The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1809-11-16 00:00:00

THE BRITISIT PRESS.

LON DON, '
THURSDAY. Novsmaza 16.

Aire have received German Papers to the Ist,
and Mortiteurs to the .sth instant. It was re-
ported at Elsineur, on the 17th last, thit the
squadron of Admiral SAIL] swum had entered the
Swedish port of Carlstrona- This news excited a
considerable sensation, as the purpose was not
known,, and fears were entertained that it meditat-
ed a forcible possession. The French troops were
to evacuate Vienna on the 13th of this month,
and the Emperor was expected on the 16th, but his
visit was only to he a short one. Ile appears to
have determined very prudently to make Prazue
his residence.—The report of the death of the Em-
press was net true, but her recovery was despaired of.

The Wuultrich storeship arrived on Tuesday at
Portsmouth, front Gobialtar, with Colonel AI A V NE,
charged with dispatches for Government from Ge-
nerel Faaatr., Governor of Gibraltar. Colonel
Aliens arrived in town last morning, hut the con-
tents of his dispatches did not transpire. Accord-
sing to one account, the thiiiegoil bailed on the
same day with the Woe/midi ; and. aecording to
another, sot until the day following, with Mar-
quis Wettest.re on board. The latter states,
that he had arrived at Xeres, within eight miles of
Gibraltar; and that his retinue and baggage had
been embarked before the sieparture of the Wool-
wich. His Lordship's presence in England may
be therefore hourly expected. It is suitotiishing
to see the importance attached to this event in
the Treasury Journals. The Noble Nabobs
put down the public press in India, vi et ar-
'Mr. If we be not misinformed, they put seals
upon it, and tvansported editors, ad libitum.—
In England, the Nabobs dare not take that course ;
but from force they 'nave recourse to corruption.—
We regret the change, because it shews their politi-
cal cunning, and as it is the only way by which they
could COMIII3IId any portion ofsuccess. To it we are
how indebted for the conternptiblf light in which
some of the Treasury Journals display themselves.
The triumph which they express at the return of
the Marquis, is a public declaration of the inca-
pacity of their present employers. Their praise of
the unbounded powers of the hero of the Ganges,
and the saucy servant of the East India Company,
is a votrof censure upon Messrs. PLICEV AL and Co.
Their language imports that the present Ministers
are just drowning, but that, by the assistance of the
baoyant abilities of the Noble Marquis, they will he
able to keep theit heads above water. Upon u hat
rational gromnls these sanguine expectations ore
formed by Ministers, we cannot conceive. They are
already in possession of the transcendant talents of
the Noble Marquie, as Ambassador Extraordinary
to. Spain, to which •he went to perform wonders, and
from which lie now returns, without having done
ally thing, They have removed Lord 11•11-KEI-
or kV from the lionse to the forego department, Mr.
W. Pine from the Admiralty to Ireland, Mr. S.
N DAS from Ireland to England; but we have not
heard it said, that this change of corner, had actu-
ally increased the strength of the Cabinet. Toss and
turn the litmus as you may, they are still the same,
and weigh no more in the new, than in the old situ-
ation. flow, therefore, the inefficient Ambassador
Extraordinary to Spain is to work wonders in the
incapable Junta of Downing-street, which he could
not street in the no less impotent Junta of Seville,
remains for his panders and parasites to explain.—
As to his political weight and connexions, it cannot
be said, that lie will bring with him any new se.
cession of Parliament; ry 40. Mr. l'EstErst. wes
already in possession of tile whole breed. seed, and
generation, of the WILLI:MAYS.
At the eornmene merit of the riots at Covent-

.

garden Theatre, we ehdeavoured to guard tl.euw-
suspecting and unwary, against the disgraceful pro-
ceedings, which a few bad and selfish individuals
have never ceased to encourage. It was, there-
fare, with pride awl pleasure, we published the
charge of Mr. MAI WA tit NG, to the Grand Jury of
%Vestrui•aller; in which he represented those pro-
ceedings in their true legal character, and apprised
the perpetrators of their legal rensequences.7---The
effect of that charge was salutary and decisive for
the moment. The scandalous outrages which had
nightly disgraced the Theatre, subsided ; and the
public had reason to anticipiite the spiel), return of
perfis:t order and decorum. The wretched prints
that have disgraced themselv.s, 'and abused the li-
berty oldie Prete, by lending themselves to the IN'AII•
demons cause of runniug down a particular family ;
indirectly acknowledged the triumph of law over in-.
justice, and of good sense over folly, ignorance and
malignity. Every line, and every expression, now
betrayed their disappointment and humiliation; and
some of them hail even the hardihood to libel the
Grand Jury that found the hills against the 'rioters,
charging them with being packed for the purpose,
and of a low and mean condition in life, link to per-
farm the functions of a Jury. In a few days it was,
however, discovered, that the Gram*. Jury had only
found the bills that charged actual assaults, and
damage to the property, and that they threw out
those bills, which charged the party with merely
making a none, and interrupting the performances.
Whether such be the fact, we cannot possibly as-
sert ; but such certainly was the impression made
upon the public mind, sod inculcated by the ene-
mies of the Theatre with considerable success.
From this moment the Grand Jury of Westmin-
ster, who had been before the object of their
virii:ence and abuse, became the subjects of
praise and admiration. The distinction was
eagerly seized by the advocates of disorder,
and the populace were taught, that it was per-
fectly innocent to go to the Theatre, and indulge
in every specie; of noise and obscenity, prpvided
they did not knock a wean down, or destroy the
property of the (louse. The reign of horns, rattles,
and whistles, Was now renewed. The heroes returned
to the charge like giants refreshed ; and when
brought up to Bow-street, charged with beha-
viour, of which savages, if possessing a par-
ticle of manly feeling, would be ashamed, they
had the effroutery to assert, that they did not
interrupt the performance, as they only blew
their horns and sprang their rattles after the
play, or between the acts. The human mind is
'sever worse employed than when it is exercised is
eadenvoaring to devise a mode of inflicting an injury
with safety. We could not. therefore, congratulate
the acute atil erudite kaventors of these legal quib-
bles and distilictiens, upon their ingenuity, even
though it had beeu crowned with unqualified suc-
cess. Justice Gam:, in his charge to the Grand
Jury-of the County of Middlesex, in the Court of
King's Bench, on Monday, alluding to the dis-
graceful -proceedings at Coieut-Garden Theatre,.
stated, that any assault or riot, tending to the de-
struction of the property of an individual, is a Mis-
demeanour, and that, undonbtedly, of the highest
nature. In the Court of Common Pleas, yester-
day, is the case of CLIFFORD V. BRANDON.
(fur it seems this violator of the law is among
the first to fly to it for protectionl, Lord Chief
Justice Masseteto threw out a pretty broad
hint, that those disturbers of the public tranquillity,
although they may escape the criminal law, are an-
sweralile in a civil action for damages. The pub-
lic have now, upon this important subject, the
declared opinion of the Chairman of the Sessions
for Middlesex, of the Court of King's Bench, and
the Court of Common Pleas, and no man after this
can plead ignorance. Those gentlemen who have
been making riots within doors, to the deteriora-
tion of the property, or abetting them without, and
wholptve sot been brought up to Bow-street, or
sent to the Grand Jury of Westminster, and toay
thence flatter themselves that they have escaped si-.111
impunity, will feel not a little surprised ,ben they
are served with writs in a civil action few damages.

Dispatches from the Leeward islands were re-
ceived, )esterday, brought to Plynsouth by the
Pheaszin sloop of war. The yellow fewer, we are
sorry to leans, has carried off a number of people at
Martinique and other island.
The Elizaheth and Unity, cartels, are returned to
Plymouth from Morlaix. whither they had carried
sick, aged, and infirm French p►iebners. The wea-
sels were not permitted to come Dear the shore, nor
to land for refreshments.

A visionary writer. in one of our ephemeral pro-
ductions, has • very pleasant way of reconciling us to
the increase of the national debt. lie auy6 it is like
the case of husband and wife plating et the same
table against each other. where. Whet the one losra
the other gams." We fear. however, that if the
litedsand was under petticoat government, and al-
ertly., to win. there would he ao:ue little scolding and
squabbling in this happy domestic circle.

We unaerstAnel :11;;5. Dust)As is Admitted s
Cabi'let Minister.

It is said the Duke of iticstuoyo is to have the
Blue lt:bbisu recant by the death of the Duke of
l'oa-m•No.
Yesterday, the Cabinet Ministers dined with Mr.
Paacirat., for the first' time since his appoint-
ment to he First Lord of the Trearnrt•. •
Mr. Russo, it is sad, has offered himself e a
candidate to supply the vacancy ocvapioned for the
Borough of Alniigilon, by the death of Mr. KwArr.