The Sun. — London, England, 1822-12-31 00:00:00

TILE LONDON JOURNAV,. LXTRACTS FROM THE DAI LY MOWAING PAPE R S December 31, I§:t2. THE' The inferences drawn from the instruction to the French Minister at Madrid, which we will allow is cautiously enliressed, are not at present quite so uniform a might have been expected : a little reflection wilt bring all reasonable people more into one mind. First, it will be observed that M. de Montmorency was the advocate of war, and M.de Villele of peace, with the'Spanish Government : it therefore undeniably follows, that the production of the latter will at least be more pacific than that of the former ; unless people are disposed to draw an hostile declaration from the pen of one who is opposed to war. And what, we ask, under such circumstances, could be Pxpec ted from M. de Villele ? That he should declare that France would in .no case attack Spain ? By no means. He is obliged to hint, in guarded and obscure terms, that there may be a conduct pursued by the Spaniards which will oblige the French Government to invade the Peninsula, but that in the mean time all the mea sures adopted by France are of a defensive nature': this, as we observed yesterday, is the general tenour of the docuMent. It begins, first, by describing the troubles in Spain, and what does ' it infer from thence ? That France is to interpose, and endeavour to put a stop to them ? Nn ; but that she is simply to protect (or shelter) herself from those disorders—(se mellre a l'abri)-L-a mea sure to which no one can object. The prospec tive object also of her present•armament is spe cifically defined by its past services : it has pre vented the . Violation of the French territory by the entrance of armed bands.' " The events," it is said, " which have taken place since the es " tablishment of the Army of Observation at the "-foot of the Pyrennees, have justified the fore- " sight of the Kin g of France:' That there are also menacing passages in the paper, is equally 4ndeniable. The're is alWays, however, the re corded peace-maker if coupled to them. [MORNING POST.] It is evident from the 'anger of the French Ultras, that they give to the very equivocal, or, at least, conditional .Declaration of the French 'government, an interpretation wholly pacific. They would not otherwise charge M. de Villele with. having detaChed his country from the Holy Alliance. Their hopes of war scarcely find any encouragement in those parts of the Dispatch which appear so hostile to those who justly think that a nation sacrifices her independence if she suffers her neighbours to interfere in her do niestic concerns, But though defeated in the Cabinet, they evidently prepare for a serious struggle in another place ; and confident in the strength which they have derived from the late, elections, anticipate a triumph over the Ministers' as soon as the-Chamber of Deputies shall have opened its sittings._ In this, howevor, it is most likely that they will he disappointed, even with out any fresh appeal to the sense of the people. The Liberals .have chosen to regard M. De Vil leie!s Declaration as decisive in,favour of peace. They already give him the praises of their Jour nals,• and will not deny him the support of their votes in the Chamber. Insignificant as they may appear when dividing against the eentre and Right of the Chamber, they are suf ficiently:numerous to insure the victory to either Party with whom thermay be pleased to unite. [MORNING CHRONICLE.] The Journal des Debuts, supposed to be the organ of 1 - 1. tie Villele, inserts, without comment tht documents we yesterday extracted from the Montteur. The other papers, however, make amends by their observations for his silence.' It - would -appear that the communication to the -Spanish Government had. been variously inter preted at Paris. The Constilutionnel justly oh- serves, ",That to every man of good faith, the letter, or rather the instruction's, addressed by M. de Villele to the French Ambas sador, are diametrically opposed to those which must be re mired by the Ministers of Peeersburgh, Vienna, and Berlin, to the Spanish Cabinet; in such circumstances, to separate on points so essential is a complete. schism. it is in fact a gene rally accredited report, that .the three absolute. Governments demand, or rather exact, from the Spanish Cortes positive ebanges in the system which prevails in the Peninsula, while the letter of the Minister, ad interim, of Foreign Affairs con fines itsel(to the expression of desires which are not specified, and which; from their being expressed in a vague manner; can not be deemed menating,.or calculated' to produce a decisive rupture." This is certainly the true manner in which the doCiimeritou,ght to be viewed. After the steps which France had taken, it would have been passing a .severe sentence on its Government to speak in any otherternis than those of disap probation of the system of Spain ; and this could not surely be expected from any Administra tion not purely Liberal. If the document had made. its .appearance without any accompanying change in, the Cabinet, there might have been some pretext for givingan unfavourable construc tion to the vague expressions ; but after the recent change any vagneness of expression ought surely in - receive in interpretation in accordance With the senLiments of the triumphant Minister.—We understand fourteen days is the period allowed to Spain by the thiee despotic Governments, for deliberation on their - joint propositions, after the eXpiration of :which, 41thout compliance, they are to leave the country iminediately. . [xoitNlso; nEnal.6.] The official t cts in the Herald of rester , froM the 4wilteur, which reaChted us, by eXim'esS, late ihepreeeding night, have fully con firmed the pacific intelligence to which we had preViorisly adieited. Even the history of the tratigactionos we Collect it fr6ni the Paris Journals, ,appears to have been substantially dat which we stated yesteeday. If there be any addition to be made, it is • that M. de Viilele and M. de Montmorency were not the only antagonists 'engaged in this struggle fdr' the ascendancy in the French Councils—but that the English and Russian Ambassadors were no less deeply engaged and interested be hind the scenes. The disappointment of M. Pozzo di Borgo is said to have vented itself in a violent fume, in spite of the controul which the inhabitants of the south can in general exercise over their emotions a/. well as their designs. He is a Corsican. It is worth remarking, that this semi-barbatous and self-conceited Empire of Russia is obliged to recruit from France, Corsica, and the Isles of Greece, persons to carry on its relations with the civilized States of Europe. [BRITISH PRESS.] Lofty and noble indeed is the contrast sup plied by Mr. Canning in 1822, to the intemperate precipitancy of Lord Grenville in 1792. Mr. Canning has dune no more than his strict and sacred duty, but where the temptations to failure are so powerful, and have been so disastrously successful in former instances, to have done one's duty is ground of gratitude and rejoicing. The nil _ serable evasions and contemptible pretences of the Journals, French and English, who wanted either discernment to know, or honesty to avow the pacific course of affairs, and who now would fain conceal their disgrace by quibbling inferences from M. Villele's ultra diplomatic note, we hold to be utterly unworthy of notice. To have driven the insolent swaggerer from the field, must always be sufficient for him who is con scious of strength and victory. He scorns to chase the fugitive into his lurking places, and to expose the falsehoods by which he raises his own reputation among his ignorant and credulous friends. [NEW TI M ES.] The Note drawn up by M. de Villele to be sent to Al. Lagarde, at Madrid, has given little satisfaction to the Republican party at Paris. They say " it - leaves too much to the hopes of the partizans of war." In fact, it could not do otherwise. It could not possibly hold out to the Spanish Jacobins that they should be at liberty to overturn their own• Monarchy, to plunder their Church, to degrade their Nobility, and to desolate their 'country so long as they liked, provided that they did not injure France; because they could not do all this without injuring France : and the only question was and is, whether France should interfere forcibly, or should await the chance of a better state of things arising in Spain ? It would be madness in the French Monarchy to place itself in opposition to all the legitimate Monar chies on the Continent, for the purpose of sup porting a democratical Revolution in Spain; but it may be prudence to proceed more cautiously in opposing the progress of that Revolution than some other States may wish. On this point we offer no opinion. We have repeatedly expressed our wish that a moderate party might arise i❑ Spain, capable of giving their country a wise and well balanced Government. If this can be done without foreign interference, so much the better ; but. at all events, in the name of Christianity, in the name of humanity, we deprecate the predomi nance of a faction which could sanction the atro cious Proclamation of Mina, and the horrid mur ders by which it was followed up. A Govern ment which can tolerate one of its Generals in massacreing one hundred and eighteen of his pri soners, in cold blood, within three days, is a dis grace to the age in which it exists, and cannot and will not long be tolerated in Christian Europe. HOUSEHOLD SERVANTS. Servants in the sixteenth century were held in a greater degree of subjection than they are in the present ; as wilt appear by the following very curious list of penalties kept, by the ancestors of an English Baronet, 1565-6, for the purpose of regulating the respective duties of the household servants:— That no servant be absent from prayer, at morning or even ing without a lawful excuse, to be alleged w ithi n one day after, upon pain to forfeit for every time 2d. That none swear any oath, upon pain for every one Id. That no man leave any door open that he findeth shut, with out there be cause, upon pain for every time id. That none of the men he in bed from our Lady-day to Mi chaelmas, after 6 of the clock in the morning; nor out, of his bed after 19 of the clock at night ; nor from Michaelmas till our Lady-day, in bed after 7 in the morning, nor out after 9 at night, without reasonable cause, on pain of 2d. 'That no man's bed be unmade, nor fire or candle box un clean, after 8 of the clock in the morning, on pain of Id. That no man commit any nuisance within either of the courts, upon pain, every time it shall be proved, hi. That no man teach any of the children an unhonest speech, on pain of 4d. That no man wait at the table without a trencher in hit hand, except it be upon sonic good cause, on pain of ld. • That no man appointed to wait at my table be absent at meal, without reasonable cause, on pain of hl. If any man break a glass, he shall answer the price thereof out of his wages ; and if it be not known who broke it, the butler shall pay for it, on pain of 12d. The table must be covered half an hour before 11 at dinner, and 6 at supper, or before, on pain of 2d. That meat be ready at 11, or before, at dinner, and 6, or be fore, at supper, on pain of bd. That none be absent without leave or good cause, the whole day, or any part of it, on pain of 4d. That no man strike his fellow on pain of loss of service; nor revile or threaten, or provoke one another to strike, on pain of 12d. That no man come to the kitchen without reasonable cause, on pain of Id. and the cook likewise to forfeit ld. That none toy with the maids, on pain of 4d. • That no man wear foul shirt on Sunday, nor broken hose or shoes, or doublet without buttons, on pain of Id. That when any stranger go7th hence, the chamber be dressed up again within 6 hours after, on pain of Id. g - That the hall be made clean every day, by 8 in the winter, and 7in the summer; on pain of him that should do it Id. That the court-gate be shut each meal, and not opened dur ing dinner and supper, without just cause, on pain the porter to forfeit for every time Id. That all stairs in the house, and other rooms that need shall require, be made clean on Friday after dinner, on pain of for feiture of every one whom it shall belong unto 3d. All which sums shall be duly paid each quarter-day out of their wages, and betowed on the poor. THE FROST.-The frost appears to be increas ing in severity. Till Saturday, the lowest degree to which the mercury has descended in a FA RENHEIT'S thermometer, in the Strand, at eight o'clock in the morning, was' 29. Sunday, as well as the day before, it was 25 ; and yesterday morning, at the same hour, it was 23. A Montrose vessel from Ireland passed through the Caledonian Canal, last week, thereby avoid ing the dangerous passage of the Pentland 'Frith. Several counterfeit sovereigns have been at tempted to be passed lately. They are easily distinguishable by their lightness and ring, though tolerably• well executed. TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LIVERPOOL CONCENTRIC SOCIETY. [Abridged from the Liverpool Mercury.j On Monday (23d inst.) the tenth anniversary dinner of this Society took place at the Castle-Inn, Clayton square. The Rev. Wm. Shepherd presided with the ability, humour, and amenity of manners for which he is so highly distinguished. The dinner and wines gave general satisfac tion. The following are amongst the toasts which were given from the Chair, with appropriate and introductory remarks, which added greatly to their effect : " The King, and may his memory be refreshed with regard to the principles which seated his family on the throne." " The Constitution, the whole Constitution, and nothing but the Constitution." " The Memory of the late Queen Caroline"—(drank in solemn silence.) " The People, the only source of legitimate power." " Mr. Hume." " Mr. Brougham." " The Chairman of the Society, the Rev. W. Shepherd." " Dr. Parr." ' Mr. SHEPHERD, on his health being given by the Vice- Chairman, said Mr. Vice-President and Gentlemen, for the honour which ; , u have just conferred on me, I beg you to accept the returr of my warmest and most cordial thanks. Permit me also t express the particular pleasure which I feel in meeting you on the present occasion. You may, perhaps, remember n- ,r dictating, from the couch of sickness, a pastoral letter to you, in which I commented upon certain political doctrines which had, a little time before, been promulgated by that Hon. Gentleman, the Member for the venal and rotten borough of Woodstock. Upon the proceedings of that indi vidual, gentlemen, it behoves us to keep a vigilant eye, espe cially since he has had the assurance to declare that he aspires to the representation of the borough of Liverpool. lam sure, gentlemen, that you will agree with me in opinion, that should he attain this end, the town of Liverpool will be eternally dis graced. Born in a country which knows nothing of political freedom ; which never participates in what Mr. Canning has elegantly called 4 the wholesome agitation of a contested elec tion,' his bosom is a stranger to those generous sentiments which spring up in the bosom which is warmed with the love of liberty. In his parliamentary career he has uniformly evinced himself the obedient humble servant to the Minister. He has set his face most pertinaciously against every proposal for retrenchment. He has constantly voted in support of every kind of extravagance. Of course fie is the inveterate enemy of the cause of reform. In his hostility to that cause he is tortuous and insidious: He is never abashed ; he never ac knowledges a defeat ; and for what he may want in talent he makes up by perseverance. 4 Destroy his web of sophistry—in vain ; " The creature's at his dirty work again." But, Gentlemen, this star of dim and malit,enant aspect has, lately, in our hemisphere, been lost in the blaze of a more brilliant luminary Mr. Canning, has, a little time ago, visit ed Liverpool, for the p ur p ose o f taking leave of his friends, previously to the execution of that sentence of transportation which had been passed upon him by his Sovereign. And here, gentlemen, let us pause for a few moments, to reflect upon the political history of this splendid political adventurer.— Gentlemen, the orators of ancient Rome, in asserting the claims of their respective clients to stations of high military command, amongst other topics; were wont to dwell upon their fortune. 'And, gentlemen; most assuredly, Mr. Can ning may be pronounced to be fortune Alba. Entering upon public life with n o advantages of birth, and utterly desti tute of property, he seems, to a common observer ' to have risen to the highest offices of th e St a t e by di nt of excellent talents, nurtured by the sound education of an English gentle man. But, upon a more near inspection, I believe that it will be found Mr. Canning is indebted for his advancement, riot merely to his talents and his acquirements, but still more to his little scrupulosity, and to his extraordinary good luck.— Gentlemen, the little scrupulosity of Mr. Canning is evinced by his early and decid e d d ere li c ti on o f t h e liberal principles which he entertained in early yo u th, to be come , i n our political sys tem, the obsequious satellite of Mr. Pitt. It was, in after time, further evinced by his low intrigue against his colleague Lord Cas+l , -:eagh, whose dismiss a l he for wee k s carr i e d i n hi s whilst he was daily meeting him at the Council Board, :!• confidential and apparently friendly consultation upon the interests of his country, of Europe, and of the world at large. It was still more scandalously manifested, when, wearied of being olit of office, be stooped to ? accept a subor dinate situation, the situation of a jobbing ambassador to the man in the moon, under the orders of the very individual whom he had posted and condemned as an imbecile and in capable Minister. Such was the conduct of the man who lately boasted in this town that he had never retired /win or accept ed office, but upon principles of honour. Gentlemen, what high tone of feeling did Mr. Canning evince in the case of our much lamented Queen ? Why, at the time when the utmost energies of every man in the kingdom were roused into exertion on the one side or on the other of that great question, he meanly slunk from the arena. He retired to France, and left " the life, grace, and ornament of society" to be worried to death by her unrelenting persecutors. His reluctance to accept this office, Mr. Canning acknowledged in the speech which is called after his name ; and, as to the reason which he assigned for accepting it—namely, obedience to the commands of his Sovereign—be lieve , me, Gentlemen, it is mere verbiage ; for it is a matter of public notoriety, that, instead of sending him to India, his Most Gracious Majesty would have been extremely happy to send him to Botany Bay. Finally, Gentlemen, of the facility with which Mr. Canning can shape his principles to circumstances, we have a notable proof in his throwing overboard the Catho lic cause. He well knows, that the Catl - ilics of Ireland will be contented with nothing short of a grand and comprehen sive scheme, which may admit them to the full benefits of the Constitution. Of the policy of granting their claims in this respect, Mr. Canning has hitherto been the advocate : but, from his late speech at the Lyceum, we are given to understand that he is its advocate no longer. I may mention, as an in stance of the singular good luck of Mr. Canning, his narrow escape from sharing in the shipwreck of Lord Grey's adminis tration, for his admission into which, negotiations were fast maturing at the very time when Lord Grey was suddenly driven from office. Nor was lie less fortunate in escaping the mortal aim of Lord Castlereagh. But the crowing instance of his good fortune is the circumstance of that wretched man's raising his desperate hand against his own life, whereby he opened a way for the accession of his rival to power. On that event, Gentle men, it was amusing to watch the mananivres of Mr. Canning. —On the demise of his Lordship, Mr. Canning seems to have looked upon the ocean with an absolute hydrophobia. He went from place to place, putting in motion all the strings and wires of intrigue. He came to Liverpool ' • and, in a speech at the Lyceum, he as barefaced) y advertised for office, as any butler or cook ever advertised for a situation. How lie lingered in leave-taking ! like the thief, whose demeanour under the gallows -tree is described by Mat Prior, lie "Now, fitted the halter —now, traversed the cart ; " And often took leave, but was loth to depart." In his Lyceum speech, he directed against the cause of reform all the small shot of his wit, and all the artillery of his argu ment. But I may be permitted to speak of so great a man, in my humble opinion his wit. was extremely heavy and his ar gument very light. It has been asserted in th e douse of Com iiions and asserted without contradiction, by one who was inti mately acquainted with the present system, that "that traffic in seats in Parliament is as notorious as the sun at noon-day." And, Gentlemen, does not the Parliament of England con stantly legislate upon public notoriety ? When the House of Commons entertained a Bill for restraining the facility of hold ing public meetings, was evidence heard at its bar to prove that Dr. Watson had mustered his thousands, and Mr. Hunt his tens of - -thousands ? No ; the House of Commons legislat ed upon the notoriety of th fact. When a Bill was brought in to impose further shackles upon the freedom of the press, was testimony offered that Mr. Hone had published this parody, or Benbow that caricature? No; notoriety was again the ground oflegislation. Let Mr. Canning, then, bring his prin ciples into full practice. Let him assist, with his eloquence and his influence, in putting down boroughs, notoriously as venal as Grampound, and he will go far to satisfy the zealous friends of Reform. We will hail him as a friend and a brother. We will admit him as a member of the Concentric Society. But if he de cline to do this, he will prove that his professions arc words, and nothing else. Gentlemen, in his arguments against Reform, Mr. Canning waged war, and not against us alone, but against Blackstone, De Lolme, and all the text writers upon the constitu tion. He denied the notion that this constitution is a system of checks and balances. • He spoke with derision of the Veto of the Crown, and of the right of the Commons to stop the sup plies. He went so far as to maintain that a House of Com mons, fairly chosen by the people, would be inconsistent with the existence of the monarchy. What did Mr. Canning mean by this position ? Did he mean to say that a House of Com mons of this description would cripple the Executive in plans and designs likely to he productive of the public good ? I deny this position ; and in support of my denial, I appeal to the United States of North America. There you find a Legislative body, chosen by almost universal suffrage ; and an Executive which does not possess a tithe —no, not a hundredth part of the natural and necessary influence of the Crown of Great Britain ; and yet that Executive has been strong enough, as we know to our cost, to repel foreign aggression. It has maintained against this country two wars, the first of which terminated in wresting 13 colonies from the Sovereign of Britain ; and of the, issue of the second of which we have no reason to be proud. So much for foreign aggression ; and I have yet to learn, Gentlemen, that the Eiecutive of North America is too feeble to enforce the adminstration of the laws, 'or to maintain public. tranquillity at home. But does Mr. Canning mean that a House of Commons such as we wish for, would thwart the personal views and wishes of the Monarch ? Truly this position comes with an ill grace from Mr. Canning, who, backed not by the nation at large, nor by the body of the aristocracy but by a mere junto, has, contrary to the personal wishes of his Majesty, been lately introduced into the Cabinet. Gentle men, in asserting that a House of Commons fairly chosen is inconsistent with the existence of the Monarchy, Mr. Canning has libelled the Crown, or the people, or both.— He has virtually asserted, either that the Sovereign is likely to wish for what is incompatible with the public good, or that the genuine representatives of the people are likely to be so stupid and ignorant as to be insensible of what will tend to the national welfare. Between the horns of this dilemma he has fixed himself; and with all his wriggling, and with all his harlequin tricks, I defy him to escape from the position which he has unwittingly occupied. But, Gentlemen, the sophistry of Mr. Canning cannot arrest the great march of public events. The cause of reform has been deserted by many of its leaders : —lt was deserted by Mr. Pitt,—it was deserted by Mr. Burke. But there is one leader who will never desert it, till he has ac complished the good work which we wish to see perfected—and that leader, Gentlemen, is the debt. This leader h as an ac ti ve coadjutor, known by th e name of the dead-weight. Under the influence of these leaders, recruits are added to the ranks of re form, not as the old song says, "by ones, by twos, and by threes," but by whole masses. Some years ago, the great body of the manufacturing . population of the country, who, in for mer times, were instigated to acts of violence against the partizans of reform, have become its most active advocates.— Of late, the yeomanry of the land have been actuated by the same spirit ; and even the slumbering squire-archy seem to be roused to a sense of the necessity of an amelioration in the com position of the House of Commons. Under the auspices of Mr. Fawkes, whose public virtues and whose talents lately wrung an eulogium from Mr. Canning himself, the County of York is in motion in support of our cause. Other counties, I under stand, are likely to follow this great example ; and 1 trust that a cry for Reform will be raised from one extremity of the land to the other, and that it will not cease to be raised, till, by its legitimate organ in St. Stephen's chapel, it shall speak in the attempered tone of harmonious discussion upon the great inte rests of the realm. When the health of Colonel WILLIAMS was given, that Gentleman rose and spoke nearly as follows :—" Gentlemen, I thank you for this expression of your good will, with which I am the more gratified upon reflecting, that at the moment of the celebration of the Tenth Anniversary of this Institution, I can at least claim the merit of being a steady ad herent of it, and through perilous times, in which we have kept together in our chivalry, I have never hesitated in the choice of those colours in which our enemies deserved to be represented. When the work is achieved, to forward which our body was form ed, we perhaps need not lament the paucity of our present num bers ;we may say with the hero of Agincourt, Thp fewer men the greater share of honour :' my portion of that honour, there fore, I shall not readily disclaim. Gentlemen, at the self-elect ed Congress we have heard a great deal of the monarchical prin ciple, and the necessity of upholdi ng it. Wh at t hi s pr i nc i p l e i s, they have not condescended to define. In the language of Mr. Canning, I would call it, " the spirit there is now adverse to all rational freedom ;" and if we may judge from its practical ef fects, we need not regret that so much anxiety seems now to be excited forits safety ; for, of all things, this anxiety is the best indication of its danger. And what lamentation can this danger create in the minds of men who are friends to their kind, and who are advocates for " peace on earth and good will to wards man ?" Is this monarchical principle to be found in the conduct of Ferdinand of Naples, and him of Spain, who have both violated their oaths to their people ? Or is it to be found in Francis of Austria, who borrowed our money with the most solemn guarantees of payment within a certain time, and whose princely promises have never been fulfilled, even to the payment of one shilling of the interest of the money ? Is it in such conduct that we are to look for the monarchical principle ? In one or in all of those rulers, who made such unqualified promises of freedom to their - respective people in the hour when their aid was essential to the support of their thrones, and who took care to forget th e i r promises when their throne no longer needed that sup port ? I speak now of the principle as it is asserted by the heads of Governments abroad ;—happily we know no thing of monarchy with ourselves the word itself is totally inapplicable to the powers. with which the people of this country have invested their Chief Magistrate : I trust, therefore, we shall never be called upon to speak out on such an assumption of principle; and certainly the best way of prevent ing this is to suffer not the slightest inroad of authority on the part of the Crown, without remonstrance : and in this spirit, Gentlemen, I will not hesitate to say that we have a just right to complain, when we see an unnecessary increase of palaces and royal establishments, whilst cottages and their tenantry are fast hastening into decay." On the health of Mr. John Wood being drunk, with much applause, Mr. OTTIWELL WOOD rose to return thanks in behalf of his'son, and to express the gratification he himself felt on per ceiving that the principles and conduct of one se) nearly related to him were approved by so respectable a meeting as was then assembled. Mr. Wood then observed, that as, to the nian ner in which elections at York were conducted he knew little or nothing; but this he knew, that the representatives always voted in the House in favour of the liberties of the people, whilst those for Liverpool generally did otherwise ; and after expressing the satisfaction he felt in witnessing the independent conduct of his son, he concluded by saying, " Animated, Alt. Chairman, by your example, and that of others around you ; encouraged by your approbation; and, above all, supported by a consciousness of the rectitude of his intentions, and by a spirit of true patriotism, I am confident that he will continue on every suitable occasion to express his detestation of political corrup tion, and his determination to support the free and genuine principles of the British Constitution, by advocating the cause of a reform in the representation in the Commons' House of Parliament." After the health of Mr. Egerton Smith had been given, in conjunction with a free press, Mr. SSnT II a dd resse d the Meet ing : he concluded as follows : Before I sit down, permit me to make an observation upon one most objectionable tenet in Mr. Canning's political creed, which has not, in my opinion, called forth the. animadversion it merits. In his recent speech at our Lyceum, he did not scruple to assert that England was a monarchy, than which nothing can be more false or unconstitutional. It is a matter of notoriety, that the Attorney-General was ordered by the House of Commons to prosecute the author of a pamphlet, in which it was maintained that England was a monarchy; that the King was paramount; and that the other branches of the Legislature might be dispensed with. The writer of this pamphlet, which was voted to be a libel on the Consti- . tution, was Mr. Reeves, a placeman, as might readily have been presumed. He held the offices of Chief Justice of New. foundland. I cannot trace out that the prosecution was ever carried into effect ; the impression on my mind is, that it never was, and that the ultra-loyal writer recently was, or still con tinues, in place.* But this is a point of very little importance. The very prosecutor recognized the principle which I maintain, that England is not a monarchy ; and that Mr. Canning, in maintaining the contrary, is guilty of treason to the Constitu tion, to which he affects so profound a veneration. Thei Chairman did not leave the room till 11 o'clock : soon after which the party broke up, highly delighted with the en.. tertainments of the evening. * Mr. Reeves was tried and acquitted. The passage which was considered libellous by the House of Commons was as fol lows :—" That the Government of England was a Monarchy— that the Monarchy was the ancient stock, from which have sprung those goodly branches of the Legislature, the Lords and Commons—that these, however, were still only branches— and that they might be lopped off, and the tree be a tree still ; shorn, indeed, of its honours, but not, like them, cast into the fire."—(See Parliamentary Debates, 1796.). CVMBERLAND.—It is in agitation to call a Meeting of this County for the purpose of peti- tioning Parliament on the Distressed State of the Country. The Archdeacon of NORTHUMBERLAND has established lending-libraries in almost every parish in his Archdeaconry, and contributed, at his sole expence as ,a foundation, 1500 volumes of proper works. These libraries are under the care of the minister and churchwardens, and the books are lent to any parishioner who may apply for them. Mr. TELFORD, engioeer, has reported the prac- ticability of making Norwich a port, by cutting a navigation to the sea for vessels drawing ten feet water, either by Yarmouth or Lowestoffe— expence by way of the former estimated at about 49,0001. by Lowestoffe, 96,0001. GEORGE BAKER, Esq. of Elemore-ball, at his rent-day for Stanton, (held at Morpeth) very generously returned his tenants 20 per cent., and promised a further reduction should the times be worse. LONDON MARKETS. PRICE OF BREAD. The price of the 4lb. Loaf is stated at 7d. by the full-priced bakers. There are others of the trade who sell at 51d., lid , bid, and 7d. IMPORTATIONS'OF GRAIN LAST WEEK. English. I r i s h . F ore ig-n. Wheat Barley Malt Oats Rye Beans Peas Tares Rapeseed Mustard - 9 O 9O Seeds 193 Floor Brant: 9 Linseed.. 1,626 1,167 65 400 SEEDS, Dec. O. Red Clover (Foreign) 22s 34s—fine, als 48s .52s per cwt. Ditto English R. 24s 32s 36s—fine new, 38s 50s 595 White ditto . 34s 45s—fine,"56s 645. Trefoil .... per cwt.... 10s 14s—fine 15s 18s 19s per cwt. Ribgrass . . 2Bs 36s—fine, 42s 45s Carraway Seeds s4s to 58s 60s Coriander do. Spring Tares ... —s Od —s Od —s Cinque Foin 3os to 36s—fine —s per qr, Rye-Grass ... I Gs —tos23sss—s t n o e4o s 2 o B d s p 3 e o r s q p r gr• Canary p er qr White Mustard Seed 7s to 10s0d Brown ditto 9s to 15s Od Winter Tares 24s to 30s Od per qr. Rape Seed .. 221 to 231 Ips 241 per Last. Turnip Seeds. —s ad tis to 7s 6d pr. bush. Linseed NEWGATE AND LEADENHALL MARKETS, Dec. 30. By the Carcase. Beef 2s Od to 3s Od I Veal 2s 4d to 4s 4d Mutton Od to 2s 6d I Pork 2s Od to as ad Lamb, Os Od to Os Od. ST. JAMES'S HAY MARKET, Dec. 28. N. Hay 31 Os Od to 41 Os 00.1 Clover, 31 lOs to 41 Old Hay 01 05,0 d to 01 Os od Straw 11 13s Od to 21 2s od SMITHFIELD. Old Hay 3l Os Od to 41 Os .od--Average, 31 105 Od Straw Clover 3l 7 5 6d to 41 is GO --Average, 31 15s Od. H IT ECH A PE L. Hay 3l Ss Od to 41 Os Od---Average, 31 I6s Od New ditto... 01 Os od to 01 OS od-Avcrage, 01 Os od Straw 1 I 12s Od to II 18s od-Average, 11 16s Od• Clover 3l 10s Od to 41 8s Od - -Average, 41 Ss Od PRICE OF HOPS, per Cwt.,_ Dec. 28. Pockets. I Bags. Kent .. 21 lOs a3lss a 41 15s Kent .. el 2s a2l 18s a4l 104 Sussex .. 2i 4s a2l 12s a3l Os Sussex 21 Os a2l 4s a2l Bs Essex .. 21 106 a 314 s a3l 15s Essex.. 21 2s a2l 16s a '2l 39 Farnham ' fine, 61 Os to 81 O s —S econ d , 31 lOs to 61 Os Old Duty laid at 203,7241 14s 94d 10-20th. RAW HIDES. Best Heifers & Steers, per st. Ordinary .... 2s 2d to 2s 4d 2s lodto 3s 0,1 Market Calf .. each.. 9s Od Middlings 2s 6d to 2s 8d Eng.. Horse Os Od to Os Od SHEEP SKINS. Polled -42 d to 59d 1 Sheep .. . —d to —d. Downs PRICE OF LEATHER. Butts, 50 to 56Ibs each per lb old to 22d Ditto, 56 to 66Ibs each Dressing Hides lBd to 19d Coach Hides 19d to 9.0 d Crop Hides, 35 to 401bs for cutting 180 to 19fd Ditto .... 45 to 50Ibs Calf Sli;ns..::;6 to 40Ibs 22d to terd Ditto 50 to 701bs 26d to 99d Ditto 7O to 801bs 94d to esd Small Seals (Greenland) 18d to 19id Large ditto 15d to 18d Tanned Horse Hides . 17d to 18}d Spanish Horse Hid es PRICES OF TALLOW, so Town Tallow 43s •Od —s ad Yellow Russia 40s ad —s od White ditto .. 39s ad —s at! Soap ditto.... 36s ad —s od Melting Stuff 31s Od —s Od Ditto •Rough.. 20s ad —s ad PRICE OF CANDLES, FR o: Price of Candles, per dozer 6d per dozen allow 'AP, &c. per I 12tb.—Dre. '2 7 Yellow Soap... Mottled Curd Graves Good Dregs. 763 34s aer 7s 0.1 6s Oa M TALLOW CHANDLER'S HALL. o, Bs 6d -Moulds, los Dd. ed fur ready money. PRICE OF RAW FAT, per S tone of 811).—Dee.`27 Price of Tallow (as stated by the Tallow Melters), 2s 4d COLTNTRY RIARKET. Gni Lneottn MARKET, Dee. 28. Wheat per I. el os to toi lOs Barley, new, 11 6s to 11 lea New Wheat.. 10; Os to 131 0.; Beans, per qr. 11 5e to 11103 Oats, per qr... 01 18s to 11 4s Pease, perir. 11 lOs to 111.3 s New ditto.... 01 Os to 01 Os Rye, per qr. 01 Os to 01 r;s COAL MARKET, Dec. 30. Ships at Market. Ships sold. Price. 40 Newcastle 4i Sunderland FlRES,—Yesterday morning, between five anti six o'clock, an alarming fire broke out in a coffee house in the London-road, kept by a person of the name of ANDERSON. The flames were so rapid, that although the fire-engines were early in attendance, and a good supply of water was readily obtained, yet the whole interior of the house was destroyed before the fire could be sub.; deed. The house it is said was insured.—Another fire happened rather earlier yesterday morning, at a slop-sellers, the corner of Cooper's-court, East Smithfield ; the house, with the stock in trade, were totally e‘msumed. CORONER'S INQUESTS.—No less than three In quests were held yesterday at Guy's Hospital ors the bodies of persons who had died of accidents within the last three days. James Burinay, condemned for rape, at the High Court of Justiciary, was executed at Ayr, on Friday se'rinight. Immediately after the un fortunate man was turned off, a fellow wasappre• hended picking pocket. On Wednesday last lienrq March, of Gates. head Fell, butcher performed private penance in the parish church of 01ingliam, for defaming the character of the wife of his brother, josEnt MARCH.—(Newasile Paper.) BIRTHS. At Harpole, near Northampton, on the 14th inst., the Lady of the Hon. and Rev. T. L. Dundas, of a daughter. On Thursday the 26th instant, at Charlotte-square, Edin burgh, Mrs. Tytler, of WoAhouselee, of a son. RRIED. On Saturday, the 28th inst., Mr. G. R. Hilliard, surgeon, Stockwell, Surrey, to Eliza, eldest daughter of Thos. Bridge, Esq., Butsbury, near Stock, Essex. At Edinburgh, on the 26th instant, the Rev. John Hunter, A. 31., of Magdalene College, Oxford, and youngest son of James Hunter, Esq., of Holloway, Middlesex, to Miss Douglas Richardson, eldest daughter of th e l a t e R o b ert Richardson, Esq., of Perth. DIED. On the 29th instant, aged 69, Mr. Wm. Ewiogs, 48 yeas clerk to Messrs. Gosling and Sharpe, Fleet-street.": On the 30th inst., at her house, Camberwell, Sarshovire Of John - Beckett, in the 68:.h year of her afire. Lately, at the York Asylui, l , M r . W'in. Daly; many years Chamberlain at the New Hunimums, Covent-garden., Printed and Published for the PROPRIETORS, at tint Sub* Office, No. 112, Strand, by J. B. CAUTAIRS.