The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-09-29 00:00:00

rived at Panama from San Blas did not carry a
single dollar.
Directions had been transmitted to Gen. lions,

to have all the misguided British subjects shot, who
had fallen into the possession of the Royalists alter
the recapture of Porto Bello. With a philtaitlirnpy
which will ever redound to his credit, the scsitence
had not been carried into execution; and they were
treated with as much lenity us could be expected,
considering the rash and precipitate manner its
which they had brought their misfortunes upon
themselves.

.—Holiday at the Bank, Exchequer, East
India, sad South Sea Houses.

THE BRITISH PRESS.

LONDON,

WEDNESDAY. SEPTEMSI& 29, le"'

Mr. Alderman ROTIRWSLL and Mr. P. ARKINS
were yesterday sworn into office as Sheriffs of the
City of London and of the County of Middlesex.
Mr. PAitxtris was elected on the 24th of June last,
and Mr. Alderman Itontweer. on the 26th of
July, for which reason the former Gentleman in-
sisted upon it yesterday as his right, that he ►hould
have been sworn first into the office, and during the
continuance of office have precedence of his col-
league. This subject has been already before the
public; our readers therefore are aware that Mr.
Alderman RoTHwaI.L lias refused to recognise the
claim of Mr. PARKINS, declaring that, by an act
of the Common Council, passed in the year 1748,
every Alderman nominated to fill the office of She-
riff shall have precedence of every Commoner.--
To this plea Mr. PARKINS has replied iii • Protest,
which he offered yesterday to the Lord Mayor, re-
stating his original pretensions; but the Lord
Mayor, acting by the advice of the Recorder, re-
fused to accept it, and the worthy Alderman was
sworn in as senior Sheriff. This subject will pro-
bably be submitted to the consideration of the
Common Council, and will, we understand, also
occupy the attention of the Court of King's Bench.
It is a point of serious interest to the Gesitlemen
immediately concerned, but to the Livery of Lou-
don it is one of paramount importance, and may,_
we conceive, be argued upon a wider and more
general principle that, is presented by the mere
interpretation of the words of the act. The spirit
of the act is, we think, decidedly favourable to
the claim of Alderman RoTtivteer.. In a fair and
t quititbk interpretation of its language, the right of
seniority must refer to the persons who shall pre-
sent themselves to be sworn into the office of
Sheriff s. and cannot be affected by the time of their
respective elections. Had both the Sheriffs been
elected upon one and the same day, even though
the Alderman had been the second elected, no
doubt could reasonably be urged with respect to his
right of seniority; and such being the case, the cir-
cumstance of auy number of days having inter-
vened, provided the second Sheriff' be elected within
the time prescribed by the constitution of the City,
the difference is so minute, that the law, we are
convinced, will not regard it.
But the second question is of far higher import-
ance. Previous to the act of 1748, the Sheriff who
was first elected always enjoyed the honour and ad-
vantage of taking precedence of his colleague.—
But the right of electing Sheriffs rests exclusively
with the Livery, and is one of the acts of power
which by the charter the Liverymen are permitted
to exercise in person. With regard, therefore, to
this right, the Common Council do not represent
the Livery. for if they did, then the Common
Council, and not the Livery, should enjoy the right
of election. If the Council exercise the power of
modifying and regulating this right, which forms
one of the principal sod fundamental points in the
charter, they must also have the power of taking it
away altogether, and of appropriating it to them-
selves, which would be a direct violation of their
municipal constitution. Those who have the right
of election secured to then► by the charter, may
surrender the right, or regulate the mode of exer-
cising it; but the Common Council, in accord-
ance with the spirit of the charter, cannot legally
deprive the Livery of so valuable u portion of their
rights.

This day a Common Hall will be held for the
purpose of electing a Lord Mayor, when it is
intended to put Mr. Alderman WOOD and Mr.
Alderman I'moaP in nomination, as the two per.
sons to be returned to the Court of Aldermen,
of whom one is to be elected as Chief Magistrate
for the ensuing year. The conduct of the Lord
Mayor in refusing to conve►►e. a Common Hall,
when required by a competent number of the
Liverymen, will also be made a subject of con-
sideration, and resolutions will, we understand,
be proposed, respecting the proceedings at Man-
chester, on Monday the kith of Adjust. The pre.
sent Lord Mayor had the misfortune of entering
upon his high office agaiost the wishes of the great
body of the Livery, and circumstances' of a political

disapprobation will be manifested towards him
in the Common Hall this day by the Livery-
men. If he possesses any delicacy of feeling, the
reflection must be very humiliating that he can
never appear in public without ruching senti-
ments of contempt or enmity in the minds of the
far greater portion of his fellow-citizens. The
favour of a Minister tnav no doubt compensate
for much of this, but no generons d would
stoop to purchase wealth or titles by so great a sa-
crifice, us to forfeit the respect and esteem of the
public. The applause of the multitude seldom,
we confess, offers a sufficient testimony of personal
merit; hut after all, it is preferable to the bitter
shouts of hatred and contempt.

We have received Paris Papers of Saturday last.
We are informed by them that s great many Eng-

lish families have settled in Verdun mid the vicinity
of that town, and that they are persons possessed of
considerable property. The Journal de la Please
states, that the debts contracted in Verdun by the
English who were detained there from lan, to 1914
by BONAPARTE.S outrage upon the Laws of Nations,
and still remaining doe, amount to nearly 150,0001.
The creditors purpose to make another representa-
tion upon this subject to the French Ministry, hop-
ing that by their intercession with the English Go-
vernment they may succeed in obtaining payment of
their debts. NVe know not what claim, either in law
or equity, the Verdisuois have upon the British Go..
verneuent. The debts, if honestly and fairly
contracted, are but the debts of individuals, whom
the Government of tins country, without con-
ceding a most important principle, can never
acknowledge to have been prisoners of war ;
• they were detained contrary to the faith of nations,
and without one pretence fiimoled upon circum-
stances to give even the colour of a justifica-
tion to so foul a transaction. But independent of
this consideration, which undoulthally relieves the
British Government from all responsibility, we
should desire to learn what portion of this amount
is formed of accumulated interest, usurious in its
commencement, and proportionably rapid in its pro-
gress. The people of Verdun, it is now matter of
historical certainty, took a disgraceful advantage of
the necessities of their prisoners, and extorted front
them bonds, bearing interest 900 per cent. The
accumulation of interest upon such interest would
quickly form a large sum. and by such means we
have no doubt the debt has been elevated to its
present amount.
The Duchess of BERRY and her child are im-
proving in health.
The French five per Cents. are 71 f. 30 c. Bank
Actions, 1,460 f.

Jamaica Papers to the thh last, have been re-
ceived, extracts from which are given in another
part of our Paper. In the Kingston Chronicle it
is stated that directions had been sent to General
Hone, to have all the British subjects in the force
under General M'Gaecoa shot, who bad fallen
into his hands at Portu Bello, but that he hu-
manely refused to carry the sentence into execution.
We need scarcely add that this is a base and mi-
serable fabrication, for the purpose of throwing a
damp upon the Patriot cause, and preventing the
arrival of succours from Europe. The troop, un-
der General MiGIEGOR were protected by a capi-
tulation, which could not have been thus barbar-
ously violated without consigning the actors to in-
famy, and the detestation of all civilized nations.

A Requisition has been presented to Alderman
RoviwELL, to call a meeting in the Ward of
Cheap, to take into their consideration the late
transactions at Manchester ; in consequence of which
the worthy Alderman has appointed the meeting
to take place on Friday next, October 1, at eleven
o'clock, at the King's Head Tavern, Poultry.
Extract of a letter from Glasgow, dated Sep-
tember 23 :
" Paisley continues quiet: it is reported, this morning,
that several of the individuals (said to be six) who attended
the Meeting at Meikleriggs Moor, bare hers apprehended
at Neilstue, and taken to Paisley by a party of constables
who were escorted by foot soldiers. It will be recollected
that the Neilston party carried flags, and that when enter-
ing the place of meeting, their bands played Seals wAtt ha.
ea If ediacw bled. Perhaps the authorities are resolved to
try the question, whether the carrying of Hags is illegal or
not; and if these articles toe denounced, the persons who
attended this meeting with those ornaments, are certainly
placed in a very awkward situation."
ARUNDEL ELECTION.-1n our last Journal we
stated, and, as we conceived, front the very best au-
thority, that Lord Viscount Ruin' had declined
the contest for the Representation of Arundel;
but we are now authorised to say, by a correspon-
dent who cannot be ignorant of the fact, that the
statement above alluded to was founded in error,
inasmuch as that Lord BURY has not declined the
honour of representing that borough. It is true,
indeed. that some of Mr. Bt.enn's friends issued
• bills to that effect, and posted the sante withinside
their windows, where the friends of Lord BURY
•COUld not pull them down, and thence, it is sup-
posed, the report of his Cordship's declension ori-
ginated and prevailed..—(Smoser Paper.)
Oa Thursday the Lord Bishop of MEATH held'
his annual visitation in the parish church of Navas.
at which nearly the entire clergy of this very extra.
• sive diocese were prevent. His Lordship's charges
which was peculiarly adapted to the circumstances
et the present day, wes delis teed most impressively.
illieLoseiship dwelt peculiarly out the misclaief which'
IMO mina in England front the wild and extrevs..
Lied
' Opinion at present sti widely diffused amongst '
Wises sectaries who have separated front the
Church; and strenuously exhorted his
=word their respective flocks stalest the
pernicious
discharge