The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-01-21 00:00:00

frdm the thimie that originated the idea of the

petitions.
After some further cosiversition, the aebate was
at length closed ; and on a scrutiny or the votes, ou
the question of the order of the day, there appeared
for the order of the day. 117 white balls--againot
it, 114. The order of the day was therefore adopt-
ed, by a majority of five votes.
The sitting was adjourned at half past six
o'clock.

THE BRIT' SU I)I{ESS.

LON DON,
FRIDAY, JANUARY 21, 1820.

Last night we received Paris Papers of Sunday.
The Chamber of Deputies met on the preceding
day, when, notwithstanding his reported illness,
M. PASQUIER appeared in his place on the Minis-
terial Bench, but the Count DECAZES and M.
Ds SKRRO were absent. The discussion was resumed
ou the famous Petitions against the proposed alters.
tient, in the law of elections. The debate was
animated, and on a division the motion for passing
to the Order of the Dsy on the Petitions was
adopted by a majority, 117 against 112. The
Petitions were therefore rejected by a majority
of only five voices. if this division might be re-
ceived et an indication of the sentiments entertained
hy the Chamber upon the alterations proposed by
the Alinisters in the law of elections, it holds out
an indifferent prospect of success to the adventur-
ous mass who shall undertake to submit the matter
to the consideration of the Legislative Bodies.
Possibly the ant►cipation of this powerful cosposi.
tion may account for the intlispusitiun of M. DE
SEERS and of I. Pssuursa.

The Chamber adjourned without having fixed
a day for the next meeting.
The Five p►rr Cent's. were 72 fr. 30 c. Bank
Stock 1,422 fr. 50 c.

It is stated in the Jamaica Papers of the Oth of
November, that General BOLIVAR has been dr-
fe•ted by the Royalist General LA TORRE, in
three successive engagements, and that the former
has been compelled to fall back rapidly upon
Santa Fe, whither he was pursued by the con-
queror. Neither time nor place is assigned for any
of these victories, nor is the mystery explained as
to the means by which LA ToRRE received • rein-
forceineot of 3,000 men, by which he was enabled
to beat BOLIVAR. The Jamaica Papers have *mi.
fermly endeavoured to give a gloomy colouring to
the affairs of the South American Patriot's; hut
events have hitherto proved the incorrectness of
their representations, or the falsity of their predic-
tions. Wt. must therefore decline receiving the
accounts transmitted from the scene of action
th gh the Jamaica Journals with perfect coral-
deuce ; nut from any distrust in the integrity of
those who conduct the papers, but because we fear
that they are made the instruments of others, whoie
interests prompt them to circulate false
intelli-
gence. We doubt the present statements respect-
ing LA TORRE'S victories, because we know that
the Royalists had on almost every point been so
closely pressed, that one General could not, with-
out the risk of immediate ►uio, venture to send so
large a force as J,OOO men to the assistance of an-
other, and no troops have lately sailed from Spain
to recruit the Royal armies in Armin:3.
The Jamaica Papers state that the I.louse of As-
sembly met on Tuesday, the 4d of November, fur
the dispatch of business.

A Treasury Journal of last night charges the
Opposition with hostility to the Duke of WEL-
LINGTON. It says—
" The Party can neither forget our forgive the grievous
injuries they have received from the baud, of the Duke of
waLuxoTom. His Grace's victories were u• less the de-
feat of the Oppositiouolnu of the enemy to wham be was
opposed in the field. And must of all do they lamest his
victory al Waterloo, which, by the single exploit of • day,
covered with eternal ridicule the prophecies o; the Whigs
duriug three mouths." .

'Phis assertion, which is notoriously fal.e, has
been often made in the same quarter. Its repeti-
tion uow can only prose injurious to the writer, as
perseverance in falsehodrinfitt excite disgust. It
is outlier of histmicel record, that the war languish-
ed in the Peninsula, and would have continued to
languish, had not the Oppueition in Parliament called
forth the energies of the country in its support.
To the pressing demand for sof plies, the Minister
ill his place in Parliament repeatedly and peremp-
torily declared his inability to furnish them, and
it these demands and representations had not been
i backed by the eloquence and activity of the Oppo-
sition, thole waists would never have been supplied.
It is to the calumniated Whig, the Duke of
Wsturtorou is indebted for his victories, be-
cause it was by their exertions he was furbished
with the means of conquest. Those who would
represent them as his enemies, seem to forget
that Marquis WELLESLEY, his Grace's brother, co-
operated in these exertions with the Whigs, who
are now falsely accused as adverse to his fustune
sod lois fame ; and when his victorious career
was run, and it became u question of honours and
reward for his services, who were the loudest in
his praise, said most liberal in their views of com-
planation for his great and glorious services ? The

..

reports of the debate! is 'Parliament, WWI the
Opposition. Upon that occasion, too, it is mus-
tier.* that they even went before the Minister in
their liberality and expression of gratitude and ad-
miration ; amid well they might, for in his Grace's
success they hod to congratulate themselves upon
the success of their own exertions in his cause.

must prove extremely gratifying to every
humane mind to witness the numerous proofs of
active and disinterested benevolence which the
Metropolis at this moment presents. Not merely
is money 13 a large amount liberally given to re-
lieve the distresses of our fellow-creatures, but
many Gentlemen, and even Ladies, have consented,
so keg Rothe occasion may require, to forego every
con►ideration of personal convenience, arid have
generously devoted themselves to superintend the
applicition of public charity in such • manner that
the current of benevolence might he most 1111/Vdll.
tageously directed. The funds already placed at
the disposal of the Committee appointed to super-
intend the project for affording temporary relief to
the destitute amount to 9,0001., and since the first
slay of the subscription, the objects of the charity
have been carefully and satisfactorily fulfilled.
This Committee are warmly assisted in their
exertions by the Seamen's Committee, and it
is most gratifying to us to add, that both re-
ceive the worn co-operatinn of the Government.
It has been computed that four-fifths of the persons
who derive relief from the Charity for the Ile.tittite
are seamen, who have been thrown out or em-
ployment in consequence of the severity of the
frost. It is, therefore, to be hoped, that with
the return of fine weather much of the exertions
of the Committees will be rendered unnecessary :
but iii the mean iSe to render their mutual co-
operation more effective for their common object,
both Committees met yesterday at the Mansion-
house, for the purposes of arrangement. These,
however, are by no means the only " Charities"
at present in active operation in the Metro-
polis. The baud of benevolence is extended to
various other objects, aid irs no quarter is the cry
of distress uttered in vain. There is an universal
concurrence of all ranks to lighten the calamities,
which, during the severity of the season, may have
fallen upon their less fortunate countrymen, and in
props, as the distress has been severe, so has the
benevolence of the rich !teen unsparingly exerted.

A requisition to the Mayor of Newcastle. for •
Meeting in favour of Parliamentary Reform to the
extent of Mr. LAMSTOX's motion, is in course of
signature, and will be presented in a day or two.
It already contains a number of most respectable
names. From the general feeling of the town
there c•nt be no doubt but that a Meeting for
such a Reform will be very numerously attended.
We hear that district petitions for Reform are in
contemplation in the counties of Northumberland
and ham.—This is a plan of petitioning under
the present restrictions as to public meetings which
we much approve.
In addition to the losses sustained at sea in the
late heavy gales noticed in our ship news, we regret
to meta the following
Extract of a letter from the Agents to Lloyd's at Mar.
gate, dated 19th instant Two small boats are washed
un shore near Hitching.,,,,, Juhu Day, narked on the
stern of one of them, mid Commercial, of Aberdeen, David
Talbot, painted on the stern of the other."
The Marianna, Rieveris, was lost near Gottenburit the
lit instant; a passenger drowned ; only 188 bundles of flax
saved, and in a damaged state.

The following commonication has appeared on
the board at LLOYD'S :

6' T. y Chambers, Jaanary 18.
" coiumamled by my Lords Commissioustrs of
Isis Majesty's Treasury to nequaiut you, in reply to your
letter of the 7th instant, that my Lords have given direc-
tions to the Commissioners of Excise similar to those give*
to the Commissioners of Customs, by their letters of the 22d
of April nod 10th of December hat, in regard to the ►eship-
meut of good, saved from wrecked vessels, homeward sod
outward bottud.—l am, Sir, your obedient Smyrna.

" S. R. LUSHING TON.
"Jos. Marryst, Esq. 51. P. Chsirmau
of tts•Cotnuliiice of Lloyd's."

The Speculator, Gould. from England and Lima to Paoli.
ma, was captured the loth September off Panama, by the
Andes, 'moment frigate, and carried to the island of
Farago, which the Andes took possession of on the 10th
September.

The N. S. de la Merced,Seana, from Malaga to Hevannah,
has been taken by the libertadur, Venezuelan privateer.
She landed the crew at Montego Bay, Jamaica, on tbe r/th
November, and continued cruising off that port.

It was reported on the Stuck Exchange yester-
day, that it is the of the CHANCELLOR of
the EXCHEQUER to fund seven or tight millions of
the Exchequer Bills, and by prevailing on the Bank
to hold over the payment of the sum for which he
stands pledged, to enable him to go on with the
same temporising system as he hair hitherto acted
on, fur *mother year, by merely taking IQ millions
from the Sitikiug Fund. This, at least, is the ru-
mour in the money mat ket.—(Evening Paper.)
The damage sustained in the River, among the
shipping, by the high tide which occur►ed on Mon-
day, has been very great. At Woolwich, the men
of war in coininissiou and ordinary all broke from
their moorings; seveial drifted below Galleoes'a
Reach. The Ethalion and Germ frigates got aground
off the Duck-yard, and at low water remained so.
The Fury bomb-vessel was carried some distance
down the river. Fortunately no lives are said to be
lost, although the alarm sous great, and the persons
on board in much danger. The first intimation of
the ships being loose, was about four o'clock in the
morning: mud it being extremely dark, the confu-
sion created by such an event is almost inde-
scribable.

The Alderman and another Magistrate of the
Borough of Cretinism] w►th the Stte, hawing caused
a general inspect. of weights and balances
throughout their libertic.:, one hundred and sex
persons have been convicted before them for having
defective weights in their possession, and fined.
and their weights hare beets taken from them and
broken, and sold as old materials. The fines and
produce of the old weight., with a forfeiture fur
bread short of weight and nut marked (seised from
a baker in the Solve upon the inspection). amounted
altogether tiissl. Os. 10$.1. ; out of which the sum
of 221. Ss. 2d. war paid tor the expenses attending
the inspection, and the balance of 331. 54. Bid. has
been paid over to Mr. PAPg, the Treasurer far the
Liberties, to be carried to hot account as such Tree.
surer.