Monmouthshire Merlin

J LATEST INTELLIGENCE. the accounts from Paris this morning are favourable, as quiet- "ess is maintained there, and we understand that one cause for the continued rise in the funds is, the good understanding which Issaid to exist between the French and Foreign Powers, an ar- khgement being reported to have been entered into between thtm, that all the troops which have been marching, both on the part of Austria and Prussia, towards the frontiers, should return, that the various preparations for the French armaments should be put a stop to. The Paris Papers of Monday contain the explanation of La- fàyette in the Chamber of Deputies, on the subject of his retire- ment from the post which he filled as Commander-in-Chief of the National Guard of Paris. The General asserts that he was "jot induced to resign by dissatisfaction, but by a conviction that post itself was not in unison with the character of the new 'tstitutions. M. Lafayette admits, however, that he is not satis- with the result of the late Revolution, and that the Republi- sh principles have not prevailed to the extent that he expected, has been succeeded by Count Lobau,who is said to be a Re- Publican. M. Odillon Barrot has also given in his resignation. Brussels papers of the same date contain the official announce- ment, by M. Van de Weyer, of the recognition of the independ- ^ce of Belgium by the five Great Powers, but without any "otice of the conditions with which this recognition was reported 10 have been attended. A letter from Warsaw, of the 16th of December, states, that oifers of assistance are made from all quarters to the government; many persons who enjoyed pensions from the state, have vo- ^tarily given them up. It is said that the Jews are raising ^ang themselves a large force to aid the national cause. The °Qnt Constantine Zamoiski had equipped a regiment of cavalry a'his own expense, and has already deposited in the bank a sum 100,000 Polish florins for its maintenance. .BERLIN, DEC. 21.—News has been received here to-day from Warsaw, that the Polish deputation, going to Petersburgh, had "conference at Wloda with the Grand Duke Constantine, who Reived them kindly, and gave them the assurance that he would ^ond their application to the best of his ability, and do every possible to prevent the effusion of blood. Meantime, the move- nts in Poland are continued with indefatigable zeal. We ex- P?ct here with great impatience the result of the first deliberations the Diet, which opened at Warsaw on the 18th. As, tile trials continue for riotous proceedings among the agri- ^liltural labourers, the disposition to mischief appears to subside; ["deed, the situation of the country, though still not to be vaunted; IS changed from what it was six weeks ago. 7 1'rll LE I LE llro\x L I kNi

A happy new year to all our readers! Health to the I and mirth to the sad More felicity to the rich, and lbore money to the poor Freedom to the slave, and mercy 9 the oppressed Peace to the troubled, and content to the ^■stless! Knowledge to the ignorant, and improvement to .6 wise! May the single possess the object of their affec- _QHs j ancj far, far from the wedded be all corroding cares !d vain jealousies! To the divine a just remuneration for ls pious labours! To the author pecuniary emolument literary fame! To the lawyer and physician plentiful ees and honest reputation! To the merchant beneficial *r°n.imerce! To the tradesman and manufacturer a brisk etnand and profitable returns! To the agriculturist rich .^Tvests, good prices, and convenient markets! To the °urer a full meal, a comfortable cot, and a cheerful mind ^"than which no richer treasure can be found among the Jamond rocks of Golconda, or the gold and silver mines Peru! j Having now exhausted our stock of good wishes for others, Us hope some kind patron of our labours will return the I^Hpliment, by whispering to the winds an aspiration in vour of the Merlin to the following effect:—May the new j^r bring to the Editor an accession of wit, genius, and Qgment!—to the Proprietors additional subscribers and Vei'tisements!—so that, by honourable exertion on the one and by just remuneration on the other, the Merlin 7;ay be enabled weekly to improve in merit, and at last stline forth in unrivalled and inimitable beauty, like the Woon; among the lesser stars We have given in our first page the judgment and sen- cnce of the French Chamber of Peers upon four of the tsguided men who composed the last Cabinet of the Bour- on Exile. The guilt of the parties admits of no question, 90r is it at all extenuated by the circumstance, that they erely acted in obedience to the wishes of a royal master, fi all civilised countries the minister is the responsible ad- iSer of-the monarch, not the ready instrument of his plea- se. Should the sovereign require his minister to join in ny act of injustice or oppression, it is the duty of the latter ■. •"emonstrate, and rather to resign his office than comply ji the improper design. Had Polignac, or either of his lleagues, when they signed the fatal ordinances which ^fsed the late revolution, stood in the situation of vizier to Asiatic potentate, and been left no other choice than "mission or the bow-string, the party so influenced might ^ye been exonerated from any wilful participation in the J'ltne. In their case, however, there was no compulsion, utmost penalty they could have incurred by refusing to .^Ply with the royal mandate was loss of favour and of Place. To the base desire of preserving these advantages e freely sacrificed their own honour and the welfare of e nation. That the ordinances, in which they concurred, st variance with the French charter, and a breach of e institutional liberties of the people, even their own ad- !l?Ca*es were unable to deny. To the verdict of guilty, erefore, we subscribe without qualification. It will be by the judgment of the French tribunal, that the crimi- Ii c°de of that country contains no definite punishment for *6 crime of treason. The judges, therefore, in pronouncing 3 entence, were compelled to resort to certain general articles the code which prescribe punishment for all offences of p^gnitude against the peace of society. By these articles j-Pnce Polignac is condemned to solitary imprisonment for 1 and his three colleagues to perpetual imprisonment, not Ohtary-all of them to forfeit their rank, privileges, and PrOperty With this sentence the lower orders of the Pa- Asians are not satisfied. Nothing will content them but the ?^tllotine. Loth as man is to part with life, and true as -W the axiom that while there is jife there is hope-, I. we doubt whether either of the prisoners, but more espe- cially Polignac, would not readily accede to the wish of the Parisians, and commute a lingering imprisonment for im- mediate death. What the irritated and thoughtless sans culottes are clamouring for as a heavier punishment would no doubt be welcomed by their intended victims as an act of mercy. It would be superfluous to descant upon all the horrors of the fate to which these unhappy men are con- demned. The most wretched and ignorant of human beings would scarcely be willing to purchase the comforts of life by the sacrifice of his liberty. How, then, will the idea of perpetual imprisonment be borne by those, who have been accustomed to all the luxuries that wealth can bestow, and to all the intellectual enjoyments that are to be derived from an intercourse with polished society, where genius and wit, and beauty and fashion, combine their charms to fascinate the eye and fill with rapture the heart! How will such men endure to change the gaudy splendour of a palace for the murky gloom of a dungeon—to forego the tender ca- resses of a wife, the fond endearments of children, and the sweet converse of friends, nay, even the least amusing com- panion of their social hours, for a loathsome, yet unavoid- able, fellowship with toads, spiders, and black beetles! Let the ignorant and unreflecting continue to exclaim against the leniency of such a punishment. To the philanthropic mind it seems far too severe. The attack upon the Charter of which the French people complain, was the joint act of Charles the Tenth and his Ministers. It is by the law of that country the privilege of sovereignty that its possessor can do no wrong, and that the ministers alone are respon- sible for his acts. This law is contained in the very Charter, of which the French nation has shewn itself so tenacious. When, therefore, the Deputies of the people took upon themselves to deprive Charles and his family of the crown, and to bestow the vacant throne on another, it might very fairly be inquired whether, in thus punishing their guilty King, who was by law impunishable, they did not absolve the legally punishable Ministers, who were but accessaries to the royal guilt. Other arguments might be adduced to impeach the sentence from the general principles of legisla- tion. The best writers on that science have told us that the object of punishment is not vengeance. Plutarch says: He that useth food, doth it to gratify his hunger, which is natural, but he that inflicts punishment should do it without either hungering or thirsting after it; not needing anger, like sauce, to quicken or whet him to punish; but when he is furthest off from desiring it, bringing his reason to do it as a thing most necessary." The true aim of every punishment inflicted by the law ought to consist in one of these three objects, viz :—1st, To reform by wholesome correction those who are not wholly abandoned in guilt; 2dly, To rid society of an incorrigible villain; or, 3rdly, To deter others from crime by a public exhibition of its consequences. The idea of exacting blood for blood is now completely exploded. Execution takes place upon the assassin not because of the life he has taken away, but because his death may serve as a warning to other desperadoes, and at the same time deliver society from a repetition of such acts of violence by the same unfeeling ruffian. If this view of the nature and principle of punishments be applied to the case of the ex-Ministers of France, we shall find that their sen- tence is unnecessarily harsh. To have deprived them of their titles-to have confiscated their estates-and to have banished them for ever from their native land would have sufficiently answered all the purposes of justice. Such a sentence would have driven from the state men in whose principles the state could no longer place confidence, and it would at the same time have operated as a warning to fu- ture ministers how they ventured to trifle with the liberties of the people. When you have taken away his sting from the hornet, you may let him go at large with impunity. It would be ridiculous to suppose that the same crime could be again committed by the same men in the same country. Their imprisonment, therefore, was not requisite to provide against the repetition of the offence; neither was it necessary for any purpose consistent with the genuine principles of enlightened legislation. The decree, however, has one forth, and will doubtless be executed. 0 What a reverse of fortune for the prince and the peer, the rich and the gifted Polignac, whom we have often seen, with his brilliant equipage, passing through the streets of Eng- land's metropolis, in all the pomp, pride, and circumstance of diplomatic dignity! Alas! alas! though justice may condemn the fault, let not humanity disdain to drop a tear over the pitiable destiny of an erring fellow mortal! O'Connell, that fire-brand in human shape, is again en- deavouring to ignite in the minds of his countrymen the smouldering embers of sedition. New meetings and" pro- cessions for the repeal of the Union were to have taken place under his auspices, but the Marquis of Anglesey, with his characteristic energy and promptitude, immediately de- feated the object by a firm and decisive proclamation against it. The Marquis, so popular among the Irish while it suited the purpose of the great agitator to make him so, will now of course become a mark for Hibernian scorn, contempt, and detestation. If the noble Marquis should be affected by the loss of popularity on such grounds, let him seek consolation in the following noble and heroic speech of the great Lord Mansfield, when accused in Parliament of courting the popular opinion :— If (said his Lordship) by popularity is meant that ap- plause bestowed by after times on good and virtuous actions, I have long been struggling in the race—to what purpose, all trying time can alone determinebut, if the noble Lord means that mushroom popularity which is raised without merit and lost without a crime, he is much mistaken in his opinion. I defy the noble Lord to point out a single action of my life where the popularity of the times ever had the smallest influence on my determinations. I thank God I have a more permanent and steady rule for my conduct- the dictates of my own breast. Those that have foregone that pleasing adviser, and given up their minds to be the slave of every popular impulse, I sincerely pity. I pity them still more if their vanity leads them to mistake the shouts of a mob for the trumpet of fame. Experience might inform them that many who have been saluted with the huzzas of a crowd one day, have received their execrations the next; and many, who by the popularity of their times have been held up as spotless patriots, have, nevertheless, appeared on the historian's page, when truth has triumphed over delusion, the assassins of liberty Why, then, can the noble Lord think I am ambitious of present popularity- that relic of vanity and shadow of renown ?" From this speech O'Connell also might be taught a lesson, which it would be very useful for him to learn. We promised last week to resume our consideration of the predictions with which certain aslrolrgicil sages have favoured the world for the year on which we have this day entered. But first, that rivalry may not seem to be the cause of any severity which we may think necessary to use, we must redeem our pledge to exhibit the character of Merlin, our great namesake, in its true light. Had he been the prototype of our modern seers, we should have been so far from wishing to inherit either his chair or his authority, that we should have scorned to designate our- selves by his name. Was, then, Merlin no astrologer 1 our readers may ask with surprise. Indeed he was, and an illustri- ous one. But turn to Johnson's Dictionary, and you will find, or we are much mistaken, for so it should be, that the. ancient astrologer was what the modern astronomer now is. Did he not consult the stars ? Yes, and to good purpose. For he learnt from them the only lesson they can teach, which yet surpasses all others,-the infinite might, majesty, and dominion of Gon. He listened to that sublime discourse, which the Psalmist tells us they are for ever interchanging amongst themselves but he found with David, that they had but one all-engrossing topic.— The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy-work. One day telleth another and one night certifieth another. There is neither speech nor language but their voices are heard among them. Their sound is gone out into all lands and their words into the ends of the world." By patient observation and faithful registry, he helped to pave the way to those discoveries which have raised the astronomical science to its present exalted state of perfection. Again, we allow Merlin to have been a wizard but in the true and original sense of that term, and not as it has been degraded by the adoption of mere pretenders. We beg, once more, to refer to the etymologists, confident that toizard will be found to be derived from wise, both in sound and signification. We must confess also, that our predecessor was a soothsayer but in this charge we shall justify him, in a manner we could not presume to adopt against the former imputations, namely, by our own practice. In its primary sense of telling truth, we study to be soothsayers no less than he did but we believe that, in its modern application, he would reject the term with the same detestation as ourselves. In times of ignorance, it is very natural that the unrivalled pro- fessor of wisdom and knowledge should become, as it were, the oracle of his country; and the resort of all those who felt the necessity, for their conduct in difficult affairs, of drawing a just conclusion from complicated premises but were conscious at the same time of their own inability to accomplish this task. The frequent success attending his directions would affect their un- tutored minds with reverential wonder but the pride of Mon- mouthshire and of Britain would have scorned, for the sake of paltry lucre, to delude weak winds with unearthly terrors. We trust our readers will forgive this exhibition of zeal to vindicate the name under which we have chosen to labour for their instruc- tion and entertainment, and which we are sometimes sanguine enough to hope will eventually be crowned with their honest applause. "The Prophetic Messenger for 1831," is the work which first drew our attention to the subject of the recent prediction*, and it therefore deserves our first consideration. But it has other claims for this precedence. It is furnished with a large coloured frontispiece of a most ominous character a wise contrivance of its author to extend the sphere of its utility, for he seems to cal- culate that he may have disciples amongst those who cannot read, whilst all can understand the mute language of picture.- Some who know not their ABC, may yet happen to prove his best converts. In this design the author has poured out all his terror we will venture to say he has so completely ransacked his ima- gination, that if he and the world should weather the ensuing year he will find, next Christmas, a dull repetition of state hor- rors his only resource. We have cities burning, armies fighting, ships blowing up, death and destruction in every quarter and then that there may be no mistake--that the productions of the artist's pencil may not be misunderstood—his fighting men taken for dancing dogs, and his conflagrations for the setting sun (of which, indeed, there was some dahger)—we have the king of terrors-a hieroglyphic of easy delineation—occupying the prin- cipal position in the fore-ground, and mounting guard over a collection of coffins, whilst he unfurls a flag inscribed with REFORM." There is, moreover, a liberal supply oftri-coloured flags, cannon-balls, and other accessaries. Besides the merit of this picture, our author has other pretensions to our first notice. His work has proved attractive. We know that it has been ex- tensively circulated and sold. It surpasses its compeers in bold- ness of prediction and impudence of assumption. Let not any of our enlightened readers reprove our choice of a subject, or think that the insignificance of this writer should have screened him from our displeasure. The majestic ship may be scuttled by a rat; the stately edifice may be levelled by an incen- diary—a creature more despicable than the other. If we did not rather look to the extent of the possible mischief, than to the dignity of the perpetrator, we should indeed feel self-degraded by our present occupation. But we shall remind our well-educated friends, who are so far from credulity themselves, that they doubt its influence over others, that he who, in the post we occupy, would make himself useful to his country, should be as far from over-rating as from under-valuing the popular understanding.- A sorrowful chapter in the history of man might be written on superstitious arts and the avengingcruelites which pursued them. Almost every age would contribute its overflowing measure of terrible examples. Why are our times, comparatively speaking, so little pestered with this moral calamity ? Our answer is ready. Because, by the permission of God, we fiaye a powerful and pa- triotic press; which has, from time to time, assailed the hydra on every sign of returning animation, so successfully as to pre- vent and put out of employment the cruel arm of the law. Come, then, Raphael astrologer of the the 19th century Prophetic Messenger! if no other press in Britain shall think it worth while to expose thee, we will do it. We arraign thee of blasphemy, of reckless and detestable blasphemy. We accuse thee of taking the name of GOD in vain, and quoting his holy word in support-of thine own inventions. We charge thee with polluting the source of truth, by attempting to make it subser- vient to thy bare-faced impostures. On thy title-page thou hast printed the Saviour's name, and his sacred word, with no other design but to gild thine own monstrous falsehoods. Thou art one of those false prophets which our Saviour foretold, in the very chapter thou hast profaned, should come in his name, deceiving the people. Thou has impiously mixed up allusions to holy writ with tales of witchcraft and pagan fables, in hopes of propagating an abject superstition which thou mayest turn to thine own profit. We charge thee with -——, but we shall give this offence of thine no name. Our intention is not to invoke the notice of Sir Thomas Denman to thy delinquencies, but to save him trouble, by demolishing thee to his hands. We shall therefore only ob- serve, that we should rejoice to see a stout and true British tar, with a cat-o-nine-tails in one hand, and thy collar in the other, requesting of thee an immediate unprevaricating exposition of the anchor and coffin in thy frontispiece, and of this passage in thy work :— It is not permitted for me to publicly reveal the future fate of kings or princes, neither do I wish it, as it might act pre- judicial to a number of persons but as his Majesty is well known to be a plain-spoken man and a lover of truth, I may, perhaps, venture to say that the 66th, or ensuing year, of this illustrious native's life, will be noted for great and important change." But we have already past the limit we had intended for this subject in our paper, and shall therefore postpone till next week our further observations on the new predictions."

.f:fiJ/ :'?,: Monmouth Deputy X»teutenancy* IN pursuance of the Directions contained in the Proclamation issued by his Majesty, at his Court at Brighton, dated December 27 th, 1830, for taking the necessary measures j or tilling up the Vacancies in the Militia, I hereby appoint a General Meeting of Deputy Lieutenancy for the Coit7ity oj Monmouth, to be held at USR, at Eleven o'clock in the Forenoon, on TUESDAY nett, the 4th of January, 1831. BEAUFORT, December 30ih, 1830. Lord Lieutenant. MONMOUIHSHIRE. NoTICE is hereby given, That the next GENERAL QUAR- V TER SESSIONS of the PEACE, for this County, will be held at the GUILDHALL, in the town of Usk, on MONDAY, the THIRD Day of JANUARY next, 1831; and that the Court will sit precisely at nine o'clock in the fore- noon, v;hen and where all Grand and Petit Jurors, Chief Con- stables, and Bailijfs, are to attend and answer to their names, or in default thereof they will be fined. And all other persons bound by recognizance, or having traverses to try, or other busi- ness to transact, are required to attend. And persons preferring indictments are requested to give early instructions for the same on the above day, as the Grand Jury will be discharged as soon as pos- sible; and it is requested that all recognizances taken by the Justices of the Peace, for the appearance of persons at the Sessions, will be delivered into Court eally on Monday morning. And all persons who may have any bills or accounts to present to the Court, or who may have any demands on the County Rates, are to deliver in their accounts of the same precisely at nine o'clock on the Monday morning, as the Court will proceed on the examination and the allowance thereof, at the time the Jury are impannelled and sworn, and ordinary business of the Court gone through; and any accounts delivered after that time will be referred to a future Sessions. A. JONES, Clerk of the Peace. MONMOUTH TOWN AND BOROUGH. TVTOTICE is hereby given, That the next GENERAL QUAR- TER SESSIONS of the PEACE of our Sovereign Lord the King, for the Town and Borough of Monmouth, will be held at the GUILDHALL, in the said Town, on MONDAY, the 10th day of Janu- ary instant at eleven of the clock in the forenoon of the same day, when and where all Grand and Petit Jurors, Constables, Prosecu- tors, Defendants, and others, having any business to do or transact at the said Sessions, are hereby required to attend. THOS. 1. WILLIAMS, Deputy Town Clerk. MONMOUTH ACADEMY, Conducted by Mr. E. J. Gosling, Of the University of Oxford, WILL OPEN, after the present Vacation, on MONDAY, JANUARY the 24th, 1831. At the above Establishment the Instruction embraces the higher Classics, with a regular course of Mathematics, some of the modern languages, and every branch of useful learning. MON NOW-STREET Establishment for Young Ladies. MISS HYAM begs respectfully to inform the Public it is her intention to commence the business of her Establish- ment on the 17th of January. Miss Hyam presumes she shall, by her superior plans of education, together with her personal attention to the general comfort of her pupils, obtain the appro- bation of those who entrust their Children to her care. Young Ladies may be taught the Accomplishments who are not of her Establishment. TEEMS MODERATE. TO PARENTS AND GUARDIANS. The Linen 0 Woollen Drapery Business. Silk Mercery, &c. MR. THOMAS, of Chepstow, has a Vacancy for a Youth, from 14 to 16 years of age, as an APPRENTICE to the above business. He will be treated as one of the family, and every attention paid to his morals.—Applications to be postage paid. WANTED TO P UK CHASE, In the County qf Monmouth, A SMALL FREEHOLD PROPERTY, from Fifty to One Hundred Acres of Land, with a comfortable Residence, in a good Sporting neighbourhood. Particulars sent (post-paid) to the Printer of this Paper will meet with immediate attention. MONMOUTHSHIRE. rARM TO BE LET. TO be Let and entered upon at Candlemas next, TW YSHAW FARM, in the parish of TREGARD, in the county of Mon- mouth, containing about Eighty Acres, now in the occupation of Mr. John Jones, as tenant thereof. For further particulars apply to lVIr, George, Solicitor, Mon- mouth. Poor to Clothe and btaintain. THE several Parishes of RAGLAND, TREG ARE, and BRYNGW1N, will meet at Ragland, in the Vestry, on Thursday next, the 6th day of January, at eleven o'clock in the forenoon, to receive Tenders for Letting the POOR of the said Parishes to FARM for Three Years. Any information can in the mean time be obtained on application to the Overseers.. Security required for performance of contract. MONMOUTHSHIRE. TO BE SOLD BY AUCTION, By MICHAEL DAVIS, On Saturday, the 15th day of January, 1831, at the CROWN INN, Pontypool, at Four o'clock in the Afternoon, subject to con ditions then to be produced A CLOSE of Rich FREEHOLD MEADOW LAND, containing about One Acre, be the same more or less, situate at Penygarn, near to Trevethin Church, in the occupation of Mr. John Morgan, Maltster. o Jhis Close of Land is admirably calculated for Building a gen- teel Residence upon, possessing a beautiful screen of fine Oak Timber on the north and west sides thereof, which will be in- cluded in the Sale of the Land. The Tenant will shew the Premises any further particulars may be known on application to Mr. M. Davis, Land-agent, Usk. NOTICE TO CREDITORS. NOTICE is hereby given, that THOMAS SHEPHERD, late of Machan," in the County of Monmouth, and of. FramptonMill, in the Parish of Frampton Cotterell, in the County of Gloucester, Maltster, Farmer, and Common Brewer, hath by Indentures of Lease and Release, dated respectively the 21st and 22d days of December instant, and by Indenture of Assignment, dated the 22d day of December, instant, conveyed and assigned all his real and personal Estates and Effects unto JonN NICHOLS and GEORGE GIBBS, of the Parish of Iron Acton, in the said County of Gloucester, and JOHN GODWIN, of the Parish of Yate, in the same County, Yeoman, in trust for the benefit of such of the Creditors of the said THOMAS SHEPHERD, who shall execute the said Indentures of Release and Assignment, and that the said Indentures of Lease and Release and Assignment were respectively executed by the said THOMAS SHEPHERD, and the said JOHN NICHOLS, GEORGE GIBBS, and JOHN GODWIN, on the said 22d day of December, in the presence of. and attested by, Henry Ray, of the City of Bristol, Attorney, and John Rossiter, his servant, and the same Indentures of Release and Assignment now lie at the Office of Messrs. Swayne, Ray, and Hoyte, Attorneys, in Bristol, for the perusal and signature of such of the Creditors of the said Thomas Shepherd, as shall choose to execute the same. Dated the 24th day of December, 1830. TOOTH AND EAR-ACHE. PERRY'S ESSENCE has been found of such extreme ser- vice in relieving Tooth and Ear-Ache, that it has been com- mented upon most favourably in several Medical Journals; it affords instantaneous relief, and generally prevents any recur- rence of pain. Sold in bottles,at Is I 1-d, and 2s 9d, at the MERLIN OFFICE, and by D.iwe, Chemist, Monmouth Wyke, Abergavenny Vaughan, Brecon; Jenkins, Merthyr; Venhell, Cardiff; Morgan, New- port; WTilliams, Pontypool; Jones, Usk; Davies, Chepstow; Powle, Ross and Philipotts, Newnham. Of whom may be had MORRIS'S BRUNSWICK CORN-PLAISTER—generally admitted to be one of the best emollient applications for Corns and Bunions, and is worthy of a trial on the part of those who are afflicted with such unpleasant complaints. In boxes, at ls 1 £ d, and 2s 9d. 2 ERRATUM.—For Special" read several, last line but one of the Resolutions entered into at Llantillio Cresseny, which ap- peared in the third page of last week's Merlin. The Magistrates there assembled not considering that any necessity existed for appointing special constables, and the resolutions conveying that impression, make it necessary to correct a seeming inconsistency. It is our duty to acknowledge the very courteous notice taken by the Editor of the St. James's Chronicle of a paragraph in our last Merlin, concerning what we considered the improper heading of the former panerwith the initials G. R." That these letters would stand for Gulielmus Rex we were quite aware, but as our good honest King, William, makes use of no such foreign lingo in signing his name, we thought, and still remain of opinion, that the initials in question ought not to be retained by a journal so truly English and constitutional in its principles. If William the Fourth were in the habit of signing G. R. to his laws and edicts, we should admit that the St. James's Chronicle would be justified in adopting the same style but we cannot conceive on what principle a mode of signature adopted by William the Third more than a century ago, can be used with propriety to express the name of William the Fourth, in direct contradiction to his own customary signature. There are some, perhaps, wh<J will consider this point as a mere matter of moonshine—so let it be!

COUNTY MILITIA. — In consequence of his Majesty's Proclamation, contained in last Tuesday's Gazette, for filling up. vacancies in County Militias, his Grace the Duke of Beaufort, as Lord Lieutenant of this County, has appointed a Meeting of Deputy Lieutenancy for that purpose to he held at Usk, on Tues- day next, as will appear by the first advertisement in this page, to which our readers are referred, SECOND SUBSCRIPTION BALL.-On Monday next, a sort of holiday ball, for the gratification and amusement of the younger branches of our gentry, will be given at the King's Head Hotel. This juvenile ball will commence at seven, and terminate at ten o'clock after which, the elder votaries of Terpsichore will trip it on the light fantastic toe as usual. THE WEATHER.—After three or four bright days, with intense frost, the thermometer on Sunday being 22 degrees be- low the fieezing point, we were visited on Monday night with a deep snow, which did not, however, materially impede travelling in our district but in Gloucestershire, the whole vale was over- laid to the depth of twenty inches, which put a temporary stop to travelling on many of the roads in that county. It is believed that so much snow had not fallen in an equally short time for many years. It commenced just after midnight, and before seven o'clock on Tuesday morning, the turnpike roads and fields were one even expanse of snow. Neither of the Bristol coaches arrived in Gloucester on Tuesday; and carts which left that place for Cheltenham were more than five hours going the dis- tance of nine miles. Had there been a drifting wind the coaches, which made their stages with six horses, and with great diffi- culty, could not have travelled at all. The London Mail did not arrive here for more than three hours after its time. The disso- lution of the snow has been almost as rapid as its fall-on Fri- day morning scarcely a vestige could be seen. The workmen (thirty in number), employed by Mr. Nowell, the contractor, in making the alterations and improve- ments in our Town hall, Assize Courts, &c. were handsomely regaled on Tuesday with a Ghristtnias dinner and lots of punch, at the expense of the Corporation of the Borough, as a reward for their good conduct, and the satisfactory and near completion of the building. The entertainment was given in the noble and commodious room fitted up for the magisterial business of the town. The body of Benjamin Yeates, shoemaker, of this town, of whose supposed death by drowning we gave an account some weeks ago, was picked up yesterday in the river Wye below Redbrook. In times like the present, when distress is so severely felt by the farmer, it is gratifying to us to be enabled to record in- stances of the liberality of landlords towards their tenants and it is, therefore, with much pleasure we state, that the agent of William Jones, Esq., of Clytha House, in this county, has re- ceived directions to make a general abatement to that gentleman's tenants of 15 per cent. upon their present Christmas rents and that his brother, John Jones, Esq., of Llanarth Court, has also directed an immediate allowance of from 10 to 20 per cent. (ac- cording to circumstances) to be made to all his tenants. We have heard from good authority, that the estates of these gentle- men are let at very fair and moderate rents, and their conduct upon this occasion is therefore the more highly praiseworthy. It betrays a kind and benevolent sympathy for their tenantry, which does honour to their feelings, and proves that they are not un- mindful of the difficulties under which, it is feared, the tenants must, at the present moment, inevitably labour. An address to the King, and a petition to the House of Commons, of which the following is a copy, are now, we are informed, in circulation in the several hundreds of the county, and have already received numerous signatures :— To the honourable the Commons q/' Great Britain, in Parliament assembled.-The humble petition 01 the undersigned magistrates, gentlemen, clergy, freeholders, copyholders, occupiers of land, and householders (paying direct taxes), of the county of Mon- mouth, sheweth,—that deeply impressed with the perilous crisis in which our beloved country is placed, and led by woful expe- rience to attribute the evils under which we have so long laboured to the partial and utterly inadequate representation of the people in the Commons House of Parliament, and convinced that the lamentable change which has taken place in the moral principles of almost all classes of society is mainly to be attributed to the unconstitutional influence, unblushing corruption, and gross li- centiousness by which the elections of too many members of your honourable House have been tainted,—we humbly but earnestly beseech your honourable House to turn your eyes upon the defec- tive constitution of your own body, and to take the earliest and most effectual steps to render your honourable House a fair repre- sentation of the property and intelligence of your fellow subjects. And your petitioners will ever pray, &c. COMMITMENTS TO MONMOUTH GAOL.—December 23, George Parry, by Capel Hanbury" Leigh, Esq. charged, on the oath of Thomas Jenkins, of the parish'of Goytrey, with having burglariously entered and taken away from the dwelling-house of the said Thomas Jenkins, sundry articles, his property charged also, on the oath of Wm. Lewis, of the same parish, farmer, and John Matthews, his servant, with having, on the night of the 30th of November last, burglariously entered the dwelling-house of the said Wm. Lewis, and taken and carried away different monies, and various other articles, the property of the said Win. Lewis and John Matthews.—Dec. 27, Isaac Pritchard, by James Ashe Gabb, Clerk, Portreeve of the Borough of Usk, charged, on i ftu1 J°hn Jenkins, of the said Borough, with having, on t le bth of Dec. last, in company with David Edmunds and Wm. Lucas, committed a robbery on the person of William Lewis, of Clytha, weaver, on the King's highway, and taken from his per- son a watch and money, his property .—Dec. 31, James Harper and James Evans, by Joseph Pnce, Esq. charged with stealing s'x Vl'kies, the property of Arthur VV yatt, Esq. from the parish o t°hell Troy, on the night o> the 29th of December last. We feel pleasure in mentioning that distributions of coa! are being made, at this season of cheerless want, to the deserving poor of this town and neighbourhood. Upwards of 500 quantities were given away on Wednesday last, and which will be con- tinued as long as the subscriptions which some benevolent indivi- duals have raised shall furnish a supply. PONTYPOOL.—The total number sworn in and enrolled as special constables in this place and neighbourhood is 2060. In order that the men employed at the works might lose none of their time in being sworn in, Capel Hanbury Leigh, Esq., with his usual consideration and kindness, attended at their respective places of employment fot that puipose. A petition for Reform in Parliament has been agreed upon by the householders of Pontypool, and is now in a course of signature. A person who equivocates respecting his name, has been detected uttering forged notes of the late firm of Harrison & Co. Newport, in the neighbourhood of Llanhyddel, near Pontypool. He has been examined before the Magistrates, and is remanded until the circumstances shall have received further investigation. We hearthat the Magistrates acting for the lower division of Usk have been indefatigably employed in swearing in as spe- cial constables the inhabitants within their district. NEWPORT.—The Commissioners under the Act for Light- ing, Watching, and Improving this Borough, have appointed watchmen from the present period to the 25th of March next.- No watch boxes are allowed, and the watchmen are to go their rounds every half hour, from ten o'clock at night to six o'clock in the morning. To-morrow morning (the 2d of January) a sermon will be preached at St. Woolos Church, by the Rev. Mr. Coles, for the benefit of the Boys' National School, at Pillgwenlly. The examination of the girls at the Newport National School is to take place this day; and Sir Charles Morgan has fixed Tuesday, the 4th of January next, for the public examina- tion of the boys at the Newport British School, when a variety of trinkets and fancy articles, provided by the Ladies of Tredegar, will be disposed of, by way of lottery, for the benefit of the in- stitution. On Monday last three very large bitterns were shot in the neighboui hood of Abergavenny, and are now in the possession of Mr. Wm. Watkins, of the White Horse Inn, in that town. We understand that the prize awarded to Mr. Cadle, at the last annual December meeting of the Chepstow Agricultural Society, for the best general crop, was a silver cup, given by Col. Lewis. We learn with pleasure that there is no unusual want of employ among the labouring classes in the county or town of Brecon, and that the utmost order and exemplary conduct now prevail, and have done so throughout the county during the past year. At a late vestry meeting in the parish of St. Mary, Bre- con, there were fewer applications for relief than there have been at the same period, for the last 26 years. FOREST OF DEAN.—An orator of the Cobbett school has lately been gulling the poor miners in the Forest of Dean by in- flammatory speeches, misrepresenting the causes of their present distress. Having collected together a number of free miners at the village of Breame, he proceeded to harangue them on some topics which they could not understand, and then obtained a number of signatures to different blank sheets of paper, which he represented as intended petitions for doing away with the truck system. For promoting this object heppersuaded many of the poor creatures to subscribe their money, and promised to produce the petitions properly drawn up at a further meeting, to be held on Thursday se nnight. The orator again attended them on that occasion, but, instead of the petition, produced more blank papers to he signed. Finding that the suspicion of the miners was ex- cited, and well aware that discretion was the better part of valour, he did not wait to take leave of his company, but made the best of his way out of that neighbourhood. He ventured, however, to purs-re the same course on Saturday last, at Woollastone, but we believe with very indifferent success. We are desired to let this gentleman know that the Secretary of State has notice of his proceedings, and that eyes, to which those of the basilisk might seem dim, are carefully observing all his motions. HOUSEBREAKING.-Last week, the house of Mr. Smith, Bear Inn, Newnham, was broken open, and a variety of plate and other articles stolen thereout. On the same night, the house of Mr. Bisp, of Broadoak, and Mr. Mercer, of Westbury- on-Severn, were also broken open from the former a great coat and a caddy spoon were stolen, but nothing was taken from the latter. PORT or BRISTOL.—The arrivals at this port in the week before last, exceeded the number in any one previous week for the last five years. Bristol College will be opened on the 17th instant. PREFERMENTS.—The Rev. T. D. Forhroke, M.A F.A.S. n.F.R. S.L. &-to. to the Living of Walford, Herefordshire, and Perpetual Curacy of Ruardean, Gloucestershire, in the room of the late Rev. T. T. A. Read patron, the Rev. Thomas Hun- tingford, Precentor of Hereford, &c. The Rev. Charles Henry WTatling, B.D. Fellow and late Tutor of Jesus college, Oxford, has been licensed by the Lord Bishop of Gloucester to the Perpetual Curacy of Charlton Regis, vulgo Charlton Kings, upon the nomination of the Principal, Fellows, and Scholars, of the said society. WHITEHALL, DEC. 22.-The King has been pleased to order a letter to be directed to the Chapter of the Cathedral Church of Hereford, recommending unto them the Hon. and Rev. Edward Grey, A.M., to be chosen into the place of Dean of the said Cathedral Church, the same being void by the death of the Rev. Edward Mellish.-Gazette. HEREFORD.—We feel pleasure in stating that a place will be immediately opened for the cheap supply of Soup to the poor of this city and suburbs, on the same pbn as that of last winter.—The sum of J7. 14s was collected in the parish of St. Nicholas on Sunday last, by the Rector and Churchwarden, for the purpose of buying coal for the poor. We hope similar col- lections will be made in other parishes. At the breaking-up, for the holidays, of Mr. Berry's Grammar School, at Cardiff, the following young gentlemen were awarded the six Annual Silver Medals :—Master J. P. Evans, for Geography Robert Short and John Bradley, for English Grammar; Richard Lloyd, for Arithmetic; and W. Hood and Jonathan Smith, for Penmanship. A few years ago, a pig club was established at Whit- church, near Cardiff, by the labouring class of the parish, for the purchase of a pig each for their winter stock, which continues to the present time. The members have taken great pains in the selection of the breed of that useful animal, by crossing the Berk- shire with the Glamorgan and Mr. Edmund Lewis, of Derry Farm, the president for the present year, gained one of Sir Chas. Morgan's cups at his annual show on Thursday, the 16th Dec. COMMITMENTS TO CARDIFF GAOL.—On the 28th Dec., by Thos. Charles and John Bradley, Esqrs. bailiffs of the town of Cardiff, John Davies, a clerk in the employ of Mr. Pride, wharfinger, of the same town, to take his trial at the next quarter sessions for writing a threatening letter signed Swing," ad- dressed to Mr. Picton, of Ischoed, in the county of Carmarthen. -On the 27th instant, — Morgan, of Duffryn, farmer, for fur- ther examination, on suspicion of writing a threatening letter, signed Swing," to the Hon. Wm. Booth Grey, of Duffryn- House. His final examination was to take place on Thursday last. RARA AVIS.—On Wednesday, Mr. Bridle, of Sydney Gardens, received as a present for the aviary, a CUCkM, in fine plumage and health, taken from a hedge-sparrow's nest in, June 1829.-Bath Journal. We are happy to state that the clothing manufactories in Stroudwater and its neighbourhood are in full work. The in- dustrious classes are consequently happy and contented. The marriage of Miss Fitzclarence with Lord Viscount Falkland completes the matrimonial alliances of that family in the female line with the nobility of England. The husbands of these ladies (five in number) are—The Earl of Errol the Hon. J. Erskine Kennedy, (second son of Earl Cassilis ;) Mr. P. Sidney, (only son of Sir James Sidney ;) the Hon. Col. Fox and Lord Falkland. The only unmarried members of the family are Capt. Adolphus Fitzclarence, and the Rev. Aug. Fitzcla- rence, Rector of Maple Durham. It is understood that Lord Foley will succeed the Earl of Coventry in the Lord Lieutenancy of Worcestershire. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.—BLOOD STOCK.—The stud belonging to the late Richard Griffithes, Esq. of Thorngrove, was sold by auction on Monday last, at Mr. Jones's training stables, Prestbury, near Cheltenham, and produced the following prices: Fanny Leigh, (brood mare) by Castrtl sold for 135 gs. Palatine, (ditto) by Fiilw da Puta 100 Sylph, (ditto) by Spectre. 85 Harry, (a stallion) by Sir Harry, aged 75 Mosquito, by Master Henry, 5 years. 60 Barrabbas, by Banker, 4 years 85 Thorngrove. by Smolensko, 3 years 520 b. c. by Spectre, out of Fanny Leigh, 2 yeais 55 b. c. by Champignon, out of Sylph, 1 year 00 FOA LS. ch. f. by Reveller, out of Fanny Leish 70 b. f. by Reveller, out of Palatine 45 b. f. by Master Henry, out of Sylph 20 Friday evening se'nnight, an extensive ranae of sheds, on the brick works at Holt (the property of Mr. Wood, of Worces- ter), was burnt to the ground. There is little doubt that the fire was wilfully occasioned, and that the incendiary was a fellow dressed in the garb of a sailor, who had been selling matches in the neighbourhood. He had asked leave to sleep under the shed, which was refused, and, in a very short time after, the premises were in a blaze. Two unhappy convicts, Bushby and Goodman, tried at the Lewes assizes, one for setting a rick on fire, and the other a bstrn, are left for execution, and are expected to suffer at Hors- I ham this day.