The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-05-09 00:00:00

Mr. DAWSON did not think that the Petition
which the Right Honourable Gentleman, the Secretary
of State. had quoted, ought to close the doors of inquiry
io that House.
Mr. TIERNEY thought that the House might go on
examining witnesses ; a number of the Grand Jury had
no objection to be examined. It was possible that the
question which caused the difficulty before the Hoose
might he never raised.
Mr. N. DOUGLAS suggested that, as there could not
he had a full inquiry, it would be better that 'the Com-
mittee should report progress, with leave to sit that day
six months.
Sir J. MACKIN'TOMI said that another Petition had
b-en presented by the High Sheriff and the Jury, pray-
ing for an inqniry into their conduct. Now, as they
mild contemplate no inquiry without the examination of
the Jury themselves, they mast have been aware, and
most have been prepared for that examination. He
thmieht that, without pressing the question as to the
rictus of the House—a right which appeared to him he-
. vond dispute—it would be better to take the sense of the
House upon a It•solidion, that it was not expedient to
examine the Grand Jury.
After a few words from Sir G. HILL,
Mr. PLUNKETT said that he agreed with those who
conten led that rank injustice would be done unless the
inquiry was to go on; ut it was not the Jury but the
Sheriff who wan inculpated.
Mr. R. SMITH suggested that it would be right to
move that under the circumstances of the case, it would
not be eem-dient to proceed on the inquiry, with
respect to any thing that had, passed before• the Grand
Jury.
Mr. PEEL said the Committee hrd nothing to do with
the conduct of the Grand Jnry, except as it tended to
impngn or exculpate the Sheriff. He thought it would
be better to proceed with those parts of the inquiry with
respect to which all were agreed, and to postpone the
question whether it might be necessary or expedient to
examine the Grand Jurors.
Mr. BROUGHAM agreed with the Right Honour-
able Gentleman, that the only practical method of evad-
ing the difficulty %valid be to postpone to the last
moment the consideration of the abstract question as to
the necessity or expediency of examining the Grand
J iron.--(Cries of "go on.")
John Davies was then called in. and

Examined by Coland BARRY.—He knet; person
mined Addison Hone ; in was a wan of birch political
teeline. Some flays before the *meeting of the Grand
Jury, be heard Mr. Hone speak to Sheriff Thorpe aboat
•the prosecution, and expressed a ni.h to be on the Jury;
when the Sheri& said he was considered a party man
in the City, and that he (Mr. Thorpe) did not think
fit to pot him on the Grand dory, as there were cir-
cumstances of a very peculiar nature coming' before it.
Witneas understood by party-mau. a hi Protestant
.AsTenflancy-men--not an Orangeman. Witness is not
art Oraniemin. He was one of the Grand Jury in Ja-
na try lest.

A I.!ter was h•re pro laced from the Crown Solicitor
in Ir.J. ind, requiring bath the Sheriff.; to return a panel.
William Carpenter was neat called. He raid he was
a buildet.
Evamined by Col. BA lIRY.—He knew William Poole.
lar,l a conversation be:Avert] him and Sheriff Thorpe.
Mr. Pool, cone to him and exp,e4s,d a•tonisliment at
rot being put on the panel. as Mr. Thorpe had promis-
ed lie should. Ile said if he was put on the Jury, he
would rot itrerfere with any thing that related to the
Theatre ; but he wished to be pat on the Jury, on
account of a air. O'Meara, whose case he should be able
"to explain to the Jury. Sheriff Thorpe said that that
very circumstance must prevent hie bring one of the
Jury.
On heing cross-examined by Mr. S. RICE, the wit-
ness said he belonged to the Oran e Association at the
time he was on the Grand Jury. • He had not said that
the oil's avkitint the rioters ought to be thrown oat.
Br Mr. 808. SNllTll.—Witnews was acquainted with
Mr. Poole; be thinks Mr. Poole a warm man in poli-
tics; was opposed to his politics; believed him a Conci-
liation wan. Bring asked if be had ever before known
of bargains of this kind made with Sheriffs, he said he
had himself got a friend put on the Grand Jan% on his
applying to Sheriff White for the purpose. When Mr.
Poole went away, Mr. Thorpe said the circumstance
which Poole-had stated, would prevent his being en the
panel.
Witness wan linked by Mr. Hl; ME, whether be took
an oath as an Oragemen, and answered in the affirmative.
What was the nature of that oatb?—To support the
King and Constitution. .

Could you not support the King and Constitution
without Liking an oath ? will you state the words or the
substance of the oath ?

Mr. GOULBURN objected to this question, as it was
not to beexpected be could remember the words.
Lord MILTON' maintained that the question was a
very proper one.
Cul. BARRY said he was no Orangeman ; but the
Orangeman's oath was. no secret ; it was in print. He
hoped the House would not lay it down as a principle
that, because a man happened to be an Orangeman, he
was unworthy of being believed. He bad heard many
imputations thrown out against Orangemen, all of which
were unfounded and unjust. But he would say that
they were men who deserved much better of their country
than many who were opposed to them.
Mr. HUME observed that it was extraordinary and even
suspicious that a man who came there to speak to a particu-
lar conversation, should declare that he was an Orangeman,
that as such he had taken a particular oath, and that he
could not speak to the tenor of that oath.
The witness was then recalled.
By Mr. FlUME.—Witness did not attend an Orange-
lodge for four or five months before the Jury was ius-
panelled.
Mr. PEEL—Witness does not conceive that hi has
taken any oath which prevents him from telling the whole
tiuth,
Hy Sir J. MACKINTOSH.—Witness does not con-
sider any oath he has taken a secret. The oath ob
lutes him to keep it a secret. There were signs which
lie was to keep secret. Thinks it does not bind him
to keep any thing else secret ; but is not positive.
By ilr. JONES.—Witness Woks Sheriff Thorpe did
not know he was an Orangeman.
Hy Sir J. MACKINTOSII.—The number of witness's
Judge is 1610. The oath he takes binds him to be
faithful to all Orangemen, and also to Romeo Catholics.
The words that binds the member to be true to Orange-
men, are not the same as those which bind him to be true
to Roman Catholics. Doss not recollect the precise
wards. The words Roman Catholic are in the oath in
a friendly sense. The oath make it necessary for the
Member to swear that he never was, and is not a Ro-
man Catholic.
Su. U. HI LL complained that the Honourable an 1
Learned.Oentleman had, in the course of his ex 'wine-
skin of the witness, introduced too much argument and
observation.
Sir J:MACKINTOSH said he was quite ready to vin-
dicate the fitness of the course he had adopted. He dial-
le Need ohjeef kn.
atr. DAWSON thought the Hon. Oentleinan had ra-
ther argned with the witness. He thought that, it was
tight that the House sboultl not lose sight o f the
strictest decotum ht their proceedings.
dlr. scARLErr agreed with tne Honourable Meal-
ier, and begged to ,add. that he did not think it very
Proper that. the wiUaeas should be cheered during his
lamnietation.
MrillkOttrniAN would remind the Hause that there
was a precedent which usisht b; quated in e‘tettuation
•

of the indecorous practice of cheering a witness. Upon
a certain celebrated occasion it was w,ell known that after
a witness bad made some particular declaration, a cheer
broke forth from the illustrious and reverend Judges.—
(a laugh.)
The MTORNEY-OENERA L thought it necessary to
add, that the cheer originated with that portion of the
illustrious tribunal which his Hon. and Learned Friend
least wished to reflect on.

The witness was then recoiled, rood stated that a per-
son on becoming a Member of an Orange Lodge, mast
stite that he is not a Roman Catholic.
. To several other questions the witness answered that
of the fourteen Common Councilmen on the Jury, there
were three Orangemen, ten Protestant Ascendancy-men,
and one whose politics he did not know.

Being asked if he thought that drinking the glorious
memory was a mark of being a Protestant Ascendancy.
man ?--fle said he heard it given by a Member of that
House, Mr. Ellis.—(A laugh.)
By Sir GEORGE HlLL—Witness believes that there
was nothing in the oath of an Orangeman which was not
already published.
Mr. HUMI.I.-Are there any contributions or quarter-
ly payments at these lodges ?--None, except to defray the
expenses of the night.
Mr. R. SMITH.—Do yon know if any savings could
be effected in that department'?—(Roars of laught-r.)
By Sir J. NEWPORT. Witness was at Sheriff
Thorpe's dinner. The only pl••dge that Mr. Thorpe
was to drink the glorious memory, and to act in the
opinion of those who made him Sheriff. He meant that
part of the Common Councilmen which were called the
Glorious Memory-intm. There is no oath he has taken
that obliges him to .conceal any part of his evidence.—
There was no subscription for the traversers in his lodge.
Witness never subscribed, and was never applie I to to
subscribe for the traversers. %Vitness does not really
know if he is a Purple man. Dews not know what a
Purple man is. Mr. Stoker was the member of the
lode. The witness then withdrew.

Tbediouse resumed—The Chairman reported progress,
and obtained leave to sit again to-morrow.
The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of,
and the House adjourned a few minutes before One
o'clock.

ATROCIOUS cAsli OF PIRACY.

(Further particulars, from the Liverpool Advertiser)

The Ceres, Braithwaite, which has artived here from
New Orleans, was hoarded on the lath of March, off Ha-
venue, by a piratical schooner, and robbed of money and
store+, the captain and crew were also treated with
great cruelty. The following is an extract from the log-
book of ;he Ceres :—At two p.m. on the Eith of March,
observed a schooner coming before the wind close in
shore. In about an hour afterwards the schooner came
alongside of the Ceres, and ordered us to send our boat
on board of her, and after some hesitation the mate and
two men were sent in the haat. As soo-i as the boat
reached the schooner, they were ordered on deck, and
six of the pirates hutnediately got into the boat, and pro-
ceeded on board the Ceres. When they reached the
deck, Captain Braithwaite was ordered aft, where he
was confined about fifteen minutes, guarded by some of
the pirates. Daring this period the other freebooters
were occupied in breaking opeh every place wit re money
or other valuakles were likely to be found. After they had
posses ed themselves of every thing of value they could
discover, th-y returned to Capt. B. demanding to know
if he had not more money on hoard. To their repeated
inquiries, lie replied that they had taken every thing but':
his life. After a number of threats if he mill not teH
them where the money was to be found, he was ordered
to bring some grease fur the rope with which the villains
were preparing to bang him. After continuing Some.
time in this horrible suspense, be was repeatedly knocked
down, and threatened with iestant death. But finding
all their threats in vain, and after having given him se-
veral blows with their cutlasses, the marauders proceeded
to three of the crew who remained on board, to whom
they repeated the same questions as to where the money I
was concealed ; and not being able to obtain any satisfac-
tory information from them, they were treated in a most
cruel manner. The pirates now returned to Captain
Braithwaite, and that he, the crew, and the vessel, should
be burnt together before the sitting of the sun. This
was about tire p. m. 'fhe villains then left the Ceres,
and returned to their own vessel, with the whole of their 'I
plunder, consisting of fifty-six dollars belonging to Capt.
Braithwaite, his watch, all the clothing they could find,
together with the whole of the cabin and the chief part
of the Ceres' stores. When the pirates reached their vessel,
the mate and the other m.n who had been detained on board
were ordered on deck, and interrogated as to the cargo,
and what money and passengers were on board the Ceres.
The mate having stated that there were no passengers,
and that he knew of no money on board, they were
then ordered below. In a very short time the mate
was again brought on deck, when the commander of these
freebooters advanced towards him with a drawn sword, and
the same questions were repeated, but not being able to get
any other answers, a rope was placed round his neck, and
when on the point of being ruts up, some hesitation was ob-
d in bitn,and the master of the pirate advanced towards
him, when the mate offered him him his watch, which was at
first refused, but protesting that he bad no money, and that
he did not know where any was concealed, the rope was re-
moved from his neck, and he was ordered to go below, with
the threat that if this statement proved false, death would be
their doom in the morning. After a short consuitetien,
however, among these barbarians, at six p. m., the mate and
the other men were sent into their boat, with orders to Cap-
tain Braithwaite, that if the Ceres was seen off the coast in
the morning the whole of them should be ezecuted.Two of the
crew of the brig Minerva, of Amsterdam, were at the same
time put on board the Ceres, (which vessel they had taken
on the 15th of February, on her voyage to the Havanna);
the master, a passenger, and the rest of the crew of the
Mi-
nerva were detained on board the pirate. The Ceres put
into New Providence to procure supplies. The piratical
schooner was about 50 tons, painted black, with white bot-
tout and moulding.

An inquest was held yesterday at the Spread Engle,
Milbank, before Mr. Gel!, on the body of a woman un•
known. which was found by a watertnan, on Tuesday
morning. in the River Thames, opposite the Spread
Eagle. She was respectably dressed in black, apparently
a young woman; the body appearedto hays been in
the water about 10 days: *Verdict—Found dead in the
river Thames.

ALARMING PlM—The admirers of the Fine Art%
will, 113 doubt, be extremely concerned to bear that a fire
broke out yesterday. during the time the men were gone
to dinner, at Messrs. Dixon and Sons, the copperplate
printers, in Tottenham-street, Tottenham Court Road,
which, there is reason to fear, must have made great ra-
rages among the productions of our bat Engravers.
The'flain-s raged nub considerable fury, awl destroyed
plates, printing materials, presses, hie. to a considerable
imonnt. Mr. Dixon, in the endeavour to save part of
the property, from the confined situation of the place
was nearly suffocated, and was unable to speak for several
minutes after he was got out. The plate of the interior
of the House of Lords, which is just completed, it is ea_
dervaid escaped unhurt ; • and by a timely arrival of the
engines, and a good supply of water, tue ilames were
prevented spreading.
On 'Faraday last. a dreadfil ice broke out upon llagshot
Heath, in the vicinity of the fiskyrl Milli/try College. which
continued to, bops for several hours. without iniersdisinn,.
aid reused great constctiseqoat lied it not.been4oe the
well-ihued exertions or the. Orotlememt Caidets,oranorAtoyaj
Military Cpllege, it must !Aye occcsloned cousioroix
masse. hfs supposed lohevebeen the act of ineendiaries..
ikpi paper inquiries are carrying on to disesver them if
passiYr.

THE stikrassioi

LLOYD*B COFFEEHOUSE.

A Meeting of the Members of this Establishment was yes-
terday held, pursuant to notice, for the purpose of electing
a second Mager, in the place of Mr. Waite, &closed. Se-
veral hundred Members attended. Mr. Msrryatt, the Chair-
man, prefaced the business of the Meeting by a detailed
statement of the present situation of their funds, which, be
observed,had long been gradually decreasing ; and proposed
that notice be given or a Meeting to be held on the 30th of
June next, for the purpose of taking into consideration the
expediency of reducing the expenses, or of increasing the
amount of subscriptions;
The CHAIRMAN then moved, that Mr. John flennet, the
Secretary, he appointed Second Master, in the place of Mr.
White, deceased, with a salary of 10001., in addition to his
salary as Secretary.
The motion was carried, subject to any alteration that
may be made by the Subscribers at the proposed meeting iu
June.

The CRAIRUAN next proposed that Mr. Dobson, ono of
the Clerks, be appointed Taird Master, with a salary of
600!. per annum.

Hera a printed letter from Mr. W. Rossiter, ono of the
waiters, was handed up, in uhicit he off:red himself a can-
didate.

Mr. ft. DIXON then addressed the meeting, observing, that
he had been a subscriber to that room during 5/ years, and
in that time it had becil the practice, in conformity with the
Bth rale of their regulations, to appoint waiters, of good be-
haviour and long services, to succeed masters as vacancies
might happen. lie therefore moved that Mr. W. Rossiter,
the senior waiter, be appointed to fill the office of tinier
Master, vacant by the death of Mr. White, and consequent
removal of Mr. Bennet.

The motion was seconded by Mr. FOILTUNB, who was of
opinion that the services of Mr. Rossiter, during twenty-
three years in that room, justly entitled him to the appoint-
ment.

The question was then pot, when there appeared to be
a large show of hatidi for Mr. Ros,iter. On the name of
Mr. Dobson being proposed, the allow of hands was evi-
dently less.
. .

A &airman then demanded a ballot. which WR9 agreed
to. Six days' notice will be given of the day of ballot.

MERCHANT SEAMEN'S BIBLE SOCIETY.

Yesterday the Anniversary Meetinc of the Merchant
Seamen's Bible Society was held at the City of Lond,on
Tavern, where the great room was fillet! by a respectable
assemblage of females.
Lord Exmnurn took the Chair.

The report was rea tby the Secretary. It stated at
great length the prozress the Sooiety had male
during the last year; and the whole was highly grati-
flin.'.
Lord ROCKSAVAGE moved that the report should be re-
eche". It was agreed to with much applause.
A Gentleman addressed the Meeting at great length,
and contended that it was a mistake to suppose that it
would make sailors mopes, and afraid of gunpowder, if
they were made religious. The contrary seas proved by
the fact, that the b tt lighters had often been the best
Christians; and amongst the host, he instanced Colonel
Gardner, Adasirsl liainhier, and their present excelent
Chairman. (Loud applause.) No soldiers or sailors could
be so good as those who were constantly prepared to meet
death, and none could be well prepared to face the King
of Terrors who were wit armed by religiou.—(Applause)
—Sailors of a religious habit were also more docile, an
required less rigorous restiaiut than others. There was
no class of men who had such extensive claims upon the
charitable or towards whom the country was undergreater
obligations to provide for their spiritual welfare. Grati-
tude and humanity, as well as interest, were united in
claiming the assistance of mercantile meta in this good
work.
• The Rev. Mr. Cs. %reale moved a vote of thanks to the
Noble and Gallant Chairman. It was agreed now,
swhi!terer notions might bare been 641 formerly, that
true knowledge was a substantial irouil. If this were
true, then there could be no foundation in the objection
to giving light and knowledge to seamen, by the disse-
mination of the Scriptures. It should also be consider-
ed, that in making each sailor a Christian, they made
Itias as it were a Missionary, to convey the troth to the
mast distaut parts of the globe, where they would do as
muck good by their moral example as they formerly did
harm by their bad and immoral habits.
The motion of Thanks.was carried unanimously.
Lord Eta:mem in returning thanks, said, that as the
merchants had their packets tilled by the labour of the
sailors, they ought, in gratitude, to empty theirs upon an
occasion like the present, when the belle& of the sailors
demanded it. The Meeting was then dissolved. The
hint given by the Noble Chairman was not lost, and a
large subscription NAB male.