Star.
London, England, 1826-01-14 00:00:00

AFiAzits OF RUSSIA.

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7ROM ?Ike&
the' important and most . extraordinary fact of the
abdication stands authenticated; but the real motives
and causes of it are as imperfectly explained as ever ; and
this i% a want which, in all probability, time alone can
supply. With regard to the influence of this accession
of Nicholas to the empire upon surrounding States, it
would be silly to hatard a conjecture. He promises in
his Manifesto to follow the footsteps of his brother.
These are vague words: but it may not be amiss to
remark, that peaceful as were the reported inclinations
of Alexander, and " moderate" the tone of his policy,
the late reign was an example of steady and succ:ssful
aggrandizement, at the expense of all the neighbours of
Russia, save the Austrian territories alone; and exhi-
bited a growth of military power, more truly formidable
to enemies or rivals, than any reign within the last
century, that of Catherine not excepted. The continued
incorporation of Poland with Russia seems to be decided
by the same singular proceeding which has transferred
the imperial Crown.

FROM TUB MORNING CHRONICLE.
The Documents from Russis prove huw dangerous it
is to speculate respecting the conduct of individuals. It
now appears that Constantine, so far from being dis- '
satisfied with the bounds of the Russian Empire, and
wishing to add the best part of European Turkey to it,
had not even a desire to ascend the Throne. His letters
place the subject beyond all df.ubt. Whatever faults
he may have, he has never been accused of duplicity,
and, after writing such letters, we must suppose him
one of the most finished. dissemblers that ever lived, if
we believe him to entertain a wish for empire.
It is a remark of the historian, Ribertson, that there
are several instances of Kings resigning their Thrones
from disgust, from desire of ease, or other motives, and
retiring to private life ; but that there is no instance of
any body of men consenting voluntarily to yield any
portion of the power. of which they may happen to be
in possession. Most men are fond of power, and in
anticipating the conduct of a body, we may safely' build
on the inclination of the majority, which becomes that
of the body. When we take a hundred thousand men,
we can tell to within a little how many of them will be
alive in thirty years; but when we fix on a single indi
vidual, we know not whether he may live one day or a
hundred years.
The publ cation of these Documents, and the gene-
ral belief they are. calculated. to produce of Constan-
tine's unwillingness to reign, will, we should suppose,
prevent any attempts on the part of the military to make
a party in his favour.

TRAM Tire BRITISH PRESS.
The reasons which induced Constantine to renounce
his birth-right yet remain uneiplalted. The docu-
ments appended to the Manifesto, and numbered in
succession, communicate no information whatever as
to the motives that have led to this extraordinary abdi-
cation. Never do we recollect to have read so un-
meaning and unsatisfactory a letter as that which
Constantine, in the first initance, is represented
to have addressed to the Emperor Alexander.—
No reason whatever is assigned for his abdication,
which can rationally be supposed go have influeoced
him. The act must, therefore, be regarded as the im-
mediate result of sonic powerful influence, whickp .at
the moment, he was incapable of resisting. Whether
he will, under all circumstances at the present- lime,
be disposed to acquiesce in the arrangement by which,
without equivalent or compensation, he to givenp the
largest ter, itorial dominion in the woi ld,we shall shortly
know. We confess that these documents, so far from
inducing us to regard the Russian succession as set-
tled, rather lead us to consider it precarious and un-
certain in the highest degie... We are yet anxious to
ascertain which Emperor the army of the Pruth are
disposed to support. If, indeed, they should choose
the pacific Nicholas, the question be decided ; but,
we doubt that such will be their choice. No wish ap-\
pears to have been manifested by Constantine for the
possession of the kingdom of Pound, or any other
power or distinction independent of the will_ of his
brother Nicholas.

FROM Tile NEW TIMES.
The papers before us throw no light whatever on the
motive that first impelled Constantine to make this re-
markable sacrifice. We are strongly inclined, hqwever,
to believe, that the explanation which we have hereto-.
fore given, will be found to be correct, and that he gave
up the toils of empire for the pleasures of domestic life.
It does not strike us, that there is anything miraculous
in the state of mind which would prompt • a Prince to
make such a choice. Instances of the kind, it is true,
ate not frequent in history, but they are by no means
inconsistent with the general philosophy of the hu-
man mind.

One other point demands notice, and it is no less sa-
tisfactory than impo&tant. The Emperor Nicholas ex.
pressly declares that he desires his reign to be nothing
but a continuation of that of the Emperor Alexander.—
The great characteristic feature of Alexander's policy was
its pacific tendency ; his views were to maintain the
peace of Europe : and, therefore, when we peruse the
warm and earnest encomiums which the present Sove-
reign of Russia passes on the character and conduct of
his predecessor, we cannot but regard them as auspicious
omens of the peaceful tenour of the approaching reign.

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bLD AILEY—TBLS Dirt!'.

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Henry t..oceet'el wis put to the bar des an indictment
charging him with ror*lNg and uttering is true a Cer-
tain paper, purporting 10 be a note for Si. payable At the
house of Messrs. Hobhdlise, Martin, and Co. bankers
for the cities of Bath and Bristol, on the SI of lie.
cember last, knowing the same to be forged.
Mr. Batmen= cross-ekamined the witnesses for the prosecution,
In order to elicit some fact in favour of the prisoner, but they all
Swore positively, and the Learned Baron,
Mr. Ar.a.zauDEl, hating summed up the evidence, merely a
repetition of what hat already appeared in the Police reports,
conseq(.eatly we are spared the trouble of repeating it. The Jury
found the prisoner—Guilty-43mA.
Williams Nickelson, described as a weaver, aged 19 years, was
iput to the bar on an indictment charging him with burglariously
breaking and entering the dwellitig-house of Robert Meagle, with
intent to steaL There *as nothing in the case that could call for
la full report of it, and, therefore, we merely state, that he was
found Guilty—Death.
Yesterday-, ittichati Simmons, 11 years of age, but
known as the associate of bad characters, was charged
with stealing a pocket-book, containing a half sovereign
and other monies in silver, amounting to I/. 6d, the
property of Isabella Stulpiner. Verdict—Guilty.
The Racoansa immediately ordered him up for judgment, and
sentenced him to be transported for seven years.
Charles Skinner was charged with stealing from the
person of G. Dyer, printer, the sum of 4i.--Guilly.
Thomas Flinn and John Flinn were charged with
seedling a coat, value SI. the property of Benjamin
Johnson. Verdict—both Guilty.
The RECORDER sentenced Thomas Flinn to be whipped in the
jail, and kept to hard labour, and John to be imprisoned for three
months.

William Williams was charged w;th stealing a quan.
tity of kersey mere, the property of Wm. Brown. Gufty.
Ann APCormack was indicted for assaulting, on the
King's highw.sy, Mr. Augustus Henry Graveley, for-
merly of the East India service, and taking from his
person a silver watch, gold chain, three seals, and a
key, of the value of 201.

The Jury found her guilty of stealing, but net from the person, as
the attack was nude out sf the city of London.
Daniel Dean, a compositor, was put to the bar on
an indictment,'charging him with stealing on the 18th
of November, in-the parish of St. Bride, 1801bs. of type,
the property of Mr. Walter M'Dowall.
There was another indictment against the prisoner,
charging him with stealing I 301bs. of type, the property
of John Fowler Dove, under similar circumstances.
Mr. Walter•'WDowall sworn—l carry on business with my fa-
ther. The prisoner was in our employ from the beginning of Sept.
until the middle of Nov. He was employed as a compositor.
(A pair of composing cases was here produced in Court, and the
witness explained the manner in which the matter was composed).
The wisness proceeded—While the prisoner was in our employ,
three pages of types of " Archbold's Practice" were missing. The
fount of long primer was much scarcer than it had been.
Mr. Wm. Jeffries sworn—l ant a printer. The prisoner called
on witness, and he purchased the type produced in Court of him.—
It was in the same state at present as at that time.
Mr. APDosvalt Identified the type produced as his property.
The prisoner, on being called on for his defence, complained that
he bad been treated with undue severity by the prosecutors. He
declared that he was once's* person who stole the property, and
threw himself on the mercy of the Court.
The RECORDES summed up the evidence to the Jury, who found
the pri.oner Guilty.
NEW COURT.
Geoiie Joplin, aged 30, was charged with stealing
from the person of .Frederick Woods, two gold seals,
and other articles, hit property.
It appeared by the evidence of the prosecutor, and a
witness of the name of Jones, that on the evening of
the day earned in tiro indictment, they had spent the
evening together at a public-house in Great Rupert.
street, Ihymarket, where the former drank rather
freely, hut Jones was not so. The prisoner joined their
company, and although Jones, the prosecutor's friend,
was capable of protecting him, insisteJ on joining in the
e• con to the Yorkshire Grey, Piccadilly where Mr.
Woods lodged. On their way he was robbed of some
valuable seals, upon missing v, hich, Jones accused the
prisoner of the robbery, and he was given into custody,
notwithanding he denied tire charge in the 'post posi.
five terms.

In their cross-examination by Mr. A isortEws, th
the witnesses denied that they hai ever attempted to
compromise with the prisoner's friends, and by accept-
ing a douceur forego the, prosecution.
To invalidate this statement, Mr. ANDREWS called
Wm. Fletcher, who stated that he was acquainted
with the prisoner.' On Monday last he accompanied
the father of the accused to the Yorkshire Grey, to point
out Jones, in ( rder that the father might know the p• e-
cise nature of the charge against the son, and see if he
could not settle the difference. This witness prevari-
cated so much, that Mr. Andrews told him to leave the
box, but he recalled him, when he was subjected to a
rigid examination by the Court, when he again mini.,
felted an uncommon degree of mental reservation, so
that he was given in charge of the officers, lest be should
depart the Court, until the verdict was returnel
John Joplin, the father of the prisoner, said, that he
went with the last witness to see Jones, who, i i his con-
versation with. Fletcher, said, 14 If you will make good
my loss of time, and give me a pound extra, I will
be off to-morrow and nit appear at the trial." Vitness
joined them, and said that the life of his son had been
sworn away, and he would not give a farthing. They
afterwards became more friendly, and witness proposed
to treat them, and then to toss for grog. Subsequent
to this, they all went to a one.handed man, who Jones
said was an attorney. He saw Woods there, and was
Informed by him that if his loss was made up, he
would compromise on the same terms as proposed by
Jones. He came all the way from the city of Dat ham
to further its end, on the supposition that the charge
against his son was a bare fabrication.
Mr. Serjeant ARABIN said, it was extremely strange,
that a person of his age should drink and toss with the
parties whom he supposed had, by perjury, made a
charge of felony against his son.
A great number of very respectable witnesses, who
had known the prisoner for from four to ten years, gave
him a most excellent character.
Mr. Serjeant ARAIIN summed np the evidence with
great minuteness, and remarked strongly upon the man-
ner in which the witnesses had given their evidence,_
The prisoner had certainly received an excellent charac-
ter, and if the Jury had any doubt they would give
him the benefit of it.