gentleman's measures for the protection of Spain against the Holy Alliance, STOCH EXCHANGE, TIALY-PAST 12.—The 91st having been the anniversary of the death of Louis XVI. and n holiday at Paris, no regular price of the French Funds could come to day, but we understand an express has arrived with the French papers, which have not hitherto had any effect upon the market. Consols opened this morning at 7714, went up to W and are now 14; New Spanish Bonds opened at 442 & got up to 45,14, but the most business has been doing in Co lombia, which opened at 03, got up to 36, 07, 69 to 69. The SHIPPINO INI'ELLIV a x Ar ri wed this mousing', and sailed fof the Kier, the Residoilon; areen3p, trout Jamaica aid rysnouth.—Half past Sii. The Resolution has brought up airain,and remains. with the Ajax: for St. John's, and three other briga boand to the nortbstard.—Wild E. N. E. • FALMOUTH, JAN. 20.—Arrived, the Riehdisve. Or. chard. from Newfoundiand.—liAlf past etw. P>l. Tbd Eastern Mail is not yet Arrived. owinri it is supposed. to the quantity of snow which fell last night.—Wind East. PORT§MOUTH, JAN. 22.—Arrived, the George and ►►'illiam, Bulche, from Bordeaux. fur Antwerp; also the Edward, for Loni:on.—Wind N.E. PLYMOUTH, JAN. 21.—Arrived, the Pelican, Manuel. 76 days from Rio Janeiro, bucnti to Jersey.—Wind East. The Ceres, Mathews, is arrived at Crookberen, from Rio Janeiro, with loss of bowsprit, bulwat ks, sails, &c. bound to London. JAN. 22..—The Aurora, Blombnry, from Wail, to Havre, was lost the 20th inst. on the Kenthk Knock; crew saved. The Two Sister s , of Iniiby ; the Alert, •f Yarmouth the Friends, Goodwill, of Clay; the Expedition, of South Shields; and Camel, of Lynn, were driven on shore last week near Barth -pool ; crews sated by the life boat. iVT:r. NRIN. USE OF LIFE BOATS. Extract of a Letter from llartlepool, deed Jan. 21 t-- " Eleven brigs and a ketch, coal laden, were driven ob shore, near this place, last week, and two of them are wrecked. The Hartlepool life boat brought on shore the crews of mos: of the vessels, without any loss of life, and !base who saw bar, say that slum went through the tremendons seas like a bird. OLD BAILEY.—Tiiii Moasmo. These Sessions terminated yesterday. The Recorder this morning, proceeded to pass the sentence of the Court on the prisoners convicted. Fiftrone were sentenced to different terms of impri sonment ; two to be transported for life ; two for four teen years, and thirty-one for seven. (The names of these will be given to-morrow). Two were ordered to be whipped and discharged, and on live Judg:nent was respites!. The RICORDER, previous to passing the awful een• tence of Death on the undermentioned unhappy convicts. addressed them in a very impressive manner, during which the wretched females and the.lad Buckley wept bitterly. On their removal from the bar the cries of Buckley were most appalling. The females also, after having pleaded pregnancy in stay of jndgment, were obliged to be supported out of Court. The Sessions were then adjourned to the 19th of February. John Buckley, 12 years of ■ge, for a burglary ; William Pearce, 16, for robbing the Mint: Neale Moran, 21, steal ing in a dwelling house ; George Marshall, 17. for a bur glary ; Thomas Beswick, 16, for a burglary ; James Thomas, 22. (a black) for a burglary; Ann Williams, 21, stealing in n dwelling house; Mary 'nekton, IS, stealing in a dwel.i og house; John P.obinson, 23, for a burglary; James Cross, for a burglary ; Hannah Ford, 16, stealing in a dwelling house ; Elizabeth Ford, 19, stealing in a dwelling house. HIGH COURT OF JUSTICIARY, EDINBURGH. On Friday, Jaws Robertson, Robert Simpson, and William Mactaggart, a private in the First Foot, accused of assaulting Angus F in the street of Inverness, on the night of tl:e 14th September last, and forcibly taking from him, a trunk containing articles of wearing apparel, bills, Fortier', &c. denied the charge. After a proof bad beeu led, Robertson and Simpson were found •` Guilty" by the Jury; and they found the charge It far as Mactaggart was concerned, " not proven." The two former were sentenced to be banged at Inverness on the 21st February; and the latter was discharged from the bar. The Court then proceeded to the trial of Charles Maclaren, Thomas Grierson, and James Macewan, ac cused of theft by means of housebreaking. The indict ment clia-red them with breaking into the house of Mr. Mamas Riddell, writer to the signet, in Gray Strer•. Newinewn, on the Bth day of September, and stealici: therefrom a number of articles of silver plate, &c. an- , also with breaking into the house of Lieutenant-Colout I John Munro, in 6earge's Square, on the 11th of Sei tember and stealing and carrying away a number • valuable articles of plate, shawls, &c. They were lb wise accused of being habit and repute thieves. Tire; denied the charge; but after the Lord Advocate be I produced his proof, and the Lord Justice Clerk ha.: summed up the evidence, the Jnry, after consoling. a few minutes, without leaving the box, ret.otned a ver dict, unanimously finding the first charge of househreet • ins and theft proven as libelled, and the latter Not pr., • ven ; but also unanimously eecammendel M'Ewan to the mercy of the Court on account of his youth. The LOP.II jt'.;TICE CLERK, in pronouncing sentenc-. eeir! was absolutely accessary in their case to set a:. awful' example to the youths who were instigated t these crimes by older people, in order to screen them selves irons punishment. He cautioned M•Laren and ilrierson against ..A.tertaining any hopes of mercy. His Lordship then sentenced the prisoners to be executed on Wednesday, 12th February, between the hours of eight and ten in the morning. During the whole trial the prisoners behaved them selves with perfect propriety, and with seeming intelli gence of what was going on. They frequently made observations on the testimony of the different witnesses to their Counsel. Crimson alone was moved to tears on receiving sentence. Titey all respectfully bowed to the Court on retirin4. Algaren and M'Ewan are fine looking boys. M'Laren is about 14, and the other two about 13 years of age. ASSAULT UPON THE LORD MATOR OP LIIILIN.—We understand that a man was taken into custodyyesterday evening, for striking the Lord Mayor, as his Lsrdsbip was aboat to enter the Theatre. lie was lodged in Co.- lege street Police Office ; we have heard that he is a baker. The matter is to undergo investigation this day.—(Duslia Miming Post of Tuesday.) STATE OP TII6 THevoinvirrta.--Yesterday, at eight o'clock 25 deg.; at one, 26 deg. ; at 11 at night 22 deg. This morning at eight 22 deg. at 0ne,24 civg. SHOCKING Accvnewr.—A melancholy occurrenc e took place in Marston cresent, Lord's Ground, on The • day, at the house of Mrs. IVeipart. Miss Smithey, her niece, went up stairs to dress for a L'a party. A short time afterwards, her shrieks alarmed the hon•• snit on the servant going into the roam, she met r' young lady at the door enveloped in flames; the bey farniture was also on fire. 1n her alarm, the screw threw the counterpane of the bed round the sufferer. anti extinguished the filmes, but not even until the ba'sr was burnt Iron the heal. The young lady was alit-, vi-sterday morning, under the most acute sufferinp• ip.t hopes of recovery are at an end. the sufferer . only 17 years of age ; she was on a visit at her aunt's. DE:vnis. On the 21st inst. at Slade's-place, Deptford, C. Eve. Rao. aged 73. after a long and painful illerss, o MAI he bore . exemplary fortitude. On Wednesday morning. Pia 22.1 inst, W. E. Smith, Est. of the Poultry, in Ms 83d ) ear. 1, 4r! 4' H .y PI