The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-03-22 00:00:00

THE AMERICAN PRESIDENCY.

The following letter of Mr. Clay, one of the candidates
for the office of President of the United States, is copied
from the Richmond Enquirer of the Sib ult.:—
Washington, Jan. 28, 1825.
MY DEAN Sts,—My position with regard to the Preuidential
contest is highly critical, and such us to leave me no path on which
I can move without censure. 1 have pursued, in regard to it, the
rule which I always observe in the discharge of my public duty.
I have interrogated my consciel.ce as to what I ought to do, and
that faithful guide tells me that I ought to vote for Mr. Adams. I
shall fulfil its injunctions. Mr. Crawford's state of health, and the
circumstances under which he presents himself to the House, ap-
pear to me to be conclusive against him. Asa friend of liberty,
and to the permanence of our institutions, I cannot consent, in this
early stage of their existence, by contributing to the election of a
military chieftain, to give the strongest guarantee that this Repub-
lic will march in the fatal road which has corrducted every other
Republic to ruin. I owe to our friendship this frank exposition
of my intentions. I am and shall continue to be assailed by all the
abuse which partisan zeal, malignity, and rivalry tan invent. I
shall view without emotion these effusions of malice, and remain
unshaken in my purpose. What is a public man worth if he will
not expose himself, on fit occasions, for the goad of his country ?
As to the result of the election, I cannot speak with absolute
certainty ; but there is every reason to believe we shall avoid the
dangerous precedent to which I allude.
Be pleased to give my respects to Mr. --, and believe
me always,
Your cordial Friend,
The Hon. F. Brooke. If. CLAY.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.

YORK, 111Aacm 19.

This day the Honourable Mr. Justice BAYLIT arrived in this
city, and proceeded to open the Commission. To-morrow the
Judges will attend divine service at the cathedral church, St. Peter.
The Reverend Mr. Tate, M.A. will preach the Assize Sermon.
On Monday Mr. Justice HoLaoYD will charge the Grand Jury.
There are a great number of causes fur trial, both on the Crown
and Nisi Friss sides; those on the Crown are particularly heavy,
and no less than thirteen for murder.
An accident happened to some of the gentlemen on their way to
York, by the overturning of the po►t chaise at Greenslade. One of
the name of Coleman received a severe cut on his temple. The rest
escaped unhurt.

PEDISTSIANISN.—At a convivial party of friends, a
gentleman undertook, for a wager of 501. to 101. that he would
walk six miles within one hour. The match took place on Satur-
day evening on the Ilford road, one mile tueasured. He per
formed the wager with astonishing ease in 58 minutes. The
pedestrian considered the task he had to execute with such per.
feet indifference that he regaled himself with a hearty dinner and
a bottle of wine previous to starting. Odds were betted consi-
derably against the performance, and heavy sums were lost upon
the occasion.
At Lancaster Assizes on the 18th, Joseph Wilkin was
indicted for the wilful murder of his wife, Alison Wilkin, at Liver-
pool, on the 21ith of November last. The deceased, it appears, was
in the constant habit of getting drunk, and the prisoner, on finding
her one night in a state of intoxication, was so enraged as to beat
her in a dreadful manner, which caused her death. The Jury
found the prisoner Gains, of Manslaughter.
ExEcuTioN.—At idrincliester on Friday morning the
extreme sentence of the law was carried into execution on John
Smith, aged 2G; James Dawn, aged 30; and Wns. Dawes, aged
21 Smith, whose real name was Hughes, and who had been con-
victed of horse-stealing, was a gipey, and had always led a
wandering life. He professed to be a rat-catcher and basket-
maker, but confessed that he had subsisted chitty on plunder. His
depredations were not confined to one county, or to any single
species of property, but mended to house-breaking, sheep-steal-
ing, and indeed to every other description of robbery. He acknow-
ledged the offence for which he suffered, and the justice of his
sentence. J. and W. Dawes, brothers, were convicted of burglary,
attended with personal violence to the prosecutor. They were la-
bourers, and resided at Binsted, Muni. Both acknowledged their
guilt, and stated that the offence was planned and committed by
themselves alone, and that a letter found on the premises was
written by James Dawes, and left there for the purpose of exciting
suspicion against another person whose name was on it, but who
they declared had not the most distant knowledge of the trans-
action. From the time of their condemnation the unhappy men
conducted themselves in a manner becoming their melancholy si-
tuation. The original and chief causes of their ruin were Sabbath.
bmaking and poaching, and the elder Dawes more than once ob-
served, that although he bad made much money by the latter
practice, it never did him any good ; it was always got rid of he
knew not how. Smith, who was at first least affected by his situ.
ation, became penitent, and the last words he uttered were, " Al-
mighty Ciod, forgive my offences."