The Sun.
London, England, 1808-06-13 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

• Sii---Having received many applications in con-
sequence of a reference made to me amongst others,
in a letter published by Mr. 1411RCH, containing a
list of persons in whose familieS instance,t had oc-
curred of the failure of vaccination, I think it neces-
sarTto say publicly, in answer to a public appeal,
that a minute investigation of the case of small pox,
which occurred in my family, left no -doubt on the
mind;of any person concerned in the enquiry that
my servant had not been vaccinated.
This information I would readily have adOrded to
Mr. Btacu, had I been in the !Last aware of his in-
tention of making use of my name t.
lam, Sir, your obedient humble Servant,
Lower. Grosuenor•street, June 11. Atostarr.

BUONAPARTE, it is well known, is never satisfied
unless he insults those .- whoth he has ruined, and
this disposition is evinced in tht: very preparations
avowedly intended to show suspect to the nalortu-
nate Royal Family of Spain, for in-the arrangements
that were made 'to indidge then) in their propensity
for hunting,. it seetus to be his design to intimate
that they are fit for nothing else. For it is .hardly
to be conceived that he humanely wished' to divert
the' feelingS of his victims train a sense • of the ,dis,
graceful captivity to which they were reduced, or sup.
posed that they really 'would be inclined' to such an
amusement, with the, probable chance, ..of death-be-
fore their eyes,- whiCh is. coo likely to be the case,
as they area guilty of an offence, in being of the
Boottaom Family, which nothing but death can
atone,

Among tke persons invited as Patrons of the
Literary Fund to dine with the LOUD MAYOR, on
Friday last, were the Duke of SOMRIISET, PrCSide+. I,
the Earl of GI, tsiDNOttE, the Earl of Mot, ivrAtott is,
Lord SHRVI;IELD, Lord DIINDAS, Lord VALI:NT/A,
Sir W. Pcrvs, Sir Jail ii SINCLAIR, and many other
distinguished chameteri. Mr. CAMPBELL BROWN,
was requested to recite Dr. SIMMONS'S beautiful
lines, which he recited at the Anniversry Dinner at
Freernason'S Hall, and they received full advaotagq,
from Mr. IleowN's spirited delivery of them. Jr.!
'FITZORRALp also was, requested to' favour the com-
pany With
.the lines which he wrote on 'the same
occusiou, and he recited them in his usual ani-
mated and impressi% e manner. Mr. DAVID WIL-
LIAMS, the venerable founder of the. Institu-
tion, which •is so honourable to the Country,
and promises to become a permanent resource
for unfriended learning and genius, delivered a
brief but pertinent and interesting speech, -in re
turn for the respect which had been shewn him in
drinking his health, in which he pointed out the
natural alliance of Commerce, Science; and,Litera-
lore, and the importance of their union to promote
the embaisinneut as well as to confirm the security-
of civilized life. A more: gratifying entertainment
never took place within the walls of the city, under
the preteCtion of its Chief Magistrate. •

Mrs. BC4LASIY, who is to Join the Haymarket
eorpo in the ensuing sea4on, was forwelly► Miss
GRIST, and afterwards Mrs. BARRY. Sh is a very
spriiptly natural actress; anti a, wry prtitty woman.

1,44717 nObraf.

COURT,OF KING"s BENCH, SATURDAY, ItitiF tr.
TORTURE IN. THE ISLAND OF TRINIDAD-4

Tile KING V. THOMAS PICTONT,

,
This waxen indictment against Governor Piton,
charging him Frith having inlelnianl caused Louisa
f:aldrone; one Of his Majesty's subietia„ to be tor
tured ; and that he did it unlawfully and maliCionsly,
The Delndant was tried and couviiiked some time
since, hut having moved the Court for a new trial,
and the same being granted, the second trial was
this day had. The faets proved, on the part (if the
Prosecutrix, were as follow Island of Trull.
dad was ceded to the British arms in 1797, and Ge-
neral Pielon left in the government. In the. year .
180!, a robbery'was committed in the dwellieg-
house. of one Pedro Louis; and suslicitin having
fallen upon Carlos Gonsalez, he was apprehended.
the money lust amounted to 1060 'clellarS, and it
being also suspeEted that LouiSa Caldrone, a female
not. 14 years of age, who had intrigued 'With Gans
salez, knew of the robbery, she'was ap-
prehended and carried before; the:Alcade„ or Judge,
and ,interrogated. Refusing to give any .thing like a
satisfaatory answer, the Judge wrote to Governor
Pion for permksion fis' apply the torture,
.41 order
to:make her, disclose the of the robber, and
the Place where the money was concealed. To this'.
request Governor:Pleton acceded, and wtotesut or-
der tlie erica:' %Aeely the,lettlefOis
Louisa Caldr3ne'.' At shag gone there was no in-
strument of torture in the. island, and ..the picket,
such asenilitary men. make tie; nt, waslesorted to. :H
The Judge (Hegorat) attended- the unrortun'ate
minal in prkon;' She eeei tied up by 'tile %%mkt of
her right arm,, and 'die ball of her .left great too'
placed upon the point of the picket eeier.reft arm
was then drawn bellied her, and tied ers •the right
foot, so as to brine' the witeit' weight bf her body
upon the picket, Ip that,siteaiiim stettreirained-till
she %%vitt:ally exhausted„ when she contessed that
Carlos Gonsidez was theithef: Site: wmehen taken
down, and the next day the torture Was again 'ap-
plied to induce her to confess Where' the'Meney
,}vas
deposited. This she..persisted in saying shelnew
nothing about, and'.wae kept upon the ipicket. till
she fainted. Volatile spirits were placed to her nos-
trils to revive her ; she
.was.again suspended, and
again tanned. She still persisted in keestiing no-
thing of the money, 'and was kept in irons for eight
months afterwards, in a place where she could-not
stand upright.,.,
This was the case, 119, proved on the part of:the
Prosecution by Louisa Caldrone, who .spoke English
extretudy well, and gave her evidence in a very
interesting way. Noe of the Witnesses for the
Prosecution were cross-examined by the Defendant's
couhsel, a jestification of the punishment, And not
.a &Inal of the.faet, constituting the defence.
Mr. DALLAS then addressed the Jury for the De-
fendant. He said it would be recolleeted that the
suggestion of torture had net originnte4 with the
Deteudant ; that he only acceded to the representa-
tion of theludge, that a slight torture was neces-
sary to extras a the truth; and that the offence
charged against the criminal would have strleaed
lice it►-this country to an ignominious death. But
the very essence of the charge against the Defendant,
consisted In the legality or illegality of the punish-
ment. The.Jery had .nothing to'dp With the moral
fitness or expediency of torture forming a part of the
jurisprndence of the country ; and.if that sort of
punishment was recognized to be the law of the
Island, the Defendant was bound to apply it, if
called Upon to do so, his Majesty having at the cos•
sion of the Island pledged himself to administer, .by
his Representative, the laws as he found them. He
should therefore spew to the Jury that torture.was
authorised by the Spanish Law in thelsland, that' it
ant.
had bee fip n plied rations instances • , f
ther, that Gus ernor Pitmen, taking the law to be
such, froal the representation, of the Judge huu elf
wastegally.jtistified in the erder he lied given. For
the severity of the punishment he was oat account-
able, it was agreed 'that t governor should
also be a Gaoler. The
,only p.act he had in it, was
signing the order autho;isingtheinfliaion Ma slight
torture; and if that was, legal, he must be acquitted.
lilt Wil3 not, he'woold' admit that, in law, and in
morals, he:was responsible 'for every, ad consequent
upon that order. ',With respect to the argument that
torture was abrogated, even where it bet ore ;existed,
the moment it became; all!jtish dependency, he
should nut reply to it. The position had nut been
supported isy at!), authorities, and therefore could
not be maintained. The harried Counsel then en-
tered at great length into on exposition of the Law
of Spain, ao apialicaule to the Island of Trinidad;
and produced many instances of torture having.been
inflicted, and law authorities to prove that puuisrl-
ment by torture might be legally applied.
The Learned Counsel then pro need his evidence,
Which d.ansiste4 tit very voluminous depositions takers
in the Island of Trinidad, anti of extracts from
Spanish Law Bdoks, all of which went to establish
the fad of torture being_a part of the Law of the
Island;

Mr. GAUROW made an eloquent reply, and con,
tended generally, that none of the authorities cited
justified , the intliaion of torture ; the cases applied
to the Law of Old Spain, bUt not to her Colonies;
and if, they did, then the Defendant had aCted ilk,
gully, inasmuch as Louisa Caldrone had no defensor
appointed to attend her during her examination, and
consequently was deprketd of her right at appeal.
Lord ELLENBOUOUGII was very Concise in his
summing up, the case having resolved itself into a
pure question of law, upon the pOinta of, whether a
British Governor was bound to countenance the ap,
plication of torture, even though his Majesty, at the
cession of the Island, had guaranteed the furtherance
of the existing laws ; and whether, if so, his order
was conclusive, without a subsequent appeal to the
audience of the Caraccas, a Court paramount to the
law in the. Island. His Lordship added, that' the
aiettpu of Lord chief Justice. DE GREY, that a 136-
tish Governor could apply torture under no circom-
staixes whatever, was no mean authority, and highly
proper to be re-considered.
The Jury found a special verdi& of Guilty, sub-
ject to the questions above referred to; and with re-
spea to the faas; they found that torture Was au-
thorised by, the law of,the Island at
.the time of the
cessiUu, and that the Defendant a6ted„ without
lurtl-.er than making. an order whiCli he
thought himself bound to comply with. The trial
1115ted from ba& past nine in the morning ull nor

The Court was crowdori to the ex.
ti e' --athr th‘. vici!ed
Thti Sittings for Middlesex finished, •,

. . . .
, .THE kruG v. it. F. Thal!dia W:,
...,.. :- ,00 ,•3
..*,Thig,tvall .in indictment against toe be -,AW.:friit
receiving. money upon false pretences.' ,-,'•-, „; 411
I Mr: ge.rie,int 131-.s.r, for the prwectitioto:4;
iii the. year 1805 'a Society was terth.e.l,,oiilletkt
Philanthropic Annuity Institution, thee-dbjeft'j
whielt was the granting of annuities at the readditio
able rate of 81. per cent. v,,i ill a view to oppose thus,*
estabriih.nients of the same nature where no-lesplit
suni thant,sta itipercent,,weregonstantlyapddpa
obtained, to the
,great injury..of 'hose . indiva -
Who. had unfortunately be•:,,ene t'. dopes.oritittli
associations, At tlie,tibf: or tha lQui:.L.,,t-;, of ti,Nii
plan, the Defendant wati..amtaegr-iti most forAtira
promoters;" ;and' to this Condi:o, at; -leasti fiff.
Thotppson.,,, at a future 'p.lii? ~ ; mght 1.: (,•Ji ,ii, 11 (,I;
4 i.., .:
with -satisfa6tion. The. necessary,. .autpt.iaaving
been advanced by the ditlerpht metoAersoi itt-
ing kv,as held, ...tid v:.p.io4S:,"ta'n'S..-, were_.
~ opi
(,c
for the regnimion of the Society At ,tiaistias.
scrnpli ti erg
et ot
Defenda% lit.-oeured ,liirnielf-Vibb-
eleEted Suiictior to, the:eitiOsti6qat," fitit.44l4v er
equ
chosen, as he had subsentlt,pretentled,, Si nit
4t
.andMat'itfget to r4i.pive ft y def. '.ti s'iabs.eritlil3l4/414
hes id e 5 the golicitor:t h'elqWgrA i i),.k•j;l4.i:-?tc)ll6ls4l's
Avhbtsweraiappointed .DiroCtanitc4ti:Lby.thebye-iIIAVI
it.,,w;t4 y,;pkvoly,d4l,,ice,(l, thm4ll.ey; at:d•therplit,
liould have 'file-disposal dtilsjt% ti,pilspttli44lolj.i44A,
Cerialo regnlatiourveto4ititrldavds,inadi ,retipmilitig
Ili(, liffilVibi•lofficert;l arid if sitt'rliite4edi that'll:n*4ons
r,-ecrimi.k,4l4o4l(lk.9ll ,00 is4tue)4it:i.-i9tii;llQrtif,V
received, balioith-ismorfal"handscpflbeyGashier,, and
1/111191ti'pn re tittt'd tii'Vie pit?.ll.r -ot if 1 e,:s6,Ativ.
Ng}iiih s*t, 4.4 in g t1ii4,44,4; ili A 9:1 Vi„4ll.iii4 ViArtli,t li e
I)efe tidal) t wai arAde attritialtitid With it,.obaltestlaytkif«
'ter it \iiiii trit9e, he `re.,eoiiiirtlV'lS;titit, of • t I yttfacii_l,4l6.
Fict.iiL I 'Only ingi t td theeafshier,as'‘444aSiir'i;ll(-41-it
it in I:th oWit OUSseggiati itudrotfreata.to deliver. WV: tlip
proper otlier, , He had like,,W)So pedrEktid.'rl..:at: .t
!Iliielciient PC ricid ~ of whi eivilt 9 44quo.t 1144;(o:,"t)iis
time been rendered. These facts had shewo, that,lNlr,
Tininipson was n 6 lOnger )it oft 114; Of Alfe trtist repttqld
in him ; but the Society, : instead Pt uonalittncPkha
criminal prosecution agalii q .'him, in cunsidor.llloo of
'his adivity and zeal in iiic fonhation t)f the lusqtd.
.- , , . , , . • .
tion, .cpcsttattet4 ttietasetvo{4,4,lmappointingjuiotlittir
Solicitor, to check and conycitil the proceed:l*M of
' 1 he I)tifebrdiAt ' Aftl'r this ii 0 in i natio ti , t he D'Ffittaaht,-
', if.possibler conducled hinis,.ll :till '6.'orse) .i'll'i tl+4fe
ing was called for his rernov,il. At iliac tiwe tili intim-
bors. were 'present', and wthen Mr. ThottieSon Vitt
been acCuSed,* and had inado his defence, 78 of the
number voted agniirst him ';
theremaining two Oentg
Mr. Thompson himself and a near relatiou. 1-10tas
then
_required to deliver up the papcis, with.t.Tch
'lie refused to comply; and the libuie in whicirthe
business had hitherto been carried .on belonliictgao
Mr. Thompson, it was fonnd nei:es.ary to re Oho
the oiliceof the litstitutibli t0,14Li:...,(....•••• ; ,me. -:•.1r.
Th o ompsostill;however,•cont(ntivil to 1-.1vett.,,,.; Ito 't-
self as Solicitor and ...Manager, and to , ret..ti i e i 401),
scriptions. Under these circumstances, it ‘vaarequisile
to take some vigorous measures, and no Defouitint
was brought before a Magistrate, when the defence
he set up, I,vas, that he had received theYatieusW6*
scriptionS for account of a separate Institution of bier
own. This assertion,would, however, destroy the de.°
fence that was to be made to.day,yi z . that be was ER) ii X-
C(.l in his office that it, o as impossible the him to•he re.
tnoVed, but- by his own deed; for, by the lath :trot;.,,,
it' was said, that the meetings .were to be summoned
by the Solicitor.. The. coujetfture, . bov..,ver. was
erroneous,• because the meetings to be conveced by
the Solicitor were only au •H. ..ii wvrt. requested Ly
the Propriistorsi. and .the Dirccfors lil. yv,:risc; LA a
powdr of calling meetings of the :Members of. the
Society. Under,these cireutitstatices, the 014 tale-
tiithr: left Waii to-try thd question by bringing' the
Defendant before the Jury. : :-,,

Lord 24'a.t.ilt:raoRouott.•;-4," All thi3 shapes
treinely well for* an itifornation the naturt of a
Qtiti tyrant/au to detertnnie by what authority he
holds the office ',of, Solicitor diki Manager oi the
S cety."
Mr. Serioant IIEsT resumed, that the otfen.ce,
dinged against Mr. Thoinpion , by his
pietending that Oa: s.ilth of the
tined in ,when in ,tact it had been ie.
mvved io
The Ciftl.ll, Ju'rric e?tpresserl himself of pplollio,
that the subjeo was more a .titieqion of law-Abia
offaff, and that the better way to deterinirki4he*
point would be by .;itt 91
Not 0014 was,acoOrdingl) trntersijr

It is not the fa6t, th3l Al the Sp: nish prisotwr3
are to be released and Rent 1.101110 j
js.COnfillCit to the native:l of Astitriaq, in wiltd,
Ander°, the Port (ruin which the Spanish I)4)ittius
from the Com Wei of Oviedo, are come is itittated