Star.
London, England, 1808-06-17 00:00:00

AMERICA.

SENATE OF TI3E UNITED STATES, APRIL 19.
A Bill to authorize the President of the United
States to suspend the operation of the Act prohibiting
the importation of certain goods, wares, and merchan-
dize, and the acts supplementary thereto, was read a
thirdlimd and passed.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20.

On the motion of Mr. Wurrz,
Resolved—That it is expedient to authorize the President of the
United States to have manned and equipped for service with all
convenient dispatch, the frigates and vessels of war of the United
States, to be used u, in his opinion, the circumstances of the
country, and the conduct of foreign Powers towards the United
States may require.
A committee was thereupon appointed to bring in
a Bill conformably to this resolution.
The Bill entitled " a Bill in addition to the Act
entitled—an Act laying an Embargo on zll ships
an,' vessels in the ports and harbours of the United
Statel, and the several Acts supplementary thereto ;
and for other purposes," was read the third time and
passed.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, APRIL IS.

The Committee to whom was referred the Corres-
p_onglence between Mr. MUNRO and Mr. CANNING, Mr.
MADISON and Mr. Ross; and also the communica-
tions made to the Senate, on 30th March, containing
a Letter from Mr. ERSKINE to the Secretary of State,
and a Letter from Mr. CHAMPAGNY to Mr. ARM-
eritown, this day gave hi their report to the House of
the Senate. At the conclusion of which the follow-
ing resolutions are submitted :
Resolved—That the Committee do bring in a Bill, authorising
the President of tl e United States, in the event of such a Peace,
Or suspension of hostilities between the belligerent Powers of Eu-
rope, or of such changes in their measures affecring Neutral Com-
merce, 'as may render that of the United States sufficiently safe in
his judgment, to suspend the Act laying an embargo on all ships
and vessels in the Ports and Harbours of the United States,
and the several Acts supplementary thereto, under such excep-
tions and restrictions as the publie interest and circumstances of
the case may require—Provided such suspension shall not esnelid
beyond dip alter the commencement of the next Session
of Cnegiwss. . -
fgesolvisi—That the Coierodnee de bring in a Bill, authorising
the P esident of the.Upitud thaw, se suspend the operation of the
several Acts, prohibiting/ * importation of certain goods, wares,
and merettaadises, Nnt his judgment, the public good should re-
quire I.—Pmndlod, that Itch suspension shall not extend

-

course with-such of the
the neutral commerce of
hibition necessary.-
Resolved—That the .
a Bill expatriating all, Citizens of
ships or vessels of the United!
luntarily accepting any tie
to the British Orders of
Resolved--Tliat the '
a Bill, imposing on :het.
restrictions, corresponding •
respectively on the commerce

Bills were reeeiv(
to the embargo laws,
meeting of Congress.
On the motion of
for consideration the
pointed to inquire - •
96 to 26. It was made the order of the day for Fri-
day next, in preference of to-day, 48 to 24.
THURSDAY, APRIL 21.
Several Bills were passed this day, among which
was one to alter the time of the next meeting of Con-
gress to the first Monday in Novemixr.

_~

CHARLESTOWN, MAY 10.
The Enterpr:ze, WATKINS, bound from the Isle of
France to Philadelphia, spoke on the 22d February,
the French frigate Caroline, off The Cape of Good
Hope; from Europe, standing to the Eastward, full
of men. Upwards of 20 vessels had been brought
into the Isle of France previous to the sailing of the
Enterprize.
We learn by the ship Thames, from Batavia, that'
Admiral Pw..aw, with a squadron consisting of two'
rne-of-battle ships, three frigates, and two brigs,
having on board 1,200 troops, anchored in the har-
bour of Grasse, and had taken possession of that
place without opposition. Two Dutch line-of-battle
ships and an East Indiaman were scuttled and left in
possession of the enemy.

.

WEST INbJES

BARBADOES, MAY 12. ,
An unfortunate affair took place on the arrival of
a cartel from Martinique, a few days since, between
Lieutenant Punvis, of the BELLEISLE, and the Com-
manding -Officer of the cartel, which ended in Lieu-
tenant Ponvis wounding three of the French Officers,
one of them very severely. He was in consequence
brought to a Court Martial, and after four days trial
was yesterday dismissed the service. He is a &phew
of Admiral PURE IS, and had been or ly just Made.
Captain ATECOUGII, of the HAWKE brig, and Ca'-
min ROBY, of the FAWN, lave lately died on this
station. Captain PATTERSON is appointed to•the for-
mer ship, and Captain DE COMICY to the FAWN.
The HALIFAX, which arrived on the 7th .instant,
with convoy from Cork, brought orders to Admiral
COCHRANE to detain all the line of battle ships on this
station, which will prevent the RAMILLIES proceed.
ing with the next fleet to England.
Notwithstanding the numerous ships of war on this
station; the enemy's vessels arrive at, and sail from,
their ports quite unmolested. Two men of war brigs
lately arrived at Cayenne, and sailed again, 'suppos-
ed on a cruise on the coast of Brazil. .On their pas-
sage fiom.France they captured two vessels, one the
Harriet Guinea:Tian, and the other the Neptune,
(torn Gibralur to Jersey. Four brigs of war arrived
about a month since at Martinique, and have pro-
ceeded again homewards. The Goazz sloop Cell in
with two of them, but was beat off ; the WOLVE-
RENE big afterwards chaced them; but they escaped.
I believe they are now blockaded in the Saints. The
Eleanor, bound to Antigua, 'laden with provisions
for the navy, was captured lately, and. carried into
Martinique, and proved to the enemy a capital prize,
as they are much in want of precisions at that island,
as well as at Guadaloupe. Four brig privateers were
laid up in eonsequenm of the scarcity, but sailed soon
of e:. the Eleanor was carried in. .

PARLIAMENTARY. PROCEEDINGS.

HOUSE OF LORDS. JUNE 16.
--_-___

~~.~~-,
~
.~_.-

Homy.

--•- ,
Director. :variety of. laws had,
• Irish Weil" the
highly favourable to the
- of 1795; they were tendered
itnations, but a small number of
, offsets therein enumerated, and it
enacted that no .i.ye-latas slweld ope-
their admission into Corporations.—
•. however, being omitted, it was a
• whether they were or were not
Directors of the Bank of Ire-
suppose that in renewing the
.4 be settled, one way or the
this, the expedient of a saving
which would leave this impor-
undecided. His Lordship stated a
tions to this mode of getting rid of
the question,and concluded with moving, that the
opinion of ie Judges should be taken upon it.
Lord HAWKEBBURY said, the renewal of .the
Charter was taken up by Government merely as a
financial measure. The question relative to the Ca-
-that Proprietors was ptiVely incidental; and the in-
tention of the clause alluded to was evidently that of
leiving it untouched. But it would he a very easy thing
to brin it to a regular judicial decision, by electing a
r
. It would then come on in the Exchequer
, in Dublin, and if the decision of the Judges
Awe was not satisfactory, an appeal would of course
he, by writ of error, to their. Lordships. This, he
apprehended, was the prpper. course to be pursued,
because the House would then apply to the learned
Bench in the regular exercise of their judicial lune-
tions ; whereas the plan now suggested would be to
prejudge the question in an extra judicial way. With
respect to his own opinion on the matter, he would
distinctly state, that he would take his stand on the
Aet of Union ; being desirous neither to enlarge nor
diminish the privileges of which, by any legal Jed-
sion, the Catholics should be declared to have been
then in possession.
The Duke of NORFOLK thought the question
should be decided by Parliament, and that jl4 privi-
lege should be distinctly confirmed to th ;Catholics.
If no one else did, he should himself mo e a clause to
that effect in the Committee.
- Lord LAUDERDALE highly cl* pproved of the
suggestion of the Noble Secretary of tate to settle the
question by recurring to a Court of Law. A con-
tested
election, and a tedious and expensive process.
were not the most proper means of putting to rest a
point strongly connected with popular feelings and
prejudices.
The LORD CHANCELLOR concurred in &-
view of the question taken by Lord Hawkesbury...J.
He thought that a reference to the Judges under the
present circumstanees would be unparliamentary. At
to the Catholic claims in general, he would distinctly
say, that in the opinions which he had itlivered, be
did not look to times and seasons. With every dicta).
sition to the most comprehensive religious tolerates%
he followed Russell, Lord Somers, and Laid Hard.
wick in contending, that the maintenance of the
Protestant ascendancy was essential to the security le
civil and religious freedom in this country. . •
. Lord HOLLAtID denied that the greater nuns.
her of eminent men, which this country had prod
duced in former tiines, supported the principles of irk'
tolerance and religious persecution. He believed it
was i c to our leading men of the present day'to
carry their principles further than they had ever bees
carried in times less enlightened than the; present. He
was surprised at the objection that the Noble Secretary
(Lord Hawkesbury) had, to have the doubts as to the
existing law removed by the opinion of the Jody:
1 He knew that in some things -obscurity was pr
nearly allied to the wonderful and sublime. The fa.
mous German metaphysician Kart, was so very pre.,
found, that there were very few who could understand
him, and it was suspected that he did not understand
himself. Klopstock, the German poet, when 'desired
to explain a passage in his own poem, declared this
he meant something very sublime when he wrote it,
but that he was entirely unable to explain it. Now
•
. although this obscurity knight have a very good effect
in metaphysics and poetry, he did not conceive that ii
ought to be introduced into legislation. The Noble
Lord was afraid the Judges would be too much oco
cupied, if they were called on for their opinion in gra,.
and doubtful cases like the present ; but it was evi-
, dent that their time would be fully as much occupied.
if the appeal which the Noble Secretasy spoke of was
to be tried in that House. The Nbble Lord seemed
almost to wish that a Catholic should be elected a
Bank Director, for the purpose of the case being
argued here upon appeal.
Lord HARROWBY would not say that the time.
mighi not come when it might be proper to make
farther concessions to the Roman Catholics of Ire.
land, but it appeared to him the time had not yet ass.
rived, and therefore he should oppose the motion.
Lord MULGRAVE* saw no ground for patchy
the question,_ unless the House should previously de.
termifie to found on it some legislative proceeding.
The Earl of ROSLYN contended for asking the
opinion of the Judges. .
.ord GRENVILLE lose, and . replied with his
taual energy and strength of argument to the various
objections made by the other' side.
On the question being then put, the House divided,
when the numbers were --: Contents 16—Non-con.
tents 42; Majority against Lord Grenville's motion 26.
DROITS OP THE ADSIIRALTY.
The Earl of SUFFOLK again adverted to the in-
formation he had formerly requested, r the
--Droits of the Admiralty, and, after ire* Lions
ts) in Lord HOLLAND, gave notice of his intention
to make a motion to-morrow on the subject.
The discussion on the Local Militia Bill, which
stood en order, was postponed, and the House ad-
journed at ten o'clock.
.
HOUSE OF COMMONS. • : ,
The Brazil Tmde Bill, the Notes 818, and Hackney
Cowls Regulation Bill were st.rle:ist;dr°47 tins and passed.
Mr. VILLIERS obtained leave to Wog in a Bill for the briber
encouragement of Learning, pig for Universities and
other Public Bodies • a Copy of each new Book pub.
tidied, and by snaring to the Anthers the Copy Rights of all such
Bost time.
Books.—He immediately brought up the Bill, which was read a
The Subdivision Ckrits Eli west throve& a Catmints-4o he
reported towsorrow.
Mr. LONG obtained' Irby in a 818 to *wand assesd
the Act for r - I shoot Wesasisstes:Abbey.
Mr. V Order of the ' '

ie belligerent Nations "'boo Idlers spinet j Governor or Direttai
of the United States may irate sash flows havenr, passed in the Is
Committeebe further instreeeled interest wind 'Waded to and 17$
.-
:71tizens of the United States eopudeadorg Cathe,lice By the Act a
United States; wlso shall be 4•,« feted et Iro- admissible to all si Mali&
licence, or paying any tax, In soh'.civil and military offices
)tc...asca of 1I th November last: was expressly enacted d
Ciunraittee be further instructed to rejlieet
navigation and conunerceofforeign neelone• Tate prevent their alit
ding with the restrictions imposed by thole- The word Chirlers, MAIM
mace and navigation niche United Stases. paint of much doubt whi
DNESDAY, APRIL 20. ahrble as Governors or
Lved from the Senate, in addition land. It was natural to
ws, and to alter the time of the next' charterthis doubt would
other ; but instead of thi
of Mr. ROWAN, the Howe took up /. dame was hit upon, wh
the Report of the Committee ap- I rant matter still undecith
into the conduct of Hatrylnnes,
ava esvriabr 14,_ rift. ••,rw Fri_•
I:rituriber of objections to