The Sun.
London, England, 1815-11-21 00:00:00

THE KING V. HAMOND KING.

The defendant, who had been an excise officer,'
had admitted judgment to go by default, on ,a
charge of conniving at very extensive frauds ork
the revenue. He had also, in the course of a pro—
ceeding against an accomplice, for the penalties,'
sworn to the truth of his garbled and mutilated
books. For the first offence, he this day received
the judgment of the Court, which was imprison—
ment in the county jail of Suffolk for two years.

THE KING V. JOHN QUICK AND MICHAEL WELCH..

The defendants had been found guilty at Bud-
min of obstructing an excise officer in the execu-
tion of his duty. There being many circumstances
in favour of the prisoners disclosed by the case,
and as they eXptessed their sincere contrition,
they were permitted to be discharged on their
own recognizances to appear when called upon.
They bore excellent characters, and it seemed
very doubtful if they ware in fart smuggling ac
the time of the obstruction.

Y 2

Tl;r, \i'Uft

NEW ADDRESS TO TITS -KING.

Atl(iSk; Uhl;.

The .41genzeine Zeitiing contains- in three Supple-
ments to the 4th, 7th, and 9th of November, the
new Address of the States of Wnrtemberg to the
King, resolved upon in their sittings of the 20th,
23d, '24th, and 26th of October, and delivered to
the Ministry on the 28th. This piece is extreme-
ly long, but the following abstract will give a.
neneral idea of its principal contents.—(N.B. The
passages given in full are marked by iinvta-
tions:)-- _

They begin by thanking his Majesty for the
re-eisembling of the States ; they had deliberated
upon his Rescript of the IGth October, witlr, the
attention due to the importance of the subject,
which had delayed their declaration. This Re-
script has excited very mixed sensations in them.
They observe, that his Majesty acknowledges that
only a common and free agreement can fix the re- ,
lations between the Sovereign and the country ;
that the rights of the diffet emit provinces shall be
respected as tar as is consistent with their union
with Wurtemberg. Ills Majesty, indeed, does not
give the old Constitution of li7ortemberg such a
favourable testimony as in former times; hut his
Majesty's declaration, that if the question con-
cerned only Old Wurtemberg, he would readily
consent to the re-establishment of the former
Constitution; with some modifications proceed-
ing from the States themselves, is an acknowledg-
ment that it can have nothing contrary to the
principles of a wise Government ; nay, his Majesty
evert says, that in the Constitution now to be
form, d to 7 the whole kingdom, every thing shall
be retained from the old Constitution, which can
be adapted to ',resent circumstances. Though all
this would inch ie them to hope, that they were
approaching the attainment of their wishes, and to
indulge in feelings of the profoundest gratitude to
his Majesty, yet, on the other hand. they find
Irian), things which almost destroy their hopes,
and render it impossible for them immediately to
consent to the re-opening of the Negociations for
an arrangement. They then proceed to analyze
the llescripts. They quote—l. The passage
which says, "You scent to think that the prin-
ciple of the legal claims of Old and New Wur-
temberg to the ancient Constitution must be first
acknowledged %ellen an agreement is in eptestion ;
time establishment of this principle would render an
agreement impossible, since what was to be set-
tled by nego-ciationi would be granted without
discussion; and, we should declare ourself bound
to apply to New NVurtemberg, what we consider as
unsuitable for Old Wurtemberg." Upon this they
make several observations. 1. A people can-
not be deprived against its will of a Constitution
inherited from its, ancestors, and sworn to by all
its Sovereigns (the States here and elsewhere uni-
formly employ the weal Regent, or person go-
'ulling, Sovereign being in Ger Man expressive of.
too much power to be applied to the former
Princes of IVurtemberg ; Sovereign is therefore
to -be understood. in this restricted sense.) 2d.
The recognition of this principle is so far from
making an agreement impossible, that none can
be made without it, or at least no success could
be expected from the negociationes " Aim ar-
rangement or compromise (in German Ver-
rleicl) is a 'convention of (Vertrzg) by which,
the -differences 'upon an uncertaio :right are re-
Moved. -by mutual concession. 'Sin+ an indis-
iintable cluitu as that of a nation to its Con-
stitution, can. never he the subject -of an ar-
rangement. Such is not the commission which
undersigned have received from the-people to
ibtroduce a new:system of rights by mutual con-
cvssion iu the way of• compromise, but to re-
store to life the Constitution which:elms been de
facto destroyed, but never legallyalinlished, and to
adapt it to the altered situation of things. How
the Constitution is to be restortd, what changes
it must undergo, this is the sole object of the
commission they have received from Ate people;
aud can alone he the subject of common negocia-
tions." The States acknowledge that this'is a
most important subject, but think they ought to
be agreed upon the first principles. In the pre-
ceiling negociations the Commissioners from the
States declared, the principle on which they went ;
Royal Commissioners tried to evade it, and
turned the negociationsatpon single points. They
hope no better result from succeeding negociations,
till both' paseies are agreed upon the principles.—
His Majesty, they say, knows the melancholy si-
tuation of the whole kingdom ; he knows that a
great part of his sub*, s are struggling with des-
pair. Nothing can be more ergent than speedily
to restore to the subjects the enjoyment of their
ancient rights, to traenuilize their minds,
re-establish the credit of the State, which
is most necessary, on account of the total in-
ability of many to piss, the taxes. They observe,
that a new Constitution, .however good, cannot
effort! any specciy relief; that the unhaispy trials
of news Constitutions within these 25 years, and
the misery they have spread over 'Europe, excite
just mistrust of every new attempt ; and besides,
a new agreement can have :no better guarantee
than the solemn observance of the ancient --
It which his. Majesty had so-
lemnly sworn to, could be abolished on 30th De-
cember, 1505, while the Constitution still exist-
ed, and before the •union of the different pro-
vinces, and if this fact is to be a reason why
Wurtemberg shall forfeit its ancient rights, and
at the most have no further claim than a new
Constitution, how could the• country believe- this
new- Constitution inviolable They would will-
in-gly convince themselves that foreign force com-
pelled time change, but this foreign force is now
vanished,' and the dignity of the Throne itself re-
quires that time ancient sacred relations between
Sovereign and People he re-established, and on
this ground also they cannot avoisl requiring the
recognition Of the principle of the old Cousti-

tution.
On his Alnjesty's remark, that the principle
would bind him to apply to New Wurtemberg,

what tie " consider:l! as hot raitable to Ohl Wur -
temberg." That tiffs is denying the obligatory
force of the positive Constitutional Law of the old
territories, except as far as may not he defective,
in MS Majesty's opinion, a_ point on which they
say his Majesty and the States may very likely
differ.

- 11. They frthluce several arguments against the
assertion of the Rescript, that " the ancient Con-
stitution was intimately connected with the Con-
stitution of the Empire, and was properly founded
(nem it." They ask, if in any of the documents,
even in his Majesty's confirmation of the privi-
leges of the country, one syllable is said of the
dependence of the Sovereign on the Emperor and
the Empire ? Or that the conscientious Observ-i
once of the laws of the country, assured only'as.
long as external relations remain unchanged ?
How can it be imagined for a moment, that the
ceasing of the obligations to the Empire should
be a reason for dissolving the Wilude COnStitution
of the Country ?
111. They remarkon the( passage of the Re-
script which says, it cannot be expected that each
of the different Provinces composing the king-
dom, can have an administration adapted to their
several very different former Constitutions, g:es--s.
They observe the Deputies from old ‘Vurtentherg,
have as much respect for the rights of the new
Provinces, as the Representatives of those Pro-
vinces themselves : they are convinced that there
-only is and can he one Wurtemberg, but .neither
(af them can allow the inference which- .seems
to be deduced from these premises, that the rights
of the old country are at an end, and that a new
Constitntion must be made for the whole king-
dom. They proceed then to show, that these
new acquisitions were made by the King, not as
a private person, but as head of the State, and
with the means furnished .by the Old States of
Wurtemberg ; they are conquests made by Wur-
temberg ; when can they merely demand their-in-
corporation with itself ? They adduce the examples
of territories of Germany destined "for indemnities
in 1803, which all shared the same fate as the
country to which they were united; if the Prussian
acquisitions which were assimilated to the Prus-
sian State, not only in equality of duties but
equality of rights, and even of the countries
forcibly incorporated with France, which obtain-
ed all the rights which were partly of great coe-
sideration enjoyed by that country. IVlCat can
be more just, than that a people which is joined
to another, obey the same Rulers, and hears the
same burdens, should also participate in the
same rights ? The qmestion, however, is not
whether the different Provinces shall be incor-
porated ; this is already done. tlis Majesty
declared such to be his intention in his Speech
from the Throne on the 15th of March ;
and .in the Rescript of October 16, he de-
clares it absolutely necessary for the good of the
whole. The question is, what influence can this
union have on the state of the rights of the dif-
ferent Provinces ? After numerous arguments
they observe, that supposing the newly-acquired
Provinces to have had originally more limited
rights than the old dominions, this can be no rea-
son for depriving the latter of their inherent pri-
vileges. But they observe, it may be proved that
these Provinces could no, recover their formerhappy
situation even by being fully admitted to the old
Constitution; they would not think themselves full
indemnified, aml shall they, by a new Coestitntiee,
see their rights still more limited? This would be
unjust, and still more unjust towards the old country.
" Does it not. consent to every thing that the
change of circumstances demands ? Is its situa-
tion bettered in any one respect ? Has it fewer
burdens to bear than fornierly ? Has it not bled
almost to death for these new conquests 1 And is
it not sinking under the weight of the burdens -
which arc imposed on it It is strange,
.at- a time
the necessity of continued intolerable burdens is
represented as a consequence of the political
changes of their country, to demand, at the same
time, on account of the advantages resulting from
this change, the sacrifice of a part of their rights,
in which alone can hope for welfare and deliver-
ance. They give up what is inconsistent with
the union of all the parts of the kingdom, but
no more.
His Majesty, when these new acquisitions were
declared subject to Wurtemherg, immediately de-
prived them of all their peculiar rights, and sub-
jected them unconditionally to every burden and
obligation to which the Mother Country was
liable, declaring this to be a consequence of the
incorporation ; unless this incorporation is to
consist in a mere violent deprivation of hereditary
rights without indemnity, it must necessarily in-
clude a participation in the rights as well as the
duties of the old States. They further observe,
that every increase of territory, every exchange,
must render it necessary to give the Mother
Country a new Constitution ; such a principle
tnust endanger the love of the people for their
country, and all public virtues. " The people of
Wurtemberg have clone themselves by nothing •so
much honour, as by their love to the Constitu-
tion, and by their grief at its loss. This Con-
stitution consecrates the rights, not of indivi-
duals, but of the people ; hence the people are
so fondly attached to. it ; hence even the mention
of its name has for theta a magic charm. May
your Alajesty not destroy the love of the Consti-
tution ! At the same time with that must be de-
stroyed the love of the country, the noblest seeds
of all 'public virtues ; nay, even the fidelity to
the august reigning tastily, for whose happiness
they never yet found any sacrifice too great."
• Proceeding then to various other arguments its
sipport or what they have adduced) referring to
the joy of the nation at the first convoking of the
States, to their disappointment at the result, and
to the danger of persevering in the present sys-
tem, they conclude by requesting his Majesty to
declare, " that he acknowledges the old consti-
tution valid for the whole kingdom, with the re-
serve of such modifications as both parties shall
judge necessary or proper. When they have re-
ceived this declaration, they will do every thing to
bring the negociation to a inappy conchision, to
tranquillize the people, and restore the good uu-
deest ending between King and People.
Datcd Stuttgavdt, Ust. 26, 1615.

.4vOLICE INTELLIGENCE.

QUEEN-SQUARE.
ItoBBERY ov TUE IViNDsoR-CoAcit.—Yester-
day was the day appOinted for the re-examination
of the celebrated Prison-breaker, Robert Roberts;
on snspicion of being concerned in the robbery of
the Wioilsor Coach, from which a parcel, con-
taining, 19001. was stolen, and notes to the amontst
of 40/. which ‘..-ere part of those .stolen, were af-
terwards paid into the Uxbridge by the pri-
soner, in the name of "J. Wainwright," who re-
ceived a bill at sight for the payment, and was in
the act of presenting it for payment at Messrs.
Masterman and Co.'s when he was apprehended by
Lavender. At an early hour the office was crowded
with a great number of highly respectable charac-
ters, among whom,were Colonel Istead, the Rev.
Mr. Phillips, Mr. Green, &c., all of whom appear-
ed anxious to behold this prodigy of nefarious pe-
culation. Mr. Brown, the prosecutor, and Mr.
Price, his attorney, having had sonic private con-
versation with the Magistrate, Mr. Colquhoun,
this Gentleman observed to the spectators, " Gen-
tlemen, I presume, that besides many of those
who have business here, there are a great many
Gentlemen present_ whose curiosity has led them to
the Office to hear the examination of that noto-
rious character, Robert Roberts. A circumstance
which has occurred, has induced me to postpone
the examination until next week ; consequently,
th.e prisoner will not be put to the bar, and' I
make this communication in order that you might
not be delayed under an expectation of hearing
the examination," The Gent:emen thanked Mr.
COhpihoun for his politeness, and withdrew from
the Office. A considerable degree Of anxiety was,.
however, manifested to get a view of the author
of so much distress and misery.