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9th. That the liberal and even noble donations of the affluent, and the smallest contributions of the benevolent, the frugal, and the laborious, are earnestly solicited, and will be equally esteemed.,

JAMES MACKINTOSH. The chairman having left the chair, and Edward Wakefield, esq. having taken the same,

It was resolved unanimously, That the thanks of this meeting be given to sir James Mackintosh, for the obliging manner in which he accepted the office of chairman, and for the very able and distinguished manner in which he has supported the objects and conduct ed the business of this meeting.

EDWARD WAKEFIELD.

SPAIN.

Dispatches from field-marshal the marquis of Wellington, dated Lezaca, Aug. 4, brought an account of a series of actions in the Pyrennees with the French army under the command of marshal Soult, from the 25th ult. to the 2d inst. inclusive; the result of which has been the defeat and retreat of the enemy from the Spanish frontiers into France, with a loss of fifteen thousand men, including about four thousand prisoners. The loss of the allied army is about six thousand.

The following letters from the army contain some additional interesting particulars :

Extract from a letter dated the 3d of August: "We never yet saw such desperate fighting, or experienced resistance so obstinate as on these days (the 28th and 30th). The manœuvres of the enemy were admirable, and all his positions chosen with infinite skill, either for attack or defence, victory or defeat. He could assail us from most of his

crowned points with great advan. tage; or he could reinforce and protect his troops on these stations with celerity and effect. If successful, they were well calculated to ensure the fruits of victory; and, if beaten, to save him from the disasters of retreat. Yet from all these positions he was completely forced, and dreadfully cut up in his retreat, which it required all his efforts to cover, in any way, so as to prevent its being converted into a disorderly flight, notwithstanding the mountainous nature of the ground, which in many places defied combined and extensive movements. Lord Wellington was struck by a spent musquet bullet, which lodged in his sash, but, thank heaven, did no harm to our beloved commander. His lordship says he never met with so daring and powerful an enemy; but it seemed only to rouse the British lions more to vanquish him. Indeed nothing can describe the devotedness and ardour of our forces. The Portuguese acted nobly. The marquis of Worcester was struck by a ball, and fell from his horse; but this brave young nobleman was only stunned, and was soon ready again to partake in the glory of his com rades.-The defiles and passes which abound in this district afforded much facility and security to the foe. We have nevertheless taken great abundance of stores, baggage, &c. Numerous prisoners are hourly bringing in, and I do not think their total loss can be less than twenty thousand men."

Extract of another letter, dated Aug. 4. "On the retreat of the enemy, we came up at Elezando with general Gautier, and 1,500 men, escorting the convoy of provisions (100 cars and 250 laden mules,) intended for Pamplona.

We

We had only 400 men of general Byng's brigade. The enemy was, however, attacked without hesitation, and fled precipitately, leaving all the convoy and 500 prisoners in our hands in fact, the spirit of the French army is broken, and I do not believe that the presence of Bonaparte himself would re-organise it. I consider this victory to be greater than that of Vittoria, and indeed the greatest ever gained by lord Wellington. Soult had seven divisions of infantry, 3,000 cavalry, and 40 pieces of artillery; in all 45,000 men."

Soult, before he entered Spain, issued a proclamation to his army, in which he says "That he has been sent by the emperor to the command of his armies of Spain; and that his imperial majesty's instructions and his own intentions were to drive the British across the Ebro, and celebrate the emperor's birth day in the town of Vittoria." A letter from an officer attached to the army besieging Sebastian, gives the following shocking particulars of the storming of that place: ""As fast as our men came up, they were knocked down by the dreadful fire from the defences which bore upon the breaches; and when a few got into them, they were unable to effect any thing from their weakness. In short, the carnage was so great, that the French themselves called out to our officers to draw the men off, and actually ceased firing upon them. Never was witnessed such heroism as on the part of our soldiery on this occasion; particularly the Scots royals, who, though almost cut to pieces, absolutely refused to retire till the third or fourth command was issued for them to do so."

The regency of Spain, it is said, have lately carried into execution

the unanimous vote of the congress, which ordered a grant of land to be conferred on the marquis of Wellington, as a solid and enduring monument of the gratitude of their nation. Three royal estates have accordingly been submitted to the British field-marshal for his choice; and with that disinterestedness and taste which are known to temper the splendour of his military fame, he gave the preference to that which was lowest in actual value, but which came recommended to his fancy by the beauty of its situation and the amenities of its scenery. It is situated on the river Xenil, in the kingdom of Granada, and its annual produce is estimated at 30,000 dollars.

Some late Cadiz papers contained an order, addressed by marquis Wellington to his army, prescribing the conduct to be observed by the troops in the French villages on the frontier. He justly deprecates the idea of taking vengeance on the people of France for the atrocities committed by the troops of Bonaparte in Spain; and orders receipts. to be given as usual for the supplies required of the French inhabitants, in order that they may be paid for by the commissaries.

The Pope's nuncio has been sent out of Spain, and his temporalities have been seized, for continuing to intrigue against the Spanish govern ment on account of the decree for abolishing the Inquisition.

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sons by name, of whom the act contains a list; also all persons guilty of acts of violence, attacks, and in dividual murders, plunders, thefts, and other excesses, even although originating in the insurrection, and all those who have absented them selves, and shall not return before the 5th of August-all which persons, thus excepted, are declared enemies of the state, and banished for ever, and their property is confiscated. Now, the second class of offences, though it affects to relate to private crimes, is so vaguely described, that there is scarcely an act of violence or insurrection which may not be brought within it; and as for the third, the time allowed for return is so short, that the parties, if at any considerable distance, could not avail themselves of it. For instance, those Hamburghers who may have sought refuge in England could not by possibility take the benefit of the act, for it was not known there until two days after its expiration. It is, therefore, an insult to common sense, and a mockery of mercy, to call this an act of amnesty. It is, in fact, a cruel measure of proscription-an outlawry against all the loyal and patriotic people of Hamburgh, and an expedient to raise money by the confiscation of their property. The most compulsory means have been resorted to for extending and strengthening the fortifications; neither age nor sex is spared; neither rank nor character is respected; nor is it permitted to the weak and feeble to avail themselves of wealth to procure a substitute.-In this cruel and oppressive decree, fathers, mothers, and guardians, are rendered responsible in penalties, for the acts of their children and wards, though wholly out of their power:-for the

want of males, women are dragged to work at the fortifications, at the rate of three women for two men, and twenty boys are made to supply the place of ten men.

The deputies who had been sent to intercede with Bonaparte, to reduce the demand made for military purposes on this oppressed city, were wholly unsuccessful. They were told by Napoleon, that their disloyalty during the absence of the French troops entitled them neither to favour nor compassion.

The long-intended meeting between the emperor of Russia, the kingof Prussia,and the crown prince of Sweden, took place on the 10th ult. at Trachenberg, and their conferences were continued on the 11th and 12th. Lord Cathcart and Mr. Thornton assisted on the occasion.

A late letter from Stralsund contains the following passage "The emperor Alexander, the king of Prussia, and the crown prince, in conjunction with count Stadion the Austrian minister, and lord Cathcart, have drawn up an ultimatum, which has been sent to Napoleon. It will decide the question of peace or war. Every one is prepared for the latter alternative. War frightens no one now; but it is rather wished for than a middling peace."

Letters have arrived from Gottenburgh to the 23d inst., the contents of which are of the highest importance, as they announce the accession of Austria to the allied cause. This most desirable event, we understand, took place on the 10th inst. On the 13th the head-quarters of the Austrian army were removed to Prague; to which capital the emperor Alexander, the king of Prussia, and lord Cathcart, had pro ceeded. The whole forces of Austria were in motion.-General

Moreau

Moreau sailed from Ystadt on the 4th for Stralsund, where the crown prince was expected from Berlin to meet him. From a bulletin of the army under the command of the crown prince, issued at Oranienburgh on the 13th, it appears that his royal highness has under his immediate command a force of 80,000 men, which, in the course of a day and a half, can be concentrated for any operation; independent of powerful detached corps acting under his orders.

Private letters from Gottenburgh contain the following estimate of the force of the allies: Austrian army in Bohemia 150,000 Russian and Prussian army in Silesia Army of the north of Germany, consisting chiefly of Swedes and Prussians 127,000

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200,000

477,000 This, however, is probably an exaggerated statement.

RUSSIA.

The merchants of St. Petersburg have presented count Wittgenstein with the sum of 150,000 rubles, for his meritorious conduct during the late invasion. The count has declared his intention of laying out this sum in the purchase of an estate in the government of St. Petersburg, to be entailed upon his posterity, without liberty to alienate or mortgage.

The commander-in-chief of the armies, the general of infantry, Barclay de Tolly, has addressed to the minister of the interior a letter, dated Reichenbach, June 20, in which, among others, we remark the following passage:-" I do not consider it superfluous to inform your excellency, that our armies, as well as those of our ally, the

king of Prussia, notwithstanding the rapid and painful movements and operations which they have had to follow, are in the best possible state, and quite ready to re-appear upon the field of honour. If the armistice does not bring about a solid peace, we hope, with God's assistance, to put an end, by the force of our arms, to the war, and by that to the calamities which over. whelm the universe."

INQUISITION.

A letter from India mentions that the Inquisition at Goa was abolished in October last, and all its cells, secret chambers, &c. thrown open to public inspection.

AFRICA.

Mr. A Court, the British envoy at Algiers, has succeeded in negotiating a treaty of peace and amity, on the most satisfactory terms, between the prince regent of Portugal and the dey of Algiers. This treaty was signed at Algiers on the 9th June.

If the Americans are as great readers of books as they are of newspapers, a taste for literature must be gaining ground rapidly in the United States. Four years ago, according to Thomas's History of Printing, there were not less than three hundred and fifty-one newspapers published in the republic. Of these, 12 were printed in New Hampshire; 32 in Massachusetts; 7 in Rhode Island; 11 in Connecticut; 10 in Vermont; 66 in New York; 8 in New Jersey; 71 in Pennsylvania; 2 in Delaware; 21 in Maryland; 4 in Columbia; 23 in Virginia; 10 in North Carolina; 10 in South Carolina; 17 in Georgia; 16 in Kentucky; 6 in Tennessee; 14 in Ohio; I in Inginia; 4 in Mississippi; 10 in Orleans;

and

and 1 in Louisiana. Before the revolution, only nine papers were published; so that 342 have since been added. Of these, 25 are issued daily; 16 thrice a-week; 33 twice a week; 278 weekly. Eight of them are in the German language, 5 in the French, and 2 in the Spanish. In 1810, 157 were called Federal, 158 Democratic, and the rest Neuter.

At the Hampshire assizes, Ensigns M'Guire and Gilchrist, lieuts. Dillon and O'Brien, principals and accessaries in a duel at Newport between M'Guire and Blundell of the 100dth regiment, were tried for the murder of Blundell (lieut. Hemmings, who acted as second to Blundell, did not surrender himself). The variance originated in M'Guire supposing that Blundell had reported that he had supplied M'Guire with clothes. The deceased, it appeared, would not have fought, had he not been influenced by the sentiments of his brother officers. [They were all sentenced to suffer death, but reprieved till the 21st instant; and have been since pardoned.]

SOMERSET ASSIZES.

15. On the civil side was tried an action, in which the widow of the rev. W. Ireland was plaintiff, and Mr.Champneys defendant. This cause originated in some disputes which long prevailed in the parish of Frome, about the right of electing a sexton. A poem on the subject (entitled Hieromania) appeared about four or five years ago, in which the character of the rector was treated with much ridicule and severity. The printer of the poem was prosecuted, convicted, and imprisoned. At the Somerset Lent assizes, Mr. Champneys, having, as the author and publish

er, suffered judgement to go by default, was convicted, and 15001. damages were awarded against him, in favour of the rev. plaintiff; but that clergyman dying before the judgement could be duly entered, the verdict of course fell to the ground.-As some passages of the poem were supposed to allude to Mrs. Ireland, and conceived to be of a base and libellous tendency, she brought this action against Mr. Champneys, and laid her damages at 50001. On the part of the defendant, it was contended, that however atrocious the publication might be deemed against the former plaintiff, the passages now produced in evidence, affecting the widow, were too trivial to demand more than nominal damages. The jury, having been inclosed between eight and nine hours, brought in a verdict in favour of the plaintiff, with 4007. damages.

MARY DOLAND V. T. DEASY, ESQ.
Bristol.

This was a most curious case.

It was an action brought by Mary Doland, to recover from the defen dant certain instalments, due upon an annuity bond given by him to plaintiff, by which he stipulated to allow her 501. per annum, on condition that she gave up her child to him for ever. It appeared that the father of Mr. T. Deasy had left him an estate of 2 or 30001. value, which was to go to his brother in default of male issue. Mr. Deasy had been married 19 years, without having any child, when a quarrel took place between him and his brother, Mr. Richard Deasy, and shortly after an announcement ap peared in The Star newspaper, that the lady of Timothy Deasy, esq. had been delivered of a son.-This, with other circumstances, excited

the

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