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Mrs. NESBITT'S VILLA, NORWOO
O D.

[With a PLATE. ]

THIS villa is pleafantly fituated near the held; and here many measures of great im

Horns at Norwood, and is poffeffed by Mrs. Nefbitt, a lady not unknown in the political world. At this place it is reported frequent minifterial congreffes have been

portance have been difcuffed and adopted. The owner of it is the widow of Mr. Nefbitt, formerly a merchant,

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

Although Memorials, Petitions, and Remonftrances, have been lately fo common in France, we cannot help prefenting our readers with the following REMON STRANCE of the PARLIAMENT of PARIS on the old fubject, the Lettres de Cachet, and the exile of the Duke of Orleans and Mefirs. Freteau and Sabatier.

"MAY it please your Majefty to confider that it is the duty of your Parliament to watch over the people's wants, and the rights of the Sovereign; the people may be mified by factious men, and Kings are too much expofed to dangerous furprifes. Parliament, Sire, will fpeak to Monarchs refpecting liberty, and recommend to fubjects fubmiflion. They render that fubmiflion honourable by their example, and that authority folid by their principles. In fhort, the most effential function of your Majefty's Parliament is to fummon the Royal power to the standard of juftice, and public liberty to the oath of allegiance. Such, Sire, bave been in the most hard and turbulent times their patriot views, and the object of their unremitted zeal.

"Still animated by the fame fentiments, and ever jealous to deferve the good will of our gracious Monarch, and insure the liberty of our fellow citizens, we come to point out at the feet of the Throne the mott fatal error that could feduce the heart of a Sovereign; we come to invoke your Majesty's justice, wisdom, and humanity, againft the pernicious practice of ufing Lettres de Cachet. At this terrible word all hearts fhudder, all ideas are clouded with horror. The individuals, feized with thefe dreadful fymptoms, look with amazement at one another, and afraid of explaining themfelves, remain in a state of inaction: the people in filence scarce dare to lift their thoughts to that inconceivable power which difpotes of men without hearing or judging them; that plunges and keeps them, at pleafure, in total darkness, whither the chearful light of day never enters, no more than the reviving afpect of the law, the cry of nature, or the voice of friendship; to that potver that for existence depends on VOL. XIII,

mystery, and derives its title from force alone to a power exercised with impunity by the Minifters of State, their deputies, and the agents of the Police; to a power, in short, which, from the head Minifter to the very inferior officers of the Police, lays over our heads an endless chain of formidable oppref fors, before whom remain filent and inactive

the facred laws of nature, and thofe of the conftitution, No, Sire, the laws of nature, and the laws of the conftitution, shall never reproach your Parliament (the living law at the feet of the Throne) with having stood fhamefully inactive, and with having preferved a guilty filence.

"Man was born free, and his happiness depends on juftice. Liberty is an improfcriptible right. It confifts in the power of living fuitably to the tenor of the laws; justice is an univerfal duty, and this duty is anterior to the laws themselves, that acknowledge it and ought to guide it, but never difpenfe with it in the Monarch or the subject. JUSTICE and LIBERTY -This, Sire, is the principle and end of all fociety, the stable and uomoveable foundation of all power and fuch is, for the happiness of mankind, the wonderful connection of these two ineftimable bleffings, that no reasonable authority, or folid obedience, can ever fubfift without them. The practice of Lettres de Cachet overturns all this fyftem. Juftice, thereby, becomes meer illufion, and liberty retains but the

name.

"All lawful fubmiffion is voluntary in its principle. The people's confent to the power of ufing Lettres de Cachet is incompa tible with the use of reafon; reafon is the natural state of man, as well as of fociety; the practice, therefore, of fuch letters is repugnant to the nature of man, both as a rational and a fociable being. Will they fay, that this practice is founded on the nature of Monarchical power? The answer could easily be found. Kings reign either in virtue of conqueft, or by law. If the conqueror abufes his conqueft; if he ftrikes at the rights of man; if the conqueft is not changed into a capitulation; force, that difpofes of the fruits 09

of

of victory, does not retain fubjects at the conqueror's feet, but flaves. Whatever reafon forbids the people to confent to, Kings have it not in their power to ordain.-It is evident that justice must equally hold the fcales between the poor and the rich; and it is evident that fhame and punishment are due to the guilty, and to them alone.

"It is a maxim in our monarchy, that no citizen can become a prifoner without an order from the judge. All the Kings of the two first races have acknowledged it. Hugues Capet found it at his acceffion to the throne. All orders and decrees iffued under the third race have confirmed it. It is this maxim that became the foundation of the only diftinction we find in our laws between the prifoners for crimes and thofe for debts; and the claufe in the edict of 1670, agreeable, in this point, to all the preceding ones, has ftamped it with the feal of validity, by requiring, that prifoners for crimes should be examined within four and twenty hours after imprifoument: but how ineffectual fuch a wife difpofition; how ridiculous fuch a precaution, as long as the practice of Lettres de Cachet fhall fubfift!

"Thus the rights of mankind, the fundamental principles of fociety, the most brilliant lights of reafon, the dearest interefts of lawful power, the elementary maxims of morality, the laws of the conftitution-all, in fhort, unanimously rife against the practice of Lettres de Cacket. By what fatality, Sire, has it been introduced and continued in your dominions? We are not aftonifhed to fee that men, jealous of a tranfitory, but perfonal power, and greedy ambitious courtiers, regardless of time to come, fhould colour this practice with the fpecious motives of public fafety, or of the tranquillity and honour of many families. The fervile mind follows the train of ambition with avidity: but that tere should be citizens, blind enough not to fee, in every letter they folicit or acquiefce in, the dreadful danger that awaits them, fills us really with the greateft aftonishment, and caufes in our breafts the deepest affliction. It is time to combat an error set off with the appearance of difinterestedness; it might make an impreflion on the mind and heart of your Majefly.

none that can prevent his claims to justice; neither his filence itfelf, nor even his formal confent to the lofs of his liberty, could be fufficient to do it.

"Your Majefty's answer in 1777 has given an indelible fanction to these national maxims. You declare, Sire, that you will never fuffer any attacks on the liberty of your fubjects; but that there are circumftances in which public fafety requires that your authority thould appear in fupport of juftice, to prevent a culprit's evafion. How remarkable and how conforming were these words for the cause of justice! They conciliated liberty with power, and it is thus that your Majefty has fixed upon this point, and with your own words, the principle, the object, and the limits of your power.

"The honour and tranquility of a family* is the laft objection to the abolishing the practice of Lettres de Cachet; but they do not recollect that this objection, the grand battery of partisans for arbitrary power, owes all its pretended confequence to the letters themfelves, the practice of which once admitted deceives honour itfelf, and arms it against liberty.

"Many facts, pretty well known, can prove to your Majesty, that the nation, more fenfible of their true intereft, even in the moft elevated fpheres, are difpofed to receive from your hands the greatest bleffing a Monarch can bestow on his fubjects, the gift of liberty: It is a blefling that renders authority more firm, and the laws more endearing. It is this belfing which nobly rewards virtue, encourages the afpiring genius, and puts a bridle on turbulent licentioufnefs; this your Parliament come to reclaim, Sire, in the name of a generous and faithful nation. They most respectfully intreat you to abolish for ever the ufe of Lettres de Cachet. They conjure you effectually to reject all ambitious counfels, and frivolous motives, and that perfidious intelligence, which is as much difowned by reafon, as it is refuted by facts. How cruel, that your Majefty cannot enter into the minute details of fuch intelligence, generally made up by fubaltern officers, on fome pretenfions always kept secret, or on informations always clandeftine! Oh, Sire, could you but interrogate those victims of arbitrary power, confined, abandoned, and forgotten, in thofe impenetrable dungeons, where filence and injuftice ever dwell, how many of them would you find who never threatened to difturb the tranquility of the ftate, or ever meant to difhonour the refpec table name of their family! Unhappy vit. tims! foon would your Majesty be convinced, that intrigue, avidity, aim at power, thirst of revenge the dread or hate of justice, hu

"Where ne perfonal fecurity exifts, pubHic fafety is but an imaginary blifs; and where the practice of Lettres de Cachet fubfifts, perfonal fecurity cannot fubfitt. Public fafety is then but an imaginary blits, where the pracrice of Lettres de Cacbet fubfifts. If there are circumstances, Sire, that require the fudden exercife of your authority, there are none that can authorize the fecret detention of a prifoner who folicits his trial-there are * A Lettre de Cachet, for instance, can fcreen a fubj.et from a corporal or capital pa ish

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mour, caprice, and the meer whim of a man of credit, prefide by turns at the diftribution of Lettres de Cacher. You would then know to what torments is condemned the wretch for whom the fun rifes without any hopes, and the night returns without any repose for him. Terrible uncertainty! defpondency worse than death! And all these horrors in the name of Majefty! Yes, Sire, were you but to behold the dreadful manfions of forrow, you would stand aghast at the cruel fate of your fubjects; you would fhudder at the condition of Princes themfelves, and you would haften to deftroy thofe invifible arrows that trike at justice, both when aiming at the innocent and guilty.

"Animated by this hope, and founded on thefe principles, your Parliament, Sire, after having fued for the liberty of the nation, cannot help foliciting once more for that of the three citizens. We have authority to believe, that the Duke of Orleans and Meffrs. Freteau and Sabbatier are not guilty. Were they fo, the right of judging them is referved to your Parliament; and the charming prerogative of pardoning, to your Majefty.

"Liberty is by no means a privilege, but a right. It is the duty of all Governments to refpect that right. The fame force that deprives a deliberating affembly of their members, affects the whole body. Some are arrefted, the others are threatened, none are free. A deliberating affembly deprived of their freedom, threatened by force, if they ftill continue to deliberate, and rife above fear, can be fupported only by their fidelity.

"This virtue, Sire, has not forfaken your Parliament. They will not ceafe to folicit, in a very refpectful manner, the bieffing of public liberty, by the abolition of Lettres de Cachet, and the perfonal liberty of that auguft Prince, the firft of the Blood Royal, and of the two exiled magiftrates. But it is no longer a Prince of your Blood, nor two ma

giftrates, that your Parliament claims now in the name of the laws, and of reafon; it is three French individuals-three men. His Majefly's Answer to the Remonftrance of bis Parliament, March 16, 1788. "I had forbidden you, Gentlemen, to continue your reprefentations after the 9th of January; and it is not by difobeying my orders, that you will ever obtain the return of the magiftrates I have thought proper to punifh. I have nothing to add to my former anfwer: I have told you, that my subjects liberty is as dear to me as to themselves; but I fhall never fuffer my Parliament to oppofe the exercife of a power, which families have been indebted to for the prefervation of their honour, and the ftate for its tranquility. My Parliament, with due refpect and filence, must confide in my own wifdom. 1 forbid you to have, or publish, any farther deliberations on the subject.”

Conftantinople, Feb. 22. The Grand Divan which was affembled here on the 11th inftant came to the refolution of releafing Monf. de Bulgakow, the Ruffian Minifter, and the Ruffian fubjects, detained in the Seven Towers. Monf. de Bulgakow is preparing to depart by sea, and has given orders to freight fhips for himself, his Dragoman, and their families, for Leghorn.

Baron d'Herbert, the Imperial Internuncio, and his interpreter, with all their families, departed from Conftantinople the 15th inftant, on board two French merchantmen, bound for Leghorn.

Madrid, April 4. The inundations have made dreadful ravages in all our provinces, especially that of Valladolid, where they were in fear for fome hours of that beautiful city's being entirely carried away by the floods: Befides which many ftrong fhocks of earthquakes have thrown down a number of public buildings and houfes in Tolofa and Biscay.

MONTHLY CHRONICLE.

THE following is a concife statement of the arrangement which his Majetty has been graciously pleafed to make for adjufting the claims of rank between the King's and the Company's officers, and fettling them on a firm and lasting footing; and, we are happy to add, it has given general fatisfaction. Much praife is justly due to the Court of Directors and the Committee, for their steady and vigorous conduct in this arduous bufinefs.

"First, That from the day when hoftilities ceafed at Cuddalore, the officers in his

Majefty's and the Company's fervice should

rank indifcriminately from the dates of their commiffions.

"Secondly, That if it should happen that two commiflions, now or hereafter, fhould be dated on the fame day, the King's officer is to have the precedence.

"Thirdly, That fuch king's officers as hold commiffions dated prior to the ceffation of hoftilities at Cuddalore, fhould command all the Company's officers of the fame rank. "Fourthly, That brevets should be granted by his Majesty's authority to the Comp2૦૧ ૩ my's

ny's officers, dated from the ceffation of hoftilities.

"Fifthly, That in all future promotions the Company's officers fhall receive brevet commiffions from 1 is Majesty.

"sixthly, That no officer poffeffing brevet local rank in India fhall remain there, unless he chufes to ferve with his actual rank in the King's army.

"Seventhly, That a period of eighteen months fhou'd be allowed for the exchange of thofe officers who now hold local rank in India."

Marc' 19. This day, at a half-yearly court of the Froprietors of the Bank Stock, the Gove nor acquainted the Proprietors, that as this was the time when the dividends are ufually declared, it was the unanimous opinion, of the Directors, that the next halfyearly dividend, ending the 25th inftant, fhould be three pounds ten fhillings, which makesthe increase of the dividend of that stock at the rate of one per cent.

24. This night's Gazette contains a procl. mation by the King, for recalling and prohibiting feamen from ferving foreign Princes and States.

28. There is to be a reduction of the houfhold troops, and thus fettled: The Officers of the Horfe- Grenadiers are to have their pay for life: The privates to form two troops of Life-Guards, under the present officers of the Horfc-Gua: ds, who are to remain as at prefent: The privates of the Horfe Guards are to have their money returned, and to be reduced entirely: A number fufficient to make the two troops of Life-Guards, confift. ing of 240 men each, are to be added; the addition their pay 6d. a day. The name of Horfe-Guards to fink entirely, and that of Life.Guards to continue.

30 Between the hours of nine and eleven at night, a most shocking murder was committed on the body of Mr. Macintosh, who kept a fhoe-warehouse at Herm tage Bridge, Wapping. The watchman, on crying the hour of eleven, obferving the ftret-door open, alarmed the neighbours, when, upon gong imo the shop, they found him on the floor, with his throat cut, and many mortal (tabs about his body: his watch, buckles, and every thing the murderers could carry off, were taken. It is impoffible to afcertain what the deceased has been robbed of, from the circumftance of his never having any perfon to live with him in the houfe, and always dreft his own victuals.-No difcovery is yet made of the murderer or murdurers.

April 3. A moft dreadful fire broke out at Foxton, about eight miles from Cambridge, on the it inftant, which burnt with fuch fury, as not to be got under all the whole of the village was nearly destroyed, fuppofed

about 200 houses. How this melancholy affair happened is not known. A poor unfortunate lunatic, who was confined in a barn, fell a victim to the fury of the flames; this unhappy man was unluckily forget in the confufion. This is the only life lost that we hear of at prefent.

5. The following melancholy accident happened:-As Mr. Brown, of the Comptroller's Office, Horfe Guards, in com pany with two other gentlemen, were riding in a chaife on a party of pleasure, they had the curiofity to stop at a village called Martin in Surrey, to fee a large mill for flatting copper, when in going round to view the different works, one of the wheels fuddenly caught hold of Mr. Brown, carried him under water, and he was taken up a shocking fpectacle, almost every bone in his fkin being broken.

Another melancholy accident happened near Croydon, on the fame day. Mr. Smith, in the meal trade, near Croydon, having been to Croydon market, just as he had mounted his horfe, about three o'clock, te come away, the animal immediately rearing up, fell down, and falling on Mr. Smith, killed him on the spot.

8. Came on the election of Governor and Deputy Governor of the Bank of England for the year ensuing, when Edward Darvell, efq. was chosen Governor, and Mark Weyland, efq. Deputy Governor. And the next day came on the election of 24 Directors, when the following gentlemen were chofen Samuel Beachcroft, Daniel Booth, Thomas Boddington, Roger Boehm, Samuel Bofanquet, Thomas Dea, William Ewer, Peter Gauffen, John Harrison, Beeston Long, Job Mathew, Richard Neave, Jofeph Nutt, Ifaac Ofborne, Edward Payne, George Peters, Christopher Puller, Thomas Raikes, William Snell, Peter Ifaac Theluffon, Samuel Thornton, efqrs. Brook Watson, efq. and Alderman, Benjamin Winthrop, and Mofes Yeldham, efqrs.

This evening's Gazette contains an account of the inveftiture of the Dukes of Dorfet and Northumberland with the order and infignia of the Garter.

9. Came on the ballot for fix Directors of the East India Company, in the room of those who go out annually by rotation. About a quarter after eleven o'clock in the evening the fcrutineers declared the numbers to be, for Abraham Robarts, efq. 1945; John Mitchie, efq. 1021; George Tatem, efq. 978; Thomas Parry, efq. 856; John Woodhoufe, efq. 830; Charles Mills, efq. 793; David Scott, efq. 729. The first fix Gentlemen, who are duly elected, were upon the Proprietors lift. David Scott, efq. was the only new candidate.

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