The National Register. — London, England, 1820-02-27 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF KING'S BENCH, FRIDAY, Fen. 25. INFORMATIONS AGAINST 'VENDORS OF PERIODICAL WORKS. THE KING V. SHORTER. The defendant, who had been convicted yesterday of publishing a libel, by . selling the 2d number of the " Kepoblican," was this mooting tried on another infor mation. charging lout with publishing the 3d number of the saute work; coniatning a gross and scandalous libel nit the character of the Prince Itegetit. The defendant read from a paper the same defence that he had offered on the former trial, Toe Jury, without hesitation, returned a verdict of— Guilty. THE KING V. WATLIK AND SAINSBURY. These informations were tiled against these defend ants for selling the same publication. Tne Attorney- General, however, declined to prosecute these Minima tions,as he trusted the ends of justice had becu answered by other convictions. THE RING V. DOLBY. This case having been called, the defendant put in an affidavit, stating that Mr. Sherwin, a material witness, was at present at Nottingham, and was not expected back to London before Sunday next. The defendant deposed that in the :device of this witness lie did not think it sale to go to trial : and thetefore he begged that his trial might be postponed. 'Toe Attorney-Getieral said, under the circumstances, which had been stated to the Court, he should not ob ject to the postponement which the defendant asked. THE KING V. VFEDDEREURNE. This was a erimitial information, charging the de fendant with having used blasphemous language with the intent to excite impiety and irreligion in the minds of his Majesty's subjects, and to vilify the Christian religion. Mr. Sheffield opened the pleadings ; and the Solicitor General, in the absence of the Attorney-General, stated the case to the Jury. The defendant suggested the propriety of the wit nesses being examined separately, which was readily acceded to by the Solicitor-General. William Plush was then called. He knew a place in Hopkiiis-street, near Windmill-street, where debates were held. The place of meeting was called Hopkins-street cha pel. Witness was directed to go to that place. to hear a debate, out the 25th of anober last, and went ac cordingly. The sti*et of debate was. " N'tihether the refusal of Chief Justice Abbott to allow Mr. Car. life to read the Bible in his defence was to be attributed to the sincere respect he had for the sacred writings, o to a fear lest the absurdities they contained should be exposed?' Two persous spoke ma the subject before the defendant. Robert Wedderlitutie then rose ; and, after complimenting the two speakers who had 'preceded him, begged leave to ta I their attention to a few of the absur. dices which they had not opoiiced. He then said, " Christianity, it is true, has been introduced, but it has never been billowed. Judge Abbott, no doubt, 1131 read ihe Bible. and knows pretty well th.: absurdities it contains." The witness went tin to detail a great num ber of blasphemous expressions, disgusting to read or hear. Cross-examined by the defendant —Did you commit this account of what 1 said to w g?—l did ; part of it that evening, and the rest on the following morning. Of what religion are you ? Of the Christian religion, and bred in the principles of the Church of England. Seriously, and 011 your oath, you say the question proposed for discussion that night was worded as you have stated ? Yes; the question was read by the person in the chair. You have sworn that the words were " lest the ab surdities it contained should be exposed." Now. there your memory tails, fur the words were, " lest the sup posed absurdities," Ste. The Lord Chief Justice toformed the defendant, that he might put questions to the witness at present; but ttis was not the proper stage for making observations on st se evidence. The at tine to nukes his defence. Defentlasit.—llid not I say that Christ taught his dis ciples that they mould not call or ack n ow O ledge them *elves kings. rabbis, priests, or fathers? rdo you believe that I said what you have related ?—You said what l have before related. Matthew Nlatthewson was then examined by Mr. Littledale. He accompanied the former witness to llopkitts-street chapel on the evening in question, and .corroborated every part of his evidence. The defendant. being called on for lits defence, said, he was the offspring of a slave. Bud had been neglected by a Christian lather. As he was a 4 'Westgate himself; lie thought, whets at home, that if he could once get h to a Christian country lie should be happy; but, ou is arrival here, he found the member of sects so great, that his mind was distracted with doubts raised by the opinions which were entertained by them. lie first belonged to the establishment; then he adopted the Caleinistie opinions. and Afterwards fell into the Uni tarian persuasion. He inquired into the subject, and found that by the laws of the country lie could he licensed as an Unitarian preacher. When he obtained that license he certainly had no suspicion of being called to account for what he was nosy charged ooh. As he was but an ithiliferetit reader, he begged that the Court would allow a written efnce to be read by some other person who was bett d er e qualified than him off. He then gave in a written paper, tvliich was read by Nit'. Abbot. the clerk of Nisi Prius. The Solicitor General replied, and the Lord Justice briefly tionhilled Up the et Ocoee. The Jury retired f or .ebout titree quarters of an hour and on their return they stated, tinent.l,ll their ioreman, Mr. Ald.C. Smith, that tiny had fottlikt the tleletidato guilty of the charge bryught againA lino, but that they THE NATIONAL REGISTER. recommended him to mercy in consequence of his unt having had the benefit of parental care. THE KING V. JOBBINS AND THE KING V. HIRRIB. In both these cases the record was withdrawn for want of evidence. CHEAP WINE CONIPANY. THE KING V. CHAREES JAMES WRENCH. This was an indictment against the defendant, for wilful and corrupt perjury. The prosecutors were Messrs. Thomas and Richard Abbous, the component members of the Commercial Hall Wine Company, in Skinner.street, Fleet-market. The prosecution was conducted by the Solicitor-Ge neral and Mr. Curwood; and the defence by Mr. Scar let and Mr. Campbell. IL will be recollected, that in Michaelmas Term, 151 R, a criminal information was moved against the prosecu tors, for alleged improper and illegal conduct, in the course of their trade as wine merchants, in having purchased wines fur teady money of needy traders, who took up the wines upon credit, and sold them again to the prosecutors at half their price. On that occasion the defendant, NVrench, who had become abaukrupt, was the person on whose affidavit the motion was prin cipally 3rounrled. He deposed to a variety of circum stances, tending to shew, that he was an instrument in the hands of the prosecutors for the purpose of carrying on their traffic, to the prejudice of the (air wine trader, and the injury of the deponent's creditors.—Froth un-, avoidable delay, not imputable to the prosecutors, cause was not sliewn until Easter Perm last, against the mos Lion for a criminal information, when the Court, after hearing the matter fully discussed, discharged the rule, but without costs. Since then Messrs. A bbotts pre ferred an indictment of perjury against the defendant, founded epou the affidavit above mentioned.—The charge was founded upon the following passages in the defendant's affidavit;—' That on the 25th of June deponent called at the counting-house of the said Tho mas and Richard Abbots, to receive a check of 641. (for wines sold by him); and on leaving the counting-house the said Thomas Abbots walked after him, and told him, that if he was in want of money, he had plenty at command to buy purchases, and deponent might depend' Nam his keeping secret and confidential any transaction between them ;" and, " that on another occasion, in conversation, the said Thomas and Richard Abbott, inquired if he had any port wine in his cellar? to which this deponent replied that he had not; they, then told hint, if he should have any, or get any, he was to briug it to them." Roth these statements were alleged by the indictment to be false. To support the prosecution, Messrs. Abbott' were se verally called, and they positively swore, that no such conversations as those stated by the defendant in his affidavit, had ever taken place between them and the defendant. Another witness examined was their prin cipal clerk, named Gorway. On the cross-examination of these witnesses, it appealed that "The Commercial Hall Company" consisted only of Messrs. Abbott*, brothers ; that Al r. Thomas, the elder brother, was the secretary, and Mr. Richard, the younger, the salesman; that they were in the habit of selling fine old port at 305. per dozen, which they announced to their custo mers in printed circulars; that the amotant of their transactions with the defendant, in the armirse of nine months, was tonal. gs. ed.; that on the occasion referred to in die indictment, they gave the defendant only 641. for two butts amid three hogsheads of sherry, and that on several occasions they bought of him a few dozens of port wine at a time. It was stated that the prices given to the defendant for his wine were the current prices of the market for ready money, and that he was the person who applied to them, and not thcy to hint in these transactions. Mr. Scarlett, in an able address to the Jury, con tended that this prosecution was merely an attempt on the part of the prosecutors to bolster up their character, and (ruin their own skewing, he hoped the Jury would treat it with the contempt which lie entertained for their proceedings. The Chief Justice summed up the case with minute ness and impartiality, and the Jury immediately found the defendant—Not Guilty. When the verdict was pronounced, a burst of satis ' faction escaped from the auditory, which called forth the animadversion of the Chief Justice, as being highly Injurious to the administration of justice. • FROM TUESDAY NIGHT'S (LIZETTE. BANKRUPTCY ENLARGED. J. Nightingale, Howden , Yorkshire , confectioner, from Feb. 29, to March its. BANKRUPTS. R. Jackson. Oatley, Yorkshire. woollen-draper. Solicitors. Messrs. Few, Ashmore, and Hamilton, Henrietta Street, Covent Garden. J. Ellis, Wellingore. Lincolnshire, maltstcr. Sols. Messrs. Lodington and Ilan, Temple. J. Cheetham, Stockport. Cheshire. cotton spinner. and W. Wright. Glossop, Derbyshire, machine maker. Soli. Messrs. Hurd and Johnson, Temple. C. Welman, Illminster,linen draper. Sols. Mears. Adlington and Gregory. Bedford Row. T. Robinson. Cambridge, butcher. Sols. Messrs. J. and R. Smith. Hatton Garden. E. Gratwick. Milton. Kent. innkeeper. Sols. Messrs. Clutton and Caner, High Street. Southwark. .1. Amon, Bede Sauvage-yard, stationer. Sol. Mr. Templet, M jimmies. .1. Brooks, Great Windmill Street, Westminster, butcher. Sol. Mr. Lurnalen, Clifthrtl's Inn. .1. iongilew, Cam. Gloucestershire, coal merchant. Sols. Messrs. Atllington and Gregory, Bollbril Row. W. Hatch, Ecclesum. Lancashire, corn merchant. Sol. Mr. Ithikelock.Serjeant% Inn. .1. Oliver, Barnsp.sth, Durham. cattle dealer. Sols. Messrs. Bl unt a n d Bowman. Old Itro.ul Street. W. Carter. Min Nuneaton, Warwickshire, silk manufacturer. Sol, Mr. Filimital Stsinn,.. Street. J. RUN I)CViZeS. innkeeper. 5.1. NIL strabge, Devizes. .1. and J. IVoutt, Thames, Wakdieltl, ,iyirs. Sol. .Ir. Lake, Cateition Street. M. 114,^.n, Sunderland, near the Sea, grocer. Sul. Mr. Hintlmard4 C esceut, Cripplegate. DIVIDW.NDS. March 15, P. Deakin and J. Oughton, Deritend Mills. Warwickshire, wire drawers-16, E. roman. North Shitldr, master mariner-14. .1. Greenwood. Handsworth "'Woodhouse. Yorkshire, timber merchant-1 S, W. Oswell, Angel Court. Thregniorton Street, inercliant-I , i. .1. Blain. High Street, Shad well, grocer -25, J. Lock, II igli Streer, Woolwich, vie tualler-25, W. M. 011111SJIC, High Holborn, mu icul inttro ment maker—tn. J. Hu'lncite, Catherine Street. Strand, button seller-18, W. lioustield. May's Building's, St. Martin's Lase, woollen tlnipm-16. ii. Falkner, Liverpool, pincer. CERTIFICATES to be grantekl, Mardi 14. E. Blackley, Wood Street, Chearside, warehmi•emars--A De Froger, Broad Street Mews, Isme rewiig - Surrey, ellinaniun—D. Mullinson. Lroton, Yorkshire. fan , rlothier-1. Rushton, West Darby, Lancashire, joiner—Y:. Oklaeres, 01 ton -house, Leicestershire, faimtr—S. Payne, N .a tingliam, money scrivener. This Gazette also contains a Proclainatioa far the encou ragement of Virtue and Pit ty, uud for the preveutina and punishing of Vice, Prufauess, and Immorality. CROWN OFFICE, FEB. 22. 1:1•Y$ AND CLACLS •PPOINTED FOR HOLDING TUC I.Psr ASSIZ cs 1810, v ti, NON. roCK CIRCUIT. Sir Charles Abbott, lout., lord Chief Justice.—Mr. Bar..a Graham. Buckinghamshire—Saturday. Starch 4, at Ay. leibury. Bedfordshire—Thursday i March 9, at Bedford. Huntingdon.hirc—Saturday, March 11, at Huntingdon. Cambridge.laire—Totsday, March 14, at Cambridge. Norfolk—Saturday, March W, at Thetford. Suffolk—Friday, March 24, at Bury St. Edmonds. MIDLAND CIRCUIT. Sir Robert Dallas, Kat., Lord Chief Astica.—Mr. Jas. ties Best. Northamptonshire.—Saturday, February 26, at Not Ili ampton. Itialandshire.—Friday, March 3, at Oakham„ Lincolnshire.—Saturday, March 4, at the Castle of Lincoln. Nottinghamshire.—Friday, March 10, at Nottingham. Town of Nottingham.—The same day, at the Town of Nottingham. Derbyshire.—Wednesday, March 13, at Derby. Leicesteishire..--blouday, March 20, at the Castle of LeiceMer. Borough of Leicester.—The same day, at the Borough of Leicesser. City of Coventry.—Monday, March 27, at the City of Coventry. Warwickshire —The same day, at Warwick. HOME CIRCUIT. Sir RICHARD RICHARDS, KW., Lord Chief Baronor. Hr. Baron Gamma , . Hertford.—Wednesday, March I, at Hertford. Dises.—Saturday, March 4, at Uteletsford. Kest.-31.tettlev, March 13, at Maidstouv. Susses.—Monday, March 20, at Horsham. Surrey.—Thursday, March 23, at Klogston-apotl• Thames. WESTERN CIRCUITAt Mr..Barcin Woon.—Mr. Justice U RROURII. Southampton.—Monday, February 28,at the Castle of Wiltshire.—Saturday, March 4, at New Sarum. Dorsetsitire.—Thursday, March 9, at Dorchester. Devonshire.—Monday, March 13, at the Cast le of - - Exeter• City and County of Exeter. The same day, at the Guildhall of the City of Exeter. Cornwall, Wednesday, March 23, at Lannoeston. Somersetshire,—Mouday, March 27, at the Castle of TAolltou. NORTHERN CIRCUIT. Mr. Just ice B*' LEY.—Mr. Justice PARK, Town of Neweasile-upon-Tyne, and County of the Town.—Wednesday, Feb. 23, at the Guildhall of the said town. Nurtlimuherlind.—The same day, at the Castle of New castle•upon-Typne. C berland.—Thursday, Feb. 24, at the City of Car lisle. OXFORD CIRCUIT. Mr. Jastice ROL ROS Justice RICHARDSON. Berkshire.—Monday, Feb. 28, at Reading. Oxfordshire.—Wednesday, March I, at Oxford. Wumestershire.—Saturday, March 4, at Worcester. City of Worcester —The saute day, at the City of Wor cester. Stallordshire.—Thursday. March 9, at Stafford. Shropshire.—Wednesday, March IS, at Shrewsbury. Herefordshire.—Monday, March 29, at Hereford. 51onmonthshirr.—S.turday, March 25. at Monmouth. Glocestershire,—Wednesday, March 29, at Glocester. City of Olocrater.—The same day, at the City of Gloceater. The late differences in the Cabinet continue to form thc leading topic of coversation in the po litical world It is said that the proposed proceed ing was projected by one who was recently caged from the Bar to a Bench, who anticipated a seat on thc Chancery Bench and on the Woolsack las a reward for his ingenuity and intrepidity. Lords S. end C. and Mr. C. are als, mentioned as having entertained a willing belief of the practicability of the plan, but Lord Eldon with a firmness that eternally redound to his honour, declared that he would have no''iug to do with it; in this he was supported by Lord Liverpool, and after the would bc-t hancellor had tried in vain to form a Cabinet, the members of which would undertake nis dirty work, he was obliged to remain Vim himself instead of figuring away in the Court of Chancery rice- Eldon. Thursday the Dille of York accompanied the ~ r incess Sophia trout Windsor to London to her Loyal Highness's new residence at Can:bridge ,sus:, t• here the Duke has visited his Royal niter sevrcral times since. Friday and ,:utirday lie Duchess of Gloucester visited the riAncess OT