The Sun.
London, England, 1815-04-08 00:00:00

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By a letter received in town yesterday from
Bermuda, dated the 4th ult, we learn that the re-
port then prevailed there-of the Hornet American
sloop of war having been captured by the Pylades
sloop of war._( Greenock Advertiser.)
The Helena, BnowNRIGG, from Liverpool to
Jamaica, has been taken by an American priva-
teer;re-taken by the SwiLtsure man of war, awl
sent for Portsmouth.

Yesterday a ballot was taken at the East India
House, for the purpose of determining the follow-
ing question, viz.:

"'that Mr. Robert Sherson, late of the Madras Civil Usta-
blishment, be permitted to return to Madras, with his rank
in the Company's service."

. .
At six o'clock the glasses were closed, and de-
livered to the scrutineers,- who repotted the ques-
tion to be carried in•the affirmative.

OLD BAILEY, APRIL 7.

LOVE MURDER AT LISBON.
lam. Satvqer was indicted for the wilful murder
of Harriet Gaskett at Lisbon, in the kingdom of
Portugal,
.by shooting her through the head, on
the 17th of April, •1814.
The prisoner in this case was a-young man in
the Commissariat Department of the British army
in Portugal, and the circumstances were of a most
singular Ilattlre. Mr. ATTORNEY-GNERAL pro-
secuted in behalf of Govarnment,, and the case,
as detailed by several witnesses, was as follows
The deceased went out to Portugal in the month
of Vebroary 1814, and liverl With.an Offiejr ;in the
Same department with the prisoner. The latter
Was also a resident at their house at Campo Major,
near Lisbon: An' attachment grew up •bctween.
the deceased and the prisoner, vellidh was the
cause of jealbusy to his brother Officer. On the
17th of April they met at dinner with two or three
other Officers. Harriet and the prisoner appeared-
much dejected, and ate no dinner. The prisoner
particularly appeared in a state of great mental
dejection. Towards the evening, be and the de-
ceased walked together in the garden and the
report of three-pistols were heard. On going' tito
the garden the prisoner and the dereasvd
both lying on the ground. Harriet Gaskett wtis
quite dead, but the prisoner was not.. He was
removed intu the. house, -and soon recovered
strength ; ht then cut his throat, but not fatally.
The next day his brother Oificers 'net. and re-
duced into writing the statement of the facts, and
it was read to the prisoner, who signed it. - They
collected the facts from report in the neighbOur-
bood, and from what they understood to have
passed. They said the prisoner appeared calm
-and collected, and understood what was read to
hint, except one witness, who said, it appeared
to him that the prisoner was wholly itolitierent to
life, and he believed would have signed any thing
which had been- presented to hint. The written
statements were then read, in which the piisoner
acknowledged he had a crithinal intercourse with
Harriet Gaskett : that she had promised to live
with him, but that her former protector d:sco7
vering this arrangement, lie bad made her pro-
mise not to live with him, but she added she
lvould de- with him.' That baying:made up their
minds to-die together, they -went into the garden,
when she drank half a bottle of laudanum,. and he
took the remainder; that lie then, at her request,
shot her through the head, and discharged two
other pistols against his'own ; and that these not
succeeding, he afterwards eta his throat.--,This
was the substance of the evidence against hint.
In his defence, he put in a written paper, in
which- he stated, that he was unable to articulate
from the wound in his throat, but that all he re-
membered of the transaction was, that being in
great _and extreme agitation of mind, he only re-
collected being in the garden,. where Harriet bad
declared she would kill herself, and desired him
to die with her. When lie convalesced' from his
wounds, he was told, that he had signed some
papers,- but he had no recollection how, or when
he had done it.

• A great number of Officers, .sonte of Mgt] rank,
appeared to the prisoner's character, and sp,die
most highly of bin, as a good tempered and hu-
mane young man.
The Learned Judge having recapitulated the
evidence, the Jury retired for year two hours,
and then returned a verdict of Guilty; but strong-
ly recommended hin to mercy, a, there was no
evidence of malice propcize.
The verdict being received, Mr. ALLEY and Mr.
CURWOOD, Counsel for the prisoner, moved, in
arrest of judgment, that the Court had no joris-
diction orer the offence, being commi(ted within
an independent Kingdom, not subject .to Great
Britain,.sand governed by its own lanes and legis-
lature, which wris- a case to Which the Statute of
Hen. VIII. did not extend.

Lord ELLENBOROUGH admitted of this. ohjec-
jecfiou, hut desired them to look at the indict-
mt,ot, to see it they found any other objection.
In looking it through, two othtw objections were
urged, that it did not conclude " against the form
of the Statute,': and also, "i\'tiS „01 averred
that the parties were 13.riikIr subjects.". Judgment
.was teSpitCd, in order to_harc these points of law
argued next 'Petra.

The indictment against the soldiers, and 'AT,.
Anhinscrn's Butler,- fur tiring WI- the traub, was
postponed to this day,

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS, Fithmy, APRIL 7.

• FIELSTONE. VOTERS.
Lord GRENVILLE moved that the Petitioners for and
against thel.lielstone Voters' Bill be beard at-the bar by their
counsel and Witnesses, and also that they be required to give
in a list of their-witnesses.
After a few words from Lord DE DONSTANVILLE, this
was agreed to.

DETENTION OF SHIPS.
The Marquis of LANsno%vxmli,ished, before the
Order of the Day was read, that the Noble Lord
opposite (Melville), or sonic other of the Prince
Regent's Ministers, would give some explanation
on a subject nearly Contiected %vith it : he alluded
to the alleged detention of French ships by our
cruisers. There were two questions which re-
quircd an answer. First, whether any ships bad
been so detained ? Second, whether, if they had
been so detained, the detention was authorised by
Government
Lord Meivrt.LE replied, that the detention had
oceuried in only one or t'vo instances; and cer-
tainly they had not been authorised by the Co-
vernment.—(l-lear, hear !)
REGENT'S MESSAGE AND ADDRESS.
The Order of the Day for the consideration of
the Prince Regenes'Nessage being read,
- The Earl of LIVERPOOL rose, tor the purpose of
moving a corresponding Address to his Royal
Highness on the subject of his most gracious
Message. In doing this, he said lie felt it his duty
to offer some observations to the [louse relative
to some points connected with thost circum-
stances, which led to the present momentous
si-
citation of this country and of Europe. fie could,
however, assure their Lordships, that he particu-
larly wished in this instance, us it was his gene-
ral disposition at all times, to be as sparing of their
Lordships' time, as be consistently- could, and
more especially on the p.resent i-nportant oc-
casion, %viten he was more partictdaly anxious
that that there should lee as little difference of
ppinion as possible.. therefere should abstain
most carefully from all topics, which were not
materally connected with tire subject before the.
Houses With respect to the 'great and eventful
changes which have taken place in the course of
the last 25 yeart in Europe, in which •it might
even be said rhat a moral convulsion hurl taken
place in its !ystern'tlirntighout a great part- (if it,
it could scarcely be expected that Europe could
speedily settle into a state.of regular or permanent
withont a- degree of danger of some
convulsion °courting that may render it the duty
of .every.pradent Garet-11'1116a to guard against,.
as-:to its course and consequences. With respect
,then,to the important events which occurred in
the beginning of March last, events which, during
the•greater part of that long interval, could not
have been in contemplation ; the prominent con-
sideration was the great liberalityy skew n by the
.Allied - Powers with respect to the kingdom of
France, in the coneinsion of the Treaty which
had lii !eri place. This would be the more appa-
rent, when they contemplated cite great power
and resources of that .conntry----its immense po-
pulation; the Means which it always had at its
command-with reft.rence either to future wars or-
conquests. If a different line of policy had been
adopted by the. Allies,. then might some excuse
have existed ; some 'palliation lac the conduct
-of that eosin:ll might exist; but the policy
of the Allies was a wise and becoming one ; •
it was deemed, upon the whole, and finder all
the eireninstinte'es, 1).111 expedient -and adviscalik,
tlilt as far as - cii.o:lll3tances alolvcd, tat: peace
should be made hoUnuraide to France. as well as
to the other belligerent Powers. Every thing was
csoucedetr which tni;.;ltt 11;.: satkiactorV to the ho-
nour and to the 'feelings of the loyal and good
subjects of that Country. Stich was the charac-
ter of the Treaiy- with respect to France, and
more especially with respect to that done at Fon-
tainbleau# of which copies were 110,i.• upop,tineir
t:thhe. Respecting that Treat v, ii great
deal of misconeep lon prevailed, and that•consi-
deration induced him to trouble their Lordships
with a few wortkilpoa the subject. On that'
count, the Government of each country was
Placed in a situation in which they could have no
ithernativo.• They seele anxious to ewer into 'such
au arrangement as might lead:_ to a Speedy and
satisfactory termination of a most critical nail
portaut sta:e of things; aisd 'in justification of
their conduct, tine statement of a few proTinent
facts may be necessary. On the entry of the allied
armies into Perris towards the end of March, ude-
clarution seas made by Russia and Prussia, that
they would riot treat VVith the person wlw was
then the,Huler of France. In consequence Gf this
step, what may be regarded as a species of revo-
lution in France took pl.tce. What was called the
Conservative Senate assembled, and deposed tine
then Ruler, a Provisional Government was adopted.
Under these eLTOinstiltices, the treaty with the per-
son •ty Ito had tieeil the Ruler of 'France was entered
upon, as tint wily chance olayerting a civil war in
that conntry,espeeiarty, when tire power and d.iipo-
sition of alclot.every Marshal in France was well
known. BesiJcs at t hae flute tlicre.w:ts a formidable
army in Italy, which ill lilt its eirennistanees, num- 1'
bees and appointinews, vvii superior to the one op-
posed to it, andrtn doubt of that army
proving f.sit2i;el to the late- il,;oAnsrlititent of 1i raoce.
adiition to this, the s;tnat ion in whim. 4
tl,uverrigits acre placed, in fcspeet to nearly all the
fortified places in France, Holland, and on
the Rhine, being all inC tilted to side with', Or SOp-
port tine authority of the Chief of Hie army. Under
all these circumstances. of which thelr I.l)rdshii'ss would 4pprevice the importance, the Sove-
relg;is were induced io accede to an a:range:tient,
winch went to terminate hos! lin ies,. and .save .any
fin then' elfasion of blood in Mance '; and tinder that
arraneeme t, :he isle of Elba was referred in Sure-

reignty to Buonaparte. The claim was made by him,
by one backed by anch.a powerful military support-,
-and under circumstances wh;cli gave him in some
degree an option upon the question, and he had
chosen that arrangement, to which upon every
principle of honour and good faith among men,
he was boundao adhere. Ile did not mean to
say but what the Isle:of Elba was a peculiarly
improper place, not particularly with a view to
any facilities it might afford with respect to
France, but in other points of view, and parti-
cttlarly its contiguity to Italy. But under,such
an arrangement as had beedframed, he defied any
man to state for a moment, that if it was not to
be considered as a prison, if the consequences of
the arrangement were not to be loss of persOnal
liberty, any spot from which he could not 'have
escaped. And with respect ,to. any means of
guarding against his escape front an isle so si-
tuated and circumstanced as Elba, be believ-
ed there was no person acquainted with the
Mediterranean, that would not say the whole fleet
of England could not blockade that island so as
to have prevented his egress at some time wi,re he
in the determined diSposition to escape: All be
could say on that point was, that as far as 'vas
consistent with the spirit of the Treaty, an under-
standing prevailed between his Noble Friend and
the Officer on that station to take all fair and prac•
ticable measures to prevent that which had since -
unfortunately occurred. Another consideration'
connected with this part of the subject, was the
resistance which any person so circumstanced
could have opposed to an attempt Of the kind
made by one who had the sovereignty, the mili-
tary power, and the police of the islaatl, at his
disposal and command. Two individuals, whom
he had- suspected of an inclination to resist his
ittempt, these he had pot under restraint, as _
to could have done any other person, who is
such a way should attempt to oppose him; and
under such circumstances he would leave their
Lordships to judge how far an • escape could
be gua'rded against. With respect to a sup-
posed breach of the Treaty on the part of the Ala
lies, he must deny that any such thing existed.--,
Their Lords-hips would see by the Treaty that an
annual payment of 'a certain revenue was to be made to .hitw; and until the
.expiration ;of the
year, no breach of treaty could be complained of.
Besides, with a .view to redress, it any were •
needed, he 'should have called upon the Allied
rowers, who were parties to it, for the fulfilmeat
of the stipulations, and then not until redress wits -
withheld, could he be justified in any contraven-
tion on .his part ; but theproclantations published
by himself on landing in France, were the best
answers. lie Rom plained of no breach, but-de-
clared almost in trans, that when he had made
that Ti•eatv, he intended to break it upon the
first opportunity. By that Treaty, he itad ab
solut eiv renounced the Throne of France, both •
for himself and his descendants ; tlicrefore"
his landing in France to take a forcible mili-
tary possession of that Tilt one, Was a direct '
violation of, that Treaty, and all, its engage-
ments and conditions, lie was not-recalled by
the nation, or any part of it, which. moy have-
furnished some shadow of-pretence; but he acted
in defiance of thetreaty, and of ail the legitimate
and recognized authorities of the comitry; aral.the
whole was a resumption of the throne by military
power. It could not. be necessary-'therefore, to
insist that the conditions had been violated, and
tharthe country, consequently, had a just cause of
war against him. who held the goverament of
France at this moment. But thoagit the ju-stica
of the cause of w,ir may be established, he ad-
mitted that it was another and a most important
consideration,, what was the course which it
would be wise, prudent, 0r politic, under the
present circumstances, for the country to
adopt. It was impossible to conceal the clan-
gers which merntced the country from the pie=
sent state of things,• or , those. which menaced
Europe in general, When the conduct of the
Ruler Of France for the laSt fifteen years was con- •
sidercd, his uppriticipled and a:justifiable invaa
Sion of, almcst every country it, Europe within
that period. The nature of the recent. events ren-
dered the case more eritica,l and I'lloinentous. His
comi.,g under the protection of the military power,
and one of his first prolessionS being that he
would" redeem the-taruished glory of the Freo
arms.• Upon the whole, tbe eouotry was now
placed in a state in which only these two alterna-
tives presented themselves—either a state of anned
prep:ll'36on for defeifee, or a state of active
(Hear!) lie did lipt retiest their Lordships #.°
decide upon the latter at present ; he me
stated it as the alterative : be pre.sed t r r. ~ely,
o.
cision upon that, because the question • 0 <!r-
volved in mauy circumstances they eottir!.
t.as '
isi-
have before them—,(l-icar,.hear !) ." not tlic`u
•
of war 'was not only a British, ne question
an ,auropean
gnestion—(l-lear, hear !) 'and e-e.st depend upon
the concert between' Great I.;',lud„ „„d his ALI_
3esty's Allies. he should, rct improried • •
y le
called for any other or' than,
,what' the
lldes'sage from the Thra.,„:
Thc viiiicipies to 'acted 4)0 were those of na-.
tiontd sacul'i;Y, hc trusted au iatinutre intion
and conaert view, vvoUld he established
be-
eLl'l';') tt?l'e tint
o
be iitsf
'llsl'l' (') the• Allies .14).a more expensive line
of i,cti he own sett Se of the ti, ecru!
curio: I- ~4,lrope may demand—their f:clings anti
Vic.;;;: Just views of what mav be mo'st continc•
iveifl
inter'e'sts would be properly atta'aded tO. Ott -Orttse grounds, he trusted dick Lordthins' •
would feel no dillicUlty ogreeing to the dress. The a rternative certainly was, state of
of
h e; but tint:lsitter
' •
every thing to lrop,; ftuni ghat spirit amt
.1 acca ec. on,