The Sun. — London, England, 1819-10-13 00:00:00

Cour t le !be i<ivin g OUr t, arts of t is fac- Jury ~u;hof 101 l of CO ilia% ad ill' tion:' hteli• g read-, lOW Aris at II L 1 L% eed to l'bit f WS' via' wollii tvitiCh 11 tiitif in the is the at be is e o. ° bool d r thg' 1 1011% was )rfl Qf ;cl, be r ittla ,ci'ie j Ai t l° cavil° :ousif 01)- I, if nyseif it If s ow tig re CAS. IL I THE TIMES. sit ° coo l ' a Ibo if ad' f the it C all' St. Giles Norwich, October It, 1919. Mn. EDITOR—The angry comment of The Old Times on my Letter, furnishes no bad specimen of the dishonest arts of misrepresentation for which that Paper has of late stood pre-eminently dis tiuguisbed ; it quotes half of one of my sentences, end suppresses the rest, and for an obvious rea son—to mislead its Readers. Had it quoted the 'whole, it could not have insulted their common sense with its observations on our presumed igno rance of what passes at a distance. We do not pretend to " know better what takes place at Man- Chester" than the Reporters for The Times; but we do know what takes place at Norwich, as well as those honourable caterers for their honourable employers; and it it here we take our stand. My assertion was, that the l‘lembers of the Coffee- Room had " of late had great reason to be dissa tisfied with the partial and false statements of The Times, especially since the damning proofs of misre presentation, suppression, and falsehood, given in its Peport of the proceedings of the Meeting held here on the 16th September." We bad reason to be dissatisfied with its Reports, and to suspect its fidelity, and I might add, we had some awkward facts to strengthen our suspicion into belief, even before the 16th September. But the damning proofs of misrepresentation, suppression, and falsehood, were afforded in its account of a Meet ing at which we were present. This came home to as. We used our own eyes and ears, and judged horn their evidence, what credit is due to the Reports of The Times. It it wilfully falsifies facts it► one instance, what security have we for its veracity in any other I I say wilfully, because no Reporter on the spot could have sent such an ac count to The Times, without knowing that it was garbled, partial, and false. I remain, Sir, your most obedient Servant, JAMES ST. JOHN. * * *Well es we knew the principles upon which The 'limes is conducted, we really are surprized at the number of complaints which we have received cf its gross deptavay. We shall certainly notice some of them. By the following communiration, received yes terday from Atrica, it tvould a pt' ar that the Eu ropean Powers have at last agreed io suppress en tirely the piracies of the Barbary Mates, and hat the latter, forgetful of the terrible lesson taught one of their members by British valour, pretend hot to understand what line of conduct they are t t 911:red to pursue !.•-•• ALGIERS, SerT. 10.—An English and French combined 11 1 , 1adron, composed of the Pi.ocliefort, of 60 guns, and a brig stf war, under command of Vice-Admiral Sir I'HOMAS FREE MANTLE, and the French ship Colossus, and frigate Galatea, commanded by Vice-Admiral LuaziN; arrived here en the 3d ; (;;; the 4th, the two Admirals came on shore; on the sth, 'alley Presented to the De;, in the name of their Sovereigns, the Resolution s of the Congress at Aix-la-Chapelle, relative .61 the Barbary Powers, one of which was to the following reflect " That the Barbary Powers will no longer he allowed to re -I"itt on the footing they had been ; and that they must hence-- forth, in their political relations, consider themselves to be viewed in the light of civilized nations," &c. 1 this the Ell•IY replied, that he really could not conspre :";(l what the Admirals would say to him, and they have, in s tet* left Algier s without any further arrangement. THR THRATRE.—The. Honey Moon, deservedly a Popular play, as it is written with great rigour of language, and a mixture of unaffected humour, drew a very numerous audience to Drury-lane Theatre last night. ELLISTON, the original, and evrtainly the hest representative of the part of 'tike Aranza, performed that part with all his former energy, ease, and humour. Mrs. EDWIN 'was impressive in Juliana, and the strergth of he r voice corresponded very well with the 1 1)44 of the character in the earlier scenes, and "" Properly subdued, in her altered dispo ciion. Mrs. ()EGER took the part of Zamora, account of the sudden indisposition of Mrs. 14/tatorsz. She read the part in the early scenes, b,tt soon was able to dispense with the book, vtis, n gave a strong interest to the charac ter. RUSSELL, KNIGHT, and Miss KELLY, as well as ThomrsoN, the new Performer, and Ox c3l44HY, g a v e suit,ble support to this pleasant a nledv. The Dance was called for a sec ond c nt n le, and E LLisro and Mrs. EDWIN displayed iease as well as activity. 1 ., t he New,Musical Drama announced at Drury- Theatre, is said to be a genuine production A loon e late Mr..ToatNe, Author of The Honey a t C:Rn ig-EXCHANGI3, OCT. 13.—Our Market Wile v. - V I : 111 mb; supplied with Grain this morning, M'ich consisted of what remained over' from onday' s arrivals, but having very few ::buyers ; 1 3t Wheat an d B ar l ey, b ot h t h ese art i c l es were very, e "Y in sal e , y et wh at li tt l e o f eac h was clis i' ,s"(*(1'ot obtained Monday's prices, the inferior . nuali t i es were totally unsaleable; White Peas are ) ath er cheaper. In Beans, Oats, and other articles there is no alteration. TH B . INIURDEit AT CLAPTON..—JOII7I llomesby, "yhose confession of having murdered his wife an- P , eared T in ~ e SU N of S a turd a y last, w a s broil& town from Canterbury, on Monday night, in "Btt ' t lY of llutlis-en, the Bow-street officer, and d ' e lY lodged in Neregate. The wretched man • appear sl-ertectly aware of the awful situation in -. li ; en lie stan d s Pari t ; and talks of nothing but pre f 'K himself, by religious exercises, for that • . sf , , which be seems assured, awaits him. He is 'her a diminutive man, and apparently of very we N ki ly constitution. t q ,,„ 4 I " e elirig of the Radical Reformers of thi s , n is appoi nte d f or W e d nes d ay t h e 20 th i nst. nem y-loor lIHRICS are annexe d to t h e not i ce .— WWI Packet, Oct. l:#.) 1 A L't ItLIA CARLI LE'S TRIAL. COURT OF KING'S BENCII, GUILDHALL, Oct. 12. Before Chief Justice AnsorT, and a Special Jury. THE ATTuRNET , GENERAL V. RICHARD CARLILE. [FULL PARTICULARS.] This being the day fixed on for the trial of Mr. Cathie, on the informations exhibited against him by the Attorney-General, so early as half-past 7 o'clock a number of respectable persons were col lected about the entrance of the Guildhall. The number was every momeat increasing, and at nine o'clock the crowd became immense. Amidst the crowd we remarked many of the well known disciples of Tom Paine, who come forward on this occasion, as they vauntingly ex claimed, to witness " the proud triumph of reason and common sense, over bigotry nod intolerance." From the strenuous efforts of these persons to ob tain prominent situations, it was manifest that they were anxious to give confidence to their champion by their presence. The Sheriffs had made every possible prepara tion to prevent the confusion usually resulting from so numerous an assemblage. The City Mar shals were directed by the Lord Mayor to be in attendance with a body of constables to aid in preserving order, anti every °filet- necessary pre caut'on was adopted. Within the Hall, and in the immediate avenues of the Court, barriers and strong railings were erected, to counteract the (Keel of pressure, and hatches were constructed which precluded the admission of more than one person at a time. Across that part 01 the Court which is usually appropriated to the public, two strong beams were introduced, within about six feet from each other, so that the inconvenience which would otherwise have resulted from the in flux of the crowd was completely obviated. In order to give the Gentlemen connected with the public press those facilities which are so es sential to the performance of their duties, the Sheriffs had given directions that they should be admitted at An early hour by a back entrance; and shortly before eight, Mr. Temple, the Hall keeper introduced them to a private room, where they remained until the arrival of the Officers of the Court, by whom they were afforded every ac commodation consistent wi h the size of the At nine o'clock Mr. Sheriff Parkins arrived rind took his seat on the right hand of the Chief Jus tice. The multitude now burst in with an almost irresistible violence, and, but for the judicious ar. ratigements to which we have already alluded, the Court would have been taken by storm.—lt required the utmost exertions of the Ushers, as sisted by the police officers, to prevent the ob trusion of tire crowd into these doors which were reserved for the entrance of the Barristers and Solicitors. At a quarter past nine, the principal doors were thrown open, and (he main body of the people were admitted. Their appearance was attended with the greatest confusion. Se veral Clergymen were in the crowd. As soon as the Court was filled, Mr. Hunt entered by a side door, apparently in a !Pate of ex haustion from the pressure outside. He was fol lowed by Mr. Carlile and two of his friends; each was loaded witb a package of books of various Mr. Carlile immediately addressee Mr. Sheriff Parkins, and said, four persons who carried with then► books necessary to his defence, were ex cluded. Mr. Parkins requested a list of their names, and upon receiving it, desired that they should be admitted.—They were admitted ac cordingly. At 25 minutes after 9, the Attorney-General, the Soliciter-General, Mr. Gurney, Mr. Little dale, and Mr. Campbell, Counsel for the Crown, arrived, and took their seats. Comparative order was now restored, and the Court being full, the obtrusion of ether persons was prevented. It appears from the list of the Sheriffs, that the fire charges against the defendant stand upon the paper in succession, for trial. Mr. Carlile made another appeal to Mr. Sheriff Parkins, and stated that his friends were not ad mitted. Mr. Sheriff PARKINS addressed Mr. Coiling ridge, and desired that his orders should be at tended to. Mr. COLLINORIDGE—" Mr- Carlile has already five friends in Court." Mr. Sheriff Paaxitis---" I suppose, Mr. Carlile, those persons are necessary to your defence ?" Mr. Carlile---•"rhey are laden with books, to which 1 sh3li have occasion to refer." Mr-SheritiTaaKlNs—" Theymust he admitted." The names of tour persons were then given its, and ordered to be admitted. At half-past nine the CHIEF JUSTICEL took his seat. , The cause of " The King against Carlilt" was then called on. Mr. Hunt instantly rose, and adverting to his own cause against Stoddart and others, stated, that he had understood from his Lordship that no cause should be taken out of its turn. His cause stood betore th►►t now called on, and he claimed his prior right.. The CHIEF JUSTICE desired Mr. Hunt not to interrupt the Court, but to be silent and depart. Hunt—" Be silent and depart ! Your Lord ship said no cause should be taken out of its turn." The CHIEF JUSTICE—" I never said any such thing. 1 said that the causes should be taken as near as possible in their order. You were con ;lilted on the fixing your own cause, and 1 un derstand from the Officer of the court that you have chosen next Thursday, for which day your trial stands appointed." Mr. Huut—" 1 am satisfied with your Lord ship's explanation, but five causes are now called, which may last three weeks or a mouth. Will your Lordship allow my witnesses to retire ?" The CHIEF JUSTICE---•'' You may have your trial put off to a more distant day of you hike." Mr. Huot—" if your Lordship pleases, for a week or ten days." The CHIEF JUSTICE-...." You will settle that wish the Solicitors on the other side." Mr. Carlile spin rose and said, he wit, u nd er the necessity of making another application to the Sherd for the admission of the persons laden with book 9 for his oast Tie hoped a peremptory order would be given tti have them admitt e d. Mr. Sherifr PARICIN3--.Let the books be hand ed up, and that will be quite sufEcient, I pre sume —Mr, Carlile act:picot:ed. The list of Spechl Jurymen was then called over, and the following persons answered Charles Wond, Abchnrch-lane. Robert Hutchinson, Clement's-lane, John Hanson, Cr , iolied-lane. George Harvey, Laurence-lane. Arthur Chichester Allen, Ironmonger-lane. :Win Wilson, Queen-street. Richard Chambers, Doer-court. William Parker, John-street. Mr. BELLamY was then about to swear those Gentlemen, when Air. Carlile rose and said, he hilti to submit that the Court. was not competent to try the charge against him. The CHICF JUSTICE—If not, you will have the benefit of the objection when we come to your defence. 111 r. Carlile—T apprehend that the Court is not competent, inmsmnelt as the informations of the Attorney-General are founded on no law of the land. The CHIEF JUSTICE—This Court is fully com petent to try any charge upon informations ex hibited by the Attorney-General. Mr. Carlile—They are founded on no law of the land. The CHIEF JUSTICI3-11 not, you'll be entitled to a verdict of acquittal. Mr. Carlile—l protest against the proceedings. The CHIEF JUSTICE—Yon protest—very well. The ATTORNEY-GENFRAL then prayed a tales, and ;he Jury was made perfect, by the names of the following Common Jurymen having been drawn Plant, U. Coates, bakes . ; J. Triggie, chairmaker ; Matthew Ilnlyer, glazier. The fit mness and decision manifeved by the CHIEF Jusi'icg in the preliminary proceedit:gs on the several points attempted to he n.,,ted by the defendant, seemed to stagger Carlile not a little, and he appeared to labour under consider able trepidation. The whole Jury having been sworn, Mr. CAMP BELLovim was also retained for the Cro Wu, short ly opened the plendiogs. Carlile now w(blressed the Court, S 4 nd re quired that the information should be read at the proper season._ . . The CHIEF JUSTICP..—YOII must not i , lterrnpt the proceedings of the Court. This case shall be tried in a similar manner with all others. Mr. Carlile.--."1 only requested that the in. formation might be read, in order that the Jury might understand the question which they are about to try." The CHIEF Juvrice.—The information s hall be rend at the proper season. 111 r, all I desire." The ATTORNEY-GENERAL felt satisfaction at the reflection, that on this occasion he should not have to encounter those prejudices which some times were very naturally exci'ed in the minds of Englishmen, from jealousy of all interference with the liberty of the press and freedom of discussion; because he was confident that if the Jury were not already acqoainted with the char g e (as pos sibly some of them might he unacquainted with it,) when it had been plainly stated, accompanied by time few observation, that he had to make, and when these were heard, the warmest friend to the liberty of the press—the tnnit strenuous advocate for the most extensive freedom of discussion that could be enjoyed in this country, would be con vinced that he Ole Attot Hey-General) would have failed in his duty had be abstained from bringing forward the present prosecution. He would not detain them by any recital beyond that which was necessary io comprehend the nature of the charge, in order that they might come to a-fair and im partial decision. It had long been the boast of the people of this country that they live under the most benign religion that had ever been known to mankind. It must necessarily be so, es it was a religion emanating front the Deity himself.— The Christian Religion, so long established here, was a part of the law of the land. When, then, the defendant contended that the pre sent information was founded on no law, he la• boured under one of the greatest mistakes into which a man bad ever fallen. Fortunate, indeed, would it be for him if there were no law under which an offence like that with which he were charged could be punished, as in that case be might hope for acquittal. This must be his only reliance, for in no other case could he hope the verdict ,of the Jury would be favourable to him. He, however, would fearlessly state to time Jury, and confident be was, that he should he confirmed in the statement, by that authority to which they must all bow, the Learned Judge before•whon► this question was to be tried, when he came to address them on the subject, that there was not the slightest ground for time asser tion of the defendant, that the present charge was founded on no law. It would be idle for him, after the oaths taken by the Jury, to declaim on the excellence of that religion, which formed a pelt of the Constitution of this country. He said it would be idle for him to do this, because, after the oath they had taken, he conceived them to Lave pledged themselves for the sanctity of that religion, on the sanction of which alone these proceeding, could rest, and on which alone they could depend for an impartial verdict in this case. For him, then, to discuss the merits of the Chris tian religion would in effect be to give it up as a part of the Constitution of the Country. He should therefore, in the outset, abstain from of fering any such remarks, and leave it for them to determine in their own hearts whether that reli gion was a fable and an imposture, on which all our civil and religious institutions were founded. One word might be necessary on the fact of the Christain law being a part of the Constitution of the country. That it was so, could not be dis proved ; and if the attempts made to subvert it could be successful, there would at once be an end to all administration of justice ; for it was only tin der the sanction of that religion that they were as sembled that day to decide on time question now to be brought before them. if the Jury were not pre viously satisfied of this, why had they pledged themselves, in taking the oath tendered to them, by their hopes of happiness both here and in a future state, to give an impartial verdict ? Un less the defer}da©t could wipe that oath, he could hare little hope of a decision favourable to him ; he would almost say, that unless they cae purged from that solemn obligation, it world be impossible for him to be acquitted of the offence laid to his charge. If it were an offence to ret ile the Christian religion, the religion of the Snare, as it had been held to be through many succeed. ing ages, when he should read those most disgust. ing passages of the publication of the defendant, which it would be his tny shortly to read to the Jury, he (the Attorney-General) rnieht sit doors satisfied, that no man, whether he were a Chris tian or not—whatever, in short, might be his r. ligious tenet—that while Christianity contiened part of the law of the land, no subject could be permitted to defame it, and revile it, as the de. fend ant had done ; and under such cireematanees, he conceived it would be impossible for any Jury to pronounce a verdict of acquittal. He would now state that which was eel! known ro his Lordship, as at the ',toper time he would state to them, that to revile with a view to being into contempt the Christian religion , sea, contrary to the common law of the land. It was also an of. fence against various statutes, if it had been ne cessary to refer to them on the present occasion. He should, therefore, find no difficulty its show ing that that with which the delved:on was charged must always be regarded as a criminal of. fence, for which the Fat ty committing it was ble to punishment, the first case to which he would call the attention of the Court; occurred s o long ago as in the time of King Clenlea 11. It was tried before a Judge, who, as lone as li it iss few should endure, would he held in the hi g hest estimation, as ct lawyer and as a man. It was nn information against a person of the name of Tay lor, for merely titter ing blasphemous expressiops. Ile would not disgust the July by repeating the whole of the words lie had uttered, as they were horrible to hear, tinnie s t) not worse than those which it would be his duty to prove had been prate lisped by the present defendant. Tes tor, it was proved, lied card religion a shear, arid declar. ed that he feared neither God nor Dean, B on his trial, he owi ed the words, but endeevonr ed to show that part of them had been tittered with a meaning different to that which had beets supposed to attach to them. The Judge decided, that to say religion was a cheat, eves not only tin offence against religion, but also an etr e rice against the law, es it went to dissoke all those obligations which held society teeether.— This was the decision of Sir Matthew Hale ; yet now they were told by the present defendant, that the charge brought Against hint had no fetitt• detiou in law. Ile would say, in the language of the Learned Judge that he h rd jest tut !menet', that to revile the Christian religion was " only an offence against God, bet also against ti e law of the State arid the Governmele of the realm." Taylor was convicted, acrd a vets se vere sentence was given against him. Btr tlAr precedents that might be adduced did not stop -1 the period to which he had gone hack. At the ethntneucement of the reign of George the Sc cowl, a person was convicted on four informs. Lions. He a:ternpred to justify himself by im pugning, as he had previorisly done, the miracles of our Saviour, and the belief whlch all Christians profess. This mode of defence the Court would not suffer him to preeeed with, tied without wish ing to interfere with the discussions of leerned men on particular poi its, it was forbidden tomike a general attack on the Christian relinion. In this case also conviction took place, and sentence was given against the defendant. Ile might refer to what bad been done at a liter period, when one Williams had had the hardihood to send twin the same infamous and blasphemous publicetiun which was the subject of the present prosecetinn; On that occasion the decedent was prosecuted by an advocate, who had ever been distineuished among the friends of free discussion and liberty of the press, the present Lott' Erskine. He, though he adhered to all he had ever uttered in defence of those inestimable blessings, hail contended that punishment was called for in a case where t was attempted to . undermine those relOons principles on which the [lt es,ht comfort of mankind, and the hopes of eternal hAppiness i were founded. On that occasion, the de fendant was convicted, after an at tempt to do Cost which he hoped would not be attempted this day, to defect the publication. In 1812, e person of the name of Ea . on sent forth the very same book. He was tried before the predece•st r of the present Chief Justice: but was it held by the learned persons engaged on that occasion, that to revile the Christian religion was not contrary to the law of the land ?. No such a doctrine had ever obtained there; end' successive Juries, and suc cessive Confta, had found successive defeedants guilty of It'seriots .offence against the laws of their country. This had been so decided at a pe riod when every thing connected with the liberty of the press and freedom of discussion was most likely to be fully investigated and sifted to the bottom. After stating this, he was content to leave it to the present Court and Jury, whether or not such conduct, at the present day, was to be viewed as an infraction of the law of the land. It it were admitted that the Christian religion were a p art of the hiv of the land, it remained to be shown whether or not the Defendant had violated that I.w, by publishing one of the most ahoinies hie, disgesting, and wicked attacks or' reiieinte that hid ever appeared in the world, The first attack had been made on the Old Testanieet, as the writer knew that throwing discredit o that was the readiest way to bring the New Testa ment into discredit. lire Attorney-General Gen read from the first count the part beginning with the words, " Whenever we rt ad," &c. and end. ing with " brutalize and corrupt mankind."--- He would put it to the Jury, as fathers of fa milies, anxious to teach their children to fear God, and hope for that eternal happine,s so glo riously displayed by our holy religine, what their feelings must he, if flit y found sech a paper had beets put into the hands of their offspring and domestics. If they wanted a key to the mind of the Author, they would find it in the followieg passages " Did the Book called the Bible excel its purity of ideas and expres•ion, all the bo. Ks that are now extant in the world, I would not rake it for my rule of faith, as being the woad tit God, he. cause--(because wbat 1)--tbe possibility would,