Star.
London, England, 1802-08-09 00:00:00

SHEERNESS. AUGUST S.

Arrived his Majefty's Dip Tamer—Tlie Harpy Is paid off,
but will be commifficeed again in two or three days.—A (hock-
ing accident happened this day on board the Antelope, building
here; a man of the name of David Gaiter fell from a stage,
and received loch a violent contagion In his head, that he ex-
pired in a few hours aft-a.

GREENOCK, AUGUST 3. •
Thatfday arrived at Port °term, the Eglintoune, Dnu-
etas, from St. Vlnernes : had a paffage of 56 days ; kft load-
ing for Clyde, Diana, CAMPS/ILL ; MillferVa. ANDitiON
and Crdcrnt, DUNLOP.

Arrived aifo on Sunday, at Port Glafgow, the Liberty,
1141. co„ from Minoru., out tsi days, having touched at

Tic Mary, BRIICI, from hence, is antral at Virginia.

FROM LLOYD's LIST.
btAt, AVOUST 9.—Arrived and failed for the River, the
Tama frigate; Amphitrite —, from Barcelona; Arethufa,
Radky ; Marquis of Landklown, —; Maria, macanafta ;
and Royal Edward, .--, from Jamaies.—Wind S. S. W.
GRAVEUND, Mau ST 9.—PaR by the Phenix, Wood, from
Peteriburgh ; Two Friend', Wife, from Grenada; Ann, —,
(rum Mark-Ines; Argo, Nickolfon, from Surinam;
from Liam; Newham, Strand, from Gallipoly ; Liberty,
Miller, from Palermo ; Jonge Pieter, from Rouen; Wil•
Gam, Olsan, from Amlterdam ; Prince of Wales, —a; and

Argo, front Minorca.—Salled the Lord Ndfon,
for Hume • Ellsn, Brooking, for Leghorn; Emerald,Storr, for
Hamburgg ; Corporation, for Barcelona • Calais Packet,
—; and Prudtat, —, for Jerky; Regard, —, for
Stettin; Trim, for Rotterdam; New Venus, Urqu-
hart, for Corunna ; Pcdeverance, Lander-; Janie, Hendrick;
aad Juffroi. Algra, for Ansfterdata,

DISTRIBUTION OF PRIZE MONEt.
The Phenix Balt Indianian, for the capture of the General
Melanie French Privateer, will be paid on Thtupay the lath
MR at No. :.7, Nicholasrlane, Lombard-street.
The hind armed brig Hart, for the capture of the PruCian
boy Wrlvaert, will be paid at Deal, tomorrow the loth Init.
The Coop Kangaroo, for the Dolphin wreck, will be Fail at
No.t4, Clements-Inn, the iith init.
The Northumberland, lc Genereux, Succefi, Penelope, Santa
Terefa, Champion Princefs Charlotte, la Bonne Citoyenne,
Bull Dog, Port Mahon, Vincejo, Minorca, &mown bomb,
and thr. Neapolitan brig Sparvera, for the capture of the French
frigate k Dianne, will be paid at No. 34, Arundel Erect,
Strand, CO Thurfday the 12th Ina.

ThiArafta and Ilpofo, for the capture of l'ArolabtMaria,
6e will paid at No. 3, Salters-hall-coat, ea Wedoef ynnet,st,
the slth hilt.

The Indezible. for the prefervation from the perils of the
fen, of a Tunitian veld. carried into Malta. will on Saturday
the 14th initant, be paid at No. 6,Stanhope-lireet. Newealtle-
Mut.

On Monday arrived In Leith Roads, the Broderick van&
port, having on board the licit diviEon of the yoth regiment,
under the command of Liam Colonel Mean. from Minor-
ca and Egypt. The remaining part of the Regiment is dilly
expected from Portfmooth.
On Monday fennight, Capt. CdillaClLiti, Of the Royal
r Morse Ezdfc yacht, felted off Peterhead, aline", having on
Wig 400 asap stiersiga kirks. and is arms of Sims&

ASSIZES.

MAIDSTONE, FRIDAY, AUGUST 6.
ROBERTSON V. OAKLEY AND OTH

This was an aCtion of confiderable intereft and
curiofity ; it was in trover, and brought by the
plaintiff to recover of the defendants the value of
certain articles of houfehold furniture, of which
they had unlawfully difpotrefkd her. The damages
were laid at 30001.
Mr. Gaitaow faid he was Counfel for Mill Eli-
za Robertfon, a Lady of whom it was much more
than probable each of the Jury had heard or read,
becaufe it was one of the misfortunes of the age,
that perfuns of any celebrity in the world could
not come into a Court ofJnflice without having the
ciretimhances of their cafe foreitalled, and the pub-
lic mind prejudiced, at leaft as far as depended on
the writers of anonymous and libellous pamphlets.
He liqd no apprehenfions the plaintiff would for-
fer from any impreflion the Jury might entertain,
but he was convinced they would try the caufe as
if they had never heard of Mifs Robertfon. If they
had heard or read of her as the famous !Windier,
the lady who went about the country in vat iousdif
guiles, fometimes in man's cloaths, finnetimes at:
fuming one mode of concealment, fometimes ano-
ther, he tracd they would difinits fuch rubbilli
from their memory, and attend to her complaint
with minds as pure and unprejudiced as if they
had never heard of her name before. In his opi-
nion the cafe had nothing of novelty in it ; it was
a fimple action of trover by a lady ;mailed of a
large quantity of furniture, who had been unj oft-
ly dirpoffefred of it by a perfon who conceived he
had a right to commit what he called a little
wrong, but which was in fact a ferions injury to
another, in order to do a great good to hinifelf,
and he jwould venture to aiTert, that 'inlet's the
Jury were actuated by prejudice againit Mifs Rn.
hellion, there could be nn difficulty in point of law
or &Et in determining that, beyond all doubt, the
was entitled to a verdiCt. Mifs Robertfon had
Rated to him that it was very much her defire the
whole of her life thould be publicly difcuffed and
examined in this place, but the had modeltly ad-
ded to he; with, her fears that her Counfel would
neither be able to devote fufficient time to acqnaint
hiinfelf with the whole of her hiftory, or the Court
confider it important enough to occupy its atten-
tion. She therefore contented herfelf with appear-
ing as an ordit.::ry luitor, to demand jullice.—
' Without going farther into the detail of her life,
he would (late that the had been for Come time en-
gaged in partnerfhip with a Mils Sharp, in keep-
ing a boarding school for young ladies at Croom's.
hill, which they had conducted with reputation
and credit. For reafons unneceffary to mention,
this lady thought brighter profpeCts in life were
opening upon her—She had reafon to think the
thould form an honourable connection in mar-
riage. Indulging this flattering hope, the had
taken an hand-fume houfe at the Paragon, Black-
heath, which the had fitted up in a tittle of the high.
eft elegance. She had, before this, dealt with
Meas. Oakley, Shackleton, and Evans ; names,
perhaps, not unknown to the Jury. They mull
have feen them in the daily papers advertifing their
fplendid Magazines in Bond-greet and St. Paul's
Church Yard, where the public might be fupplied
with every article of ufe, ornament, and luxury ;
the fathion, (Lyle, and taße of which (Mifs
Ru-
bertfon had defired him to admit) nothing could
poffibly exceed, but the exorbitance of the charges
for them. She had before purchafed goods of Ma.
Oakley,andCo.to the amount of about 2001. and in
contemplation of her removal to the Paragon, had
applied to the defendants to convey her property in
fafety to her new houfe. They undertook fo to do,
and at the fame time wrote her a letter, informing
her how happy they thoold be to receive her future
orders; and what latisradion it would give them to
fee her at their Magazine des Modes. Things were
not called now by the fame names they ufed to be;
formerly the depot of a,tradefman's hock in trade
was called a chop!—then it became a warehoufe ;
now fuch terms were obrolete, and it was Magazin
der Modes. To (peak in plainer tams, the plain-
tiffs were furnifking upholfterers, at whore ware-
houfes any of the Jury or their friends might be
provided with whatever they might want to pur.
chafe, from a ftate bed ofone thoufand guineas down
to the humble accompaniment under the bed.
Mifs Robertfon ordered kveral articles, which '
were fent. At lalt Mr. Oakley prefented Matfett'
with propofals for furnithing Mifs Robertfon's
drawing-room ; it was to be done upon a fcale of
grandeur, of which plain Kentith men could form
no notion: it was to be fitted up in compartments,
dadeed marbles, gilt ! no i'faith ! he believed,
gold Mouldings! and the ceiling to be painted by
the moll eminent artifts, to reprefent the azure
Illy ; he wanted expreffions to convey an adequate
idea. In short, it was to he in the Oakley (Lyle.
The film required to complete thefe decorations
(tattled Mifs Robertfon; but the defendant filenced
her alarms, by laying, " 0 Lord, Madam, this is
nothing I a mere trifle l befides, we (hall not hurry
you for payment till it is perfetlly convenient."
Hementioned this to thew that Mr.Uakley thought
he had got an excellent cuftomer—one who, to
ufe his own expreffion on a former trial, would
either pay well, or not pay at all. It was only
by referring to that expretlion he could account
for tome of his charges. It was a rule that dude
who did pay paid for thofe who did not ; at kali
fo laid the wicked world. The drawing-room was
fitted up in a (Lyle of Eaflern magnificence. Soon
after it came to the knowledge of Mils Robertfon,
by means of that modern fource of information, an
anonymous letter, that Mr. Oakley had laid the
owed him toool. and he was doubtful as to her
being the perfon of fortune the reprefented herfelf.
As the had llipulated for twelve months credit, the
was uneafy upon the fubjed, and fern to him.—
He came and dined with her, and in the pretence
of two witneffes, difavowed having faid any fuch
thing. One of them, efpecially Mr. Creafy, was
the intimate friend of Mifs Robertfon—not inti-
mate in the improper fenfe of the word, for he
was a married man—not the lover of her perfon,
but the prokfred admirer of her venifon, wine,
and other good things her table afforded ' • he
. thought it very comment for his wife and chi'.

dren to have the nfe of her can iage; betties,
had no o_bjedion himfelf to an excurfion now anti
!hen to Margate, in one coiner of it. After the
dinner, Mils Robertfon took occafion to fay to Mr.
Oakley, " It has been communicated to me that
you have laid I owe you moo!. and that you
are alarmed—You kn.tw I laid I could not pay
you immediately, and you confenred to allow me
twelve months credit. If what I have heard is
true, do not let my credt be injured; tell me your
are apprehenfive of your money, and I will fatisfy
you."—" Dear me, Madam ! how could you flip-
pole me capable of fuch c.mtitid ? I am perfedly
fatisfied with regard to your fortune—l only with
you was more in my debt; lam too much of a
tradefman of fathion, and a man of honour, to at-
tempt to accelerate the payment of :t demand for
executing the orders of a lady, before the (Him-
lated period. The proprietors of the Magazin des
Modes would be athamed of thing in Inch a man-
ner, and to thew you, Madam, how fenfibly the
bare impittation alE:as me, I will give tool. to
ditlover the author of the report." The skit:Want
went on furnifhing her bottle, o lien fume periims
were importunate for money Mrs R ihertiim owed
them, and the was advifed to go away for a few
days to avoid them. till the was crarled to pay
the firms due to them. Now he came t“ the pith
of the prefiatt cattle. The plaintiff, rn leaving
her houfe, was naiad of goods bought of the de-
fendant, for which fliebad paid him. She had goods
purchafed of other tradefmen ; and the had alio a
confidcrable quantity of goods, furni(hed by the
defendants, for which they had agreed to give
twelve months credit. Ditrinf; her ablenee, Mr.
Oakley prefented himfelf late in the evening, at
her houfe, and alked whether the carper for the
drawingaoom was come? before lie could well
be anfwercd, this gallant tradefman—this ho-
nourable man—this llylith Marchand des Modes—
inlidioufly introduced himfelf up the area, went
round to the ftreet door, opened it, let in his myr-
midons, packed tip every thing he could find, and
made fuch good ufe of his time, that he left no-
thing for the morning beams of Aurora to fhine
upon but the bare walls. He had heard of different
kinds of ejedmeats ; among others, cf a Welch
ejedment, which was effected by unroGfing a
houfe, when the tenant, no longer (heltered from
the pitilefs florin, was glad to make his efcape.—
But fuch a mode of ejeCtment as this, of cart ying
off all the furniture, and leaving the tenant not a
bed to lie on, a table to dine off, or a chair to fit
on, was quite a new invention. He was at a lots
to conceive under what head it could be ranged
in our law books. Ateapproptiate name had juft
Brock him, it mull be called the—Oakley Execution.
Dull ordinary men of bufinefs, not your High.
flyers, who had their magazines at the Weft end
of the town, but common plain tradefmen, would,
if they had a demand upon any one for goods they
had fold upon credit, have taken out a writ, and
waited till they could have arrefled their Debtor;
they would have had patience till a trial at the
Affixes could hate taken place—till a verdid
Ibould have been pronounced in their favour, and
then till judgment could have been entered up.—
Such Row and uncertain proceedings were beneath
your &thing men of Bond-ltreet, therefore Mr.
Oakley, without any law to juftify him, had dif-
panted with all forms of juftice, and had affirmed
the offices of Judge, Jury, and Executioner, in
his own cattle. But he thould hope Mr. Oakley's
execution was not one which would be much fa-
voured. He took the law to be this r if a man
had fold goods to another, and had delivered them,
w.;ether on credit or not, but Rill more fir if on
credit, the ftipulated period for veWell had not•ex.
pired, and immediately after the delivery met a
Sheriff's Officer, who told him he had an execu-
tion again the perfon to whom he had fold them,
Rill nothing but the law would jultify his taking
them away again. If upon a perfon. who had
goods of different people, becoming infolven r, the
ITpholfterer was to run a race with the Bricklay.
er. the Carpenter, the Ironmonger, and the nu-
merous tradefmen who had furnilhed the Debtor's
honk, and all theft were to knock their heads to.
gether, each to tear away what he could, the
wildeft havoc and confulion would be introduced
into fociety. The creditors of Mifs Robertfon had
a right to lock her up in prifon, if that was any
gratification to them, as truly it (tented to be—
and it was an unmanly gratification—they might
confine her for lift in the gaol of Huntingdon,
where the had been, or in the Fleet Prifon where
the now was, alas! without any profped of deli.
verance, till the day of her death ; all this" they
might do, but they fltould not take away her
goods, becaufe her temporary abfence afforded
them the opportunity. The law was anxious to
prevent the occurrence of fuch a cafe as this. He
would fuppofe that a perfon had fold another, who,
was his friend, fool. worth of goods, au.! :hat
friend fuddenly was reduced to a ftate of info!.
vency, and was amenable to the Bankrupt Laws,
he might fay—" My Creditor has been my ft iend,
it is hard he thould be a lofer, I will get him to
take back his goods." They were taken back—
well, a bankruptcy enfues ; the law would not
permit filch a traafadion, but the goods mull be
reflored as a general fund for the benefit of the
Creditors at large. This principle of law applied
fo Rrongly in the prefent cafe, and was fo clear
and undifputed that he was perfuaded Melfrs.
Oakley and Co. would not have dared to have dif-
puted it, unlefs they had depended upon the pre-.
_iodic,: railed againft the defendant ; but they
would find that prejudice in a Court of Jultica
vanifhed, like the unfubliantial vapour which was
diffipated by the wind. He underftood it was to
be laid thefe goods were obtained by falfe preten-
ces. He was ready to admit his client had talked
of wild expeditions, which had all been difap.
pointed. But he defied the defendants to prove the
had wilfully deceived them by any one fable pre-
tence. Bin even if the had, it would not defeat
this action : if it could be proved the had obtained
the goods by what was denominated fwindling,
the might be iadided, but her creditor could not
enter her houfe and take away goods upon his
mere allegation thatthe had unfairly obtained them.
It would be molt unfortunate lithe law authorized
fuch a courfe, This was a cousary ia which the