The Sun.
London, England, 1808-11-04 00:00:00

PAMPEWEE 114BErhyd

CONVENTIQN OF CIN

On Wednesdi.ty, pursuant to a public requisition,
the High Sheriff, GEORGE HANEURY MITCHELL,
Eq. convened a Meeting of the
„Nobility, 'Gentry,
Freeholders, and Inhabitants • oft,tlie County. of
Southampton, at the Castle of Winchester, to take
into their consideration the propriety of addressing
his Majesty on, ,lhe Convention of Cintra. The
Meetir, was both numerous and highly respedable.
The HIGH SHERIFF having taken the Chair,
Lord ..NoRTHisK presented himself to the atten-
tion of the Meeting, for the purpose of proposing
Resolution. He felt that on a subjed involving
both the charader -and interests of the country, it
would not be deemed a
„presumption in him to
offer to their consideration a, motion, expressive of
the wishes of the Cohnty . Hants, to request 'a
full Inquiry into the Causes which led to that dis-
graceful event, the Convention of Cintra. After
these prefatory remarks, his Lordship proposed the
following Resolution !

Itesolved—That an humble and dutiful Address and

P etaion be presented to his Majesty, expressing our grief
and regret at the Convention lately entered into by the
Commanders of his Majesty's forces in Portugal, ar.d the
Counnander cF, the Frencn army in Lisbon ; praying his
o instant,: such full, pulalic, and effeeual inquiry
into this trantaCtion, as will lead to the discovery of all,
tnose c:tuses which produced an event so injurious to the
honour of this Country, and the interest of his Allies.

Mr. COBBEI' said, that so far- froth disapproving
of any part of the Resolution . WhiCh had just
been read, he had to state, that he heartily approved
of every word of it. After a long speech in con=
demnation of the Convention, and some observa-
tions 'on the offices and emoluments Of the Duke of
York, in the codrse of which he was twice called to
order, he read an Address, which was seconded by
41e Rev: Mr. Baker.

The Reverend 'Mr. POULTER contended, that the
Answer given by his Majesty to the Address of the
Common Council of London was complete, explicit,
and satisla6tory. The Address just read was much
less objedionable than that of the Common Council;
inasmuch as it limits its prayer to investigation, and
prays for justice alone.: There is no call tor ponish•;
Inept before investigation was instituted, as in tl
Andress from the Citizens of London. But •with
the King's Answer before the Country, where was'
the, necessity of petilioning at all.? Had we not the
high.!st authority in the kingdoM,pledged to us, that
intiniry would be promptly instituted, of the
cins.:7s which led to an event `` Which has disap-
pointed the hoiles and expectations of the country ?"
He dcprecatk-d any factious aitempt to alienate the
people at this ''tune the Executive Government,
inasmuch, as t!iat b. ing united we cannot fall, and
divided we cannot stand. He therefore felt it his
duty to. propose as' an amendment-to the Resolution
proposed by the Noble Lord,
" That notwithstanding the disappointment ex-
perienced throughout the Country in consequence of
the late Convention, yet, upon tile ground of his .
Majesty having already ,pledged himself to institute
inquiry, and in conformity with the principles of
‘ty. foreer '0 ferfer-nce, pt-::;1 (:-„paicited
%yob the result of that investigation."
Mr. PORTELL supported the original resolution ;
after which Mr. •Poulter's amendment, seconded by
Mr. Garnet, was put, and on a division, was declared
to be negatived by a great majority.
The Assembly'afterwards divided on the question,
whether the Address proposed by Lord Northesk, or
that by Mr. Cobbet, should be adopted, when it
was decided in favour of the Address of the Noble
Lord., is as follows

" TO THE KLNG'S N.TOS'D EXCELLENT MAJESTY.

re May it please your Majesty—We your Majes-
ty's most dutiful and loyal subjeals, the Nobility,
Gentlemen, Clergy, Freeholders, and other. Inha-
bitants, of the County of Southarnpv.A, beg leave to
approach your Majesty's Throne with the sincerest
assurance of our zealous attachment to your Royal
Person and Family; and knowing that your Majes-
ty's true glory is inseparable from that of your peo-
ple, we humbly beg leave to express our grief and
regret at the Convention lately entered into by the
Commanders of your Majesty's Forces in Portugal,
and the Commander of the French Army in Lisbon;
and further, humbly to submit Id your Majesty our
earnest and anxious prayer, that ybur Majesty will be
graciously pleased to institute such full; public, and
efFeEtual inquiry into this traniaetion, as will .lead to
the discovery of all those causes which have pro:
duced an event so injurious to the honour of this
Country, and the interest of its Allies."

The town of Friburgh, in Switzerland, *as un-
der the dominion of the House of Austria, but when
the confederate Cantons became powerful and re-
spe&able, the Friburghers manifested, on several
occasions, a disposition to Join with them. The
Duke of AUSTRIA saw that it was not likely that he
should be able long to retain his sovereignty over
them. He therefore sent his Master of the House-
hold to the town, who gave out that he expected the
Duke himself, and desired the inhabitants to lend
all their plate, gold, silver ornaments, jewels, &c. in
order .to detk:rate the 'town house for his reception.
.these articles he took care to convey, in a clandes-
tine manner, out 1-zf the territory. At. length the
day fixed for the Duke's arrival being come, the
Master of the Household, with' his train, and a
number.of the principal citizens,. went out to .meet
hint. They proceeded further and further, but no
Duke appeared ; at last, however, they- met a de-
tachment of troopers, who opened their ranks, and
received the household officer. and his party under
their protection. He 'then turned about, and ad:.
di'esSing himself to the Friburghers, coolly told them,
.41 that it had been for some time perceived tliat they
ware diSpOsed to threw off their Allegiance' to their
Prince, hi confidence of the proteelion Of the Ca-
ntons ; that it Was just the Prince Bhould' receive
some erndlilment, from them before they executed
thli design ; 'therefore he had bade bold to carry off
the goodS he had boirowed of them." SQ saying, he
rode off, leaving the citiZtAis to execrate at o:rce his
duplicity and their own credulity. Was King Jo-
slit% acquainttd with the abo'e when he graciously
condescended to burrow the valuables of the 'gaud
citizens. of Madricll