The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-12-28 00:00:00

CLAN DESTINE MARRIAGES.

Abstract of the Bill In amend certain provisions
of the ...Ail,' of George the Second, for the better
reventltitt: Clandestine Marriages:—
Clause 1 —ln all cases where the marriage of any person
wider the age of twenty-use years has been or shall here-
/ter he roleniniged lav license, wI t hunt the previous consent
required io the Act of the twenty-sixth of George the &Tonal,
tooth marriage shall not he absolutely null and void, but
Anil lie voidable only, and guy gull for avoiding the said
fosterage shall be brought before the party or parties shall
nave attained the nate of twenty-one years, or within ric
months afterwards; and nutrias motels snit shall he brought
within th 2 time alone limited, arch marriage shall be de.
tared as good and valid to all introt• and porposes whatsw
seer ac if the requisite consent had been previously ob.
t word.
11. All marriages vihere either of the psi lies (tint being a
.shower or widow) %bell he under the age of sweaty-mile
!ears, which shall be solemnised under a publication of
harms Taile in aav tither Church or Chapel than iu the Parish
t :Meech or public Chapel of or belonging to the parish or
petty, within which the anal place of abode of pitch minor
about 1,, shall bona fide have been for fourteen
days immediately preceding she publication of such batioz,
shalt he enidahle at the suit of the ;mamma, or guardian of
each minor, provided she snit to annul the same 'shall be in-
stituted aiihin a certain period.
111. it...pulsltestion of banns necessary, if marriage be not
aoieenni‘ed it it hill three moot ha.
. IV. In rte. aof In-emelt. if marriage be nut so solemnised,
new license. to be obtained.
V. This Act to tattled wily to England.

IR ft LAND.

DUBLIN. BECOME O.
THE BOOKSELLERS' MEETING. .

The 14.1 recount* we have from London state,
Oat the flarise of Commons was left debating on
the Newspaper Stamp Bill, and the London Jmr-
nals inform us that he Booksellers of that metro-
polis are indefstiglible in their efforts to defeat, if
possible. the roost odious enactments of ;he pro-
/lobed nipasure. In Dublin, the booksellers have
been rqually active. A meeting was held at Mor-
rison'-, otteniled.by the most respectable peroons
to the trade. They agreed to a *thug of Hese-
lltions, grounded on those past in London--
but they contain one or two important dif-
ferences, which, we trust, will he stated to the
Douse by the Member who may be selected to
present the Petition. One of them is, that blas-
pliemons moil seditious publications, of which such
f?..oev complaints have beers:made, and to prevent
the circulation of which such heavy laws are to be
enacted, are totally unknown to the population of
/re/noel. and have reached the hand* of it very few
in this kingdom. From our situation,
we may, we thick, be supp,ssed to know some-
thng or the matter—oustied, there are few, if any,
who have better opportunities of knowing the
owe of the trod) press, or of publications in
circul4tion here than we have—and we can as-
+bat these publications are totally unknown,
*weep, PO to their ext,tetict in the sister country
—that with regard to seditious prints or pamph-
lets, there to nothing of the kind now in being—and
with respect to blasphemy, such is the horror of
the Krest bulk of the people at any thing bordering
noon that crime, we are thoroughly convinced. if
'.'he dose of Reason, many other production of the
1,.•4.,1 were offered gratis to the people—they would
born the book, and the distributor would stand
r...ery chalice of receiving a summary punishment
at their hands. Such a shop as Carlile's would
he suffered for one week to stand in Dublin—
rur would Government be compelled to interfere.
The people, the Sovereigm People, would take the
law isms their own hands. It is a remarkable fact,
lust the Records of the Irish Courts do) not furnish
a single instance of a trial for blasphemy !
The oil,er point in which the Resolutions differ
some respect from those of London is, that re.
yarding the peculiar condition of the Irish Press.
For it appears not to he generally known in Eng-
tlitd, that wish respect to the publication of news-
paper* here there are two laws, by one of which a
timid Jory is enabled to present oily newpaper
containing matter as a imisance—and by
the oilier, the Stamp Commisioners are empowered
to withhold 9111111ps from a printer of a newspaper
convicted of a seditious libel. The Resolution says,
of a second libel : this is • mistake, for they may
withhold them oil the commission of the first
offence.

SPAIN.
-......

(From an Anode= Paper.]

The aitustion of our political affairs with Spain,
at the present moment, is peettlually ititereatimr ;
and we are tempted to go still further into sprcu-
lati tttt on this etihj..ct, as we shall probably hare
tittle more to learn from official information.

It appears that the Treaty to settle the differ-
ences between the countries has not been accepted
by Spain, mid the important qiiestion, whrther we
shall settle ourselves our wrung., or submit to
them, is brought before us ?
il'e take it for grouted, that the most zealous ad.
miter of diplomacy would scarcely wish In continue,
under any isles of redress, the tedious farce of Me-
morials with a Government with whom tutlec,sion
is policy, and urgociation. evasion. Rabelais in-
forms us, that one of his giants had a tongue so large
that he covered his whole army with it, front the in-
clemency of the weather. The Spanish negociatnts
seem to have undertaken she same operation for the
security of their ancient domains. We hope, how-
ever, that no printer will be induced to give circu-
lation to any further nienitnials ou this sulikci,
unless upon waste paper; for since the arts of cri-
ticism and diplomatic correspondence have been
noodernizsl, it has become unnecessary to read any
work in order to confute it. We do not wish to
'mak harshly of a nation in distress like Spain.
Their Don Quixote has often amused us; and
though they have long lost this pleasing faciilty,
we will not quarrel *fill their Ferdinand, their In-
quisition, or their guitars.
We consider as certain that the Teelings of the
American nation are too much excited for submis-
sion, and the measures of the Government have
committed it too far to receive a blow without re-
taliation.

Let us consider what are our demands on Spain.
They are--
lot. Indemnity for spoliation*: and
2dly. The occupation of the entire province of
Louisiana, which we Lawfully purchased and paid
fur. These, when reduced to the minimum, Dave
beru refused.

The claims for spoliatiems provided for in the
Treaty are supposed to amount to twelve millions
of dollars, which we agreed to pay for, to our
citizens, with five millions in return, for the pro_
viuces of the Florida. to be ceded by Spain to us.
The boundaries of Louisiana, as claimed by our.
selves, are—the Rivers del Norte and Puerto, on
the west; and, on the Pacific Ocean, the Bay of
St. Francisco, isi lat. 39.
Our claims to the south-western limit, founded
on ancieut maps suit ■uthorirs, have been ably set
forth by Mr. Adams in his correspondence with
Don OM,, and subsequent information has aseer-
tamed the existence of grant, of fond in [An.-min
from the King of Spain, located through the Texas.
The boundary on the Pacific lass always been
undetermined; but Spain, in a Convention with
England iti 1790. renounced in her favour all ex-
chimer claim. to the country north of the actual
Spanish settlements—past is to say. north of the
south side of St. Francisco Bay, in 39 degrees
berth latitude. Great Britain has veiled iss her
rights south of 49 degree' north latitude. We
have, therefore. a right of Nettlement by the en-
gagements of these. two Power., on this coast. of
II degs. from north to south, and our exclusive right
considerable part of this territory has not hero
disputed. In the Treaty with Don Oisis we agreed
to give up six degrees of longitude on the Gulf of
Mexico, in order to give to Mexico an important
barrier ; and on the Pacific Ocean three degree*
of latitude, infinitely the most important part of
the country, by the facility of communicating with
the southern brandies of the Missouri and Yellow
Stone rivers.

What could be the cause of the rejection of this
Treaty is now a natural question. What Rozitiante
is 'sow to bear the King of the Indies and Lit Mancha
into the field against u.? The public amid is pretty
well settled in the opinion that England has taken
the opportunity to demand Cuba in return for the
supplies furnished to Spina, and that Rusisia, jealous
of our establishment on the north-west coast, which
would defeat the object of her naval power in those
seas, load demanded also some ports its New Cali-
fornia. It is probably very unfortunate for us, that
Mr. Erving was re-called before the Treaty was sent
over. The Spaniel' Court were am:turned to him,
and this, with treble minds. is the surest source of
interest. lie would probably have carried the Treaty
through in a week.
We now return to the policy of the Coiled
States. I think that tie reasonable 1111111 would
desire a war with Spine ; and. in the peculiar
situation of Europe, we must avoid any exam-
ples of violence. or apology for hostility. The
parade of compliment will soon be over in Eu-
rope, and it is not our policy to invite the most
ambitious to measure swords with us, or to I/in-
take the spoils of a country which for three cen-
turies Juts been the cause or the pretext of the
most bloody wars of Europe. The Spanish Go-
vernment iu North America is dissolving in its
owo weakness. and we ate the natural heirs of
its possessions. Do out then let us by imprudence
and hastiness, risk our present prosperity. or pur-
chase at the price of a predatory inglorious war.
si hat prudence and moderation will sufallibly give
us. Let us take possession of the remainderof Loui-
siana. but subject to negotiation ; establish • post
at St. Antonio hear the river Del None, another at
Galvestown, One on the north side of St. Fran-
cisco Bay on the Pacific. and Gunther at the
mouth of the Columbia river ; we shall thus. with-
out contest, gain an important extent of territory,
advantageous to our trade and our commerce, and
within reach of influencing all the Spanith posses-
sions in North America. To this acquisition no
European power can lawfully object. But, to be
effectual. it must be decided on and executed im-
mediately. The lien mouth of the next Session of
Cr -rill determine the fortuues of the United
• generations.
merchants the five millions, and
frontier. The President is al-
take possession of those
attempts to alienate • them.
to us the tub to the whale,
important ohjecty
•