The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1804-05-04 00:00:00

16ritisb Pros LOO 1 )0N , FRIDAY, MAY 4. No progress has been made towards the comple tion of the new Ministerial arrangements. Mr. yesterday, postponed his motion in the Com mons, and the Marquis of STA /TOR 0 his motion in the Lords, from this day until Monday, in order to afford the Minister time to maturely consider his course. The latter question produced some conversa tion. In answer to the Marquis of ST A ro ItO, Lord HAWITUDURY said, the same circumstance still coati nued, and in the same degrtr, upon which he originally wished the motion to stand over. Lords MLIV I L tr and GRENVILLE attempted to draw from Ministers an admission, that the forming of a new Adminis tration was the circumstance alluded to, but they tetteived no answer. This anxiety to have the cause admitted, and expressly defined, betrays great doubts and fears on the part of the Opposition. with respect to the real views of the Minister. Mr. Fox had a long conference with Lord GRLNVILtt behind the throne in the House of Lords. Mr. PITT had also a long conversation with Lords GRENVILLE and Met.vitte, previous to the postponement of the motions. Coupling all this anxiety with the si lence of Ministers, we may presume that there is no perfect understanding between all the par ties upon the subject. It was reported, indeed, with confidence, that Mr. Parr will come in without the Fox's or Gessivtt.r.ts. We have no reason to believe that he is so fully committed with them that he could not with honour secede from their party. If, however, he were to adopt that course, Mr. Fox's friends would no doubt charge him with deceiving them, and in the present scat_ of things it would not be consistent with Mr. Prre s prudence to offend that party, aware as he most be of its encreasing influence. Letters from Gibraltar to the Ist instant are re ceived. The latest accounts arrived there from Lord NEtsort were dated the 4th of March. His Lordship was then off Toulon with nine sail of the line. The French fleet, on board of which troops bad been embarked, was still in port." We learn, with great regret, by letters received from Lisbon. of the 2lst ult. that the Hifsdostan, of St guns, Captain Le Geo', which sailed February 12, from Plymouth, with stores for Gibraltar and Lord NELSON'? had caught 6re and was burnt. With the fate of the crew we are unacquainted. The Marquis WELtastav's History of the Causes of the War with the Mahrattas and RAJAH of Bekaa, in which all the deep intrigue; of the FiftsT CONSUL are completely unravelled and laid open to view, has excited much curiosity. This splendid memorial of the Marquis's administration te shortly to be published. It contains all the plans of the various adions ; and the whole forms a most complete narrative The Swift cutter, which sailed a few weeks since from Plymouth with dispatches for Lord NELSON, fell in with in the Straits of Gibraltar a French pri vateer of superior force, which she fought with great gallatery for some time ; but her Commander toeing unfortunately killed, with several men, she was obliged to strike, and the dispatches fell into the hands of the enemy. General PICH EMI u left all his papers in England, arranged for publication, before he embarked. On the 16th of February, Commodore PAID LE, commanding the United Stares frigate, made an at tack, in the middle of the night, with his boats, on the late American frigate the Philadelphia, lying in the harbour of Tripoli, fully manned, and ready for sea. They completely carried the frigate in a few minutes, killing about forty of the crew, and driving the rest overboard, or into their boats; after which they set her on fire, and completely destroyed her, having only one man Hounded in the gallant ation. By returns made to the House of Commons, it appears that the qu.o:tity of raw sugar imported in the year 1803, was 3,164,230 cwt. of which 1,630,26] cwt. was exported in a raw and refined state, making the consumption of this country amonnt to 1,459,960 cwt. the whole paying a duty of 3,133,3821. Ss. 4d. General LAKE'S portion of the booty taken in the purest gold, at the single town of Agra, amounts to 36,0001. Colouel Sr. Li.orit's to 40001. and every Captain who served on that day to 20001. each. A considerable alarm prevailed at Dorchester, on Tuesday morning last. A report was circulated, and fur some time generally credited, that the enemy had eireded a landing an Portland Beach. The d: urns immediately beat to arms, and the volunteers eepa•red with all possible expedition to their respec tive posts. General GaRI H, the Commander of the Disuict, was sent for, and the military were in perfect readiness to march, when it was found that the whole was a false alarm, originating in the ap pearance of a number of our own ships off that part of the coast. To.morrow will he the Fourth Day . , Drawing of the precept Lottery ; and until that time, 'I ickets and Shares, warrantd undrawn, may be had in great variety, at both the Old Established Oqices of T. Bun, 4, Cern/nil, and 9, Charing Cross, where • all I'vizes from Twenty Pounds to Twenty Thousand will be paid oa demand. The following is the State of the Wheel:- 9 Rises„( I 20,000 9 Prints .1 1,000 10.000 9 :NOW 14 2,3110 Ste. &e. at. A-11 outy six Days to drr. eniczxAL POLTItY. BRITISH LOYALTY. Furth% Shorborne Volunteers tinier the eossesatill of the Rt. Hon. the EARL of DIGBY. Pow'rs of expression, kindly aid my song ! And give to rapture ev'ry votive line! To British Loyalty my lays belong, To British ire and energy divine'. Britannia. hail ! bright Empress of the Main, From Ganges' stream to Mi.sissippi's wave! Approach, her sous, approach her Baer-* Pane, And learn, with, nobler raee, your foe to brave. Long hail thou stood the tempest's direful rage, Firm as a rock amidst contending seas. What haughty powerdares thy are engage * But in the end submits to thy decrees For lie above, whose equitable sway Thro' the unbounded universe extends, Change.; the 'Fyratit'a realness to dismay, And to His yoke th' inhuman monster bends. And shall tbisConicao, with mighty threat, Think to intimidate a tact so !odd ? No, Britons, no l—..your liberty is sweet; And bot thro' seas of blood is to he sold ! Shall this vile Upstart.... his detested fiend, Destroy a free.boeu nation at a blast' Of equity, thou everlasting friend ! Tills edict OS Britannia hut thou put ! Ah ! shall she sink beneath the impious arm Of nut who turns apostate to thy laws' Ah no! tar other thoughts our bosom warm, Too noble, too divine her injured cause ! No, &roiled Queen ! thy sons are far too brave ; By tato° conscious of their high descent! What made Cori is wis ears keep the Cultic wave Till the dire storm had all its fury spent! Alt ! where are Nations, Nowa, and Yuman? deg DUNCAN, and others of immortal name? Chiefs that Britannia's awful thunders sprang, And strike tlt' opponent pow'rs with grid end &Me. Ye other patriots, who so boldly rise Through the whole realm, united we me% Sir, has e'er such an incense ressehM the skies Since to extend her empire sbe began, Invade a nation so prepar'd and Wong ! Will an ambitious fee so wildly lame If so, try countrymen, to you belong To guard from fell oppnissies sad despair. Tour watvior ehiefi, bytes's! ties, Will lead you to the dread embattled plain ; There, by your means, unfading wreatinacquire, And bid your worth to farthest time remain. Thee, trio„ illustrious Mate, shall thy Cur" And its brave Captains, to the world proclaim. Shall join...mid with a fire unknown before, 44re11 the proud foe, and hand thee op to Fame." Rise, Britons! rise! beneath his miM command, And le.im insulting Frenchmen to despises Rigi, Britons, rim ! 0 ye, his chosen bind, Whilst horn your eyeball► ••vgtul I ghening fief ! Rise, Briton', all! and teach th' ignoble toe, That 'tit your pride to conquer or to the ; Then in the field your resolution then, And scorn the c-nward's part-0 scorn to fly ! Sheila, me. B. A. Yesterday morning His MAJESTY walked in the Queen's Garden. Yesterday, at three 3 o'clock, the RUSSIAN AN SASSADOR had an audience of Lord Hoviccsou AY, ,It his office itt Downing-street. Altrust twelve o'clttck, the LORD CHANCRLLOR ISAO an audience of his MAJLST Y. Yesterday, about oat o'clock, Her M AJIST Y. and the PrincessesELlza Dern, MA .y, SOPUI A, AMELI and Al. GUST A (the last for the first time since her indispo , ;;:on), took an airnig on the Kent road. Yesterday the Duke of Kes r din:l at the Queen's /louse. The last Bath arrivals are, _ Sir John Jerv,‘, Sir John and Lade Lester ' Colonel cad Mei. Wynne. key Dr. Mrs. and Mw Sting's, Rev Mr. Mrs. and Miss Stone, km. Mr. Darts, 11" e. Mr. White, Rev. Mr. Tucker, key. Mi. Smith, Rev. Mr. Austen, and Captain and Mrs. Bonnier. Ile allowance made by the Trustees of Lady SARAH FAsE, is 12,0001. per annum, till she comes of age, with a very noble income to be secured to Lord - I,Ltins, in case she should not attain that period. Sir STIrrHeN GLVNNE with a part of the Second Shropshire Militia, arriy;d in Chester on Thursday last, for the purpose of taking the regular duty at the garrison, during the stay of His Royal Highness Prince WILLIAM of Gloucester, who was expeaed to arrive there on Tuesday last, to witness the contest for the Pottsca's hundred. _ _ _ It is said, BON AAAAA C. has declined the title of ,Ensperor of hie Galls," and is to be created " Cliff MOn Orr ft/ France." Lord HiNcerirgiuwite will shortly be honoured with the fair hand of Lady LOUISA C osa Mr. Loo has taken a house in Jermyn-Areet. The Duke of BRIDGEWATER has SUbitTibed 1001. towards the support of the Shrewsbury Volunteers. ' Lady Le Dxsectsc ea gave a grand rout last night at her house in I lanover-square. Lord TIDIRLOW has resided at Carlton 'louse since Monday last. Mr. PITT and Mr. Loo rode ont together yes terday to contemplate the neve order of ihLigi. Seven skilful pbystegnomets are daily employed by the beers and dulls to examine the countenances of Mr. PITT, Mr. Fox, and Lord GRENVILLE, and report accordingly. This evening being the last but one of the present highly popular Entertainments 24 the Rovat. Cr acus, the house will no doubt be fashionably at tended each evening. 'Ratan°, whose feats of agility art the admir..tion of the Metropolis, will during the above time take the most astonishing and truly surprising Leaps over a variety of objeds. lengthways, particularly a Horse carrying a Man. and through a Hoop only three feet diameter at the same time, and his celebrated flight over a six wheeled Greenwich long Coach. with three Horses attached to it. • LAW DITELTZENCIL COURT asp ICING's tSENCti, Witsrosetrei, M sir a. T,IE. SING R. EDWARD PITT. The Defendant in this ease, a boy of fourteen years old, cnnvieted of wilfel and corrupt perjury, was this day !nought up to receive the Judgment ot the Court. It appeared the Defendant had been an apprentice of Messrs. GraiOsrook, glassblowers, and had given evidence on their part in an information against them, filed at the suit of the King, in the Court of F.xcheqtter, for not giving the usual no tice of filling or charging the pots of metal pur suant to the statute. Upon that ilia', the perjury WAS committed, and by direEtion of the Judge who presided, this unfortunate boy was indifted cf per jury; the Jury found him Guilty, but in considera tion of his youth, and the chars Der given of him in the •.:ourse of the trial, they.recommended him to mercy. Mr. Jaavis, on behalf of the Defendant, ad dressed the Court in a few words ; he hoped the re commendation of the Jury would have had its due weight with the Attorney General, who admitted that the Jury could not find their verdiCt without the idea of the Defendant being suborned by some persons interested ; that the affidavits of his mas ters, which were read, were sufficient to shew they had not been the persons, and that he had always been considered a boy of excellent conduCt and up right principles. The ATTORNEY GENERAL then observed he felt it his duty to bring up the Defendant for judgment ; he felt for his years ; but if this had been suffered to pass without the severe censure of that Court, evil-minded persons would have an opportunity of suborning infants with impunity. Mr. Justice Gaosr then proceeded to pass judg ment on him. After expatiating on the enormity of the crime, which was of such infinite importance to society, and of which every one who beard him was fully sati-fled he had been guilty, be ordered t"at he should pay to His Majesty a fine of One Shilling, be confined in the House of Correction for the county of Middlesex, for twelve calendar months to hard labour, and be further detained till such fine should be paid. THE MOO I). 2011 N LOCKER, JON*. LOCKER WAIN WRIGHT, AND WITE. The Defendants, John Locker and John Locker Wainwright, were brought up to receivelthe Judg ment of the Court. They were convicted of having forcibly carried off a young Lady. Miss Pierce, a ward of Chancery. The Court was proceeding to read the report of the trial, for the purpose of pass ing judgment, and having desired to know why the other Defendant, Mrs. Wainwright, had not been brought . up ? Mr. Emit:tit, as Counsel for the Defendants, said, he had an affidavit of John Locker Wainwright, which stated, that Mrs. Wainwright is, and has been, for a great length of time, in a very bad state of health, which must shortly end in her dissolution if longer confined. He also had in his hand, a letter from Sir Vs'alter Farquhar to the Attorney General, wherein the DoCtor says, that it would absolutely endanger her life, were she to be brought up in her present melancholy state of health. She had been arrested in March, and has been ever since confined in the King's Bench. Shortly after her apprehension, she was wiled with art illness, which has continued ever since, and has been in so dangerous a state as to require the daily attendance of two physicians ; she has been given over, and if she remains much longer in prison, it must evidently end in her total dissolution. Under these circum stances, the Learned Counsel begged the Judgment ot the Court might not be postponed. Lord Eti.enao It 000 is observed, that if such ap plications were to be granted, it would give crimi nals an opportunity of carving out their own pu nishment. He never knew an instance of persons so very ill, under such circumstances, that did not soon after recover. Mr. Enstute, however, obtained leave to have the necessary affidavits made by the physicians, and the parties to be brought up again to-morrow. THE KING V. WILLIAM AND AITHWR LEE, CENT. This was an Information, charging the Defend ants with having printed and published two several Libels, and was tried before Mr. Justice HEATH, at the last Assizes for the county of Sussex, upon which they were convided ; but the Jury recom mended them to mercy on one count. The Defendants in this case are the printers of The Lewes Journal; or, Surscr Weekly ofdtertirer : and in the month of December last, published the first libel in question, which was an account of an information taken before a Magistrate of an Excise Officer having shot a smuggler, but couched in such terms, and represented in such manner, as might tend to influence a Jury against the Excise man, and for the purpose of perverting the due ad ministratinn of justice. The second libel was an account of the acquittal of the Exciseman, but re prvented in such a way as to have even a worse tendency, if possible, than the former. Mr. Serjeant BEST, as Counsel on the part of the Defendants, said, he could not contend that the condud of these gentlemen was not illegal; the verdict of the Jury in this CM was sufficient, and that which may be injurious to the public is always subject matter of indietment ; but in this case, these gentlemen positively deny any malicious motive on their part ; they were wholly ignorant they were aaing contrary to law ; they were entrapped into it by the London newspapers, who always published such public information as were taken before Ma gistrates : this nal an example they thought they were warranted in following; but from the mo ment they became acquainted with the nature of the offence, which was not until a prosecution had been commenced against them, they made every atonement in their power—they had• authorised him to plead guilty—they did not hold themselves out against the laws of their country. The first publication they swore was true ; the last they re ceived from a pet son on whose veracity they had conceived they might rely ; he was an officer of Excise, and one of the witnesses on the tri.J. The lat.ier of these gentlemen, and they them selves, had for upwards of 58 years concluded this business, and never was. there any public or private accusation against them since their commencement : they were men of most excellent charaders, and of very large families totally dependent on them for support, the one having eight, the other ten children. They were P9l aduated by any hind of malice, nor -.:R:.i~ •~ -- : had they any view or intention ce OA* either of. fence to the laws of their country, or to individuals, He observed, in etre@ of the punishment. eighteen innocent children were involved ; but he woultk admit, they should be aware.of the consequences of such a crime to themselves and family. The Learned Serjeant concluded with hoping the Caere would take all these circumstances, along with the recommendation of the Jury, into their considers tion, and trusted they would go some length is mitigation of their punishment. The ATTORAI EY GENEII AI. admitted the offer of pleading Gail!/ had been proposed to him by Se'- . jeant Besr but it proceeded horn an expeaation of mercy, which the Defendants thereby hoped to ob tain, and prevent the matter coming before the public. He said there appeared to him a misunder- • standing with respea to the recommendation of this Jury • if the Jury recommended mercy as to the • second publication, it was conceiving sentence had been passed upon the first. The Libel, he insisted, was published for the purpose, and with a view to influence the minds of the Jury ; it does not merely .. give an account of faas ; they go further, they out step all bounds of moderation : it is not sufficient to state the death of the unfOrtunate smuggler by the Excise officer, but they call the officer a polisher and informer, and his shooting the young man was .. premeditated, and here the publication can only it . viewed as having a natural tendency to mischief ; the death of the man was proved to have been demo in self defence, in the discharge of his duty ; but what does the second publicauon ? :dm many op probrious epithets, he even goes so far as to insinuate It was a premeditated and bloody intention of mur der. The affidavits which were produced, he hoist- ed, were a further aggravation of the offence. Mr. GARROW made several observations OA the same side with the ATTOLNEV GENERAL, with his , usual ability ; he declared his astonishment at the Learned Serjeant (Belt) stating that the libel. was , truth. But how were the fads? The sante Judge tried both cases, the Jury judged of them. He , supposed it would be contended, and indeed some have even gone so far as to assert that it would be very hard, forsooth, to be prevented publishing pri- _ vate slander ; that the trade could not be cased on without it. The libel in question was published for • the very purpose of preventing justice, to prejudice the Magistrates, theWitnesses,and the Jury, to cause it to be believed the exciseman was guilty of wilful m'trder. The Learned Counsel then expatiated very largely on the liberty of the press ; and cow, , eluded with observing , that the Court would rend a severe and necessary lesson to the public, in punish ing these gentlemen according to their de-orts. Lord EL esistioeotost—ss It appears to rat an offence the most enormous in its nature : the first publication tends to poison justice, by a statmaant so mixed with circumstances, that a person re:= it must be biassed against the party ; the tends to digrace and draw into disesteem even pc. tice itself, and to defeat the effea of the verdia of a jury. I can hardly conceive a crime of greater . enormity. Let the Defendants stand committed, and let them be brought up on the last day of term." Richard Possess, William West, Thomas Tea gue, Richard Teague. William Smith, and Joseph Cvrangy, were all severally brought up to rionve the judgment of the Court. They all had bees con visaed of similar offences, that of assaulting and ols struaing Excise Officers in the discharge of their duty. They were ordered to stand committed, and to be brought up again on the last day. of Term. • GENERAL PICTON. TMs ICING v. THOMAS IPIC7OII, aro. In this cause Mr. DALLAS moved the Court for their writ of mandamus, to be direaed to the Go vernor of the Island of Trinidad, to take the evi dence of several witnesses on behalf of the De fendant, General Piaon ; who is charged with wil fully commanding and causing Louisa Cddron, a young girl, to be tortured in a moat barbarous and cruel manner, in suspending her by a rope fastened by pullies to the cieling of a room, ix which manner she was repeatedly tortured for the space of two minutes together ; and in this situa- i tion was obliged to stand on iron spikes, fixed in the ground, until she swooned away ; this was a crime, the Learned Counsel observed, of gla.• gatias greatest magnitude, brought against a of high rank and respeaability. He declined • any observations upon the subjea in the present of it; the object of the present application was to. enable him to bring that evidence which was mecca.. f sary for his defence, and which,by the statute relate ing to India Affairs, he was authorised to procure is this way. Not having an affidavit of the evidence of the wit nesses at Trinidad being necessary. the Court de sired the usual affidavits should be produced, and the business mentioned again in the morning. ---- ---- - COMMON PLEAS, W _ 15TM17411711. Sitting: boron Sir JAMES MANIFIELD. PERIINS and •NoTusa v. Lowe. The Plaintiffs in this case, assignees of Mr. Key. mer, a bankrupt, brought their anion to recover 1000 1. for stock in trade, and other articles pur chased by the Defendant of Mr. Keymer after the litter became insolvent. It appeared thet Eimer was a surgeon and apcthecary, in Tavptock street, Covent-Garden ; where, failing in business, a con- , traa was entered into by the Defendant to buy the whole stock, drugs, Ike. in the shop, for * thousand pounds; and an assignment was executed in January last, about which time Keymer became is trankrupt, and assignees were appointed under the commissior. who, conceiving there was a collusion betireen the parties, also, that the bankrupt's effeas ought to be solely appropriated to his creditors, resisted the assignment, and claimed the 10001. given for the property. On the part of the defence, evi.. dente was adduced to prove mot , y had been paid exceeding 10001. by the Defendant. to Keymer, em account of Inc contra& fir the stock, &c. long be fore Kevmer became insolvent, drafts given by the Defendant, on the House of Child and Co. Blinkers, for considerable sums received - by Keymer, were produced in Court ; and it appeared the De fendant was the aaual possessor et the property. having purchased it antecedent to :he bankruptcy. The Plaintiffs were consequently nonsuited. This cause occupied several hours. • ' r• :