Зображення сторінки
PDF
ePub

hoarseness, the President read his Majesty's speech, from which the following are ex

tracts:

"I feel thankful for the generosity with which the Cortes have provided for the wants and decorum of my house and those of the royal family, and I cannot but applaud the frankness and justice with which, in solemnly acknowledging the obligations and charges of the state, they have approved the indispensable means of discharging them; thus laying the foundation of our national credit and future felicity. These wise measures, with others intended suitably to organize the land and sea forces, to facilitate the circulation of our territorial riches, to remove all opposing obstacles, to establish a plan of finance, such as may reconcile the interests of the state with those of the people, have been objects of the incessant application and continued exertions of the Congress, and rendered them deserving of the universal estimation of Europe, and the just gratitude of the kingdom. At the same time, I cannot but assure you, that my heart has been filled with gladness on beholding the measures of prudent generosity and indulgence with which the Cortes have endeavoured to heal the wounds of the nation, and efface the remembrance of the evils by which it had been rent, opening the door of reconciliation to error and obstinacy, and at the same time still leaving alive the sweet hope that you will henceforward continue animated by the same noble sentiments, in order to cement the constitutional system on the basis of fraternity and reciprocal love of all Spaniards.

"By this means the solid power of the nation, and of the monarchical authority, by which it is directed, go on increasing, and at the same time that improvements in our internal situation are preparing, we acquire more founded rights to the consideration of foreign governments, all of whom continue to give me proofs of their friendly dispositions. Every day I congratulate myself more and more on governing a people so worthy and so generous.

(Signed)

"FERDINAND." When the President had declared the sittings closed, great applause followed from the spectators; the deputies, on entering the streets, were received with every token of regard and esteem, and in the evening the city was brilliantly illuminated.

PORTUGAL.-Advices from Lisbon, to the 18th November, contain accounts of the Spanish Constitution having been adopted in that city, by the heads of the civil government, and of the Portuguese army, on the 11th inst. The cause of this measure appears to have been a fear that their liberty would be endangered by further deJay. On the 13th, four members of the government requested their discharge; but

YOL. VII.

on the 17th, in consequence of a resolution of the general officers, commanders of divisions, &c. that it was necessary for the public interest that they should continue in office, they resumed their functions. In the same military assembly, it was resolved that the modifications which may be necessary in the Spanish constitution shall be left to the Cortes, who are to be convoked as soon as possible. There are to be 100 deputies.

DENMARK Accounts from Copenhagen of the 21st November state, that a conspiracy to overturn the government had been discovered and timely frustrated. Several arrests had in consequence taken place, but the public tranquillity had not been disturbed. The leader in the conspiracy is a Dr Dampé, well known for his revolutionary principles; he had succeeded in organizing a secret association, composed for the most part of athletic and vigorous handicraft-men, and imbued them with his own seditious notions. They had formed a plan to force open the prisons; to seize, by the aid of the convicts, on all the arsenals, and magazines of warlike stores, to murder all the high officers of state, not excepting even the king himself; and finally to proclaim a representative constitution, after the example of Spain and Portugal.

1

RUSSIA Some discontent, it appears, had recently manifested itself in one of the regiments of Russian guards at Petersburgh, which at length broke out into open insubordination and mutiny. The regiment is composed altogether of the young nobility; and the harassing and unnecessary severity of the discipline, to which they were subjected by their colonel, is stated to be the cause of their discontent. They had been under orders for a field day on the Sunday morning, when on the evening before they assembled without orders, and in arms, and marched towards the residence of their colonel, who, how ́ever, having received timely information of their motions, and suspecting himself to be the object of them, fled hastily from his house. When the mutineers saw their expectation of seizing their colonel defeated, they wreaked their revenge on his dwelling, which was nearly rifled of all its contents, and much injured. Meanwhile the alarm spread; the other troops in garrison were called out, and led to the spot where the work of depredation was going on. They succeeded without difficulty in reducing the rebels to submission, and thus stifled a spirit of insubordination that might have proved highly dangerous to the Russian capital. The mutineers were all dispatched to a fortress in Finland. The accounts from Petersburgh positively af firm that these proceedings had no concern whatever with any political discontents.

4. B

GERMANY AND ITALY.-For a month past, nothing has been heard from this quarter but the note of preparation for war. Austria, displeased, and perhaps alarmed, at the recent events in Naples, has been pouring in troops into her Italian states, which at present maintain a threatening position on the frontier of the Neapolitan kingdom. At the same time, the great Sovereigns on the continent, or their ministers, have been sitting in congress at Troppau in Austrian Silesia, where they assembled in the end of October. This congress consists of the Emperors of Austria and Russia, and the King of Prussia, in person, with the ambassadors of the Kings of France and Britain. We are told that, besides the affairs of Naples, other important matters occupy the deliberations of the sovereigns; and various rumours of what they have done, or intend to do, have been in circulation, but nothing official has yet been published. It is said that Austria wishes to take military possession of Naples, in order to force upon the people their old constitution, or at least some one more consonant to the views of the dictator. To this project it is stated Russia and Prussia agree, but Britain and France decline interfering. Among the other matters before the congress, it is asserted, iu private letters, that the whole system upon which Europe is to be ruled, and the peace of nations preserved, has been set. tled. Five grand protectorships, we are informed, are to be established, consisting of Austria, Russia, Prussia, France, and Great Britain; which powers are to take to themselves the titles of protectors to the

minor states.

Nothing, however, we believe, is positively known, regarding the deliberations at Troppau. In the mean time, the most active preparations have been making in Naples to resist any attack upon its internal tranquillity; and the Duke of Campo Chiaro, Minister of Foreigh Affairs for the kingdom of the Two Sicilies, has addressed a long note to Prince Metternich, the Austrian Secretary of State, deprecating any interference of foreigners with the internal affairs of Naples, putting Austria in mind of the result of Buonaparte's meddling with Spain, and expressing the determination of the King and the whole nation to resist any attack. The general impolicy of one nation's interfering in the internal government of another, in cases where, like Naples, such a scrupulous regard is paid to the rights and institutions of other powers, that the request of Benevento and Ponte Corvo, belonging to the Pope, though situated within the Neapolitan territory, to be united to Naples, has been refused, is proved undeniably; but it is admitted at the same time, that there was a treaty concluded at Vienna in June

1815, between his Sicilian Majesty and Austria, which stipulated that, in order to secure the internal peace of Ítaly, and to preserve their states and respective subjects from fresh re-actions, and the danger of imprudent innovations which might be the forerunners of them, the King of the Two Sicilies, in re establishing the government of the kingdom, shall not admit any changes irreconcileable either with the ancient monarchical institutions, or with the principles adopted by the Emperor of Austria for the interior government of his Italian provinces. The Neapolitan Minister contends, that this treaty has long expired; and it appears by the text, that it related rather to the re-establishment of the Bourbon family on the throne of Naples, than to subsequent changes which might be made in the constitution. The Neapolitan Government has sent the Duke of Canzano to Madrid to concert with the Spanish Government measures of mutual defence. It appears that Spain, Switzerland, and Holland, are the only powers that have yet acknowledged the revolution in Naples.

According to letters from Vienna, of the 5th instant, a singular communication had been received there from his Holiness the Pope, in reply to an offer of the Austrian Government to send troops into the Papal dominions for the purpose of repressing the ardent desire for a free constitution, which had been manifested by the subjects of his Holiness. The Pope's letter states that he is grateful for the protection offered him by Austria; but that he was so sensible of the spirit of the people, and of their unanimous wish on that subject, that he felt compelled to abandon the thought of placing a military control over them, and that he had himself, therefore, called together a conclave, for the purpose of preparing a free constitution to be submitted to his subjects. Other accounts state that the question of granting a representative constitution to the Papal States had been discussed by the ministers of the Pope, at Rome, and that the proposal had been lost by a majority of three.

AMERICA.

Fire at Nova Scotia.-In our last number, we noticed the dreadful calamity which had spread desolation over the most fertile parts of this province. The following letter contains a simple but affecting representation of the awful scene; and if what this writer relates of the distress which happened to his family, and his immediate neighbours within his observation, be true, what must have been the general calamity!

Extract of a Letter from Mr John Wetmore to his Son at St John's." On returning from Yarmouth, we ran under our

bare poles for Bartlet's River, hoping the tide was up; we in a few minutes were in the breakers and without striking, and anchored safe; found the whole shore in flames eastward, landed near Porter's, and followed the shore all round Black Point, the wind blowing a hurricane; the flames outrun us, an immense fire behind Frank Davoo's, which threatened destruction to every thing-we reached the road behind this fire-got home safe, took tea, thinking ourselves safe, went to assist the French, who were moving; young Frank's house in flames, and others not to be seen for the smoke-we stayed perhaps twenty minutes -returned, met one of the children crying Clarke's house is on fire;' we ran our best, met women and children flying before the tempest-the mill, barn, and house, with twenty acres of land, in a blaze-trees falling in all directions-we got to the house through forty rods of almost solid fire-threw trunks, &c. into the well. I took a bed, tied a woollen blanket round it, and escaped for my life, the fire flying on me like a heavy shower of hail-I fell under the bed, got breath, and ran, fell again, nearly melted with heat and suffocated with smoke-I rose once more, and fell again, quit my load, saw my boys a head barefoot, could not enter the fire,-they met me, and we got the bed safe through. Mr Clarke came up with a book in his hand, nothing more saved, all burned in the well, fences and fields of potatoes swept clean. My fields, though not much burned, are all laid open to cattle and hogs: at sun-set found my house and uncle Nathaniel's crowded with women and children, who left their all, and fled before the fiery tempest, from the neighbourhood of Beaver River. Wednesday morning, seven o'clock, a fine rain, that deadened the fire; heard the settlement at Beaver River was all in ashes. Mr Saunders, Clarke, and myself, went to their assistance-found but three houses standing for six miles in length. Thomas Trask has lost his house, new grist and saw mill, two barns full of grain, hay, &c. a yoke of oxen, one horse, two or three cows, several hogs, all their, furniture, and a little boy four years old, burnt in the house, having crept into a cradle, and was left unperceived, together with a trusty dog, which lay by its side. Daniel has lost all a cow, two hogs, furniture, clothing, &c. ; the word at sun-set was to escape for their lives. Daniel took up his child, and bid his wife follow him and my brother Ronna-others cried, which way shall we fly? answer to the lake some reached it, others were cut off, and drove up the road for a mile or more, before an opening was found to the sea shore. Husbands and wives were parted by the fire and smoke, and did not meet again until the next day. Daniel took his wife (very

sick) on his back to the edge of the lake, and waded over some rods to a bog, which sunk with them, but he found old stuff, and raised it so that his wife sat in the water until morning. Ronna lost them, he waded up to his neck, and there stood twelve hours, the fire often streaming in his face, when he was obliged to sink under, then rise and take breath. I found him on Wednesday, and took him home with me; he had eat nothing for 26 hours. It was a melancholy scene to see fences swept away, fields of grain, potatoes, and turnips, all burnt up-great numbers of cattle, sheep, and hogs, lying dead by or near the roadside. Some persons were skinning cattle which were not so much burnt, others locking up their stock. I saw two large hogs lying together alive, burnt so as not to walk, and we are not alone. I have just heard from Yarmouth, Chebouge, that much damage is done, many houses, barns, mills, &c. burnt; and also through the French settlement above Montagu, a great many houses, barns, mills, &c. are destroyed; the French chapel, with the priest's house, are consumed, one negro burnt; so much hay lost, it is supposed half the stock cannot be wintered. People from Yarmouth, on hearing of our distress, came up with ox and horse carts, chairs, and horses, to remove the sufferers, and I believe there were not two cart loads of furniture saved out of sixteen houses, from J. Clark's to E. Corning's, seven miles. Daniel has nothing left but a shirt and trowsers which he had on, his wife and child nothing but what were on their backs, and set out for Yarmouth, on their stocking feet, the last I heard of her; but where they will go, or what he will do this winter, I know not; he has nothing to eat

or wear.

"Saturday, 16th.-News has just arrived, that as far as Annapolis, 100 miles above this, is mostly in ashes, many lives lost, grain and hay mostly destroyed. How we are to live through the winter I know not. Daniel has not yet come here; perhaps he has followed his wife to Yarmouth, or he may be trying to save some of his potatoes, &c. I shall finish this and go in search of him. We are all employed (that is me and my two boys) in trying to save what little crop I have left. My buck wheat is nearly lost."

WEST INDIES. Revolution in Hayti, St Domingo.-Extract of a letter, dated Cape Henry, October 13.

"On Friday, the 6th, about ten o'clock at night, the inhabitants of the Cape were alarmed by the drums beating to arms, and were soon informed that the troops had revolted, and that they were determined no longer to have a King. On the following day, the troops were marched out of the town, with the Governor of the Cape at

[ocr errors]

their head, joined by a great number of the inhabitants, who were furnished with arms: they took up a position on the high road to the King's residence. On Sunday, they were met by the King's troops, who made little or no resistance; for after exchanging two or three shots, they joined the Cape party. The result was communicated to the King, who exclaimed, Then all is finished with me!' He soon after retired, and shot himself through the heart. "On Monday, the Prince Royal was taken, and conveyed to his Palace, where, he remains under arrest, with the other branches of the Royal Family.

"From the 6th to the 10th, all business was at a stand, but property of all descrip

tions, both public and private, was respected. They appear unanimous in the choice of a new Ruler; but under what title is not known, nor is his name yet mentioned.

"Not one drop of blood has been shed in this Revolution, from either private or public revenge; and it would really appear that they had but one enemy, and he was so great a one to their happiness, that his destruction has swept away all animosity."

Other letters state that President Boyer, taking advantage of these events, had marched an army of 18,000 men into the Haytian territories; and that it was believed the whole island would soon be converted into one republic, under his presidency.

PROCEEDINGS OF PARLIAMENT.

PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS.-Nov. 29.-Shortly before two o'clock, the Lord Chancellor, the Earl of Liverpool, and Earl Bathurst, the three Commissioners, took their seats on the woolsack, attired in their robes. Mr Quarme, the Deputy Usher of the Black Rod, was immediately dispatched to the House of Commons, to summon the members of that House to their Lordships' bar. After the lapse of a few minutes, the folding doors leading to the House were thrown open, and the Speaker, attended by several members, and his usual officers, appeared. The Lord Chancellor then intimated, that his Majesty had appointed certain Commissioners to prorogue the present Parliament, from this day to the 23d of January next; and desired the attendance of the Commons, to hear the Commission read. The Commission having been read, the Lord Chancellor announced, that Parliament was prorogued, accordingly, to Tuesday the 23d of January next.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-Nov. 23.-In consequence of the order for a call of the House this day, and of the interest excited by the expected communication from her Majesty, the members began, at an early hour, to assemble in considerable numbers.

Mr Hobhouse, and some other members, were down as early as ten o'clock, which, we believe, was the hour of the day to which, in strictness, the House stood adjourned.

Mr Brougham had previously communicated to the Speaker that a message would be sent down from the Queen, hinting, at the same time, the expediency of his taking the chair at one o'clock, if there was a sufficient number of members present, in order that there might be full time to receive the message before the meeting of the Lords. At one o'clock, accordingly, the whole of

her Majesty's Counsel who are members, except Mr Brougham, who was detained professionally in the Court of King's Bench, were in their places, besides nearly one hundred other members, chiefly of the opposition party.

[ocr errors]

The Speaker, however, was not present It was understood that Lord Castlereagh had been closeted with him for a considerable part of the forenoon.

The Speaker did not enter the House until within eight minutes of two o'clock. The reading of the prayers occupied the House until exactly two o'clock.

Mr Denman rose at two o'clock, and said-" Mr Speaker, 1 hold in my hand a message, which I am commanded by her¦ Majesty the Queen to present to this House.

Loud cries of Hear! hear !}

At this moment, (a minute past two o'clock,) Mr Quarme, the Deputy Usher of the Black Rod, tapped at the door, and immediately entered. This interruption occasioned great uproar. About fifty members rose in their seats, and the general cry was," Mr Denman, Mr Denman !”.

66

Withdraw, withdraw!" but the noise was so great, that the gentleman in vain attempted to be heard; and, in the midst of the tumult,

Mr Quarme proceeded thus, although it was impossible for him to be heard by the chair" Mr Speaker, the Lords Commis sioners, appointed by virtue of his Majesty's Commission, command the immediate attendance of this Honourable House in the House of Peers."

Cries of Shame! shume!" were now reiterated on all sides, and the utmost-in-` dignation was manifested by a number of members, who found her Majesty's mes sage thus treated.

The Speaker prepared to leave the chair,

when

Mr Tierney rose and observed, that not one word of what had fallen from the Deputy Usher had been heard; and how then did the Speaker know what was the message, or whether he was wanted at all in the other House ?-(Loud cheering.)

The Speaker, however, instantly quitted his chair, followed by Lord Castlereagh and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, to obey the summons of the Peers.-The utmost confusion prevailed at this moment; and it would be in vain to describe the tumult which took place in the body of the House. The loudest and the most indignant cries of "Shame!" were reiterated through the House; and the Speaker, followed by his Majesty's ministers and several other members, advanced towards the door, on his way to the Lords, in the midst of the most disconcerting uproar.

Mr Denman, during this confusion, remained on his legs, holding in his hand her Majesty's message. He was surrounded by the most distinguished members of the opposition, who, as well as many independent members who generally vote on the other side, seemed utterly astonished at what had occurred.

At five minutes past two o'clock the Speaker reached the lobby of the House of

Peers.

After being absent about ten minutes, the Speaker returned, accompanied by the few members with whom he retired. Strangers were not admitted into the gallery, but we understand the Right Hon. Gentleman did not take the chair, but, as is usual after a prorogation has taken place, he took the situation usually occupied by the chief clerk at the table, and being surrounded by the members present, he communicated to them that the House had been at the House of Peers, where the Lords Commissioners, by virtue of his Majesty's Com

mission, had prorogued Parliament to the 23d of January next.

The members then retired, and the strangers collected in the lobbies and avenues leading to the House dispersed. The Queen's Communication. The following is the communication which Mr Denman wished to make to the House :CAROLINE R.

"The Queen thinks it proper to inform the House of Commons, that she has received a communication from the King's Ministers, plainly intimating an intention to prorogue the Parliament immediately, and accompanied by an offer of money for her support, and for providing her with a residence until a new session may be hold

en.

"This offer the Queen has had no hesitation in refusing. While the late extraordinary proceedings were pending, it might be fit for her to accept the advances made for her temporary accommodation; but she naturally expected that the failure of that unparalleled attempt to degrade the Royal Family would be immediately followed by submitting some permanent measure to the wisdom of Parliament-and she has felt that she could no longer, with propriety, receive from the Ministers what she is well assured the liberality of the House of Commons would have granted, as alike essential to the dignity of the Throne, and demanded by the plainest principles of justice.

"If the Queen is to understand that new proceedings are meditated against her, she throws herself with unabated confidence on the representatives of the people, fully relying on their justice and wisdom to take effectual steps to protect her from the further vexation of unnecessary delay, and to provide that these unexampled persecutions may at length be brought to a close."

[ocr errors]

OCTOBER.

BRITISH CHRONICLE.

6.-CIRCUIT INTELLIGENCE.-Glasgow.The Court was opened here this day by the Lord Justice Clerk and Lord Hermand. Daniel Grant, Peter Crosbie, John Connor, and Thomas M'Colgan, were indicted for breaking into the house of Campvale early on the morning of the 19th December 1819, then occupied by Mrs Dr Watt. These persons, with other accomplices, armed with fire-arms or bludgeons, remained in masterly possession of the house for two hours; and having compelled Mrs Watt to deliver them the keys, they forthwith rummaged chests, drawers, and presses, and carried

away a great quantity of gold trinkets, silver plate, wearing apparel, &c. and were also charged with being habit and repute thieves. The prisoners pleaded Not Guilty. Mrs Watt, her son, and two maid servants, gave an account of the uproar the robbers occasioned in the house, and the danger they were in of assassination. There were three others who were concerned in the affair, but who had been admitted as witnesses, David Watt, a nephew of Mrs Watt, John Dick, and a person called John M'Guire, an Irish lad. The two former are to be tried for wilful perjury. The latter, as well as a woman of the name of M'Williams, the daughter of a

« НазадПродовжити »