The Statesman.
London, England, 1818-10-24 00:00:00

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'§TATtSMAIst

FORGERY.

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The crime of Forgery is justly considered, in
moral as well as a legal point of view, as one of the
highest magnitude; ter it Is in the nature of that
crime to destroy confidence, and sever the bonds that
unite the various interests of society. But the cri-
minality of this offence has not always been held in
the same light, nor has death, transportation, or
slitting the nose (the old mode of punishment), al.
ways followed the proof of guilt in this particular.
Rank and political station sometimes make a great I.
difference in the estimation of moral turpitude ; and I
true it is, that the greatest criminals are allowed to
escape, whilst the gallows groans with petty etienders. I
Mr. Prriand his Colleagues afford a memorable proof 1,
that Fargery, on the most extended scale, was not con-
sidered "neither a moral or." legal offence; and the
impunity vouchsafed to a most illustrious Doke and
his Staff, forms a 'convincing proof of the fact 7---
that the utterance of Forged Notes, knowing them
to be forged, is not punished with death ; oar the
possession of Forged Notes, with the knurr4dge that
they were forged, always deemed desist viol; of trans-
portation. The method adopted by PITT and his
friends to destroy the credit of the French Revolu-
tionary Goverment, by causing its assignats or notes
to be forged to an immense event in England, and
sent over to the Dgke of YOUICS army, to be distri-
buted in France at random, is well worthy of being
held in remembrance ; and in the impunity which it
met from the Judges of that day, might well afford an
apt comparison with the lenity shown to the POMP
crime at the present period. The following
which we deem it, almost a duty to republish, will
show the difference which rank and political bias
make in the interpretation of moral guilt, though the
nature of the offence in the cases that offer fur con-
trast is the same.

•
NO RTH ERN EXP ED MON. •
• •
Infortnetion from Captain Muirheed, of the ship
Larkins, respecting the Discovery Ships in Davis's
Strait :
f.rft th• ice on 23d of Auga,t, lat. 75. 32. N. long.
51. W.

On the 14th of Aug. he last raw the Discovery Ships
rounding a Cape, supposed to be in 76. N. Int. long.
5'2. W. ; at thst time he was in 75. 46. N. (the far-
thest lie had been this year) long. 51. 3:). The ships
Atiel and Ererthorp, of fluli, %shirt he supposes
have not yet attired, %ere close to them, and had,
no doubt, much later communication with them than
he had.

The [Atkins remained fast to some ice from the
13th to the 18th of August. Captain Muirhead ob-
served a great deal of water to the N. W. and con-
cyived, when the wind case off the land, that it
would make a clearance for the Discov•ry Ships to
get much farther to the Northward, particularly ac
the ice was then breaking up fa“.
The weather was getting much clearer, from the
host taking place in the ;eight.
Captain Nluit head spiwars very sanguine as to the
ships succeednig, not only from *hat he has stated,
but from observationa which he inside last sear, when
he got as far as 76. 15. N., and where he had a very
heavy sea from the Northward, depending, in his
oleiui n, on a large fret k of water beim; in that di•
cretin,' : et that time ( Ist August) 1817) he could
not see any ice, nor did he find any until he got back
to 75. 30. N.

IN TIIIS COURT 01' KING'S BENCH, Nov. 18, 1795.
SITTINGS IN 1 VII NI, lICFORE LORD KENYON.
FORGED As.:IGNATs FOR TDE MIKE OF YORK'S
ARMY. AND OT!IL1t EXPEDITIONS TO THE
CONTINENT.

C'+l►'ain Muirhead found in lat. 76. N. 8 points
'sestet I y varistion.

°Elle Officers and men were quite well when the
Larkins h►et communicated with them.
It may be remarked that the longitude here given
is from that of Greenland, as laid dbwn in the
Charts, which Captnin ans.; discovered to be ten de-
grees too tar to ther.aGt ward the real position of the
Ships on the 18th of August wee 76. N. Wig. 62. W.

-C'r4l

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!raft. .1f- the Plehrtiff, int Obedience to the higher CLIELSEA f4':IIISR-WORKS COVPANY.
pi)* era had made these plates for the Duke of York's
army, that cirtunsstafte teeteredAhe case, . . . -.11 Thursday a eery tiotnerons end highly re4peette
Tittle were certain laws, not to be transgressed by Meeting of the Inhabitants of Westminster, Chelsea;
one station, even at war with another; as abstaining and its environs; took place at the Gun Tevern;
from poisoned arms, quarters in war, &c. But his Pimlico, for the purpose of taking into consideration
Lordship said, he did not know that this was contrary' the attempt made by the Clieldea Water. Works
to the taus of nations. 5 Company to levy upon the inhabitsOls an additional
'foe Jury found a verdict for the Plaintiff I tax of 50 per cent.; also to enter into reiolutiona re-
Lord I.I(SKINE, in this case contended upon the spectirg the exorbitant charge made by that Com-
priwctple laid down by the laws which Harms poor I pany for the supply of tearer.
people frit FotwattY, that it was a gross moral of_ A few roistutes after twelve o'clock, C. CiAlaki,
fence—that it • was a wicked fraud—a crime that I Esq. took the Chair, and proceeded to read the Ite.
called for absolute punishrneut, from its own nature, quisition, and briefly stated the ()Netts for which
and the raischiefs it was calculate.l to bring upon the Meeting was convened. He then proceeded W
roc:ids/J. But '4 the flank" not being in the case- state, that their object was not to wage war against
the " Bank Sluitent" not being implicated-no fears the Company, but to discuss the merits temperately
of 6( the tares.' nut being paid—iii short, no alarm end dispassionatelf, and if possible satisfactorily to
for 'the Ettgli6li Notes being entertained, Fotwettir all parties. He was aware that the Company had
became uttered I.y " circa:Haat:eta" from A CRIME i embarked a large sum of money, and he was confi-
' mtiturtso DE ATII, to a practice JUscItIABLE ix dent there was no hostile wish upon the part of the
-and highly proper to be done! by a Mini. inhabitants to preclude them from a proper oampen-
! sler of State ! and a Commander in Chief of the cation.-( Hear I old applanse.)—Several
Resolu-
j Army!! !--tio Muck for the principles upon which (ions were before him, which he should laser the ho-
'the law of forgery is founded. So much for the con- gongs of reading and putting to the sense of th•
sistency of its operatives, and the justice of its ap. Meeting, and he hoped that every Gentleman Would
plication. • be permitted so give his sentiments, either on tbd
_ .
one Fide or the other, without interruption. Before{
I o +Pieter, he proceeded In reed the Itesigutions, Ile
should take leave to read to the Meeting some very
judicious observations which appeared in a Paper of
the thy.
'l'wo totters from a Mr. K. King were then real
to the Meeting; one was to the Company hi July,
1818, dii.tiprosing of the steps they wore about to
take, and the other was to the Chairman of thti dee,
spuloglsii•g for his
.absence, and iecommending
Meeting to take place in the evening, *Koh would
be more calculated to insure s getiortil sttendinee.
This proposition not having been put and duly
seconded, the CHAT RM 414 now read the Resolutions
collectively (fur ;;liicit see. Adrerliternent), and he
was about to read them s•ip4ririviyi *teen a
Gettrurrean srepperi 1..., ward, and stated himself
to be a Proprietor, and all he Lad to bay 'wig,. that
if a considerable rise did riot take place in the rents,
.the Company could tict carry on the supply., ftie
they had already esperiPticed a loss of 40:)01. a years
and he hail never received more than three and o.
half per taut. upon his shares, and he Was quit.. cer.
dais; it. was not the wish of the inhabitants that thti
IComplloiy should he at
_a 4.•:•.—(Cr/es of No, au!)
An Ist' lIIITANT (we believe Me. Teasley ) asked
the Meeting a hat could they think of a Company,
who for 40 jeers bad tint ifitidell a far-1111j Ss
was the fact with this Company, and
what the Gentleman could mean by that
•
ward wit!iout knowing the real circumstatic
Company. , The Iteaolutions were so errotte . t
he should not offer her word, • •
AN.-" The Aleeting must judge of that
themselves."
Mr. Wit.sow observed, that the ells eget for (he Sopa
I.ly of aster in that neighbourhood was much moid
enormous than in the tteiglihriartiond of Berkeley.
square, Allietintile.street, Sac. To a house in that
vicinage, which let from 9.5)1 to 3001. I year, bbd
water 'resit was 31. 10s, per year; but lot a Small
house in that neighbourhood (Pimlico), where that
rent was bet (101. per sauna), and there were Daly
threeinhahiiants h rthe hoots., the rent of the Chelsea
Wator.Works Company was '2l. lu point of fact
(laid the speaker),"the object of the Chelset•Cous..
pany appeared to be to gel as much money as pose
Bible from where and whom they could.
The .11A I R IN then 101 l the or'irr lieaotutlisa, to which sherd
appeared a! Intel his; Shies- dikentirt:l4.
After which Mr. *f st,EY asked the Clialrotrin. if it would
'.trot he hatter to have she esaliclarlion of kno whit that that which
ass set forth i., the Ite,out ion. eta. substantially true-a great
deal of it wits'groantled on falsehood. •
A voice from the crowd -" 'fore kin out !"
tries of - No, a', nal"
Sir. Tavatev.--•• I think the name of a man who could be.
have so indecorously ought to be known."
Oar. of •• Ills mime, Ma nattier
A Iltyrcnsa.-'• Ifu: no, ee!-it was only a slip, it could not
be meant."
An INHABITANT (wet Mr. Edwards) o'werved. that
it appeared ill be the twit the %‘.tratv Caairdian tuat
per cell.. 94Ifillid he titlet'ed,t *impanv, provided they would
guarantee the inhabitants t being raised shy more.
A Voice. -•• >s trim; Oh -rat otter. liked.'"
To ibis Itetolutlon [An neiatite treads were held up as
before.
A. a
•NRASITANT.-" What I satinet yin; accept of 2) per
cent. ?"-( Good laughter.)
Mr. TAIIIILEI, iiddrealog the Chairman, said, he Will
Rammed to obtrude himself thus, but a person below him had
stated that 20 per cent. would tie by far too much, and that lii
per rent. would be sufficient. Ile (sir. T.) would take upna
himself to say; that if they would give per old. upon the
capi al. the Cnilltiany would lie glad to accede to the proposal.
A likatos in the Study of the room vociferated -" ar. Pre-
sident, at the time I lived in the pariah n Si. Cle.irge's
The CaAIooMAN directed, that as this Gentleman appeared to
have mionelliing of importance to cuminiiiiicaw, he had better
conic forts ord. Ile did soomeid leaving passed his name to the
Chairman, and owed, that when no lived in the parish of St.
George, he was applied to so cut sitf the water will; which he
Raz then supplied, and that he should in Csiii•ioletillisht lie cop-
plied with it for a twelvgmontli free of et pence. Ile was theft
charged -6t. a year, buf afterwards the Collector called Nola
him for 445.
Au lawiarrmer.-" That is 50 per cent."
The CHAIRMAN then observed, cost the next thing he had to
do way to make an attack tsp.') their pockets for a subscriptiott
ut Vs. 6d. each, so further the rad. or the Meeting
Mr. Maoscr (one of the Comoritt,e).-" [here is the first
half-crona."-(Throwitte it on the table.)
Mr. Tauscer.-- If that Gentleman has not paid sip b 1
ater-rate. I shall object Co him."-(l.uud laughter and disap-
probation.)
CUAIRRIN -" I have not paid up mine--and, I believe. If
that he your objection, you will have to, make it to all of Hs."
A Committee was then proposed, and an Inhabitant proposed
Aar. Chandler.
CHAIRMAN.-" What Mr. Chandler I
-Isaiatircaer.-" Mr. Chandler of the, Friend.at4band.
Vitatieth street."
:CHAIRMA‘N.-" A &lead is nerd.'!•-
1. ,Laughing )
Mr. CHANDLER.-s" I twg leave to *Wuhan- my name. Mr 4
Chairman; hot I shat) he most tiaopy Iso redder the Comaiitteo
all the assistance in sbv power to fuether their objects."
Mr. Connote. of the Magdalen, was thea inildiaatcd, and
elected our of the•Cmainiittee.
Ike Itesolationis having passed, and the Comsailtys jwitif
power to add to their mot her) Maytag been arpirOur , the
Meeting were about to adjourn, Wien
Mr. Maoists" of • Isrom ii pi.i-grove, came restart( and
stated, that he was not present a hen the Resolution pasted
ing the Company 20 per cent. Ile for one wou,d not ngrfee
so any such propo lle hail rebated it) ;eau at Brom:pip),
and had laid out 90301. In hott.es there, and every' net of hot
tenants complained of the want of water 3 the pipes had br4l
eaatnined, and no imperttm nts were foam), and if there hard,
he would have remedied them.
The CRCIRMAK maid, the Reintetinn had been properly
moved, seconded, and carried, so that no alteration cook! be
made in it.
Mr. lIARPIOIN said. he was dispotted to do every Shine that
wai fair and honourable 3 but he for nut would not accede to
that proposition, although he was ready to resider the Commit.
tee evens son. ice in his power indeed he had. no object on to
a he Commit ee-man.-Chosen accor
seoldtolgirAlßir;rtiA),Nrceronr7ew(lhothbait kaneeViii%ofa
she-
-o"u"sad'';ocat'•
he
tint cat; a iu which hey were embarked.- Carttad.