The Sun. — London, England, 1827-01-17 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS :Whatever variances as to minute detail may be foun 1; in the privat e eorrespon d ence to t h e I s t i ns t. which read ed us yesterday.; arid is elsewhere inserted, the ge nes cotrtptexion o f th e i n t e lli ge nce favours a belief that Chave and therother rebels are in full retreat by the road of C( !orico towards the Spanish frontier. And as a movemee. of that nature might have been expected to follow contact between the rebels and the British troops, ha the former been bold enough to wait for such an experi meat, so is it doubly satisfactory to know that the retro grade movements of these traitors in Sp an i s h pay, wen 'produced by the spirit, activity, and loyalty, of their owe Constitutional countrymen, who appear to have beaten them in several petty actions, and to have defeated their whole plan of operations, before a single. British soldier set his foot on the shores of the Tagus. The extent to which corruption had spread itself throughout the Portu guese army, may be judged by the number of officers who •deserted their standards, among the last of whom was the Colonel commanding inter in the fortress o f Al me id a , wh . o deliveredit up to th e re b e l s w i t h out firing shot.— The importance, howevir, of Almeida has been grossly exaggerated in the Quotidienire gild other servile Papers, where they talk of it as Cl 4, of the most valuable fortresses for the def ence o f P ortugal. Almeida was never any thing but a foci.: Of very limit e d di mens i ons , t h e pro p er gar - Jason of which, when its works were perfect, did not ex ceed, if we remember rightly, 1,000 or 1,200 men. The French officer who commanded there during the Penin eular war,e,scaped the necessity of a capitulation to a corps of the iiiuke of Wellington's army, by the desperate ex- Pe"..C . ient of breaking out at night—an enterprise which was conducted with surprising skill and gall a nt r y, an d with complete success, the garrison blowing up the fortifica tions. Almeida has not since been repaired, It now pre sents little more than a post, which forms the point of convergence for the several roads, as well from Lisbon as Oporto, to the north-eastern frontier, and embarrasses the march of an hostile army, for a few hours at least, until the position shall be turned: Opinions differ, as appears from the correspondence ) respecting the precise duty to be undertaken by tk British troops, in their character of allies to Portugal. If it be true, as asserted by some of the writers, that conspiracies were still hatched, and poli tical 'explosion; looked for, at Lisbon itself, so late as when the I :illiforcement from England was lying at anchor in the oay, it seems probable that the protection of the ca:intal would, as the most essential of all services, de ' volve upon Sir William Clinton. Lisbon, on the other hand, being once fully provided for, a line of posts occu pied by British troops towards the frontier, with Elvas for the centre of their movements, would soon, we suspect, quiet any troublesome disposition in the Spanish Court to make furthe r a tt em pt s on th e i n dependenc e o r territory of its neighbour. In the mean time, unless the Camarilla be gen- , altogether crazy, or unless it be conscious of some secret resources and reliances which we do not yet under stand, the real state and prospects of the insurrection which it has instigated, may be judged with more accu racy by the tenour of... Mr. Lamb's despatches, when that gentleman communicates the resolutions of the Spanish Ministry,. than by any information accessible to the public from the side of Lisbon.—Tintes. The hasty manner in which we yesterday published our extracts from the Lisbon Papers, prevented us froni taking a nearer view of the positions and movements of the Por tuguese Apostolicals. We had already, by our previous remarks, prepared our readers for a kind of military cam paign, which commenced from the moment the Marquess de t'haves crossed the Douro in front of Lamego, all his previous operations since his entrance into Tras-os-Montes, and advance to the line of the Tamega, having been little else than desultory attacks for an object in which he was foiled, and, as we several days ago stated, on that account compelled to change his plans. We are not even now, at least from the papers and letters before us, which were not delivered at the Post-office till yesterday, enabled to state more accurately than before, the precise number of the rebels, and the class of_ troops of which the main army cf the Apostolicals is composed ; but it is very clear that the regulars have not much increased since the Silveiras crossed the Spanish frontiers, and as to the Guerillas following in their train, or operating on their flanks, they cannot be taken into account, in a military point of view, unless it is as far as they create confusion ai the open and defenceless towns and villages which they approach, as they are not prepared to fight, their only ob ject being plunder. We have been induced to say the main array of the Apostolicals, not because of its numbers or imposing -attitude, but because it is commanded, such as it is, by their leader, the Marquess de Chaves, who has left behind him a division, or, from its size, we should rather say detachment, operating in his rear, and intended, no doubt, to secure his retreat into the province of Tras-os- Montes, in case of emergency. It is the movements of these two divisions which it is necessary now to trace, in order to understand the present state of the war in Portu gal, which will become perfectly intelligible, when the positions and counter movements of the Constitutionalists are also explained. It is very clear, as we have on seve ral occasions noticed, that the main object of the Marquis de Chaves, in penetrating into the North of Portugal, was to enter the province of Minho and proceed to Oporto, whilst his colleague, Magessi, advanced from the South, in a menacing attitude on Lisbon, eventually intending to form a junction, for the purpose of moving towards the capital. Both, however, found, in the course of their pro gress, that the inhabitants were not so ready to side with their party as they at first expected; and that the lare:e sums of money, which had been confided to agents, scattered over the country, with the view to bribe the soldiery, had not produced the number of partisans on vehose co-operation they relied. Magessi, it will be re- Membered, was early driven back from Alentejo, be yond the Spanish lines, and although he is again stated to have made his appearance, by the accounts of yesterday, at Almeida, we h ave not b een able to discover whether he brought thither the - foiee with which he retreated into Spain. If he has brought back with him any force, we can only-say, that it is an additienal proof of the duplicity and fraud with which the Government of King Ferdinind is'acting; as, in the Circular put forth by M. Salmon, he distinctly asserts, that express and peremptory orders had been given to disarm Magessi and his party, at the same time that We noticed the reception he met with at San Vi centi, after liireturn, by the Military, Civil, and Ecclesi astical Authorities, who refitted him, and accompanied him part of the, way to the Portuguese frontiers. If he has now a force, it is evidently employed as a garrison at Almeida; w hi c h place, we find, contrary to our expecta tions, is in the hands of the rebels, owing, it is added, to the illness of the old Governor, Pego, or rather to the treachery . ofhis subStitute. Almeida, however, which has evidently been a bloodless conquest, and effected, most Prct4a4 l Y, -in French francs, is no other than an isolated point on the Spanish frontiers, without affording any faci lities of access into the interior. It is, besides, no longer in the same state in - which it was in 1762, when it cost Count De Aranda a whole campaign, and by the delay thus occasioned to the Spaniards. saved Portugal, for the remaining part of the wa r ings and countermarches was spent in uncertain wander , , witho ut any n decided or proper object, similar, in snort, t o the co Marquess de Chaves, whil st , in the of the present th e interval, the ef feetive defence of the kingdom sea,. organised, and the people roused from the state of doubt and torpor into which they were sunk. But to return to the military movements. After failing in his two attacks on the bridges of Amarante and Caves, the Ap ostolical Leader changed his plans, and leaving behi n d hi m a division prepared, or r ather, as we have already said, a detachment, h e to cross the Douro, in front of Lamego. B e f ore we ac company the Marquess de Chaves into Beira, where it was not likely, for the moment, lie could meet with any opp n : sition, we will briefly state what happened to the de. tachment left behind, on the eastern bank of the Tamega. From the Lisbon War Office Reports, it appears that this force, commanded by Colonel Cachapuz, and con sisting of 500 , m en , a rmed with Spanish muskets, on the 21st of December, attacked the advanced posts of Co lonel Zagallo, near Ferrel, and the bridge of Miserella, and were completely defeated. The object of this de tachment was evidently to open a road to Braga, by the pass of Salamonde, the only entrance left into the pro vince of Minho, when once the line of the Tamega and left bank of the Douro are covered. This detachment, therefore, and the loose parties of Guerillas co-operating with it, have only the range of the province of Tras-os- Montes, that of Minho, the most important, perhaps, in the kingdom, being completely protected by the Marquis de An geja, whose head-quar_ess were at Braga on the 26th, and General Mello and Colonel Zagallo, who covered the long line of the Tamega. The defence also of Oporto was complete; several corps of volunteers had been organised and were doing duty there, the inhabitants making every possible secrilice, and General Stubbs, the Governor, writes in the highest spirits and confidence. On - the side of Minho, therefore, all is perfectly secure. We will now follow the Marquess de Chaves' movement with the main army. After crossing the Douro in front of Latnego, where that river ceases to be navigable, he entered the city, and immediately occupied himself in forming a Re gency, and doing acts in the character of Regent, of which we will give an outline to-morrow. Finding, however, that he was losing time, and obtaining no reinforcements, he pushed forward to Vizeu, by the open road. This is an episcopal city, situated between the rivers Mondego and Vouga, in the centre of the province of Lower Beira, and famed in Portuguese history. It contains the tomb of Roderic, the last King of the Goths, besides many cu rious remains of Roman antiquity. This movement de notes his wish to make an attempt on Coimbra, having failed on the side of Oporto, provided he could gain strength in the line of his march, and he pushed on his vanguard as far as Tondella. In the mean while, however, the Constitutionalists had anticipated this movement, the more completely, as the Marquess de Chaves had lost time by quietly sitting down at La mego, to perform a few acts of sovereignty. General Claudino, having come down with sixteen hundred men from Amarante, crossed the Douro by the bridge of Oporto, and, according to the last accounts, was left ad vancing along the sea-co a st an d roa d o f eire, towards Aveiro, evidently for the purpose of co-operating in Lower Beira, in front of Coimbra. On this side, General Aze redo, the Governor of the province, had also collected his forces, when finding that the rebels had come on to Vizeu, and pushed their vanguard to Tondella, without waiting for General Claudino, he advanced on the latter place, which, on the 27th (Dec.), he says, " he entered, the vanguard of the rebels having retired, after plundering some !louses in the town." He then adds, that the rebels were withdrawing from Vizeu by the road of Mangualde, but that he intended to march en Vizeu the next morn ing, the rebels being then only five leagues in advance. If the rebels have taken the road of Mangualde, it is very clear that, foiled on the side of Coimbra, although General Azeredo had only a small force, and had not yet been joined by General Claudino, they feel them selves compelled to take a devious route towards Al meida, having on their left flank Count Villa Flor, who was at Guarda on the 25th, whence he announces his march on Celorico, ins the direction of Vizeu. It is, therefore, easily deducible, that the Constitutionalists have not only been active, but that they have proceeded with judgment. The rebels, leaving behind them the chief forces of their antagonists, pursued their march forty or fifty miles into the interior of an open country, where it was evident they could for the moment have an unob structed range, and try the pulse of the inhabitants.— Their position, however, in the centre of Beira, became more dangerous, from the moment -Gen. Claudino was known to be advancing on their right flank, Gen. Azere do in front, and the Marquis de Villa Flor on their left. The several movements of these three officers, tending to the same centre, could not fail to place the leader of the Apostolicals in a critical situation, as he was without a point d'appui, at a distance from his resources, and, besides, exposed in an open country, without cavalry or artillery. Unable to advance on Coimbra, with the Estrella mountains in his front, no other, movement was left him than a retrograde one towards Almeida.— The movements of the Count Villa Flor may be consider ed extremely judicious. It is acknewledged by military men, that the most eligible line of positions that can be taken for the defence of the most important part of Por tugal, is drawn from the Douro along the Sierra de Es trella, commencing at Lamego, and passing through Tran coso and Celorico to Guarda. These are all excellent stations, and if the plan was intended to obstruct the ad vance of a regular army, a denomination which can scarcely be bestowed on that of the Marquess de Chaves, they may be strengthened by field-works. The only line of retreat open to the rebels is towards Almeida, and there consequently they must be closed in as their pur suers advance and concentrate. The rebel party which attempted to impede the entrance of Count de Villa Flor into Guarda, and were beaten, also retreated towards Al meida, and we notice were commanded by a new person age, in the Apostolical Cause, viz. Baron de Molelos.— He is a military man, and created a Viscount in 1823, as a reward for his anti-constitutional principles, although his political tenets, apparently at least, were of a dif ferent stamp. He held, ad interim, the portfolio of the War Department, at the commencement of the Revolution, and when the Junta of Oporto joined that of Lisbon. He was, however, discovered sending private letters, in order to counteract the T -- !blic dispatches he forwarded to General Victoria, the Commander of Beira, at the time he was attempting to counteract the progress of the Revolution, in concert with the late Count de Amarante, the Marquess de Chaves's father. He, however, subsequently held a seat in the Cortes, aithough he was always known as ' an adherent of the Silveira party, and a man of a double cha racter. He is, nevertheless, a prudent and reserved man, and must have had some stronginducements when he entered into the Apostolical cause, at this late hour, and in the stage in which it now is. Of course, we must wait for further advice's before we can form a correct opinion of the future plans of the Marquess de Chaves, and whether his last movement is connected with any aid expected from the Spanish frontiers. The effect of the arrival of British Troops in the Portuguese capital, and the demonstrations made by our Government, can scarcely have been felt at any distance in the interior, when the packet came away. The Lisbon letters we have seen are full of confidence ; and we learn that dispatches, reported to be of a very fa vourable nature, dated the 2d instant, have been received by Government, conveyed on board of the packet when she was under weigh. We further notice, that there have been some movements of Spanish troops on the side of Galicia, but their object does not seem to be known.— Morning Chronicle. The affairs of the Peninsula have, for some time, pre vented the state of South America from attracting that at tention, which it would otherwise have excited. That quarter of the world, after all that it has suffered from a long succ',;ssion of revolutions and changes, seems still to be at a distance from the enjoyment of that internal quiet and permanent repose, which are essential to the progress of industry and wealth. Specks have made their appear ance in its political horizon, which augur future tempests and convulsions. The foolish war, so madly commenced by the Provinces of the Rio de la Plata, against Brazil, has plunged Buenos Ayres into the greatest pecuniary em barrassments. But these embarrassments have not pre vented the Government from making great exertions against the foe. Considerable bodies of troops have been collected, and are now on the frontier of Brazil. Their destination is to invade the provinces of Rio Grande and San Paulo; and if that invasion takes place, the Emperor of Brazil may find himself in a very awkward situation.— In these two Provinces, particularly in San Paulo, a spirit of discontent prevails ; and the adherents of the party, at whose head the Andrades formerly were, are still numerous. The appearance of Republican invaders will call forth insurrection, and Brazil will have to struggle with civil as well as foreign war. Another important fea ture in South American politics is, the refusal of the pro vinces of the Rio de la Plata to acknowledge the new State of Bolivia; a refusal, which may embroil it with its neighbours, but which is entirely consistent with the prin ciples on which it has acted of late. BUenos Ayres claims the Banda Oriental from Brazil, because' that province, having formerly been a pal tof -the Spanish Vice-royalty of La Plata,, ought therefore to be a part of the new re public. Upon the same principle it must next make war upon Paraguay, and must refuse to recognise , Bolivia; for the ancient Vice-royalty comprehended within its limit the whole of Paraguay, and those provinces of Up per Peru, which are now included in Bolivia. It would not be easy to discover any rational ground for the pretension, that the new republic of the Rio de la Plata has a right to whatever belonged to the Spanish Vice-royalty. The pretension, however, is not only advanced, but it is acted upon; and it is most ex cellently adapted to propagate dissension and distrust among the new States of the American continent.— The late proceedings of Bolivar, too, menace the tran quillity of the New World, and tend not a little to justify the worst suspicions which have been entertained with re spect to his projects. The authority of such a man, even if he should not abuse it, or attempt to augment it by execrable means, is accompanied with so many circum stances calculated to inspire distrust, as to render it per nicious to South America. It is an authority which cam not be contemplated as laying a foundation for the peace and tranquillity of those countries to which it extends; on the contrary, it keeps them in a state which will be deem ed transient and temporary. They have still changes to go through, before they attain to a condition of permanent repose; and the apprehension of those changes causes them, in the mean time, to be in a great measure lost to the commerce of the would.—Anew Times. LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF CHANCERY, TUESDAY, JAN. 16. WELLESLEY V. THE DUKE OF BEAUFORT. (Concluded from our paper of yesterday.) The ATTORNEY-GENERAL would now address himself to the facts of that part of the case which related to the continuance of the illicit intercourse between Mrs. Bligh and Mr. Wellesley. He was quite sure that no person in the world, and much less that any lawyer, would contend that simple adultery would incapacitate any man for the guardianship of his children, if he had enbse quently recovered from the commission of such offence, and re traced his steps from vicious paths. .In this view it was, that he (the Attorney-General) thought his Lordship's question respecting the continuance of the adulterous connexion a most proper one. Agreeing, however, as he did, with his Lordship, that the continu ance of the adultery had been fully proved without the subsequent affidavits, yet he was happy that be had those affidavits, because they would prove that that witness was not unworthy of belief. The first of these to which he should call the attention of his Lord ship was that of Mrs. Hodges. This deponent swore that she was employed as house-keeper to Mrs. Bligh, who was then re siding in York-street ; that she was in the habit of convey ing letters to Mr. Griffiths, at No. 1, Baker-street, Portman square; that Mr. Wellesley's groom used to come to York street with letters to Mrs. Bligh, riding upon one horse and leading another, which deponent had seen Mr. Wellesley ride; that Mrs. Bligh was in the habit of using the lowest and most vulgar expressions, expressions which, although they were in the affidavit, he (the Attorney-General) would not disgust the Court by reading, but he must remind the Court, that when Mrs. Scott swore to the fact of her using such expression as "d —d b—h," &c., it was objected that Mts. Scott's assertion could not be cor rect, because no lady could possibly have made use of such lan guage. Here, howeVer, was another witness who corroborated Mrs. Scott's statement, and proved that Mrs. Bligh did use such language. The learned counsel then read the affidavit of Eliza beth Campbell, who deposed to the same effect, and also to having seen Mr. Wellesley in the house, in his dressing-gown and slip pers. The learned counsel then adverted to the affidavits of the Misses Long in answer to that of Mr. Wellesley, in which they stated; that among the papers in their possession, which Mr. Wel leaky stated to be important for his defence, there were none which were at all connected with the subject now before the Court. He then went on to observe, that he thought the fact of the' continuance ofthe adultery preyed to demonstration. And the learned counsel then concluded by praying his Lordship not to give up the children to the-guardianship of Mr. Wellesley. - SnanwaLL-would, first -of-eelli -call the attention of -his Lordship to the affidavit of Mr. Wellesley, which was sworn on - the 2d, and re-sworn on the - 6th of February in the last year. Mr. Wellesley , there deposed, that in cdetseqUence of a letter from his late wife, on the 6th or 7th of the preceding July, he came from Calais, as soon as his health would permit him, to see her, in Clarges-street, &c. In contradiction to this affidavit, Mr. Shad well then read the affidavit (which has been published) of the person at whose house Mrs. 'Bligh and Mr. Wellesley lodged, under feignednames, in which it was stated, that they caine:to her house in June, and continued there until the end of .July. July. The learned counsel said, that upon a comparison of these affi davits, he would ask, whit sort of honour (which had been talked so loudly of) could be supposed to dwell in that man s breast, or what faith could be placed in that man's oath, who could swear as he did about coming to his wife in July, as soon as he saw her letter. Mr. Wellesley here attempted to make some observation. Mr. SHADWELL..--I Will not be interrupted. Mr. HART said, that gr. Wellesley had not sworn in that affidavit that the letter came from hie wife to him. He had merely sworn that he left Calais in consequence of a letter from his wife : he had no where said that he received the letter. The Loan CHANCELLOR read the affidavit. Mr. SuarivrELL here read that parr of the affidavit from his brief, by which it appeared that• Mr. Wellesley had deposed that he (Mr. Wellesley) received the letter. Mr. Shadwell continued. He had been interrupted and contradicted; but he certainly had stated the matter correctly, at least according to his brief, when he said that Mr. Wellesley had deposed, that about the 6th or 7th of July he set out for England, in consequence of a letter received from his wife. He had also to state to his Lordship, that this letter, which was set forth in the affidavits of the Misses Long, would not have been read if Mr. Wellesley had not been sworn that he had always treated his late wife with affection and respect. The Learned Counsel here read the letter which was addressed to Lord Maryborough by the lat. Mrs. Wellesley. It c omplained of the bitter• wrongs and the cruet sufferings which she had received at the hands of her husband ; of his having made her the victim of infamous women, and declaring - that she would not forget the respect due to herself and her family by continuing any longer even the name of a connection with him. This, continued Mr. Shadwell, was the man who treated his wife with respect and affection. Mr. Shadwell then referred to another letter; upon which The Loan CHANCELLOR asked if that was the letter found by Parker, and marked in the affidavit by letter A. Mr. SitAnwxu—Ycl, it is. Mr. HART said it was very easy to say yes, but that it was obtained surreptitiously from Mrs. BHA. Mr. SHADWELL said that the letter was stated to have been left by Mrs. Bligh at Seymour-place, where it was found. It I was a letter from Mr. Wellesley to Mrs. Bligh, and Captain Bligh had allowed them to use the document. Mr. Shadwell here read the letter, which acquainted Mrs. Bligh with his being ill ; that the doctor said, it must either be the disease or the king's evil ; but that he (Mr. Wellesley) would be - if any of his family ever had the latter disease. It concluded by stating, that he had only had twelve dozen (as we understood the number) women since he last saw Mrs. Bligh, but that he should soon make up the 1,003. The Learned Counsel here alluded to the expression in Mrs. Wellesley's letter, of her husband having made her the victim of infamous women, and observed, that it was easy to understand the meaning of it. Mr. Wellesley—Hallo ! Not a bit. No such thing. I beg your Lordship will not allow any such imputation. The Loan CHANCELLOR __l know of no such fact, Mr. Wel lesley; no such fact is in evidence. Mr. SHADWELL repeated th e e xpression, bad a right to reason upon the expressio n , an d believed his, to be the right interpreta tion of it. Mr. HART here rose, and mid that he objected to this letter altogether; bat more especially did he object to the falsification of documents. Much stress has been hid upon Mr. Wellesley having sworn that he came to England in consequence of a letter which he had received from hit wife. The impression upon his (Mr. Hart's):mind certainly was, that Mr. Wellesley had not sworn any such thing. The LORD CHANCELLOR here consulted his copy, and said it appeared that Col. Shaw was stated to have received this letter, and not Mr. Wellesley. Mr. Wellesley.—Ah ! a h ! Th er e it is, you see. The LORD CRAVCRLLOR.-Mr. Wellesley, I will have decency observed. Mr. SHADWELL would now continue, insisting only, first, that it had been proved that the adultery of Mr. Wellecley and Mrs. Bligh was being carried on at a house in Seymour -street ; and calling attention to the affidavit of Dr. Southgate, who swore, that he attended Mr. Wellesley in September, 1824. who was laid up with secondary symptoms of a complaint; that he had a relapse in December, 1825, in consequence of which he (Dr. Southgate) advised him to go to Paris for advice, where he was under a course of mercury, in consequence of his jaw becoming carious. The learned counsel said, that be now came to the important part of the case—the issue of truth which had been solemnly tendered by Mr. Wellesley. In an affidavit sworn by Mr. Wellesley on the 3d of February, 1826, he denies that he (the deponent) is living in open adultery with a 3lrs. Helena Bligh; and in another affidavit, of the 23th of February, 1826, sworn by Mr. Griffiths, he (Mr. Griffiths) deposed, that he had not seen him living in adultery with Mrs. Bligh, and that to the best of his belief he was not. Now, he (Mr. Shadwell) was very well aware, that if one of them were in Paris and the other in London, the adultery could not then be actually going on ; but if it had existed prior' to their separation, and if measures were taken to renew it upon their meeting again, then it was much the same thing as if it were actually going on. The Lott') CHANCELLOR. said, it would be very important if it was proved that it was merely a temporary absence which en abled Mr. Wellesley to make this affidavit. Mr. SHADWELL then referred to several affidavits which have been previously published, all which tended to support the continuance of the criminal intercourse between Mrs. Bligh and Mr. Wellesley. The Learned Counsel also read the affidavits of the servants of Mrs. Wellesley, which deposed to the conduct of Mr. Wellesley„, when he got into the house of his wife in Clarges• street, on the 7th of July. The Learned Counsel thought that there could not be, after reading these affidavits, any doubt as to the existence of the adulterous intercourse at this time; and he must now call the attention of the Court to the affidavit of Mrs. Scott. Mr. Shadwell here read Mrs. Scott's affidavit, which has been published, and speaks to her being engaged by Mr. Turner in February, 1826, t o go t o C a l a i s to fetch Afrs. Bligh's child ; to her subsequent engagement with Sirs. Bligh as housekeeper ; to the conduct of Mrs. Bligh while she (deponent) remained in that capacity ; to her returning home at the hours of two, three, and four O'clock in the morning, to York-street, and to her disguising herself in deponent's clothes. He then read the affidavit of Maria Evans, a servant of Mrs. Bligh's, Who deposed that Mrs. Bligh was not in the habit of using bad language ; that Mrs. Bligh seldom quitted her house at all ; that she never knew her stay out till three o'clock in the morning; that she must have known it if she had so stayed out; that Sirs. Scott did not always sit up for her mistress, but that she (deponent) did so also. The Learned Counsel here commented upon the inconsistency of the deposi tion. The deponent first stated, that her mistress scarcely ever left the house, and then said that Mrs. Scott used not always to sit up for her mistress, for that she (deponent) did sometimes.— The deponent went on to state, that she did not believe that Mrs. Bligh was in the habit of wearing Mrs. Scott's clothes ; she never knew her to do'so except on one occasion, and that was for the purpose of going to the Court of Chancery to hear the Wel lesley cause. Mr. Shadwell then read the affidavit of Sarah Little, another servant of Sirs. Bligh's, who deposed to the same effect, except that she did not believe that her mistress ever wore Sirs. Scott's clothes; and Mr. Shadwell observed, that the first affidavit, that of Maria Evans, supported a part of Mrs. Scott's statement, while Sarah Little contradicted them both. The Learned Counsel went on to read the affidavit of Elizabeth Hodges, previously referred to by the Attorney-General, and which corroborated the whole of Mrs. Scott's statement ; and deposed that from the 29th of June, the time at which deponent entered Mre. Bligh's service, the adulterous intercourse con tinued. The LORD CHANCELLOR asked if there were any contradiction about the brothel bills mentioned in Scott's affidavit? Mr. BEAMES—Yes, my Lord, it is expressly contradicted in Turner's affidavit, by whom she pretends to have been told of it. Mr. SHADWELL said, that Turner had merely said in his affi. davit that, to the best of his belief, he never told her so. The Learned Counsel then recapitulated the various depositions, and contended, that by the evidence of the watchmen and others, the nocturnal rambles of Mrs. Bligh were observed, soon after the 11th of February ; that other evidence showed that she went at such times to meet Mr. Wellesley, and that Hodges' affidavit brought proof not only of the continuance of the criminal con nexion between the parties up to the 29th of June, but that then, and subsequently, Mr. Wellesley•and Mrs. Bligh were sleeping in the same room. Mr. Shadwell concluded by drawing a picture of the state in which these children would be placed if given up to the care of their father, with a debauched woman for their step-mother, a bastard brother or two for their playmates, and utterly excluded from genteel society, few of the members of which, and certainly none of the females of it, would condescend to visit at a house the honours of which were performed by Mrs. Bligh. COURT OF KING'S BENCH, GUILDHALL-JAN. 16. THE XING V. DIXON AND OTHERS. Mr. GURNEY stated the case. The defendant Mr. Dixon was a respectable auctioneer for the sale of horses and carriages in the city. The defendant'Haselden had formerly been in his employ, and also carrying on business as a horse-dealer in Coleman-street; Gray was an aLorney who had rendered himself serviceable to the other defendants, in carrying into effect the offence they were charged with ; and the other defendants were persons moving in humble stations, but who had lent their aid in this transaction, by proving debts against the estate of Haselden which had never been due to them. The prosecutors were Messrs. Tattersall of Gro. Yaor.place. The facts of the case were shortly these :—Hasel den ' 4 - ig become considerably indebted to Messrs. Tattersall and tithe', ', .endants, it was considered that the beat mode of discharg • ing those debts would by his being made a bankrupt, and in order that by that proceeding he should suffer as little inconvenience as possible, it was determined to get a friendly commission . sued The alludedh e lear nteod, andeou counsel out against him, and two of his friends appointed assignees. This was accordingly accomplished, and as the . bona fide creditors the bankrupt, in order to prevent . det l ectio were part of the horses he had could not be quite shut out from an exar.nnin,ataiosnetofofthheoaokffasirs of produced, showing that the princi a pa here lost, enteredha d be been into profit. letter also from Messrs. Tattersall had sold at A aloss ; in the other it was proved b of d t d he ied bOok real accounts kept by Hese:den, showing in the one where he had to Mr. Dixon, relative to his employing Haselden, although he had said he was a great rogue, also read, together with Mr. thatrepresented he had sold he e t a h Dixon's answer; stating, that was he did not think it required a oli a i n at ex a am lo i s n s a , t o io r n man of moral character or honesty to buy a horse, and although Haselden might rob him by getting in his debt, he dared not run away with his money. The learned counsel, after stating that 'p the alenddg ead newhimself exceptiono n e o ft o i ti issued,ther . accuracyDuinxdoen under which w: ide o hf yet the the accountsproved a produced by Haselden, that the commission of bankruptcy had prosecu tors were appointed assignees, and under which none of the de fendants, been li r d.a Dixonna u t s pe r w c e d h i t a h c d d single debt, concluded by expressing his conviction that the result would be a verdict of guilty against the several defendant*. John Charnock, from the Bankrupts' office, produced the com mission of bankrupt issued against Haselden on the 4th of August, 1823. Mr. Smith produced the order of the Lord Chancellor for superseding the said commission on the petition of Messrs. Tattersall. The second commission of bankruptcy awarded against Mad den was then produced. George Yates, clerk to Mr. Imacke, the attorney for the prose cution, having proved the hand-writing of Mr. Dixon and Mr. Grav, as petitioning creditors under the first commission, stated that . he attended one of the meetings of creditors, at which Mr. Dixon and Mr: Marshall acted as assignees. Cross-examined by Mr. Anor,mics.—There was an appeal from the Vice-Chancellor's judgment to the Lord Chancellor. There have been several meetings under the second commission. The last order was made in August 1825, and this indictment was preferred immediately after. Cross-examined by Mr. BROUGHAM-His Honour the Vice- Chancellor made great complaints of the affidavits not being made in time; he thought it a very serious charge, and complained that the respondents should have delayed putting in their affidavits so long. George Wettenhall—l am acquainted with the defendant James Haselden ; he was a horse-dealer in Grub -street before his bank ruptcy, and also in Coleman-street. I met him at the Castle Tavern, in Moorgate, in the year he was made a bankrupt. I had been intimate with him for fire or mix years. He said that he wished to become a bankrupt, as he could not pay every one their own, and wider these circumstances he should pay no one : he wished to have a friendly docket struck against him. Mr. Gwennett was present at dinner at this time; he spoke of some hills, which should be drawn by Gwennett, that should be placed in the hands of another person, and might be proved under the commission. This must have been about the commencement of July. There were several meetings at the Castle, and at the next Meeting he spoke of a bill to be paid into the hands of Captain Bailey. We had a meeting in Epping -forest. Haselden, Mrs. Ruthven, myself and wife, Gwennett, and Gray, were present at the time. Haselden said, if he could make Mr. Dixon write, he could get him to strike the docket. There was nothing said about bills till we returned to town. When the bills were drawn at the Castle Tavern, Gwennett, Haselden, and I, were present. (The wit ness here identified three bills of exchange, one for 200/., and two for 90/. each, accepted by Haselden.) Before the commission issued, I heard Haselden say he had plenty of money; and at that time he had plenty of horses, both in Coleman -street and Grub-street. I never saw Mr. Dixon on this subject before the issuing of the com mission. Haselden and myself, and I think Gwennet, had. a meeting at the Castle in August, before the issuing of the com mission. Haselden said lie had made i►lr. Dixon all right, but net without tipping. I heard afterwards that the commission of bankruptcy had issued. On the first meeting at Guildhall there was a meeting at the Two Brewers public-house. I was there, with Gwennett, Haselden, John Henry Nairne, Oddy, Gray, and several others. The papers were made out there by Gray. It was arranged by Mr. Gray and us that we should prove under the commission. A bill was drawn then in the room by Nairne. Sealy had introduced Nairne as a person who could be relied on; he was to prove respecting a horse which) it should appear Haselden had purchased of him. I fetched the stamp for the bill myself: it was given to Nairne, after it was dirtied, and made to have the apr. , •:rance of an old bill that had been due. A proof paper was then made out, and we went to gether to Guildhall. Nairne proved before the commissioners.-- I saw him prove and sign the deposition. (The deposition was was here produced, alleging that the debt was for 46/. 165., for a horse, chaise, and harness, sold to the bankrupt.) ()tidy also went to prove under the com mission; he was the bankrupt's foreman. I saw Mill wood and Sealy prove also. Ilaselden said he lodged with Millwood at the cottage, and he was to prove for rent. I beard Sealy tell llaselden he owned him 24/. ; and Haselden " Yon must take this bill for 1401., otherwise I shall not have enough in number and value." I think I saw Sealy and Mill wood sign their depositions. I proved myself, unfortunately, to the amount of 87/. ss. Haselden owed me that money. I was responsible for him for double that amount at that time, and he now owes ins a great deal mbre. On one occasion, when I went up Dixon's yard to see Haselden, I saw Dixon, who said to Ha selden, that if he could not bring him through his bankruptcy, he (Haselden) should go into the rules of the Fleet, and he would" take stables for him in the New-Inn-Yard, in the Old Bailey, and would furnish him with horses, and the creditors should never have a shilling. Thomas Griffiths here produced several notices served on the defendants to produce the papers alluded to ; and the last exa mination of the bankrupt was then read, from which it appeared that 1/. ss. 6d. and a silver watch, together with his books, bad been produced by him as the residue of his property, and were returned to him. Examinationcontinued.--W e dined at the Three Cups on that day, and Rase'den paid for the dinner. I heard him say, that on the day he was examined, Mrs. Ruthven had money concealed in her stays. I dined also at Millwood's house, where Haselden lodged. There were present Gwennett, Bailey, Marshall, Oddy► and Gray. We conversed generally on the business, and after Gray had got intoxicated, he told Heselden that it was in hie power to put it either one way or the other; and if he did not behave himself, he would get into the wrong box. I signed Haselden's certificate. It was signed by Dixon, Allen, Nairn., and Oddy. Francis John Gwennett—ln 1823 I was introduced to Hasel den, the bankrupt, by George Wettenhall, at the bankrupt's stables in Coleman-street; I afterwards saw Haselden several times, and met him at the Castle in Moorgate. I was asked by George Wettenhall to accept a bill of 901. odd, for his accommo dation. Some time after I had accepted that bill, Wettenhall informed me that Haselden was about to be made a bankrupt. It was proposed that Haselden should accept bills which should be proved under the commission ; the bills were subsequently and acc e pt e d b y t h e b ankrupt. (The witness here identifieddan the bills.) Th ese bill s were afterwards put into Bailey ' s hands me, after r the commission was issued. I believe those bills were proved under the commission ; there was no consideration passed between me and Bailey when the bills were handed over to him. I dined at Haselden 's cottage with Bailey after the first meeting ; Gray, Oddy, and Wettenhall were also there. After dinner some words arose ; Gray had taken some liberties with one of the females present. Haselden remonstrated with him, when Gray said, " Be civil, Sir, for I have it in my power either to bring you through your business, or ruin issued. you." I on l y k new H ase ld e n by report before the commission I know Richard Dixon ; and I bought Haselden's break, which Was put up for sale at Mr. Dixon's. I have . heard Dixon say to Wet ,- tenhall and Haselden, " Never m i nd ; I will put you np in business." On his cross-examination by Mr. BROUGHAM, he stated that he did not recollect that Captain Bailey, when it was proposed to him that he should prove under Haselden's commission, made any objection on the ground that Haselden owed him nothing. He debts,o s d o hi ss m iw t t o give a memorandum would not swear that he might not ha ve sa id th a t it wou ld b e ne necessary to work on Bailey's feelings to i n d uce hi m to prove. He never suggested a mode to Bail e y, by which he might prove on these bills and . en dm v u er his t() be conscience. accountable he might have suggested this mode to Bailey. y Benjamin Sealy, examined by Mr. GURNET—Was a horse- B a ft e r these rpro posed dealer in 1823, at the Leaping Bar, in 0 1d-street; had attended two meetings under Haselden's commissio n , a t the Two Brewers. At the first meeting, Haselden, Wett en h a ll , Odd y, M ars h a ll, Alillwood, Gwenn e tt, B a il ey, an d several others , were present. The conversati on re l ated to Haselden ' s bankruptcy. They all p all met there to arrange the proof of debts. Gray did no thing in witness's presence. Witness proved a debt; he gave no instructions to Gray or any one else, to prepare his deposition. A paper was here shown to witness, which he said was the deposi tion on which he proved a debt under Haselden's commission. It stated that the debt due to him from Haselden amounted to 1731. l2s. 6d. for horses sold, Rze., for which debt he held no security whatsoever, except a bill of exchange for the like sum, drawn by Haselden on Rawlins. In reality, Haselden was not indebted to witness at that time in this sum, but he had such bill drawn by Haselden on Rawlins. It was given to him the morning ke went to prove the debt. Samuel Bailey examined by Mr. DENMAx.—Had proved cer tain bills under Haselden's commission at the request of Gwen nett, who had delivered them to him a few days before they be came due. Richard Oddy had been foreman to Hazelden, and proved s debt pf 50/. under his commission ; he had been present at . two meetings at the Two Brewers in August. 1823, - and had met Bai ley, Gwennett, Millwood, Marshall, Sealy, Haselden, and Gray' there. He had voted at a choice of assignees for Dixon and Mar shall ; the latter did not interfere ; Dixon was the acting assignee. —(A paper was here shown to witness, which was an account eff the sale of Haselden's effects, and which witness stated to be in Dixon's handwriting. In this paper Haselden's corn was st a ted to have been sold to Oddy.) David Pennington knew Marshall, when he was living, as clerk with Robinson, dbout five years ago. After he left Robin son, he had no employment ; heard Haselden say to Dixon that he could not go into the country until he got his affairs arranged; on which Dixon replied to him, "Never mind, we will set that right for you." Richard Tattersall was in partnership with his brother, Edmund Tattersall.. They were sellers of horses by auction. In May and June preceding Haselden's bankruptcy, he had bought horses of them to above 400/. Witness had examined the bankrupt's books, and found several false entries in them respecting horses which Haselden had bought of witness. Dixon bad represented them books to be correct, saying that he himself had examined them: Mr. Sergeant Wane then addressed the jury at sortie length for Dixon, and observed that no credit could be given to witnesses, who, in the same breath that they give their testimony, ae.know ledged themselves to have been guilty of perjury on a 'former occasion ; besides, it had not been shown that Dixon had attended any of these meetings, or that he had` had any communications, with the other defendants ; and he should bring forward a number of most respectable witnesses to speak to Dixon's character. Mr. AnoLruns addressed the jury for Gray and Haselden, and Mr. BaciuGuasi for Marshall, Millwood, and Nairne. Both these learned gentlemen contended that the witnesses on the part of the prosecution were totally unworthy of credit. Above 20 witnesses were then called, who gave Dixon a most excellent character. Mr. GUAM then replied, and observed that he should not press for a verdict against Millwood, because he did not think the evidence su ffi ciently strong against him ; but his opinion as to the guilt of the other defendants still remained unehanged. The LORD Cutzr JosTica then recapitulated the, evidenso, ob serving that the Cash which had been made out against Dixon and Gray did not appear to be so strong as that which had been made out against the other defendants. The Jury then retired, and at half past mu this morning brought in a verdict of Guilty against all the defendants exeept. Dixon aid Millwood whom they. acquitted. BIRTH. On the 14th inst., at York-terrace, Regent's Park, the lady of H. Suard, Esq. of a eon. • MARRIED. On the 13th inst., at 'Winchester, G. D. T. Tretman, Esq. of Siston Court, Gloucester, to Elizabeth Anne, only daughter of T. Deane, Esq. of the former place. DIED. On the 14th init., at Carlisle, Wm. Pitt, Eaq. in the 78d year of hia age. On the 18th inst., in Gray's Inn, Thomas Whittard, Eaq. solicitor, aged 69. Printed and Published by M. YOUNG, at t4a4s !hs:4-Orztots, No. Ills, SIMAND.