Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

Latterloh expreffed førrow for the melancholy Gituation of De la Motte, faying at the fame time he would be hanged, for the miniftry would be glad of the opportunity that was afforded them of gratifying their vengeance; and adding, that he wished he might be hanged, for he could do his business better without him.

Mr. Lepel depofed, that he knew Lutterloh when he kept a chandler's-fhop in Wild-ftreet, at which time he propofed to this deponent a plan for purchafing 25,000 stand of arms for the ufe of the Americans, whereby, being affifted by Dr. Franklin and fome German officers, a large fortune might be raised.

Mr. Wildman fwore, that in 1770, or 1771. Lutterloh lived with him as a fervant, during which time an accident happened (alluding to his bureau being broke open and rifled of about 80 or gol.), but he did not pretend to affert, that Lutterloh had been the robber; but his fufpicions, and the motives which gave birth to them, were fuch as to fully juftify him in his own confcience to refufe Lutterloh a character when he difmiffed him from his fervice.

After the examination of other witneffes to collateral circumftances, Mr. Peckham arofe and combated the whole of the charge; and contended, that both in point of law and fact, the indictment muft fall to the ground, for that the overt acts were not proved, and as to the papers defcribing the ftate of our fleet, and the fick and wounded feamen, they were no more than what might be every day read in a news-paper. He entered into the history of M. De

la Motte, faid he was a French nobleman, and he would not, call him prifoner, but an unfortunate gentleman, brought to the bar for his life through the contrivance of a witnefs, with whom M. De la Motte had been acquainted, and who, to fcreen himfelf from punifhment, had charged the offence of a treasonable correfpondence upon M. De la Motte. He took many other liberties with Mr. Lutterloh in the courfe of his obfervations, and having used many arguments to fhow that M. De la Motte had acted only as a trader from England to France, and that the crime charged was more imputable to Mr. Lutterloh, he called two witnesses to impeach his character, but they failed in fuch kind of proof.

The folicitor-general was a confiderable time in reply, and de

fended the evidence of Mr. Lut

terloh; and Mr. Justice Buller, at nine o'clock began to charge the jury; in the courfe of which, he faid, that collecting intelligence for the purpofe of turnishing our enemies, was high-treafon.

ation, pronounced the prifoner The jury, after a thort deliberGuilty, &c. as has been already related, in our Chronicle for July, p. 184.

M. De la Motte was about five feet ten inches in height, 50 years of age, and of a comely countenance; his deportment was exceedingly genteel, and his eye was expretfive of ftrong penetration. He wore a white cloth coat and a linen waistcoat, worked in tambour. After fentence Mr. Aker, man's fervants prepared to conduct him to priton, but being ignorant of their defign, he fat in [Q] 2

the

[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]
[ocr errors]

HE committee of correfpondence for the Proteftant intereft at Edinburgh, have done me the honour to intruft to my care a very valuable book to be delivered to the king. It is entitled Scotland's Oppofition to the Popish Bill, and contains a collection of all the declarations and reSolutions published by the General Affembly of the Church of Scotland, and the different provincial fynods, prefbyteries, affociate prefbyteries, kirk feffions, counties, cities, royal boroughs, boroughs, towns, parishes, incorporations, and focieties throughout Scotland againft the propofed repeal of the Statutes enacted, and for ever ratified, by the Revolution and Union parliament, for preventing the growth of Popery; with an introduction, giving a fhort hiftory of the rife, progrefs, and effects of that national alarm; and an Appendix, containing a fhort view of the Statutes at prefent in force in Scotland against Popery, the nature of the Bill propofed to be brought into parliament for repealing thofe Statutes, and fome

remarks, fhewing the propriety and neceffity of oppofing fuch res peal; with a few hints on the conftitutional and prudent_mode_of oppofition. Printed by David Paterfon, at Edinburgh.

"I think it right to fend this information to your lordship, that you may acquaint the king, I have a book of fuch confequence to deliver into his majesty's own hands; and, that I humbly wait his majefty's pleasure to know, whether I fhall have the honour of prefenting it to his majefty at his public levee, or at his private houfe, or when his majefty is fitting upon the throne? My with is (at the fame time that I do my duty towards the people of Scotland) to comply with all the forms and ceremonies of the Court of London, in approaching the king on a public fubject of the deepeft political confideration.

"I have the honour to be,
my lord,
Your lordship's moft obedient
and humble fervant,
G. GORDON,

[blocks in formation]

APPENDIX to the CHRONICLE.

testant Association on Wednesday evening, might have the good effect of tending in fome degree to quiet the minds and apprehenfions of the affociation in general; and,

I am confident that fuch an anfwer would be looked upon, and

efteemed as a due attention to the declarations and refolutions of their country, by the Scotch divifion of Proteftants in London; who, permit me to tell your lordship, are very refpectable indeed, and numerous too, about twenty thoufand men, including the train of artillery at Woolwich, and the beft part of all the regiments of horfe and foot-guards. If your lordship was to advise his majefty to compliment them on their difcernment and loyalty in oppofing the Popery Bill, I think it would be judicious,

and in feafon."

The following answer was fent by the Right Hon. Lord North to the Right Hon. Lord George Gordon :

[blocks in formation]

[245

vered to his Royal Highnefs the Prince of Wales.

[Here follows the title of the book, as in the letter to Lord North.]

information to your lordship, that "I think it right to fend this you may acquaint the Prince of Wales that I have a book of fuch confequence to deliver into his royal highness's hands; and that pleasure, to I humbly wait his royal highness's where I fhall have the honour know when and of prefenting it to him. My wish is, at the fame time that I do my duty towards the people of Scotland, to comply with all the forms and ceremonies of his royal highnefs's eftablishment in approaching the heir apparent of the Houfe of the deepest political confiderof Hanover, on a public fubject

ation,

"I have the honour to be,
my lord,

Your lordship's most obedient
and humble fervant,
G. GORDON.

Welbeck-ftreet,
Sept. 3, 1781.

"P. S. I have had the honour to receive great civilities from your lordship both in London and at Paris, and I have not forgot them. I have always looked up to your lordship as a man of good understanding and integrity, as well as of the most agreeable and refined manners. I believe the public alfo, in general, think your lordship very well qualified of firft lord in the establishment of for the high and important office his Royal Highnefs the Prince of your lordship will use the utmost Wales; and I have no doubt, but [Q] 3

of

of your abilities in guarding the heir apparent of the Houfe of Hanover, against thofe principles and practices which we in Scotland could not put up with, even under our own ancient, hereditary, and royal family, of the Houfe of Stuart, from whofe loins your lordship is defcended.

"Permit me to affure your lordship, I do not mention your royal defcent as any blemish; on the contrary I think it very noble. But I with, indeed, to remind your lordfhip, in a ferious manner, that we noblemen, whofe ancient families have been fo clofely related, allied, and attached to the royal Houfe of Stuart in former times of dangerous politics, have the difcerning eyes of the true Proteftant people throughout Europe and America, moft fteadily fixed upon us at this prefent moment; therefore, our advice and conduct ́ (as faithful friends to the Houfe of Hanover, being Proteftants) ought to be exexemplarily decided in fupport of Reformation and Revolution principles."

Lord Southampton's Anfwer to
Lord George Gordon :
My Lord,

HIS royal highness is out of town at prefent; when I have an opportunity, I will lay your letter before him.

"I beg leave to apprife your lordship, that the Prince of Wales (not having a court) gives no audience.

"I have the honour to be,
my lord,

Your moft obedient

[blocks in formation]

On Friday the 14th inftant, Lord George Gordon came to the outward room at St. James's with a book. The lord in waiting informed him, that nobody could be permitted to deliver a book to the king without his majesty's permiffion being firft afked and obtained. Lord George appeared at the levee without the book; and after the levee was over, the lord in waiting took the king's pleafure, and fignified to Lord George, that his majefty having confidered Lord George Gordon's letter to Lord North, announcing his intention to deliver a book, did not think proper to admit Lord Geo, Gordon into his prefence, to prefent any book announced by fuch a letter.

Remarkable Actions at Sea.

Admiralty-Office, March 13, 1781. Extract of a letter from Lieut. Ingles, commanding his Majesty's Sloop Zephyr, to Mr. Stephens, dated Spithead, March 11, 1781.

LEASE to acquaint their

Plordships of his majefty's floop

Zephyr, under my command, being arrived at Spithead from the coaft of Africa, after a paffage of 57 days.

I likewife have the honour of acquainting their lordships, that on 31ft of October laft, being juft returned to Goree from a cruize, I received intelligence from Governor Wall of a French frigate of 24 guns being in Gambia River, which had taken two transports and two floops there, wooding and watering for the garrifon of Coree. I immediately failed, with

the

the Polly Letter of Marque, mounting fixteen fhort four-pounders, with thirty men, under my command, agreeable to the advice of Governor Wall.

On the 2d of November, at eleven A. M. being at the entrance of the river, faw four fail at anchor off Barra Point; found them to be one of the transports, two floops, and a French frigate; the transport mounted fixteen guns, and was, as I heard, manned with Frenchmen and Negroes, belonging to Albedra, on the banks of Gambia, and interefted with the French. At twelve, the tranfport and two floops were fet on fire, the other transport being burnt the preceding day. At one P. M. the enemy's fhips being under weigh, and the Zephyr within piftol-fhot of her, a warm action enfued, and lafted till four P. M. when, through chafing, the Zephyr and enemy grounded, at very near low water, as close to each other as before, which occafioned the action to be renewed with redoubled violence, hence more refembling two batteries on fhore, than a fea fight. During the greateft part of the action, the letter of marque was anchored three quarters of a mile a-ftern; but, notwithstanding, a continual fire was kept up by the Zephyr and enemy till fix, when the enemy ftruck, with the lofs of twelve killed, and twenty-eight wounded; the Zephyr two killed, and four wounded, her bowfprit, main-top-maft, and main yards fhot away, her hull, mafts, yards, fails, and rigging very much fhat tered, infomuch, that with the greatest difficulty on the twelfth we arrived at Goree. During the whole of the action, the Zephyr

was in the utmost danger from fire-rafts, both under her bows and ftern; but luckily the defiructive intentions of the enemy proved abortive.

After boarding the enemy, found her to be the Senegal (Lieutenant Commandant Allery) the French king's fhip, mounting eighteen fix-pounders, and 126 men, but fought the Zephyr with twenty-two, owing to transporting guns. She was formerly the Racehorfe, commanded by Lord Mulgrave, and lately the Senegal, in his majefty's fervice. As the was of great detriment to his majetty's trading fubjects on the coaft of Africa, the taking of her gives me the utmost pleature and fatiffaction.

On our arrival on the 12th at Goree from Gambia, Governor Wall gave me information of two veffels being off Senegal Bar, taking in gum. Ready to act confonant with his information, tho' in fo fhattered a condition, and the Senegal not condemned, from which the property of the captors was at ftake, we chearfully confented to proceed in purfuit of the apparent fuccefs; but the wind being at N. E. directly contrary, and the Zephyr in an infirm fi tuation, after beating five days out at fea, the fhips were obliged to return to Goree, in order to refit, on purpose that we might a fecond time be able to attempt the expedition.

On our return the condemnation of the fhip Senegal was entered upon, and the Judge Advocate demanding an inventory, proper officers and men were fent from the Zephyr for that purpose, and that of refitting her for the afore

[Q] 4

faid

« AnteriorContinuar »