The Statesman.
London, England, 1809-10-19 00:00:00

PARTIALITY OF THE POLICE.

AIN.E.••••1•••

Sin—Among the rest of the heinous crimes
committed nightly at the New Theatre, it seems
the exhibiting a placard is considered by the par-
tisans of the Managers as tending to create more
riot and disturbance than any other proceeding,
and the bearers of these dreadful weapons of
offence are selected u the rarticular objects of
the thief-takers, and are maltreated accordingly.
During the performances of Saturday evening, a
placard was exposed from the upper Boxes which
bore this inscription :
" This pile, inscrib'd to Shakespear and the Nati"
Demo& from all a liberal approbation."

It is almost needless to observe, that this placard
created more noise and disturbance than •any
other which had been exhibited that evening ; for
the adverse party forming a considerable majority
of the house, the outcry and yell bared all
description. But, Sir, this placard, uotwith.
standiug the confusion and alarm it excited, was
sufered to remain suspended during' a Consider-
able tinsel without the interference of How-street
officers, or any of those persons who pretend to
be keepers of the peace, until a Gentleman, in.
dlgnaut at sot+ a proceeding, snatched it from its
bearer, and tore it to atoms.
October ltt, " OFF, OFF."

" Acme? that, Master Brooke!"
" What's sande for the goose is sauce for the
" gander," is an old English adage, wbich we
recommend to.tbe Gentlemen of the Club, ycleped
Police Officers—n3y, even to their Commanders
in the Public Office.

To the EDITOR of THE STATESMAN.

... ..11.1.14•••••

St tt —Observing a letter in The Times, of yes.
terday, signed " Friend to Old Prices," ani-
madverting on the conduct of Mr. J. STALI.SRD,
1 beg leave, through the medium of your
,Paper,
to make public the following statement, in corro.
boration of the fact advanced by that gentleman.
Myself and a friend, speaking by chance to a
Jew who sells fish in Bartholoneere-lane, ho told
ns, that by making use of the names of two
Ticket Porters (Niessr4. llaooae and Parr), wo
might obtain admission to Covent-Garden Theatre
through a Mr. SHORTER.
Without intending to profit by this information,
we determined to make the experiment ; and ac-
cordingly, about eight o'clock on Friday evening
last, we went to the Stage door, and enquired fur
Mr. Shorter. We were received with great civi.
lily, and immediately introduced to that Gentle.
man—on stating our business, he said he was ex-
tremely sorry that he could not then accommodate
the
.friends of Messrs. (Moves and PITT (for
such he supposed us to be) ; but Mr. BRANDON!
not being in the way, and the evening so far ad.
'aimed, it was impossible. However, if we woow
call on him on the following e: erring, by seven
o'clock, he would resorve us a couple of orders.
Leaving you to make your own comments on
the above facts,

T am, Sir, your most obedient Servant, .
Great Qdeeta-street, Oct. 19, 1809. J. IL ,

Pnorassoa BRANDON, who led Me van of the
nifidavit men, has been followed by Daniel Men-
duzs. We trust that Mr. SUORTIIII sill not hesi.
tate to favour us with a little special pleading on
°QM.
The Marquis and Marchioness of Boom transit
entertained last week, at Stuwe, in a mast rump.
tuuus style, the whole of the Royal Family of
France, now resident in this country, with a shim.
her of French and English Nubility. The festivi.
ties commenced on Tuesday, and continued till
Friday, when the Royal Party took their leave.

UNION H ‘t.r..—Jane Wells and Ann Tomp-
kins were brneght np by Lockie, charged by
istnes Thompson, one of five brothers all deaf
and climb, with stopping him near Nelson-square,
Bleekfriersi-rnad, hustling him, and rubbing him
of a one pound note and some silver. The pri.
scrim were both committed fur re-examination on
Toooday next.

, •

To the EDITOR of 7711..: STATE.S.JIAN.

—mem—
Ste—Though frt must at this time be almost'
overwhelmed with communications on the subject
of Covent Garden Theatre, it is possible the fol.
lowiug observations, from an " Old Correspond.
ent," may not he ineligNe, I. hove (being eon-
finiti byeevere bodily iphrinity),read with attention
row' rlisirnal repnts 4.*:pecnprences at the
Theatre, and give amplaeit credit tofeit
accuracy ; and thOlertpre;-, Slr ‘to me), tiireisiks•
pardonable insulti' to the Public, ifs.aa-
" The reading the•RiotAist (he
the pointing the Engine Pipes through thavessetain
at the Audience; and, the intrainction of Jews,
Ruffians, &c. to force the public to sit tamely
down under the aggravated circemdances of im-
position and insult." I ant, Sir, a very John
Bull, and rejoice to see sonic of that ancient spi.
rit still left, which dares assert that undoubted
prerogative of the public, their right to express
sentiments of approbation, or otherwise, at a
public Theatre. I must feel, in common with all
others, the degradation sustained by the Ma.
gisterial character, when those who ought to be
the protectors of the public against imposition*
join in support of, and became partisans in
the cause, rather than impartial enquirers into the
fact. As, however, the public seem dehtrmined
to right themselves, I trust these deluded men will
see their error, and find out, that impotent pla-
cards, pasted up in various parts of the metropolis,
and abetting hireling ruffians to disturb the pub.
lic peace, is not the ditty they are engaged to per.
form, and that they ate not authorised to treat
every man brought before them as a highwayman,
or a cut-throat.

The folly of the Managers needs do comment;
but if John Philip Kemble is ever again per.
milted to insult the public, by presenting himself
before them ait an Actor, they deserve every de-
gradation which they can receive, from " Con..
tented Cuckolds," Insolvent Debtors," " Ger-
man Bullies," and the " Twelve Tribes of Israel."

I will only ask, Sir, what enabled J. P. K. to
purchase a share in Covent-Garden Theatre ?—:—
Public liberality. Does he then, from this, de4.
rive a privilege of insulting that Public, is likik
triple character of Proprietor.' Manager, ,061,4.
Performer? if you think these observn
worthy of insertion, A shatl. be happy to for
more more at,a future oppetyttinly.
YOlll34latt:
V.. rm.* t. •
•to dilid ta AS MAI 'otiItRiESPONDIINT.

21 the EDITOR of TILE STATESMAN.
•
Sea— Managers of Covent-Garden Theatre
seem nut to understand what the Public really
want; I therefore take this opportunity of stating
what I think will be satisfactory. The esami.
nation into the accounit of the old concern
amounts to nothing, and their shelving only a
profit of ,six per cent. dots nut entitle then
to the advanced prices. The Public wish to
be informed of the expences the Preprieters
have been at in re-building the Nero Theatre,
and also what it will produce each night when full;
at the came time taking into consideration the
Privite Boxes, so that an average may be made;
and, if it Is found that there is not more than 0
per cent. profit (which certainly is too little),
the Public will cheerfully agree to the advance.
I say cheerfully, because I well know the gene-
rous hearts of a British audience. To calculate
the espences from the old concern, will never sa.
tisfy the Public; for instance, a merchant mach
a speculation of a cargo of merchlindixe, and
when he receives his returns, he finds only six
per cent. profit, which is much less than he
expected ; but, notivithstanthei this disap-
pointedent, he makes • stintier speculation,
(and the Proprietors hive tiolftuantither Theatrei
having found out whit kraal% Nutt the teirkeli:ij
and when he gets his rietureiiihe Beefied time, Mb
finds that by his experience, gained in the first shigel
meat, he has now a profit or 15 per cenh arse)''
this I make no doubt 41 be the ease with -the,
Proprietors of Covent-Garden Theatre:4u the new
concern. They would not, 1 think, have reboil
the Theatre, had they not been confident, that by
the alterations and various improvements which
they were able to make, and indeed have made
(and which will pay them at the old prices, if pro.
perly managed), they would have derived an ade.i
quate profit. When they first took into coml..
der.ttiitn the re-building of the Theatre, they cal-
calmed, no doubt, at the old prices; Drury-lane
Theatre was, at that time, in seistence, and if it
had not been for the unfortunate circumstance of
that house being burned down, they would never
have thought of ao advance. However,• if the
Managers can make it out, and clear, that the
present concern, with all its advantages, leaves
only a profit of six per cent. the Public will then,
I am convinced, agree to the new prices ; but till
this is done, and la a manner that it can be clearly
understood and attested, without the sweeping
clause of " Errors excepted," the Public neither
can, nor will they submit to the imposition.
TN's Ceske-bonne, Oct. 16, 1909.
rip Mc Elmo of Irak STATESMAN.
. L.• • "I •
-••••••••6•-
Sts—A 'crime holding aw ostensible sheikdom
in Covent-Garden Theatre, called upon a Clerk
who ranks high is a Public Othce, and asked him
how a complaint could be preferred to the Princi.
pal of that high Department against jejunior
Clerk, who had expressed his disapprobation of
the New Prices at the Theatre? The reply wisi'•
he his opinion, " Not at all ; rte if preferredi -
(bat it would not be enterteined." Good God I
fir, is this course of inSimideien to be tolerated.?
Are the Civil Officers ckcitheiCgo,un.Ao degradA in
the esteem of Managers, as to boreeluded from
giving their opinions oil the conduct of a Theatre I
hold it to be law, that ate:English Chimney..
sweeper has a right to hiss or applaud in a Ptay.
boos. If you wish for further particulars you
have hut to signify as much in your Paper, sad it
null be attruilcd to by your's,

.i

0. P.

7'

AA D poftruovigE PAPE

TAIMACON.tif SEPT. 27.—As the city of Bar.
celuna is in tif,: greatest distress for provisions,
the French t:evernment has laden supplies All
board a number 14 vessels in all the ports be.
tweets.Touleti sad Gaho-Creus, which are glider
orders to sail at milky' pointed time, under court/
ef.a French squadrirt trump Toulon.
The English Adiffidgi, &Awl Cullingwood, in
order to prevent tilisTnoveiment, has separated
his fttuadrun into various divisions, and has sent
the bun4uerue, of 74 'guns, Capt. Fellow( f, tb
reinforce, and to take the command of the
blockading Barcelona.
SANTA Caux DE LA ZAILA, SEPT. 0.... The
whole of the French troops that sere at Celine.
nar, Chiuclion, and Arkanda, have fallen hack
far as Aleala; and another division hies taken the
same route, after laying waste all the villages-of the
Snare de Toledo.
Learns, SEPT.4.—On the 2d arrived a French
Commissary and seven artillerymen, made psi.
soneis by a party of patriots, between Panipeltina
"antl*Tafalla. IVe also had the pleasure of seeing
.the Chief of the party, D. Xavier Mina, a stu.
dent who has itistinguishedhiniself by the patri.
ofic ardour which he edifice! in hi: incursions
ogling the enemy, aloes the highway fro:n Ne.
vane to Saragossa. Many *Frenchman has fallen
by, or into, the hands of this brave youth.—
Amung others was a General of Division, who
was shot dead in his coach.
SETlr.r.t, SEPT. 20.—The Supreme Governing
Junta of the kingdom bring desirous that the
modeestahlished by law, with regartl to printed
books and public journals, shall continue to be
observed, has authorked the Supreme Council of
Spain to attend to this departments, with the same
powers which it has always possessed. The Cows-
ril has accordingly appointed the most illustrious
Manuel de Larelitabal to eurcise the jurisdic-
tion uf, the press.
• TheSispreine Junta of Estromadura has trans_
edited 'an account of a gatlant attempt made by
Mariana Ricafort, in the night of the 10th, to
surround a body M AO Frencipicu. who had
passed ate to the left bank of the Tagus, and
were quartered in Torrejoncillo. He made the
attack Kith '2OO light troops, at three points, and
thoffih the result NJ* not do complete as he in-
kiided, the enemy diftint effect their escape with.
oot a Piss of 15 billiff,land 213 made prisoners.
0(1 our side thilorwere one killed, and 15 wcund-
ell. The enemy t3it the ffellowing morning twee.
pied Torrejuncillo with 2000 men. -•

A serjimnt and 9 privates lately deserted to our
army of Estrepiadura, from one of those foreign
voglineritS ttittch ,tonititute the principal force of
the enemy: On their arrival in this city, they
were rewarded with 1470 reels vslion each, for
hiving brought off their horses with them ; and
they will receive the pay of privates until they re.
11l Ili to their native country. These troops abo..
titillate a service in which they are at on the
agents and 'Hints of perfidy and tyranny.
Syrtr.t.r, Strvestscu 13.—The futlowiag cx.
ttiet of a letter from a Member of the Junta of
Merano hawbeen transmitted to the War Office by
Oerieval Blake, under date of the 29th ult...a
" The troops of this bravo garrison, nOtWith.
'Wetting the excessive fktigne to which they are
imposed, the total want of wine, and scarcity of
bread, performed, this morning, a most heroic
Whirl-merit. The enemy, to the number of 1/10
Infantry; with five Ofltcers, occupied the houses
adjoining the to‘ier of Gironella.. But 40 of our
Soldiers doikolgectthom, with disgrace from th4l
post, having killed the Commanding Officer and
nine men, wounded two privates and one Officer,
and token 20 prisoners. Lung live the protedion
of If raven ! and Obi invineible tutelar Saint !"

Sx•rii.r.t, 13.—The Supreme Jltitta of '
A ertrgon has transifiltted iillispatch fromAlgadier
DI Pedro de Vlllacafhpa; glued the gfitlr ult. at
Catalytic!, stated that the morning of
thief day, dislodged 600 of the enemy from Porto
D.-tiotastio and Al•namiii, with the loss of a Lien..
tiJ soldiers, anti two cuirassiers,
utadeprisoners:
The enemy's troops that were at Huesca and
Rarbastro, suddenly marched off on the 17th tilf.
for Saragossa, carrying with them their stores,
provisions, and sick, after extorting, at the point
of the bayonet, the Most exorbitant contributions.
From both places, and also Caspeand other towns
of Atraguii, they carried off a number of the
most respectable iiihabitants, and among others all
the Canons of Barbastro. The Minister of the
Spanish Rota, D. Joaquin Polack', who is a na.
tire of Ilarbastro, is confined in Panapelinia by
order of Joseph Bonaparte.
CAROLINA, SEPT. 8.---'f he head.quartcrs of the
army of Gmseral Venegas are still here. This
army has been considerably reinforced; the in-
fantry alone amounted to '26,860 men. The ca-
ralry is stationed in La Mancha, and pushes its
advanced parties as frr as Madridejoe, and the
vicinity of Tembluque. The divisions of this
Army occupy, at present, the following posi-
tions first division is in Valdepenas, the
2d At Villutinave de les f nfautes, and one regiment
has been detached to Villamantiqiie and Veuta
Neut.! ; the.third division is in Cortaduza,. and
the environs of that place; and the fourth in
V iso.
The enemy occupies (Nana, Temblecre,_ and
Dasbarrias, and his advanced parties arc In Yams
and Villasolas. The French artillery has been re-
moved from Mora to Almonacid, where the enemy
fortifies himself ; and his movements are so '
riosis, that it is impossible to penetrate into his
future plan of operation.
Lisson, SEPT. 25.—Letters from Castellr
Mane° advise, that the% French who occupied
Celia and its environs Nary retreated into the in.
terior of Spain. We also know, by letters from
Aleotejo, that the Spanish army of Estremadora'
is about to put itself in motion, probably for the'
purpose of detaching 18,000 men, who are to
join the army in La Mancha.
CA DI Z, Sarr. 15.—The head-quarters of the
English army are in.Badaj os, one division occupying
an advanced position at Lobau, and another in
Merida.- All the corps of the army of Estrema.'

' THE,

dura are in La Mancha, The bridge of A rzobtspo is I
defended by only 8000 men, although reinforce-
ments are said to be expected from La Mancha.
By an express arrived at Troxillo from Ciudad
Rodrigo, intelligence has been received that the.
said place has been occupied by a considerable
force, under the orders of the Duke be Parque.
The army of Gallieia, commanded by Generals
Mendiaabal and 13allasteros, is shortly to arrive in
Cindad Rodrigo.
~ .
OH the lat of September a division of 6000
men entered Gera, snider the orders of G
'rat Conde, with 6000 beasts, loaded u ith all
sorts of provisions, and two hundred quintals of
gunpossdct.
Gen. Layton is with his division two leagues
r from that city, and the fire against that important
place has ceased.— (This is ()Acid.)
BaDasui, Srrr. 20.—0 n the 11th of this
month arrived in this city his Excellency the
Marquis de la Romani. The tinpreme Junta, the
illustrious Commander in Chief of the English
Army, and all the Officers of the garrison, com-
plimented his Excellency, who, on the, loth, in the
morning, left this town for Seville.

FRENCH RILVARKS
ON LORD WELLINCTOII CAMPAIGN'I+I
SPAIN.

The Monileur of the 9th October contains
some remarks, in the shape of Notes, on the ob.
serrations of am English Paper (the Morning PM
of September I 3) relative to the conduct of Lord
Wellington in Spain.
Psvrn.—" We hnveesil. that in a military
point nt 'IOW the santriacut. of Lord .Wellington were re-
wasted by his owe cboire."
Nora of the MOnileur.— Lord Wellington has
been very fortems4e to reach the banks of the
Tagus, to be able to cover himself by this river,
and escape destruction ; but that his retreat was
regulated by his own choice," is a thing which
can only be said in England, and soil; he believed
no where. Why,- then, did not Lord Wellington
retire by Placentia, -where his magazines were ?
Why, at least, did h; not pass the Tagus over the
bridge of Alinaraz ? Why did he pass that riser
by the bridge of Arzobispo, whence he made his
retreat over difficult mountains, and by scarcely
practicable roads? Certainly such a retreat as
this could not be a voluntary retreat, and Lord
Wellington, unless we suppoae him actually in-
wide, could nut have taken that direction of 6'
own choice."

" Lord IVelliagton preserved during ten days, a poition,
in winch the French troops, Li they thought theinsclvrt
streag enough, !night have attacked our army, and lett it nu
other me:unlit camping but victor)."

IstiorrE.—This is a very singular assertion, when,
according to the noble custom of the English,
Lord Wellington had abandoned the army of
Caesta, who had been beateit,on the Tagus, and
lost 35 pieces of cannon, and all his ammunition.
—The _ writer asks, why the French did not
pursue the English army ? They did pursue
it, fur they came up with the rear.guard.—
This rear-guard, it is true, was composed
only of the troops of Cucuta ; bet they were there
as allied troops, and made a part of the pursued
army. The French too destroyed that division,
which they overtook. Two things certainly ce.
suit from this—first, That the rear-guard of Lord
Wellington was destroyed ; secondly, Thtt Lord
11fellisigtoti having to give Ito. post of hon Our
either to the English troops, of those Spaniards
of whom he speaks so ill, determined in favour of
the Spanish troops.
The post of honour in an army is that which is
nearest the enemy. When Francis the First sent
to Fick/nand the sword of Constable from the Con-
stable of Bourbon, the latter replied, " the King
took it from me on the day when he gave the com.
mend of the advanced guard to the Duke of A len-
con." Lord. IVelllngton had not the same senti-
ments with the brave Chevaliers of those times.—
lie does uot pique himself on keeping for himself
the post of honour, lie gives it up to his allies.—
The French, after having beaten his rear guard,
might "have entered Portugal, hut they did not
wish it, because it was theik the month of August ;
because the climate is fatal at that season; because
only madmen, such as those who direct the Eng.
lisp Government, would, in the months of Au.
gust anti September, expose an army to perish in
the marshes of Waleheren, or in the sands of Es..
trcmadora.
ENG& rsu Psrest.--" It k certain that he was deceived
in his expectation of dnliss;T provisiows, and means of con-
ve)aarts. The charge of want of foresight made against
Lord Wellington falls of itself."

NOTE.—The pretest of wanting provisions is
always the excuse of Generals who are bexten,
or who are rendered unable to attempt any thing.
Would not one suppose Lord Wellington com-
manded an army of three hundred thousand in..
hairy, and forty thousand cavalry ?
When a General has an army so considerable,
the procuring of provisions may give him some
trouble, but cannot absolutely stop his progress.
Can it he believed, that an army of 26,000 men
could not find subsistence in a country where
towns are so numerous ? Such an army is only a
strong division, which a single town of Spain
could maintain fur two month!. Besides, if Lord
Wellington was uneasy with respect to the sub-
sistence Of his army, oily did he abandon his ma.
guinea ? His line of operation and his magazines
were upon and at Placentia. Why did he suffer
Placentia to be taken ? Why ?_ Because this
Geoaral of Sepoys bad the imprudence to advance
to tho very middle of Spain, without knowing
either what force was before him, or what upon
his flanks.

We etc by his dispatches that he someti:nes be-
lieved that the Duke of Dalmatia had hut 8000
men, and sonwtimes that he had 16,000. tinder
these false suppositions ho had proposed to divide
his forces to go and attack the Duke of Dalmatia,
when 411 on a sudden, sod too late, be learned that
this same Duke was advancing upon him with a
corps of 60,000 men. He then fled in the utmost
haste, and he was in tho right. Had he been
amused at Talavera, instead of being attacked,
and had not particular-and local circumstances
permitted him to pass the Tagus, and amps by;
sacrificing the corps which he left behind him, not

if