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bring his majesty's government into contempt, and cast unmerited odium on our most excellent constitution; thinking also that, if such malpractices were detected in a casual and slight survey, of less than two hours duration, far greater abuses are likely to be brought to light, by the intervention of the grand inquest of the nation, most humbly and earnestly solicits this honourable house to take the premises into consideration, and by a public and open examination at its bar, or any other mode, afford such relief as may seem meet.

A. STEPHENS.

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Kensington Palace, Feb. 21. Lieut.-colonel Vesey is commanded by his royal highness the duke of Kent to request the insertion of the following:

Although the duke of Kent flatters himself that the officers of the British army with whom he has had the good fortune of serving in the Mediterranean, America, and the West Indies, will do him the justice to believe, that his absence from Gibraltar at this time, when that fortress is menaced by a formidable attack of the enemy, is not owing to any backwardness on his part to repair to that station to which his duty calls him, or for want of his using his utmost exertions to be allowed to resume the actual command of his government, he feels that he owes it to his own character no less as a man than as a soldier, to make known to them, to the whole army, and to his countrymen in general, the terms on which he felt it his duty to address his majesty upon this subject, immediately upon the arrival of the last accounts from Gibraltar; and trusts that when these have been perused, he shall stand acquitted

in the opinion of his brother officers of the army, and of his countrymen, of having been deficient in his duty.

Sire, The letters received by the mail just arrived from the Me diterranean, having brought the certain information that orders had reached Algeziras from Madrid, immediately to make such preparations in the neighbourhood of Gibraltar as put beyond doubt the intention of the enemy to besiege it, I could n't, under such circumstances, reconcile it to my feelings, were I to delay a moment in not only assuring your majesty of my readiness instantly to go out there; but in earnestly soliciting your sanction for my resuming the duties attached to the commission I have the honour of holding as governor of that fortress. To your majesty, who yourself possess so nice a sense of honour, it is quite unnecessary for me to represent, that on the result of your decision upon this request, which I beg leave in the most dutiful yet in the strongest manner to press upon your attention, every thing most dear to me in life, I mean my character as a man, and my professional credit as a soldier, are at stake. I will not, therefore, presume to say more than that I place those in your majesty's hands, with no less confidence in your justice as my sovereign, than your indulgence as my parentWith every sentiment of the most devoted attachment, and the most dutiful respect, I have the honour to subscribe myself,

To the king.

Your majesty's most affectionate son, and most faithful servant and subject, EDWARD. The duke of Kent conceives that it would be superfluous to add any observations upon the forego

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ing lines, except that he is not going out to Gibraltar, that being a sufficient explanation of the result of his application; and his whole motive of intruding the perusal of them upon the public at this time, being that of clearing his own character from the aspersions that must unavoidably attach to it in consequence of his absence from his government at such a moment as the present one, were it conceived to be voluntary on his part, or that he had been passive on the occasion.

COURT OF KING'S BENCH.

Morris v. Sir Francis Burdett, bart.

22.-This was an action brought by the high bailiff of Westminster, for the 5th part of the expenses in erecting the hustings for the accommodation of the candidates at the late Westminster election, and for other incidental charges, consequent upon the election, amounting in the whole to 3261. Amongst other charges was 120. for the high bailiff's table during the election. There were also charges for making proclamation, for hire of horses, and for various assistants, commissioners, clerks, &c. It was admitted that a Mr. Percy had protested, in the name of sir Francis Burdett, against incurring any expenses for the hustings; but it was also proved that his committee, his friends, and his poll clerks, made daily use of the hustings.

Mr. Garrow said, he was not instructed to question the different items of charge, but to resist them altogether, as the worthy baronet considered it a duty he owed to the public to settle the extent of his liability under the act of the 34th of the king. He contended that it was preposterous to say that the

candidates at an election were to be charged with the high bailiff's dinners, and the various services incidental to his situation.

Lord Ellenborough said that, by the 34th of the king, any candi date had a right to insist upon commissioners to administer the oaths of allegiance, &c. and they were liable for the expenses attending the appointment, ard the expenses of the court in which they sat; but certainly not for many of the items charged in the plaintiff's bill. It was true, Mr. Percy might have protested against the expense of erecting the hustings, but there was no proof that the protest was made as the agent of sir Francis; on the contrary, the clerks of the defendant took their situations on the hustings, his committee there attended, and applications were daily made to the high bailiff for tickets of admission to the hustings. Having therefore taken the use of the hustings, the defendant, even if he had originally protested against the expense as unnecessary, waved his protest, and was liable to his por tion of the expense. With respect to the high bailiff's table, and the employ of officers consequent upon his situation, there was no pretence for charging the defendant.

The jury, under his lordship's directious, found for the plaintiff 1177. 8s. 2d. the extent of the defendant's liability.

The King v. Samuel Douglas.

This prosecution was instituted by the countess dowager of Ilchester, for the benefit of the public, against the defendant, who was a porter at the White Horse cellar, Piccadilly, for having defrauded her of the sum of 3s. 4d. in the car

riage of a basket of fish from Dorchester. It appeared that frequent complaints had been made against the defendant for extortion in the carriage of parcels, which he was in the habit of delivering, and the parties concerned being desirous of detecting his malpractices, a duplicate of the ticket which was sent with the basket in question, was enclosed in it stating the real charge to be 6s. 6d. but the defendant, not knowing of this, altered his own to 95. 10d. which her ladyship's servant paid him. This was fully proved by Samuel Harris, her ladyship's servant, and W. Robinson, the book-keeper at the White Horse Cellar.

Mr.Lawes, the defendant's counsel, took several objections to the indictment, which lord Ellenborough over-ruled, and the jury, therefore, found him Guilty.

Mr. Gurney, as leading counsel for the prosecution, observed to his lordship, that the reason why this severe course had been adopted towards the defendant was, that he had defrauded the countess, in this way, no less than seven times!

The following is a copy of an interesting communication transmitted from the Transport-office, in reply to all applications now made by the French officers, prisoners of war in Britain, for passports to enable them to return to France:

Transport-office. 27.-Sir, The commissioners for his majesty's transport service, and for the care and custody of prisoners of war, have received your letter of the and in return, I am directed to acquaint you that It is the determination of his maesty's government not to allow any more French officers to go 1808.

from this country to France, until the French government shall make some return for the very great number of French officers already sent, or shall agree to a cartel of exchange upon the fair principle of man for man, and rank for rank, according to the usual plan of civilized nations, and as repeatedly proposed by the commissioners, without effect. I am, however, to acquaint you, that if the French government will send over to this country a British prisoner of equal rank to effect your exchange, or will officially certify to the commissioners, that upon your arrival in France such British prisoner shall be released, orders will immediately, on the receipt of such certificate, be given for your libera

tion.

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cent. The taxes are chiefly levied on windows, individuals, doorways, sign-boards, furniture, and working patents, without which no one is permitted to manufacture in any way; the Custom-house duties, which used to contribute greatly to the national supplies, are now greatly deficient of their accustomed produce. The annual consumption of food in Paris is stated at 258,640,000 francs, or about 10,776,6901.; and one-sixth part of the population of that capital are classed as paupers,

The dramatic authors in Paris lately amounted to 2112, comprehending tragic and comic poets, melo-dramatists, mono-dramatists, vaudevillists, parodists, and pantomimists. When performers of eminence become superannuated, they are supported by the state, on the liberal principle that those who have contributed to the public plea sures should be supported, in the decay of nature by public gratitude.

Bonaparte has adopted a very extensive plan for the improvement of Paris-Amongst other objects, all the streets between the Carousel and the Louvre are to be pulled down; and another gallery, corre sponding with the gallery of the Louvre, to be built, with an open arcade, leaving in the front of the Thuilleries a parade sufficiently large to exercise an army of 100,000 men.-Another new bridge is building over the Seine, from the middle of the Champ de Mars; several new fountains are erecting; and the new national monument in the cemetery of the Magdalens, and the triumphal arch in the garden of the Thuilleries, commemorative of the victories of Napoleon, are prosecuting with activity. The other national

works going forward are,-a column 150 feet high, in the Place Vendome, to the honour of the French arms, with an avenue to the Boulevards; a martial temple on the Boulevards St. Honere, to contain the statues of the different generals who have distinguished themselves; on plates of gold, the names of all the officers and men who fell in battle are to be displayed; and on plates of silver, the names of such as sur vived those conflicts; a temple to Victory at the barriere of the Champs Elysées, of immense magnitude; a new façade to the Legislative palace; the Pantheon of St. Genevieve; the quay of Desaix, which is to be faced with a piazza; and the column of Rostock.

The French are endeavouring to make an improvement in the art of gunnery, by effecting a discharge of cannon by means of electricity, without exposing the gunners to the enemy's fire. An experiment was lately made by M. Bouche, in the Jardin des Plantes, at Paris, to try the effect of electricity applied to gun-batteries. Instead of guns, he fired 100 rockets on large sticks in the garden, the rockets were all connected by an iron wire, and cre spark caused them all to explode at the same instant.

Bonaparte has lately fitted up his library in the English taste, ar d rather plain than otherwise; it is decorated with marble busts of celebrated characters, among which are those of Mr. Fox and lord Nelson.

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and wilfully gave her a mortal wound in the neck with a knife, of which she instantly died. This is This is the case of the inhuman wretch who murdered the two unfortunate women at Hoddesdon.-The court was crowded at an early hour in the morning to hear the trial. It did not last long, as the facts lay in a very narrow compass.-See the last volume, page 200.

Sarah Harris, servant of Mr.. Boreham, said she had lived four years with him; Simmons, the prisoner, had lived there three years, and quitted it last Michaelmas: the prisoner wished to marry her, but her mistress disapproved of it; they had quarrelled before he quitted the service;-on which occasion he beat her; and when he had done he said he did not care if he had killed her. He has often said he would make away with her, because she would not marry him. About half past eight in the evening of the 20th of October he came to the house; she was in the kitchen, and heard him coming along the yard; he was swearing violently. He came up to the window, and struck at her through the lattice, and swore he would do for them all. She desired him not to make a noise, as they had company he said he did not care for the company, he would do for them all. Mrs. Hummerstone bearing the noise, opened the room door, and came to the yard. She told him to go away. He gave her a blow on the head, which knocked off her bonnet; she ran into the house, and he immediately followed her. The witness immediately heard the shrieks of murder, but did not know from whom. All the family were in the room. The three young ladies, Mr. Boreham's daughter, Mrs. Warner, the

married daughter, Mr. Boreham and his wife, and Mrs. Hummer. stone. In a short time the prisoner came to the wash-house to her; she shut the door, and cried out murder. The witness ran into the sitting-room,-she saw some one lying under the window,-she ran from thence down a passage,-the prisoner followed her-she there met hier master with the poker in his hand; in running hastily, her master, who is very old and feeble, was knocked down. The prisoner caught her and threw her down, and drew a knife on her. He threw her across Mrs. Warner, who was lying dead, she believed. He drew the knife across her throat, but she guarded it with her hand, which was cut. He made a second blow, when she wrested the knife out of his hand. He imme diately ran away, and she saw no more of him.

Thomas Copperwheat went in search of the murderer. He discovered Simmons concealed under some straw in a crib in the farmyard; the place where he was found was about 100 yards from the house.

Benjamin Rook, the coroner, said, when the evidence of Harris was read to the prisoner, he said it was very true, he had murdered them, and no one else. He added, that he did not intend to have murdered Mrs. Hummerstone, but he went with an intention of murdering Mrs. Boreham, Mrs. Warner, and Harris, the maid-servant,

The constable who carried him to prisen, deposed to the same cffect. The prisoner also told him, that when he had got Betsey down, he heard something fluttering over his shoulders, which made him get up and run away.

The prisoner being called upon (C 2)

to

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