the 6th year it was fuppofed that the contribution, &c. amounted to fifty million, part of which were three or four years in arrear; at prefent there is not a deficiency of three million.

Although the excess of revenue has been very confiderable, yet there has been unforseen and extraordinary expences: Thefe arofe out of the neceffity of re-conquering two colonies, and of re-establishing the power and organization of the metropolis; but notwithstanding thefe extenfive operations, the refources that remain are fufficient to fecure the capital from a return of penury, and to defeat monopolizing combinations.

In giving a sketch of the repofe and tranquillity of the Continent, The Italian Republic, the report afferts, is Atrengthened by the unanimity of its inhabitants, while the judicious proceedings of its adminiftration, together with its military force, have already given it the character and appearance of a long-established State; and if the fame wildom continues to prevail, its deftiny will be ftill more profperous. "Liguria, placed under a mixed Conftitution, beholds at its head, and in its authority, thofe citizens who are moft diftinguifhed by their virtues, their fortune, and their intelle&s.

"Batavia is gradually regaining poffeffion of the colonies restored to her by the peace; but he ought never to forget, that France can be to her only the most useful friend, or the moft dangerous enemy.

"In Germany the laft ftipulations of the treaty of Luneville are near their completion.

“Prufsa, Bavaria, and all the Secular Princes, who had poffeffions on the left bank of the Rhine, have obtained on the oppofite bank adequate indemnification.

"The Houfe of Auftria, in the Bishoprics of Salzburg, Aichftett, Trent, and Brixen, as well as in most parts of Paffau, finds an equivalent for what it has loft in Tuscany.

"Thus, by the happy concurrence of France and Ruffia, every permanent. intereft is confulted; and from the midst of that form which appeared to be pregnant with destruction, the Germanic Empire, that Empire fo neceffary to the equilibrium and the repofe of Europe, arifes with greater ftrength, by being compofed of ele

ments more homogeneous and better combined, and adapted to the circumftances and ideas of the prefent age.

"A French Ambaffador is at Conftantinople, who is authorised to ftrengthen the ties that attach us to a power which feems to waver, but whom it is our intereft to support and confolidate.

"Some British troops ftill remain in Alexandria and Malta: Of this our Government had a_right to complain, but it has learned that the ships deftined to convey them to Europe are in the Mediterranean.

"The Government fecures to the people the peace of the Continent, and it may be permitted to hope for the continuation of a maritime peace, this peace is required and wished for by all parties; and to preferve it, the Government will do whatever is compatible with national honour, and effentially connected with the ftrict execution of treaties. But in England two parties difpute for power: One has concluded the peace, and decidedly inclined to maintain it; while the other has sworn. an implacable hatred to France; hence arifes that fluctuation in opinions, and in the Senate that attitude, which is at once pacific and threatening.

"As long as this conteft of parties continues, there are certain prudential measures neceffary on the part of the Republic. Five hundred thousand men muft and will be ready to defend and avenge it. What a ftrange neceffity is imposed by miserable paffions, upon two nations whofe attachment arifes from an equal intereft and a general inclination.

"But whatever may be the fuccefs of intrigue in London, the parties will not fucceed in forming new alliances with other powers; and our Government tells them, with well-founded pride, that England alone cannot now encounter France! But let us entertain better hopes, and rather believe that in the British Cabinet there will, in future, be heard only the councils of wifdom, and the voice of humanity.

"Yes, without doubt, the peace will be confolidated, and the conne&tion between the two Governments will af fume that character of benevolence fo congenial to their mutual interests.A happy repofe will caufe the long calamities of a difaftrous war to be bu

ried

The language in this report, regarding Great Britain was fuppofed fincere, and it breathes more peaceable fentiments than fome of the First Conful's former papers.

The vigorous preparations, however, carrying on in the different fea-ports of France and Holland, as well as other circumstances, perhaps, which are not mentioned, have justly excited the fufpicions of our miniftry, and a meffage from his Majefty to both Houses of Parliament has roufed the First Conful from his dream of the submiffion of this country to his boundlefs ambition and dangerous ftretches of power on the Continent.

This meffage feems to have irritated his feelings fo much, that he not only lofes the coolness of the politician, but even outrages decency and good manners. His converfation or rather foliloquy at a drawing room of Madam Bonaparte on Sunday the 13th to our Ambaffador, is fo well authenti

cated, that we are induced to give it

a place.

The First Conful being prefent at the drawing-room of Madame Bonaparte, which took place on the (22d Ventofe) 13th March, and having found Lord Whitworth and M. de Marcoff ftanding together, faid to them-"We have fought for fifteen years, and it seems there is a ftorm gathering at London, which may produce another war of fifteen years more. The king of England has faid in his meffage to the Parliament, that France had prepared offentive armaments; he bas been mistaken; there is not in the ports of France any confiderable force, they having all fet out for Domingo. He faid there existed fome differences between the two Cabinets; I do not know of any. It is true that his Majefty has engaged by treaty, that England fhould evacuate Malta. It is poffible to kill the French people, hut. not to intimidate them. If it be true that we are to have war, the refponfibility, both in the fight of God and

man will be on those who shall refuse to execute the treaty."

EGYPT.

An arrangement has at length been made refpecting the Beys in Egypt, by the interference of the English General and Ambaffador, with whom a convention has been concluded on this fubject. Lord Elgin is ftated to have officially declared, upon the conclufion of this convention, that Egypt would be immediately evacuated by the British troops, which were to be. removed from thence to Malta; which, ifland, however, it is faid, is for fome time at leaft to be kept poffeffion of by the English. See the London Gazette Intelligence.

It is now generally thought that our troops have left Egypt.

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

The Imogene floop, which brought the difpatches, failed from the Cape on the 4th of January. Letters from an Officer of high rank, now at the Cape, positively ftate, that had the reached that place but a few hours later, after the failed from England, it would have been in the complete poffeffion of the Batavian troops. The ftores of all defcriptions, ammunition, the Government papers, and the whole of our force there, with the exception of hundred and fifty men only, had been a guard of referve, confifting of one embarked on board the fleet; and the Dutch troops were under arms, expecting to march into the town and take poffeffion of it at the hour agreed upon between the refpective Commanders in Chief.-Upon the arrival. of the Imogene, General Dundas relanded the British force with the utmoft expedition. The aftonishment of the Dutch at this unexpected movement was extreme, and an agreement was entered into that both parties fhould occupy their former pofitions, and give no moleftation to each other until the receipt of fresh orders from their Governments.

When the Imogene left the Cape, the following was the ftate of our naval force, and that of the Dutch :Our fhips are the Tremendous, 74 Diomede, 50 Lancafter(flag-fhip),64 Hindoftan, 50 50 Braave, 40 And two floops.

Jupiter,

The

ved one of the most extenfive public benefactors of modern times. He has left by will, to various charities in Great Britain, Ireland, and America, the fum of 44,860l. 3 percent. confols. 2000l. fhort annuities; and 2650l. Rterling.

The most active preparations are every where making to put this country in a state of defence. Prefs warrants have been iffued, the board of of Admiralty fits every day, and every thip that can be equipped for fea, at the different dock yards is ordered to be in readiness. The Militia are called out and all officers ordered to join their refpective corps. Every movement indeed " gives note of dreadful preparations.";

The public will be glad to learn, that, on the 10th of February laft, 30 publicans were, at the inftance of the Society for the Suppreffion of Vice, convicted by the Magiftrates of Union Hall, in the Borough, in the penalty of 10s. each and full costs, for having fuffered tippling in their houses on the Lord's day, notwithstanding the previous notice fent them by the Society to defift.

Continuation of the trial of Col. Despard.

Charges to the Jury.

The Jurors being fworn, the Attorney-General ofe and fpoke to the following effe&t:-- -Gentlemen of the Jury-it is obvious that the attention paid to any fubject is exactly in proportion to its importance. I have not a doubt, therefore, that you will liften patiently to my addrefs, and that the evidence afterwards to be adduced, will be anxiously confidered by you. A more important cafe, either to the prifoner at the bar, or to the public, never was prefented to any Jury. The charge is that of High Treafon; and upon his guilt or innocence depend the life of the prifoner, together with all that is valuable in this world-his property, his refpectability, his fituation after death. Nothing can more nearly touch the vital interefts of the public, than that if there has been a plot to overturn the conftitution, and to make an attempt upon the perfon of our beloved Sovereign, the bafe profligate, and black-hearted confpirator should be delivered over to the law, and

fhould fuffer that punishment which his crime deferves. I am ready to allow what will be contended for on the other fide, that the nature of the charge fhould not operate to the difadvantage of the prifoner. The malignity required to fit a man for entering into fuch defperate projects, fo far from exciting any prejudice against the accused, ought rather to raise a prefumption in his favour, and ought to confirm that grand principle in our law, that every man thall be confidered innocent till he is proved to be guilty. On this very account the charge fhould be carefully watched, the evidence fhould be diligently fifted, and your minds fhould be fully fatif fied of the prifoner's guilt, before you give him up to the awful confequences of a verdict against him upon such an indictment. But, gentlemen, if the charge be fubftantiated, I look forward with confident expectation to your pronouncing the prifoner guilty of treafon, with as little hesitation as if he had been tried for any other capital offence. Juries in your fitua tion muft feel particular anxiety. Treafon is a crime at which every feeling revolts, and which, above others, roufes our indignation, and calls forth our abhorrence. Sometimes the evidence by which it is to be made out is long, vague, and perplexed. Thefe confiderations have in our law eaufed many cautions and guards to be placed round the trial of treafon, which are not thought neceffary in any other cafe. The dread of the weight of government being exerted oppreffively againft the fubject, has no doubt like wife been an additional ground for thele humane regulations. It has been thought that fome wicked end of an unprincipled Minifter might be served by an improper conviction, and that, to procure this, he might be allowed to abufe the power and the influence he derives from his office. Without ftopping to inquire whether former Governments actually have juftified thefe and committed thefe enormities, I may affirm, without danger or contradiction, that no one at the prefent moment can apprehend the effects of fuch a villainous confpiracy. I may congratulate you that we are affembled to confider a cafe which excites no

public

public intereft more than is always felt when the guilt or innocence of a perfon of the least confequence is to be decided upon. No political party, no faction confiders its interefts at ftake. There is no prejudice on either fide; there has been no clamour; the public mind is completely at eafe. You enter that box without prepoffef. fion, and without a wish farther than that justice may be done. I may mention another favourable circumftance attending the prefent cafe. The trial cannot be long. The evidence de veloping the different parts of the charge is fo clear, and will admit of being fo much compreffed, that I truft the whole bufinefs will be concluded without an adjournment. I fhall now ftate, with all the brevity I can, the nature of this charge, and give you an outline of the evidence by which it is to be eftablished. The prifoner is accufed of high treafon. There are three counts in the indict. ment, charging the different acts to have been done with three feveral intentions;-1. To compafs and imagine the death of the King; 2. To reftrain and imprison his perfon; and, 3. To dethrone him from the ftile and title of the Imperial Crown of this realm. The first count, concerning the attempt upon the King's life, is upon the old fatute of Edward III.; the fecond and third are framed upon acts recently paffed. Here he entered into a narative of thofe facts which were afterwards to be proved, and which will be found in the depofitions of the witneffes. He then proceeded: However criminal the attention, you are probably aware, Gentlemen, that this must be openly indicated by an act, commonly called an overt act. There are eight overt acts ftated in this indictment, which may be divided into two claffes. The first four charge the feduction of his Majefty's troops, for the purpose of affafinating, imprifoning, and dethroning him; and the remainder, actual plans for the direct accomplishment of thefe purposes. In confidering an overt act, you are to look to the intent with which it was done, and, though the fuccefs of the treasonable plot thould not be infured by it, notwithstanding, it may be

fufficient to manifect the treasonable mind, to which the law looks-Getting into a boat in the river Thames feems a very innocent act; but if it is done with an intention of going over to the enemy to carry them intelligence, and to affift them to carry on war against us, it becomes treasonable. For this act, Lord Prefton was tried and condemned.-Nothing feems more innocent than putting a letter into the poft; but if this letter contains an inftigation to rebellion, then it is treafonable. Upon evidence if this fact, Dr Flamfey was found guilty of high treafon. For a man to have a card in his pocket feems perfectly innocent; but if this card contains the words of a treasonable engagement, and prove that a conspiracy exifts to overturn the Government, it is an overt act of treafon. Such evidence will be adduced againft the prifoner, and you will draw the conclufion from it. You will obferve, Gentlemen, that this charge is in the fhape of a conspiracy. Therefore, in confidering its truth, two ques tions arife:-Fir, Whether fuch a confpiracy exists?-Secondly, if it did exift, whether this individual was engaged in it?-Evidence concerning the others is therefore not only admiffible, but neceffary. When the confpiracy is thus proved, then, indeed, it must be brought ftrictly tome to him by his own acts. Having faid fo much of the law, I now proceed to the facts of the cafe. You obferve, Gentlemen, that there are thirteen in all included in the indictment. Of thefe, eleven, including the prifoner at the bar, were taken up on the 16th of November, at the Oakely Arms, in the parish of St Mary, Lambeth. The charge must be brought home to the prifoner. I do not, Gentlemen, fee any poffibility of anfwering the cale which will be laid before you. I can anticipate no defence. There will in this cafe, as well as in every other, be a field for obfervation and for a display of ingenuity. But you will not per mit any thing to efface the juft impreflion made by the evidence on your minds. I can conceive an argument or two, which may be relied upon, and it will not be improper if I touch upon them now. The two grand to