The Sun.
London, England, 1818-11-07 00:00:00

AMERICA.

NON-INTERCOURSE.--(Norfolk, Oct 2.).--The
law which closes the ports or the United States
against vessels corning direct from the British
‘Vest-ludi., Islands went into operation yesterday.
Within the last three weeks this port has been
crowded with such vessels, availing themselves of
the little time that remained to take away cargoes
of our produce.. Some of these have sai:ed,-, and
probably, ere this, have made a good offing ;
others have put to sea, hut, owing to the north-
easterly gale that is now prevailing, must have
been compelled to put hack, while others, though
ready for sea, have not been able to get out,
Owing to head winds. The orders from the Se-
cretary of the Treasury do not leave it discre-
tionary with the Collector to permit the sailing of
vessels after the Ist of October, who have loaded
and cleared for the British Islands before drat
day ; in- consequence of which, the most unheard-
of exertions were made to expedite those vessels'
which arrived at the 1 Ith hour. Of the expedition
with which they have been unloaded and laden
again, au instance was given in our last, anti an-
other in to-day's paper. Not one has been be.
hind-hand—not one craved indulgence beyond
the time allotted; all were ready to depart the
day before the law was to take effect, when they
find themselves unfortunately detained by adverse
winds. Since Saturday night last, the wind has
been banging on at N. B. and during the two
last days has been blowing a hurricane, conse-
quently no vessel could get to sea float this port,
or even from Hampton-roads. We do not appre-
hend, however, that these vessels will be made
to experience any further de•ention after the
North-easter has removed its embargo ; yet we
cannot witness their final departure front our
waters but with feelings of regret ; since the peace
they have been regular traders to our port ; some
of them having, in that period, made seven or
eight voyages hither, each time bringing valuable
cargoes, paying heavy duties, and taking away
our lumber, naval stores, and flour in ret urn.
We have yet to learn whether the inhibition of
that trade, which has certainly been highly bene-
ficial to this section of the country, and to the
nation at large, will produce an equivalent ad-
vantage in the employment of our own shipping.
We hope, yet we doubt it.
LORD SELKIRK.— (Buffalo, Sept. 29.)—The as-
sizes for the western district of Upper Canada were
held on Monday the 7th instant, at Sandwick, be-
fore Powell, Chief-Justice of the King's Bench of
the province, and was adjourned on the Monday
following, without making any disposition what-
ever of the important controversies between Lord
Selkit k and the British North-west Company.__
The expected trial of his Lordship and the prin-
cipal actors in that quatrel, or rather civil war,
some of whom had been charged with murder, hail
excited a lively interest in the province, which
called to the Coin t a very large assemblage of
people. On Monday of Court a bill of indict-
ment against Lord Selkirk and others, for resist.
once to legal process, at Fort William, was laid
before the Uralic! Jury, tint rejected by them
Another bill for a conspiracy to injure or destroy
the trade of the North West Company was after-
wards presented them, on which they were occu-
pied three days in hearing evidence, a considera-
ble part of which was documentary, and the whole
confused and intricate. On this bill, the Grand
Jory would not, or at least did not, come to any
determination. The Judge waited two or three
d.tys (all the other business of the Court having
been finished) after the testimony before the Grand
Jury bad closed, for them to come to a decision,
and !list), after consulting the Attorney-General,
roljo ,rued the Court. Both parties (tor it ap-
pears to have become wholly a party question),
are much dissatisfied with the result, and limn
complain of pirtiality autl corruption. Lord Sel-
kirk, we learn, accused the Attorney-General and
the prosecutor and witnesses, in open Court, of
corrupt and oppressive designs; to which the
Attorney-General recriminated by charging the
Grand. Jot.), with partiality, and other oral-con-
duct. The controversy Was so Warm that the
Court with difficulty preserved order by silencing
them both. The friends of his Lordship are dis-
posed to charge the Chief Justice with tuttheting
the designs tit the North West Company, and in-
timate that the Court was soddenly adjourned to
prevent a formal rejection of the Bill of Indict-
ment by the Grand Jury, and' to preclude the op-
portunity of presentints hills against Alr. M`Gil-
livray and other servants of the Company. The
other side, on the contrary, charge his Lordship
with practising improperly with the Grand Jut y
during their sitting, and intimate that something
little different from direct bribery was used w pre-
vent a fair investigatiou of the charges.