The Sun.
London, England, 1822-11-30 00:00:00

A FEMALE IMPOn 1 OR.

UNION-HALT..—Yesterday the young woman,
who has so many names, and has been charged with having
practised so many impositions through the country, was brought •
before L. B. ALLEN, Esq. for a final examination.
It will be recollected that about a year ago Alderman Wood
found a young woman in a deplorable condition in the streets,
and sent her, after a very humane investigation of her case, to
the protection of a Society of Ladies at Kingsland, to whom the
girl mentioned that her name was Maria Hammersley, and re-
commended herself by her address in the strongest possible
manner. She was considered quite a treasure at Kingsland,
until one morning when she decamped at an early hour, taking'
all the property she could carry with her. Placards were sent
about describing her person ; but the city officers could never
find her until the account of the apprehension of a great im-
postor appeared under the head, of Union-hall. The prisoner
was then recognized as Maria Harnmersely. The Magistrates
have received several letters from the country detailing different
plans of imposition practised by a female, the description of
whom exactly corresponded with that of the prisoner. The
master of St. Martin's workhouse had recommended her to a
gentleman named Billings, who resides in the Strand, and the
matron praised her as a most modeit, industrious, and pious
person ; but soon after she left the workhouse, it was found that
she had robbed it; and when the news was sent to Mr. Billings,
he wished it had arrived a little earlier, for the prisoner had just
before robbed him of goods to the amount of 30/. At Warring-
ton, this very extraordinary young woman imposed upon a num-
ber of medical' ,•entlemen. It still remains a secret who her pa-
rents were ; indeed, no positive assertion was made relative to
her, except that she was without a rival in the art of deception,
and that her success had been unparalleled. It is a remark-
able fact, there has been no imputation on the prisoner's cha-
racter as to companions. She has not been seen with thieves and
prostitutes, and no individual has appeared at the Office who
seemed to have the slightest knowledge of her, except those who
had been imposed upon. It would appear that she stole for
the mere pleasure of the theft, for her enjoyments seem to he
all solitary. During her imprisonment she behaved with the
utmost propriety. Nothinghas ever been observed in her con-
duct from which it could be inferred that she was ever re-
moved from the controul of the most virtuous and affectionate
parents.
In answer to some questions from the Magistrate, she ad-
mitted the incorrrectness of her former statement as to her ad-
ventures, but she was not pressed to alter her account, the
Magistrate not expecting to hear a word of truth.
The prisoner did not raise her eyes from the floor, nor did she
shed a tear. Upon being asked what motive she could have
had for pursuing such a course of robbery and vagrancy, she
merely said—" I should not have done it, if I had not good
reason for it."
None of the persons whom she was accused of having robbed
appeared to prefer complaints against her yesterday ; but a
Gentleman from the Mendicity Society proposed that she should
be committed to the Sessions as a rogue and vagabond.
Mr. ALLEN said she should go where she would neither con,
taminate nor be contaminated ; and sent her off to the tread-
mill at Brixton for three months.

ABATEMENT OF RENTS AND TITHES.—TO the
list ofliberal landlordsin this neighbourhood (Exeter), who have
reduced the rents of their tenants, to enable them to meet the
depressed state of the markets, we are happy to add a secmd re-
duction by our worthy County Member, Sir E. T. Ac LAND,
Bart. We have been informed by one of the numerous tenants
who have experienced his generosity, that although he took his
estate only three years ago, his rent has been reduced more than
25 per cent. and the reductions made to the tenants in general
are from 10 to 25 per cent. as the exigencies of the case require.
Sir J. DAME, Bart. of Creedy-house, at his last rent-day, re-
turned 10 per cent. to his tenants, in addition to 15 per cent.
before reduced; and in this instance also many of the farmers
have been leased within the last three years.—Sir T. T. F.
ELIOTT DRAKE, Baronet, High Sheriff of this county, not
only reduced his rents twenty per cent. at Buckland Mona-
chorum at his late audit, but has done the same on all his
estates—being a second abatement of '2O per cent. to meet the
exigencies of the times. The, Reverend WILLIAM BARKER, of
Silverton, at his tithe-audit on Thursday last, abated from 15
to 25 per cent. ; and in some cases, where the landlords still
exact the utmost rent from the unfortunateand suffeling farmers,
he lowered his demand even 30 to 35 per ct Exeter Paper. )
ALONZO IV. OF PORTUGAL.—ALONZO IV"
surnamed the Brave, ascended the throne of Portugal in the
vigour of his age. The pleasures of the chace engrossed all his
attention. His confidants and favourites encouraged and al-
lured him to it. His time was spent in the forest of Cintra,
while the affairs of Government were neglected, or executed
by those whose interest it was to keep their sovereign in ignor-
ance. His presence, at last, being neceFsnry at Lisbon, he en-
tert ered the council with all the impetuosity of a younm bspt-ntsrnan,
and, with great familiarity and gaety, entertained his nobles
with the history of a whole month, spent in hunting, fishing, and
shooting. When he had finished his narrative, a Nobleman of
the first rank rose up—" Courts and camps," said he„ " were
allotted to kings, not woods and deserts. Even the affairs
of private men suffer, when recreation is preferred to busi-
ness ; but when the whims of pleasure engross the thoughts
of a king, a whole nation is consigned to ruin. 'We came here
for 'other purposes than to hear the exploits of the chace--
exploits which are intelligible only to grooms and falconers.
If your Majesty will attend to the wants, and remove the
grievances of your people, you will find them obedient sub-
jects; if not"—The King, starting with rage, interrupted,
"if not, what then ?"—" If not," resumed ie nobleman,
in a firm tone of voice, " they will look for another and a
better King." Alonzo, in the highest transport of passion,
hastened out of the room. In a little while, however,
he returned, calm and reconciled ; and, turning to the
Nobleman who had so dauntlessly admonished him,_
with a magnimity not often to be met with, especial-
ly in absolute Monarchs,—exdaimed, ' 1 perceive the truth
of what you say. He that will not execute the duties,
of a King, cannot long have good subjects. Remember from
this day, you have nothing more to do with Alonzo the sports-
man, but with Alonzo the King of Portugal.
THE LATE FATAL DUEL.—(From the Kilkenny
Moderator.)—We announce with unaffected con-
cern the death of Mr. Snitiv, who, as stated in a
former paper, received his adversary's ball in his
right temple. Several circumstances connected
with this fatal event have been communicated to us,
which it would be premature and unjust to dis-
close, but which will probably form a subject of
future investigation. They are of the most im-
portant nature, as bearing on the arrangements
of the meeting. Part of the ball is said to have
been extracted frotn the head of the unfortunate
sufferer. lie expired on Tuesday evening, and
was interred on Thursday. We knew him long
and well, and esteemed him as a gentleman of
peculiar worth in all the relations of private
life, and whose professional conduct was regulated.
by honourable and independent principles. The
circumstances which led to the meeting are in-
correctly stated in all the papers which have al-
luded to the transaction, but we feel the subject
to be one of that extreme delicacy wl,i h must
impose silence as to such particulars for the pre-
sent. Even our regard for the de( eised, which
was warm and sincere, shall not induce us. to re-
view a case that should be kept free of every pre-
possession.

,TIIE LONDON JOURNALS.

XXTRACTS FROM THE DAILY MORNING PAPERS,

November 30, 1822.

[THE TIMES.]
The executive officers of the Board of Ad-
miralty will be disciplined into something like
civilization at last, towards the mercaHtile bodies
of the kingdom. We observe that in an official
letter from their Lordships' Secretary to the
Merchants of Glasgow, he not merely admits
that piraties do exist, instead of being all fa-
bricated for the purpose of an increased insurance,
but promises that the recurrence of them shall be
prevented hereafter. The Secretary to their
Lordships does more than this, for he relaxes the
punctilio of his office so far as even to talk po-
litics with a trading association. The Lords
of the Admiralty are " glad to observe " that
44 the men of Glasgow have not 64 over-
" looked those political circumstances which
have delayed the exercise of force in the
" suppression of the outrages committed " in
66 that quarter.—Therr the outrages are, at
" length, confessed, and the suppression of them
" has been delayed," and " the naval force on
the station (as we learn from the same letter)
was abundantly sufficient (if no such difficulties
had occurred) for their suppression." Then the
question must suggest itself to every one—Why
was not the fact fairly acknowledged a little
sooner, and the apology now offered, obscure and
unsatisfactory though it -be, communicated to the
Committee at Lloyd's, for instance, instead of a
peevish and unhandsome reproof of their well-
founded representations ? Would it not have
been wiser to tell the whole truth at once
(if it be the truth), than to shuffle and
skip about from one paltry fallacy to an-
other—first inventing fictitious stations for our
men of war, and then charging the plundered
merchants themselves with a similar falsehood in
the allegation of piracies, as unreal as were the
stations of the cruisers, and the orders given to
them ? For, let it be remarked, the naval
force is now described by the Secretary of the
Admiralty to have been abundantly sufficient—
the application of it to the defence of our com-
merce to have been systematically withheld—and
the complaints of our merchants to have been
fully justified.

[MORNING POST]
The efforts of the French Government to
obtain leave from the Congress to invade Spain
and overturn her liberties, and the great and
sudden changes produced in the money market
by the alternate rumours of success or discom-
fiture with which those efforts were said to be
attended, have of late so completely engrossed
the public attention that the cause of Greece has
ceased to occupy a place in the thoughts of the
many, and even in those of politicians, appears to
have lost much of its interest. Yet not two
months have elapsed since they regarded- it, not I
only as an object of first rate importance, but as
one in which the peace of Europe and the exist-
ence of the present order of things were involved.
To speak of a war between the Turks and Russians
on the distant coasts of the Black Sea, was then
represented as little less than high treason to all
the Monarchs and States of the Continent; and
France in particular was most loud againt the
" villains" who would endangerthe tranquillity
Of the whole world, by encouraging insurrection in
Greece. The French Ministers have since, or ra-
ther the Ultra influence, the imperiunz in imperio
by which they are governed, has since encou-
raged, nay raised insurrection in Spain ; but
its object being the restoration of Despotism
and the Inquisition, instead of the emanci-
pation from a tyranny of blood, they have
cast aside all regard for consistency and the
opinions of men, and have daringly avowed their
purpose and sought to enforce its execution.
Whether they shall ultimately succeed in per-
suading other Governments to join in this open
violation of the principles which they had them-
selves laid down, it is yet impossible to ascertain.
Appearances begin to hold out a hope that they
will be defeated in their schemes of unjust
aggression.

[MORNING CHRONICLE.]
The Spanish Charge d'Affaires has, we under-
stand, within the last few days, had frequent
conferences with Mr. Canning.

Extract of a letter, dated Paris, Nov. 26th, at
night, and received yesterday :
" 'We still go on fluctuating under the same uncertainty with
regard to peace or war. From Verona we know nothing with
any kind of certainty ; and indeed for the last few days scarcely
an thing here has been said about the Congress. The Ultras
still continue in the same furious tone ; the Liberal party rather
intimidated ; the public opinion, generally, still wavering and
confused ; whilst the Government is still persisting in pro-
moting, by their silence, this universal anxiety and disquietude.
—From Spain the news that arrive is very gpod ; the greatest
tranquillity prevails at Madrid, and in the provinces. To
Biscay, Navarre, and Catalonia, large columns of troops ore
marching. It appears certain that Mina entered Puycerda
half an hour after the soi disunt Regency left it, the Members
of which took refuge in Livia; and it is said, not finding them-
selves secure there, in that neutral enelavare, for it is scarcely
known whether this place belongs to Spain or France, and ac-
knowledging the authority of either, they have gone further on
3nto France, to hide themselves under the cover of the drapeau
Lletnc. We are positively informed that Baron d'Eroles has
been defeated at the Conca del Tremp, and been obliged to shut
himself up in Urgel.."—(/bid.)

[BRITISH PRESS.]
The Greeks have lately gained important ad-
vantages. The account of their victories will
appear less open to any charge cif improbabilily,
if we consider the various difficulties with which
the Turkish Government have to struggle,,arising
not only from the efforts of their enemies, but
from bad policy in the management of their do-
mestic affairs.

[MORNING HERALD.]
The Royal Ordonnance, in the Moniteur,
respecting the Faculty, or school of Medicine
of Paris, has been greatly mistaken, not only
in this country, but by the French them-
selves It is the more important to remove
this misapprehension, as the Paris School of
Medicine was frequented by students from
other countries, of whom many were from
the United Kingdom. It is not abolished, but
merely suspended ; and the facilities offered at

the Schools of Montpelier and Strasburgh are
merely ad interim, until the School of Paris shall
have been re-established in a new-modelled form.
The project of fixing it at Fontainbleau was
under consideration for some time ; but accord-
ing to the French Papers, has been abandoned.
It is well if the fact be so, for the distance be-
tween Fontainbleau and the capital, though not
great, is yet such, that it would prove as
fatal to medical studies to remove the School
thither, as to suppress it altogether. We
view this matter a good deal in the interest
of the students of the United Kingdom. The
advantages for them in Paris are incalculable—
they have there the opportunity of obtaining a
knowledge of the practice and doctrine of me-
dical professors of the greatest eminence—com-
paring these men amongst each other; and with
the prevailing practice and theory of medical
science in their own country. The hospitals, the
lecture-rooms, the mama, and other reposito-
ries of science, are, in Paris, open to them, with
a generous and confiding liberality, which puts
to shame the churlish system prevalent here.

ENEW TIMES.I
What can be said or thought o 4 a Government
whose Commander-in-Chief issues such a horrible
proclamation as that of the monster Mina ! If
they are not at the last gasp ; if they are not
struggling for existence against an enemy at least
as powerful as themselves, they must be very
demons in human shape : and if both parties are
committed to a war of extermination, with
nearly equal forces, what, in the name of hu-
manity, ought the other powers of Europe
to do, but to compel the conflicting factions
to peace ? We hear day after day that
Quesa d a is beaten in this direction, and the
Trappist in that : at one time great hopes are
guilt on the capture of a Guerilla Chieftain ; and
at another the abandonment, and destruction of
an old ruined fort is trumpeted forth as the anni-
hilation of Royalism in Spain; but what is the re-
sult of these boasted victories of the Republicans ?
—a Proclamation betraying the most deadly
terror, and a distribution of lands, to attach the
peasants to the new Democracy. We were often
told of the immense resources in land which
the Republicans had obtained by the simple
method of robbing the former proprietors.—
The sale of these lands was to work wonders
in Finance. It turns out that whilst they have
been borrowing nine or ten millions sterling,
they have only been able to sell about 200,000/.
worth of lands, because the honest Spaniards
regard the purchase as a sacrilege ; so that
now they resort to giving them away !--In
such a state of things, foreign interference must
be a blessing to Spain ; for it will not be such
an interference as that of Bnonaparte, to seize
the whole country as a booty—neither will it be
an interference for the re-establishment of a
despotism ; but the Allies will interfere, if at all,
to aid the most moderate and enlightened Spaniards
in giving to their country institutions suited to the
People and to the age.

PROVINCIAL JOURNALS.

( From the Liverpool Courier of Nov. 23. )

THE CONGRESS.—A declaration from the august
Powers assembled at Verona is expected, arid will serve to put
down those numerous and mischievous rumours by which dis-
affected politicians and gamblers in the public funds have en-
deavoured to serve their respective interests. All the intelli-
gence which can be depended upon serves to confirm the views
we from time to time, taken. 'We stated, that to consider the
propriety or policy of a united armed intervention in the affairs
of Spain was not the leading object of that meeting being con-
vened., This appears sufficiently established. Austria, Prussia,
and Russia, are stated to be averse to such a measure ; and
the Duke of Wellington, on the part of Great Britain, has ex-
erted himself much to oppose the wishes of France. It appears
clear, therefore, that either the Sovereigns, were not brought to-
gether at all by the concerns of Spain, and that France took the
opportunity of their being assembled to press upon them a co-
operation with her own views; or that, if the Congress was
influenced to meet by the affairs of the Spanish Monarchy,
one of its reasons was to interpose, not to control the internal
changes which have taken place in Spain, but to prevent a
collision between that country and France. That the French
Ministry has been strongly disposed to march troops into Spain
there is little doubt; and this is sufficiently in proof, that
the party which now governs the counsels of that power
have been taught little by past experience. Blind and bi-
goted Papists, rather than politicians, they would hazard any
thing, even the safety of the Bourbon throne itself, for the
pleasure of going to war to restore the Spanish Inquisition, and
to abolish every Improvement in the institutions of that country
which might endanger the dominance of superstition. That
this is the true reason of that disposition to disturb Spain which
the French Government, or rather the French Princes, (for
Louis himself is a shadow,) have shown, there can be no man-
ner of doubt ; and that the struggle which is now maintained
in Spain, by those who call themselves Royalists, is grounded
on the same superstitious feelings, and not upon any political
principle whatever, is not only manifested by the title of one
of their Guerillas, " The Army of the Faith," but from the
last proclamation of General O'Donnel, who calls all good Spa-
niards to his standard, in order " to re-establish the religion of
their forefathers;" a religion which, by the way, one would
suppose, has sufficient guards throWn around it by the new Con-
stitution, which provides for its support and establishment, and
" none other." To the proposals of the French Ministry
thq other Continental Powers appears very coollyand repulsively
to have listened ; and the British Representative has done him-
self and his Cabinet the honour of protesting against the princi-
ple of such an interference, and the calumnies of the Opposi-
tion papers against the Ministry are thus sufficiently answered.
--The French Government have, in consequence, retrograded.
The Journal des Debars found it out, that, though Spain had a
bad Constitution, the principle of foreign interference would be
a dangerous one. The Moniteur seems to have thought rather
too much conceded by the former paper, and, as the official
organ of the French Government, shows, by the tone of its
remarks, a sullen kind of disappointment, and appears anxious
'to suppose cases in which interference might be justified. The
fact seems to be, that the designs and wishes of France have
been completely frustrated at Verona, and that if she interferes
with Spain, she must do it at her own risk. The Declaration
of the Allies will, probably, contain an avowal of principles
opposed to those on which France would wish to act ; and, on
the other hand, some moderate and prudent advice to the Spa-
niards themselves. That the French Government will, at length,
involve the country in a war with Spain, is, however, by no
means improbable, though the madness of it might be suppos-
ed too obvious to suffer them to entertain the idea. The Allies,
it is stated, will not interfere to prevent it. 'We suppose not,
except in the way of advice or remonstrance. If France chooses
to war with Spain, or any third power, the grand Alliance has
no right or authority to forbid, though it may attempt to dis-
suade. Foolish and unjustifiable as this conduct on the part
of France would be, it would involve a principle as objectiona-
ble as that of interfering with- the internal concerns of a coun-
try, for a body of Allied Powers to usurp the rights of the
sovereignty of any individual member of the Alliance, and
prescribed whether or not that Power shall declare war or make
peace. The principles and wishes of the Congress May be,
therefore, as we doubt not they are, decidedly in favour of
peace, 'and yet France is at full liberty, in the exercise of. her
own sovereignty, to make war when and upon whom she pleases.
An occasion fo: a war, we fear, she is really seeking, and es-

pc:daily if it be true tiat the Duke d'Angouleme is about to set
out for the Spanish frontier. We knew of none who can wish
for such an event, except such as wish constitutionalism to be
changed for jacobinism in Spain, and a revolution to occur in
France when her armies are gone beyond the Pyrennees. An
attack on Spain would throw the whole management of affairs
there into the hands of the most violentof the Liberals, and pre-
vent the influence of that moderate party which, in fact, exists,
and who wish rather to amend what is wrong than to destroy
what is old. In France there has, surely, been enough of revo-
lution to satisfy any but a sanguinury Radical ; and, though
the power is now in the hands of an extreme party, yet things
there will much sooner right themselves by the conflict of opi-
nions than that of arms. If a blind, bigotted, and even
wretchedly stupid party sways the Court, we are not to forget
that a desperate and most unprincipled faction has hold of a
large part of the populace in large towns, and, like our Radi-
cals, (as desperate and as unprincipled as they,) lies in wait for
opportunities to prodcce a confusion and tumult which may put
them in possession of the power to destroy all liberty in the
name of liberty, and to glut their passions and their averice
with blood and plunder.