The Statesman. — London, England, 1810-04-19 00:00:00

I .* aa,:~.~ nollatte 'tare produced an impression upon the ontoteme of these countries. The sensation created on the Amsterdam Exchange has been more consi &table than in any other part. These ru mours, however, while by some they have been regarded as founded in truth, have by others bccn considered es wholly destitute of foundation. — Those who have a large stock on hand of colonial . goods, are much alarmed, because a peace with., England would cause au immediate fall of at least 50 per cent. The mere report of an approxima tion has already sunk the price of colonial met. chandize, and several houses are making offers to their correspondents. DUTCH P.APE.RS. UTRECHT, APRIL 13.—0 n the 11th lost. at five o'clock it the morning, his Majesty arrived ii Amsterdam, in good health. This joyful event was announced to the inhabitants of the capital by the firing of the guns. AMSTER D i!K, APRIL 10.—In execution of the Bth article of the Treaty concluded at Paris, the greatest activity prevails in the King's yards. A number of hands are already employed in the dock ber S , to clear away the mud, in order to get the bcavy ships afloat ; and the commanders of the vessels in the Texel, who, upon the landing of the Diglish, were removed, with their crews, to man the gunboats, by which the further progress of the enemy was prevented, have been ordered by his Majesty to return, as soon as possible, to their r, spectre vessels, sod to resume their former commands. DEATH OF JEFFERY, TUE UNFORTUNATE SEAMAN LEFT ON THE ISLAND OF SOMEREEO. " PLYIIOO7II, APRIL I6.—Friday last two smugglers, who had been some time in the American merchant service, arrived at Fowey, with a letter to the mother of the unfortu nate Jeffery, from the American Captain with whom they had sailed, stating, that be took the unhappy man off the island of Sombrero, after :ie had been on it a fortnight without sustenance ; that he had eaten the flesh off his arms, and tiled in two hours after having been taken on board, though every attentson was paid him. Notwith standing his miserable situation, he was perfectly sen-ible.— The Captain ha; expressed his willingness to come forward with his testimony ow oath. I shall forbear entering more tally into this bustneig till I have made a thorough inquiry, and for tSat purpose have sent down to Fowey. lo the mean time, give me leave to say, that 1 conceive the stateineut rests tiu a good foundation." The above is copied from a respectable Evening Paper 9f yesterday, in which the letter is accompanied by the follow note:— (We are authorised to add, that the Gentleman who sent us the abuse information, has desired us not to withhold his oanie from those whose duty it may be to investigate this atrocious traasactiap.)—Star. JOIIN' GALE JONES. • Yesterday a Meeting was held at the Crawl and' Anchor Tavern, for the purpose of taking into consideration the im viriant pniots connected with the imprisonment of John Gate J nes, and far adopting such measures for bissupport as might be deemed necessary. Mr. CLIFFORD being called to the Chair, addressed the Meetintshertly. He observed, it would be neceesary for him to Mate that the present Meeting had been called, in consequence of one which had taken place on the 27th of March last, at the same place ; at that Meeting &subscription bad been entered into fur the support of Mr. Jones, and a Committee appointed, who were to call a subsequent Meeting at any time they should think proper—that time, in consequence of what passed to the House of Commons oat Monday, they considered as being arrived. 'With the abo minable and uncorstitittional conduct which bad been pursued with respect to Sir F. Burdett the prsent Meeting had no thing to do, the present was a distinct consideration. Sir F. Barlett was a Member of the House, Mr. Joies was not. — The present question was not whether the House had the power of imprisoning their own Members, but whether they old trissess the power of imprisoning, at pleasure, and !o:- ay leugth of time, their constituents. It was therefore b• roux a duty with the people to express their senti ri-nts by every constitutional means in their power—one of bore means was by calithg Meetings in every part of the cua..try, and thus affording an opportunity of having the question fully discussed. He trnsted the present Meeting would *Surd an example to the other "tart of the country of Cie necessity of such distaissioa, • and also of the necessity of emoting into a subscription for be support of that individual witose cause was become the cause of the public. He sboold propose some Resolutions for the consideration of the Meet ing, si hich, if approved of, would be adopted. let. That it appeared that on the 21st of February last, the Rouse of Conituma had, without any evidence being takeu upon oath, adjudged John Gale Jones guilty of a libel upon the House; and the House did thareupou order ltim, without trial, to committed to Neergate during trial. 24. That it also appeared from the proceedings of the House of Commas on the 16th inst. that the said John Gale Jones was now continued in contiatanent not for the original oe'ence, but for contumacy in lowing omitted to present a pe tition, acknowledging the right of the House to inflict loch punishment. • 3d. That all cases of libel were cognizable in the Coartao( Law, and ought to be there decided I and that any unueces saty departure from the system of our ancient Laws, was alike dangerous to the stability of the 'Throne, and destruc tive of the Liberties of the People. 4th. That to obviate the evil eftcm which might arise from spell practices being drawn Into a precedent, n sithseriptionl be mitered Into for supporting the-said Johns kale Jones, sod to dray the expeoces of vhwiirataig, by all .r.anstitutitioll : means, the unalienable birth-right of the people—a Triaiby a Jury of their equals. • , These Resolutions were put and carried unanimously. Dir. CLIFFORD observed, he could nut surer the last Re - ! 1 .elution to pass without a few observations, and, again recoils-' spending the necessity of general discussion. The discussion , Whiclilusrl already arisen on the question had been productive. of gererni good ; this a ould appear from the proceedings of the House of Commons last night. Formerly the House of Commons bad asserted that their privileges were indefinable by any Court, and only to be limited by themselves, and any persoit daring to sue out a writ against the Speaker, the per n serving the same, or any Serjeant at Law or Barrister, cumin,; to plead in such a cause, would immediately have committed to prison fora breach of privilege. The de ti-e of last night, however, especially the speech of Mr. Per evra, had proved that an individual might sue the Speaker without :ill these effects following. Mr. Perccval bad last itgla thrown out a suggestion for the consideration of the hot:. r, *healer this proceeding was not an infriegernent ar th e 1 /t 3 of Rights, and the lipase Rented inclined to adopt the s . ggestioa, that acknowledging that their privileges were 'efinable by an Act of ]Parliament, and of coarse were to bi construed by the Judges of theland,andwhal marital bet ter, by is Jury. This ackoowledgmeut had arisen from the 4aeos?lois which had taken place, and discussion ought al to he resorted to when the rights of the people were at fenipted-to be infringed. TeeTbanks of the Meeting were then voted to the Chair - L icT ie Basks of bubscriptiou were opened, and the Meeting • - - it-IL~ . r......_ ___-_-.., i - - - Arrived. M.l .. % . Due. Dublin 0 0 .• • • • •••• • • trititienborgb • • • • • • ;..i... • . • I 0 Lisboa • 1, 0 CadiA .• 1 PRICE OF STOCKS tins 1)A Y AT ONKO'CLOCAt 3 per Celli. Coo. 6 - • Long. Ann. i p e r Cone. Redneed, fin 74 wilt Bondi 4 per Cent. 84 ... • - • Each. Bills, • g, S per Cog. Navy 90/1 - Lottery ticketi *i ~F Civovotv for Acc. 70 • - l*e THE STATESMAN. LONDON: TII47II4IDAY, APRIL 19, Islo. Oua Readers will see that the Coroner's In. quest, in the case of EBRALL, shot in Fenchurch. street, has returned a verdict of " Wit.TUL Moo. DER against a Life Guardsman, unknown." A similar verdict was returned in the case of Jame. PLEDGE, shot in Church-court, Piccadilly. Lord OSSULSTON brought the latter verdict before the House of Commons last night, very properly in. quiring of Ministers—if they bad any intention of offering a reward for'the discovery of the offen. der? We are not now about, to comment .on the evasive answer of Mr. Secretary RYDER, or of the CULNCELLOR of Ake FaLGSSEev to. "Ministers had not yet issued such Proclametien, but they might hereafter do it"—let that pus. The reason ing of Ministers in this use, .is the point to which we have to object. The people were very entre. geous, and assaulted the sokliers,and it was necessary for the soldiers to defend themselves." Very well : that may be so. But the 'Public have nothing to do with those facts, at yet ; and tho Bonze has nothing to do with them. A soldier may be tried, and a verdict may be returned by a Jury of his country of—justifiable homicide. And in such case a regard for the interests of the public, as well as humanity, will rejoice at the issue of the trial ; for it is more dangerOus to the existence of the Constitution, and well-being of the State itself, that the soldiery should wantonly, or even hastily, from a systematic hatred of the people, destroy individuals during a tumultuous assemblage, than that the people when excited to extreme impatience by an outrage of all their best feelings should for a time forget that principle of order, without which, they themselves are neither safe against the tyranny of auy part of tbs.. Supreme Power, nor against the tumultuous move:" ments of a mistaken majority of their own class. To had the Life-Guardsman innocent, therefore, ..would. be matter of congratulatiun with all the friends of the Country. But the Country stunt overlook this principal maxim, that where men have been by the, soldiery, and a verdict of "WILFUL MURDER" has been the re. turn of the Coroner's (avai l it is riot the Mi. nistry who arc to decide the feet of guilt or inuo. samee, bet the COWS/TILT, Jury of thi.PO9P7l which Country and its Jury, are alone competent to.try it. We would not go so far as to say, that it behoves the Executive Government to institute an inquiry on every occasion where death has ensued 'from the soldiery dispersing a tumultuous assembly, the Riot Act being read. But where a Coroner's Inquest has decided that a MURDER is COMMIT. TED on such occasion, it is the duty of Govern. meet to inquire strictly after the offender; and .the more urgent ,is the duty, because, If they do not do so, they aro in a very eminent degree gc. nerally answerable to the country for the crime, and may not very uncharitably be deemed and taken as Accessantes to the commission of it.... This reasoning applies in the strongest case of riot on the part of the pcnple, and forbearance on thel side of the soldiery, when a verdict of wilful mur. der is given by the Inquest. And Lord OSSULSTON did .well to bring the case of PLEDGE before the llouse ; and Mr. WMITEREAD, with that talent which always distinguishes him, very properly made the House feel the true bearing of the ques tion—the unwarrantable neglect or culpable oasis. !don of Ministers, in not hieing the Proclamation. Ministers would make the House It ROMs TO Do INJURY, RUT WEAK TO REDRESS WRONGS. 'rho case of ERRALL, however, cannot be evaded by Ministers. Every evidence, on the In. quoit, proved die soldiery RI have fired without necessity, on. individuals standing respectively, without compattiens, or in very small numbers; consequently without abettors, if disposed to riot. Self-defence had nothing to do with this murder. Ministers cannot decline to issue a Pro. tttlamation here, without tacitly confessing—they are not sorry for a few such murders. •WE have this day received further Extracts from the Spanish Papers, which contain nothing -dr importance.—We have also received French 'rapers to the 15th instant, and Dutch to the same date. We have given the most material of the tiacy contain in another part of the Paper. The QUEEN has lately presented Mr. BULLOCK, the proprietor of the Museum, 22, Piccadilly, with some rare and beautiful birds from Bar bary.; the Btsnor of Dottnaleand Lord TRION. WOUTIi base also, within these few dem added some very interesting articles to this dclighful and fuhionablo lace of amusement _ • . rBSM AN. -~--- .• • . W. 11. LITTLETON, Esq.lll. P. Sit—Public characters are, in this country, confessedly amenable to public censure. I shall, therefore, offer no apology for the liberty which I oar' take, iatemmenting upon the line of con. iou4stlopted in the debate which took piricela the mine of Commons en the 10t1cof the 'current inosifft, as reported in THE STATES. *AV of the 'ensuing day. In that debate, Sir, yea took occasion to " abjure Sir FeiNcts Ben. inew,not only as a political, but as a priv ate friend" --end to " , disclaim him from the bottom of your heart." Now, Sir, when I read these obtrusive and gratuitous declarations of hostility, I could not forbear asking myself, who is this individual who thus industriously apprises the world of his friend. ships sod his enmities ? Who is this indignant ore. tor, who thus publicly withdraws from the ITo. nourable Baronet his countenance ant protection ? In answer to dock) queries, my recollection sug. gested to me, that Mr. fATTTLIETON was no other. wise politically known, than as the organ of a party, in a miserable party struggle, who made, on that occasion, an unimpressive speech, and lust his mb. tion ! Pardon me, Sir, if 1 Say, that, having well considered the space occupied by yourself in the public eye, as compared with the well-earned ce. lebrity of the object of your , animadversion, I could not help smiling, when I calculated tht im. pression which the. forfeiture of your favour. would make to the BARONET'S prejudice, in the mind of the community at large. Your abjuration of the friendship of Sir FRANCIS BURDLTT, Sir, implies that you, till the moment of that abjuration, ranked among the number of Ms friends ; and indeed your pointed allusion to 4.4 the winning manners and amiable qualities of the Honourable Baronet," not only strengthens this implication, but proves that you are . well acquainted with his general habits and character. And now give me leave, Sir, to ask you, in the case of questionable conduct on the part of a friend, is it befitting that delicacy of feeling,, which ought ever to actuate honourable minds, eagerly to seize the earliest opportunity of condemning that conduct iu his absence, without demanding from hint an explanation, or hearing what he has to say in potentiation of his imputed offence? If you answer In the affirmatite, I have only to say, that though estimating your talents.as I do, I should never fear your enmity, I should entertain the most decided dread of your friend. _ ship. But, it appears that your indignation against Sir FRANCO was exasperated, because, " from the firstto the last of his unconstitutional proceedings, he had been attended by Rocas O'Coirrroa," whom you art pleased to designate as " the bro. • ther of a notorious traitor !" And, though you discreetly guarded your language, by a profession, that " you did not wish to be undcrstood'to say that ROGER O'CONNOR was a traitor," you plainly in. timated, that, on account of the delinquency of his brother, he ought to be banished out of so ciety !! My hand trembles, whilst I trans r Bribe this atrocious sentiment. What, Sir ! &pp it become an English Senator thus wantonly lb spread proscription—thus cruelly to point tine pangs of afflicted families ? Are near relatives mutually attainted by each other's guilt ? If so, what Must you think of the numerous kinsmen of Lord . EDWARD FITZGERALD ?--.Why do not you fix the mark of CAIN upon the gallant brother of the military officer of high , rank, who in the year 1803 expl . .ted the clime of treason by the forfeiture of ? Yon are further 'reported as asserting that Aa- TitURO'CONNOR conducts in Paris an English Paper replete with treason, and as asking "whether it was by patronizing, encouraging, and Introducing fo reign papers of this description, that the Hon. Bart. wished to secure and re-establish the liberties of England ?" Now Sir, upon this insinuation, I shall propose to you the following queries : If you were well,auured that Sir Faaucis did " pa. trottize, encourage, and introduce" papers of the above-mentioned description, why did you continue your friendly intercourse with kiln till keen under the displeasure of the House of Commons ? Why did not you instantly, upon knowing of these pro. ceedings, bring him to public justice? If, on the contrary, you cannot prove this fact, which you impute to him, why did you insinuate it at alt?... and especially why did you insinuate it at a season when he was absent, . helpless and defenceltiss ? On the horns of this dilemma, Sir, I leave you. Take your - alternative...the crime of conniving at a high misdemeanor, or the shame of insinuating an accusation which you cannot prove, Many persons are Muck astonished at the treat: 'moot which Sir Fastrcis has experiencedfiries yourself and your political associates. I!ligy MIMI to have Expected that your votes .againat d bis Letter to the SPEAKER would have beep tieldiuted by any bittee4ss of aggravation, which couldlios. sibly have been spared. But es far myself, , theconduct of the different parties in the House of Coinoloils tgocio lOC ITith , . - - - no surivrice. The vote of censure was ex -- by the whole nation; and as to the e philippics which preceded it, they are easily sc. CObiated for. A vigilant inspectOr of public atinses . will never gall the will partial favour o f the Minister of the day—nor ill he recei ve any am „e• $l support from an Oppositiops who long to Sere into place upon the . very system which ae.; ceiliarily involves those selfsame abuses. H ew c an the Whiggish porou g h.mo n en look with complacency upon him, whose main object is to • destroy their trade ? How can the traffickers is patronage entertain any other sentiment than that of hatred against him who daily strives to d 7 up the source of their gain ? When a character of da l description afords any pretext whatever, an Woe of parties will instantly, be formed to cis* him. For some time past, indeed, it has been time ha& Hug of your political friends, Sir, to embrace , eie el l opportunity of paying their toad to the H. Baronet, and of extolling his talents and his viri tues to the skies. But these eulogiums did net proceed from pure admiration, or from sincereafec.. tion. ivy their abetting the "auri sacra fames" of Lord GRENVILLE ) so far as to legalize his held. lag two incompatible offices...-by their Sliiniithigthe LORD Cur Ey JUSTICE of the Court of King's Bench into the Cahinet....by their altered /lingua & upon the subject of Parliimentary Reform, th e late Administration had forfeited all their popu. larity with the zealous and sanguine friend of the amelioration of our political system. The Ca. tholic Body were disgusted by their dilatoriness is enforcing their Claims—and a respectable, though not a uemeroui portion of the community, la. masted that they had foregone the opportunity of concluding a general peace. On Ise other band, they had not been long enough in office toacqnirs the support of that multitudinous class, wito are ever ready to lend - their aid to those who, are established in power. Hence, when. tha Brea frowned upon them', diey fell, and Ilse* they stretched out " every side the koala ing hand, no one -was willing to raise them from the ground. Confessedly eminent la ta. lent, comprising is their rants almost all the landed Aristocracy of the Country, and, Igo sincerely believe, endued with more individail integrity Ethan usually _falls to, the lot of party, they were "deserted at their utmost need" o r those who-are the natural supporters of Oppoei. Lion ; namely, the middling and lower fiats of Ai community. The political adeshration of tidies, merous class of the population of Eugbuid vas transferred to Sir F. BURDETT ) *bolted never given a pledge -which he had dot redcomed—who had been uniform its his principles through evil report and good report, and who was daily rating in latest and reputation. The . Wbige, sensible of their own decline, and of his advancement in pope, lardy, - found it expedient to treat hint, with marked respect. It seems to have been their po licy to endeavour to share In his trletripiii, sod to • catch the gale of public favour which accompanied him in all his proceilliags. But the Ilan. Ram. net received their advances with coldness. lie Would not coastal' to 'walk in their train. fie would not condescend' to square his views to their wishes. With an uoliardonable perverseness, at the critical moment when the Whigs imagined did they could overturn the tottering Ministry, by an .appeal to the people on the subject of the ,Vralcheren Expedition, Sir Fasxcis cousind the idea that the personal liberty of his cooing. men was a matter of higher concern than say change in the Administration of a system of ahem It is not at all wonderful in my eyes, Sir, that at offender of this description should receive, from the cuuning of one party, and 'from the vexation of another, as severe a punishment, 113 Wag Cow 'pliable with considerations of expediency, and m vehement reproaches as could be dictated by dis appointed ambition. • • It appears, Sir, that Sir FRANCIS irCOOlillitlid to the Tower fur trenching upon, the dignity of the House of Commons. May the dignity of tbst Howse be ever supported ! But this cannot be ef 4ected by the infliction of pans and penalties.' True dignity, whether of individuals or of bedil of men, resides its the character. And 44 01 upon it, Sir, that the dignity of your beeourable House own be maintained only by the wisdom of its incasuresiand by the decorum and prodente of • its proceedings. If public abuses obtain its sego. lion, however threaseniug an attitude it may al' Item, it' will be despised. If the two great Ass into which it is divided spend their, dot is mutual recrimination,' while necessary Vt° Pig"' re ' are cuisidinded, in vain will it claim the , pect. I well remember that two mereboots p 0« , appeared on the. Exchange of Liverpool, to p r o s 'claim each other i4li rogues ; and that the Pl b " , n w e e v re er p b le e n t s h etl e t h o nh be e ller ppy e l t b li t e e m l both ehlettetes: Oup this oral rarlionient v is the.sincero wish of - . TOW obedient &taints al " 1 4 *, effe4"ierat bill$0111)" , ti on zat, -A: 4 • • ( t r I