that arms were being made as fast as they could collect money ta pay for them, and he advised those who could not afford to pro cure fire-arms to borrow a grindstone and sharpen their knives on it, and with them they could rip open theof the bloody mi, Listers. He meant to rip up the Prince and afterwards bang the body of the tyrant on one of the lamp-irons of Carlton House. The Scriptures say that "he who sheds blood his blood shall be shed," and he was determined to have blood, royal blood for the victims at Manchester. These are a few of the heroics indulged in by the desperate characters of the day.

Another favorite place of resort was the White Lion in Wych Street, Strand: it was a house little frequented and therefore well adapted to private assemblages. I saw the late Henry Hunt there. Several times but he was a wary man and did not join, though he listened to, the violent language of the others. When things were taking a more decided aspect he became alarmed and sought an opportunity of withdrawing, which he did in October. Gale Jones followed him when he found measures of violence were determined on. The meetings were comparitively peaceable and loyal to those which took place after the royal reply, through Lord Salmouth to the Smithfield petition, in October. The tone of utter camtemp which pervaded that unwise message induced Gale Jones, who foresaw the consequences of it, to address His Lordship, beg ging him as adviser of the Crown to re-consider his answer which In the meantime should not be published,

The letter is here given, as it will shew that all of the discontented party were not anxious for sedition and rebellion, but inchined to treat amicably on points at issue. It was well for the country that the royal obstinacy did not bring down the "Sans Culettes" and the Guillotine."

MY LORD,-Deeply affected with the deplorable condition to which I behold the people of this country reduced, and perceiving a hopelessness in the public mind that any relief of their sufferings, or even that the boon they ask, "Free Representation," is intended to he granted, perceiving that despair is filling the minds of multitudes of any countrymen, and fearing the confusion and mischief to which popular trenzy may lead, I am induced, My Lord, again to trouble you in hopes that you may yet be inclined to advise His Royal Highness the Prince Regent, to take into his consideration the appral i had the honor of delivering to you, and that he may be graciously pleased to give the People hopes either by Proclamation or otherwise that he will listen to their claims, to send a Royal Message from the Throne recommending both Houses of Parliament to reform the abuses of Representation, or to adopt some measure calculated to pacify a Miserable and Starving People.

Believe me, my Lord, I feel much reluctance to convey to my fellow-countrymen the answer I had the honor to receive from you on Tuesday last, apprehensive that when they know His Roya! Highness still persists in treating their Petitions, Remonstrances and Appeals with silent indifference, it may lead to some violent manifestation.

"I will not call his silence contempt, my Lord, because I cannot believe, however humble and forlorn may be the condition of the People, that either His Royal Highness or his Ministers could use so cruel and dangerous policy as to scorn their suffering cries, but loth as I am to trespass upon your Lordship's time, I am still more so to lay the answer I received from you before the Public,

"I am willing yet to believe that you will humanely be pleased to enable me to hold out some ray of hope that measures are likely to be adopted to reform the present partial system of repre sentation and thence to pacify the People. Trusting your Lordship will honor me with an answer calculated to appease the dia turbed mind of a starving multitude,

"I am, My Lord, &c.

JOHN GALE JONES."

Three King's Court, Fleet Street,

Nov. 2d, 1819.

Í need scarcely add that this letter was treated with silence, and when Jones found that nothing was likely to be done, he announced the royal reply to the committee and through it to all the different meetings in the metropolis. This, as may be supposed, roused the angry spirits which had 'till then laid dormant, to active steps. Meetings were very frequent during the whole of November and December, so much so that I found it impossible to get notice or attend one-tenth of them. I therefore paid my chief attention to the principal rendezvous, in Wych Street, where Thistle wood and and Watson were constant speakers. Placards were now printed and distributed amongst the lower orders, painting their grievances in most glowing colors, and calling upon them to rise and arm in defence of their hearths and families. One of these was headed "THE PEOPLE'S PROCLAMATION" and commenced thus,

Whereas in divers parts of Great Britain numerous Cabals of Boroughmongers, Parsons, Lawyers, Magistrates, Country Squires, overgrown Landholders, Fundholders, monopolizing and cheating Tradesmen, Manufacturers, Merchants, and others of His Mājesty's avaricious and oppressive Subjects, have for many years been privately held;-who, or many of whom, with divers Police-Officers, Placemen, Spies, Bloodites, Pensioners, and Informers, being lazy, worthless, and profligate Persons, together with divers other time-serving, unprincipled Lackspittles, Nincompoops, and Dotards, by abusive, slanderous, and malevolent Speeches addressed

to each other, have encouraged each other, and endeavoured to bring into hatred and contempt and neglect the Rights and Liberties desired by all honest People to be established in this Realm, to the great disgrace of the Faction in power, and the Commons House of Parley, for Resolutions and Measures in the said pandemonium complotted, calculated to cause distress and to excite discontent and revenge towards the Magisterial tools of Faction, that enforce and collect the People's property, or that distrain for ex

cessive Rentals and Taxes.

Copies of all these were obtained from the printer and laid on His Lordships table, frequently before they were distributed by the committee.

At Christmas when many were out of employ and all were idly disposed the number of the association was greatly augmented and affairs began to wear a more serious aspect. Subscriptions were set on foot for the purchase of arms and ammunition, and for the renting of private rooms where the sword exercise might be practised. Banners and devices were designed and plans for an attack on the authorities were regularly discussed. It was about this time that I recollect first seeing Greenacre, afterwards so notorious for the dreadful murder he committed. He became a regular attendant at the Wych Street meetings, but was a man of no courage and shrank from active measures at the last. It is a singular fact that though he, with many others, escaped at the time of the conspiracy, he eventually met with his reward and was buried within the wails of Newgate in the very next grave to Thistlewood his fellow conspirator.

The winter wore on and rebellion reared it's head in numerous quarters: arms and ammunition were collected in the houses of the plotters: seditious speeches were indulged in and plans concerted, but they wanted the unity or the serve to take immediate steps: the spring approached and brought employment to many hitherto idle and discontented, but who now, with work on their hands, thought no more of politics and plotting. There were other spints however, who once raised could not be quieted, and they began to grow impatient for the opportunity of striking a blow.

An account of the Establishments for the Administration of Justice in the Settlements on the Island of Ceylon, under the Government of the United Provinces, of the different Members who composed them, and of the Locul, Civil, and Criminal, Original, or Appellate Jurisdiction exercised by them.

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(CONTRIBUTED BY GEORGE LEE, Esq.)

• COLOMBO.

At Colombo three Courts of Judicature were established:

1. "The Hoff van Justitie" or "Court of Justice."

2. The "Collegie van Huwelykse en kleine gerichts Zaaken" or "the Cour of Matrimonial and petty causes," which was also called The Civil or Town Court."

3. The "Landraad" or "Country Court."

The members and the Jurisdiction of these Tribunals were as follows:First. The Hoff van Justitie or Court of Justice. This was composed of a President and eight Members. The person called the chief administrator, and who was the first civil servant of the Dutch East India Company, was permanently President. The members consisted of two officers in the military service, and six civil servants of the Company, the latter of a rank not Inferior to that of junior merchant. In addition to the Fresident and Mem. bers, the Fiscal also was entitled to a vote in civil causes, as a member, and to a seat next to the Presidcut, a respect paid him as being a member of Government.

In criminal cases the Jurisdiction of this Court extended over the Fort and Town of Colombo, and the whole of its environs known by the dea cription of the Colombo Dessavony, or Collectorship, including the districts of Caltura, Negombo, Batticaloa and Chilaw.

In civil cases its original Jurisdiction was more limited, and extended only over the Fort and Town of Colombo, together with a small space of ground without the Fort and situated within the certain specific boundaries called the gravets or limits.

In civil suits not exceeding in value the sum of Three Hundred Rix. dollars the sentence of this Court were definitive, and without appeal. In cases of greater amount an appeal lay therefrom to the Court of Justice at Batavia.

The sentences in criminal cases could not be carried into execution without the ratification of Government, but the Government had no power to modify

r

or alter them if however they were dissatisfied, they had authoriy to direct the Fiscal to appoal against the decree to the Court of Justice at Batavia, or to stay the execution and transmit the process to Batavia for the dis. posal of the Supreme Government.

The summary execution, called Parata Executio, could not be carried into effect without the sanction of the Fiscal, to obtain which the Plaintis pre. sented him the decree, and the Fiscal affixed his fiat, on which the execution Immediately took place.

This Court exercised appellate jurisdiction over every tribunal throughout the Dutch settlements on the Island of Ceylon.

2ndly. The "Collegie Van Huwelykse en kleine gerichts Zoaken." The Court of Matrimonial “and petty cases"also called "the Civil Court" consisted of a President and six Members. The President was always one of the Members of Government, three of the Members were Burghers, and the remainder servants of the Company. The Captain of the Burghers was permanent Vice-President, the Deputy Secretary to Government was a membe and permanent secretary of this Court, one of the poorer clerks of the Court however, acted for him in the latter capacity.

The local jurisdiction of the Court was similar to that of the Hoff van Justietie in civil cases; but its power was limited to cases not exceeding in value

4 the sum of 120 rix-dollars.

An appeal lay from its sentences to the Court of Justice at Colombo.

Previous to the year 1783, the Commissaries for matrimonial affairs had formed a separate establishment, but at that period their functions were united to those of the Court for petty cases.

In their former capacity, all persons who proposed to marry (the Cinghalese and other natives excepted) were obliged to appear before the Court, who examined whether the parties contracting were related within the prohibited degress, or laboured any under pre-contract. If there were no lawsul impediment the parties were registered, and the secretary's certificate to the proctor of the Church authorized him to publish the banus of matrimony.

3rdly. The "Landraad" was constituted in the following manner: The Dessave or Collector of Colombo was the Permanent President. The members were the Fiscal, the Chief of the Mahabadde, or Chalias, the Tombo keeper or Register of Lands, the Maha Modeliar of the Governor, the Modeliar of the Collector, and the Secretary of the Court. There were also five or six other Members who were generally appointed from among such of the Junior Merchants and Book-keepers of the Company, as were out of employ, or whose employments were not sufficient to occupy their whole attention... The Landraad in its original institution, was a Court established for the determination of contests among the Natives respecting Lands, merely; its