The Sun.
London, England, 1802-06-26 00:00:00

and which was accordingly put into eXelltiOrl.'
While under cure, hi!'iold the Surgeon, he had been
inibrined by his friends, that he would be able- to
get back the remainder of the:-moneyt e had robbed
the, public: of, as they were not the identical Notes,
having, previous to his caption, changed them for
other Notes. - And yet it is from a deiendence and
stress laid upon information drawn ,froat so corrupt
a source, upon the deposition of ti. man who has so
recently perjured himself, that I am brought before
this Court, to acquit myself of those crimes, of the
charge of which, I thank God, my conscience fully
acquits me. The first knowledge I had, of the,
threatened investigation which has since taken place,
was by two successive Letters from Capt. SEwka,D,
the Deputy Paymaster, addresseti to me in Devon-
shire ; to which I paid so little attention, that I
did - not think it necessary,
,on that -account, .to
hasten my departure before the expiration of my
leave. Upon my arrival in town, I went direaly
to the Admiralty, where I found by Mr. NEPEAN,
that information had been received, in consequence
of which an investigation would take place ; at the,
same time, that Gentleman was pleased to say, that
the Admiralty were satisfied with my conduCt, or
Some such words ; from which expression I might.
fairly infer, that their Lordships had at that-time .a
confidence in the Commanding Office!, which they
immediately afterwards seemed to withdraw, by
their subsequent condu't towards hint. The in-
tended investigation heretofore alluded to, as well
as the mode•in which it has been carried on, I shall
now beg leave to' explain, for the information of
the Court. Upon my arrival' at Quarters, which
happened a few days after the conversation above-
mentioned passed at the Admiralty, I found the
Divisional Books had-been'earried away, in conse-
quence of an order direfted to Major-General BAR-
-C
LAY; who commanded kw, ing my abseOce, and put
into the possession of a Clerk of the Admiralty,
who carried them to an hotel, where, for some time,
they were in the power of the said Deserter, George
.7ewson, to do what he thought proper with. And
this' being don; without any communication being
made to the Commandant of the Division, I trust
such a proceeding will appear. to the Court to have
a strong tendency to degrade the -CoMmantling
Officer in the eyes of those who had ever been used
to look up to him with filial regard. Having now,
in consequence of the investigation, which has taken
place, and the Court having .had before them the
Evidence in favour of the ProSecution, I trust I
shall find myself acquitted of the First Charge, hav-
ing never knowingly, at any time, put, my Sipa-
ture_to false Returns. Upon the subjed of .the
Second 'Charge, that of " my having discharged
Serjeant Finn, without any order or authority from
the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, and in -
breach of the Articles of War," I cannot form my
Defence upon stronger giounds, than in simply re_
dating the. whole of that man's 'story, together with
the circumstances which led to his being discharged,
which, whether right or wrong in the Command.
ing Officer, was totally inadequate to the reward
he merited from his Country, as Mr. 'NEPEAN,
I suppose, when, called upon, will be ready to
testify. This man was the author .'of the Answer
to the Inflammatory Hand-bill thrown into the
Marine Barracks at the time of 'the Mutiny, and
from my recommendition at that time to the Com-
mittee at Lloyd's, received from his Country a re.
ward of 601. :- exclusive -of which, he had served
his King and Country faithfully and honestly four.
ad-twenty years, within a 'month. Taking all
these circumstances together, I appeal to the justice
of this Honourable Court,' whether or not I stand
acquitted of, if 'not justified on, the Second Charge.
But if this is not stifficient to exonerate.me, I have
to say, that what is now imputed to me as a crime, •
has received the approbit ion of the Noble Lord now
presiding at the Bo:rd of Admiralty ; for when I
waited on him in OCtober last, I mentioned to him
the di charge of this man, and the reasons for my
giving it. . His Lordship's answer was, " You
have done.right ; the Admiralty had nothing to do •
with it." I have summoned the Noble Lord to
give you an account of this himself, and I hope his
memory will not• fail, him in recolle'ting the cir.'
cumstance.

" This, Gentlemen, is my Defence, and justifi-
cation of my coriduet. It is from your decision
alone, that I can expea a recompense for the_many
anxious hours which this (1. trust) unmerited impu-
tation on my Honour, has occasioned me.
" GENTLEMEN,

" Feeling myself called upon, in the last place,
to express the high sense I have of the candour:and
justice which have so strongly marked the whole
course of your proceedings, it is only left for me to
say; that I look op to my Judges as the guardians of
that Honour which, I ti-usr, I have hitherto -sup-
ported unsullied. And I shall conclude this address
with assuring this Honourable Court, that I await
their Sentence with becoming cheerfulness and re.
signation." . •

Amongst other •questions put to Earl ST. VIN.
CENT, who attended in. consequence of being sum.
moped by Lieut.. General Irists, was the following;
by Major-General GASCOIGNE :
Q.—" Had you been informed of the meritorious
conduE of Serjeant Penn, which induced Lieut.-
General INNES to grant him his Discharge, should
you have recommended a Court-Martial to try him
on that Charge ?"
A.—" Certainly not—l always expressed myself
as wishing those who assi,ted to quell the spirit of
Mutiny, to be rewarded."

This evening, by particular and unexpeetcd de-
sire, the present Performances at. the Royal Circus
will be continued, but most assuredly for the last
time, as on Monday next anti entire new splendid
Comic Pantomime, with new Music, Scenery,
Machinery, Dresses, and Decorations, called The
Golden Farmer, or- Harletloin Ploughboy, will be
positively produced, in which Mr. Byrne, from
the Theatre-Royal, Drury-lane, will make his first
appearance on this Stage, in the charatter of Haric-
gain ; Columbine,Nrs. Wybrow.