The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1832-12-11 00:00:00

TZ-rte LONDON" V2IMSS. IRELAND. Whether there be any truth in the report which has got into the Dublin papers, that the Marquis of Anglesey is to be recalled from the government of Ireland, and re placed by the Duke of Richmond, -tye do not pretend to know ; but we d o k now th a t th e M arqu i s o f Anglesey, without impeaching his intentions, never was and never can be equal to the adequate and efficient discharge of the duties which devolve upon a Chief Governor of Ireland. We have more than once taken occasion to express that opinion, and every day's additional experience tends to confirm its accuracy. We should not wonder if some light upon this subject had at length found its way into the inmost recesses of Downing-street.----As to the result of Mr. Stanley's measures for the tranquilisation of Ire land, they seem to have been nearly as abortive as those of Lord Palmerston for the peaceful settlement of-the Dutch and Belgian disputes. The latter has so managed the work Of " pacification" as to "let slip the dogs of war," and the blood of that war already cries to'heaven ; the other has so conducted his tranquilising measures as to bring Ireland to a more distracted state than that in which he found it—a state in which all parties, however opposed to each other in some points, cordially agree in . one sentiment, and that is a sentiment of hatred to the present administration. It is in vain to disguise the fact —lreland is in a more distracted state than she ever has been since the rebellion of 1798, and the cry of a repeal of the legislative union with this country has become more general and decided than ever.—We should be.sorry for an instant to place Mr. Stanley on a level, in point of intellect and political respectability, with Lord Palmerston. The present Secretary for Ireland could not stultify him self by such productions as the Belgic protocols. He neither talks nor writes nonsense. His parliamentary powers in debate are undisputed; but his Irish policy adds another example to many that could be mentioned, of the vast difference which may exist between the 'talents of a smart and able debater and the-capacity of -a states man. But we cannot see how matters will be mended if, as the. report goes, he is to be succeeded by Sir 'John Hobhouse. This report the Morning .Register affirlris, on what is called good authority. It would-be exceedingly improbable if political fitness were much consulted, at the present day, in the appointments to political office. Most assuredly Sir John Hobhouse is not the man to re trieve the errors of Mr. Stanley. The;Secretary at War is an. individual who has had the good or evil fortune to have his abilities greatly over-rated. The' atronage of Burdett, and the favour of the 'elect o r s ' o f Westfiiinstor, which was a consequence of that patronage, gave'hino a degree of political distinctiou which he never could have earned for himself. He has displayed nothing beyond. mediocrity of mind, either in parliament or u t o f it; and no man of mediocre. powers can grapple with the dig-j -ellifies which Ireland presents.—A Morning Pape r„which usually supports4ninisters, draws a melancholy picture of those difficulties. It says' that " Mr. Stanley's.policy has been, from the first, utterly inexplicable on any received principles," and, after soine other observations, proceeds to say, "The result has been most unfortunate; on the eve of a general election the mass of the population, by the absurd perseverance in an -irritating system, are • alienated, beyond recovery, from the government."—Mr. O'Connell is now completely lord of the ascendancy. We are assured by those who know- well the state of things in Ireland that the elections will almost every where go against ministers. Mr. Stanley has made re peal the sine qua non for appearing. before the electors-of Ireland. 'Some stood out for a longer---scine for a shorter period,- - --but all have at length been, obligedlo "con form." This is 'a deplorable state of things to follow so soon upon the track of that "healing measure" which both the Duke of Wellington's administration and the Whigs assured the people would be the panacea, or universal and infallible remedy, for all the political evils of Ireland. Superficial doctors of the body politic 'have they proved themselves to . be. • They attacked some of the external symptoms, but the disease that corroded the vital parts they left unnoticed and untouched. As an inevitable consequence, the symptoms have broken out in a more frightful form with the aggravation of the disease. The whole constitution of s_eiety is in an un sound state. A bold dragoon, who has about as clear a notion of civil government, and what constitutes the prosperity of a state, as his own charger has of the art of war, is not exactly the person qualified to remedy this state of things. Nor is a ready debater, who substitutes for political sag;aCity an abundance of aristocratiehauteur, just the sort of man to supply the political wisdom which the - Viceroy wants.—Whether the report to which we have alluded be true or not; it is quite clear that ministers, unless infatuated, must change both, the men and mea sures by which Ireland is governed—if that can be called government under which the elements of society seem rapidly resolving theniselves into the wildest state of con fusion. And when we think of the expense which it costs this country to have Ireland badly governed, we feel more truly the importance of the qu es ti on to every linglisliman.—Morning Herald. ' The condition of affairs in Ireland has obviou s ly filled. • the ministers with dismay. NV_ e will do some of them; • the justice to admit, that the alarm which they feel is more than the emotion of placemen on the eve of dismissal., Some there are among them so far sagacious as to see ; in the signs before them, indications that the crash of a :broken empire is at hand, sufficiently patriotic to grieve at the approaching ruin, and with-enough of conscience •to contemplate this result of their political activity in the bitterness of remorse. •The Globe last night gave again "to the people of England a chart of the present state of the IriSh canvass. The following is its general conclu sion :—Conservative candidates, jorty-six:—Repeal can didates, SIXTY-SEVEN :—Whig (or ministerial) candidates, sixty-four. The 'enumeration is not exact; for besides that amongst the Whigs are enrolled several Roman Ca tholic gentlemen, who, if they are not such already, must sooner.or later become "repealers,"—as for example, Lord Killeen and Mr. Serjeant O`Loghlin; some •are Conservatives Mr. T. Gladstone for instance; and many common papist repealers, Mr. Thomas Flannagan, the Athlone petitioner and soi-disant Sheriff of. Sligo, and ethers. But though the calculation is naturally enough inaccurate in. magnifying the pretensions' and prospects of time ministerialists ; it has enough of, truth to fill every reflecting man with serious apprehensions. SIXTY-SEVEN candidates pledged, to the dismembermott of the empire, confessed by the ministerial-organ ; but s-l'ity-fbur claimed as likely toofFer themselves upon the ministerial interest; and but forty-Aix presenting:themselves , from 7 among the: rank, property,•loyalty, and -intelligence of the country. If, as there.ig , too much reason to-fear; the whole-ornear- ly the whole repealers shall be returned, the question of repeal vJill, in , the - jiidgtxient of . the vulgar Irish ; be , virtually carried acebrding :to thaargoinents:ern.:. pla'y'ed by: _them .tipou . the iPopisit question, and mere_ boldly put forwarclnponthis igneStion itself ; namely, that the vote of a Majthity tof is in'right sive of :every irzsla question., The enforcing - or not en-: forcing..the.- legislative partition of ilia-kingdom by a thus, afterthe i return •of,a:matority of re pealers; bedorne, in theopinibn of the , Pc Dish populace, • a mere questiOn'oPexp - eoieney. We certfer,stliat wahava t: rent diitictilty in treating ;this subject; -our embarrass ment, is riot as to the advice whii!li•• we ought but as t o th e nmode.-in. which we to give upon the matter, ought to give it, so as not, in limine, to arouse the jealous resentment of those for whose opinions we entertain the THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. greatest respect. The:position of the COnservative par ty is the most delicate and serious in which a party.was ever placed. If they of save the empire from imme— diate ruin, on the side of Ireland, they must, in some iti. stances, tolerate—perhaps support, 'the men who have brought the -ruin to our doors; and 'who threaten to bring, though more : remotely, like ruin on the side of England. How perplexing, then, is the condition of an adviser ? Can we adviseto tolerate any where, and even, if. need be, to support the men who have brought us into great peril, and do not disguise the design of plunging us into greater; men otherwise contemptible for their folly, and hateful for their selfish and perverse runbition —if " the word ambition " is to be debased by using it to describe the sordid love of place and money ? On the other hand, can we hesitate to advise meeting the iinme diate instant danger, by whatever means ? No, we can 'not; - great emergencies call for great sacrifices from - honest men, and from honest men they will never be demanded in vain. Let every exertion be made to return :Conser vatives from the sister kingdom. Oh ! let the wealthy in England think of the stake now awaiting the hazard of the die,—let 'the utmost exertions possible be made to return Conselatives for the sister kingthen; but if these exertions seem in some instances desperate,let equal ex ertions in suet instance - 0)e employed to exclude repeat ers. Theministers are stupid, wicked, perverse, greedy, whatever any one can' call them worse; but in Ireland they occupy the breaCh'between law and anarchy; and where they are not strong enough to maintain the posi tion'lay themselves, and where we cannot maintain .it alone, ,anarchy is 'to be kept out, it must be kept out by, a union: of strength. * * * Mr. O'Connell makes no distinction between. Repealer and.Ministerialist, when the 'supportin'g of 'either is ne cessary to keep out a'Conservative—he kneWs very well that the difference between himself and the - great body of Ministerialists, is merely a difference in degree, which time mai", and'a 'permitted eotitintiance of Popish activi.: ty 'must - efface. He will, therefore, not only support Mi nisterialists on the hustings_ against 'Conservatives—he will, as lie did befint,:being his tilible column of Repeal- erste Sirpport the Ministt.tS in parliament, whenever' they .go far--enough for Iris ttrste rn opposing 'ConservatiVe y j rinciples. will rote 4 , 4 ;t11at black is White "'for them, if they Will onl , se.eptid; 7 lfis ; views of -ciestruction. lie knows that Witli sixty or—saventy Repealers he will, in f'aat; be theinasteri/fithe administration, if' only 'he per mit them tottilieltiteipublic Arages:ls it the interest of the 'Conservative -ptrifty to. give him this autlibrity ? Would itbe wisegtenftttifet4iitg , of dislike-to Loi'd Grey's cabinet,tcereintfree that-ettbinet by a band of hostile •flesperadoeS,-disposeti as - Well to 'aid' thefuWith"the sword as to urge with the-yin-, 'we intreat all who may haVe evenfor amement exulted' in the - triumphs - gained - by the Ilepealers ,over liliniSterialists in Irelandlo retied upon this view of the qnestion.—We have spoken of the repeal of the Tnion as one of the - consequences ,vvhidh the return of a majority of Repealers would, according . to 'Popislenetions,, place immediately within thereach of, the Irish Papists; but we are by .no means sanguine enough to hope that this:is.the , first 'Consequence which. woula be' sought. 'We believe that any increase of the . Popish, which .i§-44" the 'Repeal " party, in parliament,, would in-a very'shoittirne make the legislative and even political separation' of these islands an object more desira ble for England, than a continuance of the connexion under any posSible-arrangement. Let the reader con template the , future' state of England in the - case supposed in the following extract, whiCh we copy from the prefacie, to William Prynne's Legacy, reminding pur friends that. Trynne lived -in times essentially similar to .our .- that he was-a man 'of learning, sense, and honour, and a , martyr of liberty. 1. "1 makeno question _of it, if the- Jesuistsprevail in England, they intend and will turn all things topsy-turvie, upside down eingsliall up, size '§hall.under. In Parson's High Council of Reformation all the whole state must be changed, and the land and seignories.of clergy and nobility, universities ' colleges, and what not, must be altered, abridged, and taken away. And is not all this visibly effeeted - already for the most part, and the rest pro;• jected and near - accomplished ? 2. "I 'verily thitik that all the Puritans will join wholly with the Jesuits at length (how far soever they seem to be, and are yet, in external profession of religion), there being, at least, half tr hundred , principles and - odd tricks coneerning , nOvEßlN'ENT, AUTHORITY, TYRANNY, POPU". UARITY, tt. 'Sze. 'which they lump, ad just together in, as if both were made of one mould. And is not this really verified (though not' by the old loyal 'En-, 7glisll - Purttans;) yet - at 16 - at - by SUlldfy irrtiiiitiN . ANA BAPTISTS, INDEPENDENTS, some temporising PRESBY TERIANS, and by many army officers, soldiers (in late or present power), if they will but - compare their-last six years' actions wvith the Jesuits, which bath given great advantages to ourl?omish adversaries to draw more pro selytes to their .religion. 0 ! let them consider it seri ously in:the-fear of God, and lament it with the greatest 'grief of heart ! "—London Standard. * See Militiere's " Victory of Truth," dedicated . to the King of Great Britain, to invite him to 'embrace the Ronan Catholic, faith, 1654. BUSINESS TOR THE REFORMED PARLIAMENT. There will, be so much to do in the reformed Parlia ment, that - :we' fear there will scarcely be time to do any ' thing. There will be so much despatch used in the des patch of business, that we are afraid that there will be very little - business despatched. There will be so many snakes to be killdd,. that we fear the majority will only be•seetched. If only the one half of what is proposed be actually accomplished, we need not care whether the other half shall ever - be taken into' consideration. Yet as the reformers Are proverbially opposed to half mea sures, we have a right to expect whole doings, if they do anything. We are oppresled with prospects. There is not a can didate who takes the pledges, that does not also take upon himself a new project of national regeneration. If they all succeed in carrying their plans into . effect, our laws will forma code without a plan. The scaffolding will be stronger than the house, and the house will never be finished. There Are motions and rumours of motions getting up. A few of these are curious 'enough—if true. • It is saidthata bill is in preparation on the ministerial side of the house, , to Abolish the order of . vicars, .and to distribute the work of existing curates-among the bishops; deans, 'and dignitaries of the church. Curacies Are to be , raised. to livings and livings are to be reduced to curacies. Captain MARRYATT is 'to propose a series of resolu tions to compel 'naval 'Officers to inflict the.ininishment of flogging; not on the 'offender, but on his father, his uncle, and his.first . cousins. No officer in the service is to be considered exempt from the office of handling'the cat o'-nine-tails, if necessary. Mr. HOME' is to bring forward 279 bills; arid 11,34 S 'resolutions'on - finance, including 2,000 tables of expen :diture, and an estimate of, probable ,savings in govern ment othces, with other calculations, including ; it is raid, nearly ten millions - of billions of figures. It is under stood that an important reduction \yin be effected in the :pnblic' departments in the consumption of ink, by ccm-, pellingthe clerks not to. dot th e i r i s or cross their is. SirJOHN CAM HOSHOUSE, if returned, is expected to :bring in a bill to establish by the tr - iithority of the legis lature a-law that -what -a man says on one side of the .Ir.touse should never be broughtagainst him when he has' taken his seat at the other that there is no inconsistency in contradicting as a minister what a man filly have stated as a patriot; and that the people have no right whatever to question any act, or exercise any jnrisdic 'don over a representative. Mr. STANLEY is expected to support the bill. Mr. DowNEs, who has some hope of his election for the close borough of CaocxEoßD's bazaar, has in pre .paration a bill to oblige police officers to execute the war rants of the magistrates, and to compel young ladi es w ith weak heads to kep out of harm's way. Captain GORDON proposes, should he be sent into Padiament, to bring in a bill for a repeal of the Union on Protestant principles. Mr. O'CoNNELL is to propose a resolution to have himself, returned for all Ireland, at the next general elec tion, with permission, to bring in, by way of rump, his son MAutucz, his son-in-law, Mr. FITZIMON, and some of the bob-tail from Kerry. He is to move for the abo lition of the usage of seconding motions, for as he is a declared enemy to principals, he sees no utility in se conds.—Atlas. THE MINISTRY AND THE BILL. When the Whigs came into office it was assumed that they had measures in contemplation of immense public utility which they could not carry because the House of Commons was elected by, what was called in the cant of the day, a " corrupt, boroughmongering oligarchy;" but, if we could only grant refonn, then we should see what we should- see. Sober-minded men asked what the measures were which would be so beneficial, and . .which the then Parliament could not be expected to adopt; but to this no very distinct answer was given. Reform was at length carried, by fair means or by foul, we stop not now to inquire which, but certainly in de fiance of protests, loud and deep, from those classes of the community who were best qualified to form just and impartial opinions ; and the public now naturally asks, what the wonderful measures are for the sake of which so much excitement was created, and so many dangers were undergone ? But still we get no definite answer. We look for the benefits of the bill, ,Or 'for signs of its benefits, or for intelligible indications at least of what they are likely to be, but, up to this moment, we look in vain. In the mean time our actual calamities are pressing and fearful, and they appear to be exactly of that class against which the bill was to ensure us is all 'future time, without any chance of failure. Borough- Mongering begat war,. and reform was certainly to .guarantee - peace ; instead of which war stares us in the 'face, war in its wprst - form ; a war of palpable injustice, undeniable impolicy„ and undisguised oppression. More - than this, the war; 'all execrable as it is in character and ruinous 'in tendency, is, in our judgment, the legitimate offspring of the Reform Bill. But for the bill the Whigs lrad - not been in office; but for the fact of the Whigs being in office, hampered by the consequences of their 'own revolutionary proceedings, France would not have dared to pursue an aggressive policy; and, but for the aggressive policy of France, the squabble between Hol-. :land - and Belgium would have been settled one way or the other, months ago. So the war, infamous as it is, and 'indelibly as it cannot but stain the annals of our country, is only one of the consequences of the miserable , bill which was to secure to us endless peace. Then the bill was to bring retrenchment and financial prosperity; 'but how can these consist with the marching of armies, the fitting out of hostile fleets, the embarrassment and destruction of trade, and the universal alarm of con- Siderate capitalists ? But, above all, the bill was to produce internal tranquillity; it was to put down radi calism and corruption 'alike, to get rid of all the causes of sedition, and to' secure the return to Parliament a, - whin but the most honourable men in 'the land by the lunbought suffrages of a virtuous and high-minded con stituency. Alas ! for the wits of projectors, and the un .forgotten bathos of the Times, and the mortifying dis closures of-the recent radical meetings in Westminster and blsbwhere! The 'heaven-born bill haS passed, but : the:people are more distressed, discontented, and 'divided than ever; good men shriniko private stations, and the basest of men • aspire to popUlar honours; the noble minded ten-pounders, all "men of property," think df nothing but attacking property and fixing the .burden dr the taxes on anyshoulders but their own; and the Times itself acknowledges that the rampant democracy :must •be effectually-curbed either by the strong arm of the' law; or 'the combined efforts of the despised conser- Tatives, or the throne itself 'will be stibverted, and the country. plunged in ruin! The ultra-radicals of West minster, according to that journal, instead of, resting satisfied with the bill, are endeavouring to effect "a total and ,jacobinical revolution;" they wish to esta blish "the fiercest and'wildest of all tyrannies, the abso luteism of a desperate mob under the SpeeiotisUame of a democracy;" They are bent upon bringing about (we still quote the Times of only Saturday last) "by fair means or by foul, at all events, at all risks, throughcon fiscation, pillage, fire, and blood, if not otherwise, a terrible revolution." So much for the peaceable 'fruits of the healing measure,. "the bill, the whole and nothing-but- the-hill."—Morrring Post. FOREIGN I:NTELLIGMNCE. HOLLAND AND BELGIUM. SIEGE OF ANTWERP. The following details of the operations of Marshal Gerard against the citadel of :Antwerp, since our last, we extracted , from the correspondence of the Times : "ANTWERP, Sunday, - Dee. 2nd; 2 o'clock.—The firing during: the night and morning has been more frequent than yesterda y morning, yet it is slow enough. The French ridicule it as' mere. play. I have been to Berchem, where are the French head-quarters. There are several regiments hutted close to the village. The Dutch made a slight sortie this morning, at 11 Velock, - which was 'repelled with the loss of four or five killed and wounded on the French side. I have not heard how many were injured on the Dutch side. The French have taken a non commissioned officer . belonging to, the besieged. The work men continue to work in' the formationof the batteries, which, notwithstanding there - are 18 inches of waterin some, are ex pected to be completed to-morrow. In the river there is but little - thatige. The - French troops are stationed in smallparties along the'dike leading from Calloo to Fort Austreweel, or, as it is sometimes called, St. Isabel. The Dutch in that fort fired some musketry and a cannon at the French when approaching. The reason of the slow firing of the garrison during the night and morning is' said to be the hazy weather, which, with the trees that are growing between the trenches and the citadel, renders it 'difficult to descry the workmen. Chasse did not cut down the trees, and is now much embarrassed by them. The Belgians would have prevented him. The number of persons said on the French side to be killed, on the whole, 'does not amount to more than 10 or 12. This, however, may be doubted, as occasional grape-shots are heard. The citadel has been found to be more difficult than the French at first imagined. They, therefore, are resolved to take their time, and to make every preparation in the best order before they begin their -can nonade. Some persons imagine that there may be a second summons to General Chasse before the French will open their fire. The weather is wet, and the roads, except the paved ones, almost impassable from the mud. It is far from being cold, which is a great advantage to the besiegers. SUNDAY N IGHT, HALF-PAST 11.—The firing during the even ing, which was rather fine, was brisker far than on any former occasion. The Dutch garrison appear to 'have found their range," and they now fire in order to delay the works, frighten- ing the wcamen rather 'than by doing them injury. This fine old city is, perhaps, doomed 'to perish. I fear it from the pe rusal of General Chasse's last comnlunication, which threatens to destroy the city if Marshal Gerard shall'make use of the same means to attack the citadel-as. did the besigers in 1746 and 1792; 'and it demands that the Scheldt be declared free for his having ail communications from Holland during the siege. From very good sources I learn, that the Belgian authorities are, to-morrow, to givenotice to all vessels in- the harbour to quit it immediately under the white flag, and that, henceforth,, none will be allowed to come up the river. General Sebastia ni's corps, which has already re-established and armed Fort St.. Marie, near Calico, will prevent them effectually. The last of the merchant ships detained yesterday are.to sail t o -morrow n i r 4 der the nehtral fl ag . To-morrow, or, rathe r , thi s d ay, for itl now past midnight, and the cannons of the cit a d e l are growl with more vehemence than on any previous night, the Frene s are expected to have their batteries fully ready; they will the e attack, and the corps of General Sebastiani will, at the gad, time, move on the 'fete de Flanders. It is, therefore, diflict a to ensure the safety of this city during twenty-f our hours. 4 , 0 „ MONDAY MORNING, DEC 3.—The efforts of the French •-•-- vernment to give. Holland a chance of endin this fruitless c c° test have been proved by the mission of M. G.I son to the Fri l l of Orang e . M. Giessen went to the D u t c h ronti ers , a nd ha e as it is confidently stated, several com mun i ca ti ons w ith t h o Prince of Orange, which ended with a declaration, that, 'French agent, he could' not be admitted in H o ll an d ; he the' , ' fore, last week, returned. I have been assur e d th a t the best•ti derstanding continues to exist between M ars h a l G erar d 9 ', Colonel Caradoc, the British agent at th e F renc h heasl-na 3, tors.- MONDAY, 10 O'CLOCK.—The weather conti nues s h owe ry, a; b (l e of course, not favourable to the operatio ns o f th e b es i ege d. ` i s earth is wet, and the trenches watery and muddy, so that it I very difficult to move the guns along them. It is therefore sa; l ej that the French cannot commence th e i r fi r i ng upon th e eitau until to-morrow. The firing of the c it a d e l i s a lit t l e b r i s ker than that of yeSterday. There was some sharp firing of musket ! r. heard during the night and before s ix o'clock this morning: some conjecture it to have been caused by sorties f ro m the Pi, rison. Since writing the above, I have made inquiries resp ec ing the fusilade, and. find that it origin a t e d i n a mistake w sentinel, who fired, it is supposed, on some p ersons com ing fro g ' the citadel. TweLvE o'cLocK.—l have been to examine tha state of ti le r river, and find that the permission for th e sa t e d e parture. ° the vessels that were delayed on Saturday h as arr i ve d, and " 7 „ ° . 4 persons are ,to go with them down the river to show the fla e t'i. to the French troops at Calloo, wh o m i s t oo k them ''' e r Dutch convoying persons from th e c it a d e l. Th e nu mber. vessels in the basin now amounts to ab ou t 20, most of wb ic have nearly discharged their cargoe s; th ose th at draw less t han - seven feet of water are expected to pass by th e cana l t o Ghl t, e Bruges, and -Ostend •; the larger must end eavour s peedily take their departure by the Scheldt. Oarn o'cLocx.—l have b een assure d th a t t h ere are sixtee h it n a t re ho f u o s r e b s o o m f bs. batteries now armed by the besiegers out of the nineteen wh,.` c ht , wilt be ready at day-break to-morrow morning to begin ' fire. Nine of those bat:left:ems public resort, t° I o " MONDAY NIGHT, g l o l ora O'C rici L W OC o K v .— eri T h h e e lm w i e n a g lh th er e :i0t;I.11111110Cie: who choose to quit the town that the fie policeroar m in y, alh a lo n ths d ge a o d ro d eoi s . st t oo o nt t sh h e e gates shall be open for their departure, but, once ou tside , city, none whatever shall enter. The people now twain to fe e l the horror of quitting their houses, or of running the risk ~!'e losing their lives ; some have made up ,their minds t o t a ke la chance of the city. inhabitants '`TUESDAY MORNING, DEC. 4, 9 o'CLocK.—The inhaol,-,„ of the city have been in movement all the morning,—some ing from the dangers which they s e e lik e ly t o d es troy V a t houses and their property. The officers have been in 'noven a & in order to witness the first French fire, which was to take P l '; • e at eight o'clock. Alarm, agitation, a n d a ff r i g h t are vi sible the groups collected to look at each other and to hear the n. I t : During the last hour Ch asse ' s cannon have been very sila-st a rumour, unhappily unfound e d, i s c i rculated among sonie,, a t the groups, that, a courier has arri ve d f rom H ollan d , a nd tI L , the Governor is about to parley,; but the best-i n f or med; sh a their heads, to indicate there is no truth in it. • h _ st' " TEN O'CLOCK.—This is St. Barbe's-day (in Englis.m,es Barbara,) the fete-day of the French cannoneers, and h., e ,',; e 3 night they expect to celebrate it with her music. The no during the last two hours of the cannon of General Chass e e, given much more anxiety than satisfaction ; it is, as it' Iger the last hope of a man doomed to die. f tr "ELEVEN O 'C LOC K.—M. de Tallanay,. secretary 19 ha' i French Embassy at Brussels, and Colonel Caradoc, have a conferenc e , an d it is presumed to relate t o th e l as t suni—hs, which is to be sent to General Chasse. Th e w hite flag 6 0 been waved from the *spire of the cathedral for four °r o e minutes, and the officers around have exclaimed, ' there the 5 then communication with the citadel.' It is thought to be Lu e „ t her summons. The wind has turned to the north, and the w i e e - e sts has grown clearer, the cannons have begun to roar, the i n a d are removed, the citadel will not . yield to the will of maligot' Europe, —the King ef Holland is resolved to do his worst- act " QUARTER PAST ELEVEN O'CLOCK.—SeVentI of the re s P d aet able and wealthy inhabitants have applied to the coming of the city, Colonel Buzon, for l eave t o re t urn , a fter nn' a te( the town, but his - will is fixed. None willb e all o wed to rei t . I,e until it be known whether Ch asse s h a ll fire on the town; a to do not, other measures will b e -t a k en , an d i ngress a llowe be e those who obtain permi s si on . Th e t roops i n th e c ity have d be' under arms all the-morning; a regiment of Chasseurs stan a lso side their horses in the Place Verse. S e veral cannons are , be stationed near them, in readiness in case necessity arise. , if French have not yet fired; the difficulty lies in the faalbo they will fire from Montebello, which may compromis e ar e city. The number of batteries which they have outside, ail stated' to amount now to 13, with 60 pieces of artillery O' descriptions; 9 are for shells. to ci t i rc , "HALF-PAST 11 O ' CLOCK.-The French have begun principally from a battery between Fort Montebello el tired, Fort lying close on the glacis of the former. The c itade tire , Fort St. Laurent, as well as Fort Kiel, have returned the lool;- The city is deserted, and the few inhabitants who remain in most painful consternation. building iii "HALF-PAST I O'CLOCK.-1 have been to a high toro order to observe the firing. The citadel and the Dutch ear s appear like molehills, with casemates. The French fircaPSeasi in general well-directed against Fort St. Laurent and the , , e y lune behind it, but few Dutchmen make their appearance...l.:fel; are all concealed. Several shells have burst in the cl. a raa t, two bullets from the Dutch, directed on the battery in . :.ia to have fallen on Fort,Montebello itself. The French are R: ki „g be at work in the commencement of the 3rd parrallel. N n r c ed, new in the Scheldt. The wind and rain, now recomin* v a prevent the cannons' roar being much heard in the town. l i a ot work is expected to-night; yet. it is hoped that the city w' become the sacrifice of Dutch vengeance. , h i tC° " - BRUSSELS, TUESDAY, Dec. 4th, 4 O'CLOCK P.M. i, c e iall' counts which have just arrived from Antwerp give , a, ce „a choly picture of the state of the roads between that P wen, Mechlin. They are almost blocked up with crowdes_eun, kind women, and children, on foot, on horseback, and in v...„ almost of conveyance that could be procured. The roads 31 ' b the ear impassible, except;in the centre, .which is taken uP 4 1 , necless I. riages; the sides, Which are knee-deep, are crowded w '_'4",,..,y of I trians who have been unable to get any conveyance , _r to der them aged men and women, and 'not a few children of under 3rears, who were literally wading - through the mud, nu e b e had heavy rain. When Chassehombarded Antwerp befor len ee.. no shot'fired against him, so that he had not a gun to c ' ees o f He will now have to return the fire of nearly 3 0 ° l e l re fore! cannon, besides 120 mortars. Every shot or shell, t,, iestrec which he throws into the city, merely for the sake otf hieji he , tion, will be sUmuch deducted from that power with. : sa ke ( .1 has to attack his assailants, and it is supposed, for tn o , urn a n himself and his garrison, he will feel it necessary to. ;tiling his force against them. The conduct of Chasse in not a: of th e . himself of the power he had to interrupt the operation_ oo e of workmen is still unexplained. It was calculated by a b o ut a bout the French military authorities that they . would lose en to 500 men per day in the construction of their Works, but this moment moment the total number killed did not exceed 40. ba s n ading be WEDNESDAY, DEC. 5, 12 O'CLOCK.—The canno att , the continued since yesterday briskly enough, yet not arias on force which some persons expected. Some of the b tW ecera el t the French side have distinguished themselves by the cr t so that of their fire ; others are said to have pointed too high,, the, some shells and balls passed over the citadel, and fell ,_ ec teo Scheldt. It was hence imagined that those shots were de bi s on to sink the gun-boats in the river, but none of them Kay e o f- the,. effect. Fort Montebello, which is an advanced work, ,o! town, and which is in the hands of the French what, tor t St. Laurent and Kiel were in the hands of the Dutoli, l ca lle 6 yesterday and this day against the bastion of the citadel ll , r / Pacedo. The number of . guns employed by . the French oil now officially stated to be 60 cannons, of various c alio r rL t i sa, 22 mortars and howitzers. ' Some of the latter are desc ~`: bill being let off last night, not in the curve usnally fon:n a da,. triangularly, which mode of firing is said to haveLlpr u e f th', much execution in Fort St. Laurent. The chief. fire _ hti! citadel, as far as I could see from an elevated situatinpfert been latterly directed towards the batteries in front u °,!e yes', Kiel. Forts St. Laurent and Kiel have been silent si in u_ io o; terday . evening. The citadel already shows external ?-, l a ; ~g, ofin w on h e ic o h f c t o h n e t h iri us t r so , g l it shells that fell in it one burst and breaklt. t i l e sawat h t e iamon gnjurhalf-pasties many t t h su r three f e e r o s .' c I o A c k fi , r ethe brokesm smokeet large buildings. Its fire is rather slack, and the t . a ,. ie to imagined to be weak; hence some, persons suppose h ~,_ t oo considerable portion of the corner of the gable of o d n ef e eli ° e , , i t s ., 11 be • a unless he be permitted to retire, when the French will is pelled to allow him to withdraw with the honours. , 4 00 r. or three days General Chasse will"threaten to burn . the c oo' •of 'yesterday has in great - resent his fire. The consternation ~ , e a lio _, The t ran e g i e t y notion d 0 1 0 honour nothingto threaten eaattteano attack' him,' ffe b o n t d i i; ga li ' s,n. „ e i re t a O l measure subsided; there have been some country peoPA ,i, re' to enter with provisions. Last evening some respects o