Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1810-08-10
LONDON, June 4.
OF IRELAND.

LONDON, June q *
~ OF IRELAND.
We have frequently had occasion to
notice the popularity of the Duke of
Richmond's administration of ireland.
With so lenient hand has he held the
reigns of government; so active has
he been in doing every thing to i'm.
prove the condition of the people, to
soften animosities and to soothe dis
|contents; so even%kas he held the
scales ofjustice, ahd 10 happily has he
tempered justicewith Aercy, that it is
now proposed - repealV pine of those
laws which twas dceme0 necessary to
pass a few years ago. Tn repeal of
two of them was moved Yesterday by
Mr.. Wellesley Pole. One of these is
the Irish instruction act: this is to be
repealed, with the exception of the
clause relative to the administering
and taking unlawful oaths- which is
to form the subject of new bill. The
second act is the arms act; this is TO
be repealed, and new act introduced.
1" No one (said Mr.. w. Pole) can
doubt that so much of the oIdact should
still be in force in Ireland, as relates to
the registering of arms, and the pow
er of searching for them bv the ma
gistrates. :. But, at the time of passing
the old bill, there were strong objec-
tions urged TO the powers then gran
ted to the magistrates, of searching
houses in the night, and of delegaii-g
this power to other persons. He con-
ceived these powers at present unne-
cessarY; and proposed, that in the new
bill, the magistrates, on suspicion Of
arms being unlawfully secreted in any
house, should be Obliged to communi.
cate the grounds of their suspicion to
the Castle, and that it should be pla-
ced, entirely at the discretion OF the
Lord Lieutenant, whether the search
should be made or not. There was
another part of the, former act, which
was justly reckoned extremely severe !;
namely, that when a man brought an
action against any magistrate for what
he had done, even though the plaintiff
should have verdict, yet the Judge
was empowered to say, there was
ground of suspicion with regard to the
concea1ment of arms, and direct only
3D. damages. He now proposed to
remove the severity of this clause, by
putting both plaintiff and defendant on
footing ofequaiity."
June 5.
A letter has been received from the
French coast, dated on Friday, in which
ii was stated that vessel, laden with -four,
bound to England, had been ordered TO
unload, in consequence of a new decree,
the particulars of which had not transpir-
ed.
OF SPAIN.
The fort of HostaIIch, in Catalonia
(Spainl has been taken by the French alter
most obstinate resistance. Famine effect
ed what the sword of the enemy could not.
Finding their provisions utterly exhausted,
and no hope of supply reaching them,
the brave garrison attempted TO cut their
way through the enemy, but failed in the
attempt, and were all either killed or taxi
en- prisoners. The enemy have also TAX
en- some small islands on the coast of
Catalonia.
Lerida, after Sustaining two assaults,
has been taken by General Suchet. -~1e
states the number of men made prisoners
in Lerida at 5000.
Thete is rot, we understand, the small.
lest foundation for the rumour OF a general
prohibition against exporting corn from
the French and Dutch ports. Ia one port,
and in ore only, we believe (Dunkirk)
The expectation of that article has been
prohibited +; for no other reason than that
the price has reached the MAXIMUM.
This is not the case at Os.end and other
districts, from which il is permitted to be
exported as usual
A French line of battle ship and fri
gate arc said to have got into Brest, but
from what port is not asceFlained. There
is now in Brest three sail Of the line and
four frigstes, ready for sea.
When our squadron appeared of Flush.
ing, on Tuesday last, FIVE sail of the enc
my's line of battle ships were discovered,
in an advanced position, but they soon af-
ter retired, under an apprehension that
they might be asssiIed.
Two French spies have been taken up
at Lisbon, in female attire aud it having
been discovered that many others were in
the Guy, the utmost diligence was used for
"A -. <l.t.S1.c.