A trial in which the public was much more interested was that of the elder Watson, Surgeon, at the court of King's Bench, Westminster Hall, accused of high treason. It commenced on the 10th of June, and was continued till Monday the 16th, when the jury pronounced a verdict of Not guilty. The other persons implicated in the same accusation were afterwards discharged by the law officers. About the same time a disposition to tumult and outrage broke out in several of the midland and northern counties, particularly Lancashire, Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, and Derbyshire. These were for the most part speedily quelled; and from a considerable number sent for trial to York, the whole were either pronounced not guilty, or previously discharged, with the exception of two, who were detained by a secretary of state's warrant under the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act. A more melancholy result succeeded the trial of a number of prisoners, who were committed to the gaol of Derby on a charge of high treason. A special commission was issued to four judges, who in the month of October entered upon their office; and nothing could be more honourable to the criminal justice of the country than the manner in which it was executed. After the persons who had been adjudged worthy of death had undergone their trial, Mr. Denman requested of the court that the prisoners remaining at the bar might be permitted to withdraw their plea of not guilty, and substitute that of guilty. The attorney-general readily consenting, nine prisoners were allowed to amend their plea, and ten more were permitted to join them. It was generally understood that their punishment would be commuted for some lighter sentence. Twelve more next appeared at the bar, whose names being called over, the attorney-general rose, and after a speech displaying much feeling, made a declaration that his painful task was now closed, and that the hand of mercy was meant to be extended to all the rest. The devoted number were only three, Brandreth, Turner, and Ludlam, who were executed at Derby on November 7th. СНАР CHAPTER X. France. Decree respecting Slaves introduced in the Colonies.-Negociations with the Allied Powers.-Ordinance concerning the Debts of the City of Paris.-Disturbances at Lyons.-Royal Ordinances for the creation of Majorats.—Election for the Chamber of Deputies, and Royal Speech.-Project of a Law for the Press.-Law for the establishment of Religion. THE FRANCE. HE following article made its appearance in the French papers in the month of January, by order of his Majesty. Louis, &c. NEGOCIATIONS, &c. Early in the year negociations were carried on between the court of France, and the four principal allies, for the purpose of alleviating the burden under which pressed, in consequence of the that country was severely opforeign armies held by its principal towns. The result was the following official note presented to the Duke of Richelieu by the several resident ministers of she Art. 1. Every vessel, whether French or foreign, which shall attempt to introduce into any of our colonies purchased blacks, shall be confiscated, and the captain, if a Frenchman, shall be held incapable of holding a command. The whole cargo shall in like powers in question. manner be confiscated, although not consisting of slaves spect to the negroes, they shall be employed on public works of utility in the colony. with re Art. 2. The contraventions forbidden in the preceding article shall be tried according to the same forms as contraventions of the laws and regulations for foreign commerce. As for the produce of the confiscations pronounced in conformity to the said article, it shall be realized and supplied in the same manner as the produce of confiscations pronounced in matters of the contravention of the laws concerning foreign commerce. Given at the Thuilleries, &c. Jan. 8, 1817. OFFICIAL NOTE RELATIVE TO THE The Courts of Austria, Eng- At the time when the King, re-established upon his throne and put terests. put in possession of his legitimate the same wishes and the same inand constitutional authority, endeavoured to discover, in concert with the other powers, the most efficacious means of consolidating internal order in France, and of associating his kingdom to the system of good understanding and general pacification interrupted by the troubles which were scarcely put an end to; it was found that the temporary presence of an Allied Army was absolutely necessary both to secure Europe against the consequences of agitations, the renewal of which were threatened, and to afford to the Royal authority the opportunity of exercising in tranquillity its benevolent influence, and of strengthening itself by the attachment and submission of all French The great result desired and looked to by all Europe could be neither the work of a moment, nor the effect of a single effort. The Allied Powers have observed with a constant attention, but not with astonishment, the differences of opinion which have prevailed as to the mode of obtaining it. In this attitude they have looked to the superior wisdom of the King for the measures proper to fix uncertainty, and to give to his administration a firm and regular march; not doubting that he would unite with the dignity of the throne and the rights of his crown, that magnanimity which, after civil discord, assures and encourages the weak; and, by an enlightened confidence, excite the zeal of all his other subjects. Experience having already happily fulfilled, as far as the nature of things will allow, the hopes of Europe upon this subject, the Allied Sovereigns, eager to contribute to this great work, and to give to the nation the means of enjoying all the benefits which the efforts and the wisdom of the King are preparing for it, do not hesitate to regard the present state of affairs as sufficient to determine the question which they have been called upon to decide. The good faith with which the King's government has hitherto fulfilled the engagements entered into with the Allies, and the care which has been taken to provide for the different services of the current year, by adding to the resources arising from the revenues of the state those of a credit, gua ranteed ranteed by foreign and national banking-houses the most considerable in Europe, have also removed the difficulties which might otherwise have justly arisen upon this point of the proposed question. These considerations have at the sa ne time been strengthened by the opinion which his Excellency Marshal the Duke of Wellington has been requested to give respecing an object of such great importance. The favourable opinion and the authority of a personage so eminent have added, to the motives already stated, all those which human prudence can unite to justify a measure demanded and consented to with sentiments of sincere and reciprocal kindness. The undersigned are therefore authorized by their respective courts to notify to his Excellency the Duke de Richelieu 1. That the reduction of the Army of Occupation will be carried into effect. 2. That the amount of the diminution of the whole army shall be 30,000 men. 3. That this amount shall be proportioned to that of each contingent; that is to say, it shall be a fifth of each corps d'armée. 4. That it shall take place from the 1st of April next. 5. That from that period the 200,000 rations per day, furnished for the troops by the French governiment, shall be reduced to 160,000, without, however, in any respect altering the 50,000 tations of forage destined for the feed of the horses. 6. Lastly, that from the same period France shall otherwise en joy all the advantages arising from the said reduction, conformably to existing treaties and conventions. In communicating so marked a testimony of friendship and confidence to his most Christian Majesty, on the part of their august masters, the undersigned have at the same time to declare to his Excellency the Duke de Richelieu, how much the principles of the ministry over which he presides, and those which are personal to himself, have contributed to establish that mutual good will, which, directed by the spirit and the letter of existing treaties, has hitherto served to arrange so many delicate affairs, and which affords for the future the most satisfactory pledges of a definitive and satisfactory conclusion. They seize this opportunity of renewing to the Duke de Richelieu the assurances of their high consideration. (Signed) The Baron VINCENT. The Count DE GOLTZ. Paris, Feb. 10, 1817. The session of the two chambers closed on March 26, sine die. In May was published an ordinance from the King, relative to an obligation entered into by the city of Paris for the payment of its debts. It is to the following effect. ORDINANCE OF THE KING RELA TIVE TO THE LOAN ΟΙ THE Louis, by the grace of God, &c. The municipal administration of our our good city of Paris, having been placed under the necessity of issuing negotiable bills for raising the funds of which it stood in need, by the expences consequent upon the military occupation of the city in 1815, and by those incurred in consequence of the inclemency of the seasons of 1816, we had authorized, by our decrees of the 13th of September and 4th of October, 1815, and of the 15th of last January, the creation and alienation of 1,500,000 francs of perpetual rent, the produce of which was to be employed for liquidating the debts of our good city of Paris. But it having been represented to us, that the alienation of these 1,500,000 francs of revenue has only proceeded to a small extent, and that the municipal administration of the city being convinced of the difficulty which it would have in redeeming it, prefers the adoption of another mode of extinguishing the debt, we have decreed : Art. 1. That our good city of Paris is authorized to create 33,000 obligations to the bearer of the value of 1,000 francs each, forming the sum of 33,000,000 of francs, payable in the space of 12 years from the first of next October. Art. 2. These obligations will be subjected only to the stamp duty, and will bear 6 per cent. interest, payable every three months; enjoying besides a premium, the amount of which will be determined by a lottery, in the proportion which will be fixed by an annexed table. Art. 3. The discharge of the obligations and the paynient of the premiums will be effected every quarter, by a drawing, which will take place at the Hotel-de-Ville, a month before the day of payment, arrives, in such a manner that, in the space of 12 years from the 1st of October next, to the 1st of July, 1829, there will be made by the city of Paris 48 quarterly payments, to liquidate the whole of the obligations and premiums, together with the interests conformably to an annexed table. Art. 4. The city of Paris is authorized to negotiate the 33 millions of bills at the price and on the conditions which have been accepted by the municipal council. Art. 5. The funds arising from this negotiation of bills will be employed exclusively in withdrawing from circulation that portion of its rents already engaged, &c. Art. o. To guarantee the payment of obligations, premiums, and interest, there will be allotted to the budget of Paris every year during the currency of the 12 years, a sum of 4,348,000 francs assessed upon its fixed or eventual revenues. This assessment will form the first part of the extraor dinary expenses of the city. Certain duties of tolls, markets, &c. are particularly specified as security for these payments. Then follows the contract entered into by the Prefect of the Seine, acting for the city of Paris on the one hand, and MM. Dominick André and Francis Cottier, Basoni, L. Goupy, and Co. H. J. Hentsch, Blanc, and Co., J. M. Rosthchild, O. Worms de Romilly, on the other; by which the former agrees to the propositions made by the latter five mercantile houses, and receives from them. an obligation to pay into the treasury |