The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-12-20 00:00:00

CANADA.

The following report Is given in a New York
Paper, of the proceedings of a Court of Oyer and
Terminer for the distriet of Quebec and the Indian
tertitories, opened by Commission under the Great
Seal, dated 29th of April 1818. and continued by
adjournment to the 21st of October. 1619:—
It appeared in the course of the proceedings in
the Session of tl:e Commission, that in November
/619, • memorial was presented to his Grace the
Doke of Richmond on the tort of the North West
Company. praying that so special Court of Oyer and
Terminer might take place, to hear nod determine
all eases arising in the Indian territories. An early
reply was given, that a Court would open for that
purpose on the 21st of October. 1819.• and that
the Crown would in due time give notice to the
parties. Ou the 5'.4111 or May last the Crown gave
notice that a Court would be held at Quebec
on the 2d of November for that purpose. and
the notice was immediately acted upon by those
of the North West Company interested therein ; it
was forthwith dispatched into the interior.• and those
who were implicated in the accusatious brought
forward by the Earl of Selkirk were apprised of it,
-011 far m time and distance would allow. It appeared.
however, that some time after this notice hail been
given•to the North West Company, the agent of
the Earl of Selkirk, notwithetanding that hie Lord-
ship had, as appeared by his printed memorial pro-
duced in Court. elm petitioned Cove ait in this
country, in October. ISIS. that a Commission of
Oyer and 'Terminer for the seine purposes should
issue, had explicitly stated to Government, that the
private prosecutor (the Earl of Selkirk) was not
ready. and that probably the roiliest time when he
might be ready would •he the autumn of 1820!
At. intimation to this effect was, in consequence.
given on the 20th June to the principal agent of
the North West Company. then absent from the
provirree, and actually in the Indian territories; a
period when it was much too late, even hail the
thing been in itself reaeouoble ; and the prepare-
' nous for the approaching expected trials, though
at • great expense, necessarily went on, pursuant to
the first notice. However, on the 2d of October,
the parties accused found it expedient to lay a me-
alonel before the President against any further
protraction of their trials ; in reply to which, his
Honour stated, that a Commission of Oyer soil
Terntiorr,for, the trials of (Paces committed in tlie
Indium territories, had issued on tare 29th of April,
I lb, sod was continued by adjournment to the
21st of October, and would open 013 that slay,
`• where legal course and redress must be sought
for by the persons interested therein."
Accordingly, several Gentlemen belonging to
the North West Company, with upwards of twenty
witnesses, collected from distances of from two to
five thousand miles, appeared on the opening of
the Court ; alien the names of the avenges!, Tie._
Archibald Norman Al'Lerl, James Leith, Alexan-
der Macilotiell,Areinbald M.Lellari,Hugh AltGillis„
Simon Fiteier, and John Siveright, were recorded
by cosoesit. The Court cuurinurd by adjourn-
'meat until Thursday la.t, alien the Counsel of
the North West Company slated the circumstances
above set forth from affidavits tiled by eionselit, and
moved that those who were under recognizance
should be thseltarged from their bad, nod those
riot under recogniznice should be dim:hinged by
a. 11w Croon had declared to Court
was nothing to olvel against Noy one

of them. After a discussion of some length, the
Court adjourned, to consider of these motions, till
the following day; when, with the exception of
one of the accused (Mr. MlLelhin), who happen-
ed to• be under recognizance in that Court, the
Behr!' ,lifrided that the applicants should take no-
thing by their motion,. In the course of the aM-
,inadversitm that fell from the Bench and from the
Solicitori•Geaeral, it appeared that they considered
Mat thtlfesmitt had so joriedictioli to interfere with
offences alleged to have been committed in the
Nation territories, unless hrou,,,,lit forward by the
Craven.

Ear:Y in the Session two bills of indictment were
preferred by the Crown, and found by the Growl
Jury, against Mr. Williams, Mr..l,,hir
John M•ll..eorl,Calrtain Marthey, Serjeants Vitchy,
and Welling, and several Nieuron soldiers, all in
the service of the Earl of• Selkirk, or of the Hod-
srm's lbw Company, fur the as cult and fake im-
priscrimect, in'the mouth of JIII/C last, at the Grand
Itspid,,,ht the ItirtiOn territories, of Mr. Shaw, Mr.
M. Tanab, Mr. Campbell, Mr. Frobisher, and Mr.
Mackintosh, partners of the North West Company,
with several of their heart cinnemrn.

On the firth of October the Court adjourned
till the e4th of Jinoory, 1820.

AMERICA.

NEW YORK PAPERS.

[From The trihoinglon (N. C.) Recorder, November 7.]
Trott FIRIE. Thursday morning last, shout tl.fre
o'clock, the cry of " Fire !" was given. It originated al the
beck of a small building occupied by Mr. Samuel Aalkine, as
a grocery store, situate on the wharf, near Duck street, and
adjoining the large brick warehouse lately occupied as the
'7t Coffee.house, in part of which was the office and count-
Pap-room of Gabriel Holmes, Earl.

From the hest calculation we can mike, the whole num-
ber of houses destroyed are shout three hundred, of every
description, including the Presbyterian church lately erect-
ed; and the total loss of property between pis and seven
hundred thousand dollars.

The fullowiag persons are those who have lost by the de.
struction of buildings :—Cot. Archibald F. 31,Neil, Julian Lon-
don, Col. Thomas Cowan, John Swanu, jun., William M'Kay,
estate of Thomas Jennings, Seth Hoard, Joseph Kellogg,
estate of John London, Mrs. M'Ree, Jacob Levy, Richard
Bradley, Eslwnrd B. thidlry, William .1. Love, S. Springs,
James Dickson, Hanson Kelly, David Smith, Henry Urqu-
hart, John Walker, George Jennings, Robert Rankle, State
Batik, Witt of Nehemiau Harris, estate of Avery A.Pcdain
John J. Brown, sen., estate of James Allen,
M. Blake, (state of Robert Ilierohy, J. Usher, Mrs. Hoskins,
Mrs. 'roomer, William Harris, James Marshall, estate of
Peter Harris, Louis Pagget, estate of %I illury Moore, Ruche!,
Luring, William C. Lord, Gilbert Geer. This list is, no
doubt, ieconsplrte.
Among those who suffered hr the destruction of other
properly, the principal in amount are Isaac Arnold, Ed-
mund Bridge, jun. Ekurer Tilden, Dudley and Van fled:
Dudley and Dickinson, Miles Blake, Stilt Hoard, Richard
Lloyd, J. Angomar, Geom. l.yde, Henry Wooster, Patrick
Murphy, B.C. Gillet, W. C. Radcliff, Stewart Robinson.
I: is a!must impossible to ascertain the extent of individual
lures. r.s Iry person within the bounds of the fire, and all
those w ithuut it, who removed their property, lust more ur
less. But the extent of a loss, as it regards merely its
*monist, is not the criterion of its injury—it is him that has
lost all, the unprotected, the friendless, and the helpless,
that ought to excite our pity mid compassion, ■nd calls for
our assistance.

Only one life was lost. Captain Fart/ohne IVITae, nfter
the fire hail almui,t ruhsillei!, a hi. ventured within a build-
ing for the purpose of s:ivinz property not his own. The
wells tell, and he wa- cn.•hed to atoms. Ile was a useful
citizen in sphere of life, Jail would bare been regretted
earn bad he died on the courli of disease.

TO give mu- readers at a Jl%l:flier an idea of the part of
the tow,. destroyed, its limits correctly we will rode:moor to
destribc runiineueing at the corner of Second and Mai ket-
streets, at a building owned by M►s. Toomey, near the
Town Dail; running wcstwniilly to the store of Richard
Lleyd,ou the river; thence down the river to Orange.street ;
thence eastwardly up Orange street to Second-street ; and
from thence nurthwnrilly along Second-street to the begin-
•iiig—comprising four whole squarer, every building in
which were destroyed except a brick warehouse belonging
to Hanson Kelly, Esq. the bnitdint occupied by Archibald
Taylor, nth! a Idaiksmith's shoo. Without these limits, two
houses on fruit-street, and a house on Dock-street, belong_
log to Mrs. Barnard, were destroyed. Such is the extent of
our injury. It belongs to others to point out our distresses
sail our lamentable ilituatiosi.

And all this is lbe work of an incendiary! Suspicion has
bern afloat. but we suspect it has not been directed against
Ilse right person. Higher views than those of plunder must
have been the object, for we have heard of not much
'access and a very few attempt.. The cause is immaterial;
She effects anti the crime are the same. We will not pretend
to pourtiay the character of the wretch. Every virtuous
mind ran depicture it, and human nature must blush al its
own depravity.

FOICAIGN INTELLIGENCE.

DUTCH MAIL.

HAGUE, DECEHBER 14.

In the sitting of the Second Chamber of the
Slates General of this day, • message from his
Majesty was read, with two projects of laws rela-
tive to the finances.

As our Paper was going to press, we received
numerous communications and journals from the

United States of America. from which we give a
few extracts, which are of the utmost importance.
" By the passengers of the Hippomenes, which
arrived at New York from Curacoa, on the 23d of
October, we learn that the Spanish General Mo-
rillo, had retaken Smith Fe, and was marching
with a strong corps against Maracaibo. A Spanish
squadron of one frigate, two shops, and seven
smaller vessels. was blockading Margarettii."
In a

from St. Thomoes of 12th
October. we find the following important intelli-
gence from the Spanish Main :

We have this morning received communica-
tions from Margaretta. which acquaint us that a
contagious fever ►ages there; among the victims of

it were Generals English and Sandusky. General
Devereux had not yet arrived."
From Angostura it it stated, that General Aria•
mendi l.ad effected a revolution in the Government,
and that General Ordinati (quern, tJrdaneta) was
marching against him.
_

I'ETERSBURGU. NOVFIIIIIEr. 20.

Could Rolscherberg has been charged Yid' the
3liiti.try of the Interior; the Ministry of the Po-
lice is abolished, and the direction of the Police of
the Einpite littitud with the ?ilisiistry of the Inte-
rior ; the d. iiartnient of Msnufactures and
nal Commeive is united with the Nlinistry of Fl-
ounce, end the chief direction cr the Post Office
retuiiii,+ for tile Frei•ttit in the hands of Pinter
Grh,zitt, :11i.iister for Religious All'airs
11116411.1t1i0n.

A iiew genend lurid* of rustems for the whole
empire is expected to be 'Fierily published.

VIF.NBA. DECEMBER 1.

Accounts from Brody of the 12th November
Nate, that the plague is making fresh ravages in
lll°Wools, and that the mortality increases in some
districts. The A netrian cordon on the frontier is
PO much strengthened, that we are in no danger on
the Russian side. Buckowino, which is itself ♦ery
healthy. is carefu:ly and strictly guarded, to pre-
vent tiny communication.

it.tmntTßGo. nrcr.mcErt 10.

iinw !earn that in the destructive lire which
destroytd the Palace nt Brunswick, the archives
were tint entirely eensumed, us first slated, but that
a very; considerable part was saved.

NOVEMDER 29.

During the time that East Friesland was under
the Dutch Govcrinent, a part of the public
domains itr that principality was privately sold by
King Louis, V% ho was in want of money. It is Paid
that the Hanover-Imo Government has resolved to
annul these sales, to re-annex the estates to the
domains of the Crown, repaying to the prevent
holders the purchase money.—( Dutch Papers,
December 15.)

THE BRITISH. PRESS.

LONDON,
MONDAY, DECENBriI 20, 1819.

A Dutch Mail arrived last night. with Papers to
the Wilt instant. We regret to hind it stated in
thin,, on the authority of adviees from Curacos,
that the Spanish General Mount.° had retaken
Santa Fe.

New York Riper' have arrived to the 19th tilt.
On the 4th it tire broke out at Wilmington, N.rth
Carolina, which destroyed about 300 Mpes, and
occasioned a lots of property to the amount of
1,000,000 of dollars. By the Commodore Barry,
arrived at New lurk from New ()deans, accounts
hove been received that two thousand Spanish troops
hove been landed at Pensacola.

-777.70.=. • .
We have received Hamburgh Papers to the 10th
inst. Accounts from Hanover stale, that in the end
of November all the Provincial Assemblies of that
kingdom met for the purpose of choosing Deputies
to the General Diet, which is to meet on the 28th
of this month, divided into two Chambers. It will
he interesting to learn what tlm Representatives of
the kingdom will say respecting the recent reside.
tions by the (.;.verninent upon the public
press. The navigation of the Elbe was interrupted
by the ice on the htli
CHRISTIANIA, JO ?Mara 28.

On the 201 b intl. the pilols hi-might a brig into Stavaern,
probably an English semi, (idled " Nestor, Sunderland."
All the papers mid ntlirr thics belonging to die brig, sail.,
anchor, cordate, doe. were taken away, nor was any person
on totrird. The cargo appears to consist of timber and deals.

The booksellers of the metropolis are indefatiga-
ble in their exertimis t.p point out to Parliament
and to the public the inappropriate severity of the
Bill now before the House of Commons, for the
punishment and prevention of libels. Whatever
objections are urged against the Bill by this highly-
respectable body of men are entitled to the utmost
attention from Ministers and the Members of the
Legislature, for the sentiments entertained indi-
vidually by the several members of the trade upon
the general policy of the Government are known to
be too various and confile:ing to admit the sup-
position, that in their present hostility to this mea-
sure they are influenced by a party feeling. No-
thing but the firm conviction that the Ministers are
acting under en erroneous impression, and without
sufficient consideration of the practical effect of a
measure which must fall with peculiar and almost
exclusive severity upon that trade which an en.
lightened Government re sght rather to make the
object of its fondest cari,.COuld render the book-
sellers of the metropolis unanimous in their opposi-
tion to this act of the Administration. They feel from
long experience that innocence is no security from
a charge and conviction of libel, nod that if the
present Bitl pass into a law, one of the most respect-
able and wealthy men of the metropolis may be
driven from his country, have his best and fondest
hopes blasted, he deprived for ever of his domestic
happiness, end prevented from filling and station in
society to which his industry and integrity entitle
him. by souse calamitous circum►tance over which lie
could 'Possibly exercise no control. But a few days
hive passed since a Jury, coal-preyed no doubt of re•
spectable men, by its verdict condemned Mr. CIA.
ENT, of the Strand, to pay 500/. to uti individual,

,

Mr. WRIGHT, for the publication of a libel in one
of aaOLIBETT'S twopenny pamphlets, although it was
proved upon oath that Mr. CLEMENT, so far from
being actuated by a libellous intent against the
Plaintiff, had, previous to t his publication, given
orders to his servants not to suffer any of COBBETT'S
vvilirgs to appear for the future iu his shop. Had
Ow libel been of a political Matted of a personal
nature, Mr. CLEMENT might have been convicted
of the offence, where certainly no crime was com-
mitted ; he might, if it were a first conviction,
and probably would, have been committed to New-
gate for twelve months or two years, and have had
to pay a large tine to the Crown, anti if it were his
second conviction for a similar offence, he would be
driven from the country of his birth, the ltnd of his
hopes sod his affections, to " wander on a foreign
land." This could not be justice—could not
ine policy, and all the power of Parliament could
lint divest the transaction of the mural turpitude
which roust attach to it.
No wonder then that the booksellers should
feel alarmed at the unusual danger with which they
are threatened. 'Fhey have indeed already suc-
ceeded so far in mitii4atiog the proposed measure,
as to induce our Ministers to resign the puniehment
of tranyortation ; but although that of banish-
meat, which is still retained, be less ignominious
in its nature, and less revolting in its execution,
yet not only does it affect the individual exposed
to it with a severity equally destructive to his pur-
suit of fortune, and subversive of his domestic
happiness, hut, in a political point of view, banish-
ment is attended by many mischievous conse-
quences, from which the punishment of transporta-
tion is exempt. If the prevention of libels be the
real object of the Ministers in devising this penalty,
we can scarcely imagine one that is lees calculated
to attain their purpose. The law proposed does
not prevent an individual from taking with him in
his exile whatever property lie can save from the
wreck of his fortunes, and when exasperated by the
severity of his sufferings be is driven from the control
as well as the protection of his native Government,
what will prevent him from employing his property
and exercising his talents to obtain revenge I If
the influence of his writings over his countrymen be
extensive, it will not be diminished by his being
made the victim of an offended Minister, and as
the laws of England have no farther terrors for him,
he will nut hesitate to prove his contempt for their
authority. It may also be well to reflect how
powerful an instrument an able literary man,
banished from Englund, may be made in the hands
of a ho-tile or rival Government. it cannot be for-
gotten that many of the very able men who were
banished from Ireland some twenty years since were
received with open arms by the Government of
France, and that while some turned their sword.
against this country, sonic also used their pens with
an effect perhaps still more injurious to our in-
terests. The Argus was for a considerable time di-
rected by the celebrated ARTHUR O'CONNOR, and
the avidity with which this Paper was read, and the
extent of its circulation, proved the esteem in
which it was held, and glien effect to the per-
nicious purpose for winch it was established.
Several of the same class of persons emigrated to
the United States of America, where their talents
soon raised them to eminence, and enabled them
ti display with greater force their hostility to Great
Britain. Banishment, therefore, instead of pre-
venting the offence of libel, rather seems calculated
to increase it, and to communicate a greater asperity
to the temper, and greater energy to the powers of
the individuals on whom it may be inflicted.
To these arguments one was added by Lord
HOLLAND, while this Bill was in the Upper House,
which is entitled to serious attention. The Noble
Lord remarked, that the circumstance of holding
out banishment as a penalty for libel, might have
the effect of teaching many political writers in this
country to look to foreign Governments as their
eventual protectors, and thereby some might almost
unconsciously suffer their sentiments to be biassed in
favour of that Government to which they should at
a future period be compelled to flee for support,
while others would more directly admit the control
of foreigners, and that by these means a door would
be opened fur the gradual introduction of a foreign
influence. Lord HOLLAND further said, that
there was no example of a free State admitting
the principle of banishment in its law, that did
not suffer the cmisequences of foreign interference.
At Athens the corruption of sonic of the leading
orators was notorious, and in modern England
the press fills nearly the same place in society
as was eceopied by the popular orators in an-
cient Athens. Let us be cautious how we admit
• principle which may destroy iii the public press
the existing salutary party distinetioos of 31iniste-
rial :11111 Oiltioiliout, and introduce a di vision in
which English and foreign principles may have to
contend fur supremacy.

ye.terilly the Leal) CruncycLoa, the VICE.
CHANCEI.i.ott. and Count FuNelloFF, had ands.
ei.ces of the PRINCE REGENT. at Carlton-house.
On Saturdaf, at Iwo o'clock, a Cabinet Council
was held at the Secretary of State's Oflice for the
Home Deportnient, which was attended
• - -

The Earl of Liserporit, the Earl of Westmorland, FAO
Mu!grave, Viscount Metvillr, Viscount Sidminith, Viscount
Castlereaeli, the Chant':!kir of the Excbrati,:r, Mr.ltubin.
Pon &e.
The Cabinet continued in deliberation till holf-post
three o'clock.

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•

ORIGINAL POETRY.

I,roclantatioa,
that there we