Star.
London, England, 1822-06-29 00:00:00

PETITION FROM JAMES MURRAY BORTHWICK.

Mr. ABERCROMI3Y presented a Petition from
James Murray Borthwick, complaining of the hard.:
ships, oppression, and persecutions to which he had
been subjected. . The Hon. Member said, he was not
aware this Petition contained any fact which he had
not stated on a former night, except this, that when
Borthwick was taken at Dundee, his repositories were
broken open, and his papers seized. He has as yet
received no reparation for the wrongs and injuries he
had sustained by persons acting in the name of the
King, and when such injuries, inflicted by such per-
sons,
existed, to what quarter could he look for re-
d; ess but to this House? He might, perhaps, be told,
Borthwick might bring his action against the Learned
Lord, but to tell this ruined unfortunate man to do
this was adding mockery to injustice—(Hear, Hear).
The Petitioner (said Mr. Abercromby) I have never
seen—of his former life I know nathing; but from
the communications I have had from respectable per-
sons, who have had intercourse with him on these
transactions, I am imperiously bound to state that
he has been in the several parts of these proceedings
most scrupulou, to restrict his statenients to the pie-
cise matters of fact, and that I could not be more
studiot's to avoid misleading this House, than Mr.
Bo' thwick has been to avoid misleading me—(llcar,
hear).—l. beg leave to move that this Petition be ,
brought up—(Cheers).
The Marquis of LONDONDERRY called on the
House to suspend their of on this question till
it came fairly before them. For his part, he (tl!‘'
Marquis of Londonderry) was not prepared to say that
some inquiry might not be ex pedicnt—( Hear,hear)..
Lord litsxtso and the LORD ADVCCATE strongly
urged the a; option of that course.
Mr. BROUGHAM agreed in this opinion. He
was anxious that the House should keep itself unpre-
judiced till the day of decision came. These indivi-
d iais were now on their trial, 'and let them have a
fur trial; but that had been the object of his (lon.
and Learned hi lend in the motion which he had
brought tin ward on a former night—he had only
for inquiry. But the fluw.e, in its wisdom,
then 'ejected that inquiry by its vote. But he now
understood from what had fallen from the Noble mid
Learned Lord, he war happy to find, that notwith-
standing the decision which the House then came to,
ce.tainly not by a very large majority, that inquiry
was to take place._ _ _ _

The Marquis cf LONDONDERRY thought iltho
House was to go intr. inquiry, the Hon. Gentlema:.
h o urge) it should niove for the documents on which
inquiry was to he instituted.

31r. C. WYNN was of the same opinion.
Mr. J. I'. G ltA NT was c. iitent to adopt the course
oroi:osed by the Noble Lot d, and the Right lion. Gen-
-ternan. 11 outd endeavour to keep his mind tin-
,nassA till he haA the evidence betiire him.

The Marquis of LONDON DER:: Y repeated, that
h.! Was ready to call tOr all the informatit-n which
.uuld be given on this subject, but he wished to be
understood as not being pledged to adopting any par.
lcular course upon that information.
Lot d A. HAMILTON wished to know if there was
was not to be a mittee •m this subject ?
The Nlarquis of LONDONDERRY said, he tm-
.l„,rszond the motion to be subwitted on this subject
by t e lion. Member (Slr. Abercromby) would be
for documents.

• Lord A. El A MILTON said, allusion had been made
to the verdict which he had obtained against the pub-
lication so frequently mentioned in these discussions.
It was a maxim of wise and general acceptance,
that a complaining party should go into Cow t with
clean hands, but it was his own misfortune that he
had gone into Court with clean hands, for the good-
ness of his character, and not the reverse, was insisted
on as a ground, why it was not necessary to award
him vindictive damages; and the Jury, acting on that
suggestion, g.sve him one shilling—(llear, hear).—
He would ask the House, therefore, whether he had
not a right to complain ? He would ask the Learned
Lord, whether he would now estimate the value of
the verdict by the damages to himself (Lord A. fla-
iniiton), or the odium and disgust which the well-
suppoited charges had excited ?—(Hear). He was
sure that the Learned Lord would not again commit
his character by so gross a misrepresentation—(Hear).
He had done so once, but he trusted it would not be
repeated—(Hear, hear). 1
Mr. A BERC ROM BY said, the course he intendeA
to pursue, as regarded Borthwick, would be to move
for oocuments of a legal character; but still he was
persuaded, should they be granted, he should not be
able to make out his case without pat ole testimony ;
without which, lie thought, justice could nut be done
to any of the parties concerned.
The Marquis of LONDONDERRY said there was
no disposition to withhold information on this sub-
ject. After that information was before the House
in a documentary shape, would ensue the question of
inquiry ; and the House would then say whether it
was necessary or not. ..
1 The LORD ADVOCATE stated, that so far from
1 shrinking, there was no sort of responsibility which
could fairly be imputed tohim which he did not covet.
The Petition was read, and ordered to be prinsedo

- - "t-• •
WAIIIACRit CareltafirrAllS AT 1101/D.
Afr.'W. SMITH tpalou a a question °Cabe Noble-
' Lord, the subject of whirl nit only affecifa 006-
tish Public, but all Europe. He understood that,
certain rumours were abroad respecting a transac-
tion at Constantinople, which would till every man
in this country with sensations of horror—(Hear).—
He brew some individuals who were deeply inte-
rested in these events, even beyond the feelings which
must agitate British hearts. He would ask the Noble
Lord whether any official accounts had been re-
ceived from our Ambassador at Constantinople, or
our Agents there, respecting the transactions to which
he alluded, and upon which some opinion might be
formed with regard to their truth ?
The Marquis of LONDONDERRY said he knew
that ten or twelve hostages had been put to death.
It arose out of the atrocities on both sides.

Mr. W. SMITH said it was nvt only ten or twelve,
but eighty or ninety; and he had seen a person who
had witnessed the empalement of six persons who
were hostages for their countrymen—(Hear, hear).
Sir JAMES MACKINTOSH wished to know
whether our Diplomatic Agents at Constantinople
I had sent any account of the new Slave Trade, when
the markets of Constantinople and Smyrna were
crowded with amiable and accomplished Greek fe-
males, •wllo were offered as slaves to the caprices of
barbarous Mahommedan voluptuaries?--(Hear,hear).
He. wished also to know if any of the persons exe-
cuted were under our protection ?—(Hear, hear).
The Marquis of LONDONDERRY considered
that those persons executed were not under our pro-
tection, except as far as humanity was concerned ;
and in that way Lord Strangford had greatly exerted
himself. As to the transactions at the Isle of Scio,
he could not speak accurately; but a future time
would be better for debating the matter. His infor-
mation went to the execution of many more, but not
on the same day.