Star.
London, England, 1812-02-15 00:00:00

THE E\ ENING STAR.

LONDON.
• SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16,
PRICE OF STOCKS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK
per Ct. Cons. tor money 62 --Do. for acc.62ii
Sjitt Ct. Reduced 62f-4 per Cent. 7814
Spa Ct.923—Bonds I6s. 17s. pr.—Ommurn 1 dis.
huh. Bills 6s. pre.—i-Ong Anns. 16i
Swzres u the only Office that bold a Prize of £205C00 in
blares in the last Lottery.
The reply made •by Mr. PERCEVAL to Mr. CCR-
"En allus;on on Thursday night to expected changes
in the Government, has, as might have been.expected,
given rise to many speculations and rumours. That
some changes will take place in a few days, can
lurdly be doubted :—The only question ist of what
complexion will they be ?

We believe it is ccrttin that a communication was

rude yesterday from the PRINCE REGENT to Lord
Guy and Lord GRENVILLE; and, from what has
been allowed to transpire, though the substance of
die cort►municatio►► is asserted to be still a secret, we
Joe reason, we think, to conclude that the tenor of
Mr. PERCEVAL'S statement will prove to be correct.
We draw this conclusion from the admissions in the

Morning Chronicle of this d ty, which says,
"When we reflect on the terms of hie Royal Highness's letter
"to Mr. PractvA 1. last rear, when he signified to that gestle-
" man his determination to make no change at that time in his
"Father's Government, we are persuaded that this communica-
"don related to the formation of a new Administration. Of
• the terms, or even of the substance of such a communication,
"we have no means of informing the public, nor shall we offer
tatty conjecture as to its probable results; but of this we are
• assured, that no consideration will induce either of these
"Statesmen to accept of office, without a thrrough understand-
'let that when in power they will be permitted to follow, .the
same he of general policy which they have recommended
`taken in opposition, and metre especially, unless they are audio-
Krard to carry into effect those measures of conciliation with
• ielt&rd to Ireland, which they have so often declared to be, in
461. °Onion, tesential to the peace and security of the Empire."
If this statement means any thing (.and we think it
means a great deal) the legitimate inference appears
to be this ;—that the PRINCE REGENT, acting either
final his own mind, or partly guided in his judge-
!bent by advisers in whom Ile places some confidence,
hi become convinced that, at this moment, the Ca-
than quest: on should be suffered to test ; that, in
consequence, some hint of this kind has been given
10 the Lords alluded to; and that this unexpected
eouartunication has occasioned a degree of embaraft-
tent Which may be more easily conceived than
tnoved.
As nutters stand at this moment, we may conclude
that Lord ELDON, Mr. PERCEVAL, and Lord LIVZR-
beL will continue to fill their present offices for some

time, and of comic influence the choice that may be
made of successors to such as may retire. Lord
CASTLEREAGH, if he does not succeed Marquis WEL•
LESLEY' wiil probably go to the Board of Admiralty.
The Marquis of HERTFORD, as we stated some time
ago, will likewise have the vacant Lord Chamber-
lainship, Lord CIIOLMONDELY the Household ; and
Lord JAMES MURRAY be appointed one of the new
Lords of the Bedchamber. None of the appointments
trill, however, he declared, until the first Council
after the expiration of the Regency Rtstrictions,
which will probably not be held before Wednesday,
the 26th instant.

• Phis week has been unusually productive of intel-
ligence from America, while the interest excited by
Mr. WHITBREAD'S motion for Papers relative to that
country, has directed the public mind more forcibly
than ever to that particular branch of our foreign re-
lations.—The warlike tone some time since assumed
by the Atneiican Government, added to the wild
ranting speeches of factious demagogues in Con-
gress, had a tendency to excite apprehensions calcu-
lated to impress us with an idea that the Government
of that country were serious, at least for a preparatory
War ; butt it is to be observed, that at the very mo-
ment when the inflammatory resolutions were debated
upon and passed in Congress, other branches of the
Legislature were occupied in framing resolutions, and
bringing forward bills, repealing in part their Non-
importation Law ; while at the same instant their
' Secretary of War, in a communication to a Select
Committee in Congress, broadly states his inability
to fulfil his contract with the Indians for coarse wool-
l:ns and iron wares, and recommends for their eons'.
deraticn so much of a repeal of the Non-importation
Act, as will enable him to furnish the expected sup-
plies.—This conduct needs no comment or animadversion—
the veil of mystery-is too transparent.—The American
Government want to find a plausible pretext to re-
lieve their necessities, and to obtain the impost and
duties arising upon the expected importation, but
dare not do it openly, lest they should incur the cen-
sure of the French Emperor, with whom, it is to be
feared, they are endeavouring to form an alliance.—
It is impossible to mistake the ulterior policy of the
French Government towards the Americans, and
'every other nation which it ,can reach by its unprin-
cipled measures of policy, or by its arms.—After
having been satiated with the blood of nearly two
millions of French citizens, it has constantly, under
its several different forms, for fifteen years past, been
manifesting insatiable lust for universal domination.
—Although gorged with extent of territory and
:dominion, it is never satisfied.--The .many vile
arts it has used for crushing the nations of
the civilized world, exhibit an unparalleled com-
pound of fraud and force. It embraces them, but it
is with the hug of the bear : it affects to offer thena,
liberty, but loads them with chains.; it makes them
first its allies, and then its vassals. Such is the
nature, genius, and disposition of the Government of
France; can it therefore be short of modness for the
Americans to expect from that power either justice or
mercy ? If they fall into the snare, they will sign a
covenant with death, and seal their own perdition.

Liit;

SERMAN'I'S INN HALL, CHANCERY-LANE, FEB. 14.
THE ICING V. BENJAMIN WALSH.
The point reserved in this important case came on
to be further heard this evening, at six o'clock, before
all the Judges, except Sir S. Lawrence and Sir, A.
Chambre, who were prevented by ill health from
giving their attendance.
Mr. CHENEY resumed the citation of cases in sup-
port of the argument, that the offence imputed to the
prisoner was larceny, and not fraud. With respect
to the doctrine, that the willingly parting with the
property of one man to another, did not destroy the
ownership of the person so parting wit's it, he cites the
case of Humphrey Moore, 2J East, 679; Paradise's
case in the same book, 565 ' • W atm' 56'2 ; also
in the same,volume, John Lavendcr's case, 2S East,
565 ; Chipchase's case, the next to the list, in the
same book ; Wilkin's, East, 675, and Noah Pearce,
same book, 603. In all these cases, it had been held
upon solemn argument, that although in ail of them
there Was a trust reposed in the party receiving
the possession of the property, tie ownes ship of the
pas ty entrusting existel as strong as ever. He then cited
several cases in support of the doctrine; that where
money or other property was parted pith for the per-
formance of a certain engagement, the non-compli-
ance with which had. been held to be felony ; pa:V.
cularly the cases of PACE', 685, East; Chalks-cod,
689, ibid.; Major Semple's, 691, ibid. ; and E-.cles;
675, ibid. ; in all of which cases it was laid down,
that the intention With which the oarty obtained pos-
session of the property; was the gravaten of the of-
fence. A manuscript case, entitled the King and
Oliver, tried before Baron Wood, the last Northum-
berland Assizes, he contended, was precisely in point.
This prisoner was indicted for stealing £35, the pro-
perty of a groom of Sir James Hall. The prosecu-
tor had entrusted the prisoner with notes to the
amount of ae:ls;to procure him gold and silver in lieu
thereof; but, having got possession of the money, he
never returned with it. Baron Wood held, that the
prosecutor having parted with his notes or: the faith
of his having gold and silver in return, ard the pri-
soner not haying complied with the trust reposed in
him, he was guilty of felony. Another case of the
King and Monday, East, 504. ; and also the c use of
Campbell, East, 6 t 2, in which, al:hough the posses-
sion of the property was cast upon the prisoner, with
the consent of the prosecutor, yet the offences a tl:e
prisoner were held to be felonies. He then cited
two or three other cases in support of the same doc-
trine, which he contended ought to govern their
Lordthips in theirdecisiofi. Had Mr. Walsh, conthated
he, in carrying the draft to the banker's, been knocked
down and robbed, he would not have best; answerable
to Sir Thomas Plomer for the loss ; and trloreover,
the property in the draft was continued all along to
the very banker's taunter, and that it was the same
thing whether he or Mr. Walsh had received the
money for the check. Upon the whole, the great
principle upon which he viewed thil case was, With
what intention did the prisoner take the money ?
The prim iple which marked this case as a feloniouti
one, was that recognized by Brackton, Pieta, Coke,
and " The Mirror," in their several definitions of
felony. He condoled by anticipating, fortified as
he was by the cases he had cited, the decision of their
Lordships in support of this conviction:
Mr. Sommerr having replied, and hating persisted
in the "enireetniii.eflig foirair and don!:
tended that the cases cited by Mr: Gtfrner were ht
no means in point—their Lerdtips pioceeded to de-
liberate on the case. Their decision will; no doubt
be known on the finicky of next Old Bailey Sessidns. •