sons of colour, for an extension of their privileges. The House having gone into a committee upon the petition, they resolved, that the free people of colour had no right to political power; that they expected the petitioners would have received the privileges already conferred with gratitude; and lastly, declared, in strong terms, their disapprobation of the petition. On the 28th,

in a discussion on the slave enumeration bill, very lofty language was made use of by several of the Members: Mr Scarlett proposed as an amendment, that the Assembly were willing, in order to quiet apprehensions of illicit traffic, to adopt any measure consistent with the safety of the island. This gave rise to an animated debate, in which it was alleged, that the registry bill was only a pretence to enable Ministers to legislate for the island; and Mr Barrett said, if such a measure were carried, he should not be surprised to see the period arrive, when some honourable Member would move for a committee to wait on the Governor, to ask what instructions he had received from his Majesty's Ministers to proceed on. The amendment was ultimately negatived.

The King of Hayti has issued a declaration, setting forth, that he will never treat with France but on the footing of recipro city, of power with power, sovereign with sovereign; that he will enter into no treaty which does not recognize the liberty and independence of the Haytians; that, until such recognition shall have been made, no French vessels shall be allowed to enter the ports of Hayti, &c.

Letters from St Domingo say, that a respectable merchant, Mons. Vilton, a man of colour, had been put to death by Christophe, for having, while drinking, declared a stronger affection for the Queen than for his Majes ty. A French priest, who had been created an Archbishop, has also incurred his Majesty's displeasure, by applying for a sum of money due to him. Mr Prince Saunders, with four gentlemen he had engaged in England, arrived at Cape Henry on the 21st of September. The four persons are a painter, an agriculturist, and two schoolmasters. The Royal Gazette of the 17th October states, that the King is to estaElish schools on the Lancaster system all over the island. The painter, Mr Evans, was engaged to paint the portraits of the royal family; and the first picture of his Majesty had been sent as a present by him to Mr Wilberforce.

Accounts from Martinique inform us, that several persons taking refuge in the islands remaining to France, and whose property was in that part of St Domingo oc

cupied by the troops of Petion, entertain the hope of being recalled by that Negro Chief, who is much more tractable in every relation than his rival Christophe. The people who obey Petion, hold commercial intercourse with several nations.

SOUTH AMERICA.

A letter from Buenos Ayres of the 24 November communicates the following intelligence

He

"General San Martin, who commands the army at the foot of the Cordilleras, will positively attempt the conquest of Chili this summer; he will commence his march on the 1st of Jan. and will be on the frontiers of Chili on the 8th. The Portuguese, who have invaded the territory of Monte Video, have met with more opposition than they dreamt of. Gen. Artigas, the Chief of the Monte Videans (which is a separate State from Buenos Ayres,) finding the Portuguese had declared war, and commenced hostilities by taking Fort Santa Theresa, assembled his troops, all cavalry, has entered the Portuguese province of Rio Grande at the head of 14,000 men, and thus transfers the seat of war into their own territories. has published a proclamation, giving liberty to the slaves, and declaring the natural boundary of the territory of Monte Video to be Rio Grande and the River Plate. The Portuguese have engaged in a war of which they at present little foresee the consequen. ces; the result may be to spread the flame of revolution throughout the Brazils. A conspiracy has just been discovered here, and I am sorry to say an English merchant, Mr D. is in custody, and a guard of soldiers in his house; he is accused of endeavouring to assist a Spanish friar to escape, who was going emissary to the Brazil Court from the Spanish faction here. Perhaps Mr D. might not know the object of the old friar's voyage, or I should think it impossible he should be guilty of intermeddling in the disputes of Old Spain and her late colonies."

New York papers, which have been received to the 18th January, announce the receipt of intelligence from St Thomas's, that the Patriot army under General Macgregor had completely defeated the Royalists in three different engagements, the last of which was at Unare.

NORTH AMERICA.

The Treasury report of Mr Dallas exhibits a general view of the revenue and expenditure of the American Government for the year 1816. By this statement it appears, that the actual receipts on the va

rious branches of the revenue amount to 59,403,973 dollars; the demands on the Treasury to 38,745,699, being an excess of receipts, exclusive of a balance in the Treasury on 1st July 1816, of 20,658,179 dollars. The whole public debt of America amounts to 120,149,481 dollars, or to about 30 millions sterling, for the extinction of which, in a certain period, due provision has been made.

A considerable sensation appears to have been excited in the United States, by the law, passed last session of Congress, allowing the mode of compensation to the members of that body by a per diem allowance to be altered to a stipulated annual salary. A number of meetings have been held, strong resolutions passed, and petitions to Congress prepared on the subject. They allege that the principle of the law is incompatible with the republican spirit of their government, and is calculated to introduce a wasteful expenditure of the public revenue.

A Paris paper states, that Mr Monroe has been elected President of the United States, by 170 against 40.

The American Government has brought before Congress a bill to prevent citizens of the United States from selling vessels of war to the citizens or subjects of any fo reign Power, and more effectually to prevent the arming and equipping vessels of war in the ports of the United States, intended to be used against nations in amity with the United States. It was generally believed that the above bill was intended to act exclusively against the insurgents of South America, and had been brought forward through the representations of the Spanish Ministers. Privateers are fitting out in almost every port in the Union, notwithstanding the above bill, and every exertion made to get them put to sea.

A memorial has been presented to the House of Representatives from a body of Quakers, desiring the interposition of the Jegislature to put a stop to the nefarious practice of stealing away, and selling to slavery, free negroes.

Additional fortifications are ordered to be built in New Orleans. The different treaties with the Indian tribes have been published, and are favourable to the States.

An agent had been dispatched to Christophe to demand indemnification for the claims of several Americans whom he had robbed or defrauded. It appears that his sable Majesty has never paid for the General Brown, frigate, built for him three years ago at New York.

FRANCE.

A note has been transmitted to the Duke of Richelieu, from the ministers of the allied powers, stating the acquiescence of their respective Courts in the request of the King of France, that the army of occupation should be reduced. This reduction is to take place on the 1st April next, to the amount of 30,000 men, which will amount to one-fifth of the proportion of the several contingents. From this it would appear, that both in the opinion of the French Court, and of the allied powers, the state of affairs in France is such as to promise stability to the existing Government.

The Paris papers lately published an account of the French finances for the year 1817. The expenditure for the year is estimated at 1,088,294,957 f. (£.45,345,623 English,) being 249,242,437 f more than that of 1816; while the whole resources of the state do not present more than a total of 758 millions, leaving a deficit of above 300 millions. The mode in which it is proposed to provide for this deficit is to have recourse to borrowing on the public credit, and in order to meet the interest to crcate 30 millions of rents; or, in other words, to impose that amount of new taxes. With such financial difficulties before them, the commission on the budget recommend economy and retrenchment, and a reduction of all unnecessary pensions and expences.

By a royal ordinance, all vessels conveying slaves to the French colonies are to be

confiscated.

RUSSIA, GERMANY, &c. The Emperor of Russia has ordered a university to be founded at Warsaw. It is to be composed of five faculties: theology, jurisprudence, political economy, philosophy, and the fine arts. The professors of the first order will be declared nobles, and may transmit their nobility to their descendants, if they have been professors for ten years. The rector of the university will be the censor of all books published by the professors.

It is asserted that the Emperor of Russia has remonstrated with Louis XVIII. for not acknowledging Bernadotte as the Crown Prince of Sweden, and refusing to send an Ambassador to Stockholm. The note is said to dwell upon the services rendered by the Crown Prince to the alliance, which he joined sincerely and honourably, and powerfully contributed to the decision of the battle of Leipsic. As all the mo narchs, continues the note, view him as heir to the throne of Sweden, the Emperor of Russia requests the French Government to treat the Crown Prince conformably to his dignity.

It is affirmed that the Court of Vienna has concluded an advantageous commercial treaty with that of the Brazils, by which Austrian manufactures are to be admitted into the latter kingdom duty free.

Fouche lives at Prague in the greatest privacy. Three other French exiles inhabit that city Thibaudeau, the elder Durbach, and Forbin Janson.

DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE. TREASONABLE PRACTICES-COMMITTALS FOR HIGH TREASON-SUSPENSION OF THE HABEAS CORPUS ACT.

It will be seen by our Parliamentary report, that a number of documents relating to treasonable practices in different parts of the country were presented by order of the Prince Regent to both Houses of Parliament; and by them referred to secret Committees. These Committees reported to their respective Houses on the 19th and 20th February. They state generally, that a conspiracy has been formed for the subversion of the Government; that the riots which took place at the Spa-fields meeting were the result of a pre-concerted plan for the liberation of the felons from the gaols; for the burning of the barracks; the

attack of the Tower, the Bank, &c.; that to forward the designs of the disaffected, societies have been spread over the whole country, whose aim, under the mask of parliamentary reform, is to overthrow the constitution-that along with these, ano. ther class of political fanatics had sprung up, namely the Spenceans, who insisted upon an equal division of the land, who had clubs in different places, and whose object was to bring into contempt all law, religion, and morality-that for this purpose their meetings were frequently concluded with blasphemous songs, and with chaunting and parodying parts of the Litany, the whole company joining in chorus-that the late outrage on the Prince Regent can only be considered as proceeding from the prin ciples of these meetings-and finally, that it is the decided opinion of the Committees, that extraordinary measures are necessary for preserving the constitution of the country against the designs of those men.

In consequence of these statements, a bill for the suspension of the Habeas Corpus act was introduced into the House of Lords, and read a first time on Friday the 21st, and on the Monday following the bill was read a second and third time, and passed by a great majority.

On Monday the 24th, in the House of Commons, Lord Castlereagh obtained leave to bring in a bill for preventing seditious meetings a bill for rendering more penal the seduction of soldiers-and a bill for extending the act for the protection of the King's person, to the protection of the person of the Prince Regent. These were each read a first time. On the question of the necessity for these extraordinary measures the House divided, when Ministers had a majority of 190 against 14

While the secret Committees were sitting, several persons were arrested in London by warrant of Lord Sidmouth, and after several examinations before the Privy Council, four of them, namely, Dr Watson, senior, Preston, Hooper, and a tailor named Keene or Kearnes, were committed to the Tower to stand trial for High Treason.

Watson, junior, has never yet been discovered, and he and a person named Thistleword, accused also of High Treason, have been advertised in the London Gazette, and a reward offered by Government of £.500 for the apprehension of each or either of them.

SCOT

HIGH COURT OF JUSTICIARY.

Monday, January 26. 1817. THIS day came on the trial of John Larg

and James Mitchell, from Perth, and Alexander Steel, weaver in Perth, accused of stouthrieff and robbery; they having, on the night of Tuesday the 12th, or morning of Wednesday the 13th of November last, gone to the toll-house of Friartown, on the road leading from Perth to Kinross, and endeavoured to obtain admittance, under pretence of getting whisky, which being refu sed them, on account of the lateness of the bour, they threatened to pull down the house and put the inhabitants to death, unless admitted; they also threatened to fire a pistol through the window; in conse quence of which, those within were compelled to open the door, when they caused Wm. M'Ritchie to open a drawer in which money was kept, and give them two notes, purporting to be guinea notes, and also caused his wife to give up eight shillings in silver and eightpence in copper.

Alexander Steel was cutlawed for not appearing, and the trial proceeded against Larg and Mitchell, who pleaded not guilty to the indictment.

Wm. M'Ritchie, toll-keeper at Friartown, deponed, that on the night of Tuesday, 12th of November, three men came to his house and desired admittance; when they came in, one of them held him by the shoulders, whilst another held out a pistol, and threatened to blow out his brains, if he did not give up all the money in his house: witness went to a drawer, in which were two pocket-books; one contained about £.14 of good notes, and the other two £.1 notes, which were forgeries: witness shifted the former to the back of the drawer, and gave them the other, which contained the forged notes; witness is certain as to the persons of the prisoners, and described their dress.

Emilia Craigie, wife of the preceding witness, was alarmed on the night of the 12th November by men, desiring to be admitted to get whisky; a man broke the window, presented a pistol through it, and threatened their lives if they did not give up what money was in the house; they were admitted, and she gave them 8s. and some copper; recognizes both prisoners at the bar, and is quite certain of their persons. February 1817.

Charlotte Taylor, servant to the former witnesses, recollects that on a Tuesday night, in the month of November, some men came to the house of her master, and desired to be admitted to get whisky. She went down to her mistress's bed-room, and saw a man holding out a pistol at her, and demanding money; one man held her master by the breast.-Witness made her escape out of a window, and went to call assistance, but before she returned, the men were gone. Witness identified Mitchell as the person who held her master; she also recognized Larg as another of the men. Saw them distinctly, there being a candle burning in the room.

David Christie, merchant in Perth, recollects, that on the day after the robbery at Friartown toll-house, a woman came and purchased some articles at his shop, and offered in payment a forged note; he detained it, and desired her to send the person for it from whom she got it. Did not know the woman, having never seen her before, but Mitchell's wife being brought into Court, recognized her to be the person,note produced and identified.

Peter Gearthly lent a pistol to Alexander Steel about six months ago, for the purpose, he said, of protecting some whisky to town; he had since asked Steel for the pis tol several times, but he never returned it, nor did witness see it again till he saw it in the Sheriff's office. The pistol shewn him and identified.

Several respectable witnesses were called, who gave the prisoner Larg an excellent character, and certificates to the same import were produced in favour of Mitchell.

Mr Solicitor General addressed the Jury for the Crown, and Mr Thomson for the prisoners. The Lord Justice Clerk summed up the evidence with his usual candour and ability. The Jury then retired for a few minutes, and returned with a viva voce verdict finding the prisoners Guilty, and their Chancellor stated, that he was authorised, by a majority, to recommend them to mercy in respect of their former good character, and also on account that no personal violence was committed by them.-The Lord Justice Clerk, after an impressive address to the prisoners, sentenced them to be executed at Perth on the 28th day of February next.

Monday,

Monday, February 10.

The court proceeded to the trial of John Bell, accused of forging and uttering notes of the Thistle Bank of Glasgow. The pannel had formerly been put to the bar along with Douglas, and had pleaded guilty, but some objections having occurred to the court as to the relevancy of the indictment, their Lordships had ordered informations. The public prosecutor, however, preferred withdrawing the indictment altogether, and trying him upon another. The pannel a

gain pleaded guilty of the statutory offence, and to the extent of his judicial confession before the sheriff, and the jury found him guilty accordingly.

Mr Drummond, as counsel for the prosecution, stated, that owing to some favourable circumstances in this case, and as it appeared the pannel was not the original contriver, but had been led away by evil advisers, he restricted the libel to an arbitrary punishment.

The Lord Justice Clerk, after a suitable admonition, sentenced the pannel to transportation for seven years.

Monday, February 17. This morning came on the trial of John Morris, or Morison, accused of perjury. The pannel had been adduced as a witness upon the trial of John Black, alias Watters, who was lately executed at Edinburgh, for robbing Mr Allan, farmer at Pentland, on the high road betwixt Edinburgh and Libberton; and in the course of his examination as a witness, he did commit wilful perjury, by swearing to facts and circumstances contrary to the truth, for the purpose of supporting the defence of Black.

The pan

nel, at the same time, was warned by the Lord Justice Clerk and other Judges of the danger he was incurring, but he having persevered in his statement, his words were taken down by authority of the Court.

The indictment having been read over to the pannel, and a Jury chosen, he pleaded Guilty.

Mr Taylor, as Counsel for the pannel, addressed the Court, in mitigation of punishment; and though he did not in the smallest degree justify him for the crime he had committed, yet, from the defective state of his education, he being unable to read or write, and consequently not able to discriminate the heinousness of the crime as a more enlightened person-the circumstance of Black having been his cousin.ger. man-the long confinement the pannel had already suffered-and the deep contrition he now felt for what he had done, he hoped the Court would pass as lenient a sentence upon him as the circumstances of the case would admit of.

The Lord Justice Clerk, after a most im pressive admonition to the pannel, senten. ced him to nine months imprisonment in Bridewell, and, upon Wednesday 5th of March, to stand one hour upon the pillory.

JURY COURT.

January 27.

This day an important question came on before the Jury Court. It arose out of an action brought by the trustees of the great ferry between Fife and Mid-Lothian against the owners of the boats plying between Leith and Kirkaldy, and against the Magistrates of that burgh, who (notwithstanding a decreet arbitral in 1684, limiting the number of boats on that passage to four boats) had employed as ferry-boats between Kirkaldy and Leith, no fewer than ten boats, which action concluded that the owners of these boats should be prohibited from the right of ferrying to or from these places, in all time coming, and that the Magistrates and Council of Kirkaldy can nominate only four passage boats to ply between these ports.

The boatmen, &c. of Kirkaldy, contended that they had a prescriptive right of ferry and of free port, by a more extensive usage than the decreet admitted. The Second Division of the Court of Session directed the following issue to be tried before the Jury Court, in which, in order to lay the onus probandi (burden of proof) on the boatmen and Magistrates of Kirkaldy, they should become the pursuers, and Robert Ferguson of Raith, Esq. and the other trustees for the Fife and Mid-Lothian ferries, defenders.

Issue. Whether, at any time between the 5th day of March 1684 and the year 1813, more than four boats were established at one and the same time, as passage. boats, plying regularly between the port or town of Kirkaldy and the ports of Leith or Newhaven; and if more than four boats did so ply within the time above specified-for how long, and at what period, and by what authority did they so ply?

73

A number of witnesses were examined, whose evidence went to prove, that during a certain period," about 42 years ago,' and "during the American, war," three Kirkaldy boats and two pinnaces were employed in navigating the ferry between Kirkaldy and Leith, when they could procure a freight, but that one of the boats occasionally went voyages to Aberdeen.

The Lord Chief Commissioner, in his charge to the Jury, which was given in the most candid and able manner, remarked, that a boat engaged in any other trade could

not