The Statesman. — London, England, 1823-10-31 00:00:00

DISCOVERY OP THE HORRID MURDER, NEAR WATFORD. On Friday night last, a murder was committed at a place about six miles from the town of Watford, Herts. It appears that on Friday evening last, a Mr. Philip Smith, an inhabitant of Aldenham, was going from the house of a Mr. Nicholls, at Butler's Breen, to his own re sidence in tiemp's Row, Aldenhain, when he heard the report of a gun or a pistol, he was not certain which. In a minute or two be beard great groaning, apparently pro ceeding from the same spot, which continued for three or four minutes. He was with his wife at the time. She was in a donkey chaise and he was walking behind. He would have gone to the spot, but that he was afraid to quit his wife, who was dreadfully agitated. The noises proceeded from a lane leading to Butler's Green to the road running from Higheross to Radler. The same night, a man named .Freeman. who was on his way to meet his wife, saw a gig in which were two men driving towards the lane at a very rapid pace, the horse seemingly much out of wind. He ac iosted them, observing that they had been driving hard ; to which one of them male a slight answer which Free man could not distinctly hear. The gig was stopped just as Freemon entered the lane. On the following morning, before it was quire daylight, some labourers, whose names appear below, went to Work io the lane spoken of, called Gill'. Hill-lane; while there, two men came sauntering along, and when they had passed them a short distance they stooped down as if searching for something in the hedge. That same morning. about eight o'clock, one of the labourers found a pistol and a penknife by the side of the bank, the former of which was covered with blood and bits of hair on the outside, and within the barrel were se veral small particles, which on being shewn to a medical gentleman of the name of Pidcock, at Watford, were declared by him to he a portion of the brains of a human being. The whole of the above ciicumstances being communi cated to the Magistrates residing at Watford, Robert Clot terbuck and John Finch Mason, &qrs., they immediately commenced an active inquiry, and in order to have the beat assistance, they wrote to Bow Street. and Itothver, as we stated yesterday. with Upson, were sent down. This was on Tuesday evening, anti before twelve o'clock, with the assistance of the local constables, two men named Probert and Thomas Thurtell were taken into eastodv and cotn mined fur further examination to St. Alban's Castle. Very early in the morning of Wednesday Itutliven and Upson apprehended two other men, the one named John Thurell (brother to Thomas) and the other Joseph Ilunt. In the room orrupied by Thurtell, Rather:l found a pistol of large dimensions, and in Thurtell's poeket another, smaller on•, seemingly almost new. Ile also found some clothes he longing to him. the sleeves and body of which were much stained, indeed in some parts literally soaked in blood. His hat also had some marks of the same kind, and his hands, Rutliven perceived, were much cot and bruised all over. Nothing material was fount{ at Hunt's lodgings. The two , prisoners, a ter being shortly examined at Bow Street, were conveyed on Wednesday, in separate chaises, to IVat ford, wheie they arrived between five and six o'clock in the afternoon. The Magistralts meanwhile had been most actively engaged in procuring evidence, and by ten o'clock that night were prepared with a mass of testimony of a' . very strong nature. Prohart and Thomas Thurteil were not brought from St. Mime's. The other two prisoners were kept strictly watched in separate rooms, st the Raw: Arms Inn, where the investigation before the Magistrates commenced at half past ten. The prisoners were not brought into the room, it being thought best to keep them ignorant of the entire evidence against them, at least for a short time. Mr. Philip Smith and Freeman having stated the facts contained in the early part of this report, Elizabeth Freeman was called, and bring sworn, stated, that on Friday night, a little before eight o'clock, she saw two men in 1 gig in Gill's Hill-lane. John Herrington.laboorer s sworn.—He was at work with Robert Hunt in Gill's Hill Lane. about 6 o'clock on the morning of Saturday last;when two men, one of whom was tall and wore a white hat, and the other a shorter per son, with hares black whiskers, passed them . —lirlien they 'had proceeded about ien poles, they stopped, stooped down, and appeared to he " grabbling" in the hedge, as if look ing for something that they had lust. In about five tninutes they went further up, and then turned back; and as they unwed again, one of them told Hunt he was capsized tFrrr in his gig the night before. Hunt asked the roan in the white hat if he hail hurt himself, and he replied, " but little." On bring asked if the horse and trig were hurt, the tall Mill said, " No ; the gig did not go over, nor the horse fall." The same morning, witness found a penknife on the spot where the men hail been looking, end shortly afterwards, on the same spot, he found the pistol m irked with blood, &c. At 12 o'clock the same day, the same two men came again down the lane in a gig, very neatlydressed, and both bail black lists on. They " looked hard" at the spot where the pistol and the knife WO been found. About half an hour afterwards Mr. Probart, who occupies Gill's Hill Cottage, came down the lane alone, and asked some questions. (The conversation did not bear upon the ease.) Robert Hunt was sworn, and corroborated the testimony of his partner, adding Chit the wan in the white hat said —"this lane is a d—rd nasty dark place; as dark as the grave—l was coming up here last evening, and was cap sized out of my gig." Witness asked him if he had hurt himself, 11114 i he said " No, lout lie had lost his silk band kerchief and a penknife, but lie hail found them both." Witness asked it he had hurt himself or horse, or if the gig was broken, and he said "No, it never fell." Witness said It was a queer thing that he should be capsized out of his gig without its falling. They went away without answering. Susan Ann Woodroffr, servant to Mr. Probart, at Hill's Colage, stated her master came home about nine (clock, on Friday evening last, with two gentlemen. The same two left the house at ten, on Saturday morning They went out that morning about six o'clock, and were Ina about half an hour. The two gentlemen did not go to Led on Friday night. Neither of them came through the kitchen that night. A gardener in the employment of Probart, proved seeing the two men go out to s ether towards Gill's Hill Lane, on Saturday morning. James Haddis, aged 13 year., sworn. Had lived with Mr. Probart seven months. anus looked after his horse and Pitt. Last Friday, about ten o'clock at night Mr. J. Thur. tell tame to his master's house in a gig alone. It seas a dark grey horse and a d ar k green a nd black gig. 'she hor'se's bead was leading from Butler's Green, when h. drove into the yard. He haul a great coat on of a light colour. His outside clothes did not appear to be dirty. In half an boor, Mr. Probart came in with another man. noir gig came as from Radler. Hr saw Mr. J. Thurtell's inside clothes and hoots, on the following morning,' and tilt"' were covered with dirt—they were nothing but dirt. llu Isis great coat were spots of blood; middling sized drops. The gentleman with Thurtell had large black whiskers. He saw the other gentleman rubbing Thrwtell's emu with a net sponge. This was in the morning. Saw no blood on that gentleman's coat. The gig in which Mr. Thorsen came appeared very heavy, as if it had luggage lo Thurtell never said any thing to him about an widow. Thurtell was wiping himself that night with a 'Page in the stable. On Sunday, as witness was coining ire. Mr. Nicholl's, he saw several ° lumps" of blood on time dirt heaps, and two holes in the hedge in Gill's Hill tAlut• Thartell brought a sponge with him. There was g bag is his gig with a brass padlock, and that the two took away with them on Saturday morning. They came again ea Sunday, and witness went tip with them and his "aster on Monday. He was taken to the Coach and Horses 111 Caudal' Street, Bond Street, and left there by Mr. "ADA who was to retain in two boors, but did not TIFIE come back at all. The grey horse and gig sesaird hired. The prisoner, Joseph Hunt, was then called in, and Mr. Noel. who attended as solicitor for the prosecution, told him that the Magistrates and he would feel it their duty to put some questions 'o him; but it was fit be should be warned that he was not bound to answer a single one unless he chose ; and, above all, be was not at all bound to say any thing likely to criminate 11;mself. With this warning, he of course would exercise his own judgment. The prisoner then underwent a very long interrogation. and answered every questi o n f ree ly - but as he afterwards made " a confeession," w hi c h, for reasons hereinafter stated, we do not peblish at present, it would be an injustice to those who are implicated by the confession, to give the one statement without the other. They ought to be read at the same time, and compared with each other. John Thurtell was next called and received the same warning, and also underwent a very long interrogation. When it had nearly closed, he was asked if he ever carried pistols, and he said be never did. Being pressed, he said be found a small pistol on a hank near P•obart's house, on Sunday morning last. Rutbven found it upon him.— (Rutbven produced it.) Mr. Nom. said be had already cautioned the prisoner as to his answering questions, and he was now about to pot to him some of a very important nature. D. you, said Mr. N. suddenly, do you know Mr. Weare?—Prisoner (firmly) —1 dn. Do you know where he is ?—I do nit. When did you see him last?-00 Tuesday last week was the last time. Did you see him last Friday?—No, I did not. I did not meet him by accident on Friday in the Edgware Road. blr. Notts.—Now, Mr. Thurtell, you have said you found this pistol near Probari's; what would you say when I tell you I can produce the fellow to it, found within a few yards of the same spot ?—I know nothing about that. The pistol still with the blood and hair adhering to it was then slowly exposed to the view of the prisoner from the paper in which it was wrapped. and his conntenance and manner und-rwe:it a change too striking to escape the notice of the most careless observer. Its complexion, naturally sallow, assumed r deadly pale, and be appeared to shudder at and shrink backwards at the sight of tile weapon, the state of which, however, it should be added, was such as to he likely to produce a strong effect upon a perfectly innocent man. • The pistols were then co spared. They were of the same size, each ha I " Hill, London," engraved on it, and they were numbered 2 and 3. In the make and wanner, anal every part, they exactly reaeiniiled each oilier. Mr. 1%0ab.-1 can tell you, Thurtell, Mr. Wears is not to be found. Thu, tell. I am sorry for it, lint I know nothing about him. The prisoner was removed, and the labourer,llerrington, who was placed in the room. aware posi.ively th.it was the man who wore the white hat, end spoke to him on Jas turJa v morning. William Rec A orthe. of 4, Spring Hardens, billiard-room keeper, s.vorn.—Oa Titers lay last he saw John Thurtell and Mr. Weare, of Lyon'. Inn, at his house together. Mr. Weare said then he was going out of to , vn with Thurtell t h e n e xt d a y, for a few s l a y. einso:ing in llerrfOr•iilliraL men the following day Mr. Weare called upon witness about three o'clock in the afternoon, and said he was on his way to join John Thus tell in the E Igware-road. Thurtell was recalled, an I persisted in saving that be had never seen Ware since Tuesday or Wednesday. Hunt was recalled, ant, after souse qeestions, was shown the two pistols. Mr. Noel, after acquainting him with the manner io which they were fonnd, addressed him at some lengths, and desired him to retire. In a few minutes he sent fur Mr. Noel, and shortly after he was again conducted in before the Magistrates, and made a very long stateno ott. When he had finished, it was past nine o'clock yesterday morning, the investigation having continued witboat inter mission through the night. Ile concletleJ by offering to conduct the proper persons to the spot where " time body of Mr. Wesre would be found." At this period, a gen 'email who laAtl attended and taken notes of the whole proceedings for the London Juttrnals, was abort to gilt the rosin to make artangetn !nu for foil .wing the part.es in search of the b o dy, when he was called back and informed by Mr. Chit s terlsuck, the senior Illazistrate, that he was perfectly at liberty to publish the whole of the proce-ditigt, with the exception of " the confeotion." and that, the Ma, istrates Jesited, should not be published, as they considered such publication would be exceedingly improper. The Reporter said he was extremely sorry to he under the necessity of stating that he must refuse a compliance with the mandate just itssurd from the issagietrates. Mr. CLUTTERIICCIE said " the confession," if puhlieted, would prejudice the persons accused before trial, aid it must not be published, ''he Reporter said lie was as unwilling as any man could be to prejudice any person, especially one lalmaring under so heavy an accusation as the present ; and if he thought that the publication of this " confession" would operate ;0 the injury of the persons accu-e.l, he certainly should lament it exceedingly ; but he laid a del to peduran, and must endeavour to execute it to the best of his judgment and ability. He had attended for the purpose of reportiug the a hole of the proceedings, and he felt hound to do so. Mr. NOEL said that the. Magirretes had prohibited the publication of the confession, and the Reporter, if he per sisted in his determination, would be ectiug "'in contempt of the Court of King's Bench." It had been decided long ago, and over and over again, that Magistrate. had the power to order a Reporter to quit the place in which an ex atnination was held ; and if be suffered one to remain. he had the power to prohibit the publication of any part of the proceedings if be chose. The Reporter was about to offer a remark, when Mr. Noel said the Magistrates would do right in preventing him (the Reporter) from leaving the room with the notes whin he had beets taken of the proceedings. Mr. CLUTTEEDUCK said he would cut the matter very short. The Magistrates had thought fit to prohibit the publication of this confession, and it should not be publish. ed. lie required the Reporter to give up his note bouk before be quitted the roots,. The Reporter said that a compliance with such an order was perfectly out of the question. Mr. CLUTTZIIBUCE—Then I shall order a constable to take it from you. The Reporter said he should not give it up, and Mr. Cluiterbuck looked towards a constable and held up his band, of course intending to carry his threat into execu tion. The Reporter not choosing to undergo a search by a police officer, took his note book from his pocket, and placing it on the table, begged it to be distinctly under. stood, that in giving it up, he did so under coe:cion am! that he yiel fed only to what he must deem to be abso lute force. The note-bank was then sealed, and when the proceedings of the day had terminated, it was sent to a newspaper office in London. _ _ Mr. Noel. stated subsequently, that the publication of the confession at present would obstruct the due course of justice, and prevent important discoveries, and upon that assurance we abstain from publishing it. Post chaises having been procured, Ruthven and Upson took Hunt to a place which he had described, situate i u the parish of Elstree, about seven milts from Watford. and there, a pond, which be pointed out was dragged, and in a few moments the dead body of a man was found. The legs, which were quite naked, were tied together with some new cord, and the upper part of the body was concealed in a sack, tied on. Affixed to the sack was a handkerchief, containing stones. The body was conveyed precisely in tills state to the Artichoke, a public-house, a short dis• Mace from the pond, where it will remain for the Coroner's Inquest. Mr. Noel ordered that the sack should not be removed, so that no positive identification of took place. 01 o tsd ✓- ek STATESMAN. • COURT OF KlN ' i'S }ANGEL—Oct'. 30. LIBEL ON THE KING. Tito [tsar v. te. W. 11•1111.11111 T AND •NOTNEN. This criminal information against the Sendai Timm for a libel on his Majesty, being fixed for trial this morning, before a Special Jury, the Court in the Guildhall of the City of London was opened. at an unusually early hour. By nine o'clock, the most prominent places were taken. 11r. Maule the Treasnry Solicitor, and the Stamp Oifiee Solicitor, took their places at the table; and soon afterwards Mr. D. IV. Harvey entered !It! Court, and took his seat among the Counsel, on the row behind the bar. Mr. Harvey. it may be remembered, is a student within the bar; while in Parliament, as Member for Colchester, he completed his "terms ;" but on application to the Benchers of Lincoln's lon, of which Society he entered as a Stadent, to he "cane]," his request was not complied with. The Lord Mayor, the Lady Alayoress, Btc. were on the Bench, also Baron de Steel and Lord Nugent. At half-past nine o'clock, the Chief Justice ABBOTT en tered the Court, and took his seat. The names of the Special Jurymen in "The King v. Harvey and another," were called over, and the following Gentlemen answered:— J. N. Hanson, Jlerchant, 13. Sykes, ditto, It. Sharpe, ditto, J. Cecil, ditto, W. Allicriglit, ditto, D. B4rnwell, ditto, A. Bal!mann*, ditto. _ _ Seven Gentlemen appearing en the Special Jury, the ATTORNIT tiaY[RaL preyed a tales. The following Common Jurymen answered to their names:— James Carpenter, O. W. Cook, E. W. Jackson, T. Sinai!. piece, John Hill. These twelve having been sworn, Mr. SHEPHERD, jun. opened the case with stating, that it was a criminal information for malicious libel on the King, ice. The defendants had pleaded "Not Gal Ity." The ATTORNEY GENERAL then addressed the Jury, stating, that in the discharge of his puhiic duty he had deemed it right to institute this proceeding. When they I came to hear the libel, they would agree with him that it was not written in the fair pursuit of public discossion, the proper and seemly investigation of public measures, c and the acts of public men. 'lbis libel was of no ancli Character. It insinuated, or rather directly stated, that early in the present year his Majesty wis afflicted with mental derangement. The mischievous character of such pablitation woad' be obvious to all. Tory would recollect that his Majesty was indisposed early in the present year; awl at that period the pablication appeared in the share, not aof a paragraph, hut as the leading article in the Suaday ii,oca. It stated that the King's sickness was of an " alarming'' nature; that it woul hr some time before his al ,jes•y's" seat" of cotnelai or would enable the Physicians to declare the Rayel Patient in a state of convalearence; anal that let other. say what they pleased, the writer deemed it to be lila duty to expiates the fear that his Majesty's com p! ciut was `• hereditary."—'fliove particular words were printed in italics, and their meaning could nut be doubtful. The Arroategv-GeNsaa 1, read the whole of the libel, as set forth in the following count of the indictment:— " The. King (nieamiug our said Lord the King) —Attached as we sincerely and lawfully are to every interest connected with the Sovereign (meaning our sai f Lord the King), or any of his illustrious relatives, it is with the deepest concern that we have to state that the malady tin ler which his Majesty (meaning our said Lord now the King), labours, is of an alarming description. It is from authority we speak, when with sorrow we inform oar readers (a. we think it, our duty to do), that the King (meaning our said Lord the king), nut only still continues to he confi ne d t o his I chamber, but that the symptoms of his iliaortier are of I too serious a nature to admit of his medit•al 'attendants being able to say when their Royal 1 1 .itient (weaning our said L cr.l the King), will lie sadiciently recovered to show himself to his anxious and afflicted sithjeet,„ Dr. Knighton, his Majesty's (meaning oar s aid L or d th e King's) irivate Secretary, anal Domestic l'oysician, is in couataut atten•lance, scar, vie ever out of the chamber i which the King (meaning our said Lord the King) is con fitted, and never farther from tier s..enat of sickness than the adjoining room. The persons about his Majesty (meaning our said Lord the Eine), foreseeing that too probably it will he a considerable time before the seat of his complaint will be in a state sufficiently cony descent to render it ad • visable that he should quit the Pavilion, have, in order; to ease the apprehensions of the piddle, circulated the report teat pl asure and co nfort, nut any afflicting necessity,! will induce any protracted stay at lit igleatu. But far from approving this decepiiuus kind of policy, which only ensures a inure violent shock, whetter-r the real truth of the case shall appear, we deem it much the wiser way to use I on such unhappy occasions the language of fact and rte.: therefore we are as desirous of coiniminicating, as others are of concealing, the melancholy truth that the King's (meaning our said Lard the King's) disorder is, it is feared, of an hereditary ales( ription—tioat his Majesty (meaning our said Lord the Nina), has had too many mill ifortunes praying upon his benevolent mind—the loss of a daughter and a consort equally dear to hint, such of a royal brother, whose political principles lie loved ; besides the.excruciating sufferings of his Agricultur a l sub jects, so sincerely deplored in his late most gracious speech; and the dangers in which the liberty of Aim Spaniards are placed by Bourbon pride and Gothic ferocity ; that these I , and other weighty concerns have oppressed his paternal ' feelings, and borne hart' on his superior intellects, we have too much reason to fear.—But if Divine Providence has ordained that mental afflictions shall be no less transmissi ! hie than the virtues of the heart, and the best of Princes (meaning our said Lord the King), should, by their long protraction, or the reiierated retui tes of his present unfor tunate morbosity, furnish another example of the !menta -1 ble fact (which Heaven in its goodness avert), still one re course will remain to his Majesty (meaning our said Lord the King) the prayers of a dutiful, loving, and loyal people; and seldom, very seldom, has !leaven been deaf to the orisous of nations when offered in behalf of wise and gracious Kiogs." That the libel insinuated mental insanity, against the individual on the Throne, he thought the July could not for alma:tent doubt; and was it not calculated to produce most mischievous effects, on the public mind? It was not public diecuesiou; it was not the investigation of public measures ; it declared, neither wore nor less than that his Majesty— he who swayed the Sceptre, and was the chief executive in the country, was in a state of insanity, and therefore in- capable of fulfilling the duties of his high station, and of managing those affairs connected with his Kingly authority. Was not that a gross, malicious, and cruel libel? It said that the King was incapable of managing hit own affairs. If that was said of a private individual would that not be a libel? They would immediately pronounce that it would be a libel of a most in olicious character; and was it to be said, that the King was to be libelled, so seriously, with impunity, while a like libel on a private individual would be visited with the most serious penalties? Was the King, on so delicate a point, to be libelled with impunity? That was the point for the Jury. He had no doubt .1) ant the result. It was a mischievous, walicions, and cruel libel; it was calculated to produce the most serious effects on the public mind; and it had been put forward in the most pro minent and glaring manner. He repeated, the question for the Jury was, might the Kiog be libelled with ha pimity, when no man would dare to libel in a similar man net, a private individual? That was net reason; it was not Lrw; it was not justice ' - awl he felt full reliance, that the Jury would declare it to be, what it really was, a malicious libel,bn the Sovereign of these Realms. He would leave the else in their hands ; he was quite ante that they would do their duty on the present occasion He considered that in filing, by virtue of his office, a Criminal information, he had only performed his duty; and he was sure the Jury MCM would not forget their daty to the King, an•: the Cunsti:n. don of the Country. . . Tha SOLICITOR-tiesrotaLproceeded to call witnesses. Elijah Litchfield stated, he was Clerk to the Solicit sr of the Treasury Office. Witness put in the affidavit made hr Mr. Harvey, stating that he was the proprietor of the Sunday Times, which was countersigned by Mr. Doucette, one of the Commissioners. Crosssexatnined by the Common Sergesnt.—Witness ii Commissioner to the Stamp Office; Mr. Itouvcrie is a Com missioner, hut witness does not know hies. Mr. DIMMAN objected, that the witness'• proof as to the signature of the Commissioner, was insufficient. The SOLICITOR-GENIMAL referred to the 3SO liPo. sec. 14, which made an affidavit of proprietorship, when countersigned by a t'o•nmi , sioner, sufficient evidence. Mr. DENMAN begged of the Court to take a note of his objection. The CHIEF JUSTICII said he would do so. The ATTORNET•G6NBRAL said, he was able to put the fact of Mr. Holmdel' being a Commissioner, beyond all question. Godfrey Sykes, said he was solicitor in the Stamp-office; witness proved that Mr. Bonverie had been a Commissioner of Stamps, op to Sept •tuber last year. Cross-examined.—Witness has seen hint acting in the qatlity of Commissioner at Somerset House. Cute► Jusvlcs.—That is sufficient. Mr. Litchfield heinz again called, said, the affidavit was signed on the 27th of .January. 1 he libel and albdavit was then read. This closed the case forth- prusecution. The COMMON SSSGBANT then addressed the Jnry for the defendant. He hoped to convince the Jusy that they never could, in justice to themselves, realise the anticipa tions of his Majesty's Attorney-General. A great task devolved upon him, in the dist:barer of which, he heapok the indulgence of the Jury. lie was astonished, and lamented net the Attorney-General, in the discharge of his official duty, should fix upon this as a 6t smihject for public prosecution. It was with pain he entered upon this subject. He was not ta he told that the right of public discussion was irrelevant to this question. What! Was the state of the King's health no tit subje,•t for public discussiou ? As to the mode in telt di it was put forward too, ha was not unwil:ing to meet the Aitorneyeieneral he complained that it was headed s' Earliest Intelligence," but was such a subject to he put in a corner, fitted for the perusal of the law, st classes only ? lie dill not despair of chewing that there was no subject more fit for public discussion, and which could have been put forward more properly than this. He would willingly avoid such a subject, and he was sure the Jury brought their minds to it as unwillingly as he did. It was painful at all times to touch upon inciters, the discu.sion of which must com promise the feelings of high minded end illustrious persons. He had known cases in which Juries had before now withdrawn altogether front such tr els. The Learned Counsel here mentioned a ease at Linroht, where a Juror entreated the Court to excuse his catering upon so painful a duty : but the Chief Baron reminded him, that, however painful it may be, he was obliged to go through with it. The case went on, smut the accused was eventually acquit , ted. The Learned Counsel then proceeded to state more particularly the line of conduct which it would he his duty to follow upon this occasion. Hi. chest was the publisher who, let it be remembered, was nut so guilty, if guilt there was at all, as the proprietor, who had the whole control of the concern. Mr. Harvey was a man of education, well known, and wool I tie more ably defended than he coald ,be by him. The printer was a mere machine, for putting linto a state of publication, matter, of the import of which, possibly, lie might be totally ignorant. It would therefore follow, that although the proprietor might be guilty, still the printer might be innocent. If there was any mischief in the article, that of itself, might have been s reaseo fir concealing it from the mechanic. halted he could not are why this man was at all indicted ; the whole case could have been brought into discussion by a prosecution of Mr. Harvey alone. This the Attorney. General himself partly admitted. He meant not to question the right of Gliu, cx-e i ricio information, although that power had been questionea by many able, constitu tional, lawyers. But the Attornepirneral might, lika other men, have la•o te fist his c.i.e before a Grand Jury : and there was nut a doubt but that if he had fel' the Oahe of the public in this way, he wnalml not be inclined to fel low up the prosecution. His not having done so formal a presumption against the policy of the prosecution. The agitation of the question now was calculet •ti to du more mischief than if the report had been suffered to lie in the state of oblivion in which it had lain for so long • time.— Many months bad elapsed since this report was first circa- I stet!, which now, thank Gan, there was no reason for Cie prayers of his Majesty's siti•j•cts had been heard. B however, little foundation there was now for such a report, there was no doubt but at one time such a report was in circula lea ; and could it be sail that these reports were not a lit subject for public discussion. IVhen the date King was labauring tinder ibis dreadful affliction, it was not only stated in the public papers,but stated openly in Parliament. And how easily could an answer be given to it. If the King had appeared abroad attempt us it would set this question at rest. The absence of the late King from public observation, was held to warrant a sallieimulpresutuution as to Isis state of health. But were any of the facts untrue?— Was it untrue that Dr. Knighton was in attendance upon !din, were any of the other facts untrue which were then stated? The only crime, therefore, was in the inference which was in some degree war ranted by the experience of the former reign; but then came the Attorney-General to complain of the wound inflicted upon the King's feelings—his feelings— when did his alaje.ty hear of the Sundlay Times ? Be it re membered that it was only the seveuteenth number of this little knoen paper. Reports did, prevail that the King laboured under this dreadful malady—and the Journalist takes it as a matter deeply interesting to the public. Bat the report proves happily to lie untrue, and what possible injury could a report in so obscure a Juaroal make in the public mind ? He contended that the Attorney-General, with all his vehemence, in all the labour, had been fighting a "sham fight ." The word "by authority" would he made much of; but what did they mean more, in a public Newspaper, titan that the Journalist proceeded on the authority of some respectable individual. Nothing mere was meant ; it was nut meant to say, that there was the authority of a Minister of State, or of the Physicians, Sir IV. Knighton, &c. There were son • such rumours abroad, and it was the duty of a Journalist to allude to them.— Happily they had died away ; happily there was reeson to believe that there had never been the least reason for the painful rumours ; bat it was most extraordinary, most monstrous, to declare that• the King's health was not mutter of public interest. It was the contrary ; the pahlic were justified in feeling anxiety on such a subject, and Journalists had a right, if public discussion were to be allowed, to allude to so important a subject. It was said that the libel was calculated to bring the King into hatred and contempt quite the reverse was the fact. It was cal culated, if, unfortunately, there had been derangement, to excite the sympathy o f all, to disarm party feeling and hostility, if any existed. Mental derangement might afflict the wisest and the best, and, in an instant, dash down the m lst promising prospects, and check the most brilliant and laudable career. The commencement of the present Reign had been much disturbed ; but fact, as well as the law, forbade him to attribute any of those troubles, and of those proceedings of which the country was asham e d, his Majesty. The Ministers alone were to blame who had collected foreign slanderers tilled green and be knew not what—things that be could never of but with contempt—they alone were to blame. But to slander the king, to allude to his" benevolent" naiad, admitted the benevolent character of his Majesty's mind r• are libel in a similar man- Reign hail been mucb disturbed ; but fact, as well as the t was net reason ; it was not law, forbade him to attribute any of those troubles, and of he felt full reliance, that the those proceedings of which the country was ashamed, to bat it really was, a malicious hie Majesty. The Ministers alone were to blame ; they vs Realms. He would leave who had collected foreign slanderers tilled green bags, is quite sure that they would and be knew not what—things that be could never taink 'casino He considered that of but with contempt—they alone were to blame. But was it ce, a Criminal Information, to slander the king, to allude to his" benevolent" mind. All y; and he was sure the Jury admitted the benevolent character of his Majesty's mind; yet, •