The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1803-02-12 00:00:00

compenceallthosewhohad paved the wayto it bytheir foresight, firmness and writings, and who had left no other care to him who was to finish the business,thanto keep up a good appearance, and repeat without em barrassment the speeches which they had prepared for him. It would have been imprudent to possess himself singly of a success, to which he had so little contributed. It was necessary, therefore, to create places to satisfy every pretension, and recompence important services. Among the number of hands which were presented to receive a salary, several were observed still crimsoned with the blood of the French : those carried away the richest part ; they were the hands of accomplices. They had, more over, a consciousness of what they might under take for revenge, if they were repulsed ; or to serve the new order of things, if they were called in to a division of the spoils of France: therefore they were acknowledged—they werewelcomed, and to disguise the hideous stamp which crime had left there, they were covered with gold. This new phalanx of se nators, tribunes, and legislators, presents, at first blush, with their rich liveries, only a series of trivial and disgusting caricatures, whose fully and crimes, the contempt and hatred of the nation soon discover under the shirring outside with which they are cover ed. It was necessary to supply by attributes; by an exterior splendor, that consideration which obscure individuals could not obtain ; it was necessary to give them a share in the exercise of power. Those, who have been tradable, have enjoyed all the fa vours, all the sunshine of the CoNsurs. Those who have pretended to the enjoyment Of prerogatives, which were only granted to them, either through necessity or policy, have been disgraced, or even ex cluded ; but this exclusion has not prevailed to bias the Senate, in which the foresight of Sirvts, has established places for life ; it is then in this body that debates have been more bold, pretensions more steady, because, it risked less by insisting on the use oldie's*. The party which was driven from the Tribunate, and which is about to lose gradually its support in the Legislative body, had, in the Senate, its real force,. and the sentiment which gave it mo tion. Since the first check which it received from this exclusion, it has little disguised its discontent, and its intention of laying hold of the first oppor tunity which should present itself; if not to destroy the authority which persecutes it, at least to oppose to it constitutional obstacles ; this is the party which has declaimed the loudest against despotism, which has made those blush who are the slaves and instru ments of it, which has cultivated the prepossessions of die nation against a stranger, who is not con tent with reigning like a master over it, but wishes to transmit to his family those rights which he now holds. There has mingled with its dis courses more bitterness and boldness, than the pro fessed Jacobins, because it was aware that the Go vernment, still not sufficiently removed from the epoch in which it owed its elevation to it, in which it even shared its power, dared not strike at it, for fear of betraying the divisions which agitate the conquerors of Brumaire, and of losing entirely their support, before it had found another to supply its place. It is now known, that the first blow which Boe Aea ATE attempted to level at it, in the Senate, was to reverse the constitutional order, which esta blishes, that a Senator cannot fill any place, in case he resigns that which he holds. This point being gained, the CONSUL would have seduced, by the prospect of great influence, or of great fortune , those whom he should dread to leave in the Senate ; and when he should have them thus in his power, fie would have easily found pretences to reduce them to nothing. This intention was foreseen, and consequently opposed ; but those who guessed at it, could not hinder the insertion in the Senatus Consultum, that the Como L might give the Sena tors temporary comrasissions, and, by that means, exclude, from important deliberations, those whose resistance he dreaded. It is aho known, that among the questions agi tated in the Senate, several have pointedly aimed at :epressing the CONSUL's ambition; and that some , among others, that of throwing wmie sort of re sponsibility on the two subaltern Consuls, were pre sented with so much art, that they would have brought on some decisions opposite to the views of BONAPARTE, if M. C.SMBACERF.S, arriving unex pedtedly, had not made use of the right which he had of presiding over the Senate, and warded off the blow which threatened his master. It is to this discussion, that we must attribute the new form, which has just been adopted, for the arretes which required the concurrence of the three Consuls, and which are now taken only in the name of the Go- .vernment- Yesterday the Committee proceded to try the University of Dublin Petition. Mr. FAME, Chair man. The Counsel for the Sitting Member, (the Hon. Geottoz Knoi) are Mr. ADAM and Serjeant LENS ; for Mr. PLUNKFT; (the Petitioner) Mr. Pt °- butt, Mr. DAMPIEILKE, and Mr. NOLAN. The ground of the Petition is, that the Representatives of the University of Dublin, and indeed of any Uni versity, such as Oxford, Cambridge, &c. must be a real Member of each University ; whereas the said Hon. GEORGE KNox never had been such Men ler of any University, and was only an honorary Member Of the University of Dublin, on having ob tained therein the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws. A letter from a correspondent at Whitstable gives a Melancholy account of the part of the crew of the Hindogan brought on shore at that place. Some were frozen to death, some died of the bruises they received in making their escape from the wreck. Some had their limbs broken, and some were naked. Some lay down to sleep, but never woke again. Of the latter two were at the Duke of Cumberland public-house. The ship has lately suffered so mate rially, that it has been found necessary to abandon her, there being not the smallest hope of getting any thing more out of her hold ; she now lies in such a situation that she must inevitably soon go to pieces, all the beams having given way, and the sea making fair breaches over her. The silver is the most ma terial thing that has been saved, which was effected with the utmost hazard and difficulty. Eleven of the chests are lodged in the Treasury, and two are abandoned in the skip, as every effort is now deem ed useless. The Company's Officers have in conse quence left the wreck, as have also the gun-brigs, which went down for the purpose of protecting the property. The Dutch Government is taking every pos sible precaution to prevent the dykes from being damaged at the breaking up of the ice. Consider able apprehensions are entertained in Guelderland and part of Holland on that event. Orders have been issued by the Batavian Government for the inhabitants of the villages situated on the Rhine, the Waal, and the Meuse, to form themselves into de tachments, under leaders of their own chusing, that they may be ready to repair wherever danger may present itself, to give all the assistance they can. The Swiss art abandoning their country in great numbers, in consequence of BONAPARTE'S benefi cent interposition in their affairs. It appears that the pecuniary damage which that unfortunate coun try has received by the revolution, with which the French have overwhelmed them, is immense ; and that :t is impossible to levy it on the remaining sufferers. The only Power which promises to he benefited by the distraaions and convulsions of Switzerland, is the United States of America. Great numbers of the inhabitants are embarking with their families for the New World. Letters from many of the manufatdluring towns in England state the great exertions made by foreign. ers, to procure models of our machinery, and to entice our artisans to leave the kingdom, particular ly those engaged in the cotton manufaaure. Every precaution has been taken at the ports, to frustrate these measures ; but we arc assured very considerable progress has been made in France, and other parts of the Continent in the Cotton Manufac ture ; and that principally from the information and assistance derived from this Country. The State prisoners have, since their condemna tion, condu6ted themselves with becoming propriety and decorum. They were yesterday attended by the clergyman belonging to the prison. They are suffered to remain in the same part of the prison which they occupied previous to their trial. Thursday the prisoners, who stand committed for felonies, were removed from the several gaols in the city of London and county of Middlesex, to Newgate, in order to take their trials at the ensuing Sessions ; which commence on Wednesday next, at the Sessions-house in the Old Bailey. Yesterday the LORD MAYOa went to the Church of St. Gregory, Old Fish -street, and held a Ward for the election of an Alderman for the Ward of Castle Barnard, in the room_ of the late Alderman ItiGDY._ Mr. GRIFFITHS, of Dodors' Commons, proposed JONATHAN SMITH, Esq. Citizen and Patten-maker. The motion was unanimously approved of, and his Lordship declared him duly elected. Mr. SMITH expressed the high sense he entertain ed of the honour done him upon the occasion, pro mising to use every exertion that niight tend to pro- mote the duties of his office in the Ward for which he was elected. The Wardmote tendered their thanks to the LORD MAYOR, for his impartial conduct on the oc casion. His Lordship returned the general compli ments paid him with the greatest politeness, express ing his obligations to the Ward for the attention shewn him at the time of his election. Mr. GRIFFITHS moved, that the proceedings up on this occasion might be published which was unanimously acceded to. Colonel ODELL, Member for the county of Lime rick, arrived in town last night, at Blake's Hotel. Mr. JOHNSON, one of his Majesty's Messengers, arrived on Thursday, with Government dispatches from Admiral Sir JOHN B. WA !MEN, at St. Peters burgh. Lord JAMES TOWNSHEND, youngest sort to the Marquis TOWNSHEND, left town yesterday for Ports mouth, to assume his command in the Navy, on his new appointment. Wednesday BENJAMIN GOSLING, Esq. LAUNCE-. LOT SHADWELL, jun. Esq. and JOHN JONES, ESq. were called to the degree of Barristers at Law, by the I lonourable Society of Lincoln's-Inn. We are assured that a communication has been made to the Helvetic Congress of two reports which are said to have been presented to the Fi Rsr CONSUL respecting the organization of the seven c Aristocratic Cantons of Zurich, Berne, Soleure, Friburg, Basle, Lucerne, and Schaffhausen. They contain the following observations: " The patrician families who have lost their pri vileges by the revolution, cannot cease to detest France : if they say that they love France, they bear in mind its old regime, which they are anxious to see re-established. The inhabitants of the country and the learned men of Switzerland are more dis posed to espouse the principles of the revolution than to support the state in which France has been placed since the 18th Brumaire. The governments that ruled in Switzerland since the revolution have adopt ed all the absurdities of the French revolution. They eagerly and precipitately abandoned the system of Burgherships, an institution which is the true and first basis of the love of country and of all the vir tues which distinguish the Swiss character. " The FIRST CONSUL, in order to complete his mediation, must take upon himself the first appoint ment of the authorities in the Cantons. That is the wish of the majority of the deputies, who are con vinced that the mediator sof Helvetia must necessa rily be also the Legislator and Elector of that coun try. MASQUERADE. XING'S THEATRE. The concourse of the sons and daughters of social mirth, at this fete on Thursday evening last, was very numerous ; but there was a very small sprink ling of farhionables in the extensive groupe. Be tweea the hours of twelve and one, the Stage and Concert-Room were as full as they could be, with convenience to the Masqueraders. The Characters were pretty numerous ; and the following among them were the most prominent : a Gentleman and Lady, in the old French Court style, attended by a Valet ; this groupe were exceedingly well dressed, and supported their charaders to the life ; we were sorry to lose them at an early hour, probably from the pressure of the throng that constantly attended their evolutions, which, from the size of the lady's hoop, made a large sweep. Two Harlequins were very well dressed, and only wanted—azility : a few les sons from a dancing-master might not be thrown away, previous to their next appearance in that cha racter. A Fool, whose part appeared to sit as easy upon him, as if he had been especially gifted for it by nature ; a Piece of antiquated Virgiqi.'y, dressed very characteristically, but did not seem, in the be ginning, to be possessed of that extreme loquacity with which that description of the fair sex is gene. rally supposed to be endowed ; however, she ap peared very anxious to defend herself from the at tacks of the impertinent malts, and towards the lat ter end brushed them off with some humour. A West countryman, who came to town " to z.re life :" he, very prop:rly, made his cfrb,it by scraping ac quaintance with a lass, who dangled at one arm, and a IVatchman, who led him by the other. A Fruit Gid,tvho warranted herwares delicious. Besidesthose already enumerated, there were the usual number of Gipsies, Jew Pedlars, Clowns, Sailors, &cc. all mixed up into a motley, and very diverting crowd. There were seldom less than fOur groupes of dancers ; gem, Christians, Pagans, Turks, and Quakers, all shook their kgs together, in perfed harmony. There may have been a great deal or genuine wit, suited to the humour of the place ; but all that we heard was common-place. Her Mair.srr had a selea party, at Buckingham House, on Thursday last. Among the company present were, Earl of HARRINGTON, Duke of Mots; T ROSE, Earl of H RCOURT, Lord Sc. HI:- I. I. NS, Lord CATHCART, Lord CRANLE Y, Lord AMHERST, General CARTWRIGHT, Col. SPENCER, Messrs. W. PRICE, W YNN, BELL A SYSE.-.-( Ladies) her Royal Highness the Duchess of YORK, Lady MACCLESFIELD, Lady CA THCART, Lady C. DA. mtrt. Lady C. %VVNN, BELL ASYSE ; Mrs. A. STAN. HOPE, Miss FINCH, &C. &C. Bic. Her MAJESTY had likewise a party yesterday evening. Among the company we notice the fol lowing, viz. Earl of CHEST::FIELD, Earl of Cot7a- TOUN, Earl of BULKELF.Y, Lords Sr. HELENS, MORTON, STOPFORD, General MANNtits--(La dies) Marchioness of BATH, Countess of H ARRIS-:- TON, Countess of ELY, Ladies SUDLEy, C.\ It DIGAN, A. M. ST ANHOPE, &C. &C. &C. The ROYAL FAMILY will not leave town until the weather shall become more favourable, as the air of Windsor is considered too keen for the Prin cesses, at the present harsh season. Dr. GISRORNE attended the PRINCESSES yester day, at Buckingham-house ; the PRINCESSES are so much better, as scarcely to require his care. Lady SAR All FARE was presented a Court, on Thursday, by her Mother-in-law, the Countess of WESTMORELAND. Lady S. was most elegantly dressed in fine point lace, pearls, chains of pearls, and white satin, and white feathers and chains of pearls in the head-dress. Lady SARAH looked re markably well. She has a tall, eleq,ant person, and makes a most lovely appearance. This was her first appearance at Court, and therefore may be regarded as her entri into life. Lady S. posseses, exclusive of the above, 1(X),000 charms. Among the presentations at the Drawing-room, on Thursday, were thee of Captain Fg . )t.EY and of Lady Lucy Foi.e.r, on their marriage. Lady Lucy FOLEY was presented by her relation, Lady H. FITZGERALD ; and her Ladyship's dress was particularly admired for its elegance and superior taste. The Bishop of LONDON has appointed Mr. Pao sr's to the situation in his Majesty's Royal Chapel at Whitehall, lately held by B. CHAMBERLAIN, Esq. ieceased. _ _ Mrs. PARIS had a Ball last night, at her house in York Place, Portman-square, which was fashionab!y attended. General SIMCOE and family will pitch their tent, for the spring season, in Somerset.strect. The Earl of YARBOROUGH is on his return from Paris, where he has been on a visit to his son, the Hon.' Mr. PEL It A st, who has been dangerously ill, but whose health, we are happy. to state, is much restored. Sir J. DAsimono KING, 'M. P. fur Chipping Wycombe, and Col. BAGWELL, M. P. for Carlow, have taken up their residence at Miller's Hotel. Captain and Lady L. HA RVEY, P. PH11.1.11'5, the lion. M. SYNGE and family, just arrived in town, are also at Miller's Hotel. The Duchess of BOLTOV, since her return to town, resides with her sister, Mrs. Louriitu, in Upper Brook-street. Among the numerous fashionable changes of re sidence yesterday, Lord ro R T ESC IJ r aid Lord MI 1)- DLETON arrived in Grosvenor -street, and Lord SOL TH A MP TON left it for the cAmtry. Lord NELSON yesterday sat on the bench next to Lord EL LENBOROUGH, for the purpose of hearing the discussion of the affair between Captain Fn- MANTLE and Lient. RICE, but it did not come on. We are sorry to inform our fashionable readers, that the Dowager Countess SPENCER'S illness in creases. She is confined at Devonshire-House. Her illness is a violent cold, accompanied by a rheumatic complaint. Mrs. CALVERT, jun. was delivered of a son, on Thursday evening, at her house in Albemarle street. _ _ _____. Part of the Duchess of GORDON'S suite arrived in town last night from Paris, and her Grace is expect ed in the course of a few days. The Marchioness of SALISBURY will commence her Sunday Musical Parties to-morrow evening. Marquis Towt-is6r4o. and family will return to town, for the season, to-morrow, from Rainham, Norfolk. Chevalier DE SAuzA arrived at Grillian's Hotel on Wednesday night, from Paris, to assume his si tn,ation as Ambassador and Minister Plenipotentiary ftom the Court of Portugal. PARIS, F. 4.7. PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE. • Notwithstanding the impudence with whiel! the French Journals assert the contrary, it is certain that the tide of Majesty has been discussed in the Senate; that LANGUZNF A s spoke against it, and that it has, for a moment, been dropped. It is also cer tain that I.s.nou INEAS has been threatened, if he should speak again to the same purport. Among the novelties introduced by the Consular Government, is the mode of paying its debts. It has a large sum of money to pay the English Go vernment, on account of French prisoners, for the liquidation of which, it is going to adopt a measure which is more remarkable for its ingenuity than Its justice. Previous to the revolution, a considerable snm was lodged in the English funds by the Go vernment of t'• Canton of Berne. It was lodged in the name of the two 4vorrs. These offices having been abolished during the revolution, and the English Government not choosing to pay the money to their successors, whom they did not acknowledge, it has remained in the funds. The French Government has resolved that there shall again be two Avoyers in the Canton of Berne, ex pressly for the purpose of assigning over their right to the money above-mentioned ; which they destine to pay the English Government, tor feeding their prisoners. BONAPARTE IS to appoint to all the offices cf the State under the new constitution of Sw•itaerland ! That constitution LI likely to be a very curious piece of manufacture. Ro.ocattit and Drcm Et:- I.:1E14 French senators, are the principal workmen. After receiving fixity or fifty projects of constituzions from the Swiss deputies, they lay them all aside without reading [heal, call for their maps, consult Coxes Travels, and with eiese helps, determine with the utmost facility, the principles which are to operate the happiness of the people of Helvetia ! While the French Government is thus sporting with the interests and feelings of whole nations, it neglects performing its engagements to individuals. It may be recollected that Malta was delivered to the French by virtue of a capitulation. The terms of this capitulation were settled in Paris, with the knights in the French interest, before BONAPARTE embarked. The Grand Master was to have a German Principality, and to receive three millions of livres. But he has, to this moment, received no more than twenty-five thousand livres ; and as to the German principality, it does not seem to be even thought of. Many persons, indeed, will he of opinion, that the Grand Master deserved no better treatment. But his criminality in having betrayal his trust, cannot justify the French Government fur not performing its engagements. The conversation; of Paris, at present, turn very much upon snares, which, it is said, the agents of Government are contriving against MoitEmi and. CARNOT. Mrs. INCHBALD'S translation of The Judgment of Solomon, which was to have been brought forward at Covent Garden Theatre, under the title of An Ancient Story, is, it seems, to be laid aside. The Voi r of Nature, a translation of the same piece, having been already before the public, the effest is, of course, forestalled, and the latter, we find, is to be represented at Covent Garden Theatre, with new splendour of scenery. A very curious machine is now construaing by Mr. JAMISON, of Charing-cross, well known by his many ingenious mechanical inventions. It is a car riage calculated to move without horses, even against the steepest bill ; and from an experiment made, on a small scale, the inventor has not the least doubt of its success. Yesterday, about eleven o'clock in the forenoon, the neighbourhood of the Poultry was alarmed by loud explosion, occasioned by the bursting of a still in the laboratory of Messrs. HANROTT, BURK IT T, and Co. chemists. The servants of these gentlemen had been distilling nutmeg-water, and the furnace becoming ever-heated, the head of the still flew off, with a most violent explosion ; the sky-light of the laboratory was broken, and several panes of glass in the shop-windows, as well as the window-frames, were shattered to pieces by the concussion. The noise and smoke occasioned by this accident drew several fire-engines to the spot, as well as a prodi gious crowd of speetators ; but we are happy to state, that no injury of consequence ensued, and that no blame whatever can attach to any indivi dual concerned. The report of the cession of Cochin to the Frenci is positively contradiaed in Holland. Lady BEECH A M PRocroß yesterday took a hoTi-,, in Wimpole-street, for the season. Mr. JOHN .K r.m nix left Madrid on the 2Sth on his return to London. Illr. KEM BEE intends be ing in town about the Ist of March. Miss DE CA M P continues in so indifferent a state of health, that she is not expected to resume her pro fessional ditties for the remainder of the season. On Friday last, Lieutenant Colonel Dv KE, and so veral other Officers of the West Kent Regiment of Militia, waited on Lord RoMNZY, at the Mote, and in the name of all the Officers of that respectable corps, presensed - his Lordship with a very elegant sword. _ _ The English Government, it is true, has sent out orders to surrender the Cape of Good Hope to the Dutch, but no transports have been sent to bring home the British troops. In the course of October a counter order was dispatched, but the Dutch had already been disembarked and admitted. It is row said that the English troops occupy the principal places, and that, in order to comply with the coun ter order, they have remained at the Cape,of which they form the garrison, in conjunction with the Dutch, with whom they maintain a good under standing. 111 I I 1 5 1 I • ~~ .1 ~-~ i ~~~