force contained in its different batteries opposed to the entrance of the frigates, I know not how sufficiently to admire the decision of capt. Brisbane in attempting the harbour, and the determined bravery and conduct displayed by himself, the other 3 captains, and all the officers and men under his command; and is another strong instance of the cool and determined bravery of British seamen. --Capt. Brisbane being from his situation obliged to act as governor, I have, as an acknowledgment and high approbation of his conduct, continued him in that situation till his majesty's pleasure shall be known; and request, in the strongest manner, that their lordships will be pleased to recommend him for that appointment.-Capt. Lydiard, who will have the honour of delivering this, and who fully partook of the conquest, and has before distinguished himself off the Havannah, I beg to refer their lordships to for any information. I shall put an acting captain into the Anson until his return, or I receive directions thereon.I am, &c.-J. R. DACRESS Words can did their utmost to destroy us. His Majesty's ship Arethusa, Curacoa, Jan. 1, 1807.- -Sir,It is with the most lively and heartfelt satisfaction I have the honour to inform you, that his majesty's squadron under my command has this day opened the new year with what I humbly flatter myself will be deemed an enterprize of considerable consequence to my country.lowing up so glorious an example. Inclosed -I proceeded in the execution of your or ders of the 29th of Nov. with every possible avidity, but the adverse wind and current prevented me from reaching this island before the 1st instant. In nay way up I met Capt. Bolton, of the Fisgard, going to Ja-maica; I took him under my orders, according to your directions, and proceeded with the squadron off this port, having previously resolved on that system of attack which British seamen are so capable of executing. My arrangement having been previously made known to the respective captains, I was satisfied nothing further remained for me than to put it in execution. My line of battle consisted of the Arethusa, Latona, Anson, and Fisgard; and very soon after the break of day, I made all possible sail with the ships in close order of battle, passing the whole extensive line of sea batteries, and anchored the squadron in a stile far surpassing my expectations. Being still desirous of having the effusion of human blood spared, I wrote the inclosed, No. 1, on the capstan of his majesty's ship Arethusa during the action, which was not regarded, as they is a list of the killed and wounded in his majesty's squadron. I have not yet been able to ascertain that of the enemy, except those in the ships. The Dutch commodore was killed early in the action, and the captain of the Surinam severely wounded. I have appointed, by Proclamation, Wednesday next, for the inhabitants, which amount to 30,000, to take the Oath of Allegiance to our most gracious Sovereign; those that do not choose, will be instantly embarked as prisoners of war. For any farther particulars I must beg to refer you to that gallant officer, Captain Lydiard.I have the honour to be, &c. CHARLES BRISBANE. No. I.-His Majesty's ship Arethusa, Curacoa Harbour, Jan. 1, 1807.-——Sir,—The British squadron are here to protect, and not to conquer you; to preserve to you your lives, liberty, and property. If a shot is fired at one of my squadron after this summons, I shall inmediately storm your batteries. You have five minutes to accede to this determination. I have the honour to be, &c.-C. BRISBANE.-To 'his Excellency the Governor of Curacoa. [To be continued.] Printed by Cox and Baylis, No. 75, Great Queen Street, and published by R. Bagshaw, Brydges Street Covent Garden. where former Numbers may be had; sold also by J. Budd, Crown and Mitre, Pali-Mall. VOL. XI. No. 18.] LONDON, SATURDAY, MAY 2, 1807. [PRICE 10D. "If the House reject this petition," [which it did reject] "notwithstanding the strong grounds upon which "it is supported, what will be the consequence? What a proud precedent shall ministers hav to boast of " in this precious sample of their Treasury correspondence--then may they fix a Treasurer in every "county, in every town, in every borough, then may each member circulate through his respective bar"rack department, the decree of the government against the subject's birthright; provided or ly that they "keep within the cautious limits of their precious precedent; provided only they do not pronounce actu l "menace; provided only they convey, through the medium of an innocent freeholder's letter, a bribe "taken from the public money; provided they keep within such limits, they are safe-the precedent of "this night will bear them out, and they will again find a House of Commons who will counterance them in "their breach of that House's privileges, and in the violation of the subject's constitutional rights, provided "only that in the act of such breach and violation, the forms of discreetness and decorum prescribed in the 86 present precedent, be observed."-MR. PERCEVAL'Ss Speech, on the Hampshire Petition, 21st Feb. 1807. 793] TO THE FREE AND INDEPENDENT ELECTORS OF THE CITY AND LIBERTIES OF WESTMINSTER. LETTER XIV. GENTLEMEN, The event, which we anticipat ted, has already taken place, the parliament has been dissolved, and another is immediately to be called.This is a proper, and most favourable time, for us to take a view of our national situation, particularly as far as relates to any real share of political power, which the people enjoy through the means of that House, which is, when assembled, said to contain their representatives. Upon the intrigues and cabals and contests which have led to the dissolution of parliament, I have already taken the liberty to address you; and, my present intention is, first to give an account of the last transactions of the House of Commons, and of the prorogation and dissolution, and then to offer you a few observations thereon. After the late ministers had lost their places, and, with those places, their majority in the parliament, they began, as has bee the invariable custom in similar cases for many years past, to make what is called "An Opposition;" they began to make motions for inquiry into abuses; they began to set about harrassing those who had succeeded them; in short, they began to use all the means in their power to turn out their successors, and, of course, to get into place again themselves. Their successors, however, in nowise disposed to yield their places, and thinking them not secure without changing the House of Commons which had been elected during the day of their [79+ opponents' influence, advised the king to dissolve the parliament; and, accordingly, dissolved it was, after a statement of the reasons had been given to the two Houses in the following speech, delivered by commission, on Monday, the 27th of last month. But, before I insert the speech, let me dwell for a moment on the critical circumstances, as to time, under which the parliament was prorogued. There had been appointed during the power and influence of the late ministry, a committee denominated the "Committee of Finance," and the professed object of it was to produce economy by examining into and correcting abuses; but, the real object, on their part, seemed to be to amuse the nation, and, perhaps, to let their opponents (who had been in offices while the abuses were committed) see, that they had a rod ready pickled for them. This committee appeared, accordingly, to be doing little or nothing for several months; but, as soon as the places of the late ministers had been filled with other men, the Committee of Finance became wonderfully diligent; and, some of the late ministers themselves, who were members of the Committee, and who had scarcely ever attended it before, now attended it every day! Upon a remark of this sort being made, Lord Henry Petty observed, that his occupations as a minister took up so much of his time, that he was unable to attend the Committee before; but that, having been released from those duties, he had now time sufficient to attend the Committee. Be the cause, however, what it may, the effect was, that the Committee made a progress truly astonishing; insomuch that it bad, in the course of a few days, made discoveries of enormous misapplications and defalcations; and, it is positively stated, that they had a report drawn up, and ready to lay be fore the House on Monday evening. But, of this their alacrity and dispatch others were acquainted as well as themselves, and, just as they were going to make this report," which must have speedily found its way out into the world, came a command for the House to attend in the House of Lords, where they heard a speech, which, at once prevented the making of the report of the Committee of Finance, which annihilated that Committee, and which put an end to the existence of the House itself. Lord Howick wished, apparently, to say something, there was an anxious desire, on the part of the late ministry, to send forth something to the public by way of exposure; but, the Usher of the Black Rod, was ready at the door some minutes before the Speaker arrived, and, the moment the latter took the chair, the former, with his three wellknown knocks at the door sealed up the lips of every one present, and the House was compelled to go to the Lords to hear its death pronounced. With this little preface, gentlemen, we shall proceed with advantage to the perusal of the speech, every word of which is worthy of our attention. " " jects, they, in common with every other "class of his people, must feel assured of "his attachment to the principles of a just "and enlightened toleration; and of his "anxious desire to protect equally, and "promote impartially, the happiness of all descriptions of his subjects. GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS,His Majesty has commanded us to thank you, in his Majesty's name, for the supplies which you have furnished for the public service. He has seen, with great satisfaction, that you have been able to find the means of defraying, in the present year, those large but necessary expenses, for which you have provided, "without imposing upon his people the "immediate burden of additional taxes. "His Majesty has observed with no less sa tisfaction the inquiries which you have "instituted into subjects connected with public economy; and, he trusts, that the early attention of new parliament, "which he will forthwith direct to be call"ed, will be applied to the prosecution of "these important objects. MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,-His Majesty has di"rected us most earnestly to recommend to you, that you should cultivate, by all means in your power, a spirit of union, "harmony, and good will amongst all "classes and descriptions of his people. turally and unavoidably excited by the "late unfortunate and uncalled for agitation "of a question so interesting to the feelings "and opinions of his people, will speedily pass away; and that the prevailing sense "and determination of all his subjects to 66 exert their united efforts in the cause of "their country, will enable his Majesty to "conduct to an honourable and secure ter "mination, the great contest in which he "is engaged." Now, Gentlemen, the question which is particularly interesting to us, is, what was the real cause of this dissolution.Those public prints, which are partizans of the late ministry, assert, that the cause was not that which is held forth in the speech of the Lords Commissioners; though men who reflect coolly before they write or speak, may censure so hasty and disrespectful an assertion, particularly as coming from the "friends of regular government, social order, and our holy religion;" but, it is but fair to hear what they say, which we will do, contrasting it with the assertion of their opponents, and then form our opinion.The Morning Chronicle, which, as we well know, is the official partizan of the late pretend as yet to have claims to confi"dence from the experience of the past. They therefore avail themselves of a "wicked clamour, which only one of them "has had the front to avow and to justify; "and while a certain degree of effervescence "exists in the public mind, they will en"deavour to procure a house of commons to their purpose by every method which "the actual state of the representation "enables them to employ. They have brought this matter more home to the "senses of the people of this country than "all the reformin societies for the last thirty years. But besides the object "of getting a parliament more favourable "to them than the present the new mi"nisters have another motive in dissolving "the parliament without delay. The com"mittee of the house of commons lately appointed are daily making discoveries of "the greatest importance, and if they sat "but a month longer, it is impossible to say "who might not be effected. Committees "like this would make every department try.- -We have said, and we repeat, "that it is the discoveries made, and likely "to be made, by the committee of the "house of commons, that have precipitated this dissolution. We hope, however, if "there is time this day, that some indepen"dent member of parliament will state the facts and point out the true causes of the "dissolution. It would be of the greatest "service to the public. In one of the "parliaments of Charles I. when a house "of commons was about to be dissolved for its faithful examination of public abuses, the famous Sir Edward Coke boldly came forward and named the Duke of Bucking ham as the great grievance of the nation, "and in himself comprehending every other "grievance. If there were a member of "tire house of commons bold enough to follow this example, and to denounce the "abuses ministers wish to screen, he might "do his country infinite service, and check that torrent of corruption which must in "the end, if unchecked, lead to the most fatal consequences. The sudden disso"lation of the parliament at a time so many 66 private bills have at a vast expense been "carried almost to their termination, must "be greatly felt by many, individuals. But "ministers had no time to lose, and there"fore they cannot be blamed. Their "existence and that of the present parlia"ment was incompatible. They had not a " moment to lose, and it is no wonder that they preferred themselves and those who "at present protect them, for the sake of protection, to every consideration of public "advantage."- -Before we take the other extract from the Morning Chronicle, we may be permitted, perhaps, just to ask Mr. Perry, since when it is, that he has discovered there is a " torrent of corruption" existing in our government, seeing, that not many weeks have passed since he severely rebuked all those, who threw out insinuations that the government stood at all in need of correction. But, Mr. Perry is now out of place. Place and profit are apt to produce mental blindness as to such matters; and, it is truly fortunate for the country and for truth, that place and profit have been taken from the late ministers. They will now see abuses with eyes very different indeed from those that they saw them with before; but, Gentlemen, however much we may rejoice at the exposures which they will make (for make them they will), we must never lose sight of the fact, that, while in office, they used every art in their power to prevent similar exposures. Never, do what tirey will, in the way of exposure, never shall I " 66 the instant PRAYERS were over, the "Black Rod rapped, and being introduced, "summoned the house to the house of peers. By this manoeuvre did the new ministry prevent the formal present"ment of the peculators who have 'been "plundering the public. We are happy, " however, in being able to relate, în addi"tion to the above circumstances (the truth " of which we challenge any man to deny) "that the report of the committee of finance, states in substance, that a sum of 19,800l had been applied by a late pay"master of the forces to his own use, and "that this fact came to the knowledge of his colleague, the Right Honourable George Rose, who did not give any direction to the clerks on the subject.-The report also states, that the committee had discovered "other and great abuses in the public mo"ney concerns, on which they should short forget their abominable treatment of Mr. 9 -But, let us hear him again from his paper of the 28th of April.- What we yesterday stated, has taken place; parliament is dissolved, and dissolved in such a manner as leaves no doubt whatever of themotives which led to it. We have now to state a fact in corroboration of what we yesterday. mestioned, and we defy "all the swindlers" in the country, great and small, to deny it. Nay, we defy any member of the present administration to deny it.The finance committee of "the house of commons met yestery, and 5: had prepared a report to be presented to the house, but they were prevented by an artifice of ministers, which would have been worthy of all the swindlers" in f the country. - The members of the eominittee were in the house, and the fo chairman: was ready to present the re*port Ministers, however aware of what ༣ ས night taken place, and dreading a charge that would have been made against a most « notorious puculator and defaulter, kept the Laher of the Black Rod in attendance 15 at the door of the house of commons, and ly proceed to report. These are facts, "for the truth of which we pledge our"selves. We leave it then to the public to judge of the motives which led to the present precipitate dissolution. It is, indeed, a strange thing that those who have on every occasion, and now most palpably, "endeavoured to protect the peculators of "the public money, should have the impu"dence to hold themselves out as mest dis τσ 66 tinguished for their affection to pure and "undefiled religion, snd their attachment to the church of England! Such hypocrisy is truly shocking.-The proceeding "of yesterday, and the management of the "Black Rod to prevent disagreeable observa tions, so forcibly reminds us of the con"duct of that misguided Prince, Charles I. on a case very similar, that we cannot help detailing the circumstances. On the 5th "day of June, 1028, Sir John Finch, the Speaker of the House of Commons, de"livered a message to the house from the "king, importing that his majesty had fix"ed a day for putting an end to their ses“sion, and therefore required that they "should not enter into a new business, or "lay aspersion on the government or minis"ters thereof. This produced a warm de"bate, in which Sir John Elliot, advanc ing somewhat as if he meant to touch the "Duke of Buckingham, the Speaker rose Sup and said " There is a command upör me that I must command you not to proceed." Upon this a deep silence ensued; and then the house resolved itself into a :: committee: to consider what was fit to be done; and ordered that no man should go out on pain of going to the Tower. the Speaker, however, desired leave to bmwbi vid en dojde to und ja |