State of Public Affairs. 384 The intereft of the fum is 577,000 186,000 763,000 The Attorney General, on the 11th of May, brought up his bill to regulate the publication of newspapers, which obliges every proprietor,editor, conductor,printer, publisher, and manual printer of a newfpaper, to give in, upon oath, the place where the paper is printed, with their refpective names and places of abode; and renders these affidavits matter of evidence when produced in a court of law. The houfe then went into a committee of ways and means. Mr. Rose obferved, that a duty on exports and imports was partly the object of the further regulations relative to the failing of convoys. He did not mean to say that that measure was equivalent to this; but he could not help. thinking, that as far as trade was protected, it would be proper to impofe fome duty. It was at first intended, he faid, to impofe a duty of 24d. per cent. on exports generally, except in a few cafes; but on a reprefentation from the merchants, he should propofe a duty on exports to any port of Europe, of one half per cent, only, to America and the West Indies, where there was no competition with foreigners, a duty of 2 per cent. The exports to Ireland should continue free as they now are; and no duty was intended to be impoled on Eaft India exports, because it would fall on the company, who generally undertook to protect their own trade. According to his estimation, a duty of one haif per cent. on exports to any port of Europe would produce a revenue of 233,000l. With refpect to imports, it vas intended to impofe on them a duty of three per cent. This duty would only attach to fuch articles from the East Indies as fell into a competition with our own markets, or our imports, from any other part of the work!, Such as mullin, which was brought to confiderable perfection at home. The duty on imports he tented at 861,000l. The whole of les, joined to fome further regu. lations, he faid, would produce about the fum of 1,170,00 1. He next proposed a duty on tonnage, at the rate of 6d. per ton to Ireland; s. 6d. to Ruffia and the Baltic; 4s, to the East Indies; 6d, to Newfoundland, and rod. to America, From hence a further fum of 208,000l, would be obtained. The total amount of these fums would be 1,378,000l.; they had been eftimated by Mr. PITT at 1,500,000l, but refpect for our own manufactures had induced him to lower the term. The feveral refolutions were agreed to. The French have lately been repulfed in an attack upon the fmall ifles of St. Marçou, fituate on their own coast, which have been for fome time made ufe of by the English as a poft of obfervation, Upon the 7th of May, about fifty boats from La Hogue, about day break in the morning, formed a line a-breaft of the western redoubt, where Lieutenant PRICE commanded. Having all his guns, which he could bring to bear, well pointed, he began a steady and well directed fire upon then, until the flat boats came within mulket fhot, when he obferved fix or seven of them go down, whilft the others took out the living part of the crews. He towed one into the islands, the others, confifting of 43, returned into La Hogue. It appeared, from the crowded state of their decks, that they must have received great damage and flaughter. A French fhip of 74 guns and 700 men, called 'Hercule, was taken near Breft harbour, by the British fhip Mars, commanded by Captain HooD, on the 21st of April. The action was bravely fought on both fides; the captain of the Mars received a mortal wound near the clofe of the battle, and expired juft as the enemy's fhip had truck her colours. The carnage on board the French was very great, and the Mars loft about forty of her crew. A fecret, and, we are concerned to add, a moft unfortunate expedition, failed from Margate roads about the 18th of May. It coniifted of feveral armed fhips, with between two and three thousand troops on board, under the command of General COOTE. The place of attack was kept an entire fecret till the fecond day after their failing, when they came within gun hot of the harbour of Oftend: the fhips and boats of the enemy were attacked with the greatest bravery, and about half the troops were landed; and, according to the Gazettee*, did confiderable da *Probably it was a geographical error in State of Public Affairs. mage to the harbour, bafon, &c. At twelve o'clock, however, the French poured in great numbers upon the invaders, and the wind at the fame time becoming unfavourable, fo as to prevent their reimbarking, they were all com pelled to furrender prifoners of war, to the number of about fifteen hundred men, after having had about one hundred killed and as many wounded. FRANCE. In the Council of Five Hundred, on the 12th of April, Citizen ESCHASSE RIAUX the elder made a long and elaborate report upon the fubject of colonization, in which he pointed out the rife and progrefs of it from ancient to modern times; as he proceeded, he urged the benefits which mankind had repeated from colonization, and pointed out the places which late difcoveries had laid open for future exertions of this kind. He defcribed Egypt as inhabited by half civilized tribes, famous for its fertility, and as a place which industry might reftore to a healthful temperature, and to the cultivation of the most valuable productions; feparated only from the new acquifition of France by a narrow fea. "Can there be," faid ESCHASSERIAUX, "a more fuitable enterprize for a nation, which has already given liberty to Europe, and emancipated America, than to completely regenerate a country, which was the firft theatre of civilization in the univerfe; to call back the fciences, industry, and the arts, to the place of their maturity, and to lay the foundation of a new Thebes, or another Memphis?" He contended that Ruffia, in establishing colonies upon the Black fea, fet a proper example to the French republic, to form fimilar eftablishments in Afia and Africa, particularly in a quarter, which would render her Adriatic islands of fuch value and importance. After having pointed out at great the gazette writer to affert, that the blowing up of works at Oftend would interrupt the communication between Holland, France, and Flanders! It will appear, on the flighteft infpection of the map, that the canal which runs to oftend is but a collateral branch of the grand Flanders canal, which does not approach nearer than 64 miles of Oftend, and confequently could be in no respect injured by the blowing up the flood gates at the termination of the collateral branch. Veffels paling along the grand trunk, from Bruges to Nieuport and Dunkirk, do not approach nearer to Oftend than at the point of junction, which, as before itated, is fix miles diftant. The real object of this expedition appears, therefore, to be ftill involved in mystery. length the advantages of colonization, he obferved, that a colony ought not to be formed by the tranfmigration of a great part of a nation. The expulfion of the Moors, and the revocation of the edict of Nantz, proved how much too great an emigration tended to enfeeble a country. "What kind of government must that be," faid he, "which always depopu lates the state in order to tranquillize it?" The Executive Directory, on the 9th of May, affembled in order to decide by lot, conformably to the conftitution, which of them fhould quit that important office. The neceffary balls were prepared with great folemnity, and the lot fell upon FRANCOIS DE NEUFCHATEAU to leave the Directory. Upon this decifion being announced, Gen. BERTHIER, THREIL HARD, TALLEYRAND, and CAMBACERES, became candidates for the va◄ cant feat. The great business of the elections was finished about the end of April, and on the fecond of May the Directory fent a meffage to the Council of Five Hundred upon this fubject. After enumerating the various efforts which the enemies of the republic had made upon fimilar occafions, to introduce royalifts and anarchists into the legislative assemblies, the message afferts, "that if ever there were a period in which the republic might appear fuperior to the perfidious hopes fo often conceived for its deftruction, and so often difappointed, it would be when, triumphant without, and feated upon the innumerable trophies which he has gained, the reckons almoft as many victories as foldiers. Yet notwithstanding this, there does exift an anarchical confpiracy to make the primary and electoral assemblies the nurseries of future plots." The Directory next proceeded to ftate the revival of anarchy from the re-establishment of conftitutional circles; they particularly point out Stratsburgh, Perpignan, La Sarche, Metz, Vermoul, and Paris, as places where the elections were influenced by the intrigues of the anarchifts. The meffage concludes with hoping, that the council will not permit men loaded with every crime to fit in the legislature; and that they would mark with, reprobation thofe infamous choices, equally derogatory from the dignity of the republic and their own independence. A committee was appointed to make a report upon this melfage; on the 7th of May a report was accordingly made and brought up. It stated the neceffity of excluding from the legislature the partizans of the two great parties which agitated 3862 State of Public Affairs. the republic, the anarchists and the royalifts. The reporter moved a plan contain ing eighty-eight articles; the first of which was to annul all the decifions that had been pronounced on individual election cafes, in fo far as they were inconfiftent with the new difpofition to be adopted. The other part of the plan went to validate, or invalidate partially, the operations of the different electoral affemblies of the republic, by rejecting members of the fame deputation, thofe whofe election was afcribed to intrigue and the spirit of faction. General JOURDAN moft justly confidered the plan as hoftile to the fovereignty of the people, and to the freedom of the conftitution. Before the council took upon itfelf to act as a national jury, the exiftence of the confpiracy ought to be proved. BOUCHIN and JUISOT fpoke on the fame fide, and oppofed a general profcription. AUDOUIN Contended, that the interest of individuals muft yield to that of the ftate, and that the measure proposed was neceffary to the conftitution, and the maintenance of true liberty. The plan was at length adopted, and BAILLEUL took occafion to declare, that the report was the production of the committee, and not of the Directory, as had been infinuated. By this unprincipled measure, the elec. tions of fix or feven departments were annulled in toto; befides thofe of a great many individuals. The following are among the places whofe elections are annulled:-L'Allier, La Dordogne les Landes, Loir and Cher, la Loire, Baffes Pyrenees, Haute Vienne. HOLLAND. The Batavian republic has accepted the new conftitution: this intelligence was officially noticed to the Directory of France by the minifter for foreign affairs. The number of voters affembled upon this occation was much greater than was affembled last year. The primary affemblies accepted the conftitution on the 23d of April, when the utmoft tranquillity prevailed. It was unanimoufly accepted by the Batavian garrifon. At Amfterdam the numbers were, for the conftitution 10,493, against it 114. GERMANY. About the middle of April an event took place at Vienna, which feemed once more to threaten Europe with the revival of the continental war. BERNADOTTE, the republican ambaffador, had caufed the tri-coloured flag to be hoifted before the door of his house, in order to fupply the place of the arms of the French republic, which he had not then ready in confe quence of this the populace affembled, and with a fhower of ftones broke his windows, forced open the gates, and rushed into the court with loud cries of death and deftruction to every Frenchman. After the laws of nations had been thus outrageously violated, BERNADOTTE retired to Raftadt until this affair fhould be adjusted. It is now faid, that during his refidence there, the Emperor took meatures to bring the ringleaders of this mob to punishment, and the affair is in a fair way of being amicably adjusted. By the laft intelligence from Raftadt, the friends of peace are inclined to hope, that the negotiations carrying on there will foon be brought to a happy iffue. The great question of ceding to the French republic the territory on the left bank of the Rhine being nearly fettled between the contracting powers. AMERICA. The negotiation which was carrying on at Paris, to adjust the differences between the United States and the French Republic, has been lately broken off, or at least fufpended. The President of America has published the correspondence, and even the converfations which took place between the different negotiators and their fecret agents upon this occafion. This publication is the moft extraordinary of any to be found in diplomatic hiftory, and expofes a fyftem of corruption and political infamy not to be matched in the hiftory of mankind. It accuses the Directory of employing secret agents to tamper with the American envoys, in order to procure for themselves a private douceur of fifty thousand pounds, a loan from the state, as a preliminary of peace between the two republics; and it further appears, that M. TALLEYRAND, the French minifter for foreign affairs, was privy to these moft difgraceful proceedings carried on by his agents, who, in his correspondence are diftinguished by the letters X. Y. and Z. A meffage has been fent from the Prefident to the Houfe of Reprefentatives, in which he recommended the making of the moft vigorous preparations for defence, if not for war; and informed congrefs, that he had refcinded the regulations by which the fhips of the United States were prevented from failing in an armed condition. In the House of Representatives of the State of Philadelphia, a motion was made to declare it inexpedient for America to go to war for any reafon fhort of the invafion of its territory, especially against a people with whom it was lately united by the Marriages and Deaths in and near London. ties of friendship. This motion was ne gatived by 37 to 33. The fenate of the United States, on the 26th of March, brought forward a ftring of refolutions, which had for their object to lay an embargo, to complete and garri Marriages and Deaths, Married.] At Bromley, Kent, Mr. W. Smith, of Ave Maria-lane, to Mifs Ann Furlonger. At St. George's, Hanover-fquare, by the Lord Bishop of St. Afaph, the Rev. H. Holland Edwards, of Pennant, Denbighshire, to Mifs Palmer, of Upper Grofvenor-place. At the fame place, Mr. Hickman, to Mifs Kenrick, of Ifcoyd Park, Flintshire. At Mary-le-Bone church, David Bevan, efq. eldest fon of Silvanus Bevan, efq. of Biddlefworth hall, Norfolk, to Mifs Favell Barke Lee, youngest daughter of the late Robert Cooper Lee, efq. of Bedford-fquare. At St. Sepulchre's, Thomas Parfons, efq. of Illington, to Mifs Edmonds, of Wandiworth. In London, Murton Dalrymple, efq. of Fordels, to Mifs Frances Ingram Spence, of Hanover-fquare. In Westminster, Mr. Dennett, furgeon, of Frith-ftreet, Soho, to Mifs Berrow, niece of Andrew Jordaine, efq. of Great Georgefreet. In Westminster, James Wake, efq. of Lincoln's-inn, to Mifs Smith, daughter of the rev. Dr. Smith, prebendary of Westminster. At St. George the Martyr, Queen-fquare, the rev. Daniel Veyfie, to Mils Arnold, of Queen-fquare. John Auldjo, efq. of Finsbury-fquare, to Mifs Rofe, daughter of John Rofe, efq. of Norfolk-ftreet, Strand. At St. Giles's in the Fields, John Sar. geaunt, efq. of Great Queen-ftreet, Lincoln's Inn-fields, to Mifs Birch, daughter of Mr. Birch, of the fame place. Thomas Goldney, efq. of St. James's-ftreet, to Mifs Charlotte Milward, daughter of the late John Milward, efq. of Bromley. Mr. Hanam, of the Strand, to Mifs M. Gordon, daughter of Capt. Gordon, of St. George's in the East. In London, Comte Royer de St. Julien, to Mifs Lewin, daughter of the late Samuel Lewin, efq. The rev. T. Atwood, of Qucen-square, Weftminster, to Mifs Burtenfhaw, of Lindfeld, Suffex. In London, Mr. Brunn, of Charing Crofs, to Mifs Brewman. Mr. Sabere, of Church-ftreet, Spital-fields, to Mifs Collins, of Bethnal-green. Died.] In Norton-street, Portland-place, In Chelfea, Mr. Duffell. 387 fon the fortifications, to raife a provifional amy, and to provide for military fores and arms. These refolutions were not dccided when the laft intelligence was fent from America, except the fir, which was negatived. in and near London. In Caroline-treet, Bedford-fquare, in his 74th year, Peter Mounier, efq. In Duke-street, Westminster, after a fevere and lingering illness, fupported with great for titude and refignation, Mrs. Hickens, fecond daughter of the late E. M. Rebone, efq. of Colchester, and wife of H. J. Hickens, efq. of Worley-hall, Berks. At Pentonville, aged 67, Mr. Bedwell Law, bookfeller, of Ave Maria-lane. In Lamb's Conduit-ftreet, Mrs. Crook. In her 22d year, Mrs. Gaillemond, of Wilfon-treet, Finfbury-fquare. Mr. John Bullen, brandy merchant, Morgan's-lane, Tooley-ftreet. At Mile End, Mrs. Brewer, widow of the late rev. Samuel Brewer, of Stepney. At Hammersmith, aged 21, Mifs Mellish. In Grofvenor-row, Chelfea, Mr. Joha Poulain. In Great Ruffell-ftreet, Bloomsbury, Mrs. Jane Blake, a lady of great worth, and the lak furviving branch of a very respectable family. In Mortimer-ftreet, Cavendish-fquare, Mrs. Duffield. At his chambers in the Temple, aged 75, William Myddleton, efq. By the bursting of a blood-veffel, Thomas Sanders, efq. of Upper Thames-ftreet, Golden-fquare. At Kenington Gore, in her 73d year, Mrs. Ann Bowles. Mrs. Sparkes, of Doughty-street. In Clarges-ftreet, the Right Hon. Lady Sophia Augufta Lambert, youngest daughter of the Earl of Cavan. Mr. Robert Mellifh, of Lime-houfe, shipbuilder. It the Maze, Southwark, H. S. Holcombe, efq. brewer. In London, the Hon. Auguftus Windfor, youngest fon of the Earl of Plymouth. Mrs. Barber, wife of Mr. Thomas Barber, man's mercer, Hay-market. efq. In Queen Ann-ftreet Eat, Parker Halley, In London, after a lingering indifpofition, Thomas Jewer, efq. late of Bath, and formerly of Jamaica. Mr. William Poynder, of Great Eaft-cheap, plumber. Mr. Northcote, filverfmith, of Berkleyfreet, Clerkenwell. At Epfom, Mrs. Mary Graham, widow of John Graham, eiq, formerly of the council of Calcutta, In Hatton Garden, Mr. John Johnfoa Clare, attorney. The 385 Marriages and Deaths in and near London. The rev. Richard Stainfby, more than 40 years lecturer of St. Mary, Strand. At Hackney, Lieut. Colonel James Chafwell, of the firft royal regiment of the Tower Hamlet militia. In Westminster, Arthur Kelly, efq. the late lieutenant-colonel of the South Devon Militia. Mr. Kelly was defcended from an antient and diftinguished family in Ireland, the dignity of which he well maintained. After fhewing the danger and honor of a British foldier during the feven years war, he returned home and married Mifs Parker, fifter to the late and aunt to the prefent Lord Boringdon, and coufin to the prefent Earl Poulett. To the Lady Mr. Kelly had been long att ched. He was a truly amiable character, being eminently distinguished by his benevolence to the poor, his extraordinary tenderness and affection to his relatives and friends, and by an uniform endeavour to render happy all with whom he was connected. At Kentish Town, aged 84, John Little, efq. Some days previous to his death, his phyfician perfuaded him to take a little wine, as indifpenfibly neceffary to recruit his decayed ftrength, occafioned by his miferable and parfimonious living. Mr. Little, fearful of trufting his fervants with the key of the wine cellar, infifted upon his carrying him down ftairs, to get a fingle bottle; when the fudden tranfition from a warm bed to a damp cellar brought on a fit of apoplexy, which occafioned his death. On examination, it appeared that he poffeffed upwards of 25,000l. in the different tontines; 11,000l. in the 4 per cents. befides 2000 per ann. of landed property; which now devolves to a brother, to whom he never afforded the leaft affiftance, on account of his being married, matrimony being a state into which he himself never entered, and for which he always entertained the greateft deteftation. He refided upwards of forty years in the fame house, one room of which had no been occupied for the fpace of 14 years: but which on his death was found to contain 173 pairs of breeches, with a large proportion of other articles of wearing apparel, all which were in fuch a wretched ftate of decay, that they were fold to a Jew for a fingle half guineas In the coach-houfe were difcovered, fecreted in different parts of the building, 180 wigs, which had been bequeathed to him by different relatives, and in which he fet great ftore. At Illington, on Sunday, April 15th, the . John Williams, L. L. D. He was born at Lampeter, Cardiganshire, South Wales, on the 25th of March 1727. His father, a refpectable tanner, placed him at the freeschool in that town. Having very early expreffed a strong inclination for the miniftry, when he had acquired a competent know ledge of the claffics, he was admitted a ftudent at the diffenting academy, at Carmarthen. Here he affiduously cultivated thofe studies that would qualify him for the office of a christian minister, and made confiderable mprovement in the mathematics. On the rev. tjan of his academics course, he ac cepted an invitation from the rev. Mr. Howell, of Birmingham, to affift him in the fuperintendance of a large fchool. In 1752, he was chofen paftor of a congregation at Stamford, Lincolnshire, where he continued near three years, when he removed to Woks ingham, Berks. During his refidence at this place, he completed his "Concordance to the Greek Teftament, with an English verfion, and fhort Critical Notes ;" printed in 1767. Being defirous of a fituation near London, where he had formed an extenfive acquaintance, on the death of the rev. Mr. Baron, he accepted the paftoral charge of the Diffenting church at Sydenham. In 1768 he married Mrs. Martha Still, the widow of a very refpectable member of his late congregation at Wokingham. On her decease in 1777, he was elected curator of Dr. Daniel Williams's li brary, in Red Cross street: a library, from its fituation, little known to the public, though it contains a large collection of scarce and very valuable books, and almost all the works of the Nonconformists. The advantages of this fituation, enabled him to procure every information he could with, on e fubject that had much engaged his thoughts; the authenticity of the two first chapters of St. Matthew's gospel. The refult of his inquiry he published in his "Thoughts on the Origin of Languages. While he refided at the library, he married in Jan. 1781, Mifs Elizabeth Dunn, one of the daughters of Joshua Dunn, Efq. of Newington Green, formerly a very refpectable merchant of the city of London, and one of the most useful laymen among the diffenters. From the fluctuations which frequently take place in the villages near London, the number of diffenters had so far decreased, that, on the expiration of the leafe of the chapel, the Doctor, finding the infirmities of age rapidly advancing, refolved to refign the office of the ministry, and devote the remainder of his life to study and the fociety of a few friends. At the time of his decease, he had nearly completed the printing of a tranflation of "Cheitomeus's Græco-Barbara Novi Teftamenti," &c. which will be shortly published. work defigned to explain fome difficult paffages of fcripture. He was the author of several pamphlets on different fubjects, and printed a few feparate fermons. His focial virtues fecured to him the esteem of his acquaintance and friends; and his deceafe will be long and deeply felt by his mourning widow. A On the 3d of April, after a few days illnefs, at his houfe near Hermitage Stairs, Wapping, in the 69th year of his age, Mr. Jonn Livie, a gentleman well known in the literary world, for his deep and accurate knowledge of the learned languages. Hi fmall, but beautiful and correct edition of Horace, will be a lafting monument to his memory; and the benevolence and integrity of his character, muft render his lofs a fube jet of the deepest regret to all who had the happiness of his acquaintance. |
