Star.
London, England, 1823-05-16 00:00:00

COLONEL WHITE.

We hive been requested to publish the 'following
Letter, written in explanation of an unfounded state-
ment which appeared in the !Vest Briton, and was
subsequently republished in the Times Newspaper of
the 2241.0 f last month :
« mit EDITOR OF THE WEST BRITON,

a Having arrived from Portugal but a few days since, I did
not ire tilPthis day your gaper, which contains an extract of a
private letter from Lisbon, deted the 26th of March, wherein the
writer pretends to details a circumstance' which lately occurred
to a British Meer In Portugal, and which, he says, is considered
high:g &trace/sof to the pinion concerned. Now, Mr. Editor,
having reasons to suppose myself to be the person alluded to, it
is necessary I should declare I am not a British Officer, having re- i
signed my commission several years since. The rest of the pre-
fatory part of the said letter is nut more correct, and can only be
the idle dream of some gossipping old woman, or the malicious •
tale of some credulous newsmonger. But that I may fill up your 1
Paper as little as possible on a subject of such little public im-
portance, I proceed to the main point :—Your Correspo.
dent says, ' When the insurrection of Count Amarante broke
out, Colonel volunteered his services against the rebels;
lie appeared before the Cortes, made an address, put his hand to
his sword, and declared that be was ready to spill the last drop of
1 his blood in defence of the Constitution:—Now, Mr. Editor,
1 every word of this 'spat, SSORSLY FALSE' excepting that I ap-
peared before the Cortes, aad made a short address, in which:l did
not say one word of volunteering my services against the:rebels, or
spilling my blood, &c.—Now follows the only part of the letter
which is at all correct, viz. ' He was informed that his Majesty
bad raised him to the rank of a Brigadier-General, ai:d appointed
him to command a corps of cavalry, which was to act against the
rebels: this command be or first accepted, but in a few hours,
Ece. &e."—lt is quite false to say that I ever accepted it—my
first and only communication to the Minister of War, and which
was by letter, stated my objections to taking the command,
adding, as was really the fact, that the state of my health would
not allow me to exert myself with that.activity on horseback,
which a command of such importance required ; and in the same
letter I tendered my resignation, in case his Majesty should not
he pleased to excuse me trom it. The reply did not inform me
that I was dismissed from the service (as your Correspondent
states) but that I was reformed, by which. was meant, that I was
still to hold my rank in the service ; neither, as your friend goes
on to say, was I placed under the observation of the Police.
"This statement, Mr. Editor, is already too long; but as you
have given place in your Paper to the garbled and imaginary
effusions of your Correspondent, 30 you cannot in justice refuse
to insert a correct account. I ;hall conclude by copying an -ex-
tract from a paper published in Portugal on this subject, and
. which contains the reasons I gave to the Portuguese Minister
of War for declining the command in question :
" Exmac-r—i It is well known how odious it hat ever been to a
free People to see foreigners employed in repressing their in-
ternal commotions, which are always in consequence rather in-
flamed than pacified. This reason induced me to beg to be ex-
cused front the command, since I could wish to see Portugal In
the enjoyment of peace, harmony, and every good which accom-
panies a Free and Constitutional Government, in order to be able
to re'ist unitedly the attacks of those foreign enemies who may
interfere with her political institutions, or attack her national in.
dependence. In this sense I meant to be understood, when I
spoke in presence of the Cortes. In a cause of this sort lam
ever ready to take up arms, for then every feeling of jealousy to-
wards foreigners ceases, and all are brothers, when they fight tii-
gether in the noble cause of the defence of national liberty and
independence. The conviction, therefore, that my services, in
the command to which the Government had destined me, could
not be advantageous to the nation, caused me to sacrifice the
rank, honours, and lucrative emoluments which the Government
so generously bestowed on me.'
" These sentiments, Mr. Editor, I found to be those of every
impartial person in Portugal ; and since I have returned to Ent
land, I have been highly gratified by finding that, with little
difference, they are those of the most enlightened men in this
country. All the disgrace, therefore, Mr. Editor, rests with your
Correspondent, who has caused to be published such gross and
calumnious falsehoods. To me, indeed, would it have been
highly di.gractfid had I accepted a command, which would have
P made it my duty to have encouraged one part of the population
1 of Portugal to destroy the other, and whose animosity would
• have been greatly increased by a foreigner being employed on
it—such a ditty is only fit for those degenerate souls who feel
like your Correspondent.
i " I am, Mr. Editor of the W. B. yours, &ea
(Signed) " GEORGE WHITE,
" Reformed Colonel, Portuguese Service."

ROYAL DISPENSARY FOR DISEASES OF THE EAR.
A Sermon was lately preached at the New Church,
Mary-la-bonne, by the Rev. H. G. Wurre, M.A. for the be-
nefit of the Royal Dispensary for Curing Diseases of the Ear.
From the great success of the treatment of the Diseases for
which this Charity was instituted, a handsome Collection was
made in aid of its Funds, which was further incrraaed by a
number of Donations' from those who were unable to attend.
The Preacher, with much effect, dwelt on the forlorn situation
of those who from deafness are excluded the benefits of public
worship, and the social and instructive intercourse. of society.
It was highly gratifying to hear his address to the patients pre-
sent, who had obtained relief, and who bore their grateful testi-1
mony to what was so eloquently impressed on the audience. By
the connection that exists between heating and speech, and the
mutual sympathy of those organs, many cases of Deaf and Dumb
have been successfully treated at this Institution; a remarkable
instance may be noticed in a youth of 19, who, at the age of five
years, lost the faculty of both hearing and speech, which conti-
nued without interruption until within these few weeks, when,
on obtaining his hearing, the powers of speech followed, and
thus le th faculties have been developed.—The benevolent views
of this Charity are nut confined to the Metropolis, but extend to
every part of the Country.

Tke Earl of FURTESCUE presented a Petition from Iligham
FeiTer.s, praying for the abolition of Colonial Slavery.
Lord CALTHORPE presented Petitions to the above effect
from the Inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood of Bir-
mingham, arid also from lake persons in the town of Sherborne.
Upon the motion of the Marquis of LANSDOWN, the amend-
ments in the L'ish Charitable Loans Society Rill were agreed to,
and the Bill was ordered to be read a third time to-morrow.

Lord SUFFlELDpreacnteda Petition from the Corporation
of Norwich, praying for the abolition of the Colonial Slave Trade.
The same Noble Lord presented a Petition from the Trades-
men of Norwich, praying for the repeal of the Insolvent Act.
All the foregoing Petitions were. respectively read, and laid
upon the table of this House.
Several Bills of a Local kind, and likewise the Quorum Ma-
gistrates' Bill and Union Duties Bill, were read a third time,
passed, and Messengers sent to inform the other House thereof.
At nearly six o'clock their Lordships adjourned till to-mor-
row morning at ten.