The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1805-06-07 00:00:00

/30ER Mr. /itt.1.13iE'.4;71

lIOLTst OF Loft us —Tneitsaisv, Jure 6.
their Loriships met at an catty hour, arid, pursuant to the
iivivral Order of 'retest ry, er.eriu ! mid evidence wmetaard
in reinoctinc Lingham's Divorce tirtl.
Lire circumstances of this case arc alrtmily fully b,fore cur
.carters. 'roc coriielcrati.m of tar case was terror-nett, arml.et
&nee further and eoun.el heard After tfe::le
culoion of the merits of the ca-c, qt/,`Von, Itr tj.w
reArng of the [WI was, on the sesimstena rat the L nd Chtu
tenor, mitt! 'toed hail 16.thoter,s;.
The furthq consideration of M 00.," awl., It I! tea. t!! ,11
temtneit Of the CifClllll,LlllCe4 :.1 Om ea.., we rove ..14.1 given
a daAed &WIC c.rnhcr ilIVCA,gat ,1;; t 1.13 Ce; char
fhieh the question of the seemld te.l4:isg r.f t.O Hill was post•
potted till my week.
WYSTOWS DIVORCE BILL. .
On the original consideration of the quest:on for
the second reading of a Bill to dissolve the marri-
..Fe of Thomas Westin, Esii with Frances Mary,
his now wife; Counsel and evidence in support of
the Bill were called in. Trent the 'statements and
depositions of thew, it appeared, that the Petitioner,
Thomas Weston, Esq. now a Major in the ninety-
sist:r Regiment of toot, in the month of De-
bember, I Te 7, Married to Frances Mary, the daugh-
ter of Franes Leen, Esq. one of the Captains of
the Royal Hospital at Greenwich, and that they
lived and cohabited together as man and wife
from that time, until the month of April, 1794.
It appeared that the Petitioner, at the time of his
marriage, was a Lieutenant in the 77th Regiment of
Foot; in the following year, viz. 1788, he was
ordered with his regiment to India, whither his
Wife accompanied him: but in April 1794 she was
Obliged, on account of ill health. to return to Eng-
land, where she arrived in September 1794. The
Petitioner remained in India. The issue of this
marriage was three children. one of whom is now
living, a son of fourteen years of age. That in the
hours* of the year 17PS, Mrs. West. an entered into
an unlawful and adulterous intercourse with lleaor
John Weir, Esq an officer in the South Devon Mi-
litia, by whom she has had several children, all of
whom were born previous to the Petitioner's return
from India, which was net until April 1802. In
consequence of these proceedings, Major Weston
brought his anion in Hilary Vacation in 1803,
in the Court of King's Bench against Heaor
John Weir, Esq in which the Defendant suffered
damages to go by default; and by a Writ of En-
quiry before the Sheriffs in the followiss June, he
obtained a verdit for five thousand pounds damages.
In the following year the Petitioner instituted the
usual proceedings in the Consistory Court of Ro-
chester against Mrs. Weston, and obtained therein a
definitive sentence of divorce from bed and board.
This was the general substance of the case. It was
al.o stated, that the Lady had been delivered of four
children, during the interval of her hying with the
I.Mendant, two of whom are now living.
The Counsel stated, he could further substantiate
the charge of Me adultery, aid their Lordships not
think the statement conclusive on that bead.
I'heLORD CHANCELLOllobsereed,that if they
could prove that the Petitioner resided out of Erg-
land from a givers time before the birth of the first
child until:after the de!ivery of the last. the ciecum-
seance of the Lady having had kur children in the
interval was pretty strong eeid:nce of her adultery.
A cordingly, an elderly officer. who had been in
the same regiment with Major Weston, and had
ses,Vd in IndLa mom 1794 to 1804, stated, that he
had no doubt of the Petitioner's residing in India
froor the year 17.i5 till 1802 ; an interval later than
the birth of the youngest child above alluded to.
After a very shoat farther discussion, the Bill
was forthn ith read a second time, and ordered to Le
committed.
The Clerks of the Crown far the County of Lan-
caster presented Accounts of the Number of Pri•
seners confined in, and the State of certain Gaols
in that county ; which were ordered to lie on the
table.
On the motion of Lord IIAWKESBURY, the
order for the exclusion of strangers was enforced;
and the doors were kept shut for more than half
an hour.

MR. JUSTICE FOX.
immediately on the doors being opened, the
House resolved into a Ccmmirtee. and Lord W
smarts's having taken the Chair, the consideration
of the case of Mr. Justice Fox was resumed, and
Counsel and evidence were accordingly called in.
In a few minutes after, the Learned Judge him-
self made his appearance, and took his seat, not
opposite the centre of the box, but more to the left,
fox the purpose of more conveniently commani-
csting with his Counsel.
Mr. WILLIAM ARMSTRONG, one of the Jurors
subscribing to the Petition, who was shortly examin-
ed last night, was again called to the Bar. His
• testimony, while he continued to give it, was in
many points similar to that delivered by Mr. John-
son last night. At length, some reference was
made by one of the Counsel, to a certain part of his
former evidence before the Frivate Committee of
their Lordships. A long conversation ensued, prin-
cipally on the question of the propriety and justice
of commithicat. g the evidence taken before the
Mlvirus Committee, to the parties, in which Lord
NT°. the F.arls of CARLISLE, BUCKINGHAMSIIIRC,
and SI.ZNCER; Lords ALCKLAND, FIANVICISIWRY,
ELLINIOROUCII ; the CIIANCLLLOR ; Marquis cf
Americo MN ;and the Dukes of Ca* LNCE and COSl-
ealtianD, were the speakers.
Those Peers, who oil former occasions contended
for the propriety and justice cf making the commu-
nication above-mentioned, in which they were to a
certain extent ably supported by Lord Milo°, re-
capitulated and enforced their ariinments.
The Earl of CARLISLE warmly contended for
the propriety, considering the situation in which
their Lordships were then placed, of having all the
proceedings, and every thing that transpired, as
blic as possible.
"The Earl of BUCKINGHAWIIIRF, with re-
pee to the evidence, dec•dedly maintained a enn-
trary opinion. He contended, ern such ought not
to be permuted to go to the pudic in the shape cf
ea ez-part€ ; the interest, in some points of
• view, they should take in the charon,:r. of the Learn-
ed Judge, or their own sense of duty, should not
suffer all incomplete examination to go forth.
Lord ELLENBOROI3QH was of opinion, that
the question which was agi:ated on a former tren-
t:lg. tending to acomn:uoication of the evidence, and
which, from what had secently transpired in debate,
he karned- had not yet been decided by their Lord-
\ *ph was one, in itself, of such great and peculiar

i _; ._.

. • ' • Ii
•mpnrtance, that it Mould ant be singea in an in-
cidental and collateral way: it merited a distinct
and regular discussion; and, as no solemn deci-
si, n had been made, he must deprecate every idea
of putting that question thlEveningg. He woultl
reserve his opinion as to the Merits of the question
tiil it should be regularly argued.
Lord MINTO gave notice, that he should to-
morrow bring forward the subjeift by a regular mo-
Coon.
Duke of CLARENCE moved, that the
Chairman do leave the Chair; this, after some
'further conversation between some of the above-
mentioned Peers, was ordered; and, after the House
was re.ttmed, the conversation on the same subject,
bet rather in an irregular way, was continued, and
principally turned upon the form in which the in-
tended motion should 6:: couched.
The t IF:ZI of the motion, as originally ptoposed
on a former ev,..ming, was, alit the out-doors Com-
mittee be revitled, fur the purpose of reporting to
the House the evidence which had been given before
the said Committee, in order that the same may be
communicated to Mr. Justice Fox, &c.
Lord AUCKLAND, and other Peers, suggested
the propriety of dividing this Motion ; so as that,
when the proceedings required should be laid upon
the Table, the question of the communication
would remain to be considered of by the House :
this, they conceived, would obviate the difficulty in
point of form.
The LORD CHANCELLOR seemed still to re-
tain his objections on the score of form, principally
with repecl to the mode of communication; he
also had his doubts as to the justice of the proceed-
ings.
Lord lIAWKESBURY, in the course of his
observations on the subjed, deprecated every thing
that tended to delay : the two questions should,
therefore, be decided, the one shortly after the other,
though unavoidable difficulties must arise in the case,
as the knowledge of what might be the intention
of the House as to the second question, ttiat of
coin.nunicating the evidence, would certainly in-
ileence his determination as to the first.

The Marquis of ABERCORN approved of part
of what fell Item his Noble Friend, the Secretary of
State ; though he declined giving a positive opinion
upon the subjea. farther than that if the proceed-
ings were laid on the tal)le, they ought to be printed.
Lord ELLENDO ROUGH was of opinion, that,
by the adoption of a middle course, the differences
which seemed to prevail among their Lordships may
be reconciled. Suppose a copy of the proceedings
were laid upon the table, stating it to be for the use
of the House, and which might be referred to, as
occasion may require.
The Duke of CLARENCE expressed his appro-
bation of the idea of the N',hle and Learned Lord
After some farther discussion, as to the mode of
proceeding,
Lord MINTO renewed his notice of his in-
tention to bring the sutijea regularly before the
anise to-morrow ; and moved, that the Lords be
summoned on the occasion. Ordered.
Lord WALSINGHAM moved that em Com-
mittee on the case of Mr. Justice lox do sit again
to-morrow ; which being ordered awsrdingly, the
House, at half-past eight o'clock, adjourned.

he applied to the said purpose; which was &greed to,
and the Report ordered to be received to-morrow.
The Irish Horse and Dog Duty Bill was read a
third time, and passed.
In a Committee on the Irßla Spanish Wine Duty
Bill, it was resolved that the additional Duty should
consist of 121 per lon ; of which an Amendment,
proposed by Mr. Brooke, for reducing it to 101. per
ton, being negatived, the It :port was ordered to be
received to-morrow.
Leave wa; given to bring is a Bill to amend the
Aft tbr the regulation of Seamen employed in the
Coasting Trade.
On the motion of Mr. VANSITTART, the
House resolved itself into a Committee on the Re-
port of the Seled Committee, for allowing the im-
portation of coal, to a certain extent, by the Grand
Jun&ion Canal. _

Sir R. MILBANKE expressed himself adverse
to the bill, on the ground, that it would occasion,
if carried into effed, a great diminution of our
shipping ; and, consequently, of the best seamen
for the Navy. He h. 1 been told by some of the
most eminent Naval Chara4lers, that .saildrs, edo-
ated in that arduous trade, always proved the most
able and expert ; and were particularly resorted to
by Naval Commanders in the most difficult and
critical situations of danger. Therefore, though
the importation of coal by the Junction Canal may
for a time afford some partial benefit to the metro-
polis, he feared it would ultimately tend to the na-
tional injury.
Mr. HUSKISSON said, if the Hon. Baronet
had attended when the Committee was formed,
he would have found that this Bill could not pos-
sibly, have any injurious effect upon the coasting
trade. After considerable investigation, the Com-
mittee wished to report fully upon the subject in
the next Session of Parliament, and for the present
were reduced to the alternative of either recom-
mending to prohibit the Canal trade, or coal alto-
gether; or to limit the importation of it to a cet-
tain quantity, which last they had adopted, as it
could have no serious effect upon the trade in general.
Sir \I. W. RIDLEY observed, that the persons
engaged in the coasting trade, however opposite to
their opinions, and their interests, were obliged to
accept of this Bill, not from choice, but absolute
necessity.
Mr. BURDON said, he would not contest the
Bill now, but was fully convinced that experience
would soon prove its inexpediency.
Mr SPENCER STANHOPE expressed his con-
viction, that, after the experiment should be tried,
it would be found that the impatience.of the people
of the metropolis for this Bill would be greatly di-
minished, when they found the effect of the toll, on
the Canal paying los. or I Is. per ton. The resolu-
tions were then agteed to, and the report ordered
to be received t—niorrow.

Mr. BURDON asked, at what time the bill was
likely to be brought in
Mr. VAN.iITTART replied, that it could not be
ready to he pres.•r.'ed before Monday next.
Mr. 1. H. BROWNE moved that there be laid
before the House a Copy of the pr,ceedithrs of the
Committee fur making Roads in the Highlands of
Scotland ; which was agreed to.
The English and Irish Felons Escape Bill went
through a Committee. and was ordered to be re-
ported so-morrow
• 'olonel CRAWFORD gave notice of his inten-
tion to move, to-morrow, for some additional papers
relative to the present state of His Majesty's Army.
A Message from the Lords announced their con-
currence in several private Bills; and also request-
ed that the House would permit Sir James Stewart,
Bart. and the Right Hon Sir John Stewart, Bait.
to attend the Committee cf the House of Lords on
Monday next, for the purpose of being examined
on the Address proposed to His Majesty, relative to
the charges exhibited against the Hof, Luke Fox,
one of the Judges of the Common Pleas in Ireland.
I respelling his condua on circuit id the summer of
1803, if they thought proper.
On the motion of Mr. BANKS, the Lords' Mes-
sengers were informed by the Speaker, that the
House would send au answer by their own Messengers.
After disposing of the other Orders of the Day,
the House adjourned.

The asnersored and reverend Editor of a Morning Print, yester-
day intimated, that the account of Lady LAISIIIIIT'S Mae.
QUCRADII, glean in TN a Merriam Puss, nn Wechie—
dsy, was a pnir written by Colonel Gear mut, and cent fur
insertion to the Paper of the reverend and antiquate I
Editor, but rejected at his °Ewe. The pen of the reverend
and antiyeetcd Editor ought to have been better employed
than in the creation and propagation of so gross a falsehood.

THE BRITISH PRESS.