Star.
London, England, 1828-11-18 00:00:00

SPANISH AND ITALIAN REFUGEES.

Yesterday evening a Meeting was held at the Londe.4
tavern, for the relief of the Spanish and Italian. Re.
{ogees. Mr. WILLIAM STEPHaNs having been called
to the Chair,
Mr. GALLOWAY, who had been principally instru.
rental in calling the Meeting, stated briefly the object
for which they were assembled, and enforced with con-
siderable warmth and effect the duty of assisting the
unfortunate sufferers, not merely on the ground of
humanity, but in consideration of the cause in which'
they suffered. He concluded his speech by proposing
g 'ring of Resolutions declaratorylof the sufferings of
these unfortunate men, and requesting of the Lord
Mayor to call, at the earliest opportunity, a Common
Council, for the purpose of voting, from the funds of
the Corporation, a sum of money for their relief, and
agreeing to a Petition to Parliament, praying the Legis-
lature to make some permanent provision for them.
• Mr. MEARLX spoke in favour of the Resolutions. He'
trusted the benevolent exertions of the public or of in
dlviduals would not be weakened or suspended in con-
sequence of a report which had gone abroad that his
Grace the Duke of Wellington was in negotiation with
the king of Spain for the purpose of obtaining per-
mission for those unfortunate sufferers to return to their
naive country, and to reside there unmolested. Their
titer's was out of the question. Even if such permis
sion were obtained, how were they afterwards to sup.
pot t life ? They were either professional men, whom
erle necessarily deprived of the usual sources of erno•
lument and employment, or men whose property had
been confiscated, and which they could not hope to see
restored under such a Government as that of Ferdi.,
nand. He felt more acutely on this subject, because,l
having himself been recently in Spain, he had expe-
rienced many kindnes-es Irom the friends and conuec- I
Lions of these persecuted men. He feared that any.
provision from the Legislature or the Government was
not to be expected, and that they must look solely to
the benevolent efforts of individuals and of the public.

Mr. Bow RING said that an intimation had been re,
cently received from the Lord Mayor of his readiness to
preside at a public meeting, either in the Common
Roll or at the NlAnsion House, for the purpose of en-
tering into a subtc.iption for the relief of the sufferers..
Such being the case, it would perhaps be better if
.tlE-
present meeting were to confine themselves to resolo•
Lions declaratory or the distresses of the Spanish Re-
fugees, and retitle-tins of the Lord Mayor that he would,
as early as possible, call a public meeting with a iidw
tsi their telteE His friend ('lr. Galloway) would not
thus be preluded from proposing any ulterior measure
it it should be • judged necessary. These unhappy suf.
firers had peculiar claims on the sympathy and beneiro-
lence of Englishmen, ftr they were victims to the cause
of liberty. If, in consequence of resistance to a despot,
who wished to govern At the suggest on of his uncon-
trouled will, any of those he had the honour of addressing,
were forced to take refuge in a foreign land—above all.,
in a land of fie,dom—viculd they not consider them-
selves as having a well ginunded claim to kindness and
protection ? Though the Government of this country
bad not perhaps done all that, might be expected, will
it could not be denied that they . had rendered Irv)
efficient service. The number which ar first stood on
ttie list for relief was 700, of whom lout or five hun-
=dred had already, by their own exertions, °Wailed
some me ins of. support, and withdravin themselves from'
the list. It was some proof of their general merits, that,
out of so small a number, not less than two had been
deemed worthy of filling some of the most respectable
chairs in the London University. Notwithstanding their
distresses, their conduct was irreproachable.' Never
was so large a portion of misery combined with so
small a portion of vice.
After a few observations from other speakers, Mr.
GALLOWAY withdrew his Resolutions, and those of Mr.
BOWRING were agreed to.
" Mr. FRESHTIELD informed the Meeting that the Lord
Mayor, he had reason tobelierre, would be most willing
to preside at a public Meeting for the relief of the
unfortunate sufferers. Mr. Alderman Wood would
have attended upon this occasion, had he not been called
suddenly from town, in consequence of the illt.ess of
Mrs. Wood. He trusted that something effectual would
be done, now that the public attention was called to the
subject. Indeed he had recently received various sums,
and many communications, into the details of which
that was not the proper opportunity for entering. One
communication was trom Mr. Secretary Peel—(Rear,
hear)—and another from Mr. Labouchere, the banker.
would generally state to the Meeting, that, :inc.
public attention had been lately called to the subject,
R )yal and munificent donations had been transmitted
to him— (Applause).
After some other Gentlemen had spoken, a deputa-
tion was api:ointed to convey the sense of the Meeting
to the Lord Mayor.
On the suggestion of Mr. BILEADEN. the Proprietor
of the London Tavern, a subscription was entered into
in the room, which, before our departure, amounted to
upwards of 1501.

' A great number of individuals have been admitted to
the freedom of the cities of Dublin and Cork by the
respective Corporations, who are known friends to Pro.
testant ascendancy. The multiplying; the freedoms ii
with a view of preventing the predominance of Forty
shilling Catholic Freeholders in these cities, who have
no will of their own, but vote at elections according to
the dictation of tilt it pastors.
Toe Coloiribian Vice Consul has given notice that
the G Arernment of Colombia has resolved to farm the'
branches of the public revenue appropti tied by law to
the payment of the English Loans, and to place the
produce of tie same in the hands of a person duly au-
thori ed by the bondholders, if they agree. If the pro. ,
duce of the revenue should prove inadequwe to the full
discharge. of the engagements to the foreign creditors,
the Government will attend to any suggestions from
the bi.ndhoiders for providing additional means.
TRIAL SY JCRY.—The following anecdote is related
by an eminent Barrister—The wife of an inhabitant of
a small town in vie West of England having.died sud-
denly, and it being known that the deceased had lived
on no very friendly terms with her husband, from whom
she'had received repeated beatings, a report obtained
currency that she had died from ill-usage; and the
husband was taken up and put upon his trial for man-
slaughter. On the trial the husband called several
witnesses to prcve that he had never beaten his wile,
escel.t upon very great provocation ; and that the do.
ceased, from her temcer, required wholesome correction.
Two surgeons swore that the death was natural, and
that it had not been at all occasioned by unkind treat-
ment ; and tie general impression of the Court and
Jury seemed t') be, that the man had been needlessly,
dragged before a tribunal of justice. When the Clerk
of the Court went to the Foieman and inquired if the
Jury were agreed on their verdict, the Foreman replied
emphatically " Yes." The Clerk then said—" What is
your verdict, Gentlemen?". To which the Foreman,
with still greater emphasis, replied, t, „Sated her rigid."