Star. — London, England, 1827-12-20 00:00:00

COMMON HALL A Court of Common Hail .as yesterday held at the Goildhall, for the purpose of instituting an inquiry into the office of the Secondaries of the City of London, and & g aping the propriety of petitiooing Parliament to p l ace the betting of writs on the same footing in the ci ty o r London as it is already in other parts of the dom. Lose MAYOR said, that having received a requi lapa t equesting him to convene a Common Hall for i b e c onsideration of the subject which had just been rood to them by the Common Crier, he felt it his duty M d* so as early as possible. Mr.HUNT then stepped forward and addressed the wain . He had, he said, often appeared before them i o oddress them on the subject of their public grievan ce, bet he came forward to ask them to reform their woe body. The City of London had, unquestionably, B ri g ht elect their own Sheriffs, as had all the Coon -650f England, until, through apathy, those Counties s p ew ed the duty to devolve to the Crown. The City i d London had, thanks to our forefathers, not suf. •fr f ed it so to devolve, and the citizens, in consequence, bad the power of choosing their Sheriffs. It so happen id,boseeser, that in the City the Sheriff's Officer who m om a man has no power to give bail, so that when a m o o was arrested and offered bail, the officer must tell him that he has no power to take bail, but must apply to the Secondary. Now the Secondary's office was closed except during four hours of the day, and therefore the man must go to a lock-up house, or fee the officer very highly; and he had known as much as SO4 aye, ani 14 as a fee given to the officer. An attorney must he employed, and fees must be given to the attorney as cell as at the Secondary's Office. He knew one min in Cheapside who-was arrested for a debt he had actually paid, and had the receipt in his pocket, and who as dragged to jail without being allowed to offer. bel, because he resisted the extortion of the officer. He wished. however, to make charges against no man; it en against the system that he was directing his efforts. By the law uo man was allowed to take any thing for sbewing favour to a prisoner. There were regular fees & omen by law, foerpence for this, fourpence for that.' ands* ; but it was alleged on the part of the officers, that that Act passed in the reign of the Henrys, and that fon shillings then was as much as a pound now. The fact was, dud the office of the Under Sheriff was sold to the Secondary for 10,2004 Would any man pay such a sum for an office unless he intended to take illegal lees? He wished not so be personal, and not to allude either to the late Secondary or his successor; but the practice was bad, and the officer was not. so much to blame, for, out of every pound of these extravagant fees; be got but half-a-crown, a sum which could scarcely remunerate him for hi. trouble, though much less thaa was usually extorted would amply repay him for every kindness which be could shew a prisoner. He (Mr. Hunt) spoke not feelingly on this subject, - for he was user in a lock-up house in his life, except to assist a friend in distress; but it might be any man's case, for• noose could tiny that when our •Government might pall another million or two out of the pockets of the ro t le, for the purpose of enabling our good Ally of Russia to oppress and dethrone our old Ally of Tur key, in order to get nearer to our robberies in the East—no man could say in what situation such changes might place himself and his property. No doubt but die Secondaries werevery worthy men, but it was very strange that they should have refused to be examined by the v. s Cruet that appointed them. He should call upon the Meeting to agree to a Petition to Parlia ment requeting an Act to be passed, which, while it wool+ :.iford'lsniple'remuneration to the officer, would also psotect the party arrested from extortion. They bad b en often taunted in Parliament when seeking for a reformation in Parliament, and asked Why they disk sot Worth themselves? They were now, he hoped, Mt' to reform thcmselies. He could not enter fully into tbei abuses which took place under the present system, ee would be done by his friend, Mr. Charles Pearson, she. bad known hundreds of cases of great hardship and oppression under the present system. Mr. Hunt thea read a series of Resolutions (for which see the Advertise ment in enrfiret page). The Common Crier then put the first resolution,which was agseed to. When the second Resolution was put by the Crier. Mr. TAYLOR said, that it was somewhat inaccurate to say that the citizens were still in possession of tha power of choosing their Sheriffs. They had that power once, but by a kind of usurpation, it was now vested in the Livery. He also qdestioned the utility of the present. proceeding, because Parliament never took such sub jects in hand that they did. apt curtail the privileges of the City. The matter was in course of investigation by the Law Officers of the City, and he thought tt.would be better to leave it to them than to apply to Parliament. Mc. Hums. then said that he would alter the words of his Resolution to meet . the wishes of Mr. Taylor, by inserting the word "Livery" instead of " Citizen.“— Why had slot Mr. Taylor told the Meeting that the Cor porstioo was abbot to sell the place again? Alderman WA ITW WAN spoke in favour of the Motion; and ultimately the whole of the Resolutions were carried. In the late representation of the pretty entertainment called ErilgUshered rWerech, the public rapturously ape plauded a passing allusion, which the authors thought it right to add. fbe object of the piece is to prove that each succeeding day has a tendency to abate those na tional prejudices which, during so long a period, made two neighbouring and rival nations enemies. To the proofs which Sir Richard bad hitherto given, be added, ' and " wit have fought together at Navarin." We do sot know what delicacy could be wounded by a phrase an perfectly in unison with public opinion,and so corn pletely justi fi ed by the honours which he King has bestowed on Admiral CODRIXOTON, and by the testi vinuials of esteem which our brave Vice Admiral De ItiQyr bas received from the King of England. What •lver the cause,. the last time the performance of Messrs. BAYARD and G. de WAILI.r was repeated, the phrase *as discontinued, and a French audience was no longer permitted to applaud sentiments which were shared by the Kings of Frrince and England. If. and it is difficult to doubt it, this suppression is the work of the dramatic censor, it will be understood from this example with what fidelity the subordinate agents of power, obedient to a secret impulse, constantly work in opposition to the known acts of a Royal Government. This spirit is seen every where; in things the most unimportant in themselves, the same system of deception and hypocrisy is apparert.—Jourrial do Debra: of Saturday. A few days since, upwards of thirty large silver dishes were discovered buried in a cave, in an outhouse attached to the premises of --. SPLAT, Esq. of Brix ton, about six miles from Plymouth, by three labourers in the service of the above-named Gentleman, Who were employed in enlarging the cave for the purpose of depositing potatoes. 'I be dishes are said to be several hunched pounds in value, and from the fashion and descriPsienkeltlika ntoskenanship, ago "would 19 hare been as about the reign of Clocai Menn.--Divoe• port ZWeSTVA. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. SPARRING. Whiteisesded Bob, new matched against Ned Na). toor Ids hamiltat the Tennis Court yesterday ; and althongh the weather was extremely unfavourable, the Court was well attended by ama teurs of consequence. As on former occasions, however, the ossiffrad l heroes proved - that they were not staunch io their own interests,' for a few of the doss were at the seratc.h, and the setong•to was Inks. Neal was present, but front indisposition did not set to; and Tom Belcher not having Bob,ecovered from the injury in his knee from his last trial wi t h Bo was not able to take the gloves. Neither Ward nor Crawley were in atteodance. Among the competitors were--Jena Burn and Tom Gaynor, Harry Jones and a Candid.* Amateur. Jem Raines and the Pea.soup Gardener ; Spencer and Fisher, from Hereford (a novice) ; and, as a wind-up, Whitelsesded Bob and Belem°. Bob returned thanks for the kind patronage be had received, and lamented that the elements were unfavourable to his friends. PIGEON SHOOTING. A good Pigeon Match took place on Tuesday, near Carlisle, be tween Mr. Bunn and Mr. Wilmot, two Gentlemen of fortune, for 20 guineas a-side. The terms of the match were 12 birds each, 20 yards distance (rem the trap; two traps. both pulled at once,' double barrelled guns. stoking it a double shot. Mr. Been killed his lit, sd, 4th, sth, 7th, SO, 10th, and 12tb, making two dooble shots; his adversary killed his sth, 6th, 7th. Bth, Bth, 11th, and 12th, making three double shots, but losing the match by goo bird. Birds, the best blue rooks. WALKING BACKWARD& _ Mr. G. Abernetlty,aGentien;namatetr;yesterday, undertook, for a wager of Se son, to walk backwards three miles In half an hour. Betting was 6 and 7to 4 against him. The match came off near EaAdd, and was lost by on minute and CV seconds. NAVAL INTELLIGEN CE. Yesterday a Court of Directors was held at the East India House, when Captain Twomas WILLIAM BASILOW was sworn into t►e command of the ship George the Fourth, consigned to Bengal and China. The Vine, of South Shields, Nixon, was run down, on the !nth instant, off Sincere!! Bank, by the Brothers, of South Shields; crew sewed. 'ltla William, of Larne, bound to Liverpool, was totally wrecked near Lancaster, on Monday. The Pacific, of Limerick, was sunk in the ice, at Miramichi, on the 14th ultimo. Seventy-seven packages of dry goods, and three casks of glass and earthenware, had been saved from the Aurora. Foramina, wrecked near New York; but the wind continuing from W.N.W. ail the cargo was expected to be saved. Dash Dec. has blown strong all day from S.W. and septilla of ten. The outward-bound appear to ride well. Arrived the Rival, Torr, from Trieste; and Ipswich, from bliransichi. Nemours, Dec. I!.—lt has blown very bard the whole of last bight and to-day front the N. W. with incessant rain. The whole of the ootward-bound ride safely. Lrvgarom, Dec. la.—The Mary, HowtAro, from New Or leans, is still on shore; but the leak is stopped, and she is expected to be got of next tide. SOCIIII7OST. Dee. 16.—The Reward, Goss, from Messina to Liverpool, was got off this morning, and may be taken to Liver pool with the assistance of a steamer. DUMFRIES, Decennia th, Thursday was a truly dreadful night ; the sea, on our coast, ran asountaim high, and amidst the violence of the tempest, the brig Alexander, of Liverpool, laden with a valuable cargo from Quebec, either missed, or was driven from her coarse, and by passing St. Bees in a wrong direction, got involved in the intricate navigation of the Solway. From the darkness of the night, and othet circum stances, the crew were ignorant both of the bearings and dangers of the toast. The Alexander, in this way, soon got to windward at the narrow channel, and after a shock that might have started the very stoutest timbers, stuck fast on a sand bank—locally known by the name of Drumroof. To move her was impassible, to save her equally vain and hopeless; and from the first moment she ceased to float, the waves lashed her sides, and spouted over her deck with such fury that she began to break up at the approach of the high morning tide. The crew, though placed in the greatest jeopardy, remained on board as long as they could; but when every hope of saving the vessel bad lied, they betook themselves us their boat, and in place of tempting the dangerous suet that was whitming and chafing against the Scottish coast, made for,and reached t►e harbour of hlaryport. At Southwick, Bumfoot, 12 logs of oak, 45 ditto of pint,ind4Scart loads of staves have been cast on shore, as also the ketid•and peeved the stern of the unfortunate brig. Fragments of be are strewed along the whole coast, and the narkings on these sufficiently indicate that they were filled with pot and pearl ashes. From other flirts of the wreck the Alexander appears to he cop per bottomed, and was not only a valuable ship, but contained a very valuable cargo. We are happy to add, that the customhouse officers are atrenuomly exerting themselves to collect and secure the mate rials hitherto cast *ashore, and that they receive every COUSterldlOr and assistance from General Dunlop, of Southwick. The stern of imaer vessel has been cast ashore. The mist near the Brow is currently reported to be strewed with staves asW , other Wreck, and there. is some reason to fear that a Greenock vessel has she gone to pieces in the Solway. Of the crew we have beard stoaccouot whatever. The Utility, Bunt, of Dumfries, was totally lost on the Banks of IfewfoundLand, and an the crew perished. The wreck was seen, we understand, by Captain MURPHY of the Isabella, lately arrived at Port Carlisle. Captain Burr was a Bovroessman. A boat, with the words " Clarke, Dumfries," inscribed en the nom, was found on Saturday set:might upon the beach near Brow houses, parish of Gretna. EDINBURGH, Dzcziszsal 18. HIGH COURT OF JUSTICIARY. Yesterday Hugh Antidies: and Eaphensia Lawson or 141 4 Milton, his wife, were brought up for trial, on an in. dictment for murder, and a statutory offence laid under', 6th Geo. IV. cap. 126, intituled, a An Act to prevent the malicious shooting at, and attempting to maim or disfigure any of his Majesty's subjects ;" in so far as on ' , the 18th October last, both the primers, or each or one' or other of them, upon the stair leading to the house in Jligli.street, in which they lived, and where the now ' deceased Archibald Campbell, painter at teacher of dancing, also resided, did throw upon his head and face, and other parts of the body of the deceased, a quantity of sulphuric acid, or other corrosive or burning sub. stance, which inflamed or burned him in so violent a degree, that he died, in the Royal Infirmary, on the SOth of October; or otherwise that the prisoners, or one of them, at the time and place aforesaid, did throw a quan tity of sulphuric acid, or corrosive substance, calculated to injure the human frame, with the intent to minder, maim, or disfigure the said Archibald Campbell; the prisoners both pleaded Not Guilty. Dr. Adam Hunter saw the deceased in the Royal Infirmary on the 18th October, and as to the injuries Campbell had received, their acting cause must have been from acid fluid, and was present at the dissection at. she body, and described the veins bf the arm as highly inflamed ; the left eye was completely destroyed, which could never have recovered from its effect.— There was also a small quantity of water about the brain. Drs. Cullen, Russell, Christian, and Nisbet were also examined; all of whom fully confirmed Dr. Hunter's statement.—Several other witnesses were examined. The Loan Jorrica Ctattx having at considerable length summed up the evidence, The Jury retired for a few minutes, who, on their return, unanitioully found Hugh MiMillan Not Guilty, and Euphemia M'Millan Guilty; but recommended her to mercy. Lord Gicuas, in proposing the sentence of the Court, bald the statute under which the prisoner had been con-. victed left the Court no alternative but to pronounce the last sentence of the law, which he proposed should be carried into execution on hdnesday 2Scl January next. The unhappy woman, who has been convicted, is the first pay n found guilty on such a charge since the alteration in the law.—(Edinburgh 06server.) Foasaa.—We are glad to announce the safe arrival of our townsman, Mr. THOMAS Danumoun, who ac companied the expedition to North Artistica, under the superintendence of Captain Fnamin and Dr. RICH ARTMOII. Wears assured that Mr. Dausamoun advanced some hundred miles farther than was ever done by any European. He has Woe& home a vast number of piimee t many of them of the 94th class, and OW of titan new to 13: kaki. LAW 'INTELLIGENCE. 'Clinntt OF CI4ANCERY, Dictum 19. IN is lIANTZR, A 11.1141,1/11tOPT. Mr‘Kntaist, who had on a former occasion obtained two writs of Habeas Corpus for bringing up persons of the names of Gluing and Corbet from Newgate, to which prison they had been sent by the Commissioners under the above banktuptcy, for not ttnswerisg satis factorily cettain questions put to them, now Appeared in support of their application to be discharged. The reading of the return was dispensed with, and the Counsel proceeded to state the circumstances of the case as it applied to Gissing. This prisoner was thoshopman of the bankrupt, and it having been suggested to the Commissioners during the progress of the bankruptcy, that there had been an unfair preference of some of the creditor's by delivering to them goods in contemplation of the approaching insolvency, the shopman was ex amined for the purpose of ascertaining that fact. The witness was examined twice, and in reply to all the' questions which had been put to him on the first occa• sion, he said that he neither knew nor believed that there had been a clandestine delivery of the bankrupt's stock to any of his creditors. On the second occasion he was reminded that a man of the name of Pig, to whom the bankrupt was indebted for fitting up his - house, had re ceived goods from him. The witness admitted that this was so; that the goods were looked out after the shop was shut up at night, and that he supposed Pig had them, because he doubted whether he should get his debt ; but he persisted in saying that he did not think the delivery was clandestine, nor that it was made by way of preference. Upon this, the Com missioners ordered him to be sent to Newgate. The Counsel proceeded to argue, that the question being one, the answer to which was a matter of inference, and not of fact, the witness ought not to have been committed because his conclusion as to what was or was not a preference differed from that of the commissioners. The question, too, otassone which did not materially affect the matter fn hand, because, if the Commissioners wanted any information on the subject, they might ob tain it from Mr. Pig, whom they had a right to et amine, and who could gi►e them certain and positive information on this subject, which the witness whom they had committed could, at the best, only form an opinion upon, which might or might not turn out to be correct. Mr. Rose and Mr. %ADM were heard in supportof the commitment. The LORD CHANCELLOR said, he was of opinion, after considering the examination, and taking it all together, that the answers of the witness were not satis factory, He must have had opportunities of observing all that was done by the bankrupt, and with such op portunities, and with the suspicions which it appeared from other parts of his evidence had been excited by the bankrupt"! conduct, he mull have known something respecting the alleged preferences. At all events, he might have given more distinct, and less equivocal, an swers than he had thought fit to do. As soon as he altered his mind in this respect, he might be brought up again Wore the CoMmissioners ; but at present his Lordshipwasof opinion that his commitment was right. The ether dist was then brought on by Mr. KNIGHT. The person Who had been committed was the book keeper of the bankrupt. He stated that a leaf had been cut out of one of the books by the bankrupt to the wit ness's knowledge, and that the bankrupt alleged it was a mistake, and that •be would enter the account con tained in such leaf in another part of the books. He was examined as to the state of the bankrupt's accounts, and it appeared that he had incurred debts to the ,amount of 6,0001. in a period of ten months, during 'which he carried on the business of a linendraper at Norwich. At the time of his bankruptcy, his effects were not worth more than 2,0001. so that there was a deficiency Of 4,0001. in a singularly short space of time. lt was with sf view to obtain from the witness some in formation se,pecting the disposal of the deficiency that he bad been subjected to a long examination. He ad twitted that he thought it could not have been made away with by fair means ; but when he was asked what he believed had been done with it, he answered he did not know. The Commissioners repeated thei questions—explained to the witness that he was no: asked as to his knowledge, but as to his belief—and to all these questions he replied that he did not know, and he would not in any instance state what his belief was. For this he had been committed, the Commissioners de ciding that his answers were not satisfactory. Mr. KNIGHT now contended that this commitment was illegal—that the witness was not compellable to state his belief—that even if he had done so, the object of the examination would not have been furthered by it, and that therefore the prisoner was entitled to his discharge. The Loan CnAticarioa, after hearing Counsel on the other side, was of opinion that the witness had fur nished proper answers to all the questions of the Corn mis!ioners relating to facts, and that he was not called upon to state his belief in the way that it had been required of him. He therefore ordered him to be discharged. VICE CHANCELLOR'S COURT, Dec. 19. COO!! V. TWINAM-SAIIII V. COLLITT, AND WADI AND TWYNAII. These were cross bills filed between the parties, upon which the Vice Cstascat.Loa this morning gave judg ment. The details are totally uninteresting. The only question of importance that %cis raised was—the right a surety had to take any collateral security, that a cti ditor may hold 'spoil his paying off the debt. His }foams decided that the surety was not entitled to take any except they were delivered at the same ties he became surety, and deposited expressly for that debt. COURT OF KING'S- BENCH, Dsc. Settings in Undi;n: before ord MITICIDIX a'nel a Coalmen hwy. BARDILI. V. ZRZTT. This was an action op a warranty of a hone. The plaintiff, who is a livery stable keeper, was at Barnet fair last year, where he purchased from defendant. who is a horse dealer, a mare for 321. and a horse fot 191. He perceived at the time that the mare had a cold, and remarked the circumstance to defendant, who said that it was very slight; that he had purchased the snare about six weeks before at Northampton, from a person who had warranted her sound to him, and that he would warrant her sound to the plaintiff. Before he conk her away, defendant advised the plaintiff to give her some physic, and to take a little blood from her, and she would do very well. On his warfroun Bar net fair, plaintiff found that the mare coughed much, and was weak. Blood was taken from her, andvvery care and attention paid to her, but in about six weeks she died. On being opened and examined, it appeared that her lungs were in a sea• thered state, and that she must .have been unsound at the time she was bought. These facts were proved by the plainsira son. On his cross-examination, be said the mare was put into harness, and defendant had never offered totake the mare back, as far as witness knew. Other witnesses corroborated this testimony. A tetetinary surgeon who attended the maze proved,l that from the state in which he saw her lungs, she most have been unsound when defendant Mad her to ilaintit. She had rabereles on herfongs. This.showert that the inflammation maltase been of long standiegs The'defence was,; that the mare was perfectly sottod at the time she was sold , by defendants and that SO 'Airs fled was the plaintiff of this fact, that. plaintiff had tes fused an offer of defendant to take back the mare, and to give 21. premium on the price which plaintiff had paid him. To prove this, defendant's counsel produced a:kJ following evidence: John Spencer proved thathe sold the mare to de fendant at Northampton fair, in. April, 1846 (plaintiff purchased her in Nay). Sbe wasperfectly sound when witness told her. He knew her for three months before, and was in the habit of seeing her once a week. He got 301. for her. Oa his cross-examination, he could not say whether the mare he sold the defeadaht was the same which the latter had sold to plaintiff It was a brown mare, 13 hands and a half high, with white marks on the feet. Another witness, who was servant to defendant at the time, proved that the latter offered to repurchase the mare back, and to give 21. more for her than plaintiff` had paid him. Plaintiff refused, and said he would keep her for his son. Another veterinary surgeon proved that tubercles the consequence of inflammation,• which is always awslir den with horses. The appearance of them did nok.et cessarily indicate the existence of disease for six eteekii . before. On his cross-examination he said he had not seen die mare after death. A person who had seen her would-be . a much better judge. Another witness spoke of a mare sold to defendant 14 Spencer, but he could not say whether that was thd mare which plaintiff had bought. Lord TINTERDIII left it to the Jury to decide upon the conflicting evidence, observing that the identity of the mare sold by. Spencer to defendant, and by him to plaintiff, was by no means clearly made out. The Jory found a verdict for the plaiiti#, of .37i. foe the value Of the mare and her keep. PRIFILE , OF OF WITNILSOM • Mr. Coin made application to the Court on behalf of a person who was coining to give evidence in a cause set down fur trial, but who was arrested for debt by a Sheriff's of f icer on his way. The officer and his prisoner were now in Court. Lord TINTARDIN ordered them before hint, awl the Gentleman having been sworn, produ:ed his subpoena, and stated, that Le wai on his way to Court to gime evidence when he was arrested in Sr. Paul's church• yard. His Lordship ordered his immediate discharge. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, D. it). HAYTHORNI AND WRIGHT V. LAltelN. This was an action brought to obtain damages for at} alleged libel. The defendint had pleaded the geneial issue—Not Guilty. Mr. Sergeant TADDY stated the plaintiffs' case. His clients, Messrs. Haythorne and Wright, mere the pro prietors of the City Batik, in Bristol, men of high pn. polarity in their particular profession of banking, and the general rank of private society. With feelings . ot great surprise did these respectable persons see In the Times newspaper, of the 21st Jaly last, a ktter signed 1 , Robert Taylor," in which they were accused of a want of just and moral feeling, and a Elle ted desire of persecution on account of religious diffsrence of faith. The letter containing this heavy charge avainst the plaintiffs was addressed to the Editor of the Tithes newspaper, of which the defendant is printer, and ran in these words: " TO rat vanes dr Tlllll-nitt& Sia—Your sense of justice and of duty to the public would Induce:five to recall, or greatly modify. the severity of your remake upon the moral conduct of the unhappy persons confined in this prison, had you given a due consideration to the (acts, which a day's inquiry would ascertain. There are, indeed, petsons of all de. mriptions cooßned here, and among them some as far as any of your readeis from being of the character which you assume to be the general one—whose cases present the strongest Illustration, not, - as you suppose, of the want of moral feeling in themselves, but of the total absence of justice and humanity in those who have coo. lined them. Of this number am I, a prisoner, to gratify the blgot. ted maliciousness and intolerance of persecuting Quakers: but,' neither a criminal, nor, in any just. sense of the word, a debtor to any man: For an accommodating acceptance, (redolently obtained front roe seven years ago, at the instigation of Hiytitorne and Wright, of the Bristol City Rank,who knew of the fraud.by Whisk It was obtained, as they took it from notorious swindlersoodi tweet gave any value to me or to any one elm nn its account, I have teen aagested, and likely to remain here for three months, cot a front the means of procuring any subsistence, thi Retaining creditors well knowing that I had no hope of power to pay them, and re. mainiog inexorable to alt intreaties for my discharge, from no other inducement than the difference of their religious sentiments front mine, and the pious wish to throw. all possible discouragement its the way of my defence from the two indictments for blasphemy, and one for conspiracy, now pending over me. kam, Sir, your obedient Servant, ROBERT TAYLOR."' " King's Bench Prison, July 20." Could there be any thing blacker, more atrocious, than the accusation urged in that leuer against his re' spectable clients? Mr. Wright belonged to the reli gloat. Society of Friends, usually dehomanated Quakes', and to him, therefore, in particular, the venom of the applied. To both the plaintiffs, however, bigotry, into!erance, persecution, and malignity were ascribed, and all these• abominable feelings tl ey were alleged to entertain against the writer of the letter, merely :because he differed from them in religion. The ,author of that letter was, at the date of writing it, wider prose cution for blasphemy, and in the Jetta she, it itnated that the plaintiffs had been instigated in their conduct towards. him by a desire to deprive him of the means of making an available defence against these preseentious. This chatge then did, in effect, impute to the plaintiffs a baseness of the blacke s t .kind, and such as lef;...him totally at a .loss to conjecture what sort of defence the Editor of the :rinses could set up against it. Snrely s the Editor, on seeing.-the atrocious nature of the charge, might have taken even a day's time to consider apd quire into the character of the persons to whom tisk violent degree of intolerance was ascribed, and who wear, held out to the world at men capable of taking # biY from a set of swindlers for the purpose of persecutibri. Against such foul and venomous accusations, there was no protection for private character, except by an appeal ! to a Jury of the country. When such an attack, -so published, appeared on the - breakfast table of the frier* of the party attacked, what was the consequence'. Why, that with all their desire to suppose his innocence, they could not convince themselves whether he was, ist truth, innocent or guilty of the facts alleged. The ores* was wed in former times, to confine its attacks to public charactert ; it was only in recent years that it pt esumed to take a' wider range—to enter the sacred circles of private tocieth pnd outrage private feeling. The only remedy to which the plaintiffs could resort against this unjustifiable outrage, was an appeal to a Court of Justice; and to the Gentlemen then empannalled on the July et they appealed with-confidence for protection aphis' the slander published by the defendani: The publication of the libel was admitted bj Counsel for the defence. M. John Wear examined---Is - vaehier to the Chi Bank at Bristol; Mebsr,.. Hay 'borne and Wriattati t the proprietors, and Mr.Wright•is Quaker ;itis at flic . able a ban 44 k as any one; from Ito 18Yrit lap • ~~