The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-06-05 00:00:00

SOUTH AMERICA.

ARRIVAL OF THE BRITISH COIII3IISSIONERS IN
THE CAPITAnt. OF 'COLOMBIA.
We yesterday received the following important intelli-
*cute, brought by the Vittoria, from Jamaica, whidt has
arrived at Kinsale.

- ----------
BOGOTA, MARCH 7.
[From the Gaerta de Colambia. 1
On the lit instant arrived in this capital, Colonel Hamilton and
Lieutenant-Coloncl Campbell, subjects of the Government of his
Britannic Majesty, charged with in important commission to our
Government. The Governor of the province of Mariquita cpter.
tained these Geotlemen eta dinner at Honda, .at which they :e
they
eypressed their sentiments of respect ancicoosiclera&ti for
the Government of his llritsonic 3/ijesty and 4hz Eag:ish nation,
and fur tile Government and T.cople of Colombia. Mr. Hamilton
and his companion drank " To the Independence of the Republic,"
and "To the President" and "Vii•e-President." The Colon.
bians, "To King George IV'."—"The British Nation, and its
liberal Institutions."
.*. . . .

We have also learnt, with pleasure, that the Gentlemen who
have been appointed Consuls, or l'ocrimercial Agents, on the part'
of the English Government, to the ports of Guayra and Cartha-
gena, have met with a cordial reception there. The Executive
Power has appmred of the marks of friendship and esteem which
the Alagistnites of those departments have sliewo in the name of
the Republic and of this Covernment.
[From the same Paper.]
CO NG It ESis.

.Benno. Argots and Tallafurro, Senators of the Republic for the
department of the Inthmon, are already in thin capital. There are
only two 31embers of the Senate wanting to complete the conntitu-
tional number; they are on the rood. and an they may be expected
very noon, we shall have the satisfaction of seeing the Congress
installed earlier than it was last year.

We learn from a Gentleman who has arrived by the same con-
veyance, that he met the British Commissioners on their road to
Bogota, and had an interview with them. They were highly
pleased with their reception, and with the state in which they found
the country. Colonel Hamilton told the gentleman referred to,
that be should seed for his wife and family.—We are further in-
formed by these advice% that thcatpAplif of Columbia continues
is the most satisfactory Msg.
Extract of a letter from Lieut. Crawley, of his Majesty's cutter
firt.cian. to Vice-Admiral Sir L. W. Hafted, K.C.B. Commander-
in-Chief, dated 15th of April, Milt—
" A short time previous to my first arrival at Camprachr, the
Government of that place had declared war against Old Spain;
and on my returning there, the Ai of March. I found that the
town of Merida, the capital of the province of Footman, not coin-
ciding with the measures adopted by the Authorities of Campesehy,
hod marched an army of about 2,0110 towards that place, who were
within twelve miles of the town when I left. The merchants were
in consequence making preparations to leave it, which a number of
the inhabitants had done before."

The Ilove Jamaica packet h arrived—sailed 19th April. The
latest accounts from Peru represent Canterac as making successful
head against Bolivar, and that he manifested no disposition to
surrender. Colonel Hamilton, expected by the packet, is not conic
home in her.

the kingdom of Sweden, rim the Ist of June of the present year
(WN.)
In witness whereof, the undersigned hat signed the present De-
claration, and has affixed ;beret° the seal of hot arms.
I)rine at Stockholm, the twenty-fourth day of April, in the
year of our I,onl I fit! t.
( S.) LAURENT COUNT D'ENGESTROM.

CONVENTION OP COMMERCP
BETWEEN NMI INITANNIC M T AND THE KING Or
PACSMA.--SIONED AT LONDON, APRIL 2,182 t.

His Majesty the King of the United 'kingdom of Great BritiVri
and Ireland, and his Majesty the King of Prussia, being equally
desirous of extending and increasing the euninifrcial intercourse
between their respective States, and of afliordiag every facility and
encouragement to their subjects engaged in such intcrcourse ; and
beinof opinion that nothing will more contribute to the attainment
of their mutual wishes in this respect than a reciprocal ahmgation
of all discriminating and countervailing Lore which are now de-
manded and levied upon the ships or productions of either nation in
the ports of the other, have appointed theft. Plenipotentiaries to
conclude a Convention for chat purpose; that is to say .
His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain
anal Ireland, the Right lion. George Canning, a Member of his
said Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, 4 31ein1ier of
,Parliament. and his said M ijesty's Principal secretary of State for
Foreign Afliiir ; and the Right lion. William Huskisson,
Member of his said Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, a
Member of Parliament, President of the Committee of Privy Coun-
cil for A;Toirs of Trade and Foreign Plantations, and Treasurer of
his said Majesty's Navy
:
And his Majesty the King of Prussia. the Baron de Werther,
his said Majesty's Chamberlain, and his Envoy Estraordinary and
Minister Plenipotentiary at the Court of his Britannic Majesty,
who, after having communicated to each other their respective full
potters, found to be in due and proper form, 'have tgreed upon and
concluded the following Articles:—
Article 1. From and after the lse day of May next Prussian ves-
sels entering or departing from the ports of the United Kingdom of
-Great Britain and Ireland, and British vessels entering or departing
from the ports of his Prussian Majesty's dominions, *hall not be
subject to sny,other or higher duties or charges whatever than are
or *ball be levied on mammal vessels entering or departing from
such ports respectively.
Article 2. All articles of the growth, produce, or manufacture of
any of the dominlims pf either of the high contracting pumice.
which are or shall be permitted to be imported into, or exported
from, the pints of the United. Kingdom and of Prussia. respec-
tively, in vessels of the onc 'country, shall in like manner be per-
mitted to be imported infd and exported from those ports in vessels
of the other.

Article 3. AU articles not of the growth, produce, or manufac-
ture of the dominions of his Britannic 111austy, which can legally
be imported from the United Kingdom of Groat Britain and Ire.
land into the ports of Prussia, in British ships, shall be subject
only to the same duties as are payable upon the like articles if Im-
ported in Prussian ships ; and the same reciprocity shall be observed
in the pom of the United Kingdom, in respect to all articles not
the growth. produce, or marufacture of the dominions of his
Prussian 3la.jcsty, whichtan legally he imported into the ports of
the United Kingdom in Phissian ships.
Article 4. All goods, wares, and merchandise which can legally
be imported into the ports of either coL.m.tj, shall be admitted at
the same rate of duty, whether in vessels of the other
country or in national vessels ; and all goods, wares, or merchap-
dire, which can be legally exported from the ports of either country,
shall be entitled to the same bounties, drawbacks, and allowances,
whether exported in vessels of die other country or in national
vessels._

Article 5. No priority or preference shall be given, directly or
indirectly, by the Government of either country, or by any com-
pany, corporation, or agent, acting on its behalf, or under its autho-
rity, in the purchase of any article the growth, produce, or manu-
facture of either country, imported into the other, on account of,
or in reference to, the character of the vessel in which such article
was imported ; it being the true intent and meaning of the high.
contracting parties, that no distinction or difference whatever she'll
be made in this respect.
Article 6. The present Convention shall be In force for the term
of ten years from the date hereof ; and further, until the end of
twelve months after either of the high contracting parties shall have
given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the same ;
each of the high contracting parties reserving to itself the right of
giving such notice to the other at the end of the said term of ten
years. And it is hereby agreed between them, that at the expira-
tion of twelve months after such notice shall have been received by
either party from the other, this Convention, and all the provisions,
thereoh shall altogether cease and determine.
Article 7. The present Convention shall be ratified, and the rati-
fications shall be exchanged at London within one month from the
date hereof, or sooner if possible.
In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed
the same, and have affixed thereto the seals of their arms.

Done at London, the second day of A pril , in the year of our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and twerity.four.
S. GEORGE CANNING.
L.S.) W. IIeSKISSON.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE BRITISH PRESS.

Sts,—Permit me, through the medium of your Journal,
in which the impolicy of the Combination Laws has been
so clearly and ably illustrated, to offer some observations
upon a letter which yesterday appeared in The Times
under the signature of J. W., which seems to be intendej
as a defence of those laws, and which conveys some reflec-
tions upon the evidence of an individual, which went to
prove that the principle of those laws was at once oppres-
sive and mischievous.
Mr. J. W. says, that his "precious situation of printer"
has given him some knowledge of the Combination Laws.
What does he mean by his previous situation ? Does he mean
his situation previous to his having become what now he is-
-a Ruler over Printers? 1)oes he refer to the days of other
times, when he was not, as now, the Monarch of Printing-
lhouse-square ? If he refers, as no doubt he does, to this
period, I should be glad to know what knowlidge his then
situation could give him of the Combination Laws, more
than is possessed by any journeyman of any other trade in
this wide city of London, and on what ground it is that
he claims to be a more competent judge of them ?
" I am aware that one who takes that part in the dispute which
I think it my duty to sustain, may be deemed hostile to the jour.
Deymen ; though they may perhaps find, when it is too late, that
the policy which would exempt them from the operation of the
Combination Laws, and leave them within the occasional grasp of
the old law against conspiracy, is a policy much store grinding and
severe; for the old law at once encouraged conspiracies (the term
then used for combinations) by the frequency of its application •
and, when put in force, crushed the convicted with the heaviest and
I most disgraceful penalties. By the laws which it is now sought to
I repeal, both a milder tent is applied to the offence, and a more le-
nient treatment follows conviction."
As to the old common law being more severe against com-
bination than the old statute law, the fact is not true, inas-
much as the former inflicted for the first offence twenty days
imprisonment, after a regular trial by Jury, and the latter
inflicts three months imprisonment, by a summary convic-
tion before Justices of the Peace. But whether the com-
mon law or the statute law is the most oppressive towards
the journeymen, is not the qua stion at issue. The point
before the Committee and before the public is, whether
the Combination Laws arc not unjust in their principle, par-
tial in their application, and mischievous in their result ;
and these points J. W. does not appear qualified, by his
"previous situation," to discuss, since he confines himself
to observations so general as to require no comment, and so
common-place as not to be worth an answer.
J. W. delivers himself, in a tone somewhat oracular,
thus—
" That the Committee have proceeded—l will not say rashly,
but--upon misinformation, will be evident from a alight attention
to the evidence of 31r. Richard Taylor, printer.
" In reply to some introductory questions, he states that he has
been a printer about 29 years—that he has turned his attention to
the Combination Laws—and that his opinion is, that they are of no
service. Ile afterwards states as follows
" There were some men imprisoned for combining a great many
years ago, and that created a great deal of misunderstanding ; for
they were some of the most respectable of the workmen—those
who had been entrusted by their fellow-workmen at large to nego•
elate an advance of prices with the masters ; and of course the in-
flicting of imprisonment on men who were generally respected, was
a thing which created a great deal of ill-blood : a deal of mischief
I was the consequence of it.'
" Mr. Richard Taylor, then, here states, that a great deal of
mischief was effected by that prosecution. Rut what will the Com-
mittee say, if, when thit evidence is put right, it shall be found to
reflect, not upon the Combination Laws now attempted in be re-
pealed, but upon the old common law, which it is intended to leave
in force *:•"
11 hatever J. W. may think of it, this sort of stuff will
not pass as reasoning beyond the precircts of Apothecaries
" Mr. Richard Taylor," lie tells us, " here states,
that a great deal of mischief was effected by that prosecu-
tion." Good. If J. W. deities this assertion, he should
have proceeded to disprove. it. Ile, no doubt, knew all
about it, and if this prosecution was not mischievous, but
productive of utility and good effect, it was incumbent on
him to produce his counter-stsitt ment, and it was open to
him to do so. But he does no such thing—but replies to
it by asking, " What will the Committee say of that evi-
dence, not upon the Combination Laws, but upon the old
Common Law ?" What is this question to the purpose?
Mr. Taylor asserted an intelligible fact—viz., that certain
I journeymen printers, of respectable character, havi - been

• •
evidence and the inference of the witness just Where he
'found it..—Fire pounds for a logician that will Nast ibis!
" Well, but," says the ARISTOTLE of filackfriare.." Mr.
Taylor makes a slight mistake as to the fact ; which mis-
take being corrected, the whole tide of his evidence tq
turned away from the Combination Laws, anti Wide to
hear against the Coatinon Law for conspiracy; for if 1 atte
right, as to the proweution to which Mr. Taylor rakes, this
men then prosecuted were not prosecuted upon the Comb
nation Laws, and :he mischief then said to be dose was
not occasioned by petting the Combination Lasts in fora-.
for those laws were never applied to." What had tbit nett
of neutral nonsense to Jowl!' the fact ? What MOM it
whether the Common or Statute Law was spirifissay Ap-
pealed to ? Mr. Taylor's evidence and his obarations
apply to the principk• which pervades them bete, sad it was
the injustice of this principle, and its oppressive gelation,
that he described as so tnischievona in its Consequenoes,
anti to which alone I7is statement refers.
As to afey defence of the Cure Witution Lattiz at this time
of def, why, Sir, it must moire all the brass of Friar
Bacons brazen head to keep a man in countenance while
he attempts it. As for "J. W." he should either soften
bra malignity or sharpen hi wit.; : were he to sit as Judy.
in a case of comhinution among his own workmen, I suspect
he mould pas.% sentence somewhat in the merciful spirit of
Abiidolt, in elc farce—
.

" Let them all breakfast—
Each a loaf of Woad
And then let every printer—
Lose him head." •
A TOOINEY3tAN.
REASWyS EQUITAIME JIANg