The Statesman.
London, England, 1814-02-11 00:00:00

REFUGE FOR THE DESTITUTE.

Yesterday, the Seventh Anniversary of this Insti-
tution wascelebrated at the City of London Tavern ;
his Royal Highness the Duke of York was in the
Chair, supported by his Royal Highness the Duke of
Kent, 'Ards Sydmooth and Pomfret, the Right
Hon. George Rose, Mr. Wilberforce, Mr. Pro-
theroe, the Recorder, Sir S. C. Hunter, Mr. Park,
&c. &c. The company, consisting of about 200,
sat down to an elegant dinner at seven o'clock.—
When the cloth was removed, Non nobis Domino
was sung by Messrs. Dignum, Leet, Goss, Sale, and
'Permit. The usual toasts of 11 The King"--." The
Prince Regent"—" The Queen and the Royal Fa-
mily"—were then drank with their customary ap-
plause.

Lord SIDMOUTII then proposed " The health of
his Royal Highness the Duke of York, and prosperity
to the Refuge for the Dostitute." In associating the
two, continued the Noble Viscount, he believed he
not only conformed to what *was the established
practice on similar occasions, but anticipated the
wishes of every gentleman present. He also begged
leave,. before he sat down, to express his sincere and
cordial approbation of the society whose interests
they were that day assembled to promote. It was an
institution that involved in its practical consequences
all the best sympathies of the human heart, and the
performance of all the best duties of the human cha-
racter. .The object was not csuly to relieve the iudi-
gencbut reclaim the profligate; not only to
snatch victims from the gulph of vice and misery, but
to provide for them the means of honest and beuefi-1
cial industry. These were among its ordinary pur-j
poses of benevolence, but he believed he should also
be right in stating, that its primary purpose ryas to
succour the penitent criminal, who had incurred the
penalty of the offended laws of his country;
against him the finger of scorn was poii.ted, and
every door shut except that of this benevolent
institution. To restore such individuals to the
happiness of virtue and religion, was one of the
happy labours of this society ; and he had the
aatisfaction of knowing that the most important
results bad ensued from the exertions of the
Benevolent and intelligent individuals to whom
the details of this Society had been entrusted.—
Nearly 600 persons had felt the blessings of this So-
ciety, which had been noi, only an instrument in the
bands of Magistrates to reclaim offenders, but a
powerful ausiliary to justice. Ile could not, how-
ever, but lament, that the funds were inadequate to
those wide and generous aims which formed an essen-
tial part of the duties and objects of the society ; but
'bile he expressed this regret, he felt some satisfaction
ki being able to state, that on public grounds public I
assistance would be alierded in dealing away all im-
pediments to the application of the funds in the most
beneficial and benevolent manner. He could not con-
clude, however, without adverting to one circurn-
tarter, Tic. that during the last twenty years, a pe-
iiod in which we had not been free from dangers and
alarms—a period during which a sangoiintry war
bad raged, enormous public burdens had been inevi-
tably endured, and commerce had frequently expe-
rienced the, most severe checks, we had stilt been
soiotlful di the diotes,es of others, and numerous
Clqnities had been instituted. Ti. ardent
benevolence be willingly attributed, in part, to the
native generosity of the national character ; but he
believed it was also bottomed upon the characteristic
charity and kindness of that religion which we all
professes', lie would not trespass longer upon their
ettentioni:but should conclude by proposing the
" Health of the Duke of York, and the Prosperity
of the Refuge for the Destitute."
The toast was drank with acclamations, and three
times three.

His ,Royal Highness the Doke of YORK, in re.
turning thanks, expressed his sincere desire in pro-
moting the benevolent purposes of the Institution,
and was proud to find that such benefits hail already
resulted to those distressed objects for whom it was
established.

6

STA'II

NAVAL 11VTELLIGENGE.

DE .\t., E'en. Ll—Arrived the Badger hired armed Wilt,
from the Roompot, and remains with his Majesty's ships super
last.

,PLystourn, FEB. 9.—Arrived the Sparrow sloop of war,
from a cruise.—Sailed the Pomone, for of Brest; Reindeer
sloop of war, on a cruise; Foxhound gun-brig, and the Pelican
sloop ~f war, to the Westward ; and the Earotus and Hotspur
frigates, for off the French coast.

:i N

THE SNUFF-TAKER.
A PARODY UPON TUE " WOODPlttlitit."
As I sat by the fire, in reflection profound,
I thought that a‘y nose 1 would heat ;
And I said " if thfiee's snot in the world to be found,
" I shall get it in Coventry.street."
'Tires ten I not a sound but tbe striking of clocks,
And the Snutf-taker tapping—his favourite box.
So to WIIIIIART'S I went, though the weather was rough,
My sensation of semi to regale !
How busy the sbopmen !—some serv'd out the snuff,
And some neatly roll'd up etezArt. !
Not a sound ! nil the watchmen were silent as Mimics,
But the SnuF-taker tapping—his favourite box.
Then 1 took a long stroll in the silence of night,
And I cried, " Fortune, grant me but these :
" A quid of tobacco, my joy and delight,
" And soot'—to incite me to sneeze I"
'Twos morn ! not a sound but the crowing of cocks,
And the Snutf.taker tapping—his favourite box.
Brompton. T. B.

Mr. EDWARD FOSTER, the Treasurer, then made
his Report, and acknowledged.the unspeakable be-
nefits derived to nearly GOO persons, from the com-
mencement of the Establishment ; he stated, that the
amount of this day's subscription was 801.
Mr. NV ilecaroece then rose to propose the health
of the Duke of 'Kent," prefacing his proposition
by a few observations upon the general alacrity testi-
fied by all the H.ocal Family on every occasion where
humanity and benevolence were to be displayed, and
upon the uniform support which they afforded to
all institutions having such objects in view. The
health was drank with great applause, and with three
times three.
His Royal Highness the Duke of KENT returned
thanks in a short but itnpiessive speech, and ob-
served, that as a proof of the anxiety which he felt
for the prosprity of the institution, he had declared
his intention of selling the office of Steward for the
ensuisq year.
Mr. PROTHEROE proposed " the health of Lord
idmouth," which being drank with much applause,
his Lordship returned thanks, and reiterated his
assurances of a cordial participation in all that might
concerti the interests of the Institution ; hoping that
when they met again they would find, from the ex-
ertit:ns of individual benevolence, the fuads enlarged,
and by th,e labours of those to whom were confided
the details of the Institution, its sphere of operation
increased.
Mr. Alderman C. SMITII then proposed " The
Health of Mr. Rose," observing that the Crown did
uot possess, nor had ever possessed a more faithful
servant.
Mr. Rose returned thanks, but hoped for some
indulgence from the perturbation of his feelings.
Mr. PARK, bearing testimony, from his own pro-
fessional knowledge, to the utility of the Society,
next proposed " The Health of the Corporation of
the City of London," and thanks were returned by
Sir Stephen Claudius Hunter.
Mr: FrasitriEho proposed " The Health of that
Reverend Gentlemen who had preached in behalf of
the Institution."
The Rev. Mr. DODD returned thanks for himself
and the other Reverend Gentlemen, and said, that
the merit was not due to them, but to those indivi-
:Atolls who gave their mites at the church and chapel
doors.

_ ---a v . .
The " Health of Lord Moira" was also drunk UNITHE BLACKSTONL4 N DEFINITION that governedpagan Rome before the
with great applause; and that of " Lord Pomfret OF LAW. Csasaits, and, compared with the sentim•
and the Stewards," Lord Pomfret returning thanks.
No. I. pressed by BRACTON, may not improperl
Mr. Rosa proposed the health of his friend ". Mr. ---saw-- ethnic and abominable. Mr. 8., it is tr
Wilberforce," which being *received. with distin- , TO THE EDITOR OF THE STATESMANI a most fantastic extension, as if it comp!
guished applause, the Hon. Gent. in returning ' Sin,-1 find that it is not merely on the subject of ever was social, and excluded the savage
generosity thanks, ascribed it rather to the of the BONAPARTE and the BOURSONS• that my sentiments where there is so law; and he even in
company than to any merits of his own. :differ from those of your Correspondent in Welbeck- term constitutional, in order to hook in o
Mr. Sheriff MARSH, with an energetic encomium Street, for he follows mel on whatever subject I dis- ! government ; but this licentious applicati
upon the exertions of the Chaplain and Secretary, cess, with a bill of exceptions. Iu your Paper of i word will not pass' or if it did, it would
proposed his health, which being received with ac-' Friday he has inserted his caveat' against my Re- ithe word synonymous with that of law' a
customed kindness ;
. marks on Law, Property, and Liberty, where, as defeat his purpose. I will, to • silence
The Rev. Mr. Ceosar replied with a statement of ' usuais he blends together compliment and correc- : cavilling respecting this doctrine of pu i tit
the feelings, which could not but be awakened in ' tiorCaVilink it right to reply to both. My remarks I &Wons which I know must needs be diiile
his breast, not only by the greatness of this day, lon the above subjects he calls learned and cons i u et- '• gestion with many people, who never,
but by the interesting sight he had just left at the ' tional ; the last 1 believe to be true; but as to the i easily gulp down passive obedience, and si
1 stuff,
exl
Refuge, of nearly thirty of those, who had not only : other, Ido not think it becomes me to permit its!lii a passage in BaacTol
, st wh4
been rescued from premature death, banishment, or I being applied to me, for though [ quote books ! redly applied to Fii,„lish law. S ),aki cr
the horrors of imprisonment, by the means of the : written in millet is called,'
by learned men, low or :written law deriving ' .
S lar Its ItUthoray from tai
Refuge, hut of those who were actually replaced in ! barbareua Latin, such, as your classical scholars de- bation, he says, ,st'w,Uterer is determined
the confidence of society, and are walking in new- : spisea the reason I do so is) because those books , approved by the great men, and the cones
ness of life, who attended to-day to return thanks t!tontain the principles of the Constitution: I have' the people, the Kingor Prince presiding,
for benefits received. ii not studied them for the sake of appearinglearned, :of law,
legis habet rigorem quicquid de
At half-past ten the Royal Dukes left) when the ! hut with the views of a patriot. We are told in the Ide consenvn magnatans, d REIPCGLIC.E
company broke up. i Life of the Rev. SAMUEL Jottarsoar, the author of SPONSIONE, authoritate Regis sic print
I that admirable book, a History and Defence of dente, justefacrit dc.finitam Sr app/obat I,
Magna Charta, that he found the study of Bate- ' TON, c. 1, and in I. 2, speaking of the
TON necessary to obtain a thorough knowledge of laws, he says' that our laws must he a
the English Constitution ; and t have experienced ' the consent of those who use them, and 1
thgsaine necessity. Mr. 8., in bestowing upon me the C;
le I
.11tr, approb«tie consensu Utentiu,
tithe to which I have no claim, reminds me of the , mento lierrbum confirmatcr, and to tkis
manner in which the faggot-maker was dubbed a : the fact mentioned in my last Letter, upo
. Dolor, in MOLIERL'S facetious comedy of Le Med- ' bosky of RAPIN, respecting the Coronat
' do- Mntgre lui. And now, with regard to his ob- I said them to have been administered to Er
jections, which embarrass me less than his compli- I whereby he swears to confirm such laws sr
i meats, I reply, spare me not ; only take care, for I shall ELECT OR CHOOSE—pas vulg.,
your own sake, that your objections are well- I Which oath, we very well know, was of
grounded, fair, and candid. My name is '!RUE- remony introduced at that Coronatitin ; t
RAM. In an excellent Letter just published by Ma- I
doubt that King's grandfather, HENRY l',
jor CARTWRIGHT, he tells his friend 64 freely to ap. BRACTON was Chief Justice, had take
pl the lash of ridicule, of sarcasm, or indignant same oath, namely, to confirm the laws cl
re ehensioo, for it becomes him who enters on the tnuni sponsione reipttblice. We see, in
fi
et
_. of discussion, to be prepared for every species the whole was consistent. BaXorom writ
.ot warfare." These are the sentiments that be- explain the law of England ; and he does
come the man who contends for truth and liberty. honestly. He explains law as mew
the other hand, he must he as weak in intellect 1 the justice of Con, and agreeable '
4t
a honesty, who wilfully brings into court a cause j conceives the law. of' England then
will not endure the sifting. lam conscious lat the very lime lie wrote, to
I t what I have brought before the public is not of : surely nothing ilw be-more consistent
this character. I can have no objections to Mr. B.'s ! Justice than that men should be punish
most rigid investigations. He says, BeacToar's de- ,of laws to which they themselves have al
~
finition of law—Lex est communis Sponsio Reipub- j this ho found conformably to the laws a
liar, applies only to municipal law ; and when he : of our ancestors ; among whom the ap
(meaning T. I'.) tells your (Leaders, if they had all whom were to be bound by the law
gone to Bi.acesvoNe instead of Lt.tcron for a so- consensu atentium was needful to give i'
lotion of the question, What is law. 2 they would : This is the spilt of English law ; and
have been mistaken : he is himself mistaken, be- consistent with the spirit of Divine Ju
cause BLACKSTONE has given a definition of munici- : makes Bitacros say, Jos ct Lex ideas
,i poi law nearly correspondent with that of the learn-' But this not being to BLACKSTONE'S 1
ed BRACTON. " ' Municipal law,' says the Judge, ' laboured hard to avoid it. lie has been
'is a rule of conduct prescribed by the ..4uprenie to Rome to hunt after the origin of la
An Adjourned Admiralty Session was held at the -
Old Baile on Tuesda before Power in the state, commanding what is right, and might have found a purer and better o 6
Scorr, Baron WOOD, Mr. Justice DALLAS, &C. Sir IVILLIMat y, Y,
prohiliiting what is wrong.' Now this definition ' Ile talks about municipal law, hut lin
when four prisoners were tried, one of whom was amititllleS Mr. B.) seems to me to be correct, in as about no such thing, he sticks to our
convicted, viz. Patrick Carroll, for killing and I Ouch as it applies to all municipal, civil, and con- ' home-born laws, as PCTYTT calls them.
gi in William Duffle on board the Erin on the' iiii"lional laws, whither emanating from a popular .rtiii his wits a law-gathering, conscious
high v ,
seas, fined is. and to be imprisoned ten clays;
or a royal source--whether precribed by the will of coup! he picked up in foroign contitrl
or the will of the could:units ; for it can- what oe had at home. Like a true Et
and three were Acquitted, viz. Richard 7'homosol'im ''''",
: not be dealt tl that a monarchy has its laws as well as he unfolds the elementary principles o:
stThen:igus, and Thomas Harvey.
ivepublic, only they arise from a different source; .
.13w was composed that was our boast
Lir uaLDHALL.—jOhn Ifinghoryi;of the Illsrearket • •
; 'Melt is the /mistpure,
just, and legitimate (source ; Lex.' Terra, or the Law of the Land.
' a bankrupt, was charged by Thomas Davis, of War- i w
!here is understood), I will not determine ; but in assertion is, that BRALTON'S definition
ren-street, Fitzroy-square, with defrauding his ere-
!my opinion, those laws are likely to be most bene- municipal law—of this we have seen tl
ditors. The circumstances of the case having been
heard on a former day, were not gone into, and the ficiat that are enacted by the common consent."— his second assertion is, that &scam
Prisoner was committed for trial. ! Thus Mr. B. mixes up together oil and %ittegar, prig- given also a definition of municipal law,,
, ciples that, by their very nature, abhor an union. finitions nearly correspondent with each n
1 At the late Mancbester Quarter Sessions, a case,
To answer this, I must take it to pieces, I must ana- quently he blames me for blaming Br.
I novel in its kind, was heard, under an Act of Par-
l• Use it, for there is no replying to it in the lump. It' Now, the first thing here to be done
liament, which has remained obsolete half a century s
contains three assertions of matter of fact, and two the uninformed reader (whom I have alw•
or more :—That of an Innkeeper suffering tipling on !
I declarations of the writer's opinion. The first as- what is meant by municipal law. It war
I the Lord's Day. He was duly summoned, and on
setae!' is, that Bit ACTON'S definition " applies only ' law, but not the original law of Rome
the hearing of the complaint, bound to appear at the
to municipal law."—The second assertion is, that ther the first nor the last. The original
Sessions, and a Jury was sworn pursuant to the Act,
BLACKSTONE 'S definition of municipal law nearly tablished by their Kings; but these being
which is a perfectly existing one, to try whether !
:corresponds with that of Baarros.--The third as- their laws suppressed, Rome became a I
he had done any act to forfeit his recognizance, en-
sertion is, that monarchy, alias despotism, has its municipium, and sent to Greece for a
tered into on obtaining his licence. After an exa- •
laws as well as a republic. And of the two opi- laws, which being presented to the peo
urination of witnesses and the ingenieus arguments '
were i nions, the one is, that the writer cannot deter- , them approved, were called the laws of
. of Counsel, the Jury could not agree, and they
at i mine which is most pure, just, and legitimate, lair : Tables, because they were written on 12
locked up three hours and upwards, when they
made by one mates will, or by the will of the corn- • wards the laws of the Roman Empres
last found the Innkeeper had forfeited his recogni-
;
triunity ;—and the second opinion is, that laws . verned by no other rule than their ow
zatice, and was thereby disabled from selling ale for I
Tirade by the common consent, although the writer ; vested this municipal law, in its in
the space of three years. It is expected that 311 111)*;
will not say that they are more pure, just, and legi- : points, but still the name was preserved,
plicatioti will be made to the Court of King's Bench .
timate than the mandates of a despot, yet are likely pal or civil law were both applied to
- for a certiorari to remove the proceeding, in order '
I to he most beneficial. i Law, to which all men despotically di
- that the same may be quashed. I shall consider these matters in order, and first leaning in every country. I admit,
i We mentioned lately, that Nathaniel Blair bad 1
with respect to the definition of the Chief Justice of that it becomes a writer to trace the sub.
been tried, convicted, and sentenced to be hanged,
HENRY 111. it is asserted, as a fact) that this :deli-lie writes to its origin, but BLACKSTONE'
at Edinburgh, for uttering forged bank notes. On . .
ninonapplies only to municipal law. lam sorry to the Law of England, the Lcx Terra'
Friday last it was discovered, that be had anticipat-
be under the necessity of contradicting this positive , should he hod the origin of that but in 1
ed the sentence of the law, by becoming his own exe-
assertion, and of saying, that BRACTON neither .in pagan Rameassuredly:besides,theßol
cutioner. i mentions municipal law, nor in any shape whatever municipal Law from Greece ; so to
The ice in the river Tyne, which had been so long
does he refer to it. It is a definition of law gene- Rome was but taking it at second ham
frozen over both above and below Newcastle-bridge, •
. rally, as is apparent from these words : Videndum ' was hunting after original principles,
rn
7 gave way on Sunday to the genial thaw, which co- , dram .
est am quid-sit Lex: Et sciendum quod Lex est not go at once to the fountain head ?
menced on Friday ;and no damage was sustained by •
reipublicce sponsio communis; and the next words ! reader, because it was a principle among
the shipping in the river, notwithstanding the im-
which follow prove that it is to law, generally, pro- that law is a covenant or compact whirl
mense thicknoss of the ice. It will he a memorable "
perly, and legitimately so named, and mint to any make towards each other. And the Es
circumstance in the local history of the country, that
particular kind of law, that his explanation is ad- : as we shall soon see, bears as great hose
so large and rapid a river should have been frozen to
dressed, for he says item" Also he it remembered doctrine of popular compact, as to that
the thickness of eo inches : and the Antiquarian So-.that the author of justice is Goa, according to w hem : will : indeed, they come to the same thi
.
ciety of Newcastle have recorded the event on vellum,
is the sense of justice entertained by his creatures, strike the man of reflection, that the
as a document to be referred to. ; and in conformity to this, law and justice signify ' law in every country, must be confor
I The following anecdote does so much honour to ,
the same thing. And although law, when taken in ! principles of religion in that country,
human nature, and is so strikingly illustrative of .
a large sense, means whatever binds, yet specially ' are co-operative; they have the same 4
the character of our brave tars, that it is with great • .
it signifies a just sanction, commanding what is ho- ' each of them, to use the words of Bit,
pleasure we make it public. A poor sailor, who,
nest, and prohibiting what is contrary." Here I : honesta et prohibens contraria. I-1..-3- i
for some trifling offence, has been compelled to
must observe, that our modern law expounder has for BLACKSTONE to seek iii Pagan coo
take up his birth in one of the prisons in Exeter,
retained only the last words of this excellent detini-- origin of Christian laws! But this
had about him, previous to his commitment, 201. ti
on. on. The other lie has rejected•—why ? because it torus his back on his great predecesso,
with that true feeling which' did not answer his purpose. The Latin is in the note who tells us, that the author of justice
The generous fellow,
adorns his profession, immediately on the setting in
to the:
..._ * law and
.and if I have not fairly translated it, let that la and justice signify the same
of the severe weather, began administering . fun u. who understands that language far better sublime ! how simple is this definition I•
wants of his fellow-sufferers; which he did with ,
• than I do, correct me. To such correction I will ily conformable to the truth ! I think i
such liberality, that above half his little stock has .
. always submit with pleasure • but I do not like to this passage of the Chief Justice of Hex
already been disposed of in procuring such comforts Ibe corrected with regard to facts which I am con- very spirit of the great ALFRED. What
as he thought they required. I scions rif having reported with fidelity. I contend we learn from those sacred relics whirl
Coma-Excassoe. Fes. 11.—A few vessels arrived from ,
that Bapplies the doctrine of communis I us, but that LAW IS JusTicE, and sysi
then BRACTON a
ssarsia is dull sale, bat what ,
little Isar beenli dnitillpn,:sielti.7.l:ootter:inedlCMonday's prices ; a C. 181116 . sponsto reipublicce, not' to any particular kind of NATION OF THE DIVINE SPIRIT ? ill
late, but to that law which he considers to be syno- . the origin of English law—the highest
duearralheyterozanitnisivar7o,:iitslitmulolyd.,uf:l7 which I.l,,iziy,.soidnemi...e.issmi:
nymons with justice, and particularly Christian jus- , the most sacred of all origins ; but miff
Boma, told at hcr of ticks. there iv no alteration.
310111.1E1ELD MARK ET.—VII. 11. tire, whereas municipal law properly means the law us too intimately blended with the spir
To sank tbe Oral, per stone of Mb.
Beef ... 6s. 4d. to is. Q. { Head of Cattle this days • Item, Author au:on:he en Dilia. svciouluiti quod Juttitlnet4 1
620 la cremate, et seconding+ hoe Jos Er Lax idem signillrat. Es of instructions to the candidates for I.
Mattes
.6.4. 6a. to 7s. at. i Beloit
Veal ..‘: Is. Od. ni St. 6d. 1 Sheep
Pork • • ..7v ed. to Ss. 4d. Calve; ...,.
- Judge) who quits the venerable pages
Lamb •• • ~os. ()d. to 01. Od. Pip 000000000 •.• • • f5O costrariae—Blactoas C• :.