The National Register. — London, England, 1811-02-24 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER. THE REGENT'S COURT. . • •-. Thursday, at one o'clock, a Privy Council, Con sisting of the Ministers, the Officers of State, &c. were summoned to attend at Carlton House. The parties of Foot and Life Guards did not attend, as has been the case upon former occasions ; how. ever, two of the Life Guards and a Corporal pa raded Pall Mall, to regulate the carriages going to Carlton House. Soon after one o'clock his Royal Highness the PRINCE REGENT gave an audience to Mr. PEltctvm. and. Mr. RYDER ; after which the former left Carlton House. His ROYAL HIGHNESS then went to the State Room, attended by Co. M‘MmioN and .BLOOMFIELD ; Generals HA MOND and KEPPEL, Lord HEATHEIELD (Gold Stick), and General BRADSHAW (Silver Stick), where his ROYAL HIGHNESS held a Council. The RECORDER of LONDON attended the Council, and made his report of the twenty-six convicts, capi tally convicted at the last October. Sessions, when Truesnan, for robbing a woman of her watch near Smithfield, and who et his apprehension made a desperate resistance, in which the officers were wounded, and the traces of the coach which conveyed the prisoner were cut. An old man, well known by the name of Old Dasher, for a rape upon a woman, under aggravated circumstanceB, between I'cddington and I lounslow. Cope, fur coining. Fraser, for horse-stealing, were ordered for execution on Wednesday next. The other twenty-two were respited during his ROYAL HIGHNESS'S pleasure. Mr. M. SUTTON, the Judge-Advocate, had an audience of his ROYAL HIGHNESS, and laid before burn the proceedings of some Courts-Martial. The Earl of DARTMOUTH was introduced, and had an audience of his ROYAL HlGliziliss, and deli vered up the Order and Ribbon of the Knights of the Garter, belonging to the late Earl of DAILT 4tounz, his father. r - - COMMON CO UNCIL. Thursday a Court of Common Council was held at Guildhall, at which the Lord Mayor, nine Aldermen, and a great number of Common Councilmen were present. The Lord Mayor reported, that on Thursday last the Court waited upon the Prince Regent with the Address, and were graciously received, and laid before the Court his Royal High ness's ati-twer thereto, which was read, and ordered to be entered on the Journals of the Court. The several Committees for the year ensuing were appointed, viz. the Commissioners of Sewers, the 'ommittee of City Lands and Bridge-house Estates, the Gresham, General Purposes, Coal and Corn, Navigation, Temple Bar, and Port of London, Stc. Upon a report from . the Committee for General Purposes, it was ordered, that ail matters intended to be brought before the Court, be inserted, as far as possible, in the Summons, and that Nlinutes of the proccedit gs be printed and sent to each Member. Mr. Judhins was appointed a Governor of Saint Bartho lomew's Hospital, and Mr. Maudera Governor of Christ's Hospital. The Special Committee appointed to enquire into the elec tion of Common Councilmen for the Ward of Cripplegate, presented a long report, which was read, and on a motion being made to agree with the same, a debate ensued, and the motion lost. The Navigation Committee presented a Report, recommend ing an application to Parliament to oppose the Bill now pending for making sundry new Cuts, Canals, &c. which was approved of, and a Petition unanimously agreed to, and ordered to be presented fart hwith. Mr. Samuel Hale, Mr. Deputy King, and Mr. Knight were appointed Coal Meters; and Mr. Abbey, Mr. 'faddy, and Mr. Dunnett, Corn Meters, in trust for the City for four years. The CoMmittee of City Lands presented a Report for widen ing, and improving the entrance into Hart-street, Crutched triars, WAS agreed toy, and *cared to bo imeouted forthwitta.-- A.djourned. • • , AT MEL IL MR. FINNERTY. f ..1 d11im........ ' • Wednesday, a numerous and respectable Meeting of Oa* Friends of the Liberty of the Press, was held at the Crown and Anchor 'Tavern, for the purpose of promoting a subscription to defray the expellees of Mr. Finnerty, during his imprisLeurient for a libel on Lord Castlereagh. Sir Francis Burdett took the Chair, and the Meeting being pretty numerously attended, he openedi the business by address ing them. He begun by noticing the efforts that had lately been made to destroy every vestige of liberty in the country ; and, among others, that last vestige of liberty in every country, the Liberty of the Press. On the advantages of tins liberty it was unnecessary for him to expatiate to an assembly so enlightened • as that which he was now addressing; but be must make a few observations on the case more peculiarly before them, which had so deeply excited the indignation of this country. Mr, Finnerty, from his honest, manly, and independent conduct, in the stand he had made with truth on his side, deserved most fully their support and countenance. But what availed inno cence or truth when proseceted in such a manner? why the very word was unknown to the law, it was not an Ewe ; lish word, and they knew not its meaning. All they knew of tt, was, that against a prosecution for it truth was no shield. How it could be called an offence, he could not tell, since no moral guilt was attached to it. It might be either true or false, and ' imported nothing more than a book, and he defied any map to spew him in the law of the land any declaration of its crimi nality. But it was by means like this that the first men in all ages had been set out as marks for vengeance. In supporting' Air. Finnerty, they were supporting the Liberty, of the Press---a. valuable right, but not of that infinite value which seems at tached to it; the great palladium of all our liberties being the right of the people to appoint their own Representatives in Par.' liament. Sir Francis then commented upon Mr. Fox's Libel Act, which, he contended, acted like all palliatives ,rather to in creasethe evils, by giving them the shape of Law, than to re medy them. e then adverted to Special Juries, which he us sorted were notoriously packed in an injurious and partial man ner. He again expatiated on the hardships experienced by a person brought •before such a tribunal on an ex edficio informa tion, and insisted that he was thereby robbed of the aids (secur ed to him by the Constitution) of a Grand Jury, or even ot a fair trial by Jury. Even truth was no del'ence, the law was unknown, and only the cabalistical word Libel rendered hint criminal. He then noticed thh intention of Lorin-land to bring the subject before the Legisleture ; but obstrved, that however highly be esteemed the' talents - antl-letegri ty of that Noble Lord, he .would rather have the excesses committed to continue as they were, attended by public indignation, than palliart•tl by any .ct wLich would give them the least appearance of legal sanction. Sir Francis then alluded to the practice of sending persons to distant prisons. To change the custody of prisoners was to deprive diem of the Constitutional provisions for their safety. It was the Sheriffs of Counties that were the gaolers, and nut the Exe cutive Government; and though the gaols, like the high court's, the laws, and the people, were called the King's,fiey wee only so in the sense that the Kink represented the Public, anti revert/- LA by the laws ; not that the K ing might do with theniwhat he pleased. The Law was the King, and by the Law the King and the People must be governed. In the value of the Hen. Baronet's Address, he read a letter from Mr. Walter Honey. - wood Yate, in approbation of the conduct of Mr. Finnerty I also a letter from a Gentleman at Bath, of the same tendency. Mr. Alderman Woo j said, he was a friend to all peteous in the situation of Mr. Finnerty; and proposed the following Resolu tions " First, That the able efforts of Mr. Finnerty to vindicate the privileges of his &Bow citizens, deserved the warmest the of the Meeting." Secondiy, That in consequence therefore, they felt a firm belief that it was necessary to contribute to his support, until hii i mpr i son ment should end. , " Thirdly, That a Committee should be appointed to dispose of the money subscribed, in the manner most beneficial;' Mr. Mallet seconded the Resolutions, and put them to the Meeting. They were all carried unanimously. Sir Francis Burdett then proposed the names of Major Cart. wright, Alderman Wood, and Mr. Mallet, to form the Com mittee, which were received, and agreed to unanimously. It was also resolved that two Gtptlemen should receive subscrip tions f ,r Mr. Finnerty at Bath. Alderman Wood next moved the Thanks of the Meeting to Sir Francis Burdett, for his able conduct in the Chair. The Meeting then Adjourned, and we understand a considers able sum Was immediately Subscribed. ;_~,, ~