The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-07-22 00:00:00

THE STATESMAN:

pel PRECEDEdVT FOR THE LORDS.

According to the opinion of the Lords " Halifax
and Rochester," the following forms an ILL precedoot
for RAD procerdiags, and may be considered an inte-
resting article to readers of the present day :
Ann, Countess of Macclesfield, having lived for
some time on very uneasy terms with her husband,
thought a public confession of adultery the most ob-
vious and expeditious method of obtaining her liberty ;
and therefore declared that the chill with which

she was then pregnant was begotten lay the Earl
Rivers. Her husband, as may be easily imagined,
being thus made nu less desirous of a separation
than herself, prosecuted his design iu the most ef-
fectual manner ; for he applied, not to the Ecclesias-
tical Courts for a divorce, bet to the Parliament far
an Art by which his marriage Ini:•ht be dissalred, and
the child with which his wife was then pregnant be
pronounced illegitimate. During the Session in which
this Bill was &residing, the Countess was delivered
of a son (afterwards known as Richard Savage *)
on the 10th of January, 1697-5, anal un the 3d of
March following the Divorce Bill was passed, and his
Iwife's fortune, which was very considerable, was re-
paid lier,t and she, in a short time, married Colonel
ii Brett.
It scents that the Lords were not unanimous in
their opinion un this proceeding, for the following
; I Protest is entered on their Journals against this Bill :
—" Dissentient--Because we COTICeiVe that this is the
. I first Bill of that nature that bath passed, where there
, I was nut a divorce first obtained in the Spiritual

Court, which we look upon as an mt. PNECCUENT,
and may be of dangerous consequence in the
future. Halifax. Rochester." And Saluion, In his
review of those times, observe., " this year was
remarkable he the dissolution of a marriage so-
lemnized iu the face of the Church." But after-
-11 times base established this mode of proceeding, by
obtaining a Bill to annul a marriage, without the its-
tervention of the Ecclesiastical Courts ; but it is a!-
rays is that ruse fowls& el on a rerdiet uttoiNni in the
Tronportil Condi. So that it should seem that, at
1 this day, the proceedings of Parliament to annul a
I marriage without any verdict obtained in any Court
below, is rupported by this instance singly and &lune.
• See Johnson's Lift of Savage. page 34.
t It seems that while one precedent is adopted. the other
might be followed, by returning to a certain Illustrious
! Lady the plate that was presented to her by her late macho
, and father-in-law.

Yesterday the Ist and 2d Regiments of Life Guards.
and the two Regiments of Rural Horse Guard. Blue,
were reviewed on Hounslow Heath by his Royal High-
ness the Commander-in-Chia, attended by a uninetous
train of General Officers. It was repor•ed that hi,
Majesty was to have been present. bat a slight attack
of the gout prevented it. A party of the 12th Lancers
kept the ground ; the remainder are doing duty at the
Horse Guards.
The following is the statement of the Court Circular
on the oceasion :
" We regret extremely to say, that his 31.jesty was
prevented (ruin bring present at the Review of the
Troops on Hounslow Heath, yesterday, br an attack of
the gout in his left band; we Onaerittlilla that M.' Ma-i
jesty felt some symptoms of its approach on Thursday
evening, but hoping to find relief from medicine, the or.'
dors for the chargers for the King and suite were not
countermanded. and they proceeded to the field accord.
ingly the painful malady increasing, his Majesty
unavoidably uas obliged to abandon the design, al-
thongh every preparation was made fur his Majesty re-
viewing the troops in person. The attack of the gout,
though severe, is eonhned to his Majesty's hand; the
King's general health is extremely good. The troops
I
were reviewed by the Dukes of York and Cambridge."
On Thursday the Duke of Gloucester, attended by
several military Officers, inspected the Ist Battalion of
the 3d Regiment of Guards, now on duty at Port..
mouth. His Royal Highness expressed himself in
high terms of their appearance and orderly conduit.
His Royal Highness afterwards entertained the Otfi-
eers of the Regiment, and several Naval and Military,
characters, at dinner at the George Inn.
The late King's Lodge at Weymouth was knocked
down, on Wednesday last, to William Young. Esq..
for four thousand pounds. His Majesty's pew in the
church, which is capable of containing twenty-oar
persons, :mid fur ten guineas each sitting.
TRIBUTS TO TIIF LATE. Mr. OItAITAN.—We learn
with much satisfaction, that steps are taking for tear-
ing au Anniversary Dinner in Dublin, in honour of
this Illustrious Irishman's Memory. Several indivi-
duals of the first rank and cousiderati en err at the head
of the design, and from the auspices tinder which it is
commencing, we entertain no doubt of its meeting the
cordial approbation and support of the whole country.
—( Diddle Evoling Post.) I
INTERIETING TO TRATELLIE.:‘ FEOMFRANCE.----ga•
tract from I r y Minute, dated July 7, Itrid:-..-il
" Acquaint the Commissioners of Excise that my lords
approve of the directions they have given for admitting
serrated and medicinal spirits brought over in passage
vessels, with the baggage of passengers, to entry,
without reference to the size of the vessel, for the O-
vate use of the parties by whom they were importesik
Acquaint the Memorialists with the purport of the
letter directed to be written to the Commissioners Wei
the Excise, but that my Lords can by no means es- I
tend the indulgence to any spirits imported as mer-
chandize."
The Le:rim:tee Public ,Cleertiter Is cloathed in
mourning. on accouut of the Death of the Tariff Bill.
which, the Editor says, was " murdered in the Senate
by the majority of one vote;" adeliisgh""AMPul oh
ye sons and daughters of the Unit !Rates ; pat on
sackcloth and ashes, for the great enemy of your inde-
pendence has prevailed : you must still remain tri-
butary to the workshops of Europe ; your factories
mast remain prostrate; your ageicoitural produce must
lie and rot on your hapili."
$ W,trry War.—Flowerdew, whim Teacher of
Rhetoric and Elocutiop, at Hackney, was porpplzed
by several of our first I.;itizens and Aldermen. Cat-
AN; to pay It friendly visit to a worthy Emblsyor,
Alderman, and Pastry-Cook, ansoncother refreshments
-be was Wowed by Ilfr. 1,-- B-- serving Nita with
a slant of why. on a silver salver. U • tainag ti.
tooling and nmatosirating beverage. Fray,
Sir, is this your why ? Cettaiply, was the reply an
Sib this is say way, and sway P. weal.