Procure juftice to be rendered in a more exPeditious and lefs expenfive manner; to entruft the nation with the exercife of its lawful rights, which ought always to be conciliated to mine. I will moreover eftablith, in every part of my kingdom, that unity of fyftem, without which a great state is always weakened by the number and extent of its territories. The order I mean to maintain is not new-there was but one Parliament, when PHILIP THE FAIR fixed it at Paris. A large ftate should have but ONE KING, ONE LAW, and ONE POWER to ENREGISTER ACTS. Tribunals with a limited power thall fuperintend the majority of law-fuits; the Parliaments thofe of more important confequences. A fingle Court of Judicature for the depofit of all the common law of the kingdom, and which thall be charged with its enregifterment. In short, a General Affembly of the States, to affemble not only once, but every time that the ftate of affairs fhall require it. Such is the restoration, which my love for my people has prepared, and confecrated this day for their happiness, which is my only defire. My Keeper of the Seals will deliver you my intention more at length." After the King had finished, the Keeper of the Seals made a preliminary fpeech on a new law, intended to be brought forward. The FIRST announces his Majefty's orders for the better adminiftration of justice. [Here followed the A&t itself, in explanation of the fubject.] The SECOND-is an Edict of his Majefty, portant fuppreffion des tribunaux d'exceptions; there is a number of inferior Courts in France, which ufed to adminifter juftice; thefe are, by this Act, abolishedthe their functions to be performed by the fuperior tribunals. The THIRD contains a new ordinance for the future mode of crimi nal jurisdiction. The FOURTH announces the King's determination of reducing the number of members of the Parliament of Paris. This is founded on the celebrated act of Louis XI, of O&t. 21, 1467; the language of this act is very explicit and peremp tory. It confines the number of counfellors to FORTY-FIVE. I. The chief prefident; 9 fub-prefidents; 25 commoners; 6 honorary members, and 12 counfellors choten from among the clergy. The FIFTH ettablishes we cour pleniere, a fupreme affembly or tribunal. This is to be compofed of princes of the blood- peers of the Realm→→→ -great officers of the Crown-the clergy -Marthal of France, and other qualified perfons-governors of provinces-knights of different orders-a deputation of one from each Parliament, members of council-and two members from the chambers of accounts and fupply to be called together, when the ftate of affairs requires it-or, in other words, auben the King chooses. The SIXTH, his Majesty's pleafore that the Parliament thould be prorogued till he has feuled the mode of their future proceedings. After the foregoing ordinances had been read, HIS MAJESTY made a fecond speech at the breaking up of the Court. "GENTLEMEN, MA You have just heard my pleafure. As my intentions are moderate, the more I will have them ftrictly obeyed; they all aim at the welfare of my fubjects. I rely on the zeal of those whom I thall call to compofe COUR PLENIERE, my fupreme Affembly; other Magiftrates will no doubt, by their good conduct, merit to deferve my favour, and to be called to that Affembly at a future period." In confequence of the foregoing edits of the King, le Grande Ajfemblée du Parlement (the principal Affembly of Parliament) met on Friday laft. Their proteft is dated May 9th, 7 o'clock in the Morning. It contains a reprefentation to his Majefty, that their filence in his prefence on the day preceding must not be conftrued as an acquiefcence of their confent to his Majefty's edicts;-that, on the contrary, they wholly difclaim taking any part in what paffed at that fitting, or from giving their affittance to it. That they further decline accepting any feat in the new court his Majefty wishes to erect, called, La Cour Pleniere ;-and they cannot accept of it, as being contrary to their oath, their duty, and fidelity to his Majefty. Befides the above proteft, which the Parliament addrefied to his Majefty, several Peers of the Realm wrote the following letter on Friday laft to his Majesty. "SIRE, I am penetrated with the deepest forrow at the attempt which has been made to fubvert the fundamental principles of your kingdom. I fhall confider it at all times my duty to give an example of fubmiffion and respect to all your fubjects; but my confcience, and the fidelity due to your Majefty, will not fuffer me to take any part in the functions which thefe new edicts impofe on the Peerage. I therefore take the liberty of prefenting at the foot of your throne this declaration; which is dictated by the purest fentiments of honour and zeal for the true interests of your Majesty, which are infeparable with thofe of the nation." The fame day, Friday the 9th, the King convened the Parliament a fecond time, and made the following fpeech: "GENTLEMEN, Interefting Intelligence from the Eaft and Weft Indies. fhall call you together before the ordinary time of your fitting, if the good of the fervice, and the neceffity of the state, require it." The fame evening at eight o'clock the PARLIAMENT again met at Versailles, and delivered in the tollowing memorial: "The MEMBERS OF THE COURT perfift in all their refolutions, particularly in that of the 3d of May: they further proteft, and again declare, that they will not affift at any deliberations in the Supreme Affembly which his Majefty is about to inftitute.That as it is not in their power to deliver this proteft to the perfon whofe former province it was to receive it, and fearing that it will not be prefented to his Majesty, they have charged one of their members to carry it to a notary, in order that it may be formally depofited; and they have given him orders to print off as many copies as may be neceffary to make it publicly known and authentic." EAST INDIA INTELLIGENCE. Extract of a letter from an officer of rank, dated Arcot, Oct. 2, 1787. "Tippoo is at this inftant preparing to enter, or has already entered, the Trevencore bounds, although the King of that country was guaranteed by us in a very pointed manner in the last treaty of peace. And to thew us how little ceremony he means to treat us with, he has ftationed feveral bodies of horfe in the Cuddeph and other northern countries, with a view of entering the Carnatic; at the fame time knowing that we cannot fee Trevencore attacked without lending fome affistance. Already they have ftopped feveral of our traders in the Cuddeph country, and plundered them of all their effects, and make no fecret of their intentions, faying, that they expect orders very foon to enter our northern provinces-that is, Ongole and Nellour. "You fee, my friend, I have been but too prophetic! The rooted aversion that the villain has to the English will never fuffer him to fleep in peace, until he does his best to extirpate us. He very openly declares thefe to be his intentions. I am therefore for being before-hand with the gen tleman, if I could. But, alas the people in England wil! nor, fear, fee this matter in its true light, until it fall be too late. "Let me conjure you, my dear Sir, to fpare no pains to imprefs the minds of your friends and acquaintance with the abfolute neceflity of breaking off our unnatural connec tion with this moniter, and openly and avowedly proclaiming him an enemy to Great Britain. For it is impoifible, in the nature of things, that we can ever fleeep in peace in the Carnatic, whilft he is in exiftence as Nabob of Myfore, or rather S. 453 tan of the Decan, as he proudly ftyles him felf. The Ofterley Indiaman met with a very extraordinary circumftance, in navigating the Chinese feas. On the 20th of Sept. laft, in lat, 10 N, long 110 E. a large fhip fpoke with them about noon under French colours. She hailed, but nobody underftood a word they faid. She paffed them very fast, and at fome diftance a-head began to run out her guns. They law on her ftern the words LA CALYPSO. They were much aftonished; had various conjectures, the most prevailing, that he was a pirate. Orders were inftantly given to prepare for defence, which was as inantly obeyed, their ten guns loaded, matches lighted, and every man at his quarters; all filent; and in this fituation waited the event; while the feeming enemy was bearing down upon them, her tops manned, netting ftuffed, 32 guns run out, tompions taken out, and men crowded at all quarters. She hailed us again. They could just make out fhe was a King's fhip, and, among others, the word respecte. Capt. Clarkfon lowered the top-gallant fail, and the Frenchman took his leave. The captain has been blamed. The prefent Governor General of Bengal has iffued an order, "That all newspapers fhall be liable to the fame poftage as private letters." This duty took place on the 31st of October laft. WEST INDIA INTELLIGENCE. Kingflon, Jamaica, March 1. Monday laff, Was laid on the Reverend Middleton Howard, During the ceremony of laying the foundation-ftone, the mufic accompanied the choirifters in the anthem, &c. 1. An anthem. 2. Solemn mufic. 3. A prayer. 4. An anthem. 5. Mufic during the laying of the foundation-ftone. 6. Thanksgiving, and prayer for the archite&. 7. An ode. The bufinefs concluded with the honours of maforry, and the band ftruck up "God fave the King." They afterwards returned to Mafons-hall in like order, and clofed the Lodge, and departed with that friendly and brotherly love which always diftinguishes that ancient and honourable fociety. Letters from Jamaica, of the 15th of March, mention a tiger-fhark taken by fome negro fishermen in Green Bay, at the mouth of Port Royal harbour, which meafured 14 feet fix inches from the tip of the fnout to the extremity of the tail, and was of proportionable thickness. The monfter was towed afhore near Fort Small, and upon opening its maw it was found to contain three leopards teeth tipped with gold, a confiderable quantity of coloured glafs beads, and feveral half-digefted bones fuppofed to be human. AMERICA. Accounts have been received from Phila delphia, of the arrival of two fhips, in the month of January laf, at that port, from Canton in China, laden with teas and other Eaft India goods; that their voyages had turned out profperous; and that there are at prefent 15 American hips employed in the trade to the Eaft Indies. IRELAND. The following memorable tranfaction lately engroffed much of the attention of the gentlemen of the long robe in this countrv, and was for fome time the chief topic of converfation in England. A record was made up for the trial of a caufe of confiderable importance in the county of Limerick. The judge of affize, who tried civil caufes in the circuit in which Limerick lies, was Mr. Hamilton, one of the Barons of the Exchequer. When the caufe in queftion was called, the Counsel for the plaintiff opened it, and frated to the Court and Jury the nature and particulars of the evidence that he intended to produce in fupport of the claim fet up by his client. The Judge, after having fuffered him, without interruption, to lay open his own cafe, faid, he perceived the trial would take up more time than he was at firft aware of, or than he could fpare; and therefore he directed the Sheriff to withdraw a juror, and fo let the caufe ftand over to the next alize. This was a proceeding in the Judge, which, lawyers fay, was very illegal, and unwarranted either by the commillions of juftices of affize, or the practice of the courts in cir cuit. To perfons who are not of the learned profeffion, it must appear a delay of juftice, and confequently an injury to the fuitors, but more particularly to the plaintiff, as his counfel, under the idea that he was proceeding immediately to the trial, had been fuffered to difciofe the nature of his evidence, and the names of his witneffes; circumftances of which the defendant might avail himself before the next afflize, by tampering with the witneffes, if it should fo please him, to the great prejudice of the plaintiff. Whether this conduct was legal or not, was the question brought before the Parliament of this kingdom for decifion; and, it must be owned, was very candidly given up. It was brought forward, by way of petition, from the party aggrieved; and fupported by the counfel employed in the cause, who said, he felt for the plaintiff at the time, and endeavoured to avert the refolution of the Judge; but the Baron had made up his mind, from the neceffity of going into the criminal trials, with the view of clearing the gaol. He faid, he meant himself to have brought the matter before a fuperior Court; but did not think it of importance enough to come before a Committee of the Houfe. The Attorney General rofe next, and frankly declared, that as to the difcharging of a jury without the confent of the parties, there is no man of profeffional character that will defend or justify it; it was an illegal act, it was without precedent, and he trusted never would be repeated; but it was an error in judgement, an error arising from a good motive, a wifh to difcharge the gaol; and as it is not attempted to be juftified, and as upon reflection the learned Judge has altered his opinion, he wifhed to have the matter buried in oblivion, because there was no charge of any corrupt or difhonourable motive; if there was, our refolution should be, to addrefs for the removal from the bench of any Judge that could be guilty of corruption; but, in the cafe before the Committee, the motive of the Judge was most pure, though much mistaken; therefore wifhed the matter for ever buried in oblivion; and, that it might, he moved, that the chairman do leave the chair. The queflion being put, it paffed unanimoufly. Dublin, April 18. This day his Excel-lency the Ld. Lieutenant put an end to the Seffion of Parliament by a very conciliating fpeech. War Office, Dublin Cafile, May 5 Letters patent have been patted under the Great Seal of this kingdom, conftituting and appointing the Right Hon. Lieut. Gen. William Auguftus Pitt, Commander in Chief of his Majefty's forces in this kingdom, or the Commander in Chief of his Majefty's forces for the time being; the Right Hon. James Cuffe, Ponfonby Moore, William Handcock, and Robert Langrishe, Efgrs. Efqrs. and Col. David Dundas, together with the Hon. George Jocelyn, George Rowfon, and Charles Henry Coote, Efqrs. in the room of James Cavendish, Fitzherbert Richards, and Ralph Ward, Efqrs. to be Commiffioners and Overfeers of Barracks, &c. SCOTLAND. On the 24th of April a meeting was held at Aberdeen of all the Proteftant Bishops in this country, who, having previously confulted with their clergy, took into their ferious confideration the ftate of the church under their infpection, and unanimously refolved to give an open and public proof of their allegiance to the prefent Government, by praying, in exprefs words, for his Majefty King George and the Royal Family, to take place in all their chapels on Sunday the 25th of May inftant, to which day it was deferred, that the Bishops might have time to give the proper directions to their clergy throughout the kingdom. Thus an end is put to thofe unhappy divifions which have fo long fubfifted among us; and many thousands of our countrymen, hitherto fofpected of difaffection to the prefent Government, will now be confidered as dutiful and loyal fubjects. (See p. 400.) COUNTRY NEWS. Some workmen, on opening a piece of ground at the corner of Pipe Lane, Briftol, on the 15th of April laft, difcovered about three feet beneath the furface a great quantity of human bones, and fome entire fkeletons; no fragments of coffins or coffin nails were found; but on the wrift of one of the skeletons there was a piece of iron like the ring of a handcuff, and between the jaws of another a ftone feemingly thruft in by force, which certainly had occafioned his death. It is fuppofed that between 30 and 40 bodies had been there depofited, but no light can be traced of their interment. On Sunday, April 11, was diftributed in the church of Downham-market, in Norfolk, 1200 penny loaves to the poor of that parish, purchased with the moiety of a mitigated penalty for killing a hare on the Sabbath-day. At Brighthelmftone, an elderly lady was lately difcovered fhut up in an empty-house at the back of the Steine, in a most mi ferable farving condition, being emaciated almoft to a skeleton, and having no earthly thing to cover her but an old coat. this wretched condition the was found lying on a facking bottom rotten with her own foil. She, it is faid, has money in the funds; and her cafe has been taken up by perfons of humanity, from whom we fhall probably learn more. An induftrious workman at Sheffield, who had faved 17 guineas by his labour in working at the fteel furnace of Mefirs. Hague and Barkin, had the whole stolen out of his houfe in the night of the 27th of April lat. The poor man, almost in despair, employed the crier to make known his lots; and added, that if the money was not returned by fuch a day, he would next ways apply to the Copper-freet conjurer, and proclaim the thief. In fuch high reputation, it seems, is this Copper-freet Conjurer for his knowledge in the Black Art, that the thief replaced eleven guineas of the money, the next night, which, it was fuppofed, was all he had left of the booty. On Thursday, May 1. Came on the election of Mayor of Cambridge in the room of John Mortlock, Efq. in obedience to a mandamus from the Court of K. B.-Mr. Alderman Forlow, jun. was chofen; but, on account of fome informality, a proteft was entered, which it is thought will produce another appeal to the court of K. B. On Friday, the 2d of May, a dreadful thunder form came on 2 Wrickton, in the county of Hereford, which greatly alarmed the inhabitants. The Fightning was inftantly followed by the moft awful and tremendous thunder that ever was heard by the oldest inhabitant of the place. A ball of fire fell upon a pollard oak, and fhivered it in fuch a manner, that splinters were found more than 150 feet from the body of the tree. Providentially, no other damage was futtained by the form. HISTORICAL CHRONICLE. On the 2d of April the Prince Bp. of Liege iffued a proclamation against gaming in any part of his dominions, particularly at Spa, under the penalty of 200 gold florins for the firft offence, and two years imprisonment for the fecond, The damages done by the late forms and inundations in Portugal (fee p. 358.) are eftimated at above 2 millions of crufadoes. From Coimbra they write, that the fertile province of Beira has been laid wife by the overflowing of the Mondego river, in fuch a manner as to require many years to restore it to its former itate. The waters rofe fo high, and with fuch impetuofity, as to bear down the noble bridge, the admiration of all travellers. The Emperor has caufed to be published, in different languages, a notification, that if any officer or foldier, other than a Mahometan, in the fervice of the Porte, fhall be made prifoner, he fhall be condemned to work for life in the galleys. On the 29th of April the Pruffian troops evacuated the pofts they held at Amiterdam; and on the 5th of May the body of troops, lett by the Duke of Brunfwick to the Dutch, marched from the Grand Parade, headed by Lieut. Gen. de Riadefel, who is to command them. They amount to 3000 men, with a train of 10 pieces of cannon. The accounts in the foreign prints of laft month (fee p. 352), of the refignation of the reigning Duke of Brunswick, and the treaty between the courts of Berlin and Vienna, have been found, as was apprebended, the mere fictions of the day. Of the treaty between the Court of Berlin and the Republic of Holland, we have already given the fubftance (fee p. 357); and of the conclufion of a fimilar treaty between Great Britain and their High Mightineffes we have fated the time and the manner, (fee p. 353); and it would be a needlefs repetition to add more, the terms of both treaties being nearly the fame, the local difference by land and fea only excepted. Of the difagreeable misunderstanding that has happened between this country and the Emperor of Morocco, we have already given fome account. His Majesty's letter on that occafion is curious. "In the Name of God! To all the Confuls: Peace to him who followeth the right way. Know ye, that for thefe thirty years we have obferved the conduct of the Englith, and ftudied their character; we have always found that they never keep their word. We never could dive into their character, becaufe they have no other than that of telling lies. We are acquainted with the character of other Chriftian nations; we know that they keep their word; but a nation like the English, of which there is no knowing the character, who know not how to keep their word, and who only can tell lies, does not deferve that we fhould speak or write any thing to them; for, according to our religion, a lie is the most abominable of all vices. Their Ambaffador, Curtis, told us that he had orders from his Court, that the thips built on our flips, and which we were to fend to Gibraltar, fhould be there completely refitted. In confequence of which, we fent thofe fhips to Gibraltar, provided with every thing neceffary, and with money; but he fent back our fhips, and nothing was done to them; but what offends us moft is, that he even fends back the thips which we had fent to conduct them to our brother the Sultan Abdulhamed, whom God preferve! After this, it is not neceflary to add more.On the 17th of the moon Jumadilala of the year 1702 that is Feb. 25, 1788. By fome letters, all communication between Gibraltar and Morocco is at end. The Emperor has made a demand of 10,000 barrels of gun-powder; requiring likewife that the fame may be fent as a prefent from him to the Porte. Other letters, of good credit, affert, that the misunderstanding between this Emperor and the Court of London docs not extend fo far as to an interruption of trade, which may be carried on as ufual; but only to fome punctilios, which will foon be fettled without any very difagree able confequences. DOMESTIC OCCURRENCES. St. James's, April 9. A Chapter of the moft noble Order of the GARTER having been fummoned to meet this day, the Knights Companions, with the Officers of the Order, all in their mantles; the Knights (with their collars) attended the Sovereign in his own apartment, from whence a proceffion being made, as ufual, ro the Great Council Chamber, and the Sovereign and Knights Companions feated, the Bp. of Carlisle was introduced, and humbly prayed to be admitted to take the Oath of Register of that moft Noble Order; which being done, and the Sovereign having invefted him with the infignia of office, he withdrew to his place; and as by the ftatutes none but Knights can be elected, Garter and BlackRod introduced his Grace the Duke of Dorfet, who was knighted by the Sovereign with the fword of ftate, as was likewife the Duke of Northumberland. This ceremony over, and the fuffrages collected, the Knights Companions proceeded to election, when his Grace of Dorfet, by his Majefty's command, was declared duly elected. In like manner his Grace of Northumberland was declared duly elected. April 16. The appearance of the Duke of Orleans at Paris from his imprisonment diffufed a general joy. His firfi vifit was to the King at Versailles. No intemperate joy on this occafion provoked the least disturbance in the ftreets. April 18. Mr. and Mrs. Eden, with two of their children, had lately a very providential efcape. In their way to Madrid: their carriage followed the others of his retinue, on a very narrow caufeway, much elevated above the plain, and undefended with any railing on the fides; the harness broke, which obliged the poftillion to alight. The other carriages went on; the horses of Mr. Eden's chaife, accustomed to follow the others, would not ftop; the drivers in their great boots could not catch them. They ran a confiderable distance on the very brink of the precipice, when luckily the poftillion of one of the firft carriages heard the cries, and stopped his horses, which of course prevented those of Mr. Eden going on. April 26. |