The Sun.
London, England, 1806-04-09 00:00:00

AMERICA.

.~---~-s

GATES.

_

UTRAZT OF A LETTER FROM A MEMBER OF C01,.:-
GRESS'TO A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF. DELE-

" Nothing has happened here that I am at liberty-
to communicate worth your attention, except the
condua of the Spanish Minister. The Marquis,
you know, has his residence generally at Philadel-
phia. His conca& has been so disobliging to the
Government, that his, re-call was requested. This
requisition met with due attention at the Court -of
'his Catholic Majesty; but as. he himself had signi-
fied a desire to return home, his Government wished,
if it was agreeable to ours, that it might assume the
shape of a voluntary act. To this there could be
no reasonable objection, and it was consented to.
Hearing he was about leaving Philadelphia for.this
place, 'it was hinted to him that his presence would
nit be agreeable. Disregarding this intimation, he
*came, and upon his arrival an official Note was ad-
dressed to him, desiring his departure. To this he
wrote an answer full of insolence and abuse, aria
continues here; his party declaring, that he is vest-
ed with full powers to adjust all differences with us,
and complaining of the condu& of the Executive in
not seeing him. This course he has undoubtedly
adopted to render the Government unpopular; for I
cannot believe it is a fa& that his Master would
trust to his care _such important Negotiations after
tha application for his recall ; even, if true, the dig-
nity and honour of the Government, forbid his re-
ception after what has passed. I believe it has been
seriously deliberated whether it would be propel,
under his present condua, to seize and ship him."

MANstori-HousE.,=•Yesterday, the. children of
Christ's Hospital, agreeable to ancient custom, were
admitted to pass through the Egyptian-Hall, to 'see
the decorations made for the Easter Festival, and re-,
egive two buns, a glass of wine, and a.sixpence or
shilling each, from the hands
.of the (LORD MAYOR
(but not of new coinage, as formerly the ease). After
this ceremony, they again preceded his Lordship,
• 'who went in state to Christ's. Church, attended
.by
the RECORDER, Aldermen HUNTER, HANKEY, DON- ,
VILLE, and the two SHERIFFS, &c. &c. when they
heard' a Sernron preached by the Re/. Dr. DODD ;
after which the Loan MAYOR and SHERIFFS dined at
Bartholomew's Hospital with the Governors.
SINGULAR CONVICTIONS --Within these few days
the Curate of a village near town, and one of the
Overseers of the .Parish, a gentleman farmer,_ bad a
dispute' respeCting some private business, and the
. Farmer d—d the Clergyman's eyes. For this offence
,he was brought before the Magistrates, at Marlbo-
rough-street, and convicted in the penalty of 55.•
The Farmer contended, that he was.not a gentleman,
and that he ought to pay no more than IS. This
.obieetion was over-ruled, as it appeared that he kept
.his sporting dogs, and regularly \took his wine after
(14ner. It happened, hoWever, that the Clergyman
had omitted readi:ig the Ael against prof Tine 'swear-
ing, &c. at. the time stated by law; the Farmer,
therefore, returned the compliment, ,by informing
against him, and the Clergyman was obliged to pay
the penalty of
On Sunday night a female of very interesting ap-
pearance, about 18 years of age, arid dressed in the
first style of elegance, Was observed to perambulate
.':Park-street, Westminster, at a very unseasonable
hour, evidently labouring under Some deep'afflielion.
On being questioned how she could venture froM
home at so late an bour, she replied, in the most
incoherent manner, "I am a Queen, give me lack
my lover ; 11 die here !"—.A. Gentleman pasiing at
the instant offered his assistance, which she rejected;
however,' we understand she was taken to ,her
friends, who reside in the neighbourhood of Mary-
- le-bone, who are persons of respeatability. Disap-
pointment on the part of her lover l's stated as the
'cause of her behaviour.

~;N-~*~-

MURDER.

• CARDIFF ASSIZES.

There was only one Prisoner tried
.at these As-
sizes, viz. William Morgan, charged with the wil-
ful murder of Margaret William, his servant : the
Prisoner's- son had been committed on the same.
charge; but the Grand Jury did not.find the bill
against him.
In support of the Prosecution it appeared, by the
examination of the evidence, that one evening in
06tober last the Prisoner, returning home to
supper, desired the deceased to get him some bread
and butter; but that not being satisfied as'to the quan-
tity, some words arose; and the deceased observing
that the ghost of his brother had appeared to her,
and that she had been infdraied by other persons.
that thwy had seen the same, he got -up and laid hold
of her, and shook her violently, struck her with his
fist on the side, thEew her on the ground, and
dragged her about, and gave; her some blows with
his hands and knees on the thighS and lower part of
her belly. :While the deceased was down she re-
quested. the 'Witness, who was a servant of the Pri-
soner, to assist her; but William Morgan, the son,
desired him not to interfere, for the .deceased had
caused much mischief in the family. Soon after
the woman appeared to be dead, and was liftesi into
a chair, Whilst she was in the chair, the Prisoner
appeared to be in' a distraEtion of grief, called her
his dear little Peggy, begged she would speak to him,
and kissed her. on the cheek. Some spirits were
then put into her month, which the Witness could
not- tell whether she swallowed or not, 'and she was
afterwards taken up stairs on the shoulders.of MOr-
gan William, the son.
A boy, 15 years old, stated, that the. Prisoner de-
sired him to say that the deceased had died in a fit,
if any one asked him.
The funeral took place about the usual time after
a natural. death,' at ten o'clock in the day-time, and
was attended by the friends' of the deceilsed.
Richard Griffiths, Esq.. the Coroner, deposed; that
about ten days after the death an Inquest was de-
manded, and that be had dire&ed the body to be
taken up. Upon examination, there appeared many
marks of violence on the thighs and lower part of
the belly, evidently made . by an obtuse instrument,
and which, he was convinced, could not be the.effeet
of natural corruption, nor the 'marks of any- pre-
vious eruptive disease : that being satisfied as to the
cause of her death he did not open the body. He
adMitted, however, that there might be some causes
of sudden death which could only be discovered by
a -dissecaion of the parts. Upon being asked by the
Court what was his belief of, the cause of the death
of the deceased, he was decidedly of opinion that
she died in consequence of the bruises she. had 're-
ceived.

Dr. Turtort, on behalf of the Prisoner; said he
was a Physician residing at Swansea, arid had some-
times seen cases of sudden death. Being desired to
give his opinion as to the-probability of discoloura-,
tions of the skin appearing after death, in a very
clear and scientific manner he inforrned the Court,
that the circulation of the blood is the last effort of
existence; that-after the body is to outward appear-
ance dead, circulation may/be for some time going
On, though in an imperceptible degree;. that While
circulation goes oa, the vessels must necessarily be
in action, and more or less full of blood ; and that
during this time, even after tho.appearanecof disso-
lution, they may be broken by any violence or rough
handling, end, discharging .their contents, occasion
discolourations..of the skin. He likewise observed,
that there were various internal disorders and mal-
formations of the organs, which might be exaspe-
'rated by violent agitations of the passions or feelings,
so as to cause sudden death ; that even the passions
themselves, by an excess of exertion, might produce
immediate death by spasm, rupture of an artery, &c.
'and that these various internal causes of sudden death
can only be discovered by .dissection.
The Learned JUDGE, in a Speech of much energy
and elnquenceirecapitulated the evidence to the Jury :
and the latter, after retiring a few moments, brought
in their Verdict—Guilty qf Manslaughter.
On the following morning the Judge passed sen-
tence on the Prisoner in the following impressive
address :

" 'William Morgan, you are convi&ed of Man-
slaufghter alone, upcin a charge of Murder, which it
Was the express opinion of the Court that your guilt
had incurred, if the fads in evidence were believed.
The Jury therefore must either have set up their
judgment of the law against ours, or have misunder-
stood. the laW as delivered by:me, or have disbelieved
the Wiffiee:s6s, or,have been misled by the effe& of
your charader as a peaceable and good-natured man.
As to their preference of their own law, in dire& and
'wilful opposition to that of the Court, I cannot and
will not believe.it ; in other words, I must not be-
lieve them to have abused, their power and violated
their duty. if I was 'misunderstood, it was not for
want of all the efforts iu my power kJ impress the
rule .and principle upon their rnibds with all the ac-
curacy and precision which I could stamp upon-them.
As to the distreclit of the Witnesses, it happens .that
not one of them was impeached by yourself. No
Witnesses in my judicial experience ever delivered
their testimonies with more delicauyof caution : one
of them, unsolicited, marked in his evidence, that_
N4ben you kicked this woman' you had no shoes on.
The 'difference ineffed was trivial, but in his mind it
occurred as a feature softening the outrage. The son
of that father, a boy to whom you recommended a •
false account-of the death in confidence:--apart----and
with him' alone, is confirmed by the woman who laid
out the deceased, and who represents that you told
the same fiErien, to' her. The evidence of the Coroner
and Surgeon, Mr. Griffiths, to the cause of the death
as occasioned by your violence, must have convinced
the Jury when they found you guilty of Manslaugh-
ter. They, must therefore have thought (with we)
the evidence of Dr: Turton wasted and thrown away.
He enlightened us with certain other causes'ofdeatb,
reconcileal;le to similar appearances, but which had
no groiusd for them in the foot. His evidence there-
fore might have been spared. As to your eharic-
ter; if it were true (aid I will assume its truth), it
would proVe that you have deceived your neigh, '
bours, and that you deserve a charader the reverse
of that which has been given.. Had .a thousand
witnesses called you " peaceable and good-na-
tured,.' , this 'one transaaiOn' of pride and revenge

would outweigh theta all. The Jay ma have
thought you did not mean to kill, and therefore
could not be guilty of murder ; in other words may
have thought you intended cruelty and mischief in
the extreme to this defenceless woman,—but short
of death. If the fad here supposed were true, the
opinion that it was therefore no murder would have
been false, and it was reprobated by me with all
the eikrgy which (armed-by the Law) I could give
to the opinions I 'delivered. But could they believe
the fact, that you did not nzean to kill 9 You that
said the very minute before you made your first at-.,
tack, " it was in your hands to kill her !" Perhaps
they believe that. you were not master of your own.
reason, but were heated by passion from the moment
of your first anger up to the very instant of 'this
poor creature's death.' Could they believe it ?
'Gould they believe you heated, when, after such a
feather of provocation, you fell upon a 'defenceless
person who did not raise her hand against gou, beat
her with your fist upon her bosom and thighs—
kicked herand when she was down, pressed your
knees upon several parts of her body, intliCling
blows 'and contusions even upon her waist ? Could
they believe you were heated, when upon her af-
feCting appeal to her fellow-servant, you com-
manded him to desist from any help to her ? Could
they believe that you had no deliterate hatre4 in
your mind, when there is not One mark of your
penitence' and remorse ? Your " distraaions' -was
the horror of momentary panic, and it came too
late. But it was, followed up i❑ a very short period
by the command of a wicked falsehood, in cold
blood, impressed upon one of your' servants—a false-
hood asstrteck the very next morning by yourself.
Hundreds have been executed for murders less ag-
gravated than your's, less depraved and less cruel.
It is the second instance in the County of Glamor-
gan since my judicial intercourse with it (and I shall ,
after this acquittal fear that it will not be the last),.
of a master's tyranny to a servant ending in death
and in murder. Whatever- motives of judgment or
of conscience induced the Jury to deliver, this ver-,
die, it will be long felt as, a deep
.stain upon the
County, " that such guilt 'as your's could escape;"
though I impute no blame to the mercy which I
cannot understand.

You have taught. Your son to resemble you—
he did venture to intreat that you 'would arrest your
murdering hand—but when —after the victim had
expired. He had previously fomented your bitter-
ness against this wretched creature, -by telling that
idle''story of the ghost, which you resented by
killing-her. When 'he addressed himself to her),
supposing her to be alive, it was in terms of un-
feeling insultyou have done, said he, mischief
enough—go to bed. God or mercy ! are servants
to be _thus treated ?, Is it in this generous Island
.that we can hear- of such tyrannies ? Had-the Jury
conViaed you of the murder, not all your opu-
lence, or the interest you could - make, would have
given to the short interval between your sentence and
your death one additional hour. Who would ima-
gine that lam talking all this time-of Manslaugh-
ter, which is, in-its legal acceptance, heated passion,
or a wanton ad with no peril of life, but ending, by
accident unforeseen, in death ? The Jury-would tem-
selves ignorantly tell us, that tho' it be not murder, it,
is very liear it, and is the most aggravated of Man-
slaughter, which of course would calln`pon us to in-
th4.t an exemplary punishment upon such an offender.
In truth it is a murder—it is nothing else. Not one
feature of the mitigated crime, appears: 'lt is at the
best a depraved and cruel outrage, endangering life
and ending in the death for which it was calculated; but
at the worst it is also deliberation in cold blood, and
with a decided purpose to kill; in both of these
views it- is equally a murder. Yet how to punish it
under its name of Manslaughter is a difficulty. We
are crippled, and yet it is no dishonour
.to the law
that we are—for it never supposed that a case like
this could have the-name of Manslaughter' stamped
upon it by a verdicl. We cannot imprison for the
offence to which your guilt has been softened by the
verdid for more than one ti ear. The additional pu-
nishment of burning_ in the hand for Manslaughter
(properly understood), wasabsurd and cruel, or both.
But in a case like this, one half laments that it has
been superseded. Branded, however, you are still
to be—conscience will ikitlid that penalty ; the ab-
horrence of your charaeier in every feeling heart
will pollute your path and your bed. The day-will
come when this Murder, as I call it still (and by
its true name), will sit heavily upon your soul unless
the guilt is deeply repented .before that hear shall,
corn:„ The only punishment which is now to be
added by the Court, instead of burning in the hand,
is tine. As your fortune is ample, and as we are.
desirous to mark our sense of your guilt, we should.
make that fine exemplary as well as penal. But here
again we are . crippled ; for the law Centem"plating
what is Manslaughter (not- a case' like, yours) has
told us that it must be a moderate fine'. Upon what,
principle I cannot' imagine, but the Court- has in
general -considered the word moderate as intending
a nominal fine, and has deemed it satisfied in ag-
gravated manslaughter by a shilling. We have
upon former occasions broke in upon that judicial
habit 'elsewhere, and are willing to embrace the
odium of the singularity. - In yqur case we impose
sul. as the line, the most ample that was perhaps
ever inffided upon a Manslaughter ; but still if
compared with your moderate in our view of
it, aild reconcilable to a sound exercise of discretion—
so moderate that if it was not fir that iVord we
should have made it four times heavier: Yodr sen-
tence therefore is, that you be imprisoned for one
year in the County Gaol, that you pay 501. -as.a fine,
and that yqu be also imprisoned until that fine is
paid.

" A private Marine, on board the Otter Sloop of
War, having beeh deteeted at Deal in stealing a
blanket from one of his shipmates, confessed to :the
Captain, on being interrogated, that that was hot the
first Crime lilt had coMmitted, for he had been acces-
sary to the -murder of two men and one woman, at
different times, in t 802. "He has been removed on
board the Utrecht Guardship in tale Downs, until
further inquiry can be made by the Officers from
Bow-street, to whom -his confessiOn has been sent.

A feWdays ago a than of- the name-of Roscfru.
died at Preston, andlas left near t,mol. to a blind
man, who begged in the streets, led by a little dog.

NECT oy S*INDLEII3.—For ntany weeks pas:
-gang of offenders, all of o.ie family, have been pra,,••
rising impositions upon trades-people to a'very con-
siderableamount: The father; mother, daughter,
and son, are in coalition. in the frauds that have .been
praised. The daughter, a genteel young Woman,
who occupies expensive and elegant apartments,
contrives to get goods of the tradesmen, aided bylier
father, who was as her valet, the mother,. who
housekeeper, and the.brother, who acts as fo6tinau.
The Lady calls herself Mrs.-Wakefield, and affeas
to be familiar with. Ladies of diStinaion, when she
calls at different shops, acrd having procured as many
articles: as she thinks proper; 'sh:decam pg from her
lodgings with her family. ,The father, whose,name
is 111‘,Evoy, or ./Wc.Nay, was apprehended by Lovett„
on Monday evening; in St, 6eorge's.Fields, and now
remains for another examination. There are many
trades7people, in the most opulent way, ready to
prefer charges agairist them.
Wednesday last, ,as two Peace, Officers were coin
veying a woman to Swindon, (in 'company with a
third person on horseback, behind whoM she rode.)
upon a charge. of. cutting and- maiming some cattle
belonging to a farmer in the neighbourhood of Wot-
ton-Basset, as they were crossing the bridge over the
Wilts,and Berks Canal, the Prisoner complaining of
extreme thirst, her conduaors humanely- gave her
leave to alight and approach the water.• 'This OA)
did; When, deliberately pulling'otf her bonnet and
cloak, she plunged beadlOng into the Canal, and
was drowned !—That-,a. fellow-creature should be
suffered to sacrifice her life, in the face
,of day, in
the presence Of three men; and in a piece of water
comparatively of very trifling width and depth; eli-
bibits one of those circuMstauees 'not easily recon-
cilable-to the'dialates of a syMpathetic mince
It is worthy of remark, that the above is •tlie
fond instance of the kind within a very short 'Periocf.
The first was the case,of a man, in the custody of
two Constables, on a charge of burglary;• wl4:.pre-•
cipitated himself into' the River Wye, a short dis. 4
tance from Hereford, and was drowned; hut in that
instance, ire. understand, 'the r'..er was nearly bank
full, and the stream rapid.

•
• •
. .
Yesterday, in Paver street, the Lady of the Hon. joha
Bridgeman Simpson, of a Daughter. •

A 1,4 fq.P I E. D

Yesterday, at Tooting, by the Rev. Mr. Hewlett, Mr. Lea,
of Naistowe, in Essex, to Miss King, of Tooting,
Yesterday, at •Whissonsett, Norfolk,. Mr..Tiio. Hawkintry.
ofNicholas.:lane,Lorichni, to Miss Mary Raven, of Whisso
sett.

. _
Ori Monday, by special licence, at his mother's house; in
Harley:street, by the Rev. Cha Wallington,,Samuel Reach,
Esq. of Wadden, Gloucestershire, to Miss Amelia Willie,.
s!cond daughter of the _late fames Millie, tsq. Of Ealing
-Grove, and M. P. for Horsham. • ,