The Sun. — London, England, 1824-12-10 00:00:00

FRENCII PAPERS. ( From the Etaik.) PARIS, Dec. 7.—The French troops left Ma drid on the Ist December; one brigade only remains, with a Swiss regiment and a French regiment, which waits for the arrival of the 2d S v‘iss regiment from Bayonne. It seems certain the grand head-quarters will arrive at Vittoria on the 20th and 21st. The 13th regiment of the Line, which remains at Madrid, as above stated, till the Swiss regiment arrives, will be at Vittoria on the Ist of January. Several convoys have passed Tolosa on their return to France. Four regiments return to France by Perthus. The Eloile gives the following list of regi meets that sill return :-3d Hussars, 376 men ; Ist Light Infantry, 1,057 men; 11th Line, 1,186 mill; 40th ditto, 1,000 men ; Depot ditto, 400 These two regiments will form part of the reserve under general Baron Rotten, command ing the division of the Eastern Pyrenees. The 19th Light Infantry leaves a battalion at Seu d'Urgel; the remainder is to garrison Mount Louis. The 10th Light Infantry,2d of the Line, 3d of the Line (numbers not stated). By this arrangement, the sth, 11th, 31st, and 40th of the Line, and 19th Light Infantry, will remain in the division of the Eastern Pyrenees, the com mand of which, it seems, will extend as far as the Seu d'Urgel. Pursuant to the Ordinance of December 1, the Lieut.-Generals whose names follow are put on the retired list :—MM. Grouchy, Vandatnme, Yodel, GtiZall, Oman°, Lubervic, Bigarre Drouot, Taviel, Ninety, 'l'hiebaut, A 'merits, Gilley, Rey, d'Anthouard, Excelmans, llarispe, Semele, Cassagne, Dournere, Mararsin , Bachein, Gran dealt, Chustel, Jeannie, Marchand, Charpetier, L'lleritier, &c. 1114'11. BARCELONA, Nov. 27.—The brig of war Jo eintha, and the galliot Andalusia, have left Cadiz 'to proceed to the Mediterranean. Letters from that port announce that the Government has sent these two ships to sea, in consequence of having received intelligence that the Constitutionalists are preparing against the Peninsula a powerful expedition at Tangiers in Africa. VIENNA, Nov. 25.--( Extract of a Private Letter.)—The negotiations of which this capital has so often been the theatre within the last ten years, are renewed herc with fresh activity.— Couriers arrive in great numbers from the prin- cipal cities in lurC;pe. The State Chancellery is very much occupied, and sends off dis patches dully to foreign Ministers ; frequent conferences take ,place between Prince Met ternich and the. Ambassadors of other great Powers. ft is remarked that they follow each other in quick sUqession, particularly with the English Ambassador, Sir henry ‘Vellesley, from which it is presumed that the principal negocia. tions now going forward relate to Greece and Turkey. It is known that the Emperor of Russia, before his departure for the east ern part of his empire, addressed a Memorial to the four grout Courts of Europe, to com municate to them his views respecting the pacification of Greece. He proposed, at the same time, that during this winter conferences on the subject should be held. It is said that these conferences nil! take place the beginning of next year'; but it seems that the Cabinets of Austria and England intend to discuss this subject, in the first instance, between themselves, in order that their Ambassadors should act in concert in the conferences which are about to be opened. It will be very difiltult to induce our Cabinet to re cognize the independence of Greece ; and it is generally believed that in granting certain immu nities to the Greeks, Prince Metternich strictly adheres to his favourite system of tint admitting. • any change in the actual state of Tut key. He is perhaps the most formidable adversary whom the - Greeks have to encounter at this moment. They moreover say, that within the last few days the „conferences on the affairs of Turkey, which were to have taken place at St. Petersburg'', will be held at Vienna, which is regarded as a demi victory achieved by Prince Metternich, FRENCH PC NTM—PARre, DEC. 7.—Five per Cents. open ed at 102. 30. closed at 102. 16. Dank stock, 1,986. Nea- Eolitan 5 per Cents. 871. —Spanish ditto, 18.}.; Ditto Loan, 07k. xchange on London, one month, 26.; three months, 24. 86. • .( count dulhentipe.) The French Papers of Tuesday describe an accident which happened at Corunna on the 15111 ult., and which has plunged in sorrow the French garrison of that town. A detachment of the 47th Regiment, consisting of men, under the com mand of a Lieutenant, was ordered to proceed to the Castle of San Antonio, in the bay. They embarked at nine in the morning, with five sol diers of another regiment, in a boat belonging to th. garrison, which was maimed by four Spanish Monks. The boat was so crowded, that the sol diers were obliged to stand up during the pass age, with their knapsacks on their backs, and their arms in their hadds. In passing between two rocks this frail boat was upset, and all its passengers plunged into the waves. The soldiers, unable to swim from the weight of their accou trements, could not gain the rocks or the shore, though near. The accident was seen from th e garrison, and boats were immediately sent out to rescue its victims from a watery grave. The ho. dies of all were recovered, but in 17 of them life had been irrrecoverably extinguished. Last evening, about seven o'clock, the cry of niurder was heard to proceed from a hackney chariot. passing along Oxford-street. Several ptirsons followed, and called upon the coachman to stop his horses, which he did immediately, and on the door being opened, a young lady, appu• rently shout 17, informed the persons present, in great agitation, that the youth who accom panied her had attempted to cut his throat with penknife, in consequence of some angry words having passed between them; that she seized his arm, and fortunately prevented the rash act, by n hich her hand was much lacerated. Two gen tlemen, at the lady's request, proceeded home with them, which we understand was in Baker stkeet, Portman-square. COLOMBIA. TRAVELS in the REPUBLIC of COLOMBIA in the Year; 1822 and 1823. By G. Mouazw. Translated front the French. Bvo. We have here before us an intelligent travel ler, an accurate observer, and one unbiassed by the spirit of party. He explores the most popu lous and productive provinces of this new Repub lic; and communicates to us the interesting re marks he has made upon the physical aspect and appearance of its different, regions ; upon the po pulation, the manners, and the genius of the in habitants ; upon its agriculture and universal wealth ; upon the history of that revolution which has rescued these vast dominions from the grasp of Spain ; upon the character, the resources, and the supposed designs of the leaders most renowned in this struggle,—Santander, Sucre, Urdaneta, Bermudes, Paez, Montilla, and Padilla, amongst whom Bolivar will one day be considered as Primus inter Pares, or rather perhaps Primus sine Paribus, according to the caprice of fortune. If we wish to read this interesting work with advantage, we must lay aside eviory European prejudice ; we must particularly avoid comparing the cities of this Republic with our own, and comparing their plains with our fields. Bogota, the capital of Colombia, differs more from Cumana and Carthagena, than Lon;lon and Paris from Moscow. There, a scorching atmosphere, a river spacious as the Senegal, uncultivated plainsoilence unbroken, save by the force of the torrent, or the howlings of wild beasts ; a few black i n h a bit an ts that may be seen wandering separated from each other, huts composed of rushes and leaves of trees, made M. Mollien imagine he had returned to Africa *; while in the same regions, our au tumnal temperature, fields of corn and beans, orchards well stocked with apple trees, and the appearance of civilization, made him forget he had quitted Europe. In the low vallies in the Illanois, whether level or hilly, the heat rises to thirty-six or forty degrees of Reau mur. As Humboldt has shewn, in New An dulusia the vast summit of the Cordilleras is constantly subject to a temperature which rises rarely to twelve degrees, and often sinks to six; so that at the Equator itself, the constant heat of the atmosphere is not beyond that which we en joy in the fine days of February. If we ascend the summits of the Paramos, we have the climate of Siberia in all its severity ; and if we descend to the valley to seek the plain, we have Saliara and its scorching heat : thus a single day is ca pable of carrying us from one extreme to an other, and it is justly supposed that the charac ter, physical and moral, of the inha hitant9,lheir ideas and opinions, must vary according to the climate and productions of the earth; a conjec ture which has been verified by our author, as regards the inhabitants of the different Provinces of Colombia. The observations of M. Mollien embrace too many subjects for us to analyze in our limited space, and though he explored only the Western Provinces of Colombia, his journey comprehends so extensive It space that we cannot notice it at present; we confuse ourselves to the enumeration of the remarkable places he has seen. From Carthagena he ascended the valley.otoe,,,V4o" dulena ; he sojourned at Santa E 6 de Bogota, the capital of the Republic, after gazing with as tonishment upon the Falls of Toquendama, one of the most astonishing cataracts in the world. He made an excursion to the Socorro, and to the ancient kingdoms of Cundinamarca, so celebrated in the'history of the Incas, and that of the con quest. He revisited Bogota; explored the Po payan ; climbed to the summit of the volcano of Purace; navigated the waters of the rapid Cauca, and those of the Dagua, still more dangerous,to ma riners; reached Sun Buenaventura, a port in the Pacific, asneglected as it may be rendered useful to commerce ; iuspected the province of Choco, so wealthy in mines of gold, and whose inhabitants are sunk in wretchedness ; arrived at Panama, the name of which alone awakens curiosity ; tra versed the Isthmus ; embarked at Chagres for Jamaica; and returned to France, after having touched at Falmouth. Great as must be the interest excited by these travels; so recent that they ended only in the year 1824, this interest is of minor importance to the moral and political considerations they present to us. M. Mollien has seen in the fervor of re. publicanism those people whom Humboldt ob served in the tranquillity of passive obedience. We particularly recommend to the reader the chapters in which lie describes the war of the revolution, and the struggle in which Fortune, after sporting alternately with Bolivar and Mo rillo, finished her game by sacrificing the cause of legitimacy, and giving triumph to that of re. publicanism, at the very moment when it seemed reduced to despair. The details given by M. Mollien of the leaders of the Revolution furnish a vast scope to conjec ture. It appears that all submit to Bolivar; but without his presiding influence, the various par ties, among whom is to be found that of , the Mulattoes, would be soon in a state of conflict, and the Republic composed of such heteroge neous parts, would be the prey of violent dissen sions, or be partitioned out among his Lieute nants. Paez, with his negroes, will occupy the plains ; Montilla , Caraccas ; Padilla, the coasts ; and Sucre, Quito. Thus all depends upon the existence of Bolivar. We now take leave of the Author, thanking him for the gratification we have received from the perusal of his historical and geographical sketch of this infant yet important State. • In the year 1810, N. Alollien travelled through Africa. His sesearchea there have obtained for him a well founded reputation. , ----.. In Augustus-street, Regency . Park, some la bourers have been siuking a drain; one descended with a light the depth of 12 feet,, when an ex plosion immediately took place. The man for tunately was not uturlt.i n jured„ The shock hurt his arm and side .a little, and . the sleeve of . jacket was burnt., The spot .where . this took place was full 60 yards from any gas rpipe, so that gas must have escaped from somewhere, and 'pe. netrated to it through the pores of earth.— Water seeksois own level, but g as , it will be seen, descends and ascends to find a vent. SHIPWRIGHTS. FOR THE SUN. Ma. Enrron—ln the public discussion of sub jects calculated in their nature to excite a•strong degree of popular feeling, the task of opposing the current of that feeling is so odious and thank less, while so many inducements are afforded to flatter the passions, and minister to the preju- dices of the multitude, that it can scarcely be matter of surprise, if in such discussions the voice of reason be freqnently suppressed, and the sober dictates of truth borne down, by • the clamour of party, and the seductions of popularity. These reflections are suggested by the consideration of a subject, to which I rejoice to perceive that the attention of the Public has been drawn by the humorous letter of your Correspondent on Mon day. last; I mean the Repeal of the Combination Laws. That in expunging those laws front the Statute Book, the Legislature were actuated by a liberal and enlightened desire to do justice to the labouring classes, to promote union with their em ployers, and to extend to domestic labour that freedom which the spirit of the times is daily !a fusing into our foreign intercourse, I can have no doubt; whatever be the opinion I entertain, as to the motives of some of the individuals by whom the measure was most strenuously supported ; hut I firmly believe, that-in pursuit , of an object, ab stractedly good, the Legislature itself acted with indiscretion and precipitation; that . Parliament was misled by partial, erroneous, and ex parte information, and that had the inquiry, on which legislation was founded, been further extended, and the decision postponed to a futere Session, the result would have been, a modification or gradual abolition of the laws, Instead of their sudden and entire repeal 1 By this course, all the expected benefits would have been ultimate ly obtained, while the evils which I contend have occurred would have been avoided. It is one question, whether prohibitory and restric tive laws ought ever to have been enacted, and another, whether after having become ine-Iwoven with the complex and artificial fabric of Society, they should be suddenly and indiscriminately withdrawn ; a distinction which, obvious as it must appear, has in more than one notable instance been lost sight of in the innovating zeal of modern legislation. But, as it appears from the speech of Mr. Hume, at the Anniversary Dinner of the London Mechanics' Institution, not improbable, that the subject may, in the ensuing Session, be again brought under the consideratiou of Parlia ment, it must be admitted to be of the last im portance, that no misapprehension should exist as to the actual results of the experiment, as far as they have hitherto been demonstrated, whatever be the opinion entertained as to the policy of the experiment itself being attempted. At such a Meeting as that alluded to, it can scarcely excite surprise that Mr. HUME should use every effort to prove that the offspring of his own endeavours possessed allthe merit its sang u i ne parent predicted, and in this view ) it was perhaps nut unfair in him to state, on such authority as he quoted, that as far as regarded the Sawyers o f Liverpool and the Shipwrights of the Tyne and the Wear, the experiment had been productive of benefit. But when he goes on to infer broadly that th e s e instaueser ` r clearly d emons t ra t e d that-ts none of those serious Consequences resulted 44 which had been anticipated f rom th e repea t o f the Combination Lows," I venture, as a practical man, intimately acquainted with the particular d us § e s of men unfortunately selected by the onourable Member in ktlis l stration of his argu ment, to tell him confidently and publicly, that he has drawn an inference unwarranted by facts ; and that if instead of travelling to the North for information, he had pushed his inquiries nearer home, he would have found that in stead of " living in perfect friendship with " their masters, and the most perfect harmony 44 existing between them," the Shipwrights, Sawyers, and other Artizans employed in Ship building in this port, are unhappily at this mo ment in a state of direct and general hostility with their Employers, entirely unknown ror Some years previously ; that his favourite measure has introduced, an indefinite feeling of discontent a fierce spirit of defiance ; a general tendency to insubordination ; a wanton, unjust, and unneces sary determination to reject all control on the part of the people, and u consequent jealousy and distrust on that of the Masters ; he would have found that a combination now exists not, for the fair maintenance of independence, mid resist ance of oppression, but extended throughout the Country to check the free competition qf labour, and subject the Public to an unjust and ruinous monopoly; he would have found, that this com bination has exerted, and is exerting, the most un justifiable means of intimidation, misrepresentation and violence, to prevent l r from finding its proper and natural level, bofr‘tery labourer being permitted freely to offer his exertions at the best market that may be open to him. That a few bold bad men, taking advantage of this state of things, mislead the undiscerning many, are con. stituted a regular deliberative assembly, promul gating-its decrees, and distributing its funds through all parts of the kingdom, a nd pursuing a system threatening to subvert the whole social fabric. All this the Honourable Member would find in London, and. without entirely assenting to the shrewd suspicion of yo ur Correspondent of Monday, as to the motives of Mr. HUME'S in formant, in re p rese nting as so harmonious the condition of Li ver pool and the Northern Ports, I can positi ve l y asser t even, with respect to them, that ther e i s b y uome ans a sentiment of satisfaction and men. is true that the men, having carried f' Mr. H ust E good will prevailing between ma sters and It their poi n t, are no l on ger standing o ut, but i the conduct pursu e d by or Mr. GLADSTONE wish, and publicly express a wi s h, t h a t the powers exercised, and the Artizaus of Liver. pool, should be gene rally introduced in other ports, I may her ea ft e r be induced to submit a f e w facts relatin g t o that place, which would (or I um much mistaken) i n duce the Publi c , and especially the unbiassed and conscientious advocates of freedom, and free trade, to form a very different conclusion. Apologizing for this long intrusion on your columns, I remain, Sir, Your obedient Servant, Aiwa Thames, Dec. a, 1824. VEItAX. BELZONI. We understand that the Egyptian Tomb will be re-opened in London in the ensuing spring, Mrs. BELZONI having hired the very extensive premises in Leicester-square, which were formerly occupied by Mr. Strohling, the painter. The tomb will consist of three chambers, the last of which will represent the grand apartment where the celebrated Arragonite Soros was discovered by Mr. Belzoni ; and it is not improbable that this matchless relic of antiquity will decorate the chamber 'itself, aik the conditions of its sale to Mr. .Soane express ly allowed of its being re-purchased be. Mr. Belzoni or his heirs, at the sum originally agreed upon in Egypt. The chambers are preparing under the direction of Mr. Jas. Courtine, to whom the care of the tomb at Paris was entrusted by Mr. Belzoni, when he started upon his hapless journey to Fez.—The models of the Pyramids, &c., various drawings of the splendid ruins in Upper Egypt and Nubia, together with the remaining antiquities, now in the possession of Mrs. Belzoni, will occupy the entrance-room ; and we have no doubt, both from the in terest of the exhibition itself, and from the sympathy which the fate of that enterprising traveller has excited, that the result will fully answer Mrs. Belzoni's most sanguine expectations.— It is indeed for the support of Mr. Belzoni's aged mother and numerous relatives at Padua, that Mrs. Belzoni is now exerting herself. The lovers of Eyptian lore will rejoice at the above information, and especially the author of Rarneses, from whose notes at the conclusion of his second volume we give the follow ing extract .‘"fhese Typhonic details of sepulchral decoration belong to the tomb of Psammis, or rather of • Necho, exhibited by Mr. Belzoni ; the undoubted identity of this tomb and the multitude and importance of its symbols, render their loss a serious priva tion to the follower of Egyptian studies, in its exhibition being withdrawn from England.' " Champollion has shown from the" Phonetic characters" that neither Psammis nor Necko were the tenants of the tomb, but Petosiris.—( Cambridge Chronicle.) POLICE INTELLIGENCE. INTERESTING CASE. BOW-STREET.—Yesterday morning an application was made by a person calling himself the head assistant at a Pri vate Asylum for insane persons at Richmond, requesting to know from Sir R. Bra ar IE, whether, on the following facts, he was entitled to seize the person of a Miss Illink.nsop, then Lesent, who had escaped the evening before, and come to ondon?—Sir R. Br RNIE said, he could give no authority to any pesaon to seize a British subject, unless he had committed some crime. The present case, according to the applicant's statement, was peculiarly for the interference of the Lord Chancellor. Sir Richard asked if lie had got a certificate of any physician as to her insanity ?—One was produced, signed by a person, calling himself Dr. Ferguson, but, on referring to the Medical List, no such name could be found.—Here Miss Blitikinsop said, that she was the victim of a foul conspiracy. She had endured, misery, from her earliest infancy, of so poignant a nature, that the hardest heart must pity her. She was by no means labouring under the malady represented ; and nothing but the extreme necessity of her case could have obliged her to come thus into a public Court of Justice. Mr. Knight, who accompanied the lady, now stated, that, on the preceding day, she had come in a post chaise to his hotel during his absence, she had nuule a statement there, which, on inquiry,. he found to be perfectly correct. She had informed him that she was the sister of a lady of title, and this he found to be the fact. His servants had attended upon her and they could perceive nothing in her manner at all confirming what the ap plicant had mentioned. 111 iss B. said, she had never been allowed to see any of her friends since she was first confined. There were two persons, calling themselves her cousins, residing in Devonshire -street, Portland-place, one of whom was in the Auditor's Office. Her only hopes was in the justice of the Worthy Magistrate, and trout him she was convinced site should obtain it. Sir R: BIRNIE told the applicant, that if he took the lady, he did it at his peril. He should grant .him no authority so to do. If the fact was as he stated, he must obtain proper certi ficates, and the authority of a Magistrate a t Ri c h mon d ; an d when a ll the requisites were complied with, the law would au thorise him in taking the legitimate method of again putting her in confinement.-111r. Knight then said, that the Lady should remain at his house as long as she thought proper, un til a legal authority was obtained for her remov al.—she parties then left the office. THEATRICAL FRACAS. Ihriorr-Daet..—Yesterday this Office was crowded with the whole of the Capps Drarnatique belonging to the Surrey -Theatre and their friends, in consequence of a disturbance arising out of the following ciretnstances, as well as we could collect from the clamour which prevail e d during the investi. gation. • It appeared that Mr. Chambers the Magistrate had been ap plied to that morning, as soon as he had taken his seat, for an Assault Warrent against 'Mr. Groves,who had hired the theatre from Mr. Williams, the proprietor, for a specific number of nights. 'When the application for the warrant was made, it was stated to the Magistrate thaeMr.*Groves had assaulted a female named Eniery, who was employed in a menial situation in the house, and that considerable resistance would in all probability be offered by . the Gentleman against whom the warrant was to be put in force and his party, as it was represented that he had hind a set of 'desperate Irishmen from St. Giles's, who would fight through : thick and thin, and armed them with guns, blunderbusses, pistols, and cutlasses, in order to protect him from being taken out of the Theatre and made a prisoner. In consequence of this piece of information the Magistrate direct ed the whole strength of the Office to proceed forthwith to the Theatre and secure the rioters. In the course of an hour they returned to the Office with Mr. Grovesand a Mr. Fennessey in custody, and thirteen or fourteen stout Irishmen. One of the officers then stated, that on entering the lobby of the Theatre he observed a number of persons, all of whom appeared to be Irish labourers, parading up and down, some with guns, others with blunderbusses, and m any o f them carried shovels and pickaxes on their shoulders. Seeing these warlike preparations, he instantly informed the men that he was nn officer, and held a warrant to apprehend a person in the Theatre, and if they opposed him in the exe cution of his duty he would instantly blow the first man's brains out. The Irishmen immediately surrendered at discretion, and so did Mr. Groves. It Appeared from the investigation which followed, that the Theatre had been let for a certain number of nights to Mr. Groves by Mr. Williams the proprietor ; but Mr. Groves not paying over to Mr. 'Williams the covenanted sum by way of rent, Mr.. Williams resumed his authority. The persons, however, whom he left in possession were forcibly ousted by the " above faction," with Oleic reinforcement of Irish labourers armed for the purpose. Mr. Groves being caned on to answer the charge of assault against Mrs Emery, denied that he had intentionally thrown her down. She, in fact, stood in such a situation that as he passed her he could not help slightly pushing her; and with respect to the orin of the disturban ce h e wou ld sat i s f actor il y exp l ain t h at to the Magistrate; then handing in a written document, he said it-was a copy of the contract entered into between Mr. Williams and himself, in which it would be seen that he was in reality the legal proprietor of the Theatre until the term mentioned in the agreement expired. The MADISTUATE examined the contract, and found that it was agreed that Mr. Groves was to have 7 clear nights com mencing from the 6th of December under certain stipulations. Mr; Williams's Solicitor said that his client would have had no objection to his tenant had the terms of the agreement been adhered to; but as Mr. Groves shewed no disposition to pay Piet which was due, although the receipts of the house were more than adequate to defray all expellees, it was . thought high time: to turn him out. The MAOI sT RATE here observed that he was not going to try the legality at the illegality of the agreement; it was evi dent a riot and disturbance had occurred at the Theatre in con sequence of Mr. Groves having brought a number of Irishmen from St. Giles's into the county of Surrey, and thereby creating a breach or the peace.' Mr. Groves submit hat no breach of the peace had taken place, as none of the Irishmen . even attempted any thing like a resistance. _ _ Mr. CHAMBERS then asked One of the Irishmen the follow ing questions ;—Who were you employed by, my man ? By that gentleman, your Honour (pointing to Mr. Groves).—Where were you engaged P At St. Giles's, your Honour.—And what were you to have been paid? Eight shillings a day, your Honour ; anti if my services were required for the night, a hearty supper and plenty of drink besides, your Honour—When you got to the,Theatre, did you observe any fire-arms, and were you presented with one? Yes, your Honour, I saw plenty, and had one put into my hands.—Was it a pistol, gun, or blun derbuss ? It was neither, your Honour; it was a sword.— (A laugh.) Another witness having been examinees, stated that Mr. Fen , nesset was active In the business. Mr. Fennessey made a long defence. The IVlAoisTitarrE then said, that he should call on both Mr. Groves and Mr. Fennessey to put in bail in the sum of 2001. each ; and discharged the poor Irishmen, having advised the defendants to pay them 2s. each for their services on the occasion, which was complied with ; and the Irishmen left the office calling down a blessing on the Magistrate, and declaring , that it was the best couple of hours they ever had in their lives ; for they were treated like gentlemen all through the piece. TO THE EDITOR. Of THE TIMES. SIR—In the leading article of The nines of this day you are pleased to call upon me to con tradict a report by which (in your opinion) I am charged of having ordered or connived at the murder of some Spaniards who were imprisoned for conspiring against the then existing corilitita• tion of their country. • 1 Quits attonislied. at a charge which even my bitterest enemies had never made against me, looked most anxiously to. the evidence on which it was grounded, and I found there was none, since my name is not even mentioned in the Madrid Gazette, which professes to be a state. meat of the affair alluded to. In these circumstances, my only way is a most positive and solemn denial of any share in al l transaction of such a description, and a bold challenge to prove otherwise, since in such casesthe onus probandi belongs to the accuser. I feet confident that the whole of my political life does not offer any ground on which I may be liable to the suspicion of having ever ordered or connived at murder. Of the part I took in what I thought to be the regeneration of my country, I still feel proud, though men may judare of it differently, according to their political prhiciplec; but I can ascertain, that neither while I c° 11 " mantled the. Liberating Army at Isla, !ler 404 since, has any blood been split by my old rs. N.%«! in battle or by the sentence of the existing In I hope, Sir, you will insert in your paper t answer to what I may be a llowed to term a most gratuitous and unfounded accusation. I remain, Sir, Your most obedient and ANTONIO QUIROGA. 6, Welleslepstreet, Chelsea, Dec. 9. humble servant, SEAMEN'S FRIEND SOCIETY• held Yesterday evening a public meeting was , , at the City of London Tavern, Bishopsgate-etreet, the elki e ' of . which was to raise a fund for the temporary relief of the Widows and Orphans of the Seamen who perished in the We gales, or might hereafter become suffe rers from s imilar cal* . Sir ROE KEITH having been called to the ell air ' sai d ' negligence t h b g e en fore ee e e t nt h e li r s in t g h o e n t the the stnueebjteictngfhaetr had been they these midete Gro bled, he begged leave to observe that it was not owing to any six o'clock, the hour appointed for taking the chair. The er ) , lay was occasioned by the circumstance of the Connuittee,!(_.; having their arrangements sooner in a state of readiness. if.','.".. object for which er assembled t w it d obviously.intere serest' ingto a numerous class of society, that it did not require Mani words to impress it on their minds. The liberality of the Britt° nation was become proverbial. It was not confined nierar to themselves but very 115- , was felt by foreigners of almonde ~.,. tion—by Spain, by Portugal, by Russie, France, Pr 0.0.. If foreigners thus felt the ants of British humanity and 1.) nevolence, how much more were their own countryiullaird. titled to it ? and surely if any class of British ellioj c i se a. stronger claims than another, it was that class of of b e . men. They were important in a political point v ie w ' e e. delayed bera,nl. cause from the insular situation of the country they lied risen cessa.7 to its defence . Though high this counU l t reta in asseni. in the scale of nations, and though long she u h stet ef ol her present eminence, still when they looked at w," - i te , it Babylon, Athens, and other famous places of antlEng. . was naturally to be concluded that at some nen, ou e land must share a similar fate. They were at ti l l s long time bound. to do all in their power to maintain her , these , as possible in her present gleatness. They were inNirtive ea . fore to cherish and encourage her seamen. The i 1 toe. her beat defence, and when that fell England mils C. These seamen had strong claims upon them ienbtlcld fora mercial point of view also. To. them they were la , toil not great number of comforts and luxuries which thel l ! . a ; natu re ol2sesteshiebwlYlihfeiecnthhjoeyoythPbyr a ci luly a. ed s o s'e ti s alcae o r f nm tl e' l el e ani blesse t t e l l ; v , e They were proverbial for want of foresight, an d ei a l ssipil iea port, after the fatigues of a long voyage, they soon i• T ee their money without much thought or discriminstion.u.„.4 consequence was, that their wives and childrcd often t , _n_l ee under the pressure of adverse circumstances, and theirintn!A, was rendered still more precarious by the calamity of s hiprr,',`", e to which they were constantly exposed. These ye:tt.ilu;ie relief. sty motives that led to the proposal for establiahing to be r Here the precise objects for which the fund was bushed were read from a printed paper as follows :--- GENERAL PLAN OF THE SOC;lETirece „iiia ii,(11 1 .,.. "1. This Institution shall be called "rhe Shipwr keit Distressed Sailors' Family Fund.' ra pt ten'' "2. The object of it shall be, first, to grant Pr° I, r 3 d not.,e- pomry aid to the widows and orphans, and fathers an ! re a . who were dependent for support upon such sailors I the )ate a fund io t rished by shipwreck or other disasters at sea during gale*. cow%rlemFdurenl inrtiyv the e crag goon, i pendent families of such sailors as have been kille' ° Aloe' have died on shore ; the Merchant Seaman's Society nleetfiee " Secondly, To afford the same temporary relief to site in any aid in such a case, unless the sailor died in 'tl 5r of the ship. the dies " Thirdly, To give also temporary assistance to ents ,lioi tressed family of a sick sailor, when his alliiction iirv l , s , j i iji, from going to sea, or for a while working to maintain 1 1 , I °' . . re a sailor in b ~ " Fourthly, To promote some trifling , aid to a „ lie e etua' distress for a few slays, until he obtains a ship ; elrezr, e „ i 4 sae ing any case contemplated and) rovided fqr by t i lre t ;T i c - r iie rcelt. tional Institution .for the Preservation of Lite fre .. ll Ship oh. " 3. That subscriptions and donations 'ac e re !' „u " lattice of ire' cited in aid of this Fund,. but whert e , d !, „., po rary derns l4l/ mendous storms shall greatly increase u!`' --1-I"effotts shall be eetr ordinary upon this Charity, then some .- --3 el eence. ducted and reg t "4. The Society shall be conduct 1 1 ianaged benevolea usual bye laws that govern all other we en Institutions. year , publicly made to meet such extraordinary e . h anted by the Institution. FLO and six others be chosen . ''.'lees to the .., 6. All persona rendering important 5 0 ` . ',7" • 000. •• shall be chosen as Honorary Members or the institu 0 0 be ineo ~ 7. Al.l persons presenting a donation of tett ge Life Governors of the I • ' h the In iti ; ... a. Six Members of the Direction shall retire ever)! IA IL An Anniverssry shall be duly : tution shall present a faithful retrospect of its proceeuro lels;peee a clear statement of its funds, audited by thre e °r iii Yard able persons. 0 everf 1 - e " 9. The benefits of this Institution shall extend, I adm it ; an of the United Kingdom as far as its resources Iva' ocieti tl lir he it shall be the aim of this Society to establish idol' .i may i in every sea-port town, that the scheme of hunianfileit us oi c i fairly divided, and the Metropolitan Fund hush °. ha• as possible for the most afflictive cases. either subject can, therefor‘e ever ism ere . -i. " 10. As the grand motive of this Institution _ to i f op l, manity, it must ever be ker . distinct from all d„iffe r l iot eee o t r , nion or profession in religion or politics. 1‘ . 0 .,.t1ie . l' .: , held, at wh1ee,,,,.,,,, an nagers of this Institution while assembled toget ,, ,e, r , , 4 .1..• :',!, ness of the Society. Tire funds of the Society wita;tojoi, :1 perfectly distinct and separate from any other in° li.! in the management and appropriation." , i 0„ w ere!, e Having heard what tire objects of theirloth,'" !' , men f open'.,' , t 0 begged to impress it on the meeting thata his the dice of friend would not, as might be app tee d d have the d i e ppre en di d+ thonte kWh lessening the exertions of the seaman to promote ee . e , e sFcure his exertions in the hour of danger. be permitted r.r17,„,„,, his wife and family, or to c himself from shipr,-00 In e , threatenedwith 'rtsicu , bon le Ther` ! e w ith g ri 'fa such a calamity. As sett-In'•`' e idn" al oe first law of nature, that principle alone would 10 00 poel. te r sustained and encouraged by tion in which human nature could he placed attendenfievee,a o f horrors than that of shipwreck. He spoke from e$ . eefir, m , he once or twice was placed in such peril himself. _ da re v ivo battle and the dangers attending it were arilere t itr nog , t ile I pared to shipwreck. In the field the spi of !° lit y.....bieile I hope of glory--and by the rewards that awaited V...'ogence;?, in the other simatioa the seaman luau to await 1 7 ; n ent ° „i e .. , : • of it.—(Here the-Worthy suspense the effect of the next wave that peal to e° 11 ' 1 '0)1 11 whelm him, without the emallest shadow of hog 00 , one 0 4 without any thing to encourage him. Ile leleta reap! 41 l e to describe the horrors of such a state, but teee.'„ e soolciad is sage from one of th ,* . 1 t -night ill — fora ~,i'i p t ii or greateNtpoCtS t Iti 1 Byron descriptive of a shipwreck, and follow ca •• 11- ee ~ .: appropriate remarks.) a Po • g , an d 8 ' Several Rev. Gentlemen addressed the Meetl n Lone lutions were entered into, and a subscription ad" furtherance of the objects in view. Chairthmeanfereeislindga 01.issillat.!:t°rplill:na , i :, 4 .4