The National Register.
London, England, 1817-09-29 00:00:00

DRURY LANE.

Friday Hoadly's comedy of the Suspicions Husband
was re% ived, and in which Mr. Stanley appeared in the
part of Ranger, with increased success.
Thursday Mr. Maywood, from the Theatre Royal
Glasgow, made his first appearance in Shylock, and
was most favourably received.

COVENT .G ARDEN
Miss Brunton, in the Belle's Strafe:gm siAl As !put
Like It has been the attraction during the week. She
is hourly and deservedly advancing in public favour.

ENGLISH OPERA-HOUSE.

The commencement of the new plan of amusement
at this Theatre, of which due notice had been given,
took place on Wednesday night before a numerous au-
dience. The first performance was How to die for
Love, followed by " Wanted : a Gererness r both of
which went off with their former eclat. At the close
of those performonces, however, whether from old habit
or a new spirit of adventure, a large proportion of thc
audience kept their places. The greater part were
doubtless actuated by no other motive than carelessly
to see the result, in the first instance, of the new plan.
But as the laggers continued to hold the seats which
ought to be more profitably occupied, Mr. Bartley the
Manager at length came forward, and apprised the au-
dience of the previous advertisements, which had clear-
ly announced to the public the new arrangement. It
conld not, after such full advertisement, be supposed
that any person was ignorant of a plan which had been
framed for the accommoeation of thc public.—(Loud
Cheers.)—To administer and conform to the public
wish, was, and had been the assiduous endeavour of
that Theatre and if, by misapprehension, any person
among the respectable audience there assembled thought
himself aggrieved, there was an earnest disposition in
the proprietors to relieve him. A person in the pit
then stood up, and said, he had come to the Theatre,
as usual, had of at the pit door the usual price of
admission, which was refused ; that his wish was to see
the Play or Opera from the beginning to the end, and
he thought he had a right to such enjoyment. The
doorkeeper, however, refused to take his money on
those terms, and he then felt it necessary to call on the
Manager, and to appeal to the. public. Mr. Bartley
regretted that the Gentleman who complained had not
intiirmed himself of the real state of the case, or had not
read the public advertisements. If, however, that
Gentleman or any others, if any others there could be,
so misinformed in the house, were desirous to keep
their seats, they were welcome to do so, and he toped
the harmony of the nigbt would be no binger inter-
rupted. The house, in consequence of this explana-
tion, was soon cleared, and the second perfbrmenre
commenced and proceedul without any interruption.

Mr. Kenn 's return to his profcssirmul duties at Drury-
lale will not l•c a spee.ly one•, : as he has entered into
an engagement with the Managers of the Liverpool
'l'lvnitre fur duce weeks.

A Noble Earl, who received 50 guineas from Sir F..
Nagle to pay nnc guinea for every league that the Prince
Regent should to by sea within five years, has already
to repay the 50 guineas received. and 45 in addition, it
having been ascertained by the log, that in his lato tri?
the Prince Regent traversed 95 leagues. Sir Edmund
has been offered several hundred pounds for his bet.—.-
Lettkrs received from Canada state, that Lord Sel-
kirk had left the Red River settlement, and pro-
ceeded •o Hudson's Bar, on his way to England.
The Letters received from Buenos Ayres yesterday
are of the 4th July : they say that the intelligence
-from Chili and Peru is, that the insurgents were every
where successful ; but there is little credit to be give*
to these rumours.

The Litelyield Mercury of las* week contains u map
of the place where the untiwttmate Mary Ashtiird was
murdered. Since the trial of Thornton, accused of
that atrocious deed, several circumstances have trans-
pired which rtrongly call for further inquiry. It seems,
the linen of this man was kept back from being pro-
duced at the trial by Dale, the officer who apprehended
him, and who has since been very properly discharged
from his place :Iv so doing % bat makes this continue
to excite so flinch of the public attention is, the cir-
cumstance f the result of the trial wholly turning on
an alibi whic, ailli %vas fininded on the most uncer-
tain evidence possible to tuidnue--the opinion of coun-
try persons as to time derived from comity (loch--
Every one who knows any thing of the country must
be aware how little dependence should be placed on
such testimony as to actual time.

It seems certain, tl:at Thornton, may again be put on
his trial. In cases of murder, after an acquittal on a
trial, upon the prosecution of the Crown, it is always
in the power of the nearest surviving relation to the
demised to bring the accused party to a second trial on
appe:►l ; and upon such occasiens in the event of a se-
eind Airy as on instances of tin it latiog done return
tug a cen►trary verdict to the ilist, the c ulprit must
stiller death ; thr the fountain of mercy, accessible upon
all ot!!er co:wit:as, hus no power to pardon in case pi

RCPT. *O.

SPANISH AMERICA.

The following interesting pane on the right which
any parent State has to the exclusive trade of her colo-
nies, is extracted from the tract on Spanish America,
portions of which have already appeared in our co-
lumns.
All the states of Europe have at different times catablished colonies
for event to their procloctions and manufactures, deriving from them
in return those precious fruits, which serve to satisfy the demand of
the European markets, accomplishing thus the double object of en-
cottra;,eing national commerce, and erecting a national marire. But
this would perhaps be the first instance that has occurred of a nation
desiring to possess colonies fur the benefit of ethers and with no view to
its own interests.
" England is the country where the greatest desire exists to foment
and assist the spirit of independence manifested in America, and
where too, the greaten endeavours are made to show the absunlitv of
any attempt on the part of Spain. to deprive her colonies of a free
trade. At the sometime dint her subjects act in this manner, her
government follows the pnlicy which the vomit condemn. and seeing
that her islands or colonial possessions wet,' supplied in the greatest
pin osheh fte wants by Amenean vessels. on better terms than by her
own, has exercised the rigorous prudence of exclading the former
almeether. England, u she understands well the system of colonise-
tem. desires to swank her own interests, while, at the same time,
she does not withhold from her colonies those advantages which can
be enjoyed without prejudice to herself. These are the principles
which Spain has followed, and desires still to pursue. It would there-
fore be very strange. if in similin circumstances, and actuated by si-
milar motives, sae endeavonred to make that appear erroneous in
others, which she herself approves as her fixed line of conduct.
" It is indeed a maxim universally admitted, that colonies are useful
in porportiou as they are rich. for their riches proceed from their su-
perior cultivation, and from the additional commercial transactions to
which they lead. Without doubt, England for instance, derives in.
calculable advantages from the possession or her rich colonies ; but it
L nseessary to remark, that she reaps these advantages because in
their cultivation, she allows English capitals alone to be employed.
and sending out from her own ports, all the necessary articles of de-
mand, receives in exchange, all their rich productions ; thus realising
by both operations, profits without a drawback. Let us now exa-
mine how this maxim would be applicable to Spain, in her rela-
tions with her transatlantic possessions. In virtue of the proposed
opening of their ports, there would be an indiscriminate onneourae of
all nations to trade in them, which, equally with the colonial territo-
ries. would derive considerable benefits from the measure; but, in
the mean time, where would the mother country stand?
she participate in any moderate degree, in the advantages which
appear to be her due? No, certainly ; her advantages would be very
limited. It is clear, therefore, that the maxim above stated, is apph-
eable in those cases in which the nation, to which the colonies be-
long. participates directly in their territorial prosperity.
" In the past year (of litifi.t the exports from the island of Cuba,
amounted to about eleven minim' of dollars, arising from the ex-
tensive traffic carried on with all parts .of the world. The inhabit-
ants must have prospered in coasequence of the impulse thus given
to agriculture.
" Equal, or perhaps greater have been the advantages reaped by
foreigners who have traded. Bat what advantage hat Spain, the
country to winch this :ninny belongs, derived from it ? That state
of prosperitywcolit certainly have been more desirable, had Spain
participated in it ; but w e cannot say this, while we recollect that the
great abundance of shipo, so far fern being useful to the mother
country, rather dintinislied than increased her general commerce. Of
what service then could alien colonies be to to, if others reaped all
the benelk_s of their trade ? Row would England hear the idea that
after having expended immense capitols in the cultivation and im-
provement of Jamaica, the United States should be allowed to com-
pete with her in the importation and exportation trade of the lAand ?
Neither t se Spanish nor any other nation, however thought of re-
teini ng their colonies for the sole advantage of the revenue which may
arise front the customs, or other civil contributions, which have
never allows sufficed to defray their local charges. She has, oar the
contrary, looltrd to her transatlantic dominion;, as the means of pro-
matin;r her trade, and enriching her mercantile subjects. As a proof
of this, it may be mentioned, that bAbre the fatal revolution, and
during a period of the greatestmatiquillity, the direct revenue aris-
ing fro,„ the provinces of the Plata, never exceeded the annual sum
of .500.000 dollars, this colony sending to the Peninsula only a re-
mit:enc..: of 0,003,001 owl, three or fool. years. Outing tluis period
Spain had to mainsails various ships of war on that station, which,
together with ticepaekets and other vessels, which it was necessary
to keep up. there time exhausted the sum we have mentioned. In
such circumstances, it will easily appear, that the eecluoive COM-
memo we enjoyed, was the only nseass of reimbursinst us fur the
expenets we incurred, but in thr case of a free trade, this species of
compensation, wuald entirely fail, and instead of the commercial
advantages which we minder at the roily reason for retaining over
colonies, we should only hold them by the tenure of the saentices
which we shook' be conmelied to make on their account.
" To me it appears that tie clamour about a free trade, is only a
plausible pretext assumed to mask other designs, for a little reflex.
rum would comince the most intemperate. that ['tete is no nation '
which does not lay restrictions on its own trade, touch more on that
Wits colonies. In England we observe, amid the encouragement
which she gives to her vast commerce. and the stipport she lends to
'tier commercial Interests, that trade is shackled by a thousand restric-
tions. Particular corporations have cachisive privileges of telficking
with mort'cuilitr establishments. altlio.kgh such partiality to public
bodies is allowed to be prejudicial to individual enterprize.
" The East Indiarompany, the South Sea Company. the Company
trading to Bahia and Iludsons-bay, enjoy each of them a monopoly
or the respective Ms-riches of commerce implied in their names. In
the same manner we have in Spain, the Philippine company which
enjoys the exchisive trade to Indio, while there is no doubt that if 1
tit restrictions weieeleilished, there would not be wanting merchants
who would employ their capitals in a competition with this fevouired
'body. Thus we sec that even the commerce el the parent stose. is
placed tinder restrictive re;mhttions, although the policy of such a
metsureis readily admitted sod patiently borne. I cannot thi•relbre
isreseive, on whatgroatuf the colonies can deimind freedom of trade
is the malt extensive sense of the word, or a' Aire to immunities and
Looms, of which the patent state is deurived, even in time case of na-
tions, which she held up as models Co their liberelity to the corn-
menial interests, and their free principles of commercial policy."

The Gaulte of Tuesday, contaias a notice from the
Speaker of the House. of Commons. in pursuance of
the Bank Restriction Act, declaring, " that on and
after the Ist of o.:tober next, the Bank will be ready
to pay cash for their notes of every description, dated
prior to the Ist of January, 1817 " The state of pub-
credit note now be said to be secUrely established and
Conrishing daily more and more.
A special cotmaission has been appointed at Derby,
to try the prisoners against whom true bills have been
found for hiLtli treaskin. Its sittings commenced on
Thursday, but the trials will tbe proceelA in till
the pth of nest nitnith. T:iy prisoners are ace used of
being found arme,l, in mi;itary array, and marching,
£S :vas supposed to Londo•:.
Mr. j..5:LuA1..1).):: wil: