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tion of the misguided Sellis, but the crimination of his Royal Master; and this in terms, as evinced by the verdict of Justice, not to be for a moment misinterpreted or misapplied.-A hasty opinion bears with it in general its own disgrace or disappointment:-had there been no other motive in view than the furtherance of public justice, that very principle would have induced a more minute and temperate investigation, before the public mind had been ventured to be disturbed; whereby a double mischief would have been avoided, viz. the propagation of slander and its consequent punishment. In support of this pretended defence of SELLIS, it was endeavoured to be proved that there were an abundance of natural as well as probable impediments in the way of his bejog either the intended Assassin of his Master, or the frantic de stroyer of his own existence.-By the evidence given, it appeared he had been secreted close to the scene of intended murder, waiting with every preparation for his purpose:-against this it was alleged, ihat a physical impediment existed, being nothing less than an asthmatic Cough, which must have betrayed him, and that he could not possibly have been so concealed even for the space of five minutes: some inconsistencies were also relied upon concerning trivial particulars, which were neither stated with accuracy, nor corroborated by evidence, but which might have fairly been set at rest by the most easy means of information :— lastly, the inducement was brought forward as a proof of innocence; that, as there could exist no motive so was it an improbable, nay, an impossible, circumstance that Sellis could have attempted his Master's life, much less have destroyed his own.-Various other matters were also brought into the

scale, all tending to avert the guilt from the party which had borne it, and to set suspicion at work to hunt out fresh objects for calumny, distrust, and defamation. It was broadly affirmed, that the Coroner had been remiss, that the Jury had been neglectful, that the evidence had been perverted, and that the verdict was erroneous and unsatisfactory; and that even a Mock Funeral had been resort-, ed to, with the view to mislead and elude the public mind and the vigilance of justice. It will not be doubted but that such propagations were calculated to attract public attention, as well as to beget a temporary respect for such pretended zeal in behalf of aspersed and suffering humanity: Time,

and so it truly did. however, has contributed to unveil the mystery, which a little exertion might have prevented.-Had inquiry been made, as was surely most necessary before a Tale of Horror was revived, calculated to affect the reputation, perhaps the life, of any individual, it might have been ascertained, by the evidence of his own Apothecary, that Sellis had no Cough!-which fact alone, it might be thought, would have been sufficient to set at rest all farther doubt or suspicion.

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- It might also have been known, by proper application, that the Coroner had been most particularly attentive; in fact, that three Coroners had been in atten dance; that the Jury had been most scrupulous in their investigation; in short, that Justice had received its due assistance, and that the verdict was the result of truth, of reason, and the full evidence of fact and circumstance. The motive only remained to be discovered, and this surpassed the power of the Jury; they only could judge the fact, a higher Power could alone discern the motive.

SELLIS had been a long-tried faithful Servant; one whom the hand of favour had distinguished, and who in no instance could be said to have shewn an enmity against his Master-in him a motive of revenge could scarcely be suspected.

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NICHOLSON, whose late atrocious act has filled men's hearts with horror and surprise, had been so lately taken into service, that hatred could scarcely be supposed to have derived sufficient growth to instigate a deed so terrible.

In either case, the motive is not to be defined. The confession of the latter, however, has this effect, to teach us that to judge by motive is not infallible.-The plea was rational in the case of Sellis that he had not any motive for the deed-nor is the plea less applicable to the case of Nicholson : — nay, it is doubly urgent from Confession. "I had no motive, no associate, and never till the "moment of committing it had I a thought of Murder!"

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SELLIS lived to make no such confession; we are therefore left to form our own conceptions from his life and habits, the chain of circumstances and events up to the moment of the deed; and these afford no trace of motive.

It may be said, that the case of Sellis was reduced to a system; a regular premeditated plan had been adopted: nor do we find

to his Master's Chamber :-here he selects the weakest, or the one he might suppose the most likely to create alarm, as his first victim; and with the other he struggles for a quarter of au hour: - he then begins to think of his own safety, and takes his measures to secure it; nor was it till he found that circumstances must betray him that he determined on his own destruction.

With SELLIS the effect was similar;--he had made good his retreat; but when he heard himself called, his conscience told him he was detected;-the cry was up,

his pursuers approached, - he heard their footsteps at his door, -no hope remained, and he shrunk from public shame, by the voluntary sacrifice of his forfeit life.

A like instance of undefinable motive will be found in the Murder of the Count and Countess D'Antraigues by the hand of their Footman, which is still fresh in the public recollection. No trace of motive was apparent for the dreadful deed, which also ended in the death of the Assassin by his own hand.-Conjecture might, indeed, be busy to fashion up a motive, since reason argues that there must be such:-but in the present case, we are brought to the confession, that such things may be, and no motive exist to guide the judgement.

SIR,

CAL REVIEW.

that Nicholson was without his TO THE EDITOR OF THE POLITIefforts of precaution. A thought of murder had possessed him; yet of all the persons then lying at his mercy, he fixed upon the Two, from whom the least resistance might have been expected, or the most advantage might have been derived he takes time to pull off a part of his clothes, and prepares a disguise, by taking a sheet from his bed; and having provided himself with a weapon, he proceeds

In what I now write. I have no eye to either parties or persons, nor ought such truths to offend any men whomsoever. That the wills and inclinations of Princes have been subjected by the leaders of Parties and the managers of Parliaments, will scarcely be disputed; and that Septennial Parliaments

have enabled Ministers to extend and complete their systems of national corruption, and establish their over-ruling influence, both with respect to the crown and people, is what most men are convinced of, and few will scruple to acknowledge; and yet it is to be apprehended, that most Princes have been persuaded to believe such Parliaments extended their authority; which never can be the case while they are apparently conducive to the extending of combinations; for the most loyal and obedient subjects of British Kings, are certainly those who have least to do with power, or at least with that power which is too often grievous both to Sovereigns and Subjects. Though if this Kingdom should ever be so unfortunate as to be governed by an enterprizing Sovereign, and an enemy to Freedom, Septennial Parliaments, if they can effectually be corrupted, will certainly not want a precedent for extending their own duration, to such a length of time at least, as will afford opportunity for subduing and extinguishing the spirit of liberty.

We all know for how long a time the Senate of Rome survived the liberties of that glorious people, with all the mockeries of officers who had been anciently protectors of the popular rights, but at length rendered pageants of no kind of utility: but tyranny, that had progressively destroyed the substance and then the shadow of their authority, at last annihilated Emperors, and put an end to the Empire, which is the sure end of a beginning to deviate from what is right; for error runs deviating on, and her course leads to destruction, the natural end of all sublunary things.

But however certain such destruction will come at last, it still must be meritorious, and worthy

of all care, to preserve and extend the blessings of noble institutions; and surely a well-poised national constitution is of all others the most estimable. Our's, which is the most happy at present, or that perhaps ever was upon earth, was founded in annual assemblies of the component states of the Kingdom, or Parliaments; which were certainly the best calculated for effectually answering all the wise purposes intended by them, and every deviation therefrom must of course lead to error and danger every return therefore back again towards the practice which was most perfect, should be considered as avoiding evil, by retreating from danger. Let this then be considered as the truest test now of Patriotisin. Of fine pretensions we are grown regardless, let us look for good practices, and those too in important matters.

I am, Sir, your humble servant,
AN HONESTMAN.

WAYS AND MEANS FOR 1813.

It appeared from the statement of the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he brought forward the Ways and Means for the present year, that there was a deficiency in the last year's taxes of 4,662,7971. To make up such deficiency he moved for a grant of 9,000,000!. to defray the arrears and meet future exigencies of the same kind. The following is a statement of the expenses and resources of the country, as he had estimated them for the present year:

Annual Duties
Surplus Consolidated Fund
War Taxes

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£3,000,000

Exchequer Bills Funded
Debentures
Next there was the Vote of Cre

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.

500,000

21,000,000

200,000

15,000,000

800,000

6,000,000

Old Naval Stores, 601,908l. the proportion whereof for England, 531,096 Loan 21,000,000

Total Ways and Means 68,806,196

SUPPLIES.

Navy, exclusive of sea service £ 20,575,011 18,920,537

Army

Extraordinaries for England and

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9,700,000
4,662,797
5,101,294

2,500,000
6,200,000

400,000

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2,000,000

2,000,000

5,271,836

Total on Account of England 68,085,942

LOAN OF £27,000,000, FOR THE SERVICE OF 1813. For England 21,000,000l. Ireland 6,000,0ool.

TERMS.

£110 0 o Reduced 3 per Cents.
60 Q o Three per Cent. Consols.
O 8 6 Long Annuities,
For every 100l. Sterling subscribed.

PAYMENTS.

Do.

Do.

A Copy of a very remarkable instance of old age, and a numerous offspring, taken out of the Registry belonging to the Pa rish of Tregayen, which is a part of the Rectory of Llangafney, and transcribed into the new Registry for the satisfaction of posterity :

There lived an old man in the parish of Tregayen, in the county 72,065,639 of Anglesey, named William ap Howel ap David ap Yerworth, 77,337,475 aged 105 : he had been thrice 8,651,533 martied: his first wife was Elin Ferch William, by her he had 32 children; his second wife was Ca therine Ferch Richard, by her he had ten children; the third wife was another Elin Ferch William, by her he had four children; he had also two concubines; the first was Jonet Ferch William, by her he had two children; the second was Lecky Lloyd, by her he had five children. His eldest son was Griffith ap William, now living, aged 84 years; he has children's children to the fourth generation in abundance. His youngest son was also called Griffith ap Willian, aged two years and a half, now living, and the difference between the two brother's ages is eighty-one years and a half; for the eldest was of that age when the youngest was born. His eldest, daughter is called Alice Ferch William, aged seventy-two; she has been twice married, and hath a numerous offspring in the said parish. At his funeral there was computed to be about three hun◄ dred persons descended from him. The said old man was of a middle stature, good complexion, never troubled with cholic, gout, or stone, seldom sick, of moderate fortune, exercised himself in fish

1st Payt. Saturday 12th June £10 per Ct.
2 Do. Friday 23d July 10
3 Do. Friday 20th Aug. 10
4 Do. Friday
17th Sept. 15
5 Do. Friday 22d Oct.
10
6 Do. Friday 19th Nov. 15
7 Do. Friday 17th Dec. 10
8 Do. Friday
21st Jan. 10
Last Do. Friday 18th Feb. 10

£100

Do.
Do.
Do..
Do.

Do.

Do.

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The Loan bore a premium of 2 ing and fowling, and had his senses;

to 3 per cent. immediately,

to the last moment of his life.

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

Paris, May 29.- Her Majesty the Empress Queen and Regent has received the following intelligence respecting the events which have passed at the army during the days of the 19th, 20th, 21st, and 22d, and of the position of the army on the 23d.:"The Emperor Alexander and the King of Prussia attributed the loss of the battle of Lutzen to the faults their Generals had committed in the direction of the combined. forces, and particularly to the difficulties attached to an offensive movement of from 150 to 180,000 men. They resolved upon taking the position of Bautzen and Hochkerch, already celebrated in the history of the seven years' war; to unite there all the reinforcements which they expected from the Vistula, and other points in their rear, to add to that position every thing which art could furnish the means, and there run the chances of a fresh battle, of which all he probabilities appeared to them to be in their favour. The Duke of Tarente, com manding the 11th corps, left Bischofswerda on the 15th, in the evening of which day he found himself within cannon shot of Bautzen, where he found all the enemy. He took a position.-From this moment the French army marched upon the camp at Bautzen. The Emperor left Dresden, on the 18th, he slept at Harla, and on the 19th, at ten in the morning, arrived at Bautzen. He employed all the day in reconnoitting the enemy's positions. We learned that the Russian corps of Barclay de Tolly, Langeron and Sass, and Kleist's Prussian corps, had rejoined the combined army, and that its force might be estimated from 150 to 160,000 men. On the 19th, in the evening, the enemy's position was as follows: His left was supported by mountains covered with wood, and perpendicular to the course of the Spree, nearly a league from Bautzen. Bautzen contained his centre: this town had been entrenched, and covered by redoubts.The right of the enemy leaned upon forti fied rising points, which defended the debouches from the Spree, from the side of the village of Nimschet; all his front was covered by the Spree. This very strong position was but a first position. We distinctly perceived, at 3000 toises distance in the rear, the ground newly dug up, and works which marked their second position. The left was still supported by the same mountains, about 2000 toises in the rear of those of the first position, and considerably in advance of the village of Hochkerch. The centre leaned upon three entrenched villages, where so many works

VOL. III.

-3

had been erected, that they might have been considered as strong places. A marshy and difficult ground covered three quarters of the centre. Lastly, their right, leaned. in rear of the first position upon villages and rising ground, likewise entrenched. The enemy's front, either in the first or second position, extended about a league and a half. After this reconnoissance, it was easy to conceive how, notwithstanding a lost battle, like that of Lutzen, and eight days retreating, the enemy could still have hopes in the chances of fortune. According to the expression of a Russian Officer, who was asked what they intended to do, "We neither wish to advance nor retire." "You are Masters of the first point," replied a French Officer, "and the event, in a few days, will prove whether you are masters of the other." The headquarters of the two Sovereigns were in the village of Natschen. On the 19th, the position of the French army was as follows: Upon the right was the Duke of Reggio, leaning upon the mountains to the left of the Spree, and separated from the left of the enemy by the valley. The Duke of Tarente was before Bautzen, on horseback, upon the Dresden road. The Duke of Ragusa was upon the left of Bautzen, opposite the village of Niemenscietz. Gen. Bertrand was upon the left of the Duke of Ragusa, leaning upon a windmill and a wood, and appearing to intend debouching from Jaselitz upon the enemy's right. The Prince of Moskwa, General Lauriston, and General Regnier, were at Hoyerswerda, out of the line, and in the rear of our left. The enemy having learnt that a considerable corps was to arrive by the road of Hoyerswerda, was doubtful that it was our intention to turn their position by the right, to alter the field of battle, and to cause all his entrenchments to fall, which had been erected with so much pains, and the objects of such great trouble. Not being yet informed of General Lauriston's arrival, he did not suppose that this column could consist of more than 16 or 20,000 men.On the 19th, he therefore detached against them, at four o'clock in the morning, General York, with 12,000 Prussians, and General Barclay de Tolly, with 18,000 Russians. The Russians posted themselves at the village of Klix, and the Prussians at the village of Weissig. Count Bertrand had in the meanwhile sent General Perin, with the Italian division, to Koenigswerda, to keep up our communication with the detached corps. Being arrived there, at noon, General Perin made bad dispositions.

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