The National Register. — London, England, 1817-05-12 00:00:00

ISO LAW INTELLIUESCL. COURT OF KINGS BENCH, SATI,RDAV, MA%• 3. THE ATTORNEY GEN lIRAL C. RICHARD STEEL. The Attorney General ivy% ing moved for a criminal infor mation againNt the above defendant, lot printing, publishing. ami vending rertiiiii scanitrkins and libels piton the King .1141 t:mistittitien, it.ion the ritrlit or Petitioning Partin. men', the iiefendatit liavine heard the indictment read over, pleaded—tininy.—The Atm; 'ley General now stated to the Court, that it was his opinion that the purnoFcs of public ills. tier a mild he sufficiently answered by stifle' ieg the &Tel , dant to go at large at preaent, in consequence tit' his plea : b.it that he should be forthcoming when wanted at a future pe riod. The defendant then entered into reeognizancee for his future appearance, cud was stiliered to depart. Monday May 5. AT.AvPiit.mous Lin Et. The Attorney General one eil that W. Urine, a hookseller, in Fleet-street, ;mil the 11!•1 Bailey, should be Moneta up to plead to a eharee e‘hibited aeainst him of publi•hing a certain blasphemous and seditious libel, called tt Purodi upon the Co techism. The defendant appeared in Court in custody, and Mr. Paltry was proceeding to ri ad the libel ; when The Defendant addressed the Court—My Lords, before ' , the libel is read, I beg to submit that I have been ibegally dc 'tained in custody since Saturday night. when I nas appre hended upon a Judges' warrant, and am now brought nn to plead without being inforneA what the subject is to which I have to plead. Lard Ellenbaronali-1 ftar the libel read, and you' wits af terwards have ail op port itn.ty of stating on :ml;idatil whatever you wish to state to the Court, as to your illeeal detention. Attorney-General—My Lords, it may be right I should in form your Lordships, that this person is detriotal ileum Iwo informations, filed by me, ,la his Majesty's Attorney-General. Lord Eitaiboror gh—Let the alleged libel be read. The Libel was then read by Mr. Dailey, and proved to be a Parody upon the Church Catechism. The Attorney-General, at one port, interrupted the read ing, and said, if he had so line, refrained from bringing for ward this publication, it was becsie , c lie kit reluctant at com posing on the count the pain of hearing it thus publicly rend. The defendant here again observed, that he did not con sider law could now be legally called upon to plead. He bad been suddenly taken in'o custody of Saturday night, and was then informed that other warrants were out against him. The Attorney General bail no ohjectiou to allow the defen dant time to plead, on the usual terms: namely, that lie should in the Wean tone COatilllle in custody. Lord Ellenbormigh—The defendant has a right to his inn parlance till next Term, if he thinks proper to claim it. The defendant said, lie hal no wish whatever but for jus tice. He did not wish to impede its course; he only wanted time to consalt his friends : lu desired to have a copy of the "information, amid would then Ire ready to plead it to-morrow. The Attorney General observed, 1 w had all eady stair it to to the defendant, that he was charged with printing and pot,- fishing a certain wicked and blasphemous libel. To that lie plight now plead godly or net guilty. His doitm so now would no'. prevent his amending thst plea upon reflection. )tut tilt be had pleaded, lie had no right to a copy oldie in. formation. The defendant still commuted for the neccce , sitv of itis having a copy to enable him to plead. He had not heard the whole of the information read, ilia(' haul bad no time to con sider whether it we , a libellous publication or not, The Attorney General then moved that the information should be read at length. 'fhc defendant did not desire to take up the time of the Coot t. He only submitted to their Lordships, that iii justice he was entitled to a copy of the information. Lord Ellentiorough—We have no power to give it to you, we have no funds. The defendant—My Lords, I have no funds either. Lord Ellenborough—We cannot make a law for you, which idoes not exi , t for the rest of his Majesty's subjects. The defendant—May I not plead to a part of the informa -tion ? The Court—Yon may plead to a part or to the whole. The defendant—Then I cannot plead until I hate a copy Mr. Justice Bailey—We cannot give it yeti: you must T oe m l first. The Attorney General—lf the defendant pleads. he will lie entitled to a copy of the information, on application to the Crown-office. The defendant still declined to plead ; and the Attorney- General moved that the rest attic information should be read, which was done ; and the defendant was asked whether lie was guilty or not guilty. Defendant —I request a copy of the information. Lord Lltemihorough—You cannot have it. If you have a right to a copy of the information, so has every person an pleaded for any crime, be it what it may. It never yet was granted before pleading, and it cannot now be done for you. Attorney General—My Lord, the defendant has been told what course lie ought to puistic ;he declines to adopt it. 1 therefore move that he be 110 W charged on manlier informa tion. Daltrey then read another information, charging the aletimilant aid, printing and 11111,1iSilitla a sernoul wicked and blaaplienions libel, being a ('arody . uvon the Lana!). The libel having been read, the defendant was asked. Gant) or et Guilty ? Defendant—My Lund, I submit the same a nheation as in the last case. Lord Etientrorongh—We can only give you the same ansvver. Defeo dant—My Lord, I am told the Court Itaa no funds out of which to furnish me with a copy of the ieformation. -humbly übinit that the ; Attorney General has funds, not of which to discharge the expenses of filing the information, and out of these funds I may be furnished with a copy. 'tile Attorney Genera; —M) Lind, I move that the defen dant be now charged alien another infOrtuation. Mr. D.i,tr. y then proceeded to read a 'Mid information, chaveing do defendant with beiimg the printer and pulili•liei of a c -rtaiii wicked and blaspheinons libel, called a Puratly upon the Creed of St. .4lhaamitra. To this information toe defendant also said, lie should de cline pleading, oidess lie had a ropy of the iiilOrtinitimi. Th.: A t.• mney General then moved, that as the defendant bad no hail • mendiug, lie shottid be cenimitted. The defe Lint wished to sat a few words. He believed his was peculiarly hard ; he did not believe it had es, incurred Infir, that a pzusou Lad-butsauddenly lmeu calk d THE NATIONAL REGISTER. upon, without notice, by an Attorney General, thus to plead to three informations ; lint whether the el ttttt bi r of infatuations were three or three bombed, and eVell though he should sigh nutlet them, he would still dent and of the C. t—reepeo tf o ity demand—copies of the informations, without which it was iinpossilih• for lain to plaid rumrirutinusly Ns he wished to do, and not as a matter of coarse, either timilts or not Guilty. The Attorney General observed, the rousse now put-nett was as old as the Court itself. The nimilvr of informations preferri•d attainq a publisher dept tidal oil the extent of his practice of 1)0131'1%10ml sedition or blasphemy. It was not for want of materials that more Miamal:lms had nut been filed against the present defendant ; he should now content him self with main that the defendant be comm itted. Lord Ellenboromtli—let the defendant stand committed till the first day of the next Term. The Court fit Wier atrtoil, that though the defend•tut was now committed till the first day of :text term, he wo u ld be li berated on puffin:: iu sullident bail mum ty, ii ton the firs: information, himself in 2C.01 and two suit ties in 1001. t ash. The same bail would be required on the aecilid Winton ion ; and upon the atilt! information the bail required would be, himself; 1001. and two sureties at 501. each. The defendant—Ms Lords, I request to have copies of the warrants upon which I was apprehended. 7.1 r. Justice Bailey—The Court has no power to grant them. The defendant then withdrew in custody of the Tip-staff. SEVITIPLS The Attorney Gcn;ialtbon utoctd, that T. J. Al'oelcr should be brought up to plead to an inf .rmation, eharville him with Printing and publishing is certain take, maiicious. and seditious Libel. out the right of Petition. the 0111111111.1iN Lloust• of Parlia tient, and the whole People of England. It is called the Wail; Direr!. The defendant said he would not cise the Curt the troc ble of liveriog the Libel read but would plead Nut Guilty. . Ile trusted, however. as his ilefilire would depend materially out himself, the Attorney Cie-seral would atiord him free ac cess to the sight of the Inferinabou. The Attorney lienetal del fared, that every facility shout , : he afforded to defendant in an application so propel ly made : and further, that he shunlil csperence all the kindness cunt. pat dile with the public Aar, ty. He was further prepared to say, that if defendant had bail in attei.dance he would no , insist on the usual Until c, but tAr them immediately. The der i m i l a i t , a ia. 1,0 %ve l e not in attendance, as he did not know what hail would be required. The Celia said, they shoe Id lupe it. the di fentlant to enter into recognizance, buns , If ta 10. n. and two anteiirs iu 501. each. The defendant was committed till such bail should be pill in. cl'hl LEWES. The Attorney GcneriiltheiiM7)sid the judgiveet of the court upon the Rev.-- l for a false and maiiemiis libel published be hint, relict tine on the chat lc ter and humanity of the Rev..l S, Ma , ti r of the Free mar scheol at Marlboroin-b. 'The limit pis( fessed to be a fair ami candid statement of tart' which ort tiered on the brieg- Mg op of Mr. Laws for the jndcmt nt of the e tof King's Bench, for an assaillt of with It be had beim pre%imisly con victed at the assizes tor Wilts, upon the poison of a suit of the p: went defendant, a boy ale ut 13 years of ate. who was played tinder Mr. Law's rate as a pupil. and who It.ising b N'ti corrected by him in a math er which the present de fendant considered as highly improper, the &tend:int had instituted a prueention against him for an assault, of it bleb he was loom! guilty, and on being bronglit up to receii judgment, was tuned fis. bd. by the court, and discharged. Soon aftei wards the defendant pultlisluil lee libel by question which mist epresented all the tails of the ease, and animad vetted in the severest trims on the conduct of Mr. Laws. The court sentenced the defendant to be 1111pliS011( (I in the King's Bench for three month., to pay a fine of 1001., and to be Nether imprisoned till that line paid. FAIIEN ELL 11 , lilt ATTORNEY GENERAL. In postpoonix his motion fo► the judoteitt of the court in the ca-e of th , • iiog v. Hatchard, the Attot :icy (;metal took the opportunity of addressing their Lord-hips anti the Bar in the foll.!l,ine terms " Ms - Lottsis—l have new closed my labours in this place ; my voice, that for more than 30 years has hoes employed in the service of others, at the present moment is ill calculated to express the feelings of its master. With trembling hope, more than 30 years ago, I tool my seat in the extiente part of the court; and during that period I 114%e gradually ad vanced to the situation I now occupy. What I sin about to say may not be nithout its use IV my younget tiiends. I came to the bar unprotected and unpatronized ; and I had to wet k my upward wny with 110 ether supports than dili gence and integrity : I have succeeded far beyoud my me. rits, anti certaiiily to the foil extent of my me•st ambitions hopes. After my first entrance into this court, I had soon the gratification of hearing the elii ering voice of the peat niait who then presided : what fell from him will Ire for ever eitgra.'en on my heart ; and from his learned successor I ex erienced innumerable kindnesses. Were your Lordship not present, I would say. that from you and from every in. re bel. (tithe-v . -most I have received such attentions, such assist ances, and !melt indulgences, that I most lie the moat un grateful of mankind if I did not feel them deeply, and acknow ledge them openly. But not to the court alone ; ill the warfare of the profession, it may have happened to me to have given unintentional came of uneasiness; I vitt, eat those upon whose ti elings I have thus trespassed, to believe, that whatever might he the errors of the head, the heart had no concern in them. To my nearer neighbours I ;MI indebted for the most valuable Wendships; and from all I have met with the greatest kindness. Cadet' now to another place, nliate.er may Ile lily destiny I have to bid farewell to your lAirilskips, and to all my excellent friends; to the coot I shall ever kel the most grateful sespect, and to my friends the most affectionate regard." The thorney General then bowed to the Bench and to the Bar, %Ito returned the and ile then retired. Loss of 1114111S11 Ruin N %Nev.—The Nee Vark Ereming Post, of Match 21, l'lliktains the tol:cos big article Charleston, ut 11w same date Tl:e British brig Nancy, of Liverpool. Capt. James Livingston, 14 from A, in attempting to go into George Tout), on Weil ncsday night lu.t, struck :ind went to piece., J. Livinx 441, Captain; N. A.hton. Second III:ate; W. Thunias, ; and 6. Rogers (a black mast) cook, %%cue the only , porous who reached th- shore, alter being in the elater bye limas, .%c Militia; from buoy to buoy ; the renia;ndi 1, 14 ut 11111 l ,veer thous/ed. The captain died 14141104ns allei he reached :he shore, tin flue tit elcll, mod the others reached town on Sa .iirda!, nn,lit about ei;.:lii o'clock. '1 homas and Ro;:eas wt re Nulled to the Marine Hospital in a deplorable stair. The Nancy was bound to George Town in ballast and speete." WAY It. BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY Wednesday, the Anniversary Meeting of the British and Foreign Bible Society tcok place at the Free tna•ons' Tavern ; Lord Teignunn►th, in the chair. The great room which was fitted up fbr 'the reception of many more than the floor could contain, was crowded to excess at twelve o'clock. The Report was read by the chairman and fi►ur Gentlemen, who found it necessary to relieve each other; it occupied two hours. They were frequently interrupted by the applause of the meeting. The Report described the flourishing state of the Sudety, and the uncommon expedition with which religious knowledge was disseminated, through its zeal and activity. The spirit of peace had poured upon barborous nations a rich flood of moral and intellectual advantages. Christian knowledge was now confined to no country. The Afri can, the Asiatic, the Hottentot. all tracetl the finger of God upon the page of Scripture, and rejoiced in the contemplation of a sublimer authority than that whi..h presented in sun, moon, and stars. .I'vh‘ometanista itself was sinkin: , bef.re the beam of the Christian faith, and there was a recent instance of its influence in the person of a Mahometan, who at 40 years of age, learned to read, that he might study the Scriptures. The In dian no longer seized his tomahawk when defence um; necessary. The principle of revenge was lost in the maxims of brotherly lc►ve with which the pages of the bible abounded. The Report also stated, that upwards of 1,700,000 bible► and testaments had been distribut ed, and that the most liberal contributions had been mat's. Mr. Wilberforce congratulated the meeting upon the very favourable Repoi tiat had been just read. The Bishop of Salisbury also spoke of the great sa tisfaction which the state of the Society was calculated to create, and of the I), ticks derivable from the ditru shut of Christian knowlL-:W,. The Eishup of Rochester described the effects of the active zeal of the Society in the must eloquent man ner. Several others of the Members spoke—after which, thank; having been voted to ti.c Chairman, B.e. &e.— the meeting► separated. MCWOOL YOR ALL.—The animal Sermon in aid of the fonds for the Royal hootlotion for the Ins!, ursine), upon the Waist Sys eon, of WOO Children of the poor, of all religious deno minations, was preached at Albion (impel, 'Stanfield., es . terilay, by the Rev. Row laud Hill, vho took his text Ervin tke 21 Chapter of Estotins, tend 91h Verse: " And rhatoalcs daughter said auto her, take this tbild away, and nurse it tor ine, atoll I wilt rive thee thy wages."--Among the company present, we noticed his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, the Earl and Conidess of Hamby, the Lord Mayor, and Lady Mayoress and daughter, and many other persons of distinction. After Divine Service, the Goreninrs and Pa trons of the Institution repaired to the School-house, in street, City-road, when the whole of the scholars w ere arranged in the Seine I yard, I'..r the view of the company; After all iospeetion of the boys, and their various improve. mints in re ading and writing. by the Duke of Sussex, his Royal Higliiiess invested 12, the best of the boys with a silver medal. After which the company repaired to the Albion Tavern, in Altieesgate.street, where the Anniversary Festival was eirlebratid. The Duke in the chair, supported by the Earl of Darnley, the Lord Nlayor, the Rev. R. Hill,J. Wood, Esq. and many oilier persons of distinction. After the usual toasts and sentiments were given, the Duke of Siisex, the }:,eel of Darnley, the Lord Mayor, and the Rev. R. Hill, made some excellent speeches on the object of the Meeting; and we arc happy to add, the contributions were liberal. His Royal Highness expressed his regret, that through the ab score of his brother, the Duke of Kent (Nihon of the Insti lotion), the duties of the flay hail devolted upon less able hands. It was wished to cite nd the benefits of the Esta blisherient to 500 female children ; but they had many diffi culties to encounter in providing the necessary eNpentlitute; the report of the Committee, however, for the hist year %wild be laid before them; and if they were satisti , ll with it, he hail no doubt they vvouid cheerfully lend their assistance to so charitable a design, —The cc port was then read by Mr J. Wilkes, Honorary Secretary ; when Mr. nivel' moved, that the statement just resist demonstrated the Institution to be entitled to then continued and liberal support; st hurl' was carried unanimously.—'l be Lord Mayor apologized to the Ladies for not having realized the expectation he held out last year, of establishing the female department ere this; wit the multiplicity of his engagements, tee trusted, would i:e his excuse. He had no doubt, however, that in a short time they should be able to accomplish that desirable object ; having the promise of very powerful assistance, and among iiilieis, that of a Lady whose name he was not at liberty to mention at preselit, but who had «rift%a to him proposing to apply the munificent (lima lion of tiOul. to this purpose. We are bappy to add, that the contributions were liberal. DRURY-LANE MEETING. A Meeting of the Subscribers took place on Tuesday. The Chair %vas taken at one precisely. Leo d I:.ses, being called to the Chair, briefly explained to the Meeting the object of it—lu rA, to select two new Auditors; and the second, It, proclaim the number and the natuie el •otters to rent the Theatre ; and he greatly lamented that no one tender hail been made until a Ohio five :Mantes of the,. meeting ; and this, 111$011 consideration, acs 1114 viewed as an acceptable; one. He assured the 3leeting it aas the sincere desire of the Committee to get the Theatre let to advantage; anti, having failed, they would continue their labours only mild this fotimate event should take place. A Prop' ietor, a hose name we could not learn, submitted, that it aas highly e•petlient. if the soliseribers ever coati-in itiated aliot:er dividend, that a consideraide reduction should take place in all the sAiries. It aas now pros et bial, that the perforniels, at both Theatres, mere too highly paid to admit even the possibillity that the Pi tips tetors could ever reatize ally profit; and he would submit at the saute Uwe, that 11