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LAW REPORT.

COURT OF CHANCERY, AUG. 5.

On Wednesday came on before the Lord Chancellor the case

of Priestley, the writing-master, who clandestinely married Miss Lamb, a ward of chancery. This young lady is the daughter of

a gentleman of considerable fortune in Lincolnshire, who died about two years ago, leaving her almost the whole of his fortune. Soon after her father's death she was sent to a boarding-school at Lambeth, kept by two young ladies of the name of Priestley. They employed their brother to teach the young ladies writing, and he, with or without the connivance of his sisters, gained the consent of his fair pupil to marry him. To procure a licence was impossible, and they were obliged to have recourse to the more tedious and troublesome road to matrimony, viz. banns. To comply with the marriage act, therefore, in the month of February, Mr. Priestley took chambers in Furnival's Inn, and Miss Lamb an apartment in the parish of Lambeth. After they had paid rent three weeks, they were duly proclaimed, and as soon as they had procured a certificate of this ceremony having been performed, they proceeded to Lambeth church, where, upon producing it, they were joined in holy wedlock by the Rev. Mr. Swabey, the curate. Every remaining rite was immediately celebrated to render the marriage indissoluble. Things went on smoothly enough for a week or two, but the honey-moon had scarcely elapsed, when Priestley was summoned to appear before my Lord Chancellor. The cause was first heard some time in May last, and his Lordship then, after expressing great indignation at the transaction, committed Priestley to the Fleet, and made an order for Miss Lamb herself, one of the Miss Priestleys, Mr. Swabey, of Lambeth, and the parish clerk of St. Andrew. Holborn, to attend in Lincoln's Inn Hall, on Wednesday the 5th of August.

Several affidavits being now read, and Counsel heard in favour of the parties accused, the Lord Chancellor said, unsatisfactory as was the account he had recived of the transaction, he feared it was impossible for him to compel a statement more particular. However, there still were means to have the matter sifted to the bottom. He should order the affair to be laid before his Majesty's Attorney General, that a prosecution for a conspiracy might be commenced at common law. The marriage was certainly legal and valid; but it was to be seen whether to procure the publication of banns, fraudulently was not a crime in the eye of the law. To pu nish an offence of this nature merely as a contempt of the Court of Chancery, was not enough. If there had been a combination to rob this girl of her fortune and her happiness, an example must be made to the world of those who had combined. His Lordship severely censured the slovenly manner in which marriages are performed in Lambeth and other parishes about the metropolis, and strongly recommended to all clergymen to enquire into the situation in life of those they are about to marry; and particularly to see that the residence

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residence of the parties had been real and bona fide-Mr. Priestley was ordered to remain in custody till he had made a settlement, and the Master was directed to see that he should not become master of a single shilling by this foul transaction-When the cause comes on to be tried in the King's Bench, we shall not fail to lay before the public a faithful and circumstantial account of it.

COURT OF CHANCERY, AUG. 12.

Mr. Alexander observed, that his Lordship would be gratified to hear that Mr. Priestley had made a proposal of a settlement which had been approved of by the Master. He therefore moved that the Master's report be affirmed.

Mr. Richards, council for the lady's trustees, said, he understood that three or four events might happen, in which Mr. Priestley would become master of this lady's property.

Mr. Alexander hoped that Mr. Priestley would now get out of goal.

The Lord Chancellor said he would look at the Master's report, and return it to the proper officer to-morrow. As to the other part of the application, that of letting this gentleman out of custody, that would depend on the Attorney General, and with that he did not wish to interfere. Mr. Priestley had not only been guilty of a contempt of that court, by marrying a ward of that court in the manner he had done, but be had been engaged in obtaining a marriage without due publication of banns. That was an offence for which he might and must be indicted.

Mr. Alexander said, he had an affidavit, from which it appeared that Mr. Priestley was in a wretched state of health. He did not mean that he should be liberated immediately, but only after the conveyances were executed. He said, the two Miss Priestleys, who kept the ladies' boarding school, had made an affidavit in justification of their own conduct relative to this business, and which he begged might be read.

The Lord Chancellor ordered it to be read.

The substance of it was, that they had no knowledge that their brother, Mr. T. Priestley, was paying his addresses to Miss Lamb, and that they were totally unacquainted with every part of the business till several days after the marriage had taken place. They also deposed, that if they had entertained the smallest idea that such a marriage was going forward, they should have thought it their duty to have done every thing in their power to have prevented it. And as to the manner in which the publication of banns were obtained, they positively swore they had no know ledge of it, and that they were neither directly or indirectly con cerned in it.

The Lord Chancellor said, to be sure there was a great difference between positive connivance and negligent inattention, which seemed to be the case of these two ladies: but this only swelled the conduct of Mr. Priestley and the other lady. He said, he was very glad these two ladies had made this affidavit.

Nothing was done upon this application to the Court.

POLITICAL MISCELLANY,

COMPREHENDING

REFLECTIONS, STATE-DOCUMENTS, OFFICIAL ACCOUNTS, FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE, &c.

COME THE THREE CORNERS OF THE WORLD IN ARMS

AND WE SHALL SHOCK THEM: NOUGHT SHALL MAKE US RUE,
IF ENGLAND TO ITSELF DO PROVE BUT TRUE."

SHAKS.

SINCE the publication of our last number, Egypt, the only

scene of regular warfare between the French Republic and GreatBritain, has exhibited a splendid instance of British courage, discipline, and perseverance. The decisive victory of the 21st of March, obtained by Sir Ralph Abercrombie, has been followed up on the part of his successor in the command, Gen. Hutchinson, by an uninterrupted series of bold and well-judged movements, which have baffled every attempt of the enemy to frustrate the object of the expedition. They have been rewarded with the capture of the city of Cairo, which may be considered as the certain prelude to the complete expulsion of the Republicans from Egypt. This important acquisition is the more satisfactory, as it has been made without the effusion of blood; and although we cannot deny, that the capitulation granted to the French army at Cairo is more favourable to them than the treaty of El-Arisch, it must at the same time be admitted, that with the vast change of affairs on the continent of Europe, with the losses, difficulties, fatigues, and even maladies, to which our troops must have been subject from repeated engagements, constant marches, and the baneful influence of the climate, Gen. Hutchinson has displayed in this transaction a wisdom equal to the skill and activity which distinguished his preceding operations.

To wrest Egypt from the yoke of the French republic was the grand object of our wishes and exertions; and in accomplishing that important end, to dispute about terms would be truly contemptible. France does not want troops, and those allowed to return to Europe will rather increase her embarrassments than prove an addition of solid strength. Should Gen. Menou refuse his consent to the terms so liberally held out to him in the 20th article of the convention of Cairo, it will be impossible for him, confined as he is with the shattered and dispirited remnant of his force to Alexandria, closely blocked by sea and land, and suffering the severest hardships from the want of stores and provisions, to resist the combined attack of the British and Turkish armies. It is highly probable that he will embrace the only opportunity offered to him of extricating himself upon honourable conditions, from the

dangers

dangers and disgrace which must attend any further resistance. The report that he had acceded to the terms granted to General Beliard at Cairo prevailed at Vienna on the 12th, a short time before the post for Hamburgh left that city; but this rumour is unsupported by any public communications or private letters of respectability.

The Court of Lisbon, as we have frequently predicted, has at length been compelled to submit to the stipulations imposed by the French government; and the Chief Consul has ratified the treaty of peace with Spain, on condition that Portugal shall commit her ports and fortresses to the custody of French troops. This degrading measure certainly preserves the territories of our defenceless and unfortunate ally from the calamities and horrors inseparable from actual conquest; but it is equally fatal to her interests and independence,

Nothing satisfactory has yet transpired respecting the negocia tions carrying on between the two governments; and the public is equally ignorant of the demands and pretensions of the enemy, as of the claims which have been advanced, or the concessions which may have been agreed to by his Majesty's ministers. The intercourse between both powers is certainly not less active than it has been on any former occasion; and we understand that solemn assurances have been made on our part, of our sincerity to enter immediately into the discussion of preliminaries. That Mr. Merry was charged to make these assurances, and to press the First Consul to an explanation, there are strong grounds to believe. Bonaparte cannot, however, much longer continue undecided; the surrender of Alexandria, to which we look with confidence, will remove every obstacle with respect to Egypt; and by his ratification of the treaty between Spain and Portugal, he acknowledges himself in possession of those compensations which he hoped would have their weight in the scales of negociation. Peace or invasion will be his only choice, and with what success a descent may be attempted upon our coasts he must have already formed an opinion, since it has been ascertained, that his gun-boats, the only means of effecting it, could not be preserved even in port without chaining them to the shore.

EVACUATION OF EGYPT.

CONVENTION for the evacuation of Egypt by the French and auxiliary troops under the command of the General of Division, Belliard, concluded between Brigadier-general Hope, on the part of the Commander in Chief of the British army in Egypt, Osman Bey, on the part of his Highness the Grand Vizier, and Isaac Bey, on the part of his Highness the Capitan Pacha; the Citizens Dongelot, General of Brigade, Morand, General of Brigade, and Tayrayre, Chief of Brigade, on the part of the General

of

of Division Belliard, commanding a body of French and auxiliary troops. The Commissioners above-named having met and conferred, after the exchange of their respective powers, have agreed upon the following articles :

Art. I. The French forces, of every description, and the auxiliary troops under the command of the General of Division Belliard, shall evacuate the city of Cairo, the citadel, the forts of Boulac, Giza, and all that part of Egypt which they now occupy.

Art. II. The French and auxiliary troops shall retire by land to Rosetta, proceeding by the left bank of the Nile, with their arms. baggage, field artillery, and ammunition, to be there embarked and conveyed to the French ports of the Mediterranean, with their arms, artillery, baggage, and effects at the expence of the allied powers. The embarkation of the said French and auxiliary troops shall take place as soon as possible, but at the latest within 15 days from the date of the ratification of the present convention.—It is also agreed, that the said troops shall be conveyed to the French ports abovementioned, by the most direct and expeditious route.

Art. III. From the date of the signature and the ratification of the present convention, hostilities shall cease on both sides. The fort of Sulkosky, and the gate of the pyramids, of the town of Giza, shall be delivered up to the allied army. The line of advanced posts of the armies respectively shall be fixed by commissioners, named for this purpose, and the most positive orders shall be given that these shall not be encroached upon, in order to avoid all disputes; and if any shall arise, they are to be determined in an amicable manner.

Art. IV. Twelve days after the ratification of the present convention, the city of Cairo, the citadel, the forts, and the town of Boulac, shall be evacuated by the French auxiliary troops, who will retire to Ibrahim Bey, the isle of Rhoda, and its dependencies, the fort of Foueroy and Gizeh, from whence they shall depart as soon as possible, and at the latest in five days to proceed to the points of embarkation. The generals commanding the British and Ottoman armies consequently engage that means shall be furnished at their charge for conveying the French and auxiliary troops as soon as possible from Gizeh.

Art. V. The march and encampment of the French and auxiliary troops shall be regulated by the generals of the respective armies, or by officers named by each party; but it is clearly understood, that, according to this article, the days of march and of encampment shall be fixed by the generals of the combined armies, and consequently the said French and auxiliary troops shall be accompanied on their march by English and Turkish commissaries instructed to furnish the necessary provisions during the continuance of their route.

Art. VI. The baggage, ammunition, and other articles transported by water, shall be escorted by French detachments, and by armed boats belonging to the allied powers.

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