The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1819-10-15 00:00:00

Lit , . . • he admited of slraugers—lle beloved of th.we who *sew him! H., however, was she savant, of toleration. Orthodoxy .unshed him with the shifts of intoleramer a hest they fell harmlem areould him. Ile was the Mewl of all *that was good—the F AA, of the English Prelacy! yet Tillot son did not escape the charge of Atheism and Heresy, Ihemgh he Vied the high o Ewe of Arehhiotiop of Calliel bury ! In one of his works he said, " A man, that has the spirit of • man, will ail Chbait to that worst of slivery, the denial of his el& lb elkaifiliti ithe religion, and inquire info the grounds and reasons yf s h g t would break with ass, church that deoied this right.. I hon1:1 say, a If vine religion is too Rand to be exhinisted, I 'loathi that it is too bad to be larlievar" Fle s eoutilave `raid Cameroon passages from She Archbishop', aerations, to sheer, at beige, his detestation of per*" eta iota ; hot, • lodate, persuasions the Gentlemen of the Jury might be of, they Wass he sell arriliainted sill' the 'noble imbed of that celebrated man. Doi vide. was too fee lair to raise in the praise of that brilliaiel rim water, but every lover of purity and integrity, of every seri, dpi female to his name—iherefore, perhaps, he nei g h' he eaeoss a, a hen he eh. pressed his approbation of Arehliisleop Tillutiesn's mild rte. toe: Gad a hide More time elapsed since he last addressed Vie Jnry, or had his olowelheos been refreshing after the fatigue he hid mole rgome, he amid have produced rohimeo, which would hove covered the table, all io behalf or f i re Its. 9"1 , and against roomitions for publications of the na ture now 'objected liesovolumes ws Rico by the learned hod the great—by the chief of the " maotre.opisits" to wAetr England Ind given birth. Rut this doyley of heallioritier mould, he fell, be rather tedious than usefol—bad be owed too mewl. already to She kindness of the Jury to introduee is—roperiolly IPI he believe d them to Le of the same opinion with the hest and wiliest of she dead, who still opske to mon k oed by their works—and the most illustrious of the living, v ho *Anglo them, by their example, the sublimity of the pre. septa a heel' hail been laid down 117 those who no looter esi•trel. Bigotry wa• not lobe fennel niew,eiteert in the meal. rl f hoists of superstition, or a miongoi the legal lumber of the Crown Offerer; aimless, hider.% it ranee into a court of's', e'othed he a silk gown, to "fright us from our propriety"— .ow casting a withering glance on its victim. aid now look. a sqnint at the JllllO through the parchment roll o f a n r : f%',scio in foe matinee. They all hail heard of Dr. Squires, e lea was Cleo k of the Closet to his Moiroty when Prince of agates, tool afterwards Bishop of St. Davis; s. Ile, in one of leo sernionr, eisiervell, that " if nay set of men had the power of Ming ficedom of discussion, it would soon tend So the destruction of truth. It would not be long bee foe the ermeiti y ovoid see throe gees ing into an inquisi• ton " There was one other a:tinnily which he would cite. Te w that of the rxeclleot and truly pious Dr. Philip For • see, olio, in his lett. ra, address, it to Mr. Justice Blackstone, to roma plence of • passage relative he the Tolerati en Act, contained in the celebrated Coinnecrforiei of that Legated Jnil4e. feta nuouslv advocaat the celiac of extensive totem. lion. [Dere Mr. Carlile read an extract from dm letters.] —After haring concluded reading Dr. Philip Cornea's book, the Defendant said, that in proof of the Doctor's opinits, Sir tgm. Blackstone, to %bona he so forcibly appetiled, in a nobseepsent edition of his Commentaries, gave . a much more tube ral and tolerant interpret a tion to the statute of Dias. forth respecting the Liturgy. Poet it is fur ions, Gentlimen, said the Defendant, to giver &et to the duettists of those excellent meta. Governments hive pewee beer w illing to alter bad laws until the expression of public o pi n i on gave then plan. feigns that they were in the wrong. if it were not for She finer of public opinion many absurd and anal laws that rromive on the statute book wueld be called into 'operation for the purposes of persecution. The present At tereey-General feels that he is bound to do 'meddler for a great deal of money, and therefore he instattleie this pro. n.reotion against me for blasphemy. Ile does so, merely be cause others did so before. 1 will now proceed to real eeeme extracts from the Sermons of the Rev. Mr. Amain, on LLesphemr ; they were preached after the well.kaiw• prose entien of Mr. llone. Ile denounced the fully and the cruel. ty of prosecoli 111 l a of this nature. Gentlemen, the Sore. reiges of this country is the Sovereigo of the Established Chore h, he is the Sovereign too of the Kirk of Scotland, the Sovereign of the Roman Catholic Church is Canada, of the Whom, Inn Churl Is in India, and of millions of fol lowers of those who 'Kara the Hoodoo faith. Gentlemen, ohy, I ask, has not the law been made applicable to all his Vajesty's stehjeces? Gentlemen, if the Attorney-Gem - rat ee l s., that it is as article of the Church of England tb rap told she doctrine of the Trinity, these I say that he has im. record the shoorisse of the Trinity, and that he himself, be. fore Mr. Smiths Hill, broke the haws, and was liable to be punished as a blasphemer. Gentlemen, as fur blasphemy, I throw it bark on the Attorney-General. I admit I bare I,lisphi mei', hat it is with the Allieruey.General. I oleo, the (Inflate. of the Trinity. Can the Amaral-Gene. rel say that he believes it ? But it in the essence of power to corrupt the beat of Mats. As an isetsme of what he tilled the credulity of the people of ibis enuary, he c:trel a letter, said to hare been written by our Saviour, and which was generally believed lei this country. Ile did out know alio ohs to reply to him. If the Solicitor• General, he hoped he would rem( ember the virtues of one whom be most most revere. Di, father was a man of the nioot liberal heart and of the burst (PIIIIIP. If be mood before him in the robes of office he might well appeal to him ; Ise educated his son in the hest maxima of the Whigs; in the eulareed mineiples of M e . Fob. If, said hr, the spirit of the sire will animate the conduct of the son, he will only wish you, Genthmesi of she Jury, my pouseeutors, and his Lordship, to do sheer duty in Me pre,. mace of the people of England. Gentlemen, said Mr. Cal le. toy views on this mighty subject are nut limited, it is a albino(' subject. I will read you au extract, which cannot lint he edifying, from one of the most popular and nee of 11:e nobiest poets of the present day ; 1 mean 31r. Moore : The turf shall be my fragrant shrine; My temple, Lord! that Arch of thine; My censer's breath the mountain airs, And silent thoughts my only prayers. My choir shall be the moonlight ware., When murmuring homewards to their , Or alien the stillness of the sea, Even wore than music, breathes of Thee: VII seek, by day, some glade unknown, All light and silence, like thy Throne! And the pale stars shall be, at night, The only eyes that watch my rite, Thy Heaven, on which "iis bliss to look, Shill he my pure sod shining Boi , k, Pere I shill trail, in words of Heine, 't he glories of thy woud'ruus Mme. I'll read thy Anger in the rack, That clouds awhile the day-beam's track ; Thy Mercy in the azure hue Of sunuy brightuess, breaking through! Thrre's nothing bright, above, below, From Bows rs that bloom to stars that glow, But is. its light my soul eon ace Nome feature of thy Deity! There's nothing dark, below. above, Put in its gloom I trace thy Lure, Aed mei kl) wait that moment, whin Thy touch shut tutu all bright agent'." t;entlinieu, this is user of Mr. Memet's sacred songs. d and I11:1 palled as a poet, his compositions are genie of it•n Coat shot erro h the language of his country, yet Isis ie..siosehla lure air die seotimeiiis of a Deist. Gentle. mei., I mu sow drawing my uina•rvatiows to a close. 11 is row eeceisary fo► me so lake some view of what has l:C4' urrid daring this trill in this Court. Geutte poem the Attorney C.:tint:ll hat said, that by your oath you ate bound to God me guilty. This awry limo ass extremely unfair, and intended to excite pre. j.silire. Geulhenro, the us h 100 bare taken is, that you ►hal" well and holy try whether 1 published skis volume wish w malicious ingestion. Geod. torn, is this questiuu the Al. toi neytet sacral has as great a stake as myself; this is his *lot efi'ort to blast the right of fire irquiry ; his failure will lilast his future irosincla, as may failure will certainty blast soul ruin mine. Geutlerneu, I hops• that what bee lotto. ly uri uered iu this ruche/poles, and the wise moil praise worthy couduct of souse James, sill be followed by tow. The libeity of free itireutisiiiii sad of free ismuiry, without the liberty a fliciress, is ■ mere tom. Geatlernan, the foe -14117 Aetora I.Gencrai use thirsted in terry iustauat wirers • • .41 a AA. • , he alt. mpt<d lei suppress optima daring his Attorney Ge -1 iseralship, in the metropolis; and though.fifillemenel NU". herd filed this isiformation e arrangesamals eserq mask Ileat he should never brine it iasto•Ouvirt. Gentleemo, see let the lusty °robe press, he who seareely eon be have • will of ,his owes, is not calculated to dew Ike Sine' between the fair liberty of the press and its *opposed liosallieumew. Gentlemen, at ibis moment Ham is a horrible permeation on the Continent sef the Jews, and thiarremailms arises from • religions feeling. Gentlesweiagi &mitt nut that you are al 'painted with the duties of Juror., seed it is fur you to say *heftier 11w Attormy-General has fairly made out his charges against me. He bas not made. it clear, .tow could he, that in the boo* in aniaestion pas thing was cunt•ined either untrue or immoral. Gentlemen, I hope pm well know that you represent in that box the real pimple of Eng laud ; I lease no hesitation in saying, that • Jury is the only system of representalinee shed exists in this country. Gen tlemen, you are one body—l leave scarcely a hope that i your ananirueus verdict wilt be that of Not Gailly—of pose verdict, Gentlemen, I have hut too mach mama to fear ; I I um sorry to sey, that it has come to my kuowledge to make public • declaration of one of you. I I m es b eer , j o e orine d tit it one of yule declared that be hoped to condemn that rascal Cathie to five years imprisonment, on bread sued water. [This ohms vation excited in the auditors • consith r able sensation, several eef the Jury rose from their Wall, and requested the Defendant to name the Juror.—The Chief Justice observed, that so indecorous an observation routd never leave been made. The Defendant, after a pause, re sumed.] Ga linemen, I hope the slight allusion I have made, will be forgiven—it might have been imprudent, but 1 omelet not wish to say soy thing that would give ;Mot-- ehould it he iimessary, in support of • motion fur a user trial. I shall he more explicit. It is • maxim of the- English law, that Melee persuus as Jurors feral one body— said a doubt on the mind of ogee person is the doubt eef the whole, and if such a Maeda exist be the mind of our eat you, lam entitled to your acquittal. The law of England humanely holds that it is better tell guilty should toe pe than one inneemot man sl 1.1 lie le L Your verdict must he one clear nernoilified verdict of guilty or not gently, fur it is plebe the melanin:: of the law refers to the adjudica tiou of the twelve men ; if one nasal doubts , that most be taken as the doubt of the whole—if you, as a body, field a verdict of guilty, you commit the mine fault that • single individual amongst yon would, wiles would say he wan per. redly convinced of the fact of guilt, anal yet who felt scruples, but yielded to the voice and wishes of she rest. Gm newel. I repeat it, 1 ebutilal be sorry to give offence; I sun nut sufficiently skilled in the practice and proceedings or a Cuurt of Justice to know whew I give uffence or not. Gen arnica, the question is purely one of opinion; else y one of you entertain certain opi Mum ale matters of it out be bard to call un you to lay milk your opinions? anal surely 1 might be allowed to entertain miur without punish ment. Gentlemen, ma ' , boiler charges I have atonally suffer ed s permeutione. 'three infurmations have been tiled &galas( me on a similar charge. I have been del/lived of nay liberty fur 18 weeks; after that I was liberated without a trial, and the fervid was withdrawn. I was told the king was my prosecutor; that I had no 'terrain to appeal to, and no 1111 . 21111 of redress. Thee e sir four either informations against me, and I am to be also proses tiled fur a publicabon in a twopenny pamphlet, which the Attorney-Generil lass called a Peden 0000 s libel—that ieformation was filed with the intention of harassing me in my mode of deliver.. —Gentlemen. 1 know not whether the Attorney Gene riel has untidiness' the isfulitiettuns veiniest me, but I am told he may bring them uu when lee Ovules. Gentle men, independent of there, there are twee other iudiciments for publishing the mine hook—that i. , the !unties actually iodicied me to ice for one and the sante offence. The übject sue ely 1111111111 be the attainment of public justice—if so, one deCiIII//11 would be sufficient fur the whole. The libel (teethe Political Libel is probably the next that will be brought uu. The object of these accumulated indictments is to me in my mode of defence—• defence of this kind, Geoilemen, is suture than the sulk of one mind. Why then should I be harassed, dragged as I have been into Court, nut aware of abet trial would he first proceeded on? Gentleineu, if you bring a verdict agaiust me, accumulated fines and imprisonment will follies,. 1 shall be thrown hew the hand. of my prosecutors; I shall be mistime for ever; 1 shell weer get over it, ear rise above it. Theis eve el if I have erred, I have reetnenii led an offence too tnithig to (161/11.1e me to the puoiehtneue abide awaits me. The sentence will be yours, as it •ill baud we over to toy pruseciehlrll. It is summary to make some vises vat ions un the lawn! liln 1. Gentlemen, the inteution of the accused is the tiocatiou ; but the Attormy•Gmetal mid his Ltirelabip say, thet it i 3 not the 'ideation of the publisher, but thee tendency of the work, that is the tinestion. To ascertain the iuteution is not their (dims ; their object is to prociere couviction. The law is in toy favour. 11 has beets asserted, that the Christian belief in the Old and New Testament is the roadie' eat the law. Now. if it be the religion of the law, it is the law itself. The law may he examined into by the humblest ileitis idual in ibis country; so, therefere, inn, be the re legion. If religion were out placed under the piotection e.f the law, it might have 'mutated a higher character. Under the law 1 felt justified iu publish. ing the hook before you. It cannot be coutrudicted, that if the doctrine of the Trinity is taken asay from the Christian religion, it will leave nothing behind; yet the Bell brought into flee House of Commons Mei aits the impugning of the Holy Trinity ruder that law, • man is allowed iu explain the grimed of los disbelief. I eta •ware, that the iudivi. dual also brought in that Bill perviously submitted it to the Ilkhops. 11 was stated, that a number of re. speclable tool enlightened subjects lame Unitariau Chris leans. and were expose el to the ;muskies of the law. But the Unitarians leave discarded the doctrines ou which Chris. tiauity is founded; they deny that Jesus Chriat was begot. ten of the Holy Spirit ; they have • New Testament of their own. soot they have discarded certain parts of the Old; they Imluve in mote miracles performed by Christ, but not to all. If I were • sincere Cbrisban, 1 world protest agaiust the passing of ibis Bill, because it goes to undertnine Chris tonsity ; the Archbishops and Bisdup, however, approved of it. I will now 'horny state the origin of Ibis statute: Mr. Jeremy Bentham, who has peeved himself the friend of free elimussion, was 01/3001111 to know from Mr.lVm. Smith what parsed lactate') him sod the Birhops; he was anxious to ascertain how far they were disposed to alter flee discus sion me all subjects; and he fur this purpose opened a cor reepontlestee well, Mr. Smith, which 1 shall teed to you Here !tie. Curiae proceeded, at cousiderable lesigth, to read she letters of Mr. Bentham. He was ail length interrupted by— The Cuter JUSTICE, lilho said, that what the 10e. fendant was reading was against himself, but that if the Defendant And an object in it, if he thought It would be eervicenble to hie case, he might proceed; but it seemed NA his Lordship that flee Deckled:oil was uraccessmily fatiguing himself and others. Ale. Cartile—The nett passage speaks on the common law or the subject. The Congo it/trice—lf you think it will do you good, I do not object to your reading it. Mr. Carlile proreed.d, and after reading the letters of Mr. Bentham, be resumed his defence. To him It ap. peered that the doctrine of the Trinity was the whole foundation of the Christie, religion. In the thirty.uitse articles it was said that the established religiuti wu founded on the belief of the Father, Sou, and Holy Ghost. Now, if such were the case, be roatended that rejecting the doctrine of the Trinity was in fact reviling the Christian re. ligintt. Perhaps it did not swear an to the Arclibishopa, In u the propriety of passing the statute was referred to cousideratiou ; but was not the fact so? The Act there. fore look away all peualties fur reviling the duettists of Christianity; and lie hoped the Gentlemen of theJary would take that with them to returniog their verdict, and re. collect that that was the force and effect of it. It was a maxim in law, that the common law did not affect the statute law; but the. a statute, es the contrary, so perst ded and lock away abet had been rum law. Rest. alt on this principle, and conceiving that be bad the protep t,o of the statute IsB Geo. 111. he had dune what wait im paled to him as a crime, and published the works in ques. lion. The impropriety of briogisig a work of Ibis kind into a loan of justice, alum have sleuth them, oh. re the only tit (care which la the tiature of things, he could ha ve h a d, namely, a jaattiseatitia of the fact, was not by the yaks of the Court, or of law, permitted to be given. Hip trial tti eon. miturace, was staithiLg but a mockery of • tint!. He could • liai , ejorliied not oaly the publication of MC Puise's winter,- I " I ev e r y b e ltenter gull repression they contained; hut that he was rut allowed itr Ntrtapl. But he thowell that the ! denial Sf an opportunity to establish the Joshes of Mr. Paisse's attintadventinisa uts reiligiou, would do more injury to the established religion than the mos! waraton and brutal attack which could possibly be made on it. He had not at- ' tempted to defend himself in the way commonly resorted to, by enlarging on the advantages of maintaining the liberty of the press, or by placing himself before them in the character of a I ookselles—thoesgh in fact it was sitereasnamble to taken boAreller answerable for any opinions contained im the works whirl, lee sold—he was a mere instrument, by which the public were made acipiainied with the sentiments of °there. A bookseller stood to the public in the relation of • midwife to the Muses. Publishers retitled a variety of li. serail prodoefirins ; know, immune!' as it was tint within the liner of possibi• the meteors of them all they could nut lily they timid read them all He assumed them that a great number of publications and pamphlets passed through his hands without big reading them—because, lead he flee sired it, be had not limn. It was not Po•alble that bookseller could jowly be convicted of n inalicinies in publishing any book its his shop ; the author of that hook knew whether there was any thing offensive in it, hot the bookseller could nut. However, as for himself, Ise did not wish lea be misunderstood ; he did sort mean to say, that he did out know what were the contents of this hook ; on the contrary, he declared that he did krone them, and that lie published the work heroine lee thought that Mr. Paine's ideas of religion and the Deity were superior to any thing of ' the sort be had ever read, and would powerfully contribute towards dispelling the mints of superstition, and introduce. int 34 pure and enlightened philosophy and religion. In what he had said his essileavour had been not nuly to defend himself, but the ideas of the author. Mr. Paine had lore,. loaded with much oblogny,and even branded with the statue of an Atheist. Hot he would assert, and was ready to prove, that eau 111111 had ever dots more than he to refute and overthrow that system. He bosh put on paper a short appeal, with which his hail thought it twerssary to conclude his defence. He appealed to their feelings 1111 moral in,.,, as linsbands, as fathers, as members of suriety—he entreated that, before ;kilter" be their verdict, they would m at ur ely c o nsider how much it might ameliorate the cumlilitou of th.st suciely. He cultivated they would, ley their verdict, annihilate the vague and infamous law of libel, when applied to matters of rrli. gion—that, by their verdict, they would fur ever put a stop to bpi prose cutlets for religious opinions—that y would extinguish all bigotry and religious prejerdteee— that they would onsliackle and enlarge human resorts, and allow a free and open field for basin-rises—that they wonld guard against the Suture degradation of the dignity of the mind of man— that, by their verdict, they would encourage and soppiest the free diffieron of the ideas of well-informed and eulightened men, which could never demoralise society, for it was flow the s (furls of the ignorant alone that society could lee so vitally ittjurtil; and in those his last words, lie implored Uwe') to keep themselves guarded against the unfair advan tage a Inch the Attorney-General might possibly in his reply take of any thing which had fallen front hint Mr. Carlile), when be should have ito opportunity of addressing them *gaits. He besought them nut to suffer their hearts ear their understandings to he influenced by such an attempt. The Attorney Gem rat had staled to them, Ihat mach was at stake on this trill; but, in fact, he (the Attoroey-Griieral) had as much depending cm the issue of it as himself. He (Mr. Cathie) had at stake all perhaps that he possessed in the world—the Attorney-General all his professional es pecial and objects of ambition; fur, should he fail in the Penaccolion, lie had very little hopes of promotion iu race. He !Draftily thanked them for the very kind and lieut all oml deliberation with which airy had heard him. He confidently relied that twelve enlightened mer chants (or tit least some among them merchants) of the city of London would see the necessity of tolerating at this day a free deteutsiou ua every subject of this kind. lie had made it clear to the that there was no law adverse to him but 11111V/1111111111 law, while he was supported and justified by the statute law; under that law he hail believed himself to be sheltered, and he therefore hoped for protection in their verdict. After an interval of a few minutes, Mr. Carlile rose again and said, My Lord, I beg bi--- Chief Justice—Some of the Gentlemen of the Jury are not in their places. When the absent Jurors had returned, Mr. Carlile said, My Lord, Wore I venture to call any prisons to evidence.; I wish to say a few wo r d s i n exp l anat i ou as to w h at prayed -1 bet VII C 11 1 .114 fast aikhe. The Chug' Jusitec—Tell me to what point you wish to call eviiieuce? Mr.lile—My Lord, I wished to bring before the Jury the leading persons of the different sects prolcuing the Christie,, religion. The Chief Justice—well, Sir? Mr. Caulde—And to have ►lran to the Jury the side dif ference of opinions and faith dial prevailed between these Netts; that MOM of them approached near to dy own pro.. feasiou of faith, and that as they are tolerated, I ought to be tolerated. l'he Chief Justice—That was ynur object ? Mr. Car had a further object; but I undo-Maud it was objected to. I intended to take the opinions of different sectarianism' various parts of the Old nod New Testament. The Chief Jlll.l ICC—Any farther? Mr. Carlile—M y chief object, my Lord, was to bate slwwe to the Jury , that every one of these sects gave a dii (cleat oiplintatiou of certaiu passages is the Old and New Testament. The Chief Justice—That was your object? 'Jr. Cathie—Vex, by the leading members of the sects. The Chief Jubilee—l omit:naiad that to be your object, and no other? Mr. Carlile—Nn; I meant to put it to every one of those persons u Iwther Christianity required the ■id of the secular bran to uphold it. _ _ The Chief Justice—Have ye• now fully explained your. self, and is there nothing farther? Mr. Carlile—l have, my Lind. The Chief Justice—Then I am very clearly of opinion that witnesses cannot be examined uu any of these points. The truth of the Christian religion is nut to be called in question. That there are • variety of different sects and opinions iu religion, we all know ; but that is nut the in. quiry. It nuuld be moat extravagant and indecent id me to suffer these per.u•s to be examined relative to the evi dence and truth of the Christian faith. Mr. Carlile—Nut the truth, my Lurd. The Chief Justice—You bold memo, object. Mr. Carlile—Am 1 to understand, my Lord, that uo exa mination is to be permitted as to matters of opiniou ? The Chief Justice--Yes, certainly. Such a thing was done in a Court of Justice--risch an examination might be eudless--you might call into Court half the City of London. Mr. Carlite—l had confined myself to the most eminent sutung Oise Seclnman. Ibe Chief Justice—Yon have already bad my opinion. It is enough to my it can't be done. Mr. Carlile—Then for the information of those Gentlemen who had been subpirnaed by me, 1 would say, that I consider. ell the thing all through as ■ matter of opinion, and that with that view 1 summoned (hem. The thief .I;stliee- ---- That . ;;be an apology for them, bat I must exercise my judgment. Is there uuthingel.e? Mr. Carble—There was something else, but it refers to matter of opinion, sod if I am precluded from that topic, 1 caul pursue it. The; Chief Jomice—Arm' certainly are; it wu newer done. After a passe— Mr. Quitle—l would call Wm. Cosmic. The Chief Joslice—As to what ? Mr. Castile—Mural character. Ms. Car love another questiee lb - pet to this *item. The Chief Justice—S/bat is it Mr. Garble—l would wish him to say whether I have mot an aged another. Tbe Chief Justice--No; an inqttiry into moral character is s tosyi general. There may be some emir. in every mail's conduct. YOll have hail the Worth of the must gagersl and favourable answer. Mr. Cummin—l de not believe him capable of an untruth fur nny consideratiun. The Chief Justice—Well, Sir, the inquiry does not go to that. _ . . Witness withdrew, and James Jeuo was cailed. Having been sworn— The Chief 'notice—Whit is your business or profession, Mr. Jeuis?—A. lamin nu business at locals'. lam retired f business. The Chief Justice—Thai's 'laugh, Sir. Row lung have y ou k i wi" the Defendant?—A. About six years. The Chief Justice--Durnig that lame what kas been his general moral character?—A. Very good; be lodged with me about. three years. Thomas Walker was then called and sworn. The Chief !twice—Are you in any business ?—A. I am a messenger ill the Navy Office. The Chief Juslite—How lung have you known the De fentlant?—A. I believe between four and fire years, my Lord. The Chief Justice—During that time what has been his general moral character ?—A. lie lodged iu my house (or 'three years; he always condocted himself as au honest, in. dostri o ns, soMme mass ; hr always paid his rent regularly.— [Witness left the Mix.] Mr. Cartile—That, of course, my I.ortl, includes moral character. The Chief Justiee—What bee beet, hi. moral character?— A. I believe my good, toy Lord; I beard uotbiug bad of Mr. Carlile—l wish to explain, my Lord. The Chief Justice—This is not the time for explanation. Mr. Carlile—Merely to say, my Lord, that I lived with these three persons, as an apprentice or a lodger, till I be came a housekeeper myself. The Attorney-General then, after a short interval of time, replied to the followiut effect :—Geuileineu of the Jury, after the very long, painful, and laborious attention you have given to the Defendant's case, it is, I assure you, with :echoic* of considerable uneasiness that I feel it necessary sir offer any farther observations to you, because it appears to me that the case against the DeCaidant has been made out, as far as cast CAR be made out, and that any observa tions with that view, are perfectly unnecessary—for, if any doubt had existed on your minds as to the intention of the Defendant in publishing the wink in question, previous to his defence, that doubt moat have been long since removed by the open declarations and express avowal* of himself, the best evidence you can have on the subject ; for, he nut only openly, clearly, and directly avowed, that previous to the publication he was cogniz int and acquainted with the run. testis of the work, but the unhappy mau (for unhappy will call him) attempted to justify the matter and ex pressions of it. I say then, Gentlemen, that had it toot been for sonic remarks of his wills respect to the law of the case, 1 don't kuow, but 1 should better discharge my duty to the Court and my country by sending the case to your considera. Linn without one more comment ; because if you air not already satisfied that he was well aware of the contents of this book when he sent it wit to the world, nathing can produce conviction in your minds. Now, Gentle men, with respect to the law, and the statute on which he places such &prudence, I assert that the correspondence nail by the Dann 'himself (and of the rxisteure of which I had not been asset before), between Mr. Smith and Mr. Bent ILon, expressly proves, nut only what a-as the intention of the Le.gislat ore in passing it, but what was the object of those alio procured mid were duly grateful for the enactment of it. It proves that the Act was never intended to be set up in a Court of Law, as a de. fetter not of this or that religious sect or tenet; hut of that which is a direct attack, a most gross abuse, ridicule, seal blasphemy of Christianity in general, which would altogether abolish slid sweep out thetslahlisheil religion of the country, and tolerate not only Dti9o3, but Atheism, Polytheism, ur any system (I cannot call it religion) which any frantic sperm. latisls ur wild •isiimaries might think proper to embrace. Hut fort isnately the period is not yet come, notwithstanding the intentions of the Defendant and those who have assisted him here, and from time to time supplied and fed I uOM matter and arsuments—fortunately the day has out yet ar. rived when the edition of the laud is to be utterly twin. euitilwil by means of the labours of those enlighteued indi viduals. The law of England allows full liberty of thinking, it does not pruhibit or punish any man for holding the opinions he approves of. ltut the conduct of the Defendant was quite another antic. The object now was to undermine, sap, and overthrow the relieion sanctioned by the law of lIIW laud, and to introduce ma its ruins a chaos of Deism, Athe. ism, or any other blasphemies and ab.urilities. Snell were the objects on Inc waxenl occasion, and such were the avow. ed objects. The Defendant set out by saying, that there was 110 common law iii this country. "It n. tell the written law," says he, s' on the expressed will of the Legi.lature alone we stand ; and if the Aunt ney-General cannot produce some written law torwinst which I have offended, there is an rod of the prosecution, and tile information falls to the ground." Can the Defendant he so ignorant (hut 1 cannot suppose that he or his advisers are so com pletely blind 441 the suoject) as taut to know that the prosecution and punishment of the most flagrant crimes, evets of murder and robbery, de petal on the cominun law?—that till the rights of real propene, so extensive an article in our code, are derived not from any written law, but the unwritten common law? But the De fendant's observations oil this part of the sub ject skewed. that us he wished to get rid of e ll religion, an he was desirous to rivet-throve all law. Boit 1 ant well satisfied the efforts of him and his associates will never be successful, and God forbid they should ! for with the fall of religion and law, the end would come of till freedom and huppinese. But he says, that if there was no CUOMO° law in existence, he has to statute which tolerates such acts es the one he is charged with. He would argue that by the 53d of the King, not ouly an extended toleration was granted to a certain class of Christians, but that the flood-gates of all vice and wickeduese, and piohnieneas were thrown open, and mill vain and impious theories. all impious hypothesis, all insane delusioos. let in upon society. But, Gentlemen, the law lo9s int such thing ;itis as brief and plain as airy matter. The statute 9 and 10 Willman 111. did not introduce any new offence. but created certain new itenaltirs ; it provided several penalties on several distmet offences. It enacted that if soy perun educated in, or having made itsofestion of the Christian telogimi, shall by writing, printing, teaching, or advised speaking, deity the Christian religion to be true, or time Holy Scriptures to be cf theme authority, and shall upots indictuteht or informati )))) be convicted thereof, he shel! be subject to certain penalties which it enu merates. But biome that time were not ditferrot per sons, as the Defendant well knew, brought to trial on The witness was accordingly called. and with some dui. the ore-existing moil utirepwaled corn iiiii re law. on tally made his nay th roug h th e crow d I nto the box. The Chief Justice flhat i s y our ussue l— A . charges . similar to that agailist him ? :Joan wh a t was Cuenaihs. Wilhelm prosecuted, and Eaton ? N ot scum the no- The Chief Justice—How lane have you Insows the De. tote but the common law ; but according to the De. foichuit, Mr. Carlile?—A. About 111 years. (earn:, there was ao coalition l a w ; whereas, 00 law. The Chief Jomitt"—Dofin Ihrt base what has htwa his law had ever dreamt but that it was by the contains general mural ch a racter?—A. Allow ass So observe, that be law that these individuals hail been prosecuted. con served as so apprruitee who toe for sews years. The Caief Justice—And what has bees his geserst eha. . stetell, and sentences pronounced proportionate to racier far morals?—A. Very geed. their offences. In the year 1813. though 1 believe 4 The Chief howler-44m psit may take penes to call? the wa..yptnaiseFlltttz dal W e tClitiell faiths . , ties{. $l,, ing of a religion% opinion in the present Men, y et as certain Dissenters conceived thewarelees liable to applsed at it wag ol lo ba n i i ei :v o e Lf ro d et t gl o t li o :l t a t P l! l i r li i ,:e l )( l:T o u is a i l k d e re nel ePr iLre l.:o y f lou si r tt: s tl on t o l : B . P t do that Y ' r which may he destructive of your own object; take care thst you don't repeal thaw twits of the statute of all established religion. If this ware die*, three wou el he an end of every religitm consoled ess ' hinny." They felt, they were rr" ti iiite of the u . jection, and a part only of the +Lime was repeal. ed. The Established Church is founded on elms tianity, Christianity is iota of the. Lew of the Lie' it it a religion of tuler e ti on —b ut whol e th e Saw td,.. !ewes freedom of opinion, and (vim mu t w i umill discussion, is cannot permit Noy 'Lug insulting', reviling the tostionul faith. In Puppert of this pee positi on , I will quote an author referred to by the Defendant himself, and one of the most resp ect. able authorities on the law, Sir Wnliant Black stone. He observes, though it is dear that i „, restraint should be Lid upon satirical and dopes .innate discussions of the rectitude Huai propriety , of the establi‘lied mode of worship. yet contarnelg. and contempt are what no , OtahlivAmeat can kw.. The systems and cerrinunies of all C ~ a5i40 4 ,,,,,, were tolerated in the moat ektensive *rose 1, 1 the law of En K iend; blot it koedd not tolerate that the Bible should be called an alivordloy sod futile, and Christianity all I . :1 ) 1 1 :7: 14 d hiaisodui4f:flu'epi•uiuTite Learned Gentleman the!, cee,lared the pertinacity of the Defendant. in the law to that of the Judge, patiently old fr. pettedly pronounced. Ile declared siert the asser tions of the Defendant respecting himself were oat justified by soy thing within his (Ise Athwart- General's) knowledge, and repelled the charge of being a bigot or a persecutor, frelitig, as he dui, pity, instead of resentment, monist the Defetelaut, es he was inclined to consider him, iiiiceitior n id. itig his own assertions, an itestrumecit I of others. Iles only motive in instiliwii e , h ., yr* , secution had bees. to discharge the duty die °sea to the public, and to protect the estolanhed reli- I from taunts and insult. He called on the Jury to follow the examples set them its taokl asst 1102, to find the Deleodasat guilty, sad put a 1 1 101/ to the dis-enticiditiois of what would usesetile the faith and corrupt the tnorals of the lower unleri. The Defendant was charged in the information with having printed sod published, 111111 cloyed to he printed slid published, a certain sealelalous, ias- P I pious, and hlatotheitiosis libel, of and einweruisig, that part of the Holy Bible called the Old Tort.- meat. There was A similar count with pipet* to the New Testament. Such was the charge—the question for them was, had he dune so or sat The answer was srmple, for he hail avowed hinteehl that he was well acquidinted with the coincide. The I Learned Gentleman then read certain extinct, from the work, to whew its manifest intent, arid itiferreii, that the aim ofevery page and hoe of it was to re vile, defame, sod blaspheme the [lcily Scriptures. After a variety of other observations, the Learned Gentleman proceeded as follows Gentlemen, you have a must solemn,serious.weighty, but a most easy duty to perform : 1 say easy, because the pas sages in the information are sustained be the MM. berlen passages in the work. If such hr the fang, and it is clear to any unprejudiced mare don't mind what scoffs or taunts may be levelled against you on account of your verdict—obey the die. tales of your coilacieisce—do your duty without looking 'to the right hand or the left. If I thought the discharge of your duly would LA to the acquittal of the Defendant, I shouhl br the last man to ask you to find I but if the whole course pursued by him, boils be fore and during the trial, leads to no other cumin. lion than that he did what be has done aid! Ins eyes open. and conscious of tide quences which might result from it to vociety--rie the conclusion, in short, that he is guilty—if etult must he the inference of every tattoos!, siospiejii diced. moral man, then adhere to the verdict vole yourit—cogiiitee dry m that , se consciences, v nt o l o n t e e n t w ei poi nts h e e li t t i le i u n t m ws a w e i t l r e t l p o r r v c o se o e b rn i a ti fr you filled your t oats lots th e e circumstances of this day, and which will far ever prevent the commission of acts tesultitg to sub. vert the very foundatimi of society, and to dissolve all those moral ties and obligations by which it is held together." The Chief Justice then proceeded to charge the Jury.—This was an isiforanaliou chasging lie De fetsdrost with a blasphemous libel 1111 The holy Scriptures, not in any vague loose manner, but by the. poi e.l; ic .cat.o of a certain vulpine hay ing a certain object—alit' theist:l of publa aunts had been proved. The isdformetion charged the offence in somewhat different ways—first, that the !Men data being a wicked, insidious, and person. did print mind pubhah, and unite to lie printed mid published, I certaiti scandaleus. ion - pious, and blasphemous libel, of and coocervisie that part of the Holy Scriptures called the 0111 Testament—sod then it quoted a ceriaits part of the work. There were sober counts 1411111)iiqt the charge to the New Testament. There was one snore comprehensive one, the sixth—it only iticltided tlw words wickedly and profanely, omitting blasphe mously. In other counts, tire object of the west was alleged to b e to defense and vilify the Christian% religion. This was the general nature of are charge, uml on it they were to decade. In -Me course of whit hail beers differed by way of dic;*encs: much hut' been said, 01 which every moderate 111411 must di.spiirove ; 11111 they weer 114)t, on that 41.. 1:0111/1. to 1.113er their 'Moils to fall into any elisitselis tiotion to exaiiilue the teal questiost for their consi deration. First, the I)elentlatit asserted, that all the matter contained its his work was justifiable, and fit and proper, and if he haul loco permitted he would have read various passages bons mini Deistical »414: Atheistical write's, similar iii priuct ples, thou.:li slot su atrong its their expressimis as the one in qoestion. The Dsfendant wished su call oittiesses to detail the riotous difference% be. tiveen the different Christiau sects in belief and pi-active, which tukalit juitife ham its sating that what they all believed was &lee; hut he (the Chief Justice) leh himself bouud to refuse such evidence s because he felt that they were not come there to try the truth of the Christian reloaion, and thst was not competent loony maw cowing low an Eng holt Coma to pay the Christian religion was not trite. It would be most extreordivary dale truth of _r