The National Register.
London, England, 1811-12-01 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGIST

tinder arrest, and sent him prisoner to France, where he re-
mained till about a year and an half since, when he arrived at
Aux Cayes, and was receiNed with great acclamations by the
people. Hr has a son, lam told, on the island. if the accounts
of his death (kigaud's) be true, Christophe will have lost a for-
midable enemy ; as dreadtd his active, enterpriiing genius
and courage, more than anv one in St. Domingo. If Uhristophe
had received a lib. rat education, he would have been a second
13tionaparte, had fortune placed him in the same circumstances.
You may recollect .the account of one of his Colonels at the
Mole, who did not h,-have well in an action with the besieged.
lie was sentenced to death ; and pardoned by the intercession
of Madame Dessalities, and some other ladies at the Cape ; was
reduced to the r.,r;l:•, and given an opportunity to retrieve his
character. He beitavrd so well, that, on the capture of the
Mole, he was reinstated in his former rank, and left in its com-
rnan('.

" In an English Paper I saw, a short time since, a notice
made in the House of Commons, to interdict ail communication
with the Kta•es of Hayti. I was happy to see it, and sincerely
wish to fin,l it take place. What can he the benefits arising to
E!iglish merchants, to remain in a country under such a Govern-
ment, when tl,ere is rot a single market open for West India
produce, wh:ch will cover its first expense ? The greatest mo-
tive for most of them remaining is, to collect what is due to
thnn in the Hand, and which is most difficult.
‘4 Oc r. t J.—The accounts of General Rigaud's death are cor-
rect : a person who attended his funeral was in this island a
sh,irt time since.

" One of Petion's Gem rats (Delam) lately conspired against
his life: he had concealed a dayger and a pair of pistols in the
lining of hii coat, lie wynt to-the Palace twice, for the pur-
rose of putting the plan in execution. On going the third time,
I'etion, having betii previously informed of his intentions, told
him, that it was well known that he wished to take away his
lire, and 0..-dered him to prison. Instead of giving himself up a
prisoner, In' rushed out of the Palace, mounted his horse, dis-
charged is pistols at the centre, a, he passed, and matt.. all speed
fur the South, where Rigaud was. •1 he alarm guns being fired,
all the passts were guarded, and he was obliged to come in and
deliver himself tip; and was tried by a_ NH:it:try Court, and
Would have been condemned to death, but the villain suppli-
cated in such a pit.fui manner, that they decreed him five years'
solitary confinement, with legs and arms chained.
" An insurrec:ioTl was lately discovered, and fortunately puf a
stop to, in Guadaloupe, promoted by several of Christophe's
Co.nmissaries—one of them a new made Count; who, when
parsurd, fled to the sea side, where, finding it impossible to
escare, he shot himself to prevent being taken alive."

IRELAND.

COURT OF KING'S BENCH, Nov. 21.

This dry, at half-past ten o'clock, the Judges took their seats
upon the Bench, and Dr. Sheridan, one of the alleged Catho►ic
Delegates, was called upon his trial, and the following Jurymen,
after s:tne objection by the King's Counsel, were swum.

.Benjamin (;enie, William Sparrow,
P. 1). Latouche, John Hutton,
Leland Crostliwaite, Robert Armstrong,
John Orr, Edward Clibborn,
John Duncan, Charles Pentland,
John Pepper, Jan Hamilton.
The Clerk of the Crown stated, Dr. Sheridan has been in-
dicted for an offence, of which he has traversed. You are to
try whether he is guilty or nut.
111 r. Keminis, the junior Counsel for the Crown, opened the
pleadings.
.4:ti-ney-General then addressed the Jury to the follow-
ing effcct :•••••
"1 cengratulate you, Gentlemen of the Jury, that the long-
exp,•cted day of justice has at last arrived, and am. sanguine that
the result of this d.,y's proocedings will frustrate the desii.ns of
treason, and give a check to the Oisguise of faction and folly.
The c..se itself lies in a ntsrow compass, both with respect to the
law and the fact ; it is, however, connected with such a variety
of matter, that 1 must I repass uvon your patience much longer
than I could wish. I hope the issue of it will restore our peace,
allay the discontents, and abate the ft rment tvhich prevails in this
country.—Trt ason and disaffection, Gentlemen of the Jury, have
been but too ,uccessfully exert. d in influencing the minds of the
Roman Catholics of Ireland, and the project of a Convtntion was
eetailed in Resolutions of a certain klregate meeting assembled
in this city, on the 9th of July last.- The aggregate meeting
sprung fr,,m a Resolution of a Committee, which, for eight
months, had acted a t istir.oished part. under the name of the
General committee of the t:atholics of Ireland. When I talk of

treasonable views, bottomed in treason and rebellion, let me not
be misunderstood—a great proportion of Roman Catholics are
loyal and amenable to the laws, anti look with alarm and dismay
at the unwarrantable and false proceedings which have taken
place in the name of the Roman Catholics of Ireland. Ido de-
clare, that a great proportion of them are loyal, and take no part
in their projects: some of them are misled, and are dupes, and
made the instruments of designs which they would abominate
if they were to know them. Young men, in particular, of ar-
dent. minds, have engaged in those political pursuits wiLli no cri-
minal object; they merely desire to raise theme( Ives to notice
and to make speeches. Some of those speeches arc must dan-
gerous and unwarrantable, the work ot theted Irishmen, labour-
ing, for a separation of tins country front Eni;land ; others are
made merely for the gratification ot vanity; the authors not
seeing that they are acting adverse to the public peace, and con-
trary to the success of that very Catholic Emancipation they
pretend to he theadvorates of. I will now call your attention to
the Resolutions of the aggregate meeting of the 9th of
Here the Attorney-General read the Resolutions as follows:
First—" That being impressed with the unalterable convic-
tion of the undoubted right of every man to worship his Cross-
tor according to the dictates of his own conscience, we deem it
our duty thus publicly and solemnly to declare our decision, that
no Government can inflict any pain, penalty, or priv.:tion, for
obeying that form of Christian faith which in hi: conscience he
believes to he right.
Second—" That we again petition the Legislature for a re-
peal of the laws affecting the Catholics of Ireland.
Third—" That in exercising our undoubted right to petition,
we will adhere to the ancient forms ut the Constitution,
Fourth—" That a Committee he appointed to inquire into
the penal laws, and make a report of the same within one
mohtlk—ail which were carried unanimoasV.
" That the Committee to be apponned to prepare Petitions
to Parliament flu consist

Fir)t—" Of Catholic Peers, and eldest sons ut Peers and Ca-
tho:ic Baronets.

Second—'• Catholic Prehtes.

•Third—" Ten per,uni chosen from the counties, and the
sorvivurs of the Deleg:aes of 1792, to fol 11l sit integral part of
these ten.

Fourth—" Four rersons from each courty in Ireland (which
Reso:ution was likewise carried unaninvi4,:y).
"These Resolutions were merely to throw dust into the eyes
of Loyal Catholics. Fully aware of the law they were about to
offend, the) professed obedience to it while they were actually
disobeving it. Observe, they appoint Managers to conduct Ca-
tholic affairs until a new Committee: is elected, an interim Go-
vertuneet was appointed, not confined to a Petition to Par!la-
ment, but to manage Catholic generally. By the Consti-
tution, the management of the public affairs is intrusted to the
lawful Governmeot of the country._ hut this is a thsdain of all
Government, and such proceedings are hos ile to Gavel oment.
It is said, that an assembly so constituted wouifLt act contrary
to the peace and tranquillity of the country ; but a few respect-
able loyal men, in such an assembiy, Louie be no guareotee for
its conduct—.he intemperate men hi all such meetings, govern
the rest. This Committee took its rise front the last ; look what
their proceedings had been. .1 heir language had been eo sedi-
tiens, trea-amable, and indecent, that their press, wicked and
daring as it had been, was alarmed, and would not venture to
insert some parts of their speeches, but left chasms and blanks
in their paper, for teat which they dared not tell.—Every Ca-
tholic of respectability felt himself scandalised by such wicked
and dangerous proceedings. Every loyal man was calling out
against such barefaced sedition. Government was blamed for
not interfering. In February, however, they were abLut to ter-
minate their settings ; a circular letter was issued h urn the Coin.
mittee, to call a renovation of itself; then, a:hl not helot e, Go-
vernment interposed, not by a measure against law, it merely
signified to the Magistrates throughout Beeend, that the ietc.ed-
id elections were against Statute Law, and should be pre vete ed.
This had the desired effect; tor a time it was aleindened. Se•
venal respectable NLmbeis of the Committee who had left it,
however, weet back to it, believing, perhaps, the existence of it
was useful to the cause, their presence was a restraint up n the
rest, and the Committee was not interfered with until the close
of their sittings. The meeting of the Pas July was composed
of some of th• members who had hien guilty of the g.eatast
excesses. It is impossible not to conceive, however, that there
was a portion of well meaning men amongst them. It was then
held out to the loyal Catholics Of L clat.d, that their attention
w..s merely cared to the petition, and for that purpose it was •
necessary to elect a Cathouc Convention—but see what the sub-
stance of the petition is, which wan made a pretence of asseme
Wing this Convention. In order to show what ht tie deliberation
is necessary to frame a peetion, I will state to you, what the state
of the Catholics was in the year 17713, and what it is now. itiere
the Attorney-General went into a statement of what the penal