Star.
London, England, 1807-02-11 00:00:00

MAIDSTONE ELECTION.

'Tbe following are the Names of the Gentlemen on the reduced
Lift, forming the Committee to try the merits of the Elation
and Return for the Borough of Maidftonc.

Hon. W. Nl.tule,
T. Ewan, Fig

T. Fuller. Efq.
lion. E. R. Stewart,

Hon. T. itobi;lont G. T. Stuart. Efq.

Hon. J. Cat, Sir M.A. Foulkes,
Joho Pattifon, Ffq. T Godfrey. Efq.
John Palmer, Ffq. T. Shelley, Efq.
' W. Loftus, Ffq
The SPEA K R acquainted the thirteen Members above return
ed. that no nominees having been appointed by the parties, they
mil retire and chute two Members not chofen on the Commit-
tee. In a wort time were returned the names of Sir R. Petit,
Bart. and the lion. Weu.astry Pol.', who are the nominees.

SIN k CURF PLACES AND PENSInNS.

Mr. BIDDULPH rote to make the motion of
which he had given notice, relative to Sinecure Places
and Penfions, He began by frying, that the motion
which he fhould prefer.tly fubmit to the Houfe was
brought forward in the year 1797, by an Honourable
Frieni of his, and feconded by all thofe with whom
he had coincided in opinion. He fincerely believed,
that if the Houfe acceded to his motion, many vain.
able confequences might arife to the country in the
prefent cribs, by applying the attention of the Com-
mittee to be appointed to the feveral reports of the
Committees on the Finances, and making fuch redac-
tions as had not yet come within the obfervation of
thole who had been employed on this fubjea. One
of the firft oblations that (truck the public mind, was
the immenfe emoluments accruing to Tome perfons
who held certain finecure places in the Exchequer.
By the A& of 3782, the fees of the Tellers were of
fined to them, and they were certainly very great
indeed. He then entered into a ftatement of the firft
inquiries ii:flitured on this fubjea, which was loon
after the Revolution, in the 4th of William and Mary.
It was ordered that the Barons of the Exchequer
fhould inquire into the origin of fees payable in
thofe offices. The ufage of Exchequer autho-
rifed them to take particular fees ; and the firft in-
quiries that were made into them were in confequence
of the very great films iffued on this account, which
in one year amounted to upwards of a million. In
1702, thofe fees were leffened by agreement, how
much he could not pretend to fay, but a very great
reduction had then taken place. In 1744, the fupplies
for tl.e fervice of the year were upwards of fix mil
lions ; and thole for the army in particular. two mil-
lions; and it was then agreed by the Officers of the
Exchequer to Ittfen the fees in confequence of the
increafe in the expences of the army ; and if it was
fo neceffary at that period, he thought it was much
more fo at the prefent moment, when the expences
of every department were fo very materially increafed.
His motion would embrace Places, Penfions, and
various Emoluments ; and, in order to thew why he
thought a prefent reduction of thofe neceffary, he
would call the attention of the Houfe to the 27th
Report of the Finance Committee, in which it was
Rated, that there were Places in the Courts of Law
alone, amounting to twenty-fix thoufand pounds
a year, which they thought proper for reduction, not
by violent or arbitrary means, but that they might
be gradually reduced in fuch a manner as not to
prove immediately injurious to any one. That Com-
mitttee quoted the opinion of Lord Hale. who re-
commended that a change might take place in the
expences of the Courts of Law, but not fuddenly or
violently, and on that recommendation they founded
fo much of their Report. In looking to the pro-
ceedingi which had fince taken place on thofe Re-
ports, he did not find that any thing had been done,
thouglrhe thought there was very great room to
make many very confiderable retrenchments and re-
du6ions, which could not fail to be produCtive of
the molt falutary effects by a great faring of the
public money. He had no doubt but many offices
bad dropt within the laft ten years; and it would be
the object of this Committee to enquire whether they
had been filled up, and how, and in what manner.
The words of Hale were, 4, if thofe offices were not
neceffary, why fhould they be kept up ; and, if me-
ceffary, why fhould they not be paid out of the fees
paid to the Deputies ?" Then followed a lift of offi-
ces, amounting to 26,1i1001. a year, and many of
them filled by perfons who rendered no fervices for
the emolument which they received. In the conrfe
of the thirty.fix Reports of the Finance Committee,
there were many inftances of material reductions that
might be made ; but he would (pare the time of the
Houfe, and not advert further to them at prefent. If
his motion fhould be acceded to, he hoped powers
would be given as extenfive as thole which were con-
fided to the Commiffioners in 1797 and 1798, in
which cafe they would embrace and take sit the
whole expenditure of the country. He concluded
by moving,
" That a Committee be appointed to enquire whether any and
what ft.rtber Saving may be made by the Reduction of the Fees
and other Emoluments of Sinecure Places."
The gpetlion being read from the Chair,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
rnfe, and expreffed his fatisfaltion that the Honoura-
ble Gentleman had brought this matter under the
cnnfideiation of the Houle. He allowed that nothing
could be more defirable at the prefent moment than
a (trio regard to ceconomy in the adminiflration of
the Finances ; and he was certain there could be
none in that Houle, or in the kingdom, who were
more fenfible of it, and had the ()Nat more fincerely
at heart than his t.lajelly's prefent Minifters, nor
were any perfons more defirous of a reduction of nfe-
lefs or finecure places, In far as fuch reduction could
be prudently made. Having made this admiffion, it
was but fair he fhould be allowed to (Nerve, that in
eve, y country there thank' exit a certain number
of rewards to bellow on thole who have merit
ed them by their fervices, and thole fhould be
within the x cacti of, and confided to the (lifting Go-
vernment, to give to fuch as they might deem
objects deferring remuneration for their labours;
which re'ward's and retreats fhould be confined by
Government to particular objects, and not (*offered
1,0 run to an extreme or excels. Formerly places
were fo numerous in this country, and had reached
to filch a trait extent, that they became extremely in-
jurious to the public fervice ; but it had been the ok-
ica of Parliament, fince the dole of the Arnetica

war, to reduce thofe places as much and at @Oar
as potlible, for the purpofe of which Commiffioners
of Accounts had been appointed by the then Admi-
nittration, when public clamour was very loud againft
them. Future Adminißrations had porfued the
fame plan, in one of which a Noble Relation of
' his had a conliderable thane (the Marquis of
Lanfdowne). In the year 1796 was appointed
the Committee, of which the Speaker himfelf was
at the head, for inveaigaiing the Rate of the public
finances, and for reducing the amount of the fala-
ries, fees, and emoluments of the public offices of
the country. It was thought that a mode might have
been adopted to reduce and aholi(h finecure places,
and in their Read to give great pentions during the
lives of thole who had held them ; but when it was
confidered that thole were fixed and rooted in the
Contlitution, and had grown up with it, that mode
was relinquithed ; and it was thought necelfary, as
the refult of thole inquiries, committees, and reports,
to reduce the amount of the emolnments of the large
finecure offices to a certain fum, which might be
deemed a fair remuneration for the fervices atually
performed in the difcharge of the duties of thofe high
offices. That mode might not, perhaps, meet the
approbation of every individual ; but it was by no
means clear, that hecaufe thofe emoluments were not
liked by many perfons, they (hould therefore be
altoge her abolifhed ; and, in fat, what has been the
refult of all thole fucceffive inquiries ? In the fira in-
Rance, all finecure places in the Cullom' have been
abolitbed ; all finecure places in the Excite, and in the
Great Offices of State, have been the fame. All have
been put under particular circumtlances and regu-
lotions, and commutations have taken place with
regard to feveral. The Auditor of the Exchequer,
the Tellers of the Exchequer, and other high offices,
had been limited to a certain fum. There was indeed
an exception as to the Collator outwards of the port
of London, which was held by the Duke of Man-
chetter, which was the only one ; and that it had
been thought necetrary to leave in its original Rate.
And here he could not help obferving, that in effec-
ting theft regulations, however falutary they might
appear, a great Rretch of power had been ufed to-
wards thofe who had acceptedof thofe commutations;
for unqueltionably thofe perfons who were the hol-
ders of thofe places and offices, ander a grant from
the Crown, were as much entlticaf, to them as any
man in the kingdom is to the lidded property which
he poffeffes under a legal title. His Lordfhip then
animadverted to places in reverfion, which he owned
he thought were the moll to be deprecated; and
which was the molt difficult to make any altera-
tion in ; yet there had been in a confiderable degree
reformed, except in one or two inffances, loch as the
Regiller of the Court of Admiralty, held by Lord
Arden, with reverfion to Mr. Perceval ; and the Clerk
of Parliament, held by an Hon. Memberof that Houfe
(Mr. Role) with reverfion to his fon. There was one
topic on which the Hon. Gentleman who made this
motion had touched,in which he acknowledged much
remained to be done. He meant the :7th Report of
the Committee of Finance ; many places had been
Rated by them to be unneceffary, particularly feveral
held by the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chief
Juaice ; but on mature reflation, it had been deem-
ed not fair to take from them their patronage to thofe
places, which was given as a reward and remunera-
tion for their great labours, and as n provifion for
their families, without conliderably increafing their
calories. So much he Paid as to places in England.
With regard to the public Offices in Ireland, much
remained to be done, and many Reps had been
taken towards the accomplifhment of this defirable
purpofe. A Commiffion was now fitting in Ireland
which had been appointed to effect thofe falutary
meafures under the aufpices and dirthion of the
Right Honourable the Chancellor of the Exchequer
(Sir John Newport,) whole indullry and abilities
were too well known to doubt of the moll arid and
fpeedy inveßigation of all thole matters which it
embraced; and the Houle did not want informa-
tion, hecaufe there was a bill then before the Houfe,
brought in by his Right Hon. Friend the Chancel.
lor of the Exchequer for Ireland, by which 38 dif-1
ferent offices were declared to be ufelefs ; and thole
who know the induary, talents, and love for econo-
my, which his Right Honourable Friend, the Right
Honourable Gentleman he had alluded to, and the
Noble Duke who prefided over the Government of
Ireland (Duke of Bedford), might be allured that
nothing would be left undone, towards effeaing thofe
objerls which were fo very defirable. It had been
Paid that places in reverfion were more willingly abo-
liihed by Miniflers, becaufe they never could have
them for themfelves. This he denied ; but there was
certainly a difficulty attending the aboliffsingof places
in reverfion. He had the fatisfation to fay, that in
no one inaance had any fuck grant been made by
the prefent Government. He was one of thole who
thought much remained to be done in the fuppreffion
of finecure offices, of which however none had been
created of late years. That abufes had crept in, he
was not prepared to deny, becaufe it was impnffible
it fhould not be fo in a country where the expenditure
ran to fuch an extent. Government were, however,
&thous to check this as much as poffible. The pre-
fent Exchequer had given :nitrations to its Auditors,
on all occafions When they obferved provitions made
for fecuring fidelity in regulating the Adminiaration
of the Revenues, to make a fpecial report, either in
the public expenditure, both abroad and at home ;
and if the Commiffioners did their duty, of which,
from their charaler, there could be no doubt they
would, every good confequence might be expeBed
from it. He was of opinion, that with the difference
of a few words in the motion, it ought to be acceded
to, by which the Houle would do credit to Well. and
give fatisfation to the country ; and he would not
only give his affent to the Committee looking to fuch
abufes as did ezift, but to fuch as might exit, for it
would be the policy of the Houle and of the coun-
try, to thew that the molt rigid economy in every
department of the finances was abfolutely necelTary.
The SPEAKER mentioned to the Noble Lord that
Meffeagers from the Houfe of Lords had been wait-
ing a long time with a meffage ; they were accor-
dingly called in.
The Meffage from the Lords was, that their Lord-
(hips had palled a Bill for the Abolition of the Afri-
can Slave Trade, to which they requeßed the concur-
rence of that Houfe.

The CHANCELLOR of the ECXHEQUER
then concluded by Moving., as an amendment, chat
the latter words of tbc motion fhould be left out :

and, iqesd of them fhould be infetted the following:
Titietinfrier what regulations or checks bad been
adopted for the controul of the different branches of
the expeeliture in Great Britain and Ireland ; rind
what further mode there was of dimiaithing ufelefs
Wailes and petitions, without detriment to the public
fervice." _ _ _ .

Mr. WILBERFORCE laid, that he had witnet-
fed with the fincerelt pleafure the manner in which
the motion had been met by the Noble Lord. He
had (hewn that he was as great a friend now to every
meature for the examination into the expenditure of
the public money, as he was when at the other fide
of the Houfc. This condo& reflelted the highea
honour both on the Noble Lord and on the Admi-
niffration of which he was a Member, and mug be
highly acceptable to the Houfe and to the country.
There .vas one expreffion, however, of the Noble
Lord, in which he could not perfealy coincide. The
Noble Lord appeared to confider the places now ex-
Wing with reverence, as belonging to the conftitu-
don, although he confeired that if he was beginning
a frefh fyilent, he would rather that long public
fervices (Mould be rewarded by proportionate penfions
than by finecure places. It would be very hard to
afcertain the proportion of penfions which public men
ought to receive for long fervices ; but he was lure
that if ever the principle of rewarding them by pen-
lions fhould prevail, it would be found much more
expenfive than the preterit fyffem. There were many
intlances of men embarking in the public fervice, not
from any low confederations of perfonal emolument,
yet whole private fortunes would not permit them to
dedicate their lives to the public fervice, without
Tome provition being made for them. There were
men who had made great factifices, by giving up the
bell profeffionai profpeas, in order to devote their
time to the public good, and who might reafonably
look to one of thole finecure places as a provifion for
old age. The fart was, that if a notion had gone
abroad that public Cervices were overpaid, it was a
very mittaken notion ; for, on the contrary, when the
rank of the perfons was confidered to whom thole
public offices were ufually entrulled, and alfo the
perfons to whom they were affociated, it would be
found that, inflead of being overpaid, they were
ufually underpaid. He concluded by a warm pane.
gyrick on Mr. Pitt, who (hewed by his uniform
praaice that it was his with, as far as potlible, to
abolifh finecure places. There were between thirty
and• forty of thole places, which he had the power to
fill up, and which many of this friends repeatedly
applied for, and yet lie would not give them away,
but left them to be now abolifhed by an Aa of Par-
liament.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, in
explanation, Paid, he did not mean to enter into a
comparifon of the two anodes of providing for thofe
who had rendered public fervices : he only th-ew out
the ezpreffion he had made ufe of as a general fpe-
culative opinion, fuck as he might do if they were
making laws for a new Country.
Mr. FAWKES (in his maiden fpeech) declared
that he could not give a fluent vote upon this quef
tion. He was proud to fay, that notwithflanding the
many facrifices which the country had already made
to defend the neighbouring nations, it Rill pofened
ample refources to carry on the war as long as its
honour or its interefts fhould require. The people,
however, who had made thole great facrifices, had a
right to cape& that his Majefty's Minifters fhould do
all that was in their power to economize thofe re-
fources, and to ameliorate their condition. When
they had been fo often told that they mutt bring
themfelves to facrifice not only the comforts of life,
but even part of the nteeffaries of it, to carry on the
prefent war, they certainly had a right to taped that
no improvident ufe fhould be made of the public
money. The Noble Lord appeared to think that it
was neceffary that Minifters fhould have the power
of granting penfions in order to reward merit.
The Parliament, however, had always !hewn itfelf
fufficiently liberal in rewarding the gallantry of
our Commanders in the army and navy who diflin-
guifhed themfelves in the fervice of their country,
and he made no doubt Parliament would manned an
equal dtgree of liberality on every proper occalion
that fhould be prefented to it. It was not right,
however, that any part of the public money fhould
be lavifhed where there was no poffible or plaufible
claim upon the public. The people in this refpeB
required indemnity for the pan, and fecurity for the
future. They expeeed to find in Minifters a revere
and rigid economy ; not that niggardly economy
which would flint the public fervice, but that falutary
economy which would hufband well the refources of
the State. They would be happy to find that the
long expeOed reformation was now going to take
place, and that Minifters were determined not only
to preach but to praitife.
Mr. CALVERT made a few obfervations in fa-
vour of the principle of the motion, and Paid it was
notorious that, inftead of thole finecure places being
always given to reward merit, they were very fre-
quently given to undeferving perions.
Mr. BIDDULPH Paid, that he was ready to agree
to the amendment, as it fo nearly refembled his ori-
ginal motion.
The motion, as amended, was then put, and unani-
spottily agreed to.
'ABOLITION OF THE SLATE TRADE.

Lord ligwicK moved, that the Bill this night
fent down from the Lords thould be now read for the
&Hi time.

Mr. HIBBERT could not fuller the Bill to pafs
even through that Rage, without calling the attention
of the Houfe to it, as one of the moR important
meafures that had ever been difeuffed in it. He
miffed that Gentlemen would come to the difcufGon
of it, with minds unbiAfTed by the proceedings in the
other Houfe, or by any feeling that might exit} out
of that Houfe.

Lord HOWICK agreed that this was a molt im
portant meafure, and that it was neceffary to enter
upon the difcuffion of it with calmnefs. Whatever
might have been the proceedings in the other Houfe,
or the feelings out of the Houfe, or the proceedings
of any other Houfe of Commons, they would come
unfettered and unbiaffed to the difeutlion of the mea.
fare ; as the parties intereaed had had fitfficient no.,
tice of the meafure during its progrefs through the
other Houfe, he propofed that the fecond reading
fhnuld be fixed for this day fe'nnigbt.
General GASCOIGNE complained of the crafty,
infidious, and invidious mean( .tbit had been ow
ployed to excite a detcllatiog of the Slave -Trade.

The Church, the Theatre, avid the Pres, had been
made nfe of againfl it. A learned Divine had (fated
from the pulpit, that the country could not nista
vidory what} this horrid traffic was continued; and
yet the country had never obtained fo many vienries
as in the prefent reign. Even the EleCtors had beta
excited at the late General Elation, to WA Upon
pledges from the Candidates that they would vote
againft this traffic.

Mr. PLUMER begged to fet the Hon. Goleta
right, as to the fadt refpeEting the late Eleaion. No
fuck pledge as he mentioned had been demanded of
him, and lie had carried on a warm canvafs in his
county. After a few words from Gen. Gamine
in explanation, and from Mr. T. W. Plomer, theta
was read a firft time.

Lord HOWICK then moved, that the BM beta,"
a fecond time this day fe'nnighr, to which an amend.
ment was moved by Mr. Hibbert, that it be read a
fecond time this day fortnight.

After a few obfervations from other Gentlemen.
who declared the public opinion in their counties so
be almoft unanimous for the Abolitioa of the Trade,
the Bill was ordered to be read a fira time, and was
read accordingly.

Lord HOWICK, when be recolleeed how macy
years the fubjeB had been before the Houfe and the
nation, could not fee any grounds for pollponing the
fecOnd reading of it to any late day. He thought
that even thole who were interetted in the continuance
of the trade could have no objea in putting off the
dilcuffinn. He therefore moved for the (tend read.
ing on Tuefday next.

Mr. HIBBERT objeled to its being read fo tom
as there would not be time given for public meetings
to be called, to give their opinions upon the meafare.
His only reafon for wishing to pollpone the diktat!e
was, that the Honfe might come to it with as much
information as could be procured. He thought that
it lhould be delayed at leaft for a fortnight. •

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
was extremely defirous that his Noble Friend fhould
perfevere in this motion. If the only objea for delay
was that Petitions fhould come up from public
meetings alcainft the meafute, that reafon did not
appear to him fufficient to juflify a moment's delay,
efpecially when he confidered the Refolution of both
Houfes of Parliament fall year, and that the Bik
had already paired the Houfe of Lords, where the
perfons interefled in oppofing it had a full opports•
nity of being heard.
Captain HERBERT wifhed that the fecund
reading fhould be delayed. He was decidedly hollik
to the Bill, which, inflead of abolilling the Slave
Trade, would, as he conceived, abolifh the Brit&
Colonies.

Mr. ADDINGTON alto wifhed fir fume delay,
as this was a new Parliament, and the fubjel was a
new one to many of its Members.
Mr. L ETHBRIDGE was a friend to the abolitito4
but he thought that the delay of a fortnight was not
too much on a quetlion of fuch magnitude.

Mr. HAWKINS 'BROWNE was alfo for the
abolition, but he thought it would appear bat fair to
give Tome further time before the fecond reading.
Lord TEMPLE (poke in favour of the papaw
ment.

Mr. BABINGTON confidered further time totally
unnecelTary. •
Mr. BARHAM declared hinsfelf friendly to the
Bill, but wi(hed the indulgence of further time.
Mr. TIERNEY was againft the poßponernent
Mr. HERBERT and Mr. BATHURST fpnkefa
favour of the poßponement ; Sir JOHN NEWPORT
againfl it.

Mr. HIBBERT propofed an amendment to Lord
Howick's motion, for leaving out the words oast
Tuefday,' and inferting Tuefday fennight.'
Lord HOWICK fopported his former opinion.—
However, to obviate every ground for pretence that
it was not his with to give the meafure the fulled and
faireß opportnnity of difeuffion, he lhould have no ob•
jeition to accede fo far as to poßpone the fecund read.
ing to Friday fe'nnight, in order that Counfel might
be heard on that day t and that it was to be pofitively
under Rood that the debate was to be taken on the
motion for going into the Committee on the Toast.
following.

Mr. 818 BERT then withdrew his amendment.
After tome routine bufinefs the Houk adjourned.

THE EVENING STAR.

LONDON.

WEDI4F:DAY, FEBRUARY it.
ASS-WIDNICIDAT.--sHoliday at all the Public Offices.
PRICE OF STOCKS YESTERDAY.
Bank Stock 2181 sty I Imperial 3 per C. 6il
3 p. Ct. Red. Ann. 62H Ditto Annuities 7 isa6ths $
3 per C. Conf.6til India Stock 183 i
4 per Ditto Bonds, 3s.ss. 1,1180.
per Cent. Navy, sictt Each. Bills, par as. dIL
Long Aan.l7 12461 Could' for ace. 6sf

In the Houle of Commons latl night, it will bt
fee', by reference to our debate, that Lord Head
Paxxx perfeitly coincided in the principle laid dolls
by Mr. BIEIDULTH, that ufelefs and finecure Act%
to a certain extent, &mid be abalilled, and the sp.
pointment of a Committee for purfuing this [Antal
meafure was agreed to.

According to Private Letters received from the
Dutch coaft, the French armies are recruiting is
Holland with an unexampled feverity. Not only is
every Dutch foldier hurried off to the armies in Po.
land, but the molt oppreffive means are employed is
the ealiftment of every one who is of fafficient
ftrength or age for military fervice. Thus the Polies
fends every one to the army, who is brought before
it for the molt trivial breach of the peace ; and to
the evident injury of the caufe of Office, even car
tal punifhment is fometimes commuted into accrual
period of military fervice. The poor are in the fa*
manner all relieved by being fent to the armies; and
accordingly, notwithftanding the poverty of the
country, pot a beggar it to bc Rol throughout Or
of the provhices.

I

FRENCH AND DUTCH JOURNALS.

Mmiteurr and othzr Paris Papers to the 3d inn. and
Pura Papers to the 7th . irrived late laa night.

The lifoniteur furnithes us with four Bulletins of the
Grand Army, viz. the 49th, 50th, 519. cza. They
are all dated from WdlfelW ; the laft of the t 9 h

January; at which time BJNAPAR.TE WAS at Warlaw.
From the 49th Bulletin we learn, in addition to
the particulars before detailed, that General \Tampa
has marched to befiege Crlberg and 13 intz:g. It
Oates that great difeontent prevails in the Ruffian
aTrny, rn account of the Emperor not joining it ;
and, titey fay, that their glory has been c.)mpromifed

by the bad management of their Generals.
The Seth Bulletin contains an account of the
p%ivn t,erween General MONTBRUN and the Prince
Ps.tis,, near Ohlau, in which the former took 7co

prif,nerc, and four pieces of cannon ;—after which
the Prince's army returned by detachments into for.
trellis, abandoning, however, a part of its artillery,

baggage, and horfes, and Soo men, who were taken

prifoners.
The 5111 Bulletin is taken up in denying the Rate-
ments contained in Gereral BENNINGSFN'S difpatch
to the King of Prullia. It Rates that they took from
the Ruffians at Pultufk. 6zoo prifoners, two Rand.
ards, and 3000 wounded, whom General B. had
abandoned in his flight ; and, it is added, that the
king of Pruffta finding the news of a viaory falfe,
had, with the Qt!een and his fuite, left Koningiburg
in a panic. The 00,1!een is laid to have embarked for
Memel on the 3d of January, and the King was to
follow on the .6th. The Pruffian army is defctibed

to be reduced to Arica nothing.
It is !UR laid that the Ruffians have fallen back on
Grodno, and that the army is difcotitented. One of
the Bulletins contains a long political difcuffion about

Tut key, and the pretended efforts cf the Porte to drive

the Ruffians fr m Moldavia.
The French army is defcribed in the 52d Bulletin
as in the moR healthy Rate.
The ilicnitcur of the zd announces the artival of
the Emprefs Jofephine at Paris ; it alf.) mentions, in
a letter from Bayonne, of the z4th January, that an
nglifit frigate, which in a r;olent 11.3 rm had thrown
her guns overboard, entered through ltrefs of we :then
the port or st. Seballian under American colours.
She had too French prifontri on board, among w h( m
was a native of Bifcay, who in his provincial dialect
informed the Spanith boats, which came alongfide of
the (hip, that the was an Engin frigate, and not an
Arnerican bottcm. The Englifh finding themfclves
difeovered, cut their cable and Rood out to tea, but
the uncommon (well in the 4.ffing and contrary winds
rendered her efcape impoffible. She took ground,
and is now in the polfeffion of the Spaniffi. The name
of the frigate is not known, but the is fitprofed to be
commanded by a nephew of Admiral COCHRAN/.