The Sun. — London, England, 1823-02-20 00:00:00

- . e z 7 , 4 , Zjk Atelit' '4 l i t f 1 * tri?i4 4 4 "t 1 h, , ,,,A, ,,' , 4 , •MASONIC NOTICES FOR. NE Xl' WEEK. ENGLAND. Monday, February 24, LONDOZr% Nos. 4, 40,. 71, 01, 104, . • 305, 321, 407,.451.1. Cot.rwrity. Nos. 97,, 227, 238, 246, 320, 425, 437,455, 490, ,524, 511, 546, 553, 553, 5 7 8 , 6 43, 68 0, 707, 710; -2-- 25, Lnwnox. No. 349. (COUNTRY. Nos. 38,67, 68, 130, - 145, 427, 501, 537, 570, 640, , . 649, 668. Wednesday; 26, 1,01:Do w. Nos. 2, 12, 235. Lodge of Benevolence. COUNTRY. Nos. 54 84 11 4 121, 164, Tuesday, 215, 291, 314.414, 410, 442, 472, 478, 54, 548, _ _ • . 542, 563, 1161. Thursday, 27,_140xn0x. , Nos.-7,82, 112, 156, 216, 327, 481. Gen. Cont. . • Fern. Sch, at 12. CouriTnv..Nos. 45, 51, 57, 110, 115, 153, 176, 178, 289, 384, 420, 453, 481, 483, 506, • 545, MO, 586, 587, 65 7, . . . 670, 717. • • • - 20, Lortnox • , COUN TRY. Nos. 53, 236, 283, 533. 'March 1, Lownori. No. 173. : : . , COUN'T RV. • v I- IRELAND. Thursday, Feb. 27, Cotttc. . No. 27. Friday, Saturday, • 4 PARLIAMENTARY plioctbiNos. lIIOISzE OF COMMONS. illercurii; 19° die Febitarii, 1823. liclopti—Bolton and Blackburn, Wisbeacit, Great Staughton, Worthing, Bishop's Waltham, Kingston and Sheet Bridge, Bermondsey, Pont Blyddyn, Canterbury and Barham , Do• icr, and TeignmOuth and Dawlish—Pctitions for Bills, re. ferred to Committees. Dorking—Bill ordered.. (As 'l4to HT—Rochdale, and *Bristol— Petitions for Bills re- /erred to Committed. Brighton, and Maid:none—Petitions for• Bills reported. Plymouth—Bill read a first time. . luer.osunr.s—Egton with Newland (Lancaster)—Petition for 3101, referred to a Committee. Croydon (Surrey)—Petition 'for Bill reported. 'Warden (Northumberland), and Hayford Warren (Oxford)—Billa ordered. Isl . AT EItWORKS-111nncliester I )11 AIN acts—Ely, and Deeping Fen, Acts Amendment SMALL DEBTS-41attley,ACt AMeTRIMent P r.fc —Gotha's Caxat—Glamorganshire RAlLWAY—Stockton Fist( t 3-1 1 ay HArtununs--Ilfordcembe, and Minch Neath, and Bridport Act Amendment— referred to Committees. VEsTRy-:.—Bethnal-green—Bill read a first time. Jinmous--Weynionth—Petition for Bill, referred to a Corn. mittee. Mythe Hill—Bill read a first time. ESTATE---Lambeth Bills ordered. Cotiivr Hot:HE—Forfar 31F.J1! (Ireland)--Petition of Inhabitants of the town lands of . Ardress, Kinncry, and Derryscollop, AGAINST TIIAT BROTHERHOOD, to be printed. IxnEnrxtTY ) Bills reported, to be TRADE--West India and American read a third time to ' Colonies j morrow (this day). FOn E IG NT TRADE. COMMlTTEE—Petitions, and other Papers, • _referred to the consideration of the Committee on Foreign Trade in the last Session, again referred. Mr. Chancellor of ' the Exchequer, Mr. Huskisson, Earl of Brecknock, Sir Geo. Hill, Mr. Grey Bennet, and Mr. - Trench, added to the Corn. minter. , Petitions for Bills, referred to Com mittees. ead—Bills ordered. .Petitions for Bins, NOTICE or MOTION for THIS DAY. bard John Russell—Committee to obtain Returns relating to the Charters, and number of Voters in each Borough ' sending Members to Parliament. • ORDERS of the DAY for THIS DAY. .I. Indemnity . Bill—Third Reading. 2. West India and American PlQnics Trade Bill—Third Reading. . 8. Chancellor of the Exchequer (Ireland) Bill..:-SeCond Reading. NOTICES GIVEN, YESTERDA.Y. Friday, Feb. 21. I, Mr. Chancellor of the Vsehequer—Ekeliequer Bills, and Annual Duties. (In Committee of Ways and 'Means).. 2. Lord Viscount Folkestone—To present Petition of Mr. Thompson. peagay, Nara 4. Mr. Nolan—Poor Lawi; . A..nlendmont Rill.. Wednesday, March A. • Lod Viscount Folkestone—Committee to inquire into the ease of Mr. Thompson. P o " For.the LONDON JOURNALS, see oar First Page. PRICE OF STOCKS THIS HAY AT ONO. O'CLOCK. flank Suck * — i'per Cent.1W41.... 74gi 11*per Cent., Cans. 73 h 3i . per Cent — ( Old ll .1 per Cent..l New . v 93 ai 5 per Cents. 17117 Hank long; Ann. Imp. 3 per Cents. — Irian Stock India Bonds South Sea Stdlk Old Annuities - Ex. Ma -* Ditto Small — Bank for Act. Tndia for Con. Acct. Cons. for Account... ..7nia I PRICE OF FOREIGN STOCKS IN LONDON, FED. 20, n'y oNE O'CLOCK. , Five per Cents. 78i. /Six per Cents.. 00. Russian Five per Cents. (M e t a lli c) 00. . . •-• , Ditto'New 71i.._. Neapolitan f Five per Cent. Bonds, 66k. 1. Scrip, 721. Artittian '. Five pei Cents. (Metallic) 00. { .., , Five per Cent. Bond s , 00. Spanish ' New Ditto, 331 i. Scrip, 33 disc. ... prussian • J Five per Ctht. Bonds, 79. ( Ditto New, 75. 'Danish Five per Cent. Bonds, 781. Chili -. , 69. . I '.lombian Six per Cent. Bonds, 50. Peruvian New Loan,' 00. • - (Bank Shares '21 . 55..4 American J Six pre Cent. 94-981. ~. 4 Five per Cent. 9r#A. , - - • kThree per Cent. 70. HIGH Morning. 42 minutes after 10. ! Evening, 20 minutes after 11. French 1 1 1-1 E BUN SpLE.,4I aiIis . DICEBR PALS& M AUDEAT ? LONDON, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 18U The Paris Journals of Monday arrived last Light. They contain little intelligence of any importance, excepting accounts of the continual movement of French troops towards the Spanish frontiers. On their side the Spaniards appear to be making every effort to meet the menaced ag gression. 111 I NA, in Catalonia, is repairing, Provisioning, and garrisoning the forts of Urgel, to enable them to stand a long siege, and 'to serve as a point from which parties may be -dispatched to carry on a species of guerilla war 141' against the invading army. Besides which, ' t he whole country has been laid waste to prevititc, the French from deriving any ,supplies frorp„it their advance, and to compel them to draw all their resources from France, which will afford the Guerillas a favourable opportunity of cutting off the enemy's supplies, and of impeding their ope rations. In Navarre the Spaniards are equally . active. T012,11/JOS is fortifying Roncesvalles, so as to protect Pampeluna, and to defend it against the first attack of the French army, as •it is stated that the Duke d'AtioocLExc intends to . enter Spain in that direction. raExcit FUNDS,--Fr.n. 17. Fire per Cents. Clokd at 79 f. 15 c. rank Stock 1420 f. Neapolitan Five per Cents. Exchange on London—One Month 25 I. 40 C. • Three Months 25 f. 23 c. A Mail arrived from Lisbon this morning, and has brought us the following intelligence:— " tams, FEB. I.—The expedition for Bahia is still in the river. General Dc REMO is ap pointed to the command, and he has applied for an additional force of 4,000 men. The news from Brazil mention that Bahia was'closely pressed by 6,000 Brazilians, and that there was a great want of provisions ; but the inhabitants, especially - the Europeans, were animated with the greatest attachment to the Constitution. The Cortes have chiefly been engaged in financial discussions. At the Sittings of the 30th of January a proposal was made, which was read to Sir JOJIN' Do YLE, as Agent to the-English Company, for the esta blishment of Ports in this Kingdom.—There has been a dreadful storm, accompanied with inces. sant rain, and , it is feared considerable damage will be done to the oranges and lemons." [MOM A CORRESPONDENT.] SToCK EXCII tic Half-past Twc tce Clock.— Although three Expresses have arrived from Paris this morning, bringing the French Funds 8015 c. , which is an improvement, Consols opened at 73 at which price they remain steady to this hour, with little business doing in the market. Private accounts from Paris state that there is a strong piny in the French Cabinet desirous of leaving the affairs of Spain to the mediation of Eng land, knowing that Spain would sooner comply with the request of the British Cabinet than with that of France. It is also positively stated that a Treaty of Commerce has been signed between this country and Spain. There is still a prevail. ing opinion in the City that the war with Spain will not take place. FOREIGN MAREET.—Spanish Bonds, opened this morning at 331 I, went up to 1- The Ex. press frogs Paris this morning brings them at 381 to 39. Very little doing in any other Foreign Secuiities. In our fourth page we have inserted copious Reports of the Speeches delivered by Mr. II us. xisscrs at Liverpool. It is gratifying to us to observe that the sentiments of the Right Honourable Gentleman on the Spanish question, and his opinions as to the policy which will most probably be pursued by Great Britain, if the. French army should pass the Pyreonees, are strictly consistent with those which we have advocated in this Paper, from the moment that the designs of France against Spain became unquestionable. Tice Sum, indeed, was the very first Journal that not only exposed 64 injustice of the intended attack upon Spanish liberty, but that proclaimed the impossibility that the English Government could view with indifference an act of aggression, which, being directed against the in dependence of the Peninsula, necessarily compro. mised the interests and political power of Great Britain. Mr. HUIKISSON, it will be seen, goes to the full extent of our views on this important subject, except that we regret to find him con curring in the popular error that England has been exhausted and weakened by the expendi ture of the last war. Lord Ltvanroor, cor rectly stated, that if we should be called upon to sustain a new war, the country was in a condition to meet It ; and we are sorry that, Mr. Husxtssom has expressed an erroneous opinion, which is calculated to excite doubts of the capacity of the country to make those exertions which may be yequired of her by the critical situation of Europe. The very reverse of the Right Hon. Gentleman's assumption is true. We are suffering from, the languor of com parative inactivity,—not from the effects`of over exertion ; and are in a better condition to make extraordinary efforts than at any period of our his• tory. We shall probably enter into an investiga tion of this topic in some of our succeeding papers. Tnt KING.---Brightol, Feb. 18.—His MA JESTY is said to have been remarkably cheerful after the Council and dinner yesterday.—The Royal Bank were harmoniously employed until nearly midnight.-4a the total absence of malady, the KING recovers strength hourly. MS MA. JESTY OR Thursday will leave us. to receive the . RECORDER'S Report at Carlton Palace; but for the happiness and welfare of this place, with the expressed intention of returning on Saturday. FASHIONABLE ARRIVALS. The Duchess Dowager of Richmond, in -Waterloo-place ; the Earl and Countess of Hardwielte, in St. James's-square; the Dowager Countess of. Clonmell, in Portman-square; the Hon. Mr. and Lady Charlotte Pinder, from Brighton ; Lady Sarah Bailey, Mr. and Miss Bailey, in Bryanstone-square ; Lady Baynes and Miss Lamb, in Hinde-street, Manchester_ square ; Colonel and Mrs. Parker, in Wimpole-street ; Lady Isabella Blatchford, in Hertford -street, May-fair ; Mr. and Miss Clifton, in South Audley-street ; Mrs. William Bennet, in' York-street, Portman-square; Major Forbes, in Conduit street; Mrs. and Miss Carter, in Green-street, Park-lane; Viscount Deerhurat, at Coventry /louse, Piccadilly , from his seat, Worcestershire ; the Hon. Thomas Kenyon,at his brother's (Lord Kenyon) house in Grosvenor-square. FASMONABLE PARTIES. fir. Agar Ellis gave a grand dinner yesterday to a distin. gnished party at his house in Spring.gardens ; among - whom were the Marquis and Marchion e s s of Lansdown, Viscount and Viscountess Granville, Lord and Lady King, &c. The lion. J. Abercromby, M.P., will have a large dinner party on Saturday at his house in New -street, Spring-gardens. The Countess of Harrington had a select circle of fashion. abler yesterday evening at her house in Stable yard, St. James's. Dowager Ladv heave had a small party yesterday evening at her house in Albemarle-street. ORATORIO. CovENT.G.t.rtnem.—We are sorry ,to state that this entertainment was interrupted lust night, in consequence of the non-attendance of. a Mr. ATKINS, who had not sent any apology for his absence, and by the indisposition of MSS TREE. These obstacles prevented the perforMance of part of La Donna del Lago, the Opera which was brought forward on Tuesday s at the King's Theatre. It appeared that placards were posted routul the Theatre announcing the. illness ()Miss Tart:, but many of the audience had not seen them, and, therefore, when part of JIAYDN's Creation was attempted to be substituted for La Donna tki Lago a considerable tu. mutt aroie. Sir GEORGII SMART came forward several times to explain matters, and at last with Mr. Bociti.t, but with little success. The Crea tion was hissed so violently that Mr. Samws, with doe reverence for a great Master, addressing the nudieuce,,said '; You are hissing ILivus." This laudable feeling operated in some degree to soften the turbulence, and at length tranquillity was restored. A Mad. !Int.() ARI came forward in the course of the evening, but as she must naturally have been mueli intimidated by the previouyi storm, it would be unjust to decide upon her Vocal powers. She seemed, however, to sing with taste. The audience, a very numerous one, hadit least the gratification of hearing the charming strains of Mad.CAstronEsE, Mrs. SALMON, Miss PATON, Mrs. VOWS, and the energetic tones 'of na.t.u.tat, as well .as of other,respectable Per fanners. The storm WAS chiefly excited by au orator in the Pit, and such Peiforiners have ge nerally, much influence upon a mixed and ience.— The chief instrumental perforMance was a con cerlante upon two harps by Mr. BOCUSA and Miss Dtunta, which was much applauded. On ' the whole, harmony was - restored among the hearers as well as in the orchestra. EPIOR/01, On a Nan sitting in a Cold 'loom befbre a large Fire. Of various climates, dear Jack, yott may boast, In one part you freeze, in th e other you roast; Like Russia's great monarch th e E m p ire you rule in, For your back is in Lapland, your face in Vencoolen. ,[Frain the American Papers.] We have received u Caraccas paper of the Ist of December, hut are unable to learn from it any thing concerning the state of the army. The name of MORALES is not mentioned at all, ex. cept in two or three old documents re-published. Mr. ZEA, it seems, had been deprived of his powers, before he attempted to negotiate a loan for the Columbian Government in England. The papers continue to attack the privileges of the Clergy, and urge it upon the Government to take into their own hands, the superintendence of the funds accumulated by the gifts of the pious in religious houses.—(llifercontile Advertiser.) The whole number of Passengers arriving from foreign ports in the ports of the United States, from the Ist Octeher, 1821, to the 60th September, 1822, is reported by the Secretary of State to hive been 8,482; of whom 11,241 were males, 1,136 females—the sex of the remainder not being reported to the Department of State. Of these a considerable proportion were of course citizens of the United States returning from visits to foreign countries. A large majority, however, were foreigners. DEATH OP TILE LORD BISHOP OF MEATII.—Ii is with unaffected concern we have to announce the death of the venerable Prelate, Dr . ..THOMAS LEWIS O'BEIRNE, Lord Bishop of Meath. Ilia Lordship paid the debt of nature yesterday, at his See House, Ardbraccatt, Nevem Dr. O'BEIRNF. wa g c o nsecrated Bishop of Ossory in 1795, and was translated to the Bishoprick of Meath In 1799. His Lordship was in his 88d year.— (Dublin Evening Mail, Feb. 17.) We understand that a serious difference has arisen between Sir C. GRANT and Lieutenant- Colonel THORNTON, Assistant Adjutant-General,, which is likely to terminate in the conduct of the latter Officer becoming the subject of an investi gation before a Court-Martial.—(Mid.) SERVICES OP PLATE TO AMEASSADORC.—Mi• nisters have adopted a new regulation, ns a mat ter of economy, respecting the services of plate allowed to Ambassadors and Ministers appointed to foreign Courts, who have been allowed from time immemorial a certain number of ounces of plate, according to the rank of their appointment, and whit!) on their recal or resignation became their perquisite. This custom has been a b o li s h e d, and a service of plate is to be kept at every foreign Court, with the King of Great Britain's arms engraved on it, for the MO of the Ambas sador or Minister, as the case may be. The Marquis of LoNnoNntattx, who has resigned his embassy at Vienna, is the last who will enjoy the perquisite of the service of plate at that Court. Sir H. WEL.r.r.sr.cy, Who is appointed to succeed the Noble IVlarquis, takes out the ser. vice of plate which is to remain there for all future Ambassadors, and which is to be issued from the Lord Chamberlain's Office. LORD PORTSMOUTIMCASE. EXAMINATION wider the 'KIWI:1 COMMISSION. FILE I:: li AiONVIIALt,WEDNESDAY, Fan.l9—Nl Wilt Dar. The . Court opened at ten o'clock this morning, and immediately' proceeded to , business. Mr. DI:WM:O4 rose, and observed, that it was hiaalutt , as one of the Counsel for the prosecution of the - present inquiry, to sum up the evidence that had been adduced ; he felt, how. ever, that some apology was necessary to the Gentlemen of the Jury for the length of time they had been detained by the cvi. deuce it had been thought necessary to lay before them. En. tertaining, as an advocate, a decided conviction of tile solid ground. upon which this Commission was tbunded, and the proven charge out of which these proceedings originated, he certainly thought that it would be considered , as little short of mockery to doubt for one moment the existence of the same perfect conviction in the breasts of those who _would now be so shortly called upon for the verdict which was sought by the in. stitution of the present investigation; , to detain the Court and Jury, while he recapitulated end descanted upon the evidence which had necessarily detained them so long, would be an un necessary and injudicious intrusion upon their valuable time. The Learned Counsel then referred' to the circumstance of his Lordship haying so far hack as the year 1799„ transferred the w hole of his property to thetare and management of certain trus tees-. Nor was this to be taken as a san e ac t, a l t h oug h at that period the Noble Earl was not more than 32 years of age. From a candid examination of the evidence adduced, he was not pre pared to say that his Lordship was at any period of his life of sane and wholesome mind. As to the bleeding—in his Lordship's examination ofyesterdav , where this circumstance was referred to, the Court and Jury could not but have observed, that his Lord. ship was unwilling to retnembeer that which he thought might appear derogatory to that dignity of chaiaicter of which he ap. peered to entertain so strong a feeling of jealousy ; when, how. ever, his Lordship observed that the Jury were impressed, and strongly impressed, with the circumstance of his having been bled by women, he then said it was a long while since, he scarcely remembered it, and hoped that he bad long since for gotten all such nonsense, and eradicated all such silly habits ; but let the Jury refer to the evidence upon this point—let them recollect that it was sworn to, that his Lordship had expressed his affection for lancets over all other things.. Then, ae to funerals and " black jobs," let the Jury remember, that at the death of thelate Countess—of her tbr whom his Lordship had repeatedly and warmly expressed his gratittide and atrection—and yet at her death—at the very moment at which he was accompanying her remains to their last home—he indulged in a variety of delu. sions that were wholly incompatible with that soundness of mind which could not 1w separated from that strong sense of propriety which would hesitate to charge a servant -with with a foot. tug or coking, for driving the hearse tOr the first time, or to descant upon the sort of escutcheon he should erect. The ].earned Counsel could not but at this period call the serious attention of the Jury to a most important subject—that of his Lordship's marriage to Mile Hanson : the late Countess died in November, Ifll3, and alMost immediately afterwards his Lord- ship expressed his desire to he again married : with this view, he had continually named 3 ladies, to eithe r of who'll he was equally willing to he united ; but it was an importent fact that Miss Han. son, with whom he had been acquainted from her infancy, and for whom on that accoant he might reasonably be expected to en. tertain some sort of partiality, this lady was not one of those , ladies. His Lordship, however, comes to town on the Friday, offers himself to Miss Hanson on the Saturdayireceives an answer on the Monday, that only on two conditions would Mr. Hanson agree to his Lordelii p's marriage, and those two reasons were, Ist. That the lady should b e Mi ss H anson; and 2tlly That the mar. tinge should take pl ace th a t day. We 11; the marriage according. ly takes place; a d ee d was then signed—a deed engrossed in blank; and such a circumstance the oldest lawyer in Court could not remember. ' In whose keeping was it deposited ? In that of Mr. llanson's son, Charles. Who engrossed this deed ? A stationer, who had never been employed before that time by Mr. Hanson. Then h o w was it signtal P In silence—a silence im. plicatory of somebody moving as quietly as possible in this dark deed, which could not bear the light of day. If any love of fair name possessed oy actuated Mr. Hanson, nothing on earth would keephim from that witnesses' box, to refute the serious charges brought against him. Referring to the previousinquiry, it would be remembered that it was merely supported by affidavits —that the eminent medical Gentlemen who had come forward upon the 'present occasion, had not then formed the decided opinion of his Lordship's state of mind they had since done, and ]the inquiry was not proceeded in ; but eight years of crueltYr-cot, Years of infahlk , -light years of tripmpbant con.. spiracy--eight years of disgusting and dishonourable collusion— had since transpired,. and the preseneComminsion was support. eel by evidence of a much stronger nature than that which was atiductel upon the former occasion. Mr. Demnan concluded a most able, eloquent, and argumentative speech of two hones' duration, by calling upon the Jury for a verdict, that should place the person—the property—and the life of this unfortunate Nobleman in their hands, whose first object was to rescue his Lortlehip from the eontroul of those who had embittered his 'past life, and whose every exertion would be used to secure to him every comfort, of which, under the deplorable circumstances of his lamented situation, he was susceptible. . Sergeant Peet. then addressed The Court and the Jury, ob serving, that he rose with extreme hesitation, when he reflected upon the important interests that were intrusted to his care. Early in those proceedings, he thought that notwithstanding his declaration of being the advocate of the Noble Earl, there was he thought, or there appeared to him to he, an existing belief of his appearing in this Court, as the Counsel of the Countess ; there was not' however, any one present who thought of the cruelty that !NW been inflicted upon the Noble .Earl with more horror than' he did ; that horror had been increased by the interviews he had lately had with his Lordship, by the language, by the acts of the Noble Earl, and when his Lord. ship took his hand with tears in his eyes, pressed that hand to his heart, committing his most Important interests, to his care, he could not but feel that he had to sustain interests of a most tremendous weight, and which he was bound to support with every exertion he was enabled by Providence to make.— The Commission was issued to in whether John Charles, Earl of Portmouth, is a lunatic, or enjoys lu. cid intervals, so that he is unable to manage his person, his manors, mettsuages, and tenements ;--and if so, from what date, how, and in what manner?" The term, .un. 'soundness of mind, was one of very late introduction into the verdicts of Juries.—lf reference was made to a book en titled, " Tomlinson on Lunacy," it would be found there said " nos co mpes mcntis" was much better understood in the time of Lord Ilardwicke than at present, to persons to whom the same protection was to be aflonied as to lunatics." The Learned Counsel then referred to the case of Bennett v. Sir John Lee e the defendant in that case would appear 50 come directly within the melt of terns unsoundness of mind; yet Lord Harclwicke observed,thet although he was the weakest man he ever met with, yet, as he was neither an idiot nor a lunatic, lie gave to the plaintiff the equity right of certain deeds wh ich had been conveyed to him by Sir John Lee. The law made a distinction between idiotcy and lunacy, which was also understood by the term non mniro.! tuna. ; if a person, through weakness or imbecility of mind, was persuaded by another to execute deeds to which be should not have put his sig. nature, that person might he removed in the Equity Court; 1 but his lunacy could be established by that fact, and as the law stood, no verdict of son compot ?ratans could be returned without the alteration of the law by a special Act of Parliament. The Learned Serjeant then adduced a variety of cases which he thought applicable to the one before the Court. if silly or of weak understanding,'that is no nation why he should be treated as a lunatic or an idiot ; for if your 4 terdict should tint be found as the gentlemen on the other aide would wish, I his person and property will still be under the protection of the Loft! Chancellor, as a person of weak understanding; the con. ' trary was artfully pressed upon them by nose who would sup. Port the present Commission, but if the Jury should 'se deter mine, the Learned Serjeant could assure them his Lordship's person and property were still safe. ' ' `.'With reference to the term ' unsoundness of mind," he should refer the Jury to the best possible authority. As early, in fact, as the reign of Edward I. he found an Act of Parliament, which gave the first definition of the state of the mind to which he alluded; it was there written, " That it concluded that all persons being of full age, out of prison, and of good memory,. were capacitated to purchase lands that had been alienated The next statute necessary to be referred to was that under which alone the present commission could be issued; it was entitled a statute in press. gai t % regis, 17 Edward II.—" The King shall have the pro perty of lands of natural fools—also the King shall provide for those who have had the use of their minds but have lost them, for the safe keeping of their lands and chattels." There was also another, 39 and 4th George 111, ch. 94, and related to persons under the charge of felony, who in consequence of the unsoundness of their minds, had been found "" not guilty." Connecting. the terms "" unsoundness of mind" and " insanity," could the Jury, he would ask, after all they bad heard upon the subject, from all the eminent men who had been examined, tin. derstand the difference ? Conld any of them give clear and this.. tinct definitiona of the tests? He was aware how immensely important strict definitions were in a ease of this description, and it Was with * the view of arriving at suchdefinitionse that he had premed the surgeons, and. other men movement upon the subject, more closely than Was. generally `considered necessary. He had, however, obtained from them no fair definition,' no statement of the manner in which the derange ment of the facultiei, constituting lunacy, operated upon the mind. The clearest definition he had met with was from a work of much authority, where Innacy was defioed to Too hurried a succession of ideas, going en with phrenzied steps, new and strange, and' adopting as true those conceptions which were false." The Jury could not give a verdict that the Noble Lord's mind was unsound before they were satisfied what an unsound mind intaint.— No acts that had been proved in this case, provesLunsoundness of mind. They proved weakness, certainly bu nothing more. Lord Portsmouth's mind was weak, he at mitred, but by no means unsound, or coming within the legal definition of in sanity. In fact, all his acts "were those of weakness. At the earliest period of his life, his Lordship could riot have been what he was represented to have been. It would'be Fovea that upon the evidenceof this idiot, this lunatic, as he was de scribed, a man had been convicted of an atrocious oftence. It would be . proved, that on the trial, Lord Portsmoiith under went a rigorous cross-examination. The use w a s this—i n 1802 or 1803, a man sent his Lordship a letter. threatening to expose him as fi person guilty of an infamous offence, if lie did not give him a sum of money ; his 4)1.444, with great firmness spurned the threat, and proasonted the writer for having endeavoured to extort money of hirn.— Unfortunately, no report of that trial could be for ad, I,ut titer had got the briefs of th e. C ounse l w h o were engaged .In' the cause , of Lord Erskine, Mr. Knapp, and Mr. justice l3urrough, , and from the notes on the briefs, it would appear., that hie Lordship, on the trial, underwent a long cross-exa, urination, such as no person in the state of mind with which his Lordship was said to be afflicted, was capable of un , dergoing, without betraying obvious evidenCes of ..ineapetti lity, especially as Mr. Gamow was the Couosel on the opposite . side,: it was perfectly clear from the testimony lof Mr.. Skim*, that any contracts entered' into by Lewd P. in 1808 could not have been invalidated in a Court of evity, on the ground th a t hi s L or d s hi p was i n an unf i t state a mind, nor could the defence of lunacy have succeeded in a railer of law against an action brought upon auy contract entered into at that time; that he was not of the description meant by " a th an uf unsound mind." The Jury had heard 'What his Lordship had " said the day before respecting his marriage with the present Lady. P. liis Lordship wished very naturally to bring punishment; upon one whose name he (Ser./. I'.) could not pronounce without disgust. His Lordship alight indict Aider for any assault corn-. mitted on him, and he hats the means of redressin his own power, and baying such means, why was this tneasuretnecessary for his safety ? Why was it necessary to place him under the iron con.; troul of a commission of lunacy ? Was not his property rife ? Was it not under the commitl of honourable, trustee,? That Lord Portsmouth had a just notion of the treatment he had re ceived at the hands of the Hanson family, and such a sense of it as would prevent him from again putting himself in their hands, the Jury must have been convinced in their examination of him yesterday. If then the person and property of his Lord ship were safe, what imposed on the Jury the necessity of throwing their protection round his Lordship by their ve*Ct, declaring him to be a lunatic ? The Learned Serjeant will continue hie speech this' A djoumed. , ' ' " ' .1 ' 4t. 1 41 — a l ZS : 2 ;fi'-'-' , ID r ' ~. '' ' .. ' P' , . . ..: •pc,,,,.-- -_ - ,-. , Z ~it. 4 • •i •-de-i . 4 ~ .. . j i ., , ,' .. 1- - , .. ‘ di. • ' '"" .1- 4. ;e 4 • il 4 4. ( i, 1 ,, ,35 . . t, ~. ? , :t i t . 0E ...g ~N , .' ,, si .4, 0 4 ; ' - ` v ,-7: - • % ' 411 1 1 6 MERCANTILE SHIPPING. FALXOUTII, Fin. 18.—Wind SSA/Ir.—Arrived the Duke of Marlborough packet from Lisbon : sailed 9th inst. ; Pil chard, Wilcox, from London to Africa ; Union and Brothers, do. Sailed the Iris, Wood, for London. Put back the Saba. bury packet for America. A most tremendous gale was ex. perlenced at Lisbon on 2d Inst. with heavy rain, during which four ships,'in the River, were lost, with most albeit. crews. The Princesi Elizabckpackst, fbr the Brazils, was obliged to put into St. Übe's in consequence of bad weather. Mr. Ryan,' the mate, was washed overboard and drowned. The Prince Ernest packet, to the Mediterranean, was spoken with on the 23d ult., all well. PLYMOUTH, Frn. 18.—Arrived the Providence, Ellis. 14 days from Tereina ; the Prince of Wales, Hathaway, from the South. Seas, last fro m S t . Helena, a full ship ; had very bad weather, and short o f provisions. Sailed the Dove cutter fi war,. on a crutzo. PORTSMOUTH,FEB.I9.—Wiud N.lV..—.Arrived the rl;' M'Cleur, from the Downs for Jamaica ; Briton, Berry, ditto ditto. Sailed the Vine, for London. DEAL, FEU. W.N.lY.—Carne down from the River and remain the l bier , Powell, for the bouth ESt , 4 , l - Hudson, Champlin, New York; Ruby, Coward, St. Michael's; /Erbil, Allen, Cadiz; Pyramus, Brodie, Madras and Batavia. Arrived the Batavia, from ,ilatavia, last from Plymouth, and sailed for Rotterdam. Crane down from the ltiver the PaO dora sloop of war, and sailed for Plymouth. The Richard. Williamson, from Demerara k •p a s se d P orts . mouth yesterday ; she left De merara on the liith ult. • Yesterday a Court of Directors was held at the East India House, when the following Captains were sworn into the cm. mend of their respective ships, viz.:.--Capt. johtr Bins, Bom bay ; and Capt Richard Raives, Warren Hastings—for. China dilect. The dispatches by the undermentioned ships were closed, and delivered to the Pursers, viz. :—Windsor, Thomas Haviside, for Bengal and China ; and Bridgewater, William Mitchell, for St. lichens, Bolubay,,and China. LAW INTELLIG ENCE. • COURT OF KING'S BENCH, rt.% IiORSI .BREAXI)7O.--LIODAKD yenta at'XiE l.. Mr. UITRNEY stated, that this wits an action brought by a horse-dealer against a Captain in t h e A rmy , for breaking in A horse, for which he charged AL Ss. *lames Saunders is foreman to the plaintiff, who carries on business in Maryiebone-lane. C a pt ain M‘Niel came to the plaintiff's yard to ask him if he was in the habit of breaking in horses. He asked hint to break in a charger, stating that they could do nothing with him in the troop, lie was so shy and stupid. He said he wanted him to be broke into harness ; nessla master said he had no doubt he could, and his charge would be five guineas. The Captain said he did pot mind the money, and the horse was sent next morning; he was.put into double harness on that day, and drove for a week, after that put into single harness, and drove from November to February. Liddanl, the younger son of the plaintiff, proved that his father always charged - five guineas. William Ryley, a horse-dealer, thought five guineas a fair compensation. Mr. ScAnr.r.vr, for defendant, said the plaintiff might have called witnesses to prove that ten g uin eas was a Fair compensation, but he should call witnesses to prove that two guineas, which was tendered, was the usual charge. Ile should moreover call witnesses to prove that this horse htut never been properly brokertin. A number or witnesses being called for the defendant.. by the style and title of Captains and. Esquires, but none of answering. Mr.. SCARLETT observed, I tun sorry to find, my Mord, that defendant's witnesses are not suf fi ciently broke (A laugh.) The LORD CHIEF JUST ICE directed a verdict for the pk..in. titf—:.Damages 31. 3s. over and above the tentler.—Costs 40& COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, Ftn. 19. (MM. sto u It v. TI111). This was an action to recover compensation in damages for Criminal eetwersation with the plaintirs wife. Mr.. Serjeant VAUGHAN stated the case for the plaintiff, which he called witnesses to support; , but one of them, the brother of 3lrs. Seymour, having proved that the *huff co habited with his wife after he had ascertained the criminal connection, his Lordship thought it a ease in which tLe plaintiff could not, sae for damages, and ho Was accorilinely nonsuited.- The eviderwe heard was, therefore, entirely party, and we have nut thought proper to give it publicity. The Duke of CLARENCE Came to town ye °r clay morning from Bushy , Park, his itoyhi Highness returned in the evening. Yesterday the Cabinet Ministers dined with the. Duke of WELLINGTON. At the Old Bailey Sessioni this rooming Ben jamin Moore, a young man, was put to the l3i4r, and indicted for violently assaulting Gen. Thomas William Kerr, on the 7th instant, in King.street, St. James's Square, about nine o'clock in the evening. After the evidence had heen taken, Mr. BARON GRAHAM summed up, and the Jury found the prisoner Not GuittN,