The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-04-07 00:00:00

dr"-,r

SUFFOLK PETITION FOR REFORM.

" To Till Ho eouaAßLc TIIE CONNORS 0/ TWZ UNITA>
KINIaIOII 0/ GREAT BRITAIN AND I , IN PAILIA-
WENT ASSEWEILED.
" The huble Petition of theNobillty, Gentry, Clergy,
and Fremeholders of the County of Suffolk, assembled
at Stowmarket,
" Sheweth—That the County of Suffolk hes twice laid Pe-
Iti- es before the present Parliament, praying fors Reform
in the Representation of the Commons; but that these Peti-
tions, as well as many others of the same tendency Irani.
other counties, remain without effect.
"That your Petitioners feel an increased conviction a.
tbe benefits which would result from a more free, more ge.
neva, and morn frequent exercise of the elective (mettle ;
hut your Petitioners renew their supplication, not meralt
tseeause they believe that Reform would be beneficial, Out
EA.-wise because they claim it as a Constitutional right of
the Pr ople.
"That your Petitioners regardirith veneration and wars
etlachment the genuine Constitution of England; and they
therefore feel the greater sorrow and indignation when they
trace the growth, and witness the effects of abuses which
degrade and endanger it.
• That this revered Constitution gives to the people*
share in the Legislature, and a power of checking the Mi-
nisters of the Crown, by means of a body of Represeetatives
in Parliament, freely chosen by the Commons at large from
amongst themselves.
" That the Peers of the Realm, and the Crown itself, are
prohibited by law, as well as by the spirit of the Constitu-
tion. from influencing or Interfering with the Election of a
Representative of the People; so that the House of Com-
mons ought to be composed of Members chosen by the free
Commoners of the Realm to protect particularly their riguts

end Interests.
''Vat, b fact, the composition of your Honourable
House is widely different. That a large portion of your
Honourable House consists of Members nominated by cer-
tain Peers of the realm; a second portion by the Ministers
of the Crown ; and a third by individuals who have acquired
au undue influence in decayed Boroughs, and who too Ire-
.quently make this influence tae means of bartering the inter-
ests of the nation for their own personal advantage; lastly,
that a considerable number of the Members of your Honour-
able llouse enjey lucrative Places, Pensions, or Commis-
sions under the Crown, which render them more or less de-
pendent upon Ministers. That your Petitioners beg leave
to submit the present state of the Representation in Suffolk,
as one amongst many rumples. That from this County
sixteen Members are returned to Parliament; only two of
whom are eh ~sen by the Freeholders of the County ; that
tn are electd by the Freemen of Ipswich; two by those
ofo Sudbury;e and the othte ten Members are returned to
your 11011J0 able House upon the nomination of a very few
indiviormjs
- 'riot y our Petitioners disclaim any intention of throw-
ing lint eeriminate censure, or imputing intworthy motives
to a'l who enjoy this power of nomination, or to all the
Metehers who are thus returned to Parliament;
outb hour
r
Pe.Voeers cannot help seeing that, in consequenc.e
abuses L the Representation, a large majority of your Ho-
nourahm House is composed of Members who are corn-
pier ly independent of the people, and whose interests ire
dbliact frim, and frequently adverse to, those of the nation
at there.
" That the injurious resuls of these abuses have been
glaringly manifested of late years in the subserviency of
Parliaments to the Ministers of the Crown—in the enaetment
of Stelittes which tend to subvert the constitutional liber-
ties of the sobiect—in a great waste of the public treasure—
iu the inirrsition of exeemive taxes—an lin a disregard of
the emissions and Petitions of the people—even under circum-
runete of great national distress.
" That the severity and continuance of this distress make
your Petitioners feel the more sensibly the want of Repre-
sentetives whose interests would be the same as those of
the people,
" T'vt your Petitioners behold with disgust and indigos-
tiers the absolute Monarchs of Europe c inspiring spinet
the freedom of mankind, interfering with the internal affairs
of independent and unoffendingnations, and trampling alike
upon dell rights and international laws. That your Peti-
tioners cannot but feel a jealousy of the designs which these
powerful and unprincipled invaders may entertain against
the free. Constitution of England, if they should unhappily
secceed in destroying the liberties of Spain and Portugal.—
Test your Petitioners therefore deem it the more important
that the Constitution should be revived and strengthened by
a timely Reform, and that the liberties of the nation should
be shielded by their proper guarantee—a real Representa-
tion of the People in Parliament.
" That your Petitioners do not presume to lay down a re-
ticular scheme of Parliamentary Reform; they only ask fur
inch constitutional measures as may render your Honour-
able House the genuine organ and the security of Cm pen-
pie; but they must earnestly pray that your Ibnour.hle
House sill give the ea:Lest attention to this great olject,
ant will thus, by restoring the strength and it • lemony of the
coustiretion, empire the retorts of domestic prosperity, gene-
ral confidence, and national power."

PETITION OF THE BARLEY GROWERS IN NOR-
FOLK.
The following' a7p'ears from a Norfolk paper to b. in
the conrse of sign2tnie in the neighbourhood of Nor-

.slob :
To the tforourah:e tLe Commons of the United Kingdom of
Oreet Hritain end Ireland, in Parliament assembled.
The humble Petition of the Owners air! Occupiers of Land
io the vicinity of Norwlrh and in the county of Norfulk,
t•itiew rth,—Teat your Petitioners humbly beg to rerresent
to yourlion. House the very great losses they have long suf-
fered by the great depreciation In the prices of agricultural
produce ; and they tr.erefore humbly beg to call the serious
attention of your 1-ionourable House to enact such laws as
i I tend to increase the consumption of barley.
.• And your Petitioners humbly beg further to state, that In
their opinion a fin Vier reduction in the duty of malt, and a
free and IM. psi dent sale of beer, would not only material-
ly benefit your Petitioners, but that the lower orders of so-
ciety (who are the principal consumers) would be supplied
with a very superior and more nutritious beverage at lower
prices, and Isis Majesty's revenue scarcely eiminiehed, as
your Petitioners verily believe that the increased consump-
tion would compensate for a less impost of duty. •
"Your Petitiobers also beg humbly to state.that whilst
their very.esistecce as aviculturists depends upon re-
ceiving.fetr reniurerating prices for their crops of bar-
ley, they cannot but view with the greatest alarm the
dangerous end increasing niotiopolizing system pursued
by the brewers in the purchase of public houses at enor-
mous high prices, to the exclusion of small capitalists,
who would otherwise be competitors by brewing a sope-
v*or 'quality, and consequently increase the consumption
of tht principal leo !uce of Norfolk.
" Your Petitioners beg further to state, that whilst all
other trades in the United Kingdom are free and open to
alt
his Majesty's liege subjects, the produce of barley. which
pm a very large duty in beer and malt, is the only ar-
ticle restricted in its sale, and, consequently. diminished in
Its censamption, by the present existing laws in licensing
ptrilic-houses ; and as a proof that a much less quntity of
malt is Vow used in brewing than heretofore, your Peti-
tioners beg to refer to the returns made to, your Honour-
sole House, by which it appears, that notwithstanding the
fl.iurishing state of our trade, manufactures, and commerce,
and a very considerable Increase in the population of the
country. tile qaenti y of malt charged with the duty in the
year 1812 was less by $,831,31-1 busisels Ulan in the year
1791.
•• Yont• Petitioners also beg humbly to state,that the bills
now introduced by the Honourable House, imPosing a
duty of las. per barrel on beer, to be sold at a price not ex-
ceedine -275. per barrel, will he of little use to your Petiiion-
erg. if the Brewers are res•ricted not to use more than one
quarter of malt for every five barrels of beer, because, sin-
less the malt he of a superior quality, a sufficient strength
cannot be drawn, and the sale of second and inferior malt
(which, if not restricted, might fiad sale for brewing for im-
mediate ose) wit remain as heretofore, a drug upon the
market. suffering a depresssion of 11l or I2s. below that of
the beet coality, as may be seen by a reference to the prices
in Matkriane.
Your petitioners therefore humbly entreat, that your
Honourable Rouse would reduce the duties, grant a free
trade, and give such other protection and encouragement
to the Agriculturists. as in your wisdom shall seem meet.
•' And your Petitioners will ever pray," dc.

''.!_: THE ST.

101URICAN PAPIIRS. -
• . t... 0.
Tiro following letter, copied from the Bakirmire Ame-
rican, affords the true key to the fate of. the Bill re-'.
.ported at the last Session by the Committee on Mann.
factures :
EXTRACT OF • LETTER TO THE EDITORS, PROM A MEM-.
BER of/ coNGSESS,
ashingt DATED
Won, Feb. 24, 1823.
" The tariff hill is put to sleep for the present Session.
It asked more protection for certain manufactures than
was prudent. We lose etnnetiuvs a great good by ask-
ing too much. It would have deprived the treasury, an-
nually, of at least one million of dollars, and gave no-
thing to replace that tax, for which the Committee 6n
Manufactures are not sensible ; their duty is confined
to such objects as may he benefitted. It will be much
better that a bill should originate with the Committee of
Ways and Means; they must, 1 think rep
a tariff on
general prir,ciples at the nest Session, when the chair-
man on manutactures can move such amendments as he
may think will tend to the advantage of the manufac-
tures of our country. I say that the Ways and Memo
must report a tariff act next year, because, (if they de
not) our finances will be as bad in 1823 as they were in
1820—Congress must lay an excise on spirits—twenty-
p
five cents er gallon wouive flue minions er an-
num, and enableall Congressld toaid our growingp manu-
factures."
FROM VALPARAISO.—We have been favored by a
friend, with the following extract of a letter, dated
Valparaiso, Nov. 36.
" I have just escaped from one of the greatest dangers
that l ever experienced. On the night of the 19th inst.
we were visited by a terrible earthquake, which laid this
Ilfine place in ruin*, and shaken all Chili to its founds-
' Lions. What few houses are still standing are so shat-
tered that they can be no longer tenanted. 'the inhabi-
tants have all retired to the hills, and are living in tents.
You cannot imagine the horrible condition of this place;
there will no doubt be a famine, as provisions now are
selling at the most exorbitant prices. About three
hundred people have been taken out of the ruins, and
every day two or three are found.
" I was sitting with some frets Is in my room, when
the first thing I heard was falling of the roof—and on
rnshin4 forwards, 1 found it- impossible to stand, the
earth was its such violent agitation. I fortunately got
into the street before the house fell—the next moment
the earth was rent asunder, leaving a tremendous chasm.
The objects on all shies, the screams of the dying and of
the fugitives, and the danger which surround me. tilled
my mind with the most awful emotions. At length, 1
was delivered front danger by the interposition 4.f one of
my friends—and I have been living ever since ott lewd
Every two or three hours there a rt.-ev convul-
shion of the earth, which communicates itself to the yes-
'els in the harbour.
SALEM, (Mass.) MARCH 3.—A few days since, an'
enormous cod fish, weighing eighty:Mur pounds, was
caught by some Marblehead Pi-itermen. On its being
landed, it was at once agreed to present it to John
Quincy Adams. as an appropriate testimonial of the gra-
tiTude of Fishermen for ins most able and triumphant
defence of the Amerivan right to the Pisi.eries, in the
negotiations of Ghent. The fish was accordingly frozen
with great care, in order to preserve it, incased in a
box of ice, and transmitted, with a letter from the do-
nors, to the Hon. Secretary of State.--(fiegister.)
New QRLBANP, 'Fan. 17.—Loss of the Steam-boat
Tennessee.—The Tennessee left New Orleans for Louis-
ville, on Sunday the 24 inst. with 16 cabin and about
160 deck passengers and a cargo estimated at eighty
thousand dollars. At Nathez the number of (leek pas-
sengers was increased to shout ISO, whence she departed
on 'Thursday 6th inst. with ISO porous on board ;
on the evening of Saturday the tfdt, being about
180 miles shave Nathes, the unforeseen and terrible
accident occurred, which is detailed in the statement of
the surviving passengers below, by which the boat and
cargo was entirely and almost instantly Inst—upwards
of thity persons drowned, and the remaining individuals
of ther passengers and crew with ditlicti!ty saved from
sharing the same fate. The night proved very boister-
ous accompanied by a thick fall of snow, and many who
hail escaped a watery grave, by ctiaging to bashes and
trees, or by gaging in!ct the ntarsto s, narrowly escaped
perishing from the s-verity () the weather. It gratifies II
us to learn, that the sante humane and manly qualities
which have distinguished Capt. Campbell through life,
are awarded to hint on this occasion, and the survivors,
while they speak in :he highest terms of his ability and
uniform carefulness as a commander, attribute to his ex-
ertions the preservation of many. of those who most have
perished, hut for the unreentt-d swell among the
marshes and basins, which was continued tin ing the re.l
mainder al the Hight.
Cs n p orsengers lost—Mr. Nonvelle. of Lexington,
K. ; J. W. Poole,of Baltimore; J. Maybin, of Philadel-
phia; Mr. Caruthers, of Teanessee.
Deck passengers—Mrs. Mansher and child ; (keep
Sanders, Samuel Cooper; David Nave; John Kielty; Sa-
muel Ilencely; Alexander Stewart, first engineer; John
Kepler, 2d ditto ;---s-Terley, fireman ; negro James, 2nd
cook; negro- Fanny, steward; Agile., a negro woman
belonging to Mrs. Shields; s negro woman and two
boys, belonging to 2 passengers.
It is supposed by the captain and passengers that from
10 to 13 deck passengers, have perished, whose names
are not known.
We, the undersigned, surviving passengers on board
the steam-boat Tennessee, commanded by Captain John
Campbell. boned from New Orleans to Louisville, do
state, without being consulted, or solicited by Captain
Campbell, that this beat teas well mailaged on the trip—
that on the night of the hob inst. this boat struck on a
log some distance from shore, whieli caused her to sink
in the space of 8 minutes; the night was dark, and the
engine was stopped, but so soon as the extent of the in-
jury the host had received was known, it was started
again with the view of running her on shore, but she
wont down so fast that this effort proved unavailing.
(Signed by a committee of the surviving passengers.)

N.

SURREY ASSIZES.

KINGSTON. ATIIII. 1. 1823. .
GAINSFORD V. SCOVItI.I..
Mr. COMTN opened the race, by stating that this was
an action to recover the value of a certain quantity of
butter and bacon, which had come into the hsthis of the
defendants as wharfiogers, and which they had converted
to their own nee, &e.
Mr. M A RRYATI then addressed the Jury for the plain-
titf. . The delentlen,s, Messrs. Scorch. be said, were
merely nominally se, Messrs. Owen, Carroll and Co. of
Watet ford, the slippers of the hotter and bacon, having
given them a guatau'ee. He then detailed the following
circustances, which we afterwads supported by the
evidencem of 1t...i witnesses.re Carrollr and ,on the 25th
Nov. his', shipped 11$) lielcins of butter 11841 25 bales of
baron,"on board the Friends, Captain Ellio:t, on ac-
count of a etaresein..nee:- of bun ion, upon wham they
drew for the amount ag-reeably to the terms of the con-
tract made by their agent. The 101 l of lading and in-
voice far these goods were received by the cheesemonger
on the ttlith of the same month of November. On the
26th of the following month (Der.) he sold the butter
and bacon in qnestion to another chersemonger, upon
Mnn he drew. ais enstornary, r the amount at two
mounths. About a week after, is rheesemonger placed
the bill of lading in tbe trends of a broker, who, at his
request, shisanced him 3:101.on the same. receiving at the
same time, authority to sell or otherwise dispose of the
1 goods, to reimburse himself for the advance he had made.

meese---.--
For this purpose the broker applied to the plaintiff who
declined buying;' but, at the request Of the broker,
agreed to make ao advance upon the gtiods, upon having
the bill of lading placed in his hands as a security. This
transaction took place on the Bth of January, and the
two rheeseusongers having stopped payment on the 27th
of Janaary, at which time the ship had not arrived, the
shippers of the goods, Owen, Carroll and Co., determined
to hive the goo :s stopped, and fur that purpose applied
to the defendants, Scovells.
Mr. OWINET, for the defendants, endeavoured to show
that the plaintiff was aware of the insolvency of the
cheesemonger to whom Carroll shipped the goods, and
also of the other cheesemonger, to whom they had theat
n
sold ; bet the only witness he produced, proved that
plaintiff had actually given credit to the cheesemonger
to whom the broker made the advance, subsequently to
the Bth of January. The Learned Gentleman said, that
at most the plaintiff was not entitled to recover more
than 298/. ss. 4.1. the sum he had advanced ; and he
trusted the Jury would think with him, that he was not
entitled to a verdict at all.
Mr. MARaYATT, in reply, said, this was a case absos
lntely without any defence at all. The defence which
his learned friend hail endeavoured to set up, namely,
a collusion between the parties, was proved to have no
fountlatioo. Nay, the only witness called by the de-
defendants' counsel, had strengthened the plaintiff's case.
As to the amount of damages, lie differed entirely from
his learned friend. Although the plaiatiff's claim may
fall short of the value of the goods, yet lie was entitled
to recover the whole value, because he stoodin the situa-
tion of a trustee for the surplus ; the same as in a case
of mortgage where the advance had been short of the
actual value of the estate.
Baron RtCIIAROS said, that it appeared in evidence 1 .
that Carroll hail made a legal sale ; that the person who
pnrchased of Carroll had made a legal sale to another ;
that that other had parted with the. bill of lading in a
legal way to the broker, as a security for money advanced,
and to whom lie hail given power to sell the goods ; and
that the broker had placed the bill of lading in the i
bands of the plaintiff, who had actually advanced out of
his own pocket the sum of mil. ss. 4d. The legal title,
therefore, was clearly in the plaintiff ; and if the Jury
were of opiiiiim that all was fair and honest, as it ap-
peared to him to he, they would then find their verdict
for the plaintiff for the whOle value of the goods, which
appeared in evidence to be 3361. Bs. 10.1.
Verdi' t for the plaintiff 3361. 18s. 10.1.
Messrs. WILDE, ltkes and PEACOCK, attorneys fur the
plaintiff.
Mr. Jews Bruit's, jun. for the defendants.

PORTUCIAL.

iSv the Lisbon packet on Saturday, a file of the Did
rio do Govern°. has been received from the 10th to the
20th ult. These papers describe the movements and ope-
rations of the Constitutional Army down to the 17th.—
The following is an outline of the:n : —General Itego
reached Villa Real on the 9th, with four battalions of
chasseurs and tnree of infantry, and the Penafil, Maia,
Ville flu Conde, and Barcellos militia. On the following
morning, he sent forward a light division, consisting of
four battalions of chasseurs, and the 21st regiment, to
Villa Ponca de A pier, nearly mi.l.way between Chaves,
the Er-Count's headinarters, and Villa Real, those of
General Rego. This light divisioa was commanded by
Brigadier-General Pamplona, a brave and experienced
officer, who was twice promoted during the Peninsular
war, on tite field of battle. •
In the mean time, Brigadier-General Correa, with a
brigade of militia, and the Ilth chasseurs, also moved
forward on the 11th, pursuing a line of march to the left
of Villa Real. The rebels posted in the neighbourhood
withtlcew es the Constitutional troops advanced, and
did tstt offer the smallest resistance. On the 11th, they
sent a Captain with a flag of truce to Vali Real, who in-
formed General Rep that the object of Ex-Count Ama-
rante was not to spill blood, but to unite with his coun-
trymen, and form a Constitution similar to that of France.
nem Rego dismissed the Captain, telling him that he
could acknowledge no such General as Amarante, and
that if he and his followers had repented, they must ask
pardon of the nation and the King.
On the 13th, Amarante concentrated the whole of his
force, and attacked the light division tinder Gen. Pam-
plona, which, as above stated, had been pushed forward
from Villa Real. This division was composed entirely
of infantry, and that of the enemy chiefly of cavalry. A
very severe action took place, and Genral P&OlilOnS,
after behaving in a most gallant manner.e and seeing his
lit le force overp ‘wered by superior numbers, was him-
self compelled to surrender. The particulars of this oc-
currence, as far as they were known at the time, are
toned in in General lie 's despatch, found in our extracts
from the Lisbon papers; but private letters from Lisbon,
of the 20.11, writt-at at night, consider this affair in no
other light than as a surprise of au advanced p. Gene-
ral Pamplona, who was at least seven leaguerost in advance
of the main body, comatanded by General Rego, was per-
haps too confident ; but the incident can have no mate-
eat effect on the eventual issne of the cause. General
Rego immediately crosacd the Tamega, a river that de.
scends into the Doiro from Chaves, and took up his po-
sition in the city of Amaraide, as being inure convenient
to form a junction with the twits advancing from Oporto,
and to organize a plan of operations with the Spanish
Commander in Galicia. General Quirega. Sousa, for-
merly Ambassador in London, and who batl been ap-
pointed Governor of Villa Real by the Ex-Count, it is
said, had fled.
With respect to the scere of Count Ainar in'e's at-
tempts, it has been limited to the not therm division of a
district which forms Yearly a par dlelagratn terminated
on the south by the Douro. The Tausega constattites
the western side of this district. On this nv-c, within a
few miles of the frontier, st ends the town of Chaves; and
Amarante, the hearkpiarters whence Rego dates his last
despatches, seems ta be above two days' march lower
down the Tamega, and within less than (moor the confid-
ence of that stream with the Douro. The river may be
considered to form the eastern extremity of the disturbed
district, and on the north le reaches to Galicia.
'When Count Amarante began his work, he held forth
to his countrymen a return to the goo t old times, in all
their glory—the King to absolute pewee over his subjects,
and over his Majesty the Inquisition. For this lot, un-
fortunately, there were few or no bidders. The Count
has latterly put up a new article, and offers the charter
of Louis KVI 11. Hto this may answer, it is probab:e
that a post or two will inform us: bat it is clear that the
rebel General could not himself have hal any fixed view
of the real dispositions cherished among his countrymen
in favour of any noes pecific frame of government, sinee
he finds himself so OOU compelled to shift his ground,
and to change the principle in which he demands their
concurrence. •------

An Evening psper on Friday, it appears, put into cir- l .1
culation a statement to the following effect:—" That the
French Drclarat;on of War bad been received by our
Government—that Thursday was the day appointed for
its discussion, with our Foreign Minister and the French
Ambassador, and that his Excellency and Mr. Canning
were actually closeted,. for two bogus, at Gloucester
Lodge, on that day, on this important subject." Those
persons who hate ten aims of Imowing better, declare
that there are not the liiast grounds for to story. All that
gave countenance to it was, that the Viscount de Mar-
cellos, who is not the Ambassador of France, but
merely the Charge d'Affaires, did certainly d
of two
. hours) but it was nothing more than a visit of ceremony