Star.
London, England, 1809-06-07 00:00:00

BLACK TROOPS.

Mr. STEPHEN moved for a Return of the Troops employed
in the late Expedition to Martinique, distinguishing the Black
'Troops from the Europeans. The object was to call the attention
of the House to a Proclamation issued previous to the attack upon
Martinique. In this Proclamation, a distinction was made be-
tween the people of colour who should make resistance, and the
neitroer found with arms : the latter were, it appeared, to be
called before a military tribunil, and treated much more severely
than the former. He objected to this : Ist, Because a consider-
able portion of our own troops in that expedition were negroes;
Idly, Because it might afford Bonaparte an excuse for the savage
practices which he resorted to against those who, out of loyalty
to their Government, resisted him. He adverted to the gallant
eanduct of the Black Troops at the attack of Martinique; of the
Saintes, and on various other occasions. He adverted also to
their importance for the defence of our West India poosessions,
and contended that the distinction was unjust and impolitic.
Lord CA...;.i'LEREAGH said, that this part of the proclama-
tion hat ::ttracted the attention of Government. They had asked
for cxplmation, and-could do nothing farther till that arrived.
The officers wera persons of known humanity, and in all proba-
bility round giso an explanation that would be satisfactory. He
toped. therefore, the Honourable Gentleman would think the
;notion unnecessary at present
Colonel DILLON observed, that he could not but wish that
the Honourable Geatleman would withdraw the nintion, as it
must be toosidered as a slur upon our Commander, who had
lately made to important an atchievement; that to circumscribe
the power of a General in issuing; a proclamation, was a novel dnd
a had pre.:edent; and that the Commanders, in his opinion, were
part: ctly jus- serl in the proclamation they had issued, from the
dreadful example of the negroes interfering in the warfare in St.
DoMingo. The horrors they had committed there justified the
CoMmanders in taking every precautionary step of intimidation;
and the event proved they were right, for the white population
received them with open arms, and the negroes were neutral.
As to the black corps the Honourable Gentleman rated them too
highly, when he compared them to British troops.
Mr. BARHAM recommended caution in the employment of
black troops. If they revolted in the large islands and joined the
disaffected—in Jamaica for instance—we might find it difficult to
conq'Jer them. Bonaparte had conquered Europe, but could not
Conquer Sr. Domingo.
C. H. HUTCHINSON approved of the principle on which
the present motion was founded, but was very much afraid, that
when we acted as conquerors, we did, like ether=, .111 we could
do to maintain and to secure our conquests. He condemned the
too general practice of abusing indecently Foreign Powers, while
our enemlLS, for resorting to those means of conquest to which
We carelves were in some instances necessarily and avowedly in-
&NM. He was glad that the Noble Viscount (Castlereagh) had
not, in the name of the Government, approved of the Proclama-
tion alluded to by the Hon. Mover.
Mr. STEPHEN then consented to withdraW his mbtion for the
present.

• SEATS IN PARLIAMENT.
The Seats in Parliament Bill having been recom-
mitted,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
then rose, and sdid, :hat finding no good reason to
change his former opinion with respect to the pro-
priety of an Amendment which he submitted to the
Committee on a former evening, he thought that the
enumeration of the different species cf ordinary con-
tracts went sufficiently to comprehend all illegal en-
g:ements to procure seats in that House by the cor-
ny: ,2,-rant of oces. Besides, he objected to the
menzi,,n ,f the word " implied" as relating to the
gift o- grant of office, and thought it would be better
to sp. 7.1" y and limit the agreement as an express one.
The Amendment was then proposod, and read from
the Clair ; when, after some words from Mr. Spencer
St.',nitope against the original clause, and from Mr.
C. Wvnle in support of

CURWE& said that he would agree to the pro-
posed Amendment, provided the sense of the House
appeared decided for its adoption.
:dr. TIERNEY could not see why the word
should he omitted : what was called influence
should have, as it were, a monopoly over what might
be called the competition of the monied interest. The-
Right Hon. Gentleman had said, that lie thought it
quite extraordinary to provide against an offence where
the offender Could have no interest in committing it ;
but Gentlemen well knew that it was no such extra-
ordinary thing for a man who could not be proved to
be interested in any way, to be yet vary active in pro-
curing for another a seat in that House. They should
consider the object of the Bill—to prevent the sale
of Seats ; and therefore, in conformity to that object,
they ought to make it a misdemeanor ift any per-
son, however circumstanced, trafficking for a Seat in
that House in anyway, no matter for whom. He,
therefore, should propose, as an Amendment, (adopt-
ing tile words of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's
Bill to prevent the Sale of Offices) that all persons
concerned in any such engagement on account of gift,
benefit, employment, profit, or reward, should be in-
capacitated, and deprived of their voice at elections.
wished to mike provisions affecting in the first in-
stance the traffic itself, in the second, tho person or
persons returned ; and in the third, the persons selling
the seats ; which persons; for such offence, he pp-
posed should be fined in the penalty of £5OO. rle
objected to the omission of the epithet " implied," as
epplied to engagements entered into to procure seats
upon the grant of offices. He wished also to pro-
nounce• iose ailing, abetting, or assisting in that
speoes of train as guilty of misdemeanors.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER.
that there were three criminal parties ; that giving
money, that receiving the bribe, and that obtain-
ing the seat. And he contended, that those three were
;11 that were necessary to be included, and that they
actrally were included in the form already proposed.
He defended the propriety of omitting the word im-
-1)1-'d,' as it regarded any agreement where offices
fact to be I.einted, it might be from circumstances
30 di'licult for Gentlemen to prove a justification of
their own motives in procuring the grant of an office
in such a case, because it went actually in many in-
stances to ce:opel such Gentlemen to try .o prove a
negative, in order to defend themselves, and so went
:o lay traps foi the Members of that House.
Mr. TIERNEY, in reply, said that he thought, if
word implied' was to be kept in either case, of
nto••.ey or of office, that it would bear equally hard
on the man who in a cold winter gave ten guineas to
dioressed elector; though that gift could non be tra-
oel to any canvassing motives.-
Mr. KiNSONiIY said that the Act would be a
;:erfect delusion, if the word " implied" was not
in-
.. ; because thus in no one case would the engage-
:ceet he express, and in every case would it be implied,
and thus the traffic would be encouraged in defiance
I:: the omit-, and avowed object of the Act itself. He
Hected also to the penalty of five hundred pounds
being attached 'to the offence. If they would do, or
meant to do their duty, they ought rather to pro-
noance the offence itself a misdemeanor

II The CHANCELLOR of • the EXCHEQUER
thought that the alterations proposed by -die Riskt

iton. Gentleman, abounted teAproof bf the necessity
of the guard which he. felt it necessary io interpose.
Mr. TIERNEY said, that, the short statement of
h:s Right Hon. Friend (Mr. Ponsonby) was tinans-
swerable. If " implied" was omitted, the express
agreement must necessarily ineveryinstance be proved.
Lord HENRY PETTY was of the same opinion,
and said that no man in his senses would be guilty of
an offence in that way which led to punishment, when
he might be guilty of the same offence in another
way, which insured impunity.
Mr. WHITBREAD expressed a wish that the
amendment was withdrawn.
Mr. C. WYNNE said, that if the present was
agreed to, he should not be surprised if there was
another amendment, proposing that all such engage.
ments must be proved to have been written on stamp
agreements. •
Mr. DAVIES GIDDY went at some length in
speaking to the principle of the Bill, and apologized
for taking that opportunity of doing so. He recapi-
tulated many of his, arguments upon the same subject
on the former night, and expressed again his opinion,
that there was a very general mistake at present be-
tween influence and corruptions
Sir T. TURTON reprobated strongly the lan-
guage of the last Speaker, as if there was any such
thing as the honourable and legitimate use of money
in the purchase of Seats in Parliament ! He disap-
proved of the words " express or implied" in every
part of the clause. Contract or agreement he thought
sufficient of themselves, or that every difficulty might
be removed by the words " or any consideration
whatever."

Mr. W. ADAM contended that the omission of
the word " implied," so far as offices were concerned,
would have the effect of making the Act operate as
a protection, rather than as a check upon the evils
sought to he removed.
Sir JOHN ANSTRUTHER believed it was on
his suggestion that the words " express or implied"
were inserted. He had no idea, however, that any
distinction was to have been made between money
and office. In every Act against Bribery, the two
offences bad always been esteemed the same ; but the
omission of the word " implied" in this case would
have the effect of doing away the criminality of bri-
bery by means of office.

The- CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
said, his sole object was, that the Committee should
not from innocent acts come to the conclusion of an
agreement where none such was meant. He had no
objection to leave out both words in the first clause,
bdt, in the second clause, regarding offices, he must
still insist on the word " express" being inserted.
The first part of the clause was then read, and the
words express or iniplied were omitted.
Lord MILTON moved, as an addition to the
clause, a declaration, that the persons described in
the clause as subject to the penalties in it, should not
be so subject if they had a voice, and, having a voice,
had voted at such election.

This addition was negatived. •
Mr. CURWEN moved, that persons disqualified
from sitting in consequence of bribery should not be
disqualified for the particular county or borough only,
but during the whole of the Parliament, for any
county, borough, or place.
This ?..as supported by Mr. Ponsonby, Lord Por-
chester. Mr. C. \V. Wynne, Sir T. Turton, Mr.
Lockhart, Mr. Tierney, Mr. Whitbread, &c. and
opposed by Mr. Perceval, Mr. Simeon, Mr. H.
browne, and tho Solicitor-General.

Mr. LYTTLETON th:‘tight it necessary to ex-
tend the pri..ciple of the law, and the object of the
individual convicted of in ibery being to obtain a seat
for the Parliament, he would baffle his object ; which,
from the turpitude of his conduct, he must consider
as a lenient punishment.
Mr. Ab.I.M was surprised at the extent to which
Gentlemen on the other side would press the doctrine,
that the Hnuse should legislate from precedent. All
precedents being found inZfective, a new law was
conceived indispensably necessary, and that concep-
tion was justified by experience. Would any man
maintain that a person not only guilty of bribery, but
m:llcing an oath upon the subject, should be allowed
to stain the Howe by his, presence ?
Mr. W. SMITH supported the Amendment.
Lord HENRY PETTY observed, that it was quite
obvious the law would be totally ineffectual, if the
disability were not general, as the condition of the
payment for the seat was, that the individual should
obtain it, and therefore, if his disability were confined
to the particular place, he, the principal offender, must
escape.

The SPEAKER was anxious for the success of
the Bill, and therefore was averse to the idea of car-
rying punishment to an unprecedented measure of se-
verity. It was already a step beyond the Statute of
King William.—Upon a division, the numbers were,
For the Amendment 60 —Against it 81--Majority2l.
Upon our return to the gallery, we found Mr.
TIERNEY on his legs, pressing the necessity of an
oath. • And this oath he was desirous only of apply-
ing to bribery wholesale. The form of the oath he
proposed was as follows :—" I, A. B. swear, that I
have not directly, or indirectly, procured my return
by any bargain, contract, undertaking, preferment,
or promise of preferthbnt, .Bce."--..This the Right
Honourable Gentleman conceived tree from any of
the objections urged against an oath.. •
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER op-
posed the. oath, which he consideted as liable . to all
the objections which be applied, to, the cath originally
proposed, and which could not be rainscl entiously taken.
Mr. TIERNEY was of opinion.. that if this . oath
were resisted, and that nothing of a similar nature
were adopted, it was impossible for any
Oman tozpp-
pose the Bill any.pther Owl an attempt to delude.the
public, by the exhibition:go purpose never seriously,
entertaioed.
Mr. PONSONDY followed on the same side, and
saw no ground in the objections of the Chancellor of
the Exchequer, but that it was too comprehensive ;
that it applied to every possible case of improper con-
tract. If Minliters were sincere, why did they not
propose some oath ? Surely with the assistance of his
LaveOfticers he could pro something effective.
.IYrr. CURWEN thoughtlthe oath most material.
IMIERFORC confessed that his hopes as
to the ANT
sill would be very much disappointed if an oath
of this nature were not adopted, accompanied by the
which ought to follow its violation, in order
igtit be classed:with thequalifieation path,.
It *I impossible that anY'conieleatiOus Man could

•
feel a difficulty in faking such. ail oath, particuliarit
when coupled wish the clause introduced by the Chan..
cellor of the Exchequer himself, that it should not ex,
tend to the payment of any legal bona fits expenees
incurred for !igents at an election.
Mr. TIERNEY, was not Unwilling to annex the penalty re-
commentled by the Hon. Gentleman.
Lord MILTON and Mr. CANNING concurred in objecting
to the Oath.
Mr. GEORGE ROSE stated his objection to the proposition
of an oath; uport the ground that Members would such case be
called not to swear tot fact, but to a Constt uction of law.
Sir JAMES HALL expressed his disapprobation of an oath,
conceiving that the stcrthless and the urftincipled would not be
deterred by any rum re consequences, while the scrupulous would
from a laudable solicitude, be drove from the House. The result
would be, that, good men in the scale of human excellence would
be reduced below par (a laugh) ; and that House would be con-
sidered In the estimation of the public much worse.
Sir THOMAS TUR lON, upon the principles of the ablest
lawyers, argued that the elected ought to be hound for the purity
of their conduct by as serious obligations as the electors. Hr
treated as ridiculously inapplicable the objection, that the legal
expences of the candidate would subject him to the violation of the
oath. If the Elected as well as Electors were not equally ame-
nable to the law, the justifiable reciprocity which ought to exist
was totally violated. It was idle to argue against a measure caller:
for by the country, that it renders:. the payment of legal contracts
illegal. The objection could nor be meant seriously, and he hail
no hesitation in asserting, that the man who could oppose the
taking of such an oath, must have been actuated by either a con-
viction of having, or an intention to bribe.
Mr. GEORGE ROSE put to the Honourable Baronet the case
of his having opened all the houses in the Borough, and asked
whether such could be conceived legal eipences ?
Sir TIIOMAS UR'l'ON—Although the Right Hon. Gentle-
man has set roe such an example, I do assure him that I never
have, neither ant I inclined to follow it. ( Hear ,kear !)
The SPEAKER expressed his wish not to endanger the Bill by
any diversity of opinion upon a particular point that seas not in-
dispensible, and such he considered the insertion of the Oath.
After some further observations from the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, Mr. Wm. Smith, Mr. Henry 'Thornton, and Mr.
Stuart Wortley, strangers were ordered to withdraw; but v. e un-
derstand that no division took place.—The Chairman was ordered
to report progress and beg leave to sit again this day.
Adjourned at Half-past Four this Morni!,g.

THE EVENING NTAR.

LONDON.

WEDNESDAY, •JUNE 7.

PRICE OF r.TOCKS 'nits DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. .
Cons. for rnoney, shut—for July 684-4 per Cent. 83.
5 per C. Navy 99;i—Exche. Bills. 10s. its. pr.—Onaiiiiin 3.

Private letters and Dutch papers to the sth inst.
have arrived, the contents of which are extremely in-

teresting.
If we may credit the printed accounts, the rising
of the Tyrolese, AWtich it was expected would present
a formidable obstacle to the progress of the enemy in
that quarter, is entirely suppressed. On the 19th
ult. the Bavarians entered Ins'pruck. The Tyrolese
had requested permission to capitulate, bu', this having
been refused, were obliged to surrender at discretion.
General CHASTELER passed the Brenner mountains
on the 18th, to get into Carinthia. The French al-
ledge that even there he will be met by their Italian
army, which advances rapidly in pursuit of the re_
treating Austrians.
We have already had occasion to state that NAPO-
LEON has ordered the Austrian prisoners in France to
be employed in cultivating the soil for the• French
farmers.--These papers state another circumstance
respecting prisoners which will exci..e no less surprize.
Napoleon has ordered the Austrian prisoners-of war, born
in the recent's-conquered provinces, to be incorporated with
Me Bavarian army !—The motives as well as the
ostensible cause are obvious. He thus recruits his
army with Austrians to fight those N• 'no still fill the
ranks of the army of FltANt:lS—but these men were
enrolled to fight far the Sovereign of the soil—they
are only doing so now when put into the ranks of the
victots

These papers also contain an official report pub-
lished by the King of WI RTENIBERG, of an attempt
made on the 15th ult. and following days, by Count
C. KoLLowcATit, to seize Lintz, in which attempt
he was driven back. But this account bears marks of
exaggeration, natural in a petty Prince who is anxious
that his petty victories may deserve to be mentioned
with those of his powerful master.
Such are the accounts in the printed papers. The
private letters are more consolatory. They state that
the French, after crossing the Danube, were attacked
on their march towards Moravia by the Archduke
CHARLES, and compleatly defeated. The Archduke,
it is stated, had been strongly reinforced; and by a
rapid movement surprised the enemy, and compelled'
them to recross the Danube. The loss pf the French
is estimated in the Dutch letters at 11,000 men.—
Several Generals and Officers of distinction are said
to be among the lolled and wounded.
This most important intelligence is strongly corro-
borated by a paragraph in a Dutch paper of the 3d
instant, received yesterday afternoon. Of the fact of
a battle having been fought on the frontieri of Mo-
ravia, that Paper may be regarded as sufficient evi-
dence, and though it is asserted that the result was
favourable to the French Arms, yet the manner in
which the account is given, induces us rather to ere-
dit the private letters, and to conclude that BONA-
PARTE has at last sustained a reverse. It is in the fol-
lowing terms

DORDRECHT, JUNE 1.

4 This day, by what aeddent we know not, tiddler the Mo-
" ttlitV, par any other French paper has readied us. • Private
" letters, however, from Paris, of the 30th ult. speak of a most
" obstinate and bloody battle which had taken place on the fron-
" tiers of Moravia, with the united enemy's force, under the com-
" mend of the Archduke Cit A R Las. According to these letters,
" Marshal 1.41 it es was wounded in this battle. In other re
" spects the result wzs entirely to the advantage of the French
" arms. It was thought that the Bulletin, containing the circum-
MI stances of thii battle, would be inserted in the Monitcur of the
66 31st."
It appears from the above statements that thq post
bad arrived from Paris and brobOt prwatelottets tb t
Holland, but r.,papers of the 80th C.) This is a
very extraordinary cgrurnstance,..amd perhaps the
4 •
4, phrase, by what accident we how.not," is all the

oisservatioo which, in the pteteht state of the botch
press, could with safety be made upon it. But if there
had been a victory to announce, every facility would
doubtless have been afforded for the communication
of the intelligence.—lt would be folly, however, to
indulge in sangu ne spf culations where the accounts
are so contradictory, and we must wait patiently rill
particulars arrive on which reliance may be placed.

A letter hasbeen received from the neighbourhood
of Colonel ScHILL's forces, Which states, that he has

101;00 men under his orders, with a competent pro-
portion of artillery. Thus suppo: t 'd, he was proceed-
ing to besiege Cassel. In return for the compliments
pa:d him by the French, he had, in a public instru-
ment, extensively' circulated, declared JEROME BONA..
NtuTz an Outlaw.

We regret to state that the N% I:010 of the Northern
ports of Spain are once more in posses:ion of the
enemy. 'A vessel has arrived at one of the out-ports
from Gijon, which place she left on the 20th ult.—
At that time the enemy were in sight ; and, before
the vessel was completely clear of the harbour, the
batteries had opened their fire upon her, directed by
the French troops. This vessel took fifteen emigrant
friars on board, but she was obliged to reland ten
the other five have arrived in England.
Another account states, that the Spaniards them-
selves fired upon the vessel, in order to get back their
Priests, part of whom were accordingly re'anded.
Letters have been received from Corunna to the
4th ult. at which time NEY was there, and had about
10,000 men under his command. From this body
a detachment preceeded towards Lugo, to attack the
army of ROMANA, which was supposed to be in that
neighbourhood. NEY had at that time no communi-
cation with SOULT, and had known nothing for a long
time respecting him, all the French Messengers hay.
ing been intercepted by the peasantry. The military
contributions exacted had greatly impoverished the
place, but strict discipline was preserved, and no ex-
cesses had been committed. There were only about
2 or 3000, one account says 700, French soldiers at
Ferrol, that town being considered in a sufficient
state of security with a small force, from the com-
manding situati ,n of the garrison. Marshal NEY had
dismantled the forts and heights, and had removed
from St. Lucia all the guns, as a measure of precau-
tion, in case it should be necessary for him to aban-
don his present situation. He had refused an ex-
change of prisoners, but treated the British Officers
with respect and confidence. The French had con-
verted the convents into barracks, which had given
great disgust to the natives. Corunna was very defi-
cient in provisions, and forage for the cavalry was
not to be obtained without great difficulty. In con-
sequence of the opposition of the peasantr;, a quan-
tity of provender had been intercepted on the shores
of the Mandeo. To revenge this act of hostility, a
strong party of French was dispatched towards
under FOURNIER, who was repulsed, and in the
malignity of his feelings resulting from the disap-
pointment, he destroyed 16 villages.
With respect to the South of Spain, it seems that
one of the first measures to be proposed by JovEL-
LANOS, at the ensuing assembly of the Cortez, will be
the appointment of fire Dictators, pro tempore; these
Magistrates to be invested with the plenary powers
entrusted to the Dictators of ancient Rome in her
most illustrious days.
LORD GAMBIER.It is understood, that whsle
strangers were withdrawn from the HouSb of Lords,
last night, Lord MULGRAVE intimated that Admiral
GAMBIER had demanded a Court Martial to enquire
into his conduct while in Basque Roads, and the
noble Admiral was therefore pro forma under arrest.
The Court is expected to assemble at Portsmouth on
the 19th. The following statement is in circulation
respecting the cause of Lord GAMBIER'S demand of a
Court Marta' being understood that Minivers
meant to propose a vote of thanks to his Lordship for
the late affair in Basque Roads, Lord COCHRANE is
reported to have said that if no other Memb.2r or
the House of Commons opposed such a vote, he
would. -Upon Lord GAmmaa requesting r.n expl.t.
nation, Lord COCHRANE simply referred to the log-
book of the Caledonia, Lord GAMBLER'S ship.
Last night, the widow of the late Mr. TOWNSEND,
of the Horns, Kennington, had a benefit, which was
held in the Assembly Room at that place. The en-
tertainment consisted of recitative, music, and singing%
and was most admirably performed by several young
gentlemen, who volunteered their services on this lan-
dable occasion. Notwithstanding the respect with
which Mr. TOWNSEND was always treated by the
Thespian corps, not one name appeared in the bill of
the night to assist the widow and family. The neigh-
bourhood patronised her, and upwards of five hun-
dred persons assembled at an early hour, and the
evening's amusement went off with universal appro-
bation.

CORN EXCHANGE, MARE-LANE, JUNE 7.—The supplies of
Wheat this day are short, owing to the late contrary winds coast-
wise—waiting arrivals, but few sales are made, and those at little
flucturion—Fine much in demand—Barley in short supply, and
de..rer—Very Env White Peas, and those much higher—Beans
of the two ki: ds not many at kand—Of Oats there are tolerable
supplies; but few prime s..mples, fur which rather higher prices
are asked. :• •

FALMOUTH, JUNE 4.
Arrived this day his Majesty's brig Hardy, from Portetenith,
bound to Cork with 13 sail of transports under convoy, to take
troops for Portugal : three of them parted company on Friday
night last. Also arrived the Mary cutter from Guernsey ;—his •
Majesty's brig Raven to take convoy to the eastward. Sailed the
Hard cutter for Guernsey. Tke packets with mails for the Me-
diterranean and Portugal are detained by contrary wind.
' • PLYMOUTH AND PLYMOUTH DOCK, JUNE 5.
Arrived, the Cuckoo schooner, and Nimrod cutter, from off
L'Orient ; the Harlequin hired ship, and Mariner gun-brig, from
the Downs.—Sailed the Plover, of 18 guns, en chase of a French
privateer, which had the audacity to appear off the Ram Head,
(atiout'seven miles hence) last evening, with an English brig, her
prize, in tow. A Portuguese brig, from Guernsey, bound to the
Brazils, came in this day in distress, with the loss of both her top-
masts, and other damage, which she sustained in the gale of
Thursday night last. A large French schooner, prize to one of
our cruizers, came in to-day; a large French ship, apparently of
500 tons burthen, prize to the Amazon frigate, also came, io to
day; but unfortunately, in working up ilamoaze, the weat I.L r
being very boisterous, she got a-ground on the west mud, whet.,
she now lies, but is exp acted to be got off without damage. 't he
Amazon has also taken a French corvette, which is hourly cz•
petted in.
It 10,1 blows quite a hurricane, with heavy rain, and thet. -
fewr punssaulars I now se
orhicgulthat noboatud,can go off to the-shipping, thereto' t .he
are collected by Telegraph.

h

.

„