Star.
London, England, 1821-01-03 00:00:00

EXTRACT FROM A LETTER, DATED ROURDEAUX, TIIE

10Tf1 DECIOIBEIt, 15420.
" Since I last wrote to you, the information which
has reached me on the subject of the Slave Trade
continues to be extremely discouraging. By a letter
from the Havannah, I learn that this trade is carried
on as actively as•ever, and of late I am truly morti-
fied to find, chiefly under the flag of France, that
being, it seems, the only flag which can now protect
this infamous traffic from British seizure. The dif-
ficulties in the way of the abolition of this trade have
always been very formidable, even with ) on, but
widt us they are greatly increased, I fear by cur not
being able to reckon on the sincere and active co-
operation of all the members of our Government.
Indeed some well-informed people of this place
scruple not to assert, that the Minister of the Marine
himself, M. Portal, still has considerable property
engaged in the old commercial house which himself
formerly conducted in this city, and which his ne-
phew continues to conduct under the firm of Portal
and Co. a house which, from its colonial connections,
must be closely linked with the Slave Trade, if it
does not partake directly of its gains. Here also
they speak, without reserve, of the particular interest
which two persons, filling very high offices in the De-
partment of the Mar ine and Colonies, have in obstruct-
ing the execution of our laws for abolishing the Slave
Trade: their names are M. Mauduit and M. Forestier.
If all this be true, and it is very confidently asserted,
it will at once explain why the wishes of my coun-
trymen in general, as well as of most of the present
Ministers, on this point, should have been eluded.
—I leave you to judge how painful it must be to
me to give you this information. I wish I saw any
thing in tiro state of our political affairs which afforded
a better prospect for the future; but circumstances I
lead me to tear that the warmest partizans of the.
Slave Trade are about to come into power. Our last
Elections have greatly increased the number of Ultra
Royalist Deputies. They have already had meetings
at Paris, at the house of one of their Chiefs, the
Count de Vaublanc, who was Minister of the Interior
in 1515 ; and it is calculated that their party will in-
clude no less than 190 Deputies. With such an
array, they flatter themselves that they shall be able
to force the Ministers to act agreeably to their views
and principles. This M. de Vaublanc, one of the old
Colonists, and the Count de Bruges, Aide-de-Camp
of Monsieur, are stated to me to be the two 'most
active partizans of Slavery and the Slave Trade;
and as they possess great influence amongst the Ul-
tras, it is much to be feared that they will saccess-
fully oppose any repressive measures which the
friends of humanity and our Liberals might wish to
adopt, whose efforts will probably prove fruitless, if
the Ultras should either become the Ministers them-
selves, or should even be the/ influential allies of the
present Ministers."—Li:eyool Mercury.

The following is an extract of a letter, datel Per-
nambuco, November 1, and received at llavre by
the French ship I:Auguste, Captain Oge :—" The
impression produced here by the intelligence of the
events that have taken place at Oporto was extremely
strong, and convinces me that nothing but terror
prevents our being in a state of revolution. You
must not be surprised, therefore, at hearing of my
sudden return to Europe; for I, who witnessed the
insurrection of 1817, and the state of anarchy which
accompanied it, know too well the effect of the di-
versities of opinion, as various as their complexions,
that govern the different classes of his Majesty's sub-
jects, to trust myself among them when under the
influence of popular agitation. I watch patiently
the storm that appears to be gathei hag in the distance
—gradually curtailing my business, disposing of my
property, and making investments in the English or
French funds. Nothing, except the union of the go.
vernment of Brazil with our European brethren, shall
induce me to increase my stake in this country, where
I am like a traveller with one foot in the stirrup, ready

to start at a moment's notice." /
An extract of a letter from Brussels, dated.the 29th
ultimo, ten o'clock, p. et. says—" At this moment the
PRINCE illoyat's Palace is almost burnt to ashes, and
great fear is entertained for the Stadt-house."—A
postscript to another letter states—" The Palace is
now in flames. From the want of water, fears are
entertained that the whole edifice will be consumed."
DUEL..—Yesterday morning, a meeting took place
in the Regent's Park, between Captain J— of the
Royal Navy, and Mr. an independent Gen-
tleman residing in Baker-street, Portman-square.—
Tlie parties arrived on the ground, attended by their
seconds, a short time after eight o'clock, when every
endeavour was made to effect an amicable adjust- ,
meat, but without success. The distance (twelve
paces) was then measured; and the Gentlemen fired,
when Mr. H— received the ball of his antagonist,
in his left shoulder ; he was.immt.di.acly conTeyed
to hi: r....idencv.