The Sun. — London, England, 1828-07-25 00:00:00

EXPEDITION OF THE CONSTITUTION- ALISTS TO OPORTO. TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES. Sir—The lively interest taken by the great majo rity of the English nation in the cause of the defend ers of the legitimate throne and charter of Portugal —a cause which your Journal has always nobly sup ported—gives reason to hope that you Will not refuse insertion to the following observations, which will perhaps contribute to enable your readers to form a right opinion of the events which have just occurred in Portugal, which appear the more disas trous in consequence of the result being diametri cally opposite to that which there seemed reason to expect, when intelligence was received that the standard of legitimacy had been displayed in Oporto. The disappointment which this contrast could not fail to produce was partly occasioned, it must be confessed, by the rather exaggerated reports received in this country as to the consistency acquired by the new Government of Oporto, and of the military force at its disposal. The fact is, that the troops forming the garrison of that city (with the exception of one regiment of cavalry and a battalion of in fantry), as well as the greater part of those stationed in the Minho and the Beira, declared at once for the good cause, and that this burst of zeal encouraged the 'hope that their example would be folhwed by the rest of the array. Unfortunately, this hope was not realized, either because the measures taken for communicating the news of what had happened at Oporto to the more distant corps were not suffi ciently prompt and active, or that the changes made by the arrest and dismissal of all officers who were considered unfavourable to the Usurper had greatly increased the difficulty of obtaining the ge neral concurrence of the army. The Portuguese troops were then divided; but the superiority in numbers belonged indisputably to those who obeyed the Government of Lisbon, and who, besides, by having at their disposal the arsenals and establishments of the capital, possessed facilities for equipment and organization .which were totally wanting to their adversaries. • It would require me to enter into details of a more extensive nature than the limits of this letter will permit, were I to attempt to give a complete idea of the state of opinion and the real situation of par ties in Portugal, at the moment when the insurrec tion broke out. There doubtless exists throughont the whole kingdom, and particularly at Lisbon and Oporto, among all the more respectable classes, a decided feeling of attachment to the legitimate So vereign and of gratitude for the Charter which he has bestowed. It is also certain, that the gross usurpation, effected in the face of the world, in vio- lation of so many promises, and in disregard of all the Governments of Europe, excites still more in Portugal than any where else hatred and disgust a gainst him who seems to hold out to the country the mere exercise of his tyranny as a sufficient in ducement to acquiesce in his treason. But these sentiments, natural as they are among the respect able and educated classes, are far from being gene sally diffused through the population, and, in the provinces especially, have made little progress. For the great mass, which is composed of the most nu merous, though certainly not of the most worthy part of the Portuguese nation, all the considerations of legitimacy, of superior title, of liberty, and even of ;merest become almost null, and appear effaced, by the simple fact of the presence in Portugal, 'of a Prince invested with all the fascinations of royalty, and to whom there is nothing to oppose but the acknowledged and legitimate rights of other Princes, who, being absent, do not present to the idola trous tendency of the people any visible and mate- - rial object. The insurrection of Oporto was, then, a mere military movement, accompanied, it is true, by the efforts of the greater part of the , inhabitants of "that: town, AS well as the zealous good wishes of the people of Lisbon ; but it did not present that union of national will which cannot fail to be exhibited when once the country has sufficiently experienced the effects of the tyranny imposed upon it. Notwithstanding these circumstances, and not withstanding that the unanimity on which so much hope was founded did not take place in the army, it is certain, that if the troops faithful to Don Pedro had marched without delay on Lisbon, they would have been received there with open arms, and the Government of Don Mi g uel would have been in stantly crushed. I am far from reproaching the worthy patriots who formed the Junta of Oporto of not contributing by all their means to the success of an enterprize with which they were identified - ; but it cannot be denied, that, with some eminent exceptions, that Jtinta did not exhibit those elements of distinction and talent which ware capable of shed ding around it the lustre which was necessary to en able it to exercise an influence over the vabole king dom; and besides, it is impossible to disguise the want of impulse and of activity in the first military operations, under its direction, which was the main cause of the unlooked-for failure that marked the termination of this noble enterprise. When the Portuguese in L6fidon received the first news of the events at Oporto, they without hesitation determined to join the, standard of their legitimate Sovereign, and embarked ay Plymouth on board the Belfast steamer exactly ten days after the receipt of the c ommunications addressed to them by the Oporto Junta ; and the manner .in which you have expressed yourself, Mr. Editor, as well as most other English journalists, on the fate of the persons on boa that vessel, has not failed to excite in their breasts sent' ,rients of the wsrmest gratitude. In stead of arriving; as they hoped, at Oporto, on the 20th of June, they lid not land until the 26th in the evening. Our that Yery day the retreat of the only considerable corps wherh the Junta had as sembled commenced. That co,rps, which on the 24th, two days before, had sustained a pretty vi 7 gorous attack in front of Coimbra, batting itself in danger of being out-flanked by superior f,orces, fell back, as was said, to approximate the centre ef its operations on the river Vouga, the only good miiis tary position between Coimbra and Oporto. This unexpected intelligence could not fail to astonish the persons just arrived from England,•and to give them reason to apprehend very disagreeablo consequences ; for a war such as that e.oratneaea in Portugal, required success in the outset to raise, t h e spirit of the people, and experience affords too ;natty proofs of the difficulty of stopping,,ou like occasions, the wheel of fortune, if it begin by turn. ing the wroaz way. On the 29 - tit, two days alter their arrival, the Generals appointed by the Junta to take command of the troops which were expected to be found on the Vouga, set out froth Oporto; but they, had not got farther than four leaves from that city, when they received information thii!inn action had taken place that morning, on the bridie or the Vouga, in consequence of which (though the A1igi14.44 hoops had not forced the bridge) the Commaoder. 'this Constitutionalists thought it necessary, to fall back and abandon that advantageous position. There rer oained, then, no course to Le taken beforoU enemy superior in numbers, than that of ing to retreat to the suburb of Oporto, inetrth is built on a hill to the north of the Douro; Ivid *high is separated from the city only by that tier. Such was the situation in which the individuali arrived from England found themselves o wed on the 30th, that is to say, on the fourth day after their arrival. • The corps which had thu s retreated consisted e f about 3,000 good troops of the line. With these 3,000 men, about 1,000 to the north of the Douro, and perhaps 1,500 Oporto volunteers, it was re quired to make a stand against double the force in troops of the line which were on the south of the Douro, and at the same time to defend the city against from 5,000 to 6,000 troops of every descrip tion, which were only at three leagues distance, On the north of Oporto, and were advancing against the town by three different roads at once. In the retreat from Coimbra to the Douro, all the militia corps which were attached to the Constitu tional army left it and returned to their homes; and though it is impossible to do justice to the good spirit of the greater part of the soldiers of the line, as well as of most of the officers, it must be owned that desertion, the usual- effect of retrograde move ments, did not fail to occur, particularly with re gard to one ilf * the regiments sand a battalion of chasseurs, on which sufficient reliance could not be placed. Finally, it must further be stated, that for the reasons above given, the greater part of the pea sants of the country were so blind as to take the part of the Miguelites, and thus to forget their duty as well as their interest. However, notwithstanding these disadvantages, it would not have been impossible, nor perhaps even difficult, to have attacked the Miguelite army in front of the Oporto corps, and to have gained an ad vantage over it; but even on the supposition of the most brilliant success, the corps of 3000 men, which had no, means of recruiting itself, was not suffi cient to - take advantage of a victory, and to leave behind it a garrison to defend Oporto against the attack with Which it was threatened on the oppo site' side. • On the contrary supposition—the case of a re verse—these troops had no means of retreat except across the river behind them, and they would have been surrounded by enemies who would have at tacked a town without fortifications or means of defence against such a saperior force. Nevertheless, all the considerations which have been stated above would have yielded to the just desire of 'attempting a last effort for the honour, if not for the triumph, of the legitimate cause, had not the moath of the Douro been blockaded by four ships of war from Lisbon. This last circumstance contributed more powerfully than all the rest to ac celerate and complete the catastrophe of Oporto, for it impressed upon the minds . of most men the a idea that they were shut up in trap, from which, in case - of disaster, there was no means of escaping, and that they would ultimately be delivered up to' 'ate vengeance of an implacable faction. It is thus that the permission granted to Don Miguel to main fain, under the pretext of his - being Prince Regent, the blockade of a city against which his hostilities were directed only because it refused to recognize him a.s King,—it is thus that this condescension has, more than any thing else, contributed to the ruin, for the present, of the cause of the legitimate King of Portugal, the ally of England ; and which, by a coincidence which all good Portuguese consi dered most fortunate, was also -the cause of the friends of moderate liberty. But a time, it is to be hoped, will arrive, when this involuntary error will be repaired; and saying this,.l believe I express the best wishes of England as well as of Portugal. The details into which it has been necessary to enter, sufficiently prove that the Constitutional troops could not maintain themselves on the banks of the Douro, and that. there remained' for them only the alternative to defend themselves in despair in the town of Oporto, or to evacuate it, and, unit ing in one corps ail the disposable troops, to cut their way through the enemy on the north of the Douro, in order, as a last resource, to gain the fron tiers of Oallieia, since they were no longer able to maintain themselves in the Minho. On the morning of the 2d of July the Govern ment Junta assembled. Having heard the opinions of the General appointed to command the troops to the south of the Douro, and of General Stubbs, commandant of the town, they decided that it was necessary to adopt the latter alternative. The Junta was consequently dissolved ; all civil and military authority being previously delegated to a committee composed of two of its members, and the General who was to take the command of the troops, in or del' to effect the evacuation of Oporto, and conduct them to the Spanish frontier. The Members of the Junta, and the other indi viduals who did not intend to follow the army, and yet could not remain in the town, immediately em barked. The only chance they had for escaping the blockading 'hips depended, upon taking advantage of the night which would elapse before the entrance of the enemy's.troops. This resolution unanimously adopted, the only one which, fortunately, remained to be taken, in the disastrous circumstances in which they were placed, was, by an - increase of mis fortune, partly frustrated, and a momentary misun derstanding having taken place between the Ge neral who was to take the command of the army and the Chiefs of the different corps which composed it, the General thought it impossible to execute advan tageously the 'operation with which he was charged, and which demanded for its success prompt and de cisive measures which he was no longer in a condi tion to undertake. The dissolution of the Govern ment, already effected by the embarkation of the in dividuals who composed it, and the confusion which resulted from such an operation in a city blockaded by sea and land, may, if they cannot justify the de plorable result, at least diminish the astonishment which has . been felt at it, and explain how the retreat of this small body of defenders of the legi timate cause has been partially effected, instead of being executed as it was projected, in a body, and in good order. The length of this letter prevents me from adding observations which I reserve for a future opportu nity, if you will allow me to occupy a place in your columns. S. CONVENTION OF FRIENDSHIP, COM MERCE, AND NAVIGATION, BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES OF NORTH AMERICA, ♦XD THE SENATES OF THE FREE AND HANSEATIC CITIES OP HAMBURGH, LUBECK, AND BREMEN. Me Ratifications of this Convention were exchanged at Wash ington, on the 2d of June, 1528. The United States of America, on the one part, and the Republic and free HanSeatic city of Ham burgh, the Republic and free Hanseatic city of Lu beck, and the Republic and free Hanseatic city of Brennan (each State for itself separately), on the other part, being desirous to give greater facility to their commercial intercourse, and to place the privileges of their navigation on a basis of the most extended liberality, have resolved to tix, in a manner clea:, distinct, and positive, the rules which shall be observed bPtween the one and the other, by means of a Convention of Fnendship, - Commerce, and Na- . . vigation. Pof the attainment of this most desirable object, the President of the United States of America has conferred full powers on Henry Clay, their Secre tary of State; and the Senate of the Republic and free Hanseatic city of 11aniburgh, the Senate of the Repuhlie and free Hanseatic city of Lubeck, and the Senate of the Republic and free Hanseatic city of Bremen, have conferred full powers an Vincent. ikanpff, -their , Minister Plenipotentiary near the United Slates 'of America, who, after having ax changed- thair• said full-powers, found in due and proper form, have wiled to the following articles : Art. I. The Contracting Parties agree, that what ever kind of produce, mannfattive, or merchandise of yth?be, ' from ti me to t i me , l aw - United States, i n t h e i r own vessels, intoun tr law fully Foreignimported ofqe o he also imported in vessels of th e sa id free Hanseatic .!t.eP44/Ps of Hamburgh, L u b ec k , 444 Bremen, and that no higher or other d • duties of the vessel upon tha tonnage or cargo o4an 40 :le,. vied or collect,-..Av whether the importation be mad g in vessels of the Vpiod States, . or of either of the said kfenseatic R e publics. And, , like m manner, that or merehan ' whatever kind of produce, manuf a cture, _ can be from time to dise of any foreign ppuntry, . 7 . of the sai4 time, lawfully imported into either . . Hanseatic Republics, in its own vpseJso m a y DP, ajs9 imported in ves,s_els of the United States ; atm that no higher or other duties upon the tonnage or cargo of the vessel shall be levied or collected, whether the importation be made in vessels of the one party or of the other. And they further agree, that what ever may 1)Q Lawfully exported or re-exported by one party in its own vessels, to any foreign country, may in like manner be exported or re-exported in the vessels of the other p4rty. And the same bounties, dutie9, and drawbacks shall be allowed and Aollected whether such exportation or re-exportation be made in vessels of the one party or of the other. Nor 1 shall higtia or other charges of any kind be im posed in the ports of the one party on vessels of the other, than are or shall be payable in the same ports by national vessels. Art. 2. No higher or other dudes shall be impos ed on the importation into the United States of any article, the produce or manufacture of the flee Hanseatic Republics of Hamburgh, Lubeck, and Bremen, and no higher or other duties shall be im posed on the importation into either of the said Re publics of any article, the produce or manufacture of the United States, than are or shall be payable on the like article being the produce or manufacture of any other foreign country : nor shall any other or higher duties or charges be imposed by either party on the exportation of any articles to the United States or to the Free Hanseatic Republics of Ham burgh, Lubeck, or Bremen, respectively, than such as are or shall be payable on .the exportation of the like articles to any other foreign country : nor shall any prohibition be imposed on the importation or exportation of any article, the produce or manufac ture of the United States or of the free Hanseatic Republics of Hamburgh, Lubeck, or Bremen, to or , from the ports of the United States, to or from the ports of the other party,'whiCh shall not equally ex tend to all other nations. Art. 3. No priority or 'preference shall be given, directly or indirectly, by any or either of the con tracting parties, nor by any company, corporation, or agent acting on their behalf, or under their authority, in the purchase of any article, the growth, produce or manufacture of their States, respectively, imported into the other, on account of or in reference to the character of the vessel, whether it be of the one party, or of the other, in which such article was im ported, it being the true intent and meaning of 'the contracting parties, that no distinction or difference whatever shall be made in this respect. Art. 4. In consideration of the limited extent 'of the territories of the Republics of Hamburgh, Lu beck, and Bremen, and of the intimate connection of. trade and navigation subsisting between these Re publics, it is hereby stipulated and agreed, that any vessel which shall be owned exclusively by a Citizen or Citizens of any or either of them, and of which the master shall also be a Citizen of any or either of them, and provided three-fourths of the crew shall be Citizens or subjects of any or either of the said Republics or of any or either of the States of the Confederation of Germany, such vessel, so owned and navigated, shall for all the purposes of this Con vention, be taken to be and considered as a vessel belonging to Hamburgh, Lubeck, or Bremen. Art. 5. Any vessel, together with her cargo, be longing to either of the free Hanseatic Republics of Hamburgh, Lubeck, or Bremen, and coming from either of the said ports to the United States, shall, for all the purposes of this Convention be deemed to have cleared from the Republic to which such vessel belongs : although, in fact, it may not have been the one from which she departed; and any vessel of the United states and her cargo trading to the ports of Hamburgh, Lubeck, or Bremen, directly or in succes sion, shall, for the like purposes, be on the footing of a Hanseatic vessel and her cargo, making the same voyage. Art. 6: It is likewise agreed, that it shall be wholly free for all merchants, Commanders of ships, and other citizens of both parties, to manage themselves, their own business, in all the ports and places, subject to the jurisdiction of each other, as well with respect to the consign ment and sale of their goods and merchan dize, by wholesale or retail, as with respect to the loading, unloading and sending off their ships; sub mitting themselves to the laws, decrees and usages there established, to which native Citizens are sub jected, they being in all these cases to be treated as Citizens of the Republic in which they reside, or at least to be placed on a footing with the Citizens' or Subjects of the most favoured nation. Art. 7. The Citizens of each of the Contracting Parties shall have power to dispose of their personal goods withiii' the Jurisdiction of the other, by sale, donation, testament, or otherwise, and their repre sentatives being Citizens of the other Party, shall succeed to their said personal goods, whether by testament or ab intestato, and they may take posses sion thereof, either by themselves, or other acting for them, and dispose of the same at their will, pay ing such dues only as the inhabitants of the country, wherein said goods are, shall be subject to pay in like cases : and if, in the case of real estate, the said heirs would be prevetitei from entering into the pos session of the inheritance, on account of their cha racter of aliens, there shall be granted to them the term of three years, to dispose of the same, as they may think proper, and to withdraw the proceeds without molestation and exempt from all duties of detraction, on the part of the Government of the respective States. Art. 8. Both the Contracting Parties promise and engage formally, to give their special protection to the persons and property of the Citizens of each other, of all occupations, who may be in the terri tories subject to the jurisdiction of the one or the other, transient or dwelling therein, leaving open and free to them the tribunals of justice for their judi cial recourse, on the same terms which are usual and customary with the natives or Citizens of the coun try in which they may be ; for which they may' em ploy in defence of their rights such advocates, soli citors, notaries, agents and factors,as they may judge proper, in all their trials at law, and such Citizens or Agents shall have as free opportunity, as native Citi zens, to be present at the decisions and sentences of the tribunals, in all cases which may concern them ; and likewise at the taking of all examinations and evidence which may be exhibited in the said trials. Art. 9. The Contracting Parties desiring to live in peace and harmony with all the other nations of the earth, by means of a policy frank and equally friendly with all, engage mutually not to grant any particu lar favour to other nations in respect of commerce and navigation, which shall not immediately b ecome common to le other party, who shall enjoy the same freely, if the concession was freely made, or on allowing the same compensation, if the concession was conditional. Art. 10. The present Convention shall be in force for the tent of twelve years from the date hereof, and further until the end of twelve months, after the Government of the United States, on the one part, or the free Hanseatic Republics of Hamburg Lubeck, or Bremen, or either of them, on the other part, shall have given notice of their intention to de terminate the same, each of the said Contracting Par ties, reserving to itself the right of giving such no tice to the other, at the end of the said term of 12 years; and it is hereby agreed between them, that at the expiration of twelve months, after such notice shall have been received by either-of the parties from the ether, this Convention and all the provi sions thereof, shall altogether cease and determine as far as regards the States giving and receiving such notice, it being always understood and agreed that, if one or more of the Hanseatic Republics aforesaid, shall, at the expiration of twelve years from the date hereof, give or receive notice of the proposed terMinatien of this Convention, it shall, nevertheless, remain in full forc e and ne iopeprauttiloirns oras far as regards the remaining Hanseatic Republie, whiph may net have given or received Sach notice, Art. 11. The present Convention being approved and ratified by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof, and by the Senates of the Hanseatic Re publics of limptmirgii, Lllbeck, and Bremen, the ra tiifipe:itinio:ost4s shall be the da t e exchanged hprf, V c atoNarEhsionogptoor i n within pos p . sible, faith whereof, we, the Plenipotentiaries of the Contracting :Parties, have signed the present Con vention, and have, thereto, affixed our Seals. Done in quadruplicates, at the City of Washing ton, on the 20th day of December, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred aud twenty-seven, hi the fifty-second year of the Independence of the United States of America, (L. S.) (Signed) H. CLAY. ' (L. S.) V. RUMPFF, FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. FRENCH PAPERS. (From the Messager des Chambres, dated July 22. ) PARIS, JULY 21.—According to the Augsburgh Gazette, the Emperor of Austria has received in the most distinguished manner Lord Heytesbury, Ex traordinary Ambassador from England to the Em peror of Russia, who is on his way to the head quarters. The Emperor of Austria having learned that his Excellency had ordered a tent at Vienna for his use when with the army, sent him a very splen did one as a present. His Excellency has had seve ral conferences with Prince Metternich, and it is in ferred that he has made very important communi cations; A letter in the Phare du Havre, written from St. Louis, in Senegal, dated May 20, contains the fol lowing passages :--- The Government is making preparations to begin a war with the Moors (les Maures trazas). For these four years past we have endured the exactions of these barbarians; but the audacity which they have shown within these few days in coming to at tack 100 negresses belonging to the island, who Were employed in washing, within cannon-shot of the town, has caused the new Governor to resolve to take vengeance for all the atrocities they have committed, though they pretend to be at peace with the Christians. . The last attempt of the Moors was not very successful; they stole some combs, and pulled off the ears of a woman to get her ear-rings, but did not take . any captives. The sentiment of a just revenge was so unanimous in the island, that in a moment above 300 negroes, both free and slaves, were in arms, and had crossed the river to pursue the Moors. They followed them in the desert for three days ; but having neither water nor provisions, they returned, bringing with them camels, sheep, and some guns which they took from the Moors, who escaped from them during the night. This war, which cannot be of much _injury to trade, is looked upon with satisfaction by every body, and it is expected that it will produce in future great advantage. The Gazette de France, dated Wednesday, con tains no foreign news. FRINCH FUNDS....PARIS, JULY 22.—Five per Cents. 1061. 106 f. sc. 106 f. 106 f. sc. 1061. 106 f. sc. ; Three per Cents. 721. 60c. 65c. '7oc. 65c. 70c. ; Bank Shares, 1890 f. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, WEDNESDAY, JULY 24. The Earl of SHAFTESBURY laid on the table a copy of the 19th Report of the Commissioneri appointed to enquire into Public Charities. The Sugar Bill, and the Welland Canal Bill, were read a third time and passed. Mr. Waller, from the Office of Woods and Forests, presented a copy of the lease granted by the Crown, of the manor of Eltham, in Kent, together with copies of the Reports received by the Com missioners relating thereto. NATIONAL DEBT BILL. On the motion for the third reading of the above Bill, Lord BEXLEY said, he wished previous to the third reading of the National Debt Bill, to make a few statements relative to the Report of the Finance Committee, upon the recommendation of whom the Bill now under their Lordships' consideration was founded. That Report he considered one of the most important financial documents that had ever been made upon the subject, as it contained a mass of the most accurate and detailed information res pecting the Public Income and Expenditure, and it reflected great credit upon those who had the framing of it, especially upon such Hon. Vletnbers of the Legislature, who, from their official stations, were more nearly connected with it—but yet, while he gave them all the credit they deserved * at the same time he could not assent to every principle laid down in it. In that Report the Committee had un dertaken to recommend to the Government (upon which recommendation the present Bill was founded) to limit the sum to be applied for the reduction of the National Debt to 3,000,000/. annually. To that he would not object, and he entirely concurred with the views of the Committee, that no solid system for the redemption of the debt could be de vised by the operation of compound interest; and he further considered, that no system could have been invented that was likely to prove so effectual in its operation as that which they had laid down. He could not, however, concur with the Committee in the views they entertained with regard to the in crease of the revenue above its present standard, with a view to secure upon a more permanent and extensive basis the Sinking Fund. The principle which had regulated the conduct of the Legislature qt 1819, when the Sinking Fund was settled, was, that it ought to amount to a sum equal to one percent. upon the capital of the debt. The principle of Mr. Pitt, when he established the Sinking Fund, was that the surplus should be invariably applied to the work of redemption, and he believed that such effective means for the redemption of the debt had never been established ; and he believed that if the Sinking Fund were made the subject of debate, and discussed in'whatever shape it might be, no system so effective could be devised as that established by Mr. Pitt. Mr. Pitt's object, in establishing the Sinking Fund, proceeded from three great causes. The first of these causes was, to prevent the Na tional Debt from accumulating year after year, with out any fixed or permanent provision for its redemp tion ; the second was to justify the report of the public credit, and to inspire a general feeling of con fidence in the security of the resources derived from it; and the third was, ultimately to relieve the public from the vast,debt which was pending over them. The fund created for the purpose he had stated, had, during the subsequent war, accumulated to a nominal amount, which, in consequence of the vast expence occasioned thereby, on the return of peace, it would have been vain to expect to realise by a correspond ing amount of surplus revenue. But, whatever de ductions others might draw from the report of the Committee, it had convinced him that the system adopted byMr. Pitt had been proved solid and effi cacious, and far beyond the expectations. that were raised of it at the time of its adoption; and he en tertained no doubt but that it would have accom plished all the objects for which it was created, had it not been for the breaking out of that continual and expensive warfare in which this country was un happily shortly afterwards engaged. But yet, not withstanding the main purposes of the Sinking Fund were thus defeated, he doubted not but he could show, that under the existence of that fund, the subsequent situation of our financial resources was much more cheering than it 'was before the war broke out. In the year 1792, immediately preced ing that in which the war broke out, The Public Income amounted to £18;900,000 The Expenditure of that year to Thusleaving a Surplus of £7,832,000 The National income of the year 1802, after the Permanent. Taxes, amounted to £32,778,000 The Expenditure of that year to ... 21,529,000 Leaying a surplps of„. , X 112244000 Three Milli °144 9d 4 WO Wel•ond the surplus of the year IW. _ In 1804 the Income Was increased t 0.... ..... The Expenditure was also increased t 0...... 22,485,000 X 19,802,000 The Surpl us , th ere f ore, was I n 1913 the Public Income amounted to ~• "'B B4' ° °° The Expeoditore to ...„,...„.,, . 30,199,000 Leaving an increase Surplus of £23,186,000 He doubted that any man had a more difficult task than he (Lord Bexley) had to perform in the year 1813, for it would be recollected that in that year the contest had assumed a more interesting aspect; and after so many glorious achievments of British valour, led on by the Noble and Illustrious Duke op posite, hopes were entertained of bringing the war to an honourable termination. The taxation had then reached its limit, but he felt it more particularly then his duty to.cill UpOn the country for the most strenuous efforts, and in the, view which he then took of the Sinking Fund, be thought he saw some resource, and which views were subsequently con firmed. In the year 1813 the amount of the Sink ing Fund in the hands of the Commissioners was nearly 16,000,0001. To this fund he was forced to resort. He looked upon the amount as larger than was necessary, or even ' . convenient, as its expendi ture in the purchase of stock could scarcely fail to produce an excessive accumulation in the Money Market. He , therefore proposed to Parliament to diminish the capital of the funded debt standing in the names of .tire Commissioners, and, with the ap probation of .his Noble Friend then at the bead of his Majesty's Government, he adopted the principle of limitation to the accumulation of capital in the , hands of the Commissioners. They reduced the sum annually to be applied to the redemption of the national debt to 8,000,0001. In the year 1813 they provided for an Ex penditure of £100,437,00 0 In the year 1814 106,279,000 In the year 1815 92,135,000 Thus making the whole Expenditure of the three years provided for amount to the large sum of £303,851,000 independently of what was expended for the reduc tion of the National Debt. Notwithstanding that astonishing expenditure, he felt anxious to state to their Lordships, that, in the year 1822, when he re tired from the office of Chancellor of the Exchequer, the entire of the revenue amounted to 53,603,0001., and the expenditure for that year was between 32,000,0001. and 33,000,0001., ,leaving a surplus of 21,000,0001. to be applied, clear, and unincumbered, to the public service. The, income, expenditure, and surplus, of the five. years preceeding 1828, were as follows : Years. Income. - Expenditure. Surplus. 1823 62,550,000 57,677,000 4,882,000 1824.........64,365,000 59,456,000 4,908,000 1825 63,184,000 59,286,000 3,898,000 1826 58,754,000 58,422,000 332,000 1827 59,054,000 58,811,000 242,000 And including the taxes repealed during those years, the real surplus of the capabilities. of the revenue over the expenditure was as follows : Years. Surplus. Taxes repealed. Amount. 1823 4,882,000 4,882,000 1824 4,908,000 3,799,000 8,707,000 1825 3,898,000 6,516,000 10,414,000 1526 332,000 9,159,000- 9,491,000 1827 242,000 9,182,000 9,424,000 Thus making the sum of repealed tax, for five years, 28,656,000/4 and the total amount of repealed taxes, with the surplus revenue, 42,918,000/. ; leaving an actual surplus, after deducting the re pealed taxes, of 14,262,000/. The Committee said that they were not disposed to censure this reduc tion of taxes, in consideration of the relief which was afforded to the country, and in circumstances which appeared to require it. Neither was he dis posed to express any censure on the ground of this repeal of taxes, because he believed that the cir cumstances of the country, and the state of its com mercial interests, required a great reduction of taxa tion at the periods when it took place. But he earnestly recommended the Noble Duke to adhere steadfastly to the present Sinking Fund of 3,000,000/., and to avoid any measure, whatever immediate con venience it might promise, which was calculated to endanger it. He had said that in the three last years of the war they had expended above three hundred millions. No other nation in the world could have made such an effort, and still less could any other nation have been left after a war of this description, in a situation which would permit it being scH much, or so speedily relieved of its burdens, as this country had been. Taxes had been rapidly taken ,off to the extent of 27,000,0001. a-year. He re commended a solid system for the redemption of debt, and he hoped that no temptation would induce the Noble Duke to infringe upon the present Sink ing Fund. He had no fears as to the stability of the national resources. The country was in a state of progressive prosperity. The population was found to be increasing in the ratio of about 11 per cent yearly. There was no reason whatever to suppose that the increase of wealth was proportionally less rapid, and, supposing, which was highly probable, that the revenue should increase in a similar propor tion, we should have an annual average increase upon the present revenue of 700,000/. He did not say that this increase would be visible every year, but he thought it might very fairly be calculated upon as an average increase. If their Lordships would take the trouble to look into the detailed statements of the consumption of different articles, they would find that the ratio of increase cor responded very accurately with the proportion he had stated. The article of tea was the first instance he should select. In the year 1788 the consumption of tea in Great Britain was 13,000,000 lbs.; 40 years afterwards, in the year 1827, it was above 26,000,000 lbs. In this period the consumption of the article had doubled, although it is loaded with great additional duties during that time. The increase in Ireland had been nearly in the same proportion. The next article he should advert to was tobacco. The consumption in Great Britain of this article in 1788 was 6,877,0001b5.; in 1827 it was 14.500,000 lbs. In Ireland the in crease had not been so great. It had only been in the proportion of four to three. In brandy there appeared to have been a diminution, but this was compensated by a great increase in 'the consumption of a spirit the produce of the British Colonies. The consumption of rum in 1788 was 1,850,000 . gallons, and in 1827 it was 3,900,000 gallons. The increase on wine was not to a great extent. In 1788 the consumption was 6,700,000 gallons, and in 1827 it was 7,600,000. The quantity of. sugar consumed lin 1788 was 1,775,000 cwt., last year it was 3,120,000. In this article also the increase in Ire- land followed nearly the same proportion. But the most considerable increase was in the article of coffee. In the year 1788 the 'quantity con sumed was only 750,000 lbs., and the consumption of last year was 14,000,9801b5. He would not trouble their Lordships by going into further details. Upon the whole, he had no doubt of a progressive in crease of the revenue, Or of the country being able to accomplish hereafter a considerable reduction of its debt. It was upon these grounds that he recom mended the Noble Duke to preserve the machinery of the Sinking Fund. He was sorry to have tres passed long upon their Lordships' time, but there was one observation .he must make, however, before he sat down. It was difficult to redeem rapidly a debt so large as ours, without deranging the whole of the money transactions of the country. On this account he would not recommend that the redemp tion of debt should be persevered mbeyond the time at which the three per cents. should have reached par; some other system might then probably be ap plied with advantage. The con vers i on o f a l arge portion of perpetual into life annuities, might then probably he found the most advisable course. In coat'. nection with the subject of lif e annu i t i es , he might be permitted to advert to twomeasures which Parliament had recently adopted upon the recom mendation of the Finance Committee.. One, of thew measures related to the Government Life Annuities, and the other to the Naval and Military Pensions. Both of these measures had his full somepro ba lossti on 9)- . had Wit sequence of the error in Dr. P4 - 10 1 / 4 tab les, bu t this beenh respect ed t o by t he the Lei9fuelit country i n tn e t n i e n s . , loss had been greatly exaggerated. It was quite right that the priors should be corrected, and t h at future loss shoidd be prevented. With respect to the Pension List, the measure of relieving the p res , sure upon the country by converting them into an. nuities for a definite period was strongly recom mended by the state of the nation at the period when • it was adopted. He Wll9 glad, ,. howev er , t h at t h e system was not to be pursued further, as it certa i n ly c o un t erac ted the redemption of debt. He had taken up a much greater portion of their Lordships' time than he intended, and he should now conclude by stating that as soon as the question before the House was disposed of, it was his intention to move that the Commons be requested to communicate to of the Fo urt h Report oflhe F th i e n i a r n L c e ordships a Copy Committee. The Duke of WELLINGTON did not intend to follow his Noble Friend through thetletails . of the subject; he rather rose for the purpose of thanking • him for the 'excellent speech with which he bad favoured them, and of expressing his assurance that their Lordships 'would concur in the within tended to make. There was no doubt that this valuable Report contained a great . quantity of highly important information. He, like his Noble Friend, saw in it the proofs that the resources of the country were unimpaired, arid he saw in it likewise abundant proof of the advantages which had been derived " from the great plan of Mr. Pitt, for the maintenance • of an efficient Sinking Fund, and the sfrongest.in ducements to persevere in the principles le had laid down' upon that important subject. He wished,. in common with his Norde Friend, to draw the atten tion of Parliament to thegreat exertions of the coun try during the late war, and to thelacility. with which those vast exertions .had been nu t 6,'i n consequence - of the great measure of Mr.. Pitt. He would not, in the present thin state of, the House , _ enter into any - "detail of th e manner i n w hi ch the Sinking Fund of Mr. Par worked in aid of the national resources during the war. But there was one fact of so mush importance that he must briefly advert to it.. The fact was, that the rate of interest paid by the country upon the whole sums borrowed during the war exceeded but little five per cent. This was to be ascribed to this abused Sink ing Fund.- This Report of the Finance Committee put an end to these fallacies, and he hoped would convince Parliament of the necessity of an efficient Sinking Fund.- Whether this fund should be 'fixed or fluctuating—whether it should be applied to the redemption of funded or unfunded debt, or to the conversion of permanent. into terminable annuities— whether its amount should be greater or less—all these questionS were open to future consideration; but they mast have a real, efficient Sinking Fund, consisting of a surplus revenue; and the Minister would not do his duty who did not urge the country to provide it ; first, by every practicable effort of economy; and if this should not be sufficient, then by whatever means might be found necessary. He could not sit down without repeating his thanks to his Noble Friend for the excellent observations he had addressed to the House. The Bill was then read a third time and passed. Lord BEXLEY then moved that a Message be sent to the House of Commons, requesting that there be laid before their Lordships a Copy of the Fourth Report of the Finance Committee. (Ordered.) The Noble Lord took the opportunity of expressing his great satisfaction at what had fallen from the Noble Duke. The Nouse then adjourned. IRELAND. FERIIOY, JULY 21.—This town (a handsome and stirring one, beautifally situated on the banks of the Blackwater, and only 18 milk from Cork) is in a state of the utmost alarm, in consequence of the in- temperance of the police, and want of caution on the part of the Magistrates. Last night, between eight . and nine, some lads, mere children, would celebrate Mr. O'Connell's return for Clare, by parading through the town with green boughs in their hands. There was nothing like noise, not even the shadow of riot; but the police wishing, perhaps, to do some thing for the money they receive, and to make work where they cannot find it, interfered rudely. The people became angry, and attacked the police. Immediately, and without the authority of •-a Magistrate, the police brought out their arms, and fired blank Cartridge. This maddened the populace, and a serious conflict ensued. To cover their pro ceedings with some show of legality, the police ap plied to a Magistrate, .1;ho, together with two other gentlemen, repaired to the scene of action. They ordered the police to fire, and snatched a gun to lead the way. The consequence was, four men were shot—one desperately ; his death is hourly expected, and I have this moment seen a woman whose escape is most miraculous. A ball took her just in the organ which- phrenologists tell us denotes benevo lence, and glanced off, inflicting a slight flesh wound. The Postmaster of this town made an egregious dis play of loyalty. On the first scent of a tumult he armed himself forthwith, but the only opportunity he found of displaying his love of the laws was wounding a young boy in the head. The man, whose case is desperate, was heard to say that the policeman who shot him had a private pique, super added to the general incitement; and a military offi cer, whose conduct, together with that of the men under his charge, .was most praiseworthy, affirmed that he could identify the policeman who fired the shot. The expected inquest on the expected death —an account of which I shall not fail to furnish you—will give the particulars.of the circumstance in a more authorised form. As I know, your paper pursues the audi alteram partem principle, I know you will not hesitate to publish this—though I ae knAledge it has the appearance of partisanship. Should any body, - for any purpose, seek the name of the writer, you have full permission to disclose it. I merely relate facts, but do not attempt any thing like a description of popular feeling. So strong is the feeling through the county of Clare against those delinquent 40s. freeholders, who voted for Mr. Yvan- FITZGERALD, that some of them near Kil rush have come before their parish priest,- and offered to stand three Sundays on the altar, to atone to their neigh bours for the frightful crime ! It is notorious that they have been shunned and pointed at for their votes given on that occasion.— Cork Constitution. • The Lond on Unwersity is proceeding rapidly towards completion ; on Wednesday the window-frames were put in on the ground-floor, and yesterday morning the workmen pulled down the greatest part of the paling in Gower -street, so that this beautiful building is now ex posed to public view. A new Club, called the " Protestant Chili," has been got up by some members of the English Orange i- blast'‘ It already the heart Institution, and is being putted into notic e by th e now small portion of the Press which advotants,Y-Orsnge - ••'' Agitation." A Morning Paper, speaking of this Cl u b, which has a Duke at its head and a Marquess at its t a il,. and which may reckon some 20 pr 30 members of th e of f l r o ets t r i e s en e a sot ofs a l nCommons;,tsta of nofd naao.m a a ; en ' s : n ttoh g a s e art b t e i n thei ti aetyeeds and ~ there are to b e f oun d i n it ,'sY nearly every member of the two Houses of Parliament dis tinguished .. for takiit and patriotism." If the members of this Club, limited as they are in number —we shall leave the public to judge of th eir ch aracter —be all that the two , Houses possess of " talent and patriotism," we, shall f ee l ' inclined o to se x Houses." The journeymen weavers of Stroud and its vicinity assembled on Mo n d ay l ast, at S e l s l ey -hill , to the u e s. f , lai m, with Mercuti a , " A p l ague on b oth your number of 3,000, when several resolutions were passed,, ea-r p e ssive of their determination to hold out against the 'reduced prices. The meeting was distinguished by the peaceable manner in which it was conducted, and the firm ness with which the various speakers delivered their opinions. —Cheltenham Chronicle. An old copper medal was lately found in one of the streets of Kincardine, which appears to have been struck in honour of the memorable battle of Culloden.-- Oil the one side, there is the figure of a man on horseback, with a drawn sword extended in. his right band,.which is in tended for WILLIAM. Duke of CUMBERLAND. It is some what larger and thinner than a cerpwon penny. Round the border, the words " WELL. Duke of CUMBERLAND" are an legible as when the medal first issued from the mint, and below the figure of the horse, the words " born 1724.," are equally plain. There is also a miniature representation of a fort with the ensign flying. On the other side, the rebels are seen flying before the royalist army, with the - motto—" Rebellion justly rewarded," and at the bottoms the date, " Culloden, 16th April, 1746." Beth sides Of the medal are extremely well executed ; and we have no doubt that many such mementos of that fatal field are in the possession of our readers. - - Glasgow Fres Press. SMITH, a sergeant of the watch en duty in Regent's Park, having been very active in detecting a nd bringing to justice some miscreants of the worst descrip tinn, who infest it, was presented a few days ago by the Marquis of HERMAN with five pounds ; as it reward. Bank St CowOls, Gov. Ssc Ditto; 241 4 per Ce Gov. Del Royal Ca Grand C City Del Ballast Arrived, 0 g 0 1 ,G ri 1 I•` . I G ➢corning ~r letin fi which Brail o i killed while' carry* A Bt give s ao begsa of last e d 2 cessrld i lot s t h e ow n am , the Ruse to capita The tot stated at rejoined An( the ad` SO far on the march ( of watt pass. while t but a ing tii and ti plies. bring I that th in any honed order t the cai the E, but wil Fro] sliotkld place ; private battle of Sell torious t o Sly] to the Ufficia thi s in qimst a 'uppos from »deed Th e adr 14 -mor n 41arches which i that wi c onsists Cusack Duni] Karam] b y (Art rived , a fr om 0 vain of wiltde *to rtn , ra4 u,l4, fQ'tunal auth or Silist r bee n I the p ri of det‘ proc e . mean t that w they p t he ph Wattle We vi ew c I Nctl n ) .4 lce for th e tto It ui Pik e% to retit 1004