The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1805-01-31 00:00:00

. BtOGRAPHY. THE EMPEROR OF HAYTI.' the tiro worlds have already re-echoed with the ittine lad lithe a&s of barbarity of 3. 7. Dessalines but few persons hive learned the train of uninter rupted crimes and atroeitirs of this African, whose ferocity is at teat equal to. if it does not surpass that tflSkers. beesstlines. ttanifietted froth the coast of Guinea 1 e0 .31 . Domingo. served as a domestic to a free ne gro prOprietor, of the name of brssalines, when the insurreaion Voice out. He was tken called lean Jaiiines, and commenced the career of his crimes, by assassinating his mum, of whOse name and effects he immediately took possession. lie then joined himself to the bands of Biasson, who had been pmclairised Chief of the Insurgents. He Obtained in this body the command of a small corps, With which, like a torrent, he over-tan the most fertile and populous part of the country, in order to seek for objets on *hom he might exercise his cruelty. Death marched in his train, and presented itself m the most terrific fortis ; neither sex, age, or rank, were respeted ; a speedy death was a fa- your, in compArison of the slow and dreadful tor- tures which he inflicted on a venerable old nun, on the mother of a family, and even an infant in the cradle. This barbarian had caused a police officer, of the name of Blew, to be nailed alive to the door of his own housc, and ordered his limbs to be cut off by a hatchet, one by one. Soon after, he happened to discover the retreat of a poor car penter : he wished him to undergo a species of suffering, emblematical of his profession ; in con. sequence of which, he had him fastened be tween two boards, and sawed across. Biasson had fixed his head-quarters in a sugar plantation, which necessity alone had induced him to spare. It was There that he deposited all the spoils of the unhappy colonists, %Ole had fallen beneath the fury of the Blacks. There were seen heaped together in the square, bloody arms and brilliant ornaments ; ma thematical instruments, and iron pots; vessels of plats and foul linen ; china vases, and skins of ani mals ; costly diamonds and human skulls, in the hair of which they remained fastened; superb car pets, and disgusting rags. On certain days these spoils were distributed to those who had executed the greatest number of massacres, or burned the greatest number of habitations ; and the great Chief, after having praised their zeal, advanced them accord be!. Stimulated by cupidity or ambition. Dessalines resolved to secure the good-will of Biasson, by a great aa of atrocity. One day, when this Chief of the Blacks had set out on an expedition, which would keep him at a distance for some time, be seised the opportunity of his absence to execute the projea he meditated. He advanced rapidly, with a torch in his hand, towards a part of the Island where insurreCtion had not yet extended its ravages. He succeeded in taking three hundred prisoners, most of whom were women, children, and old men, whom he condueed, in chains, to the camp of Biasson ; and on the eve of the day, when the Chief of the Blacks was expeaed to return to quar ters, he caused these three hundred viaims to be massacred, and their heads fixed on the spikes which sarroanded the first court of the habitation of the Chief. Biasson, on his arrival, contemplated with a fe rocious joy this spectacle so well worthy of such a cannibal. He congratulated Dessalines on his zeal, and appointed him to a situation in his guards.— Such was the cause of the first advancement of this ferocious African in the Black army. It was at this time that Touissaint Louverture appeared in the Camp of Biasson, who, charmed to find a man who could read an. 2 write, received him, and made him his private Secretary, and soon after Captain of his guards. It was then that the intimacy of Touie -aint and Dessalines commenced. This last conti nued to enjoy the confidence of Biasson, who charged him with the direftion of the tortures in- Card on the Whites, who had been made prison ers, azd this k th► manner in which this barbarian ordered sn,l effretea it. TI-r day of these horrible butchetws, all the prisoners were assembled un one spot, in a little meadow, round which the Blacks placed themselves. and formed the inclosure des tined fcr the executions. There the unhappy Whites *ere condueled naked, their hands tied behind their baeh ; the sufferings commenced with they were fastened by the chin to pointed and hooked, in which man sometimes more than twelve hours which terminated their torments ; by cruelty, the iron tore, from time to shed v:elims, who were immediately and forced to utter the agonies of death. Those Whites of a mikldle two and two, between planks together, and delivered to sawyers, asunder. The yonngest had first out with a cork screw, and were 1 " t e to a U o ft it 0 tl 0 0 0 $ I I j f 11 1 3 the old men r they pieces of iron, poin net they waited son for that death %Thiel an unheard of erne time, the wretched hooked again, and . the most !-.orrid dea er were fastened arengly tied toget - who cut them ast their eyes torn oui then tut in pieces by sabres. The tortures of the women were varied according to the Unman caprice of the butchers, who often tore from the palpitating entrails of the mothers the irtiits of their union, which they cut in pieces, and forced the wretched sufferers to eat this revoltittg 'food, which they thurst with violence down their throats. The children were plunges alive into large sugar cauldrons of boiling water, and stretched on gridirons over a hot fire. Biasson was not less terrific than Dessalines ; this last and Todssaint Louvertute leagned themselves with a Chief of the army, named Jean Francois, and resolved to depose Biasson, whom they sent prisoner to St. Augustin, where he died in despair. Touissaint Lonverture soon became the only Chief of the Colony; but a deep laid scheme of Dessalines, and a man of the name of Christopher, overturned the projeas of Touissaint Loverture, who who was arrested and sent to France. Dessalines, by slow degrees, shook off all authority ; he formed for himself a guard and a staff, with which he took possession of the head quarters of the insurgents, commanded the incendiaries, and presided at their massacres. We aleady know his horrid procla- mations, and the foregoing details give a precise idea of his charaaer. Since he became Governor General of the Island, he affe.fts a magnificence :a expensive as capricious. His, army is reduced to 10,000 men, amongst whom there are hardly 5,000 fit to carry arms; but, in case of a new enterprise by the French, he has adopted a system of defence, which must ultimately end in the ruin and destruc tion of almost all the cities which yet exist in the colony.* • This account is translated from the Feerthiert Jointed of Dec. 26. It is no doubt overeidoured, to gratify the envy of Dessalines's European rival in barlinrity, the Corsican Em peror, who murdered the Duke of Enghien, •t midnight, in • ditch in the Wood of Vincennes. TO CORRESPONDENTS. The New Puff; or, Catch him who can e is of a personal na ture, and, consequently, inadmissible. The E.say upon S,tanish Snuff, signed 3nid, is under con- sideration. The Two Kings of Brentford, in imitation of one of Virgil's Eclogues, is, with all its simplicity, a poetical libel. Bonaparte's Cormution„ alias the Paris Cattle Sliew, shall be attended to. The article signed JUPII , I6II 'ACE, upon the present high prize of spirits, is left In the Office for any Gentleman who con dzocriSo the Address upon the Cover precisely. TIIE BRITISH PRESS LONIN) THURSDAY, J4hu•itir 31. We have received accounts from Dover, which state, that a very heavy cannonading was heard , there, during the greater part of Tuesday. As the wind hlew very strong from the South-East, it is supposed that the firing proceeded from our squad ron off Boulogne, that may have fallen in with some of the enemy's vessels, coming from the Eastward, drives by the gale from the French coast. This sup position has been partly confirmed, as one of our gun-brigs passed Dover, on Tuesday evening, about four o'clock, for tee Downs, having in company one of the enemy's gun.luggers, with the loss of her foremast. The firing had not ceased at six o'clock on Tuesday night. We are concerned to state, that Hee MAJESi V was taken ill on Tuesday night, after her return from the Play, at Covent Garden Theatre. Her MaJury's complaint, we understand, is an attack of the rheumatism, brought on by the present damp and aid weather. Notice of this event was commu nicated, at an early !mar, to the LORDCHAM sae I. AIN; accompanied with an expression of apprehensions, that Hey MAJZI TY would not be able to attend the Drawing Room, announced in the Ge:eite for this day at St. James's. His Lordship accordingly sent off notices to the Foreign Ministers, and the principal Nobility and Gentry that are understood to consti tute the Court circle, apprising them of Her MA- Jassy's indisposition, and that the drawing-room was necessarily postponed until some future day.— llis lt,iy a l Highness the Prince of WA L ES, with that sense of filial duty and afFelion which so eminently distinguish his charafter, paid a visit to his Royal Mother, at the QUERN'S House, at three o'clock, where he remained until five, when he returned to Carleton House. So many attempts are now mak ing to disturb the tranquillity, that does and ought to prevail in our political world, at a crisis when its very existence is threatened h" an implacable foe, we fe't it peculiarly incumbent upon us to ascertain the real C3ll - ,e of the post pout:swat of the DrAwing-room, and of the long visit by the Prince of WA LES at thy Qussti's H.,te,e. 'I he name of His Royal Highaess has been associated of late, by party writers, with political speculations ; and, as this was his first visit to the Qv EVA ' s House, after a vci long absence, we were not without apreitension that ignorance, or party•spirit, might give it that colour, and conucti it with the present :moored, chatigis in the Cabinet. Upon this last subjla, we have oily to L.bselve, that, in our honest, com plete, and positive disavowal of being a party Print, nothing could be more foreign from out thoughts than to prof:ss neutrality. The wisest lawgiver of antiquity punished with death every than who stood neuter in a sedition, presuming that he must be a bad man who could be indifferent to the interests of his country. We have always felt the truth of this sentiment, but party zeal and mis representation have not, until the present moment, risen to a suffitient height to call it into anion. The common danger has, for some time past, kept po litical partisans within bonnds. %Ve have seen ja cobins and treasury clerks, scribblers of all ranks, characters, and degrees, joining in one common cry upon the subject of the threatened invasion. But now, when the danger is as gieat as ever it was, these very men, become familiar with their fears, appear to have broken loose, and struggling with all their old passions and prejudices, to create internal dis cord and confusion. The Ministerial Papers, not content with attacking their common foe, are falling foul of each other. One is for Mr. PITT, another is for Lord Sit:010111'u, another is for both, and a fourth is for all, as if it were a sort of Welch main, where every one is hitting every one that comes in his way ; and yet Mr. Prur and Lord Stostotrrst are alike Members of the same AL:ministration, which these prints have promised to uphold and defend. In this contemptible struggle THE Bel r usii Pacts will never take a part. It will be neutral to all parties, and attached to truth alone. Its vigi lance shall increase with the growing miscondut of its contemporaries, and it will take care that the honesty of the public mind shall not be abused by those scri►blers, who, in the pursuit of selfish and sordid objeCts, care not how much they dis turb, pervert, and distrait it. When we shall have silenced this contemptible warfare, or, to speak more correCtly, dissolved this false brother hood, by a fair exposure of its ends, its objets, and its means, we shall then congratulate ourselves as the friends of all parties, and consequently, the aftive friends of our country. This day His MAJESTY will hold a Privy Coun cil at the Queues House. A Court of Direftors was yesterday held at the East India House, when Captain G toIGI WOOD was sworn into the command of the Charlton, in the room of Captain WaLLADVIce resigned, and took leave of the Court previous to departing for Madras and Bengal. Captain James Moats° was also sworn into the command of the Comet, stationed for Madras direft. The Court adjourned at six o'clock till Wednesday nest. An Especial Court of Common Council will he held at Guildhall to-morrow, for the purpose of elefting a Junior Clerk of the Court of Requests, in the room off•wes Sr everts, deceased, and to con sider the Bye Laws, for regulating the Port of London. The Commerce, of Appledore (a transport), from Plymouth for Limerick, was totally lost on the 27th December last, in Galway Bay. The Commerce, Ewackstone, from the South Seas for Liverpool, is lost on the coast of Patagonia ; crew saved. His MAJESTY'S ship Hindustan, of 50 guns, ar rived on Tuesday, at Yarmouth, to join the North sea squadron. The Russian and English Messen gers, detained there by contrary winds, embarked same day on board the Griffin cutter, and were ac companied by the. Hawke cutter. A letter from Greenock, of the 20th, says "The Royal George cutter returned to Cumbraes, on Thursday, with a confirmation of the news I sent you that day, that the ship of war was the Brilliant frigate. My statement is quite correlt. The gentle man who originally sent the accounts of her being there, was Mr. M.Douoas., of I.unga, and not Laing. " The Tuurterelle frigate was obliged, owing to contrary winds, to put into Rothesay Bay, after she was recalled by Captain BearsoN, which she left yesterday morning ; but it falling calm, Captain Lee and the Sharpshooters were landed at Wemyss Bay, and they marched into town about five yester day evening." An American Paper of the 23d last, contains an article, stating, that the Emperor BnnAPAATe had been proclaimed its Martinique, and the Constituted Authorities had taken the oaths of allegiance to th&r new master. The troops were drawn up in the pub lic square, when the EMPEROR was laimed ; hot one of the battalions, instead of " Lice the Emperor !" cried " Long, the Republic I" Government have contraned for a depot for 20,000 stand of arms, to be ereffed on the Glouces ter-road without Lawford's Gate. The preparations for the intended Expedition are carrying on with great aiivity. It was at first in tended that it should have sailed before this time. A great many transports are assembled at Cowes and Spithead; the cavalry are in the Isle of the infantry at Spithead ; the former will embat I at Southampton Water, the infantry at Portsmouth. It was generally believed, that Portugal WAS the destination of the expedition; hut, since Gener.: Moo' a's return. who is stated to have delivered s his opinion, that, though the country might defended, it would require a very large body troops, Ministers are sal to have abandoned the idea. Sum: of the transports are engaged not go beyond a certain latitude; others are engage gn wherever it shall be deemed proper to send thent. to o oloti of the expedition is very properly kept ' csfound secret. From the large quantity of c valry to be embarked, it is not likely that it is going a • Tainst the Cape of Good Hope. It is more probable from this circumstance, that it is destined to some part of the Continent. -"or.--...- 7.-•-.. , - -- ---movooooiooy-oair,o f p, --.--- - FASIIIO:VS FOR FEBRUARY. ----.lo—__. it is snitch to be regretted, that our brilliant assemblies ne w I loii,?, retarded, as this circumstance allows hut little o • % ,, rtunitY dX to dii;olas the taste for Ma grand Partite Turbans still lint., ire t he pre-eminence, and will, no doubt, be the universal fashica fir this sewn. Tit, velvet tiara, of green Marnne, Egyp t ;" eart h, S,-. ornamented with pewit and itia.ntindi, are very VI.. g 1:::,1 t. ..a.i n . I ,i r at t s he al f i r d ol l ti lu . me T s' h i e n Z tt a le ira Si t . n a r s ha i ' w t * Y .l l l e b ' e w c it a : rt ' a l : . :ly i for pe adopted... t is splendid and etegant. The dress:, are extreniels lel short•wanted ; the sleeve, very short, and trains al use,', ilt particid id ) . long; many are made of coloured patent net., at •iiihroideleil with gold and silver, went over white s atinet tr.l S; tai petticoats. Sprigged lents" and thin inki.En, white emit mid t!; SIN alli lawn ; sanittet dresses trimmed with frivolity, and cover. ci ed with white crape, are also much worn for drains. t Morning Dress-a-High c0i1,,, ant long sleev.-1, chi c l e sit t' white Collet cambrics, trimmed round the bottom ; velvet bon• l. nets and pelisses of every colour are still much io faill'ors • ::" v ' .. 4 , many speitc.ns with Spanish cloaks of the sane, tri et . is .,i i with le lad lace, are visible in the beau monde. T:,: fe....., s are moss fadtionable, trimmed with tulle, than Titsotit I v k q t of lace. Opera coatsare much worn, of pale look 44 blue satin, trimmed with white fur; and white muff. ai I tippets. • , The faits cannot be too brilliant fur the present fashion Ru!i r . ' coloured shoes are the omit elegant. . AN ASV GNATION. ---.lr A celebrated actor at Paris lately received the following billet deux from a fine woman : .. I have taken the grated but, No. 15, at the Theca e Francois, fur the night after tomorrow. it you will d. ice the favour to promise me " out hove ad ',wrie r .," ,S e is k mow," It. This note unfortunately fell into the hands of the actor's wife, who sent back the following answer: " Madame, my husbani is eery much fatigued is fit :damn. r net heave do stariar.' You will see, of course, the lire.: presentation of rendes-ono marque; but he promises you 1,4. quart Xiseure de sit, tire' Yesterday morning, at 8 o'clock, Hi. M•deste left Kew for London. Soon after 12 o'clock His Majesty left the QUEEN'S house for Blackheath, on a visit to the Princess cit. WALES. 1 The Prince of Vales, hearing Her Ma:erre was indisposed, paid a visit to Her MAJESTY about 3 o'clock. Yesterday, at one o'cl ck, the Princess AbIELIA, attended by Lady Flertkr, honoured Mrs. M ion : . with a visit at Lambeth Palace. Yesterday, about 12 o'clock, the Princess Et.i., A. aEr r, attended by the Countess Ha Iteoue r, Is floured Lady CHARLOTTE FINCH with a visit 2.: St. James's Palace. The last arrivals at Clifton are, Earl of Scartmiuugh, Mr. Spencer Smith, Capt. Campbell, Cain E Campbell, Capt. Foot, Dr. anal Miss Curiae, Mr. and Mrs. Hopper, Mr and Mr.: Coles, Mrs. de.ikl.... Mr. Middleton, Mr. Stafford, Mr. White, Mr. Digby, Miss Ken- nedy, Sc. Sec. ' The Countess of MUNSTER MIIHHOVIL is an- ' pointed Governess to Their lt::.yal Highnesses the Princesses JULIE and CHAR LOTT'S: of Denmark. The Da a Ism Ca a NCEL Loll baying lately informed His Madeira, that the Painter LANGE had taken the vim of a poor man born deaf And dumb, ' taught him to read and model, so as to be ab to ' earn a decent livelihood, His MAJESTY has re. • warded the Artist with a golden medal for his li- F berality. The new Comedy announced at Drury-lane I Theatre this night, is said to be from the pen of Mr. I Eat otos ; but he denies the bantling, and truos that a generous public will adopt it. s The *hole stud of horses, belonging to the late Earl of BUCKINOHAMSHIIRE, were sold last week, by private ciliated, to the present Earl. - Viscount Sir/otter IS removes to the house of the S Earl of Powis, in Portland-place. - 'lhe . fide . e of the Prince of Ptilre is a proof of the J strong claims he has to that title ; but there is some- :- times an unanimous consent of uhimsicality in the world, that applies to a Run a title, which, signi- - tying the very reverse of his nature, is at once a io- n zest and a libel. it The Marquis of Aaeacoat4 will, in a few days, tr launch an elegant new carriage, sickly ornamented with his newly-acquired honour of the Garter. g The house in Warwick-street, on the left wing of 3t Carleton House, formerly the residence of General Cot:war, is about to be fitted up by the PRIMCE. to for the reception of the Princess CHARLOTTE, bar se Governesses, and suite. ft 8r e I BEL T, the Composer, has published an apo- in logy for the negligence which attended the Nina: II ss department of the new Ballet, La Belle Lads, ,e, ,M 11 r- Saturday last at the Opera Chlie, alleging that a Nis Music was ail - Wally composed, and only required an copying. id rhe elegant standard, and pair of colours, now ed working under the tasteful direftions of Lady Sal I - er r tet. U,forthe North Pevensey Legion,will be present- Lb- ed by her Ladyship early in May. In the centre of t! , e d', nerraeslal Cabal, will he tichly etuhroidered, Elie the STAR of Sussex, and from the different poi ,tc - tri I.!' star, will be the names of the p itishci, and f. e for Captaias of Companies of each palish, who tits: es- formed the Legion. On the 17th instant, General arid Mrs. Has ms are gave an elegant hall and supper at Belmont, near in- Maidstone. The recent arrival of their suit. Maji e ne. Hatters. from the service of his country in CAn.H•••• res and the return of his birth-day, were the occasio's :l k a a, nd fashion whichassembled,of that pa attlr t a the y. General's seat, all the rank at oh. Edinburgh is at presenrthc seat of elegant Amor- the moot. Monday night there was a Subscriptiint ISai.. read with an elegant supper and desert , at Coritits sl it rooms, tinder the patronage of the Duchess i'l be Bece a Li:CH.Oe Countess of Da Litoesi t, the Caere . of tessof Bee Si APig and the Countess of Da Callan; On the Tnesaay Mr. Etat; Is had a conceit of music. : to under the patronage of the Duchess of BCC•Ct It. 6 ,1 . i I to CriltiCeSS of Da civics' c. Lady Luca Ramsay. ern. Lady Caesticitaatt. and the Hon. Mrs. Derr; pt a and last night. Mr. Davisos's annual bdr. CA- was given, under the patronage of Kite Duchy lira g of Duce alk on, the Countess of But -Has, h. able Counte.s of D41.110E31E. Lads' . CH %RI OTT i: Ii o l'l. Lune Lily !lusty m am, of Arinadaio. and the Hon. Mt Nl.lW:sa to. •