The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1833-12-27 00:00:00

THE CHI;RCH. (FROM "lifE KENTISH eassevsit.) We are not likely to be suspected of partiality fin any thing belonging to the Grey family. But the sermon preached by bishop Grey, before the Society for Promot in gg Christian Kuowledge. is well worthy of a bishop of our excellent church ; and we will not withhold, even from a Grew, praise where praise is due. The following extract will require no apology. We are sure it must accord with the sentiments of our cleric:Ll readers. Let any charchinan read his observations, and then say whe ther be ought or ought not to raise his voice against the spirit of 1 - ,..aiovation and latitudinarianism which is abroad : " And it is most requisite that they who would be steadfast and immoveable themselves, and who would preserve the true faith, whole and undefiled, in the community to which they belong, should take heed that they be not deceived by heretical npiu,oos, by plausible but false displays of zeal anclalsefulness, ~,lIEMES OF INNOVATION, dangerous to order, and calculated to weaken more and more the foundation of ancient and approved discipline. " Were I called on to particularize a single source of more especial danger to Christians of the present age, I should not hesitate to fix on that love of change, that spirit of innovation, which militates so powerfully against a steady continuance in the faith. It is a false and lying spirit, promising more than it can perform, deceiving many who ought to have been wiser, shaking teeny who ought to have been firmer, seducing many who ought to hare been safer. All classes are assailed by it; and there is nothing too high, nothing too holy, nothing too well sanctioned by time or by authority, for its meddling and baneful inter ference. Against that spirit I would lift up my voice, however feeble ; and I would entreat all who can hear me to take most earnest heed that they be not seduced from the true faith by new and specious doctrines—or new and unguarded exposition/ of old doctrines—that they be not drawn aside 'from a practice suited to the true faith, by novel ideas of a _fancied extiodiencg,. of a spurious liberality,or of improvement falsely pretessrtni, in our religious worship and moral system. " Religious improvement must be at all times desirable, and the wise and 'virtuous will not fail to desire it; but when im provement is proposed, let us be 'sire that it is inyroveinent. • Change, if it bring not impravernent,ii evil; and where religion is concerned; if change bring - not consuserahle, as well as decided improvement, if the improvement be not vital and essential, tending, beyond doubt, to thi glory of God and the good of mau—LET THE PROPOSED CHANGE WE SUSPECTED, LET IT BE' 'DISCOURAGED'. A desire fo`r change in spiritual matters must be an evidence of a carnal mind, and a too ready accquiescence in propositions of change relating to our religious Rrofesii , _!/ . : is a proof of an infirm. ',H. a careless habit, and marksindiffeience to that constancy of principle and practice which belongs. to truth." Tbese are prit.xitias which every serious'churchman will it • acknowled?p, an- tee' his solemn duty to sanction, by public - testimony, in the present day. Bishop Grey deserves - the thanks of all sincere Christians for his An.anty nvy iva I c.f_them. We hope- Lord Grey re.adz his brother's sermons. . . THE KING OF FRItNCE'es SPEECH ON THE MEETING OF THE CHANII3e,Tts. • " Gentlemen, Peers, and Depletes, "The repose of Prance has not been disturbed since your last session. It is in.the possession ' of the b'essings of order and peace. The efforts of industry and labour everywhere obtain their reward . : •The population, employed and tranquil, rely upon the stability of our_ institutions, upon my good faith in maintaining them, and publie security is the pledge of national prosperity. "It is in guaranteeing every right and protecting every in terest—it is by the equity anti moderation of our policy, that we have obtained those happy results. In order to secure their duration we s'aail persevere m the same system with energy and patience. Au aishleous vigilance is still necessary. Insensate passions, criminal maneeuvres, are striving to shake social or tier.f-- We will iepi: , te to them your faithful co-operation, the s..iness nt the Inagistrates, the activity of our ad - ministration, the cou-age are: patriotism of the National Guard and the army, the wisdim et the nation, enlightened as to the danger of such illusions as are' attempted to be propagated by those who attack liberty under pretence of defending it, and we shall secure the trium of constitutional order, and our progress in civilisation. it is taus, gentlemen, that we shall at last put an end to further revolutions, and accomplish the wishes of France. I thank the nation for the support it has afforded me. I thank her for the .proofs of confidence and affection it has bestowed upon me. I received them with emotion in such of the departments which I have been able to visit, and I return thanks to Providence for the blessings our country already enjoys, and for those it may hereafter expect. " You will also see,md me, gentlemen, in my efforts to pro tect the increase of national wealth, by opening to our com merce and industry - new sources of prosperity, and by combining comfort with labour among all the classes of the people. " I hope that the new customs laws, in showing the progress of our industry, will conciliate the protection it requires with those principles of wise lib er t y w hi c h en li g ht ene d G overnments are disposectio recognise. " Popular instruction has received, thanks to your co-opera tion, a salutary impulse. " The laws relating to finance, and those necessary for the execution of treaties, will be laid before you without delay. The public revenues are improving, and every thing promises that they will continue to follow the riscending movement of our prosperity. " Several projects of laws, some of which have already been presented to you, will again be submitted to your deliberation. I have reason to hope that the promises contained in the char ter will be fulfilled in the course of this session. " I an, happy to announce to you that our relations with all Foreign Powers, and the assurances I receive of their disposi tion, leave no doubt of the maintenance of general peace. "The Peninsula has been the theatre of grave events. a The moment when the government of the Queen Maria 11. was re-established at Lisbon I renewed our diplomatic relations with Portugal. " In Spain, the death of King Ferdinand VII. has called to the throne the Princess, his daughter; I hastened to acknow ledge Queen Isabella 11., hoping that that prompt recognition, and the relations to which it would lead between my govern ment and that of the Queen-Regent, would contribute to pre serve Spain from the troubles with which she was menaced. Already tranquillity begins to re-appear in the provinces in which rebellion had broken out. The corps of troops of which I had ordered the formation guarantee the safety of our frontiers. " Continuing to be intimately united with Great Britain, we have reason for trusting that the difficulties which still retard the conclusion of the treaty between the King of the Belgians and the King of the Netherlands can no longer compromise the „great interests of Belgium nor the tranquillity of Europe. ‘- Switzerland had been for a. moment troubled by internal 41 44gus;ow, but which the wisdom and firmness of its govern ment have already appeased. 1 lost no time in rendering to that country the services which she had reason to expect from a faittAl an 1 disinterested ally. "The Ottoman empire has been menaced by great perils. I have s.pplled myself to press a pacification, which was called for at once by the interests of France and the general stability of order• in .i . Airope. I shall continue my efforts to ensure their inain teu e. "The n' - eats to which I have referred, and in particular the situation of the Peninsula, have imposed on me the duty of con tinuing, tile army en that footing which the safety of the state setires, ."LAC complete our task, gentlemen, that order, powerful and respected, ti e f or th e f u tur e p rese rved from every attack— let the enc tcious protection of the national interests dissipate the last as of taction—and France, happy and free under the stwlt,r of the government which it has founded, • &ll6* ugth the course of her prosperity. Such is the wish Ai wa ReAt at to me.. Yon will assist me in assuring its entire iieco-.1); Az. t r f..?...-.J . )e!u)ifon. of the &pee:- which was accompanied by "si.es of " Vivo le M. Barthe, Minister of Jr..* called over the - narnesof the newly-nominated ..! the deputies elected since the Tii§vs.i!ssion. .THE TRIAL OF "THE TRAITORS." PARIS, Dec. 21.-1 have recently called your attention PA" " state of France," at.si a presented voti.with the "charge" made by the Deb a t s , th a t u.ere 110Imiger exists "moral - order " in this country. To-day I shall supply you with an extract !'con the proceed= ings at the assizes of the Seine on Thursday last. It will give vou a faint idea of the extreme movement party. which is even . -lour augmenting its forces and resources. It confirms the complaint of the Debate, that " moral order no longer exists;" %but it point s out no remedy; and leaves us in fearful apprehen ;Won and dismay. The coming year, every one feels, will be most memorable in the history .of France. he following is a sketch of the proceedings on Thursday' last. They were indeed deplorable. The Avocet General, after having, in his address to the jury, examined the nature and the' teniency of the " des toreits de l'Homme," declared vt thi! s,r)Liety there were two parties—the one party wits for divigirtg..thg propfrti.ofythers and for taking from otheri their At this moment a witness, tieraz-- ...guirte, a mem er an even officer of the society in tideition, started up and exclaimed with gre::i.t force and violence, addressing himself to the Avocet General, Ica & die, you inigdraide fellut ;I" President.—(His voice being drowned in the tumult of cries and hisses, bravos and tumult). Let the person who has said this he conducted out of court immediately." Vignerte.—lt was I who said so—l, Vignerte; and I repeat it—he lies. 3lany of the 27 accused cried out, " Bravo, Vignerte ! He is right!. 'We think as he thinks! Accuse us if you will, but do not catranniate us. We do not want your property! Keep yee: I. , vopeAy." se declarations were received with three rounds of ap- Onus. on the part of the witnesses and many individuals in court. The members of the bar and the jury stood on their benches. All sorts of cries and vociferations were heard. The 27 accused all stood up likewise on their forms, and the tumult was at its highest. The President for some time could not be heard. At length, turning to the spot where Vignerte stood, he directed the offi cers to bring Vignerte, the witness, to the foot of the bench of magistrates. Petit Jean cried out, " Let me also be taken there ; I think as Vignette does, and am proud to be an accomplice with him in such expressions." Vignerte and Petit Jean were then seized by the municipal gaards .atd gendarmes, and brought before the bench of ma gistrates. The President to Vignerte—ls it you who pronounced the words I ha :e just heard? ;g erte.—Y es. Ttie President, observing.. Petit Jean, asked--Why is he brought blre also? Petit ..T..-.n.—Because I said the same thing that Vignerte did. The-President (toVignerte).—Your name and profession? Vignerte.—My name is John James Vignerte. I was a bar rister before the government ruined me by its persecutions. President.—Do you acknowledge that you interrupted M. l'Avocat General, saying to him, in a loud tone of voice, and addressing yourself to him, " It is d lie ?" Vignerte: —I said, " You lie, miserable fellow." President.—Wbat have you to say in your justification? Vignerte,—l do not mean to justify myself I belong to the . Society of the Rights of Man and I ama member of the pre , sent committee. I was not bound to suffer that, to our faces, they should treat us as thieves. These calumnies revolted me. We know all of us how to work, and we do not desire to rob, or take the property of others. Petit Jean.—We are not engaged in discussing about the property of others, but we desire the happiness of the country. Vignerte.—l defy them to cite one of our writings in which we profess the doctrines of the agrarian law. To say that we wish to divide property, is to lie to the country. The court was again thrown into a state of prolonged agita tion, and nothing but cries of various sorts, all revolutionary in their character, could be heard. The Avocat General then rose.—He said that it was most sad for higt to have to explain views relative to this *abject. Bat whilst his own feelings would induce him to be silent, his duty as a magistrate and functionary implied on him the necessity for speaking. He therefore required that the penalty inflicted by the 223 d article of the penal code, on those who insulted the judge or public 'officers, should be inflicted on Vignette. Raspail.—l demand to be allowed to defend Vignerte. Vignerte.—l do not wish to be defended. I protest against making any defence. . President.—Allow Raspail to speak. Vign.erte.—No • I will not allow them to defend me before you. Yogic are not the judges of the country. You are nothing more • than valets! a mere handful of salaried mercenaries, paid by a Ri_ng who is the usurper of the rights of the people. Many of the accused shouted, "That's true, that's true! Vignerte is rig ht; we ought not to acknowledge such men as you fur our judges " Parfait, the repuplican poet, and one of the accused, ex cla....e.Al from thr;bigliest part of the tribune, " Vignerte has told the truth. I declare that I thinit as he does." M. Raspail.—We pray the court to have regard to the situa tion of Vignette. For some days past he has been arrested. The expression of his sentiments has, it. is true, violated the rules of the courts of justice; but the insult addressed by the Avocet-General to the' fraction of the Society of the Rights of Man to which he belongs, could not be listened to by him, as a man of honour, with wag froid. Fathom condemning Vig,nerte to any punishment, we demand of the court that it will ad monish the Avocat--General to be more circumspect, and only to speak after or upou_documentary evidence. M. Dupont.—l do not rise to defend M. Vi onerte, , because he will no: allow anyone to defend him; but I demand that no judgraent. be pronounced until after the pleadings shall be ter iniaa.teil, because it is our intention to prove that all those charges brought against the accused of ambition, love of pil lage, &c., are nothing but odious calumnies, and that. in all the ;Actions of the Society of the Rights of Man, the agrarian law has been rejected. M. Raseair added, that if the court should persist in pro nouncing judgment immediately, all the 27 accused demanded to be condeeined also, as fully partaking the sentiments of V ignerte. M. Vigneite.—Quite the contrary. This affair concerns me alone, and it ought not to fall on the prisoners. I declare that they_ know nothing of this. The judges then rosy to deliberate what course they should take. M. Raspail.—M. the President, I pray you to wait. I iutrea.t you to delay the sentence. The President.—Parfait, do you acknowledge that you said just now —"Vignette is right. I think as he does?" Parfait.—Yes. M. Michel (a barrister.)—Such a confession is of no import ance. Perire volens non creditur. Before the judges left the court, they again appeared to de liberate. Daport.—l will make another effort. I pray the court to defer its deliberations until after the pleadings shall be termi nated. At the end of five minutes the court decided---lst. That Vig nerte had insulted the court. 2d. That Petit Jean had not In sulted the court publicly. 3d. That Parfait, as one of the ac cused, should not;-now be judged. And 4th. That 'Vignette should be inafisisened_three years. It would be vain to attempt to describe the situation of the audience when this condemnation was. pronounced. All the twenty-seven accused ruse up, and apostrophised the court in a loud teue of voice, Most of them demanded that they might be allowed to sharethe fate of Vignerte. Hisses, hurrahs, -whistlings,. and all sorts of sounds, were then heard. The peace officers endeavoured to restore silence, but in vain. At last Vignerte exclaimed, "Adieu M. ie President! You kill be highly applauded this evening.. They wilt shake you by the hands for this!" Vignerte has since been sent to the "Force," and if a state ment in the National of this morning be true, he is now the associate of thieves and murderers in that receptacle of the most vile and most abandoned. On this scene, and on the state of feeling it indicates, I shall make no observations. "Moral order" is, indeed, destroyed in France, and it appears not likely to be very soon restored. Yesterday the counsel for the accused were heard. To-day it is expected that the summing up will take place, and then that all will be acquitted. THE MARQUIS OF LONDONDERRY AND THE KEELMEN OF SUNDERLAND. A deputation of the keelmen of Sunderland waited upon the Marquis of Londonderry, at Wynyard Park, on Monday last, and presented a memorial from their body, on the subject of the prOposed changes in the transit of his lordship's coals. His lordship was pleased to receive the memorial with great courtesy, and inti mated that the subject should meet with due considera tion; and requested the deputation to wait upon him on a future day, to receive his answer. The following is a copy of the memorial : "That your memorialists, the keelmen of Sunderland, many of whom are in the employ of your lordship's coal-fitters, have beard, with serious concern, that certain important changes, in the transit of your lordship's coals from the collieries to the place of shipment at Sunderland, are now in contemplation, viz. the use of railways in the place of keel navigation. That if such changes take place, they will supersede the labour of your lordship's memorialists, and totally deprive them of em ployment. That many of your lordship's memorialists have fa milies depending on them for subsistence; and, if deprived of their labour, they have no means whatever whereby they can procure the necessaries indispensable to their subsistence. That the parishes of Sunderland and the Wearnonths, to which your lordship's memorialists chiefly belong, are already over burdened with the support of indigent _poor ' insomuch as to preclude the possibility of their being afforded efficient relief; and, consequently, their situation must be 'educed to misery and starvation. Your lordship's memorialists most humbly and most respectfully submit this statement of their situation to your lordahiu's most humane consideration, hoping that your lordship will be pleased to think favourably concerning them, and order that their employment be continued." In obedienCe to his lordship's request, the deputation again waited on-. his lordship on .Thursday, when they received his written reply ; from which the following ex tracts have been handed to us : " Seaham Hall, Dec. 19, 1833. "The Marquis of Londonderry has received the memorial of the keelmen of Sunderland. He extremely- regrets the de• pressed state of the coal trade. The new speculations, and the p ro j ec ted ra il wa y, place him in a position in which he is un able to compete with his powerful neighbours without adopting the same system, and acting upon the same plans that they have introduced into the coal districts. While Lord London derry deeply deplores the depression of employment, and the distress the keelmen may sustain by the loss of his shipments by keels, he must remind them that he has been the last to abandon them. The keelmen must know that the cry of the present age is reform. Nothing stands still; the country would have it so; o ld usages are put aside; joint-stock companies in coal speculations and in railroads ride over the counties of Durham and Northumberland. The old proprietors and old collieries wou ld s tand still and be ruined, if they did not follow these liberal projectors with their liberal plans, which a liberal Parliament pass with a truly liberal devotion. How Lord Lon donderry, therefore, can resist such a tide, which would end in the loss of his property and position, he leaves to the fairness and justice of the keelmen to determine. If any mode can be pointed out to Lord Londonderry by which lie could mitigate the deprivations which will fall on the keelmen and their fa rallies, he would be glad to adopt it ; but they will surely see that, having completed- his harbour at Seaham, his shipping coals by keel now on the Wear is totally impossible." EXPORT OF COALS. — The amount of the value of the coals ex ported in the year ended sth J an uary, 1833, was only £28,000 more than in the preceding year; notwithstanding the expecta tions formed of double export by the reduction of the duty. A very numerous and distinguished party is expected at Burghley House, to participate in the hospitalities of the Marq:ais of Exeter, who has invited the Dukes of Wellington and Rutland, Earl Brownlow, &c., to enjoy a day or two's shooting over his preserves, where the game is most abundant. Lord and Lady Exeter have given up their town residence to reside almostivholly at their magnificent chateau in Lincoln k.)t.e.. When they come to London they remain at an hotel. At thy end of f.ia,rresent month the Marquis Camden, as Teller of the Exchequei, - brnugh hii deputy, Francis Gore, E.q., pays over to the publieservice the emoluments of his lu crative oiftce frtr thn present Year, after dedoc,ing the expenses :; # .....te noble marquis has done since the . into the in , t i or , ma d e b y I t i s i;Cl evey n y years ago for an inquiry tl..x;o!itul.. o *fri= l - , lordships sinecure The fate, -4 - I,oritand Lad) , Grantley have been put int o mourning cb•ath el her 4td*Ship's mnther, Lady Beechey (wife of S.;.'"Williaor Bt 7 eche),) A . 1 ,0 expi: - c(1 last week, in Har ley_stre*t.. The present Lord C , ratttley not having any issue, the It•rfinY of GrantlE , v," of Markinfleld, mil, in default, descend 1 ...0 „,tue Honourable Cleofwe Chapple Norton, his next brother, who married the beateiful ..,11(1 accomplished grand-daughter of the late itight,Hun. Richard Brinsley Sheridan. 411 -•ter of the Castilians throughout the war of suc cession In tipain, - 17YZ'veas-most charaeteristic.. Every pea,liktit procured a tirelock or pike; no soldier of the allied army, then in possessiqn of the greatest pact, including nearly all the foqi fied places- and large towns of the country, could wander a hundred yards from the main body of the army without the most imminent risk of being poniarded. "The day before yes terday,"says the Princess Orsini, in a letter written at this time, "the Priest 'of a village, which contains only one hundred and -twenty houses, brought one hundred and twenty pistoles to the Queen. Alpilock,' said he, 'are ashamed to send you so little ; but they beg you to believe that in this purse there are one hun dred hearts faithful even to the death!' The good man wept as he spoke, and indeed we wept ton. Yesterday another small village, iu voiich there are only twenty houses, sent us fifty pis toles." INTERESTING TO THOSE wno HAVE A MIND FOR A. CnsN cuar Sul-F.—About five years ago a - large quantity of oak, ash • and elm timber was felled at sunningwell and neighbouring parishes, when an injunction was obtained from the Court of Chancery to prevent its being removed till the right in the pro perty was decided by the Chancellor. We observe that 335 of these trees are at leng th advertised for sale • and it is reported, upon respectable authority', that not less loads of the original quantity nave dissappeared.— Orford Jour nal. , a ANCIENT NAVY OF ENGLAND.--In the reign of Queen Eliza beth the salary or fee of the Lord High Admiral was £133 6s. Bd. per annum. - The treasurer of the navy had £220 13s. 4d., in cluding the salary of two clerks at Bd. per day, and £8 for boat hire. The master shipwright had 12d per day; the master ship wrights £33 6s. 81. The office of storekeeper at Woolwich had a salary of £3O. The clerk of the cheque at Chatham had £5O per annum; for extraordinary services, £43 6s. 81; and for pens, ink, paper, and his travelling► expenses to London to de liver his books to the treasurer -and other officers, £6 13,. 4d ; total, £lOO. The clerk of the cheque at Woolwich had a shil ling a day; at Deptford, £3O per annum ; at Portsmouth, £4O and ls. 81. per annum for stationery. The surveyor of the navy had £146 6s. 5d., out of which he paid his two clerks Bd. a day each. The boatswain of a first rate had £29 6s. 7d. per annum. A purser of the same, £266. - Is. sd. The gunners, who made a profit by stealing the ship's powder, and the purser, by stealing the crew's provisions, seem to have bad the best posts. he quantities of powder used at sea were enormous; a cannon royal or 66-pounder was loaded with 301 b. of powder.' A demi-cannon, which never answered to a tnoderu 32 pounder, was loaded with 18 pounds ! This was perhaps owing to the foolish idea, that the more powder the more execution done. This prejudice still exists. It is in vain that our excellent ar tillery at this moment, from repeated experiments, show that one-fourth the weight of the shot is much more effective than the established charge of one-third, which last is amply sufficient for a battering gun. Jack still crams his full allowance with his two or -three balls. What saving might be made on this head.' Half the powder used by Sir Francis Drake against the armada would•have sufficed. I r et with all their crudities and scanty pay it may be doubted if more glorious exploits (consi dering their disauvantag,es, and the youth of the science of na vigation) have-been since achieved.—Plymouth Journal. r, Li 1141=7:3 i SHIPWRECKS. MELANCHOLY LOSS OF THE "WATER WITCH," '• WITH FOUR OF THE PASSENGERS. It is with feelings of deep regret that we announce to our readers the total loss of this beautiful new vessel, ou Wednes day night, off Rallyhale, on the Wexford coast, during a fog. The more painful part of our duty is in stating that this truly lamentable casualty was attended with the loss of life. We subjoin an extract of a lettir received yesterday by a gentle man in this city from Captain Stacey, the commander of the ill-fated Water Witch, which was considered one of the finest models in Europe, and had been very recently built, as stated in a very late number of the Chronicle; and we may add that a more experienced, steady, and careful commander did not exist than Captain Stacey. We therefore solely attribute this melancholy catastrophe to the tempestuous state of the weather, unfortunately accompanied by a dense fog, on the night of its occurrence. Mr. Smith, the gentleman who is stated in Capt. Stacey's letter to have been lost, together with his sister, another. Miss Smith and her servant, is, we are informed, of Ileadbo rough, in this county. The melancholy intelligence, on being first rumoured here yesterday, spread a gloom over the city, the more mournful from the understood fact that Mr. Smith (who is well known here,) and hii relations had perished; for it is generally supposed that the second Miss Smith, who is mentioned in the extract, was also a relative of his. It is re ported, but there is as vet no certainty of it, that the first mate and three sailors, who had gone or attempted to go ashore, had also met a watery grave. - We hope that this will prove un founded . they were endeavouring to reach the shore with a kedge anchor, for the purpose, if possible, of securing the ves sel, and saving the lives of those who were on board. 'I he value of the vessel, exclusive of the cargo, is about £12,000, and was not generally insured; sonic individual shareholder; however, may have partially insured. We join in the hope expressed by Captain Stacey in his letter, that some part of this beautiful vessel may be secured from destruction. The following is the extract alluded to above:— "It is with heartfelt sorrow that I acquaint you that the Water Witch is no more. She ran on a ledge of rocks off Ballyhale, on the coast of Wexford, at seven o'clock p.m., ou Wednesday, in a haze. One boat was launched with the first mate and three sailors, dropped astern of the vessel, and we saw no more of them. The second boat was lowered, which immediately filled with water, and after getting her up again, we put - four men and two ladies into her, all of which are safe on shore. We then all night prepared rafts, and next morning all got safe on land, but Mr. Smith and his sister, who were drowned by the upsetting of the raft. Another Miss Smith and her servant maid died after reaching the shore. If the weather moderates some of the materials may be saved." We shall give any further particulars that may reach us, in our publication of Tuesday next.— Wexford paper. ANOTHER DREADFUL SHIPWRECK AT BOULOGNE. BouLooNE-SCR-Mari, Dec. 21.—The year 1833 will long be remembered in the annals of shipwreck. Within the short space of a few months I might enumerate at least 20 wrecks which have occurred within as many miles of this harbour, and every one attesaled with loss of human life. I regret having tp communicate another melancholy calamity of this nature, which it has been my painful lot just now to witness, and where, al though it took place early in the day, within a short distance of the port, and in the preseuce of hundreds of spectators, it was found impossible to render the slightest assistance to the unfor tunate crew, in consequence of which I deeply lament to add that I fear every soul of them has perished. I should judge it to have been about tWelve o'clock, when a three-masted vessel was observed to approach the harbour, driving rapidly before the wind, which was then blowing with exceeding violence from the NAV., nearly into the mouth of the port. She did not ap pear to have sustained any previous injury, and several of her sails were set, with a view, I presume, to keep her off the shore; but notwithstanding the utmost exertions seemed to be made by the crew to effect this object, she was evidently unmanageable, and was seen to approach the port with tile most alarming ra pidity, insomuch that in the short space of half an hour she was driven within half-musket shot of the 'new pier upon the bar, where she immediately struck—it being then nearly low water. Owing to the tempestuous state of the weather, and the gloom of the atmosphere, it was impossible to distinguish her colours, but she was for some time supposed to be an English trader. Se veral boats, well manned, pushed off from the shore with the hope of reaching her; but the wind and tide against them, and a furious surf breaking in shore, presented insurmountable ob stacles to their approaching her in such craft as this place affords.' The English Consul, as well as numbers of the English residents here, and a vast concourse of the inhabitants, were in attendance, watching with painful solicitude for an opportunity to render assistance, but in vain. About two o'clock, the foremast, which was observed to be wavering for some minutes before, went overboard, and was followed very soon after by the two remain ing masts, which, with all the standing rigging, appeared to have been cut away by the crew in the hope of lightening the vessel. It is probable had this not been done she would have gone to pieces instantly. Indeed it was an event which those on shore were in momentary . expectation of. Immediately after the masts were cut away the sea began to wash over her with fearful violence; the crew betook themselves instantly to the bowsprit, which was just jetting above the water's edge, and to which they appeared-to have lashed themselves. In this situa tion they remained upwards of an hour, watching, apparently, as their sole reinainiug hope, the boats which were vainly en deavouring still to reach them. It was a moment of awful sus pense not only to them, but to all those on shore, who mani fested the liveliest interest for their preservation. The im practicability of any boat reaching them from the shore was too apparent. One hope still, however, remained—a fishing vessel running for the harbour, perceived them—and- at considerable risk was observed to alter her course and hear down towards them. Every eye was now turned towards the fishing boat, which was for some time watched with intense anxiety ; but it soon became evident that she could not keep her course, and every hope was now abandoned. As the evening closed in the vessel gradually disappeared, and the crew (of which there appeared - 15 or 16 originally) seemed to have diminished to less than one-half, probably 6e numbed with cold, disheartened, and in despair; the remainder had let go their hold, and resigned themselves to their fate. The strand for a considerable space was soon covered with spars, oars, chests and other debris of the vessel; and when the evening became a little more advanced, it was only possible to catch an occasional glimpse of the bowsprit, to Which five or six of the unfortunate crew still appeared to be clinging. Up to the hour at which I write (eight o'clock) none of the bodies have been washed on shore; but the most remote expec tation does not exist that. an individual will be saved. From same papers which I picked up on the strand, I am in duced to believe she is a Danish vessel, of between 2(X) and 3(X) tons hurthen, and called the l-labett's Anker, Captain Brun. I write in haste to save the post, but shall send you further par ticulars. In the meantime, it is impossilyle to avoid an obser vation upon the shameful apathy, and recklessness of human life, evinced by the government of. this country, which, not withstanding the dreadful calamities recently witnessed on this dangerous coast, has not as yet been induced to adopt some measures calculated to second the endeavours of those who have shown themselves ready and willing to risk their lives in the cause of humanity. N.B. Intelligencehas just reached of another vessel-being wrecked off Borgne, a few miles distant from this port ; her name is not as yet known, but she has gone to pieces, and the entire crew have perished. DINNER TO THE MAGISTRATES OF CANONGATE. On Thursday, a dinner was !given by the inhabitants of Ca uongate to their Magistrates, in the Royal Exchange Tavern Mr. Kinghorn, Convener of the Trades of the burgh, in the chair, and Mr. James Scott, Moderator of the Constables, croupier. The chairman was supported on the right by the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Bailie Robertson and Treasurer Nicolson of Canongate, Bailie Salvers of Edinburgh, and Bai lies Veitch and Schultze of Leith, and on the left, by the Baron Bailie Purves and Bailie Clark of Canongate, the - Lord Dean of Guild of Edinburgh, the Rev. Dr. Gilchrist, first minister, and Mr. Fraser, clerk of Canongate. The object of the Meet ing was to do honour to the resident magistrates of Canongate, and the sincerity of this intention was proved by an assemblage of about one hundred of the principal inhabitants of the burgh. The evening was spent in the most harmonious manner possi ble, and the enjoyment of the company was enlivened by seve ral well:executed songs by the amateurs present, as well as by appropriate airs performed by an instrumental band in the orchestra. Mr. Paxton's dinner, dessert, and wines seemed to give general satisfaction, and the company separated highly gratified at an early hour on Friday mornin g . Among the toasts of the evening was the health of the Rev. Dr. Gilchrist, first minister of the Canongate, proposed by Dean of Guild Macfie, which he accompanied by some appro pviate observations on the character and talents of the Rev. Doctor, and on the benefits which had been derived from the parochial system, both clerical and scholastic, of Scotland. the toast was drank with' very great applause. Dr. Gilchrist begged to assure the meeting of the sincerity with which he thanked them for the kindness with which they had been pleased to honour him on this occasion. He felt sin cerely grateful on his own account; but he felt more strongly excited by the kind expressions which had been used towards that body of which he counted it his highest honour to be a member. (Cheers.) From his earliest life his highest ambi tion was to be a ministerof Jesus Christ in connection with the Qlturclisicstland. He did not blame any one who differed from that slandarir . . — Thir was a stoiltlsof :weiskr , ss s,ot firmity, and it was vain to expect to see unanimity in it on any thing. He remembered, ho we v er , th e ti me w h en th e Ch urc h of Scotland was the pride of a Scotchman's heart. (Cheers.) The times were altered now; but he hoped they were not al tered in general. The country still stood, and the church still stood. He was sorry to see individuals calling for its downfall. He himself called for the downfall of no Christian Church; nor did he wish evil to any church of the Lord. Ile desired every where to see liberty of conscience. (Cheers.) With regard to himself, it was a great satisfaction to find his labours valued by so many respectable gentleinen as those now around him. Although he considered that to please God and his own con science was his first duty, yet he was not inclined to despise popularity, and he hoped - that while Cod gave him the power to speak among them, he would be aware that in order to ob tain popularity it was necessary to deserve it. (Great cheering.) [What a contrast do these sentiments afford to the violent and intemperate language uttered against the church hy the Dissenters over their fate centenary libations. Let them learn Christian forbearance and moderation from-the words of one of the ministers of that establishment which they are so eager to overthrow.] —Edinburgh Advertiser. THE ROYAL SPORTSMAN. The long stay of his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex at Renton, the seat of the Earl of Lichfield, has been a matter of some mirth among sportsmen. The duke's fowlingpieces web() ready loaded for him, and he was placed at the corner of the cover, where the Pheasants were flushed before him like pigeons from a trap, as fast as he could fire. The country-people will, have it, that some were pulled down by a string fastened to their legs. The compliments paid to the royal sportsman on each shot were something like those paid to old - Sheridan,, in Norfolk, by an Irish servant belonging to , who attended him on his shooting excursion, and which old Sherry retold with glee. Shot the first, (the birds all getting away.)—Fore God, your honor, did you see one little gintleman drop his leg as he went off: he'll never stand on his tin toes again ! Shot the second, (ditto, ditto.)—By the powers, there they go! But dient your honor hear the shots settle among them like pave against a winder? They'll pray to never see your honor again on this side of the count r y! Shot the third, (birds all off agaiu.)—Blood .attd ouns, but they've caught it ! (After watching them an hile,)—There's three wounded, ony how, for they could hut just get over onder hedge ! They'll get no sleep this blessed night ! Shot the fourth, (a pheasant gets away.)—Well, I never saw a poor gintlemau taken to like him ! He'll remember yotir honor many a day to come! That spalpeen shall carry away more shot than would set up an ironmonger at Ballvshantion t Shot the fifth, is snipe gets off.)—"Crake !" in - deed ! You may take your long bill in against this world! wake to morrow morning with a lumbago in your soft head! Poor Sheridan could stand it no longer, but gave his country man a handsome fee for his ingenuity, and proceeded on his beat alone. LITLRATURE. Grant Thorburn, Seedsman of Netr i Xork, Philosopher, Patriot, Nailmaker, Moralist, 4-c,.4.e. ef.c.-11 11 ft sER : LONDON. Our friend Fraser has not sent us a copy of the genuine and original Laurie Todd, which is an offence which we shall take some time to consider bow it can be severely enough punished, as an example-to all careless booksellers, but we have got a copy of Laurie the real nevertheless, and a most amusing piece of twaddle it is.. Thorburn says that he never showed his manuscript to any one. He is a sort of honest man in his way, and we are in clined to believe him ; but it is singular enough that the three or four introductory chapters, in which Grant tells us he was a nail-maker, then a member of the corresponding society, then a transport, next a precentor in a smail kirk, then a nail maker once more, then an ironmonger selling sham locks, and last of all a seedsman and a gentleman—why every word of this is taken almost literally from Galt's own Laurie Todd. But we have not room to be critical at present, and therefore give a few snatches anent Tons Paine, and the aforesaid Grant Thorburn.- " When I look back I remember some ludicrous and curious scenes, in V. hiell 1 have been part actor. I have come in con tact with several of the men whose names have bore a conspi cuous pall in the history of the last forty years, such as Thomas Paine, General 'Moreau; &c. When Thomas Paine escaped from the dungeon of the Committee of Safety, men whom the writings of Paine, and such as Paine, had turned into monsters, he put up at the City Hotel in this town. One morning about nine o'clock, a person came into my store, and stated that he was standing on the steps in front. As I lived next street, and being anxious to see him, I, with two gentlemen who happened to be in the store at the time, went round to have a look at him; but before we got there he stepped in. While I stood considering how to get a sight of him, 1 observed Samuel Lou don, the printer, enter the hotel. As I knew Samuel and he were copatriots through the whole of the revolution, I presumed he, was going to see his old friend. I proposed to my com panions to go in ; and. as I was acquainted with Mr. Loudon, we would thus get introduced. 'I hey declined going. As I went alone, I asked the Waiter— " I r. Paine at home?' " 5 Yes.' ' In his own room ?' y es: " Alone" " Cin I see him?' " Follow me.' " He ushered me into a spacious room, where the table was set for breakfast--,a gentleman at the table writing, another reading the paper. At the further • end of the room, a long, lank, coarse-looking figure stood with his back to the fire. From the resemblance to portraits I had seen in his Rights of Afan,l knew it was Paine. While I followed the waiter, pre- Pane - was alone, I was preparing an exordium to in troddcd niyielf to a plain republican alone; but when I thus found ro'vseli Comptiny with the great author of Common Sense,'''tor a moment I was at a stand. Says I ' Gentlemen. is Mr, Paine in this room?' He stepped towards me and answered, 'My name is Paine.' I held out my hand, and while '1 held his, says I, Mr. Paine, and you, gentlemen, will please excuse my abrupt entry ; I came out of mere curiosity to see the man whose writings have made so ranch noise in the world.' Paine answered, lam very glad your curiosity is so easily satisfied.' Says I, ' Good morning, gentlemen,' walked out, and shut the door behind me. I heara them all burst out _ . into a loud laugh. - Thinks I, they may laugh that win; I have Seen Paine, and, all thitigs considered, have made a good re-. treat. The gentlemen called the waiter, and inquired who that was. It is Thornhurn, the seedsman.' • They reported the matter at the coffee-house, and among their acquaintances. As the story travelled, it was told with all manner of additions. Qne was, that 1 told Paine he was a rascal; had it not been fir his books,- I would never have left my -native country, &c. &c. In short, there was nothing heard - for many days but Thorburn's visit to Mr. Paine. " At that time I was clerk, or psalm-singer, in the Scotch Presbyterian Church, in Cedar -street, of which the famous Dr. John al. Mason was minister. The church-session caught the alarm ; an extra meeting was called. To be sure, I was not noticed to attend; perhaps they were afraid of contamination from one who had shook hands with Mr. Paine. Be that as it may, I was suspended from office for some months. " A few years after this, when Paine had fallen into disre pute, and his company shunned by the more respectable of his friends, on account of his unpopular writings and hard drinking, he boarded in the house of one William Carver, a blacksmith and horse-doctor. This Carver and I had wrought journey work together in the same shop ten years before that period; so, haying free access to the house, I frequently called to converse with Mr. Paine, One evening he related the following anec dote:--He said it was in the reign of Robespierre, when every republican the monster could get in his power was cut down by the axe of the guillotine, Paine was in the dungeon, and his name on the.list, with twenty more, ordered for execution next morning. It was customary for the clerk of the tribunal to go through the cells at night, and put a cross with chalk on the back of the door of such as were to be guillotined in the morn ing. When the executioner came with his guard round, where ever they found a chalk, the victim was brought firth. 'l'here was a long passage in the cellar, or dungeon, of this bastile, - having a row.of cells each side eoutainiug the prisoners. The passage was secured at each end, but the doors of the cells were. chiellyleft open, and sometimes the prisoners stepped into one anothet's room to converse. Paine had gone into the next cell, and left his door open, back to the wall; thus having the inside out. Just then came the chalkers, and, probably being drunk, crossed the inside of Paine's door. Next morning when the guard came with an order to bring out twenty, and finding only nineteen chalks, (Paine being in bed and his door shut,) they took a prisoner from the further end of the passage, and thus made up the number. So Mr. Paine escaped ; and, before the mistake was discovered, (about forty-eight hours after,) a stronger party than Spirie's cut off his head, and about thirty of his associates; and so Paine was set at liberty. But, being afraid to trust his head any longer among these good-democrats, for whom he had written so much, he made the best of his way for this country. - " I asked him what he thought of his almost miraculous es cape. He said, "I'lle,fr'ates had ordained he was not to die at that time.' Says I, Mr. Paine, I will tell you exactly what I think: you know you have written and spoke much against what we call the religion of the Bible; you have highly extolled the perfectibility of human reason, when left to its own guid ance, unshackled by priestcraft and superstition; the God in whom you live, move, and hatie your being, has spared your . life that you might give to the world a living comment on your own doctrines. You now show to the World what human na ture is when left to itself, to wander in its own counsels; here yea sit in an obscure,. uncomfortable dwelling, poWdered with snuff, and stupified with brandy; you, who was once the com panion of Washin g ton, J a y, an d Hamilton, are now deserted by every good man; and even respectable deists cross the streets to avoid you.' He said, He cared not a straw for the opinions of the world.' So we parted. In short, he was the most disgusting human being you could meet in the street. Through the effect of intemperance, his countenance was bloated beyond description; he looked as if God had stamped his face with the mark of Cain. A few of his disciples, who stuck to him, through good and through bad report, to hide him from the gaze of men, had him conveyed to Greenwich, where they . supplieOim with brandy till he died. " One evening, shortly after he gave me the history of his escape from the guillotine, I found himin company with a num ber of his disciples, as usual, abusing the Bible for being the cause of every thing that is bad in the world. As soon as I got an opportunity to edge in a word,.says I, 'Mr. Paine, you have been in Ireland, and other Roulet; Catholic countries, where the common people are not allowed to read the Bible; you hatiej.keen in Scotland, where every man, woman, and child, has the Bible in .their hands; now, if the Bible were so bad a hook, they who use it most would be the worst people. In Scotland, the . peasantry are intelligent, comfortable, sober, and industrious • in Ireland, they are ignorant, drunken, and live but little better than the brutes. In New Yolk, the watch house, britlewell, alms-house, penitentiary, and states-prison, is filled with Irish; but you wont find a Scotchman in these places.' This being an historical fact which he could not de ny, and the clock having just struck ten, lie took a candle from the table and walked up stairs, leaving his friends and myself to draw our own conclusions." MARRIAGES OF THE ARABS. The marriage-ceremony in general is very simple. Negotia tions commence with the father of the maiden, who usually consults the wishei of his daughter, and if her consent is gained the match takes place. The marriage-day being appointed perhaps five or six days after, the bridegroom comes with a lamb in. his arms to -- the tent of his betrothed, and there cuts the animal's throatbefore witnesses, and as soon as the blood falls upon the ground the ceremony is regarded as completed. It is accompanied with feaSting and singing; all the guests present must eat bread and meat; for this is a circumstance absolutely necessary on such occasions. The form of betrothing differs in different tribes; sometimes the•fliend.of the lover, holding the father by the hand, Merely sayi before witnesses, " You declare that you give yo - ur daughter as Wife to ." • Among 4 thasktesiottisatisstg-Sittai.thalather .of thelride gives to the suitor a twig of a tree or shrub, or something green, whieli—hi:Stiiiks in his turban and wears for three days, to show that he has taken a virgin in matrimony. The betrothed is seldom made acquaint ed with the change that is to take place in her condition. On returning home in the evening with the cattle, she is met at a short distance from the camp by her future spouse and a couple of his young friends, who carry her by . force to her father's tent. If she entertains any suspicion of their designs she defends.. her self with stones, and often inflicts wounds on the assailants though she has no dislike to the lover; for the more she strug gles, bites, kicks, cries, and strikes, the more sh e is appl a uded eter after by her own compani ons . S ome ti mes s h e esca p es t o liae neighbouring mountains, and several days elapse before the ' hridegroom can find her;—her female friends, meantime, being apprized of her ; hiding-place, furnish her with provisions. When brought to her father's tent she is placed in the womea's apart talent, where one of the you ng men immediately throws over an abba in the name o f her future husband; and this is often the first time she learns who the person is to whom she is betrothed. She is then dressed by her mother and female re lations in her wedding-suit, which is provided by the bride groom ; and being mounted on a camel ornamented with tassebt and shreds of cloth, she is conducted, still screaming and strug. , gling in the most unruly manner, three times round the tent, while her companions utter loud exclamations. If the husband belong to a distant camp the women accompany her ; and dur ing the precession decency obliges her to.cry 'and sob most hit - Ikrly. These lamentations and struggles continue after marriage ; a sometimes she repeats her flight to the mountains, refusing to return Until she is found out, or even is far advanced in - pregnancy. Marriages are generally solemnized on the Friday evenings, and the contracts are drawn up . by the. c's.di , -if the bride be a widow or a divorced woman it Is attended with little ceremony or rejoicing. This sort of connexion is alwayti reck oned ill-omened; no resistance is made,—no feast takes place,— no guest will eat of the nuptial bread; for thirty days the hus band will not taste any provisions belonging to his wife, and visitors when they come to drink coffee bring their own cups, because to touch any vessel belonging to the newly-married widow would be considered the sure road to perdition. Sheiks and rich citizens display more splendour in their dresses ar.d entertainments. The bride is decked out in the finest attire, perfumed with essences, and every part of her bok painted with figures of flowers, trees, houses, antelopes, and other ani mals. instead of receicing a marriage-portion, the husband pays for his wife,—the sum varies according to rank and cifeum ! stances. Among the Arabs of Sinai it is from five to ten dollars; but sometimes thirty if the girl is handsome and well connected. At Mecca the price paid for respectable maidans is from -40 to 300 dollars ca 15s. to £65 12s. 6:1.) ; and on the borders - of Syria young men obtain their masters' daughters by serving a number of years. Part of the money only is paid down, the rest standing over as a kind of debt, or as a security in case bf divorce. The price of a widow is never more than half, gene rally but a third, of what - is paid ,for a virgin.—Edinburgh Cabinet Library, No. X Ir. His Library, Arabia, Ancient and Modern,- . frolveme DREADFUL MURDER BY A NEGRO, On Christmas-day considerable sensation was created in con sequence of a barbarous murder having been perpetrated in this town by a black seaman on the body of a female. The murderer is a negro, named Peter'Taylor, recently appointed mate to the ship Bardaster, which sailed on Wednes day for New South Wales, and the prisoner would have gone out in her but for this melancholy and horrid occurrence. having gone into a house of ill fame, in Atherton-street, part of the town infested by low brothels, the accused met with a young woman, named Mary Anne Benson, about 25 years of age, one of the wretched creatures who lived in, the house by the wages of prostitution, and having some trifling altercation with her, he suddenly drew a large clasp knife and plunged it to the hilt into her bosom, which entered the unfor tunate woman's heart, and she immediately expired. Having _committed the horrid deed, the murderer contrived to make his escape, and was hurrying towards the docks in order to get on board his ship, which was to sail that morning, but the alarM being given, the watch were sent in pursuit, and the murderer apprehended before he reached the docks. The fol lowing are the full particulars of the dreadful occurrence, which came out at the inquest held yesterday before James Crosbie, Esq., one of the coroners of the borough . :—Mary Tierney stated, that she resides in Howard's-court, Ather ton-street, and that, on Wednesday morning last, between the hours of two and three o'clock, as herself and a' woman, named Anne Coleman, were sitting by the kitchen 'fire, the accused came- into the house and satilown. Witness asked him what he wanted, and he replied that he had come to see if any of his shipmates were there. Witness told him that there was not a seafaring man in the house; and he then commenced I pulling witness about, who desired him to desist. Ann Cole man was then up stairs, and witness called her down, and they all three sat quietly by the fire. A few minutes afterwards the deceased, Mary Benson, entered the house. Deceased asked who the prisoner belonged to and witness replied that she never saw him before, until that night, and that he had come Ito inquire after some of his shipmates. Deceased shortly after wards asked for a candle, and invited the prisoner to go up stairs. The prisoner answered her in very improper langua,ge ; and deceased took his hat off. Wit n e s s desired the deceased to return him his hat, and have nothing to do with him; which she did, and desired the prisoner to go home, saying that it was time for bed; upon which he rose and stood in the middle - of the•rooni makhi,g use'of very bad language, which caused the deceased to lay hold of his collar and say, that he should go out, as he was a dirty, nasty fellow. Anne _Coleman opened the door, and the prisoner went out and stood close by the door, the deceased standing .on the step. Witness then saw the prisoner lifted up his right hand as if he was going to strike deceased, and she therefore desired her to come iu, but . had hardly spoken to that e ffect wh e n she f e ll down on her back into the kitchen, and the prisoner ran away.' Witness immediately ran up to the deceased and asked her if she was hurt, but she was unable to return an answer. Witness then lifted her up, and her head fell upon her shoulder, and blood immediately , gushed out upon witness's clothes. — Upon examination witness found a wound on the left breast . from which the blood was issuing. 'Witness cried out murder, and a young m an who was in the top room in the house came down stirs, and on hearing what, had, iappened he ran out after the prisoner, but soon returned, iEkiid 4)4 that he could not find him. Witness went for Mr. klyams,.tin. apo, thecary, in Cleveland-square, but he refused to come and see the deceased. Witness then heard that the prisoner lodged in Park-lane, and went to his lodgings, but he was not to be found there. Witness then returned home, and found the deceased quite dead. Witness saw the prisoner; again yesterday in Bridewell, and immediately recognised him as the same man who was in her house, and struck the deceased. Deceased was sober. The prisoner having expressed a wish to be present at the inquest, for the purpose of questioning the witnesses, was brought in. He is a coal-black negro, of a very ferocious as pect, about five feet four inches high, of a stout athletic make. He speaks English very well, and proceeded to . question the witness with much acuteness, and without betraying the least sense of the awful situation in which he stood. The prisoner asked the witness if the deceased did not say, " if he would go up stairs she would send out for half a pint of gin." The witness replied that she did not hear deceased say so. Prisoner.—Did not you; Coleman, and the deceased close upon me ? Witness.--I never stirred from my scat till the deceased fell. Prisoner.—Did not one of you take up the poker to strike me ? Witness.—The poker was never lifted up at all. Anne Coleman, the woman previously alluded to, corrobo rated the evidence of the last witness, and added that, whilst the deceased was talking to the prisoner, witness held the door, and saw the prisoner take something, from under the left cuff of his coat and strike the deceesed with his right hand on her left breast, but she did not see anything in his hand at the time. Witness cried out "Murder!" when she perceived the wound, and the neighbours came in. Witness, with others, went out to search for the prisoner, and on coming home they met the watchmaU, who stated that`the prisoner was in Hanover-street Bridewell, and witness went there and identified him. Witness had never seen the prisoner before : he appeared quite sober at the time the affair happened. Prisoner.—Did the deceased give me my hat, or did I take it from her? Witness.—She gave it to you. Did not hear anything about sending for drink. Prisoner.—Did not you, Tierney, and the deceased close upon me, and take up the poker when I was trying to get out of the house ? Witness.—No. Mary Johnson said that she lives in the same house as the two last witnesses, but on the night of the murder she slept in the next house. Being alarmed by the cry of " Murder she went to see what was the.matter, and found the deceased lying on the floor; her face was covered with blood, and there was a great quantity of blood on the floor. Deceased lived four or five minutes, and then expired. Witness was asleep when the cry of " Murder!" awoke her. All the houses in the co urt are close together, and a foot upon the stairs can be hea d from one house to the other. • _ _ . Henry Morley, a captain of the nightly . watch, stated that at two minutes past three o'clock he was in Lord-street, a n d heard a rattle sprung in the direction of Atherton-street, and, on learning the cause, he immediately went to the house in Howard's-court, and found the deceased dead, as before de_ scribed. The, last witness described the prisoner to him, and he sent three men to inform the watch and the dock police of what had occurred. Searched the prisoner's lodgings; but did not find him. Subsequently ,saw the prisoner •iciptifiedi in Bridewell by the last witnesses:. William Kent Rogers, one of the dock police, who appre hended the prisoner, said that lie was stationed at the south east corner of the Prince's Dock, about half-past three o'clock on the morning of Wednesday, when he was informed that a murder had been committed iu Atherton-street, and a descrip tion of the murderer was given to him. A few minutes after wards he saw a man answering the description coming from the Old Church towards the dock. Ile passed by him, and went along the quay under the Prince's Dock wail. Witness fol lowed him, and got between the prisoner and the lamp, when he distinguished he was a man of•colour. Witness Immedi ately stopped him, and asked where he was going, and he re plied Olathe was going on board his ship, the Bardaster, which was lying: in the Prince's Dock. Witness then took him into the hut within the Prince's Dock gates, and on searching him found a clasp knife, which has a square blade ;..it was under the right cuff of his coat. Witness asked him wirf he carried a knife there ? and prisoner replied, "to defend 'myself from prigs." On searching him further, another knife; with a sharp pointed blade, was found in his breeches pocket. , It was then in the same state that it is now, smeared with blood, as' if it had been partially wiped. On questioning him, he denied having been in Atherton-street that night, and' witness then took him to the .station-house at the north end of the town, in company with Ihree'other men, and subsequently :to Bridewell. Prisoner had also in his .possession a purse, containing some inoney and two keys. Mr. Thomas Lockwood, surgeon, stated that he opened and examined the body of the deceased, by order of the coroner, and found . . a wound under the, left clavicle, extending downwards, and outwards about two inches in length, On turnin,g back the integuments on the left side of the chest, he found the cartilages of the' second and third ribs divided. On removing the'sternum, the left side of the chest was filled with coagulated blood, to' the extent of a pound and a half. There was a wound in the pericardium on the left side of the heart, extending through the left ventricle into the right. The lungs were perfectly healthy, and the general appearance of the body -was -healthy. The deceased's death was caused by the wound:. the knife produced with a sharp point would in flict such a wound. This was the whole of the evidence, when the coroner asked asked the prisoner if he wished to sav anything, at the same time cautioning him that whatever 7 he paid would be. taken down against him in writing. The prisoner said that lie wished to state the facts, and voluntarily made the following statement : " When 1 first went into this house they asked me to sit down. I drew a chair and sat down right at the centre of the tire.,— Mary Tierney spoke to me for a few minutes, and then another woman came in. I think Anne Coleman is the woman who brailled up her gown, and one of them asked me to go up stairs. I told her -I would not go up stairs, for I had got money suffi cient to go up stairs. She said she would get a half-pint of something to dlifik while we went up stairs. I. told her that I would not go, and she snatched my hat off my head. I ju m ped to her immediately, and took my 6'ol out of her arms, and made the best of the way to get the door open. One of them flew to the poker, and the whole three of them closed upon me. Then p a t . I out with my knife. I tried to make my esca down towards the dock, to go on board the vessel. I did not now but what they might be trying to rob me, or to injure -In ome way; the three Rffsed *4M - rine; When I • was orrty , otte.va, 4.ll4:_tried to fasten the door upon me, and keep me in."' The prisoner having nothing more to tali, the coroner sum med up the,evidence, and the jury, without hesitation, returned a verdict, of " Wilful Murder." On the verdict being returned, the prisoner, who had previously remained immoveable, burst into tears. The coroner then made tint the mittimus, and the prisoner was committed to take his trial at the next Lancaster assizes. MURDER AT RANTON, STAFFORDSHIRE. (Abridged from the S'toffin-dshire Adti.ertiser.) The secluded village of Banton, which is distant about six . miles from Stafford, will from henceforth be distinguished as the scene of a murder unparalleled in many of its circumstances in the annals of crime. The unfortunate victim was a young woman of the name of Mary Evans, daughter ofJoseph Evans, clerk of the parish of Ranton,about twenty -. years of age, and possessing considerable personal attractions. She was disco vered about noon on Monday last, by a waggoner, in a lifeless state, lying in a ditch in a road, at Renton, within 200 yards of an inhabited house, and not far from the church. Her bonnet was very much crushed, and her cloak in a disordered state over her shoulders, as though she .had been struggling. The wag goner having obtained assistance, the body was brought out, and was found to be warm, life having but recently become ex tinct. The corpse was conveyed with ou t delay t o the house of Thomas Tildesley, whose wife is the deceased's sister, and where the deceased had been living several weeks previous, and up to the time. of this tragical event. Suspicion immediately fell upon a young man of the_name of Richard Tomlinson, who had kept company with her for some time, and who bad left Tildes lev's house with her on Sunday afternoon. to accompany her to a house of another sister at knightley, about four miles off. Tomlinson was taken into custody two hours after the body had been found. In the mean time, however, he had confessed to a farmer of the name of Betteley that he had perpetrated the diabolieal deed. This part of the history is - not a little singular. Betteley, who was known to Tomlinson, had seen him. about two hours before, walking from the place where •the body of the ill-fated young woman was . found. Tomlinson stopped and looked *earnestly at Betteley, but they were not near enough to speak. In about an hour and a half afterwards, Betteley, not having beard of the murder, went to Phillip's - beer-shop, and there found Tomlinson, who invited him-to take a glass of ale with him, and afterwards took him to a cart-house belonging to the premises, and commenced a conversation with him by say-. jug, "Did you see me do it?"---" Do what ?" said Betteley, at a Foss to understand his meaning.-- ,, Murder Mary Evans," rejoined Tomlinson.. Betteley, supposing, from the coolness of his manner, that he was not in earnest, -told'him he did not be lie-;e him ; but be rHeated his former assertion, saving that he had killed her . alid that she wa s lying.in'a dit c h under an oak tree in Mr. Addison's field,.. not far 'from • Perkin's, Shortly afterwards, Arkins4ll, the cam:table of Guosal, came and took DECEMBER 2/, Tomlinson into custody. The Rev. W. H. C. Lloyd, of Nor' bury, a magistrate of the county, ana,vicar of Rantots„ hearing of the capture of Tomlinson, went to the lock-up at Gnosall when Tomlinson said, " I did it. . I am ready to die for it. only wish I may be laid by her side." He afterwards made & full confession. He said that on Sunday afternoon he accom panied Mary Evans to her sister's at Kni g htley, where.they re mained all night. On the following morning they started for High Ercall, to consult a conjurer about some things which Mary Evans had lost; and he being taken ill on the road, an d therefore unabl e t o t rave l, th ey returne d t oge th er throug h Knightley on their way to Ranton. Some words occurred be tween them. She told him his refusing to go to Ercall wa s a proof of his g uil t ; an d s h e now 'believed he had stolen her things. He retorted that he had lost a watch and some sove: reigns, and he thought she had taken them. They continued thus to criminate and recriminate each other. They were both in a violent pa ss i on; an d as th ey were com i ng d own the road from Ranton Hall, she reproached him by reminding him that his father Was poisoned and his moth er di e d i n gaol." This exasperated him in an excessive degree, and he told her if she repeated those words he would knock her down. She did re peat them, - and lie knocked her into the ditch with his first. She shouted out " You've murdered me I" Upon which s aid Tomlinson, " replied if I have not, I will do it.' I immediately jumped upon her back as she lay with her face downwards in the ditch. I then stepped on the bank, and she scrambled upon her bands. and knees, and laid her head, with her hands on either side of it, on the dit c h b an k. I then left her, and whethe r i she fell into the ditch a ga i n or no t I canno t say. " S uc h is the detail given by Toinlin,Son of this horrible transaction. Front the evidence taken before the coroner, it would appear that his statement is not quite correct. When the body was discovered, a large rough stone, weighing at l eas t 21b., was o b serv ed lying upon the right hand. A wound at the back of the deceased's head had evidently been caused by some blunt instrument ap• plied with considerable force; and the inference is, -that t he stone in question was used for that-purpose. Tomlinson denies having used a stone, and says that the wound must have been made by the heel of his shoe when he jumped upon the body. An inquest was held o n th e b o dy on Tuesday, when a verdic t of "Wilful.Murder" was returned against Tomlinson. 1 l Elberpool 'tanbarb. FRIDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 27, 1803- The following, from our private correspondent, contains the latest news . from Portugal, but it is without any in terest "FALxiorTll,' DEC. 21, 1833. "The Lightning (government steamer) arrived this morning, with mails and despatches from Portugal; sailed from Lisboa the 19th, and from Oporto the 21st instant. She brings no news of much interest. With respect to the negotiation re ported to have been pending at Santarem, with a view to pit an and to hostilities, nothing whatever waiVdown'at A private letter mentions that General M'Donald had quitted Don Miguel's service, and had been succeeded in the chief command of the army by Viscount Santa Martha. It was re ported at Lisbon on the 17th, that a Spanish army of 6000 mere had crossed the frontier in pursuit of the Carlists on the Portu guese territory, and had liberated some Portuguese prisoners at Portalegre :—this was generally credited. Recruiting still goes on in the provinces for Don Miguel. " From Oporto the packet brings nothing whatever that was not previously known in this country. " H.M. packet Plover arrived at Lisbon on the 16th. IL being perfectly calm, the Lightniv was ordered out to tow her into the Tagus. At the same time the Columbia (steamer) was in 4- • • the offing, hound to the Mediter ranean , font days from dil l/ port. " ELM. packet Pantalooh, which sailed on Saturday last..wa s compelled yesterday to return to this port, in consequence of the violence of the gale." The speech of Louis PHILIPPE, king of the - French, in opening the Chambers, will be found elsewhere. It is the most unsatisfactory document that we have read for a long time. The Emperor of CMNA, if were dis posed to deliver himself of an oration, could not treat pis subjects with more indifference. A few short sentences are strung together which have an allusion to some Of the events passing or impending in Europe; but any thing like explanation is denied, while credit is taken for peace when all the circumstances point fo war. He says, " the Peninsula has become the theatre of important events." He has graciously reeognised Donna MARIA in Portugal, and Donna ISABELLA in Spain. Switzerland,. he is pleased tc inform us, '• ha 15 been momentarily disturbed by dissentions." Difficnl - he admits„still retard the conclusion of a definitive treaty between the King of the BELGIANS and the King of the NETHERLANDS ;" and last, not least, he con descends to tell his people that the " Ottoman empire has been threatened with great perils." These are admissions which a plain man would natu rally take to be indicative of something like a political storm. Civil war on the one side of France, an arme d neutrality on the other—dissentions here, perils there- - all these to the mind of such a philosopher as 14 009 PIIILIPPE are nothing more than symptoms of tranquillity I: and happiness ; for he adds, " I am happy to announce to you that our relations, with all the powers, and the assurances I receive from them as to their dispositiens ‘. leave no doubt as to the maintenance of the general peace" I It is singularly fortunate for France that she should be so peacefully disposed, and so truly contented and baPPY , when all the combustibles of war and confusion are , 3xploding around her. But how comes it that she islo busy in fitting out fleets andarmaments ? When. nothing is apprehended why need a man buckle:on new and trou blesome armour? "France," says LOINS PHILIPPE, "con tinues to be intimately united with Great Britain;" but, if we understand the nature of this union, its present ob ject is to 'make war upon Russia, and their combined fleets are preparing fur that purpose., Is this preparation indicative of peace ? To send a fleet to the Mediterra nean is a strange commentary upon thepacffic assurances of foreign powers! We suspect that these contradictory circumstances form the veil which hypocrisy draws over, mischief and tyranny. The intimate allies are sur rounded with difficulties. They long for war, but are ifraid to strike. They have assumed an hostile frOnt:--77::: they menace and remonstrate—they bluster and threatet-: —but when the time comes they will withdraw their armaments, and take shelter under their pacific as surances. Russia knows' very well what she is about ; and we are quite confident, considering_ the insecure Po sition of Louis PHILIPPE, and the embarrassed givatiOn of England, that, despite all their threats, she will, ke e l ) a fast hold of her acquisitions in the East, and retain the advantages she. derives under the, last treaty concluded with the Sultan. The following portion of the speech has reference to the internal affairs of France, and is curious encugh in its way : "The tranquillity of France has not been disturbed since yog d ' . last session. It is in the enjoyment of the blessings of order. an, peace. Thr oug h ou t th e country i n d ustry an d la b our rneet wit h their reward. The population, occupied and peaceful, feels as sured of the stability of our institutions, of my fidelity in watching over them, and the public security is the pledge of national prosperity. -. • • "It was by guaranteeing our righls, protee — Niii oar intereet s, and by the equity and moderation (1 our policy, that we have 01 / 7 tained these happy results!" The tranquillity and order, .the equity and moderation of the policy of Louts PHILIPPE, and the stability of his institutions, by whicl\ he means the stability of his throne, are here much lauded by the citizen king. l l° affects the coolness of the sailor who smoked his pipe all a barrel of gunpowder. The people are happy and Val l i quil, and are in the f u ll en j o y men t o f th e bl e ssings' " order," and yet the gaols of Paris are crowded to re pletion, and twenty-seven "traitors" were actually.nll der trial on the very day he penned his oration. °n° of these worthies was sentenced to three years' irartriV, l _ l- ,ment, not for being a " tr a it or ," but f or accusing' t h e KING'S advocate of uttering falsehood, and for calling him a "miserable fellow," which is a proof of the mad laws of revolutionized France. At the same time thref political trials were pending in the courts of Paris. 1%1 FOUROUGE, a Carlist, was charged with publishing an at tack upon Louts PHILIPPE, but the charge was e ither frivolous or unsustain e d, and he was acqu itt e d ! 'The se cond prosecution was against VO TER D'ARGENSON, the republican deputy, CHARLES TESTE, the public writer, and one MIE, a printer, for having published a work en titled " TheSulkings of a R I C H MAN at th e progress of PUBLIC SENTIMENTS." This al s o was supp o sed to be a libel on the sacred person of LOUIS PH ILIPP E; but th e three defendants, were acquitted! The third prosecution was against M. RION and the printer MIE, for having published the famous declaration of that pattern of Frenc h republicans, the infamous and blood-thirsty ROBESPIER f tE4 entitled " The Rights of Man," but in this case too ba th . defendants were acquitted! Twenty-seven . traitors and five revolutionary sedition.' mongers at the, bar of justice at the same instant is n beautiful illustration of the order which prevails In France, of the "equity and moderation" which gover