The Statesman.
London, England, 1809-11-17 00:00:00

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From the DUBLIN EVENING POST;
or novfooro 11.

To roe EDITOR or TUE DUBLIN EVENING POST.

Slit —As probably the friends of auroral Offi-
cers, returned missing after the bathe of Tala-
vera, still remain uninformed of their fate, I send
yin the following extract of a Letter from a Bri.
tish Officer, dated Almeida, in Portugal, 12th
September, 1809, mentioning some of their names,
and upon the authenticity of which you may rely.
" 6 I was unfortunately taken prisoner at the
battle of Talavera, on the night of the 27th July,
and on the following morning met in the rear of
the French lines Major Leckey, 45th, Capts. Al.
len, '23d dragoons, and Walsh, 91st foot, Lieuts.
Cameron, 79th, Mountgarret, 67th, and Shipley,
97th, who were also prisoners. On the enemy
being obliged to retreat, about one o'clock on the
morning of the 29th, we were scut oft to Madrid,
under a strong escort, and from thence towards
France. During this I communicated to —my
intention of escaping, if possible. Ile readily
i entered into my views, but, though constantly on
the watch, so vigilant was our guard, that we
never had an opportunity, until our arrival at
Vittoria, a few days march from Bayonne, and
about 400 miles from 'Palavers—there we were
1
1 lodged on the upper floor •f a large house—the
'windows of our apartment looked into a small
lyard, surrounded by a wall, twelve feet high, and
j for the first time our guard omitted placing centi-
nets in the rear : Lecky, Walsh, Mostlitgarret,
and I, contrived, by tying our sashes together,
to let ourselves down from a high window, and
scaled the wall at eleven o'clock on the night
of the 19th of August : in short, after a thou.
sand difficulties, passing near French posts, tra.
yelling occasionally by night, and concealing
ourselves during the day in woods or on moun-
tains, disguised in the dress of peasants, we at
length arrived on the frontiers of Portugal,
where wo met a Spanish army on its march to
Ciudad Rodrigo. Colonel Carroll, formerly a
Captain in the 88th Regiment, was fortunately
with it ; he, in the handsomest mane - , supplied
us with money and horses to pursue our journey.
We shall stop here a few days to recover from our
fatigue, and then pursue onr route to' oin the army
under Sir A. Wellesley. I don't know what you
people at home think of the battle of Talavera ;
I may say it continued two days and two nights,
and certainly was as great a battle as ever was
fought by British troops. 'filo French General
Senastiani told me he was himself in above one
hundred battles, but that was the greatest he ever
saw. We had not, I think, 20,000 infantry hi
the field, and can assure you the French had from
50,000 to 60,000 men, bat our position was very
Rood. We were treated with polite attention by
King Joseph, and the French is general.—l am
yours, &c."

PltivArg .s.7ILL.

At Union Hall, Henry Nevill was charged with
haviiil carried on a private still in the parish of
Camberwell. it appeared that in consequence of
some suspicious circumstances which had come to
the knowledge of the Dtheer, he, in August last.,
went to some premises occupied by the defendant
in the Kent Road, which outwardly had the sip.
pearance of a stable and bay-loft. He entered the
hay-loft at the wicket, and on searching discovered
a trap-doer which communicated with the stable
beneath. He went down into the stable, where he
found a still set in brick.work with a flue commu-
nicating with the chimney of a counting.hottse ad-
joining. There was nothing in the still, but se
vital large casks were standing round, which ap-
peared recently. to have contained mola.ses, and
two which were strongly impregnated with spirits;
a quantity of salt also, of a description mused oily
in distilling, was found on the premises.
The defence set up was, that previous to Easter
last the defendant had let the premises to a man
named Taykr ; at that time they were fitted up in
every respect as a stable and hay-loft. What use
they had been applied to since that lime he was igno-
rant of. The Defendant was convicted, and lined
iu the; mitigated penalty of tifty-two pounds, and
the utenbiis were forfeited.

At the Public-Offici, Worship.strect, Isabella
Spencer, charged wi:k having obtained several
su .1 of mu.• ,-) wider pretence of telling fortunes,
was fully opt. aittial to the House of Correction to
tAku kw trial .1 the nest Sessions.

At the Public Office, Ilatton-Garden, yestcr.
day, a quantity I.: light broil, seized at a baker's
shop hi the district of tins Office, was brought by
the parish officers. Some of the loaves were very
deficient a -willeht, when the baker wassusweie*
in the penalty of 24. lid. per ounce, amounting to
61. and the bread given to the pour.
Some ancient deeds belonging to the ORMOND
family, of considerable importance, being sup-
posed to remain in a subterraneous room, called
the Evidence Chamber, in Ormond Castle, in the
town of Kilkenny, which had not bowl explored
in the memory of man ; the Law Agent of the
family (Mr. Skelton) proposed to descend into it,
which he did with considerable difficulty, preceded
by two chimney-sweeper boys with torches ; after
a close research, he fount! an iron-bound oak
trunk, in which many extraordinary papers were
discovered, though not the records particularly
sought fur: amongst them were three in the hand-
writing of King James, some in that of the Duke
of Monmouth, and the then Duke of Ormond,
and four from the celebrated Nell Gwynne, com-
plaining of the non-payment of her Court an.
nuity ; and seversl addressed to the Duke of Or-
mund, recommending the distressful situation of
" Poor Belle" to his serious consideration ; but
the family have no clue by which to trace who this
unfortunate fair one was.
On Wednesday last, Mr. Minshaw, of Wap.
ping, made a wager for 100 guineas, that his
vessel, called the Spencer,•should out-sail the
Blue-eyed Maid, belonging to Chatham, from
Grare:•end to the Nore, and back again. At
starting, the odds were in favour of the Spencer.
Both boats kept near to each other, but the Blue-.
eyed Maid came in first by three boats' length.

THE STAVTESMAN.

PEACE, Olt MORE TAXES.

•
The report that a negotiation is actually going
forward for peace between Great Britain and
France, has not altogether subsided, and many
are of opinion that it is well founded. We should
be glad to relieve the anxiety of our readers on
this very important point. It is impossible, how-
ever, to throw much light upon this Subject. To
reason from the Premiet's pmrtit necessities, we
should say—that he must make poke. Although
he betrayed sufficient arrogance is assuming the
rank of Prime Minister, yet he knows enough of
this country to be convinced that he is teedestitute
of means to preserve his station, without gaining
allies from some quarter. 116 may 'win the good
will of the country by cultivating mace in earnest,
and perhaps he has that ksiowled.go of his own in-
terest to pursue this path. These ere the probe.
bilities of pease, and we not be surprised
to see peace 'arise out of thew. However this
may turn out, it will be a great point gained by
the country, if it can be fully awaken' d to the
sense and feeling, that peace is necessary, abaci.
lately necessary to its safety; and we shall now
proceed to enter a little more particularly um that
topic.
if war be continued, iris scarcely possible for
the country to escape from the following aileron.
native—either it will tall a prey beneath the ems.
my's arms, or, prePed by the imminence of the
danger and by domestic distress, it will take re-
fuge in a revolution from its insupportable terrors
and sufferings. The war cannot be carried oit
without new loans, and new taxes to pay the in.
terest of those loans. But taxation can proceed
no further (in any effective degree), without de-
stroying the very root itself of all practicable tax-
ation. The labouring class can pay nu more. It
is too late to listen to half-informed, though full_
fed men, who pretend that the labouring class live
well, and have still something to spare. Ile who
visits them, knows the contrary. Such a one
sees them living on fare which no working man
ran live on and preserve the full powers of labour.
Ha sees them in a rapid preparation fur the fever.
home, and their children following with hasty
steps to the same sad asylum. No compulsion
can stretch their limbs further out, upon this pre.
paratory bed of torture. They may won be io
another house of woe, but nothing can shake
their own hews more mournful.

From the poor let us proceed to the rich land.
holder. You cannot make him pay any thing
more—in truth, you can scarcely mike him pay
any thing. Ile has the means or t I:rowing every bur.
den (new and old) off from his back. Ile holds
the watts of life to the poor in his own hands, and
he vends thc:e means at a price that repays his in-
come lax, and all his taxes, with interest. The
farmer will rent the land as long as he can readily
himself (with interest) by the produce ; and the
population can consume the graineiend yet half of
them go with half-filled stomachs. Who sees the
great land.owners retrench ? or, who sees them
ombamtssed in money concerns, except as far as
their profusion and improvidence have at all times
embarrassed them? The rice of land (of which
we have lately given some enikent instances) shows
the truth of this reasoning. The great land owner
pays three or four times the Mei he used to do—
and his land is worth five or six times as melt as
it used to be. He is a clier and no loser by the
war system and the war taxes. You can gain no-
thing of him, unless you fix -the inatiniein of his
rent ; or until the pressure of tic bibonms is so
great, the', dyiii; by multitude,, the farmer is no
longer able to sell his grain. But if you cannot
wring any (either taxes from the laleueriug class,
because of their poverty, nor extort it from the
land-holder because of his power, whence arc the
new taxes to be derived ? From the middling
classes, is the palpable answer. And here it is,
that your rein treads closely upon thee heels of
taxaiion. You may press the common penile to
the earth, tread upon them with contempt or
wrath—they cannot easily combine to resist you.
Even the rich you may tax with impunity, if you
have ingenuity enough to moth their pockets, be-
cause they fire not numerous enough to resist, and
are, in fact, nothing without the aid of the popu-
lace. But the middling classes are numerous, are
intelligent, and are in truth an informing soul to
the great multitude. If you awaken them, there.
tore, into a Saw of oppressiongheyond the gene-
ral patience of man, your tyranny ends with the
birth of that feeling ! But you cannot go further
with tuition, without coming to that point with
them. Many of them, heretofore of a entail cow.
petence, and surroulided, they and their families,
with ease and comfort, are sinking into the rank
and condition of pauper. Many of them are
paying, as ti:adesnien, the whole of their profits in
taxes, and must do so, to hide their dime's free,
the world—numbers are carrying on trade, with
actual loss, because they do hope times will
mend, and if they tell their concerns, their imme-
diate loss upon the see will be fifty, or perbalos,
sixty or seventy per cent. and they will not at last
have a competence to live on, and pay' fates—
Thus all the subdivisions of this class are embar-
rassed beyond any further enduring. What is the
result, if war go on # That the country will fall
an easy prey to the
.enemy, when he conies and
Inds it worn out and divided—unless the other
event shall happen (which God forbid), namely,
that the people, impatient of wrongs and suffer.
bags, get rid at once or the Govrrnment and their
evils, by a revolution.

Mr. Jos. Wrsta, the souther of the intorestiog
Memoirs concerning the late Qneen of France,
MARIE ANTOINFTTE, has jest received a most
flattering token of benevolence fre.n her M.ijesty
the Queen of SICILY. This illustrious Sur, rei:rt
bas condescended to write him a letter, which
breathes the quickest sensibility ; and in which,
after subscribing thus I nut for ever your
grateful CIIARLOTTV," her Majesty has written
with her own hand these words, which cannot be
read without emotion :
" Your work, and such a proof of your gratitud: to-
wards the memory of my so unfortunate bi.tre., have ili.cjils
affected me. lien law cruel years have embittered the re-
mainder of my tia)s. %%e were sisters, and compa-
nions in our itifatic.—flo mauy !.:So m. sin-
ewy at her %Id t.o, u ill uttcad we to griive.

' " • .

. .f'-.r.

HISTORICAL ANECDOTE.—So prevalent was the
pretended science of augury among the Romans, in
the reign of Tarquinus Priseirs, that his isest
measures were overruled by its inftuence ; wish.
ing to expose such an imposture on credulity, h.:
sent for Accius Nrvius, the most celebrated di-
viner of the times ; and asked him, if what he then
pondered on could' be etiCeted? Nsevius solicited the
king to retire, while he consulted his auguries.
Tarquin consented ; and on his return the augurs
affirmed the question. Then cried the king, with
an insulting smile, I intended to cut my whetstone
in pieces with this razor ! Cut boltEy, exclaimed
Missies ; Tarquin instantly, to his great astonis.i.
ntent, cut the wlte.st.nie into uninerimq
l'fhe fact, however, was, ti.at the shrewd pr !-e,sor
of augury, on h ing conducted into the presence
chamber, noticing a 'tunr and n hetstnne in
a particular and orderly manner belo • the king,
guessed 'eat the question would late in some
instance to, the razor, and possessing the secret of
• composition for giving steel iu< uments so pow.
erful an edge as to divt.le the ;! .West sub.t.. ices,
applied the composition to the eater in the kin"'s
absence, by which means the wonderful operation
was actually rrforined. This .;toßipOsiiitin was
knoWii but to few, yet has it reacheJ the present
lige. The possessor of the secret will not risk a
di,covery, by suing for hut has gheeMr. Hamm, Nu. 1, Royal Etching-, the exclu.
site sale, price' Is. per packet, with proper direc.
tiens.for the strop. Engaire far Mr. B. Solomon's
composition for setting rigors.--N. B. Strops are
also sold at 3a. 6d. each.

WILLIAM MOUNTAIN. Salt lICKN'S 11E.11) INN,
SNOW-HILL, LON 1)0N.
Tice best accommodation for Travellens--(lood Re,ls, choice
Liquors, and moderate cisarges. rhe lotion tug Past
Coaches, Mail Coaches, 4e. set out front the ?Saracen's
Head Ibii,
CIL.VRGOW, DUMFRIES, CARLISLE, WIIITEHA-
YIiN PENKITH, liKOUtial, APPLEBY, CAT-
TERICKE, awi HOROUGIIIIRIISGE, New Post
•Cn.sches, every Monti*, to carry four insides.
YO It K and LEEIMI New Post Coaches, set out every morn-
ing at haif-paut live o'clock ; strive at 1 urk the twat day
at twelve u clock.
The ECLIPSE New Fliing Post-Coach, carries Four
Insides only to to York. Suaderlaod, Nets eas,tie, rotA
Edinburgh, by way of Statutord, antsithron, and Due-
abler, every Evening and Morning, to Mr. Sow ccby's, the
11 cite-hunt, Copper-gate, York.
Uncommon Cheap Trovelliug to Lis, Tool, by the New Fly-
iog Pun coaeoes to the Aug,' lure, Oak-street, User-
pool, daily.—Leeds nod W.Aefteld New Post Coach,
called the Clothier, set, out every Morning at Seven
o'clock. by lout Co. Lceds.
HOSTON, Spaldin.,,, Peterborough, Stilton,
A. mkt ibintiDgdon new ito)al :Mail Coach, pers out every
'vesting. Coaches frau &atoll to Spilsby, Loma, Grinisb).
awl Hall.

LIVRRPOOL, Warrinzton, Kautsford, Stone, and Litch-
field Post Onset rade/ I•Apedition, every evruint, at
Ave o'clock. to doe Cru..vo leo, Bed-cruel •• ~t,
tiwded throughout.
natio ntr4 Itainot. Flying Must Ci.ar!tes, through Chip-
petobant, Cal:le, end Alaritwrough, every idietionou;
at Mr. May's, the (kyr., wd Lao. the I...odutt
'raven' 'lamuuraareet, tiribtol, 2kt morning. concise. In
Wells, Bridgewater, Tituatan, etc.
- - -

Litt:,:s new light Conch, calk" Rock i 4:hatn, sets ant
every morning sa eight o'clock. Ca. t .es fuar betides only, ono
goes reinnrkittly easy, With a guard Plato
wrung!' Stamford. Reitark, Rettorti, Root:aster, L.! Perry-
bridge, to the Goldee-iion. Leeds. nett dny at ...not, and
roturis from thence every Morales; at eight o'clock. bot-
witioin.sJiwg the uacionuntio exordium of to., Coach, It is at.
lowed to he the most itgreenble hod c iiiii oleic r.tdie convey-
dilleenn the Nitrite Komi, bring nnequall...l iti aieJlnilli/l1:11
by any other.
KeYDAL, Leicester, •Prest on, Kirhy. Lansdale, Bolton,
(7h :etc). Ormskirk.. nod (lambing Pn • Coneav,, every ones-
no.ns, at four Welts's. Ownrsle.l.
GLASGOW, {town, Gretna timer', Annan, thisofties,
Rrontthill, Thorshill, &amulet, Kiln, Cutrianck,
sal alt tarts Scollau.l, Cainpectiowe
Lot to, Apibby, Raton, Hull, Oritesliy, Spnlditr, Peeet-
boa, StilSon, ate+ tl etas avian Coach, vets oil et cr afteretion.
M A NCWISTIIIII, Stockport, Macclesfield, Wilmslow, Caln
Orton, Newcastle, IVakill, rued W olverlinsuptun Post Coach
every allertionis. (;ilas dm!.
CA gl LIS Wisitehaven. Post Coach, goes
with fear hui'es sussl a guanl all the way. Panics throu-11.
Rrough, Appkby liretabridge, Richmond, catterisa,
Horouotbridge, Wetherby, Ahereurd, Doncaster, and Gran-
tham (the neatest way by eighteen miles). Sets not every
Monists', nad immense the )oiwney wills the grenteu fie Silt...
Pa ~enizers de::Anest on the road by business, or pleasure,
have the peculiar Advantar,e of their Seats being secured its
the next Coach (with :ix C.priclionen).

hewn anoaTn, lila.sft, Wolverhomptars, K idderusitut
&footbridge, mod Deil&ey Comb, every evening.
Ba outflow Post Coach. thermgh Ryegate and Comktield,
every Morning at a Qudrsee Were Seems o'Clock.
Sunnite Lana, Steektes, awl Yana new Coach every
miming, to the George los, Sunderland.
You, Newcastle, and Edialotorgh new Covets, performing
with a Guard through/ea, sets ant anon siog at were
o'clock, by way of Newollt, itatfori, T , Darlioactoro.
Northallerten, Durham, 'Werth, tad liens la. Pmengers
iudintc themselves Wiped from the length uf, the jourwey, mnf '
rest wMit time they plume, wad then proceed as witkord any
additoonal fait. William I:lark, Black Swan, Comey-ateet.
York, tens Oxman( to Suisieeload, Hall, Scarborough,
Maths, :sad other places.
H carpus n, Wore, Hoddeedna, and Chestiest Coach, •
every osornbig.
Blau' Non sal hIeMICS, Pout Coach, with a Gourd, sets
eat every attenuant', and reaches Birmingham next day at
soon. Passes by Onfori, Emma, and Shipstere, to the Se-
racen's-llead, BNO-street. Birmingham.
Ex urea, Plymouth, Folooonth, Dartmouth, Weymouth,
Dorchester.. and dallshoory *Bomb Comb% every momirg
at flier &duel, with a ()nerd, through Usmitoos, Azmemer,
Briolport, Blandford, linsireptake. toad BONK.
Sant:wino v, WellMgoon, nod SWIMS Pelt C neir, the
Royal Charlotte, every alkenoomou live o'clock. (hoarded.
1111aFFISLO mot Nolhorisuserust Cowls, celled the Rock-
ingham, every
Undlico_s Sri 171:7 rbridgr, ))erthroa, and Redhill new
Punt Couch, every oftenproto. by It ichord Watts. and Co.
slow, N ',roma ve. linotlen, Th. am, and o hooraster Piot
Com Is, every nionsitig m seven( (o'clock, to the Hull and Sea
No, Bye/so-gam. Hull,
W • sum, a Couch, every Altmann at Orr n'
Tort ss u Ale nod Edneustou Concn, tkoly, at half oast
sea, half pea two. half pet tourAand half IMS: nick.
W A K Uri ti.o. l'osofret. are 00010 OW the Merry
Wakefield, t the Sintlanl nos W..kelleld.
t. SsGO u ganoutzli, L'OaTPAsalea Coaches.
N. TS. Heavy Weig!strof Lustage, (knots, etc. conveyed by
• the under-monslioneil Wnegolo:
To Doss. lictrle4, Miry, amid all parts of Suf-
folk, r‘er3 Nlnuday.
Ls RYER, nnct Falmouth Fly Whpitinn,
'I4IIIOK "WE and Pnsirtootrolo. as astral, to tall p.trt, of the
rst of Logln:A.

SOUTH AII rfts inelleSte kireNrurd, awl Alton Coach.
ever) Marttir.x.
Stial 111 A UPTON, Wi:viKitCr, n Wilsey', LA-MINIM.
Clitiotelturrh, Fordii.ghrirtkr, Witiviore,
Pooh?, He of Wight, Jersey, ut.l Giterh,e, ‘Vaggoito
fies our( yr, Hamittos,imui %% ett ire a-weeit.
IN UM RD et: ti, Xor ban, ever, ruesclay.
L'xnatime, Ever-Arlon, So,ulttJl, 11::)e%, imd
Gan. t.t ire a-Mee)..

elltExcirrisa, A hinplaissnobt ;[coley, three. times at-week.
WM. MOUNTAIN and (..p. relpertfully acquaint that
Prico4.l nod the Pelvic. that they will u t he accouiftelple fop
.9, Parcel or Lemptgrovr. of more thus 17r.i. Pipeful, rniur,
1.141. or &min:rill, uut.-, entree.: tach, :mu: poi.'
•
the Sort:me% ibra.l "In•ex-hoti. nut 14•

I.ON DON : Pra.ted and Pabli.ive.l It% I). Lovet.a., at the
itt ITLSN IN Ors 111,