Star.
London, England, 1811-06-27 00:00:00

;;..:.J.:; ~. __

possesowiewqmarommommo."+"PmP"'"Posor".••••••••
FIVE GUINEAS REWARD.
IF the YOUTH who left his Friends on Friday
Night at Bath will immediately return, he will be kindly re-
cetied•roind if any person will give information where he may be
fouotl to Mr. Physick, St. James's Parade, Bath, such person
shall be entitled to FIVE GUINEAS Reward.
He Is about 14 Years of Age, about 4 feet 6 Inches high, dark
contplexidn, black hair, blue eyes, andlong eye-lashes. Had on,l
—*hen be went away, a short green jacket with white buttons, a
light waistcoat with yellow metal buttons, a.blaek handkerchief
round his neck, and pair of blue cloth pantaloons. The said
Youth is supposed to be gone to some Sea-port Town.
N. B. Persons Are cautioned against detaining the Youth above
described. as he is an Apprentice.
Bath, June 23, 1811.

_

- R""~

- - - ~,,
..,,,,

.

s•

.

O • •
11ARL141MENTARr PROCEEDINGS.
HOUSE OF LORDS, JUNE 26.
Their Lordships met early in a Committee of privilegeepn the
Berkeley Peerage. Serjeant Best was heard conclusively to be-
' halt of the senior claimant:
I The ATToa N rs-G ENca AL then, proceeded to address their
Lordships on the part of the Crown, when be was interrupted by
a motion from the Woolsack for adjournment, which took place
at about half-past four o'clock.
Prayers being read, and the Committee resumed, the Attor-
ney-General re-entered on Om argument in behalf of the crown,
and went on at considerable length.
The House being resumed at about half-past five o'clock, the
Royal Assent, by commission, was given to tie Votes of Credit,
Drawback Suspension, Bank Silver Tokens, Army Prize-Money,
Snow-hill, and Temple Bar Improvements, Maidstone Gin,
Norway Timber Duty, Glebe Houses, the Appropriation Bill,
the Lottery Bill, the Irish Stage Coaches Bill, the Militia Bills,
the Soldiers' Families Bill, the Cornish Miners bill, Lord Clon-
curry's Divorce Bill, and several local and private bills ; in all 67.
The Commissioners went—the LORD CHANCELLOR, Lord
AT LEIF ORD, and Lord WALSINCIIAM.
The Militia Interchange Bill was brought upfront the Commons.
Earl STANHOPE gave notice that be should, to-morrow,
make a Motion of the most extreme conseque ice, relative to the
purchase of Guineas, and the Depreciation of Bank Paper.
Lord WALSINGHAM presented a Petition from Mr. Lop-
den, requesting that the Bill then before the House, respecting
his Divorce, should not pass into a law.—Ordered to be taken
" into consideration to-morrow.—Adjourned.
HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Writs were ordered for the election of new Members to serve
in Parliament, in the room of the Right Hon. Wellesley Pole,
IMember for the Queen's County, who had accepted of the office
of Chancellor of the Exchequer for Ireland; of General Cie-
' plane, who had vacated his seat for the Borough of Kinross, by
accepting the situation of Commissioner of Excise in Scotland;
landuf Sir John Sinclair, late Member for the County of Bute, who
had been appointed Receiver-General of the Taxes in Scotland.
MR. ST. JOHN MASON'S PRTITION.
Mr. SHERIDAN, in rising at this late period of
the Session for the purpose of bringing before the
House the claims of a much injured individual, would
begin by signifying his wish that the future cognizance
of them should be submitted to the Irish Government,
which, from the manner in which the late commission
for the inspection of prisons had been conducted, had
proved itself fully competent to the reformation of
abuses and to the redress of injustice ; and they would
find ample materials, upon which to exercise the good
qualities he had attributed to them in the case of the
petitioner, which was one of as flagrant outrage and
oppression as had ever fallen beneath the notice of
any human tribunal. Admitting, as he did, the good
effects of the commission he had adverted to, and the
upright intentions of the persons who had acted by'
virtue of it, he could not pass over in silence the '
shocking disclosure which had been consequent on
their inquiries. The state of the prisons to which their
attention had been directed, as described in their Re-
port, was shocking to humanity, and, if resting on
any inferior authority, it would be perfectly incredible'
how it could exist, when Members of Parliament, whoi
talked so much in this country of Irish grievances,
and Members of the Irish Government had the means
in their power of inquiry with respect to it, and pro.
'curing its reformation. The petitioner, Mr. Mason,
did not now come for Ward for the purpose of procu-
ring compensation for the losses he had sustained in
point of fortune, severe as they were : his profession
hael entirely, and his patrimony, in a great measure
fallen a sacrifice ; but his chief concern was- his cha-
racter, and with a view to the recovery of that, he
had made the present application to the House. The
Hon. Member then read a clause from the Petition,,
stating the confinement of the petitioner for two years,
under very aggravating circumstances, without having
had any charge preferred against him. The Govern-.,
ment of Ireland, he continued, while under the admi-
nistration of Lord Hardwicke, stood charged with
an act of the most violent injustice and oppression,
and it was incumbent on that Noble Lord, if he felt
that he could exculpate himself from any share of
blame in the affair, to promote an inquiry. He was
certain that nothing could be more gratifying to him.
As to the private information which had been re-
ceived against Mr. Mason, it was obvious, that if
the prinliple was admitted, that a man might be
ruined, and torn for a period of two years from
his friends and family, no man would be safe under
his own roof. The present Petition was as much
the business of the public as that of Mr. Mason.—
He had originally intended to propose that the Peti-
tion should be referred to the cognizance of a Select
Committee ; but he was apprehensive that the late
period of the session rendered that now inexpedient";
and according to what he had already stated, he felt
that the petitioner would have every reason to expect
justice from an inquiry instituted by the Irish Govern-
ment. He should therefore move—
" That az bumble Address be-presented to his Royal High-
ness the Prince Regent, praying that he would cause an inquiry
to be instituted into the substance of the Petition of William St.
John Mason, Esq. which had been laid before'the House on the
7th of May last ; and which Petition charged the Government of
Ireland, under the administration of Earl Hardwicke, with an

SWEDISH AND GERMAN PAPERS,
NICE, MAY 12..
An English frigate had conceived the project of
seizing upon a xebeck laden on account of Govern-
, snent,, anchored in the gulph of Rotta ; on the 7th,
at 45 minutes after ten in morning, the wind having
tailed, and being within half cannon shot of shore,
• she commenced a cannonade upon the vessel. The
battery iif the Gulph, and that of_Bordighera answered
.it by a lively fire. The combat lasted till two in the
afternoon. During this interval, the under Prefect
_of San Remo, who went, upon the firing of the first
cannon to Bordighera, in concert with the Mayor of
that town, ordered the national 'guard and Custom-
house officers to take up arms, and placed them so as
to defend the vessel threatened, and prevent the boats
which the frigates had launched to assist her in her
designs, from approaching the coast.
The fire of the batteries was so well directed, that
several balls hit her in different places, and completely
destroyed one of the boats launched. After a battle
of several hours, the frigate was obliged to renounce
her intention, and get without reach of she battery.
_ Her loss must have been very considerable.
FRANKFORT, MAY :30.
On the 29th they began to take off the seals placed
upon the warehouses of several merchants of this
town. The result of the eery rigid examinations which
have taken place are not yet known.
BERLIN, MAY So.
We arc not fertile in 'political events, and Prussia
continues to enjoy the most perfect tranquillity. The
Goverbment principally occupies itself about the
finances, and in protecting the coasts from all insult.
There incessantly depart for our ports, troops, artil-
lery, and ammunition. We are well prepared to re-
ceive the English, should they, which is not likely, be
inclined to attack us.

ST. LOO, MAY 30.
At five o'clock this morning his Majesty went out
into the Roads, and ordered the squadron commanded
by Rear-Admiral Troude, to put out to sea. This
squadron performed several evolutions, at several
leagues distance from the Roads. At eight o'clock
their Majesties took their breakfast on the Dyke, at
Cherbourg. The squadron, which had returnedkaut
again to sea. At noon their Majesties ascended their
carriage, and at seven o'clock in the evening arrived
gt this place.

ST. PETERSBURGH, MAY 22.
The Duke of Vicenza, hitherto Imperial Ambassa
dor at this Court, who on the 19th instant returned to
France, was on his departure presented by his limpe,
rial Majesty with the Order of St. Andrew, richly set
with brilliants.
STOCKHOLM, JUNE 13.
His Majesty's most gracious letter to the Directors
of the Custom House, regarding their pajings atten-
tion to the order of the 30th July, 1744, for pievent-
ing the exportation of gold and silver Coin, contains
a-circular letter from the King of Sweden to the Go.
vernor and Magistrates of the several provinces, ad-
monishing them to keep a watchful eye over the due
fulfilment of the said order, and to bring all persons
offending against the same, to due punishment.
His Majesty has, by a Proclamation oldie 4th inst.
re-opened the Chest at Wadslena, for disabled soldiers
and seamen. They are tobe divided into four classes.,
and to receive a pension of from three riz-dollars 16
shillings to 24 riz-dollars per annum.
SPEECH OF BERNADOTTE, PRINCE REGENT OF SWEDEN, ON
THE OCCA6ION OF A REVOLT OF THE INHABITANTS OF
WERMOPEN, IN CONSEQUENCE OF THE ORDER FOR EN-
.
FORCING THE CONSCRIPTION.
" 'llw King received with the deepest affliction, the
. • lntell-
lgence of the criminal outrages which have taken place in Wen-
- moden. If his Majesty had not yielded to those emotions of cle-
mency which influence his conduct on all occasions, he would
have declared your isle out of the Constitution, and affixed to the
inhabitants the sell of reprobation. The King has not commanded
any tidirg to be done contrary to the laws. He has only caused
to be entorced a resoltition of the States of the kingdom, sano.
tioned and approved by himself. His Majesty has therefore a
right to exact the strictest obedience. The ►eason of disorder is
passed—the reign of the laws must begin. The King being em-
powered to levy 50,000 men, in conformity to the resolution of
the States, fur the recruiting of his army, has required only 15,000,
because he thought the latter number amply sufficient for the de-
fence of the country. And do you presume to put a false con-
struction upon the paternal motives of his Majesty I Had your
ancestors been no better patriots than you, Sweden would now
have been under a foreign yoke. I would put this question to you
—Have you a mind to remain as you are—free and independent
Swedes?
" lam a true Swede in my heart. I was summoned to this
country by the united voice of the nation and of the King. I
came with confidence to protect and defend you ; bat if any one
dare to resist the execution of orders, the guilty shall be struck
by the arm of the law, as promptly as if he were struck by the
lire from HEAVEN. I will for a moment put myself in your
situation. You still cherish• a remembrance, though a melancholy
one, of the venerable Landtvarn, who beheld the cruel death of
' • one of his sous ; he, indeed, might have been excused for giving
reluctantly his consent to abandon another to the same fate. rex I
have no swell excuse—and I repeat what l have already said, if
the interest of the State required your sons to inarch„ which is
not likely to ►e the case immediately, I am ready to maelh at
their head, and they shall be treated with paternal tenderness,-1
• Banish -then your groundless apprehensions, and always bear in
- mind that the most effectual mode of preseving the independence
of your coutity,is to be prepared to repel foreign aggression.
" 1 have beheld with satisfaction the contrition you have ma-
pifested in your countenances, which experience has taught me to
decypher ; your consciences!, f perceive, accuse you, and 1 am sa•
Ogled that your min& are not corrupted. You have been under
4 niomen'ary delusion, and entered yourselves to be the victims
of misconception and misrepresentation. I will beseech the King
ce extend his clemency to you, and to bury what has just hap-
pened, in obliyion, in copslderation of your prompt submission;
Out I admonish you to prove, by your subsequent demeanour,
that yog were worthy of such a signal mark of the Royal bounty.
i do not desire even to know the names of those who took apart
in the ituedisturbances, but I shall always hold in grateful remem-
brance such of the inhabitants of Wermoden as have proved
dyer to be good Swedes; and happily their number greatly ,
exceeds those of an opposite description. To convince you of my
wish to drisw a veil over recent occurrences, I propose ere long
to pay you inisit, accompanied only by my son ; no guard shall
attend me, being confident that my ben security is in your affec-
tions." ' ' '

N. '

...

that he had found every apartment in a state of the
most perfect cleanliness and comfort. He had gone
' a second time, on the supposition that they had been
prepared for his inspection, and at a time when Dr.
Trevor could not be apprized of his coming; and the
result of this second visit had satisfied him that the
complaints against that Gentleman were without
foundation,indeed, be had always thought him in-
capable of acting in the manner in which he had been
represented to have done.
Mr. WILLIAM SMITH said, that his acquaint-
ance with' Mr. Mason was very slight, having only
met him once at the house of a common friend ; and
be now rose chiefly to express his opinion in conse-
quence of the connexion the subject had with the pub-
lic interests. A Right Honourable Gentleman op. ,
posite had contended, that the case of Mr. Mason was '
similar.to that of any other individual imprisoned un•
tier the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act. He
did not wish to deny the general-expediency of im-
prisoning persons who were supposed guilty of endea.
vouring to subvert the Constitution ; but whenever
such inquiry existed, and was acted upon, a violent
outrage was committed against an individual, if inno-
cent; and it was the business of the people for whose
welfare it was committed, to make compensation, a
case of perfect innocence being made out. He did
not contend that the injury should not be inflicted—
but that the injured person should have.a right to re-
dress. He wished that the Petition had been made
the subject of discussion at an earlier period of the
Session, when it might have been referred to a Select
Committee. He did not wish to cast any imputation
psi the Members of the Irish Government ; but it was
'only natural to suppose that they would not look with
a very severe aspect on the acts of their predecessors.
Having presumed thus much, he would assent to esti
"motion of his Hon. Friend.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
said, that when Mr. Mason was confined, it was not
by virtue of a suspension of the Habeas Cotpus Act,
so that if he had felt conscious of innocence, and sup-
posed that he could prove it, he might have sought
his remedy by an action at law, But in no case,
where the discretionary power vested in the Crown
for the protection of the State was fairly used, and
that no feeling of private malevolence could be pro-
ved, would a Jury give damages ; and it was hs opi-
nion, that Mr. Mason's confinement Was attributable
to no cause butaftecessity, real or supposed. He did
not, therefore, feel at all surprised that Mr. Mason
neglected to adopt what would have appeared to be
his most natural course of proceeding. He approved
much of the reference of the subject to the investiga-
tion of the Irish Government ; and he would beg leave
to observe, in answer to the objections that had been
made to it, that if Mr. Mason and his friends were
dissatisfied with the result, it would still be compe-
tent for the House to institute the inquiry, which, in
that case would be only delayed, not given up.
Sir FRANCIS BURDETT said, tl‘at if the rea-
sonings of the Right Hon. Gentleman were admissi-
ble, then he could not conceive why we should affect
to plume ourselves on living under a tree form of Go-
vernment. The Right Hon. Ge'ntleman had stated,
and but too truly, that the case i f Mr. Mason was
not singular ; but it guilt was to be imputed to that
gentleman, because he had neglected to bring his ac-
. tion, what were we to say of the acts of those Minis-
) tern who required a Bill of itistemnity to screen them
from their consequences ? It the subjecting Mr. Ma-
son to solitary confinement for two years were to be
considered mer ly as a measure of prevention, he
should wish to know what additional punishment re-
mained for established guilt ? He objected to persons
not legally authorised interfering in the economy of
our jails, a practice of late but too prevalent. Doctor
Trevor seemed to be a person of this description, and
it was in consequence of some undue interference of
the same kind, that the Petition of another aggrieved
individual (Mr. Finnerty) had been met the other
night by reflections on his conduct. Whatever were
the motives by which the Government was actuated
in the affair of Mr. Mason, and others of a similar
nature, it would not be said that those of their subor-
dinate agents might not be of a very improper nature;
but that on which he grounded his chief objection to
"the doctrine of arbitrary imprisonment was, the spirit
by which all Governments were impelled by, of mak-
ing 44 assurance doubly sure," and thinking light of
any infliction on an individual, when the stability of
their own power could be thereby incr .ase.l.
"I The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
xplained.
Sir CHARLES BURRELL replied briefly to-the
F arguments of Sir Francis Burdett.
' Sir HENRY MONTGOMERY thought that the
characterof Lord Hardwicke, and that of the Secretary
of State in Ireland, during nis Administration, were
sufficient vouchers that no step had been taken with
respect to Mr. Mason bat what had been cal'ed for
by necessity.
.. _._______
.that ;--

set of injustice and oppression." Mr. HIiTCHINSON said, . in voting with
Mr. YORKE rose to second the motion of the Ho. the. We. Gentleman •on the floor, he must not be
.nourable Gentleman, but at the same time felt him. supposed a. tacitly censuring
.the-conduct of Lord
:self bound to animadvert on certain parts of the speech Hardwicke ; the Administration• of that Nobleman
he had just heard. When he had stated that the re- in Ireland had been characterised by lenity and mo- ,
suit of the commission appointed to inquire into pri- deration. He was satisfied, indeed, that the suspi.i
son abuses in Ireland, was the bringing to light their cions entertained against Mr. Mason had no fbunda-i
[existence in so terrible a degree as he had de. tion; but he could suppose, from what be had wit- 1
scribed, he very clearly proved that he had not read nessed in that country in 1798, that it was easy for a"
the Report upon which he had founded such an asser- Chief Governor to be misled by a multitude of alar-
, tion. With respect to the mode of reasoning he had mists, who were ever forward with expedients to quell
I adopted as to the hardship Mr. Mason had sustained, insurrectionary symptoms, the produce of their own
-and the general bearing it had on the rights of the cruelty.
subject, it was sufficient to observe, that it would ap- Sir H. MONTGOMERY explained. •
ply to every case of imprisonment under the suspen. Mr. LONG believed, if ever a man was disposed
ston of the Habeas Corpus Act. He was aware that to lenity, that man was Lord ,Hardwicke. He
the Honourable Gentleman had been always hostile had no doubt, but that he would be fully justified,
to that measure ; but this was not a time to invite a were any examination made on the apprehension of
discussion as to its demerits. Mr. Mason's desire to Mr. Mason. The apartments where he was confined
clear his character from any imputation attaching to were airy and clean, every way fitting to preserve a
it, he considered as highly laudable ; but he must beg prisoner?* health, and much lenity seemed to be ;
leave to enter his caveat against any supposition that shewn to him by the jailor; though he considered
•-the establishment of his innocence involved the crimi- the Motion to be somewhat premature, he would
nation of Lord Hardwicke. That Nobleman had agree with it.
never heard the name of Mr. Mason previous to his Mr. SHERIDAN denied any charge against Lord
confinement, and it was absurd to suppose that he Hardwicke, no man doubted his humanity i but he
could have-had any motive for persecuting an indivi- believed that he might have been imposed on. With
dual wholly unknown to-him. respect to the delay in producing the Petition, he ob.
Sir EVAN NEPEAN could testify, from his per. served that it was not in a shape suitable to be pre-
sonal,knowledge of the transaction, that Lord Hard- sensed, else he would have given it to the House
wicke had never been actuated by any personal ani. sooner. The suspension of the Nodes: Corms\ did not
tziosity against Mr. Mason. He would further state, warrant the committal of Mr. Mason, though it had
that he had-visited the room in which that Gentle. Ibeen ingeniously argued, no regular information was
man had been confined, and could assure the House then Waited on; but every min Goasidtral by the