The Sun. — London, England, 1831-01-10 00:00:00

subjecting himself to prosecution and certain con vxtion. On Saturday he was put on his trial, and convicted accordingly. The Attorney-General. who is a humane and considerate man, secondee the recommendation of the prisoner's Counsel, that `the punishment might be mild. Ili: youth (eighteen), and his utter ignorance of what wa , likely to ensue from his conduct, were urged. Mr. Justic. - ! Parke observed, truly, that " this crime is one of great magnitude, for it is only by the propel and prompt administration of those laws that country can in its several classes of society be main tained; therefore, when persona are intimidated 1) letters of this description, and through that intimi dation are induced to withhold themselves, either as prosecutors or as witnesses, the veil-doing of the country must suffer; and such en attempt to interrupt the course of justice is cutting at the very root of society." There can he no doubt of the necessity of securing the administration of justice by preventing all attempts to intimidate witnesses But, under the circumstances of the case, it is im possible not to see that the public believe that he ought not to have been placed on his trial,—that it the Jury on the trial of Isaac Looker had estimated at its proper value the evidence against him, and the Judge had summed up with ability and discri mination that evidence in his charge, the prosecu tion of Edward would have been unnecessary. The youth Edward, with such tuition as rustics in Eng land usually receive, could hardly have been ex cted to view, as a heinous crime, the endeavour ing, to save his relations. Still we allow that, under other circumstances, this alone would be a dange rous plea. We fear these trials of the Lookers will cause much dissatisfaction. Mr. Justice Parke spoke of the education Edward Looker must have received! Education in England ! The only moral educatior on which any reliance has hitherto been placed is the gallows—and with the feelings of the people re specting sanguinary punishments, even that educa• tin is not now given.—Morning Chronicle. The fate of the six unfortunate men left for exe cution at Winchester, and three at Reading, under the Special Commis , ions, excite a stronger and mote general feeling of pain and sympathy iii the public mind than any event connected with the stiict administration of penal justice within our remembrance. Nor is this to be wondered at ; for the people of England are not a sanguinary people, and cannot be reconciled to the miserable spectacles which are the consequences of the unrelenting en forcement of sanguinary laws. Besides, they reflect upon the causes which led to crimes for which the lives of those men arc declared to be forfeited to the law. They find in those causes, not what can justify violence on the part of any class of the people, but a great deal that ought to operate in mitigation of the punishment which the law has decreed to the of fences of which the individuals now awaiting their doom have been convicted. We will not now enter into political considerations connected with this un pleasant subject—but we do say that political causes have led to those crimes ; and that, for whatever blood shall be shed judicially, or otherwise, States. men and Legislators will be deeply responsible— responsible before a higher tribunal than that of man, where the actions of those upon whose conduct the happiness or misery of millions of human beings depended will be tried by an infallible Judge, and the band of Omniscience itself holds the balance of Justice. But whatever may have been the precise nature of the political errors which have led to this calamitous result, there is no unprejudiced person in the community who doubts that dist ress was the immediate cause of the disorders which the Special Commissions have been appointed to punish. Distress produced excitement, and excitement led to crime. But acts of disorder, and even of petty plunder, committed under such circumstances, are of a very different character of guilt, at least, in a moral point of view, from those violations of the lairs of order and property which are the result of a cold and deliberate depravity of disposition. Such acts must, indeed, be punished; but, if punished in a manner that causes the public detestation of the offence to merge in sympathy for the fate of the offender, the example can have no salutary result. For high treason and murder men can only suffer death ; but the rioters and breakers of machines in the late disturbances have not done any thing to confound them in the guilt of the traitor or mur derer, and should not be confounded in their punish ment. It is true that when the advocates of san guinary examples are driven from every position of morality, reason, and religion, they entrench them selves behind that of expediency. But expediency was of the doctrine of Pilate, who, on that prin ciple, which is so much in acceptance among modern statesmen, put one in whom lie " found no fault" to death, in preference to the murderer Barabbas. There is no crime in statemanship, no vice in legis lation, no error in the administration of justice. that expediency cannot sanction ! It is the doc trine invented by knaves to impose upon fools. When men abandon the immutable principles that distinguish right from wrong, and tell us that i: is expedient to do a thing which it is not right to do, we think very contemptuously of such men's understandings, or very unfavourably of their hearts—for either folly or dishonesty is the source of their actions. The late Ministers of France thought it expedient to subvert the Charter, though they were well aware that it was illegal to make the attempt. They sacrificed thousands of lives in pur suance of their wieked intentions, yet the justice of their country has spared their lives, and the very persons who approve of the execution of the rioters in the counties of Hants and Berks approved of the sentence which inflicted only a secondary punish ment on the greatest criminals that have held up their hands attire bar of public justice in modern times ! HoW•cart men reconcile themselves to such contra dlieions ? If the crimes of the Ex-Ministers of Prance had their origin in political considerations, so had those of the English rioters. But the Ex- Ministers of France sacrificed thousands of human beings to their ruthless ambition, and the rioters in England did not destroy a single life. Even the doctrine of expediency does not ap,ily in this case; for, as public opinion is against the infliction of death, it would answer no conceivable purpose to inflict it. The survivors will hear more pity expressed for the fate of their comrades than horror at their offence—they will hear the merciless enforcement of the law condemned by those whose opinions have influence upon their own—and all the salutary effect of example will he lost. It is, therefore, neither aiVit nor expedient that the intended executions should take place; but it is expedient that the moral force of another sort of example should be given to the people. The example we mean does not cause any tears to be shed, or bring painful recollec tions to the conscience. It makes no wife a widow, and no children fatherless ; above all, it does not teach the people the lessons of cruelty and revenge by spectacles of blood. We speak of the example of mercy ! To that noblest prerogative of the Crown of England we now appeal. Graciousness and affability of manner becomes a King, but his most endearing popularity is to be derived from ad ministering justice in mercy. The justice of the law may be executed by many; but the mercy, which governs, controuls, tempers, and we may add, civilizes the law, is intrusted but to one, It resides in the breast of a King—it is the noblest and most beautiful flower of his constitutional pre-eminence Judge Bale has said, arid modem Judges have re echoed the sentiment, that " Christianity is part arid parcel of the law of England." Need we add that mercy is the most sublime and glorious attribute of the Christian dispensation.—Morsung herald. It seems as if the Vandals of modern times were resolved to wage a barbar ous an d ex t erm i na ti ng w ar against whatever beauties of anc i ent ar t th e Vandals of an earlier age had spared. Nothing has suffered so severely from the ignorant rage fur inno vation, under the name of " improvement," as our ecclesiastical architecture. The blind and furious zeal of the iconoclasts was not so destructive to our temples and the monuments of genius which en riched them, as the " improving" vanity of modern projectors and their tasteless patrons. A few years wince we bad to interpose between St. Saviour's Church, in Southwark, and the parochial jobbers, who hail already laid their plots and raised their iickaxes for its demolition. We saved it from uin, and England from the misfortune of having to leplore the untimely loss of one of the noblest abd nost venerable specimens of architettural glory which t splendid antiquity had la-aveathed to her. Now we are threatenrat with the still more grievous adamity of the defacing of York Minster, and that oo by means of a subscription obtained utizkr pre- enee of its restoration to the state in which it was tiefore the sacrilegious incendiary gave it to the dames. The great project of the " improvers" is to , emove the organ-screen from the position which hat antique and interesting work of art now oc cupies to another, in which it will have the injuri airs effect of shortening the choir=- -art act of preme litated folly which it in intended to repair by a ecoricl one, that of shifting the altar-screen the like distance nearer to the great east window, by which , he space, called the Ladye Chapel, must, in turn, he shortened. This is sad work ! One fantastic error is committed to serve as a pretext for the per petration of another, as if a doUble blunder could constitute improvement ! We inserted a judiciousand animated communication on this subject from Mr. Etty, the Royal Academician, the other day, who Opposes the fine and intelligent enthusiasm of genius o the barbarous spirit which meditates each havoc upon the sacred and magnificent pile which has just escaped, as if by a miracle, from the fate of the Ephesian temple a We hope Mr. Ltty will not content himself with putting upon record his protest lgainst the intended misapplication of the funds, which were raised for the renovation of the noble edifice, but that, if the power of public opinion can not scare the architectural vultures from their prey, he and others, who have liberally subscribed to the professed object of restoring not defacing, the roost elorious of our Cathedrals, will take such legal areasures as may prevent the impending calamity. The principal, or rather the only argument on which the advocates of such profanation rely is that the organ-screen interferes with effects much more im portant than its own, and that it comes in contact with works of a different period and style. But Mr. Savage, than whom there cannot be, in point of taste and research, a better awthority on such sub jects, puts the question at rest, and proves, from the style of the decorated door-way, and a reference to the ancient organ-screen in Rochester Cathedral, which is placed exactly in the same way as that in York Minster—namely, against and between the Eastern pillars of the central tower, leaving in like manner only the angle-column of the cluster exposed ro view, that it is coeval with the pillars, and placed in its present position by those by whom both the pillars and the choir were erected. Indeed, as far as the circumstantial evidence of art can be relied upon, he . proves beyond a doubt that " the stone screen was built by Archbishop Thoresby and Walter Skirlaw, at the time of the choirs and the pillars to which it adjoins," and certainly they who guilt best knew where to place it. The attempt to defor m a structure which claims the unbounded ad miration of all enlightened men, can best he charac ,erised by the poetic illustration that " fools rush in where angels fear to tread."—Morning Herald. The Government having, with the approbation of the public in general, sent Special Commissions of assize into those counties in which disturbances had prevailed, and where it had not been customary to hold assizes in the winter ; and the labours of those Special Commissions, after the development of the most desperate system of outrage, violence, and de predation upon person and property, having been nearly brought to a close in thtee counties, by the conviction of numbers of criminals liable by the law of England to capital punishment, and a small pro portion of the ringleaders, convicted of these crimes im repeated instances, having been left without re commendation to the mercy of the Crown—a very small proportion if we consider the number convicted, the magnitude of their offences, and the injury done to persons and property, and the mischievous example by the perpetration of such crimes—no sooner is this publicly known, than Mr. Wier and a committee at Whitechapel think proper to interfere with a peti tion to his Majesty, to extend the Royal mercy to all the prisoners. We have not yet seen the peti tion; but from the speeches delivered at the meet ing we conclude that its prayer will be founded on the asset don that these outrages which have dis graced the country are to be attributed to the dis tresses of the lower orders. This fact is positively contradicted by the evidence on the trials, and by the dictum of one bench of the Learned Judges. These venerable persons declared that none of the men brought to trial before them were in distress. They were not agricultural labourers, and did not belong to that elms of society which could have felt distress. But surely Mr. Wier and his associates at Whitechapel are not such good judges of the expe diency of exercising the Royal prerogative of mercy its the King and his confidential servants. For what purpose do these gentlemen interfere ? For that of raising a cry in favour of desperate criminals, and thus intimidating the Government:if possible; and if this should fail, the Judges and Juries upon the trials and sentence of the prisoners still to be tried in some of the counties which have been disturbed. We are now arrived at this point, that the Execu tive Government of the country can perform none of its functions in which some individuals do not assume the right to interfere. Mr. Wier and his associates at Whitechapel interfere in this instance on the score of policy. Are they acquainted with the origin of these outrage:. ? Do they know the mode, the time, the extent, and the duration of their appearance and existence in each of the counties dis turbed ? Can they tell whether the rioters were connected with conspirators of a more elevated class in the metropolis or elsewhere ? Or whether those convicted of robbery, assault with intention to com mit murder, and destruction of property, are con nected with those who have secretly destroyed by fire valuable property in different parts of the country ? If Government are not to be permitted to allow the law to take its course in these in stances, have Mr. Wier and his associates considered in what manner the lives and properties of his Ma jesty's subjects are to be protected in these coun ties in future ? By the army, by the yeomanry ? Is that the law of England? But we forget ; we are to have Reform and a cheap Government ; and rye must throw away all the means of preserving tranquillity and of protecting property and life which the laws afford us, and seek for other modes which are unconstitutional, uncertain, and expensive. Morning Post. We regret to perceive from the provincial papers, that the spirit of insubordination still continues to spread among the working classes—that demands, accompanied by threats of violence, are still made on the farmer and employer—and, what is more, that there are Magistrates foolish enough to comply with them, and to order the payment of additional wages. We sympathize deeply with the distress which prevails among all classes, and we should re joice were the circumstances of the times such as to enable any one to pay higher wages in any cne department of industry ilian are now given; but we object to the mode of proceeding now in prac tice respecting them, first, because it is subversive of the very foundations of society—secondly, be cause those Magistrates, who make orders, or give recommendations, to pay higher wages, act illegally, and have no power to do either the one or the other --and, thirdly, because the rate of wages, like every thing else, is certain to find its level, and if com pulsorily raised beyond what the profits of the em ployer will allow, must again recede, and give rise to the enactment of similar and equally deplorable scenes to those which we have already witnessed. Such a state of things, it is evident, could not exist for twelve months; and why ? Be ' cause there is no one who possesses capital, who would think, un d er suc h a state o f soc i ety , e i t h er o f embarking it in new enterprises, or of lending it to be employed by others; and also, because those whose capital is already embarked in trade or agri culture would withdraw it, lest they should not only lose the profit which ought to result from its employment, but the principal also. We address these brief observations to the ‘vorking classes in the purest spirit of kindness and good will—of sym pathy with their distresses, and anxiety that they should be mitigated. The Magistrates ought to know better than that they have it in their power to raise or to lower wages at their will ; and if the working clQsscz mill btu think for a moment how they would he likely to act if placed in the situ ation of the employer, we are confident that peace able means would be immediately adopted by them for obtaining a proper and just remuneration for labour, and that the disturbances which have lately disgraced the country, would speedily and wholly cease.—Born. Advertiser. SPECIAL COMMISSION. WINCHESTER, FRIDAY 11(3'1.N:sc. A respite has been received at the gaol for lda way till the sth of February ; but no respite has been received for the other five criminals. It is therefore feared that the dreadful sentence of the law will be carried into execution on Saturday, the 15th instant. ABINGDON, JA N. 7. James Bennett, John White, Thomas Barr, Ro bert Keate, John Collin, and James Ilazeley, were placed at the bar, being indicted with having unlaw fully assembled, with 100 persons and more, at Aston-Tirrold, on the 23d of November, and created riots, Sze. Other counts charged them with assaults. Thomas Fuller, the younger, examined by Mr. CAMPBELL—I live at Aston-Tirrold, a village in this county. lam a farmer. I recollect seeing the mob in our village at about eight o'clock in the morning. They conducted themselves very well in the morn ing. In the afternoon they were very disorde:ly and clamorous about their wages. Some of them had sticks in their hands. I saw .John White among them. He had a stick about as thick as my thumb. I saw all the other prisoners going about with the mob, but I did not see them do any thing. William Pope, examined by Mr. 131ActilluRs—I am a labourer at Aston-Tirrold. Oo the• 23d of November I was with Thomas Herbert, chief-con stable at Aston-Tirrold. As I was walking along the village, two of these men, Kea'e and Hszeley, with about half a dozen more, catch'd hold of me. Hazeley said to me, " your eyes, you mast join us." They were all very quiet, and used me very well. I got away from them at about dinner time. Then I went home. The Rev. John Campbell, examined by Mr. GURNEY—I am curate of Aston-Tirrold. There was a mob is our village on the 23d. The cry in the mob was, " We want more wages; we want 12s. a week, and we will have them." James Ben nett seemed to be leader. I remonstrated with him. Then I addressed myself to others whom I knew to be quiet men, and succeeded in getting five or six out of the mob. Bennett, seeing this, came back, and I said, " Bennett, you are doing wrong." He said, " I know I am, but we'll begin here, and work our way up to the Magistrates ;" then, turning to the mob, he said, " Why do you stay talking to that fellow," meaning me. Then he seized Thomas Jarvis, and dragged him away with the mob. I saw the mob afterwards at several places and tried to persuade some to go home. Witnesses were called who gave all the prisoners very good characters.—The Jury found the prisoners Guilty, but recommended them to mercy. Mr. GURNEY said, that if the Court would con sent, he should be satisfied that all the prisoners, with the exception of Bennet, should be discharged upon their own recognizances to keep the peace and to appear when called upon to receive judgment. They would never, of course, be called upon if they conducted themselves peaceably. Mr. Justice PARK said, that the Court were about to suggest this very course. The prisoner Bennett was then sentenced to im prisonment and hard labour for two calendar months, and the rest of the prisoners were discharged upon entering into their own recognizances in the amount of 201. each for the purpose above-mentioned. James Carter, Tomas Billings, and Bejamin Blagrove, were put to the bar, being indicted for having, on the 26th of November, in the town of Abingdon, assaulted a constable, named James Jones, and rescuing prisoners lawfully in the custody of the said James Jones. Other counts charged them with riot and with a common assault upon the said James Jones.—The Jury found all the prisoners Guilty, but recommended them to mercy. Mr. Justice PARK said, Billings and Blagrove, who had both received good characters, were sen tenced to two months' imprisonment ; and Carter, not having received any character, and haring used some expressions denoting a malignant and wicked mind, would be imprisoned for three months. Thomas 21faekrell, JVm. Wiggins (the younger) James Chandler, Wm. Afabberly, Stephen Jones, James Withers, Joseph Ayres, Wm. Wiggins (the elder) Henry Wooldridge, Henry Cannon, and Chas. Poffiey, were placed at the bar, indicted for having riotously and tumultuously assembled at Eastbury, and assaulted three persons of the names of Shear man, Tarrant, and Spanswick, on the 23d of Nov. Charles Shearman, a labourer, living at Eastbury, stated that there was a mob of upwards of 100 per sons at Eastbury, between seven and eight o'clock of the evening of the 23d of November. They had bludgeons in their hands, huzzaed, and blew a horn. Markrell, Mabberly, and W. Wiggins the younger, were there. Mabberly pressed Henry Spanswick to go with the mob, and on Spanswick refusing, he caught him by the collar, in order to compel him to go. Spanswick called witness to his assistance, and thus got away. Wiggins afterwards met witness, in company with Mackrell and Mabberly, and saying " him, this is he that took their part ; let us kill him ;" struck witness with a bludgeon. Mack rell and Mabberly also struck him, and the marks of the blows are still upon his head. Mr. Justice PATTESON charged the Jury, who im mediately found all the prisoners Guilty. Mackrell was removed from the bar, and Mr. Justice PARK proceeded to pass sentence upon the remaining nine prisoners. They had all been convicted on - clear and satisfactory evidence. As for Mackrell, against whom there had been a capital conviction, he was put aside for severer pu nishment. The younger Wiggins was to be impri soned for twelve months, Chandler for nine, Mab berly for twelve, Jones for three, Withers for nine, and the four remaining prisoners (namely, Ayres, Wiggins, sen.,Wooldridge, and Cannon), would each receive three months' imprisonment under this in dictment. Unfortunately, this was not the only pu nishment to which Wooldridge would be subjected, for there were other convictions against him. Twenty-two prisoners were then called up to re ceive their SENTENCES. Mr. Justice PARK said, " Prisoners—The Court has been most anxious to pay all due consideration to your respective cases, and has endeavoured to temper justice with mercy in its sentences; and al though some of these sentences may appear severe to yourselves, I am sure such will not be the general opinion on the subject. The sentence of William Sadler is, that he be imprisoned for six calendar months, with hard labour, in the House of Correc tion—and I may here state, that all the sentences of imprisonment included hard labour as most ad vantageous to the prisoners themselves. F. Slade will be imprisoned for twelve months; and the reason of the distinction made between him and his companion Sadler, is, that he threatened fire. David 1-lulcup is to be imprisoned for six months; James Champion for six months; and William Greenaway also for six months. William Champion is sentenced to twelve mouths' imprisonment ; and Robert Gran to six months. George Keene, Thomas Keene, Joseph King, Robert Joys, John Keene, and Job Whiting, are to be imprisoned for nine months; their offence was committed in the dead of night, when great alarm is naturally excited by such outrages. Two of the companions of these prisoners, namely, W. Kinch and Russell Strong, appear to have been leaders of the mob, and will receive twelve months' imprisonment. I may ob serve, that the language of these prisoners was ex tremely bad. W. Hammond and Henry Smith, having mule use of alarming language, and spoken of fire, are sentenced to twelve months' imprison ment. Joseph Wiggins and Richard Kemster were tried with Turton, Alleck, and Fidler (ihe last of whom, being proved to have been impressed, was sentenced to a nominal punishment), for the same offence; and as to Turton and Alleck, verdicts having passed against them at Reading, they are to be imprisoned for eighteen months; and Wiggins and Kemster will be imprisoned twelve months. William Bizzle will receive nine months' imprison ment." The prisoners, who appeared to pay the met profound attention to the Learned Judge's address, thanked the Court very respectfully at the conclu sion, and quitted the dock with every symptom of gratitude tor the lenity of the sentences. SENTENCE OF DEATH RECORDED--AND EUPRMON- MENT. Thomas Mackrell and Henry Wooldridge were then placed in the dock to receive sentence. Mackrell, who held a handkerchief to his face, cried bitterly, and trembled while Mr. Justice Park was addressing him ; the other prisoner seemed also much affected. Mr. Justice PARK—Thomas Mackrell and Henry Wooldridge, you have both been convicted of felo nies, but of different descriptions. You, Thomas Mackrell, have been convicted of several offences which affect life. You have been found guilty of robber•, which would warrant us in forfeiting your life to the offended laws of your country; but you received such an extremely good character on your first trial, that we determined early in these pro ceedings to recommend you to his Majesty's mer ciful consideration, so that as far as our authority and recommendation go, your life will probably be spared. Nevertheless, your offences are great, you have been convicted on four indictments, one of which only was capital ; but there was another ca pital charge against you which the Learned Coun sel for the Crown did not think it necessary to press. I cannot, under all the circumstances, hold out a hope to you that you will be allowed to re main in this country ; but that is a matter for the consideration of his Majesty. " As to you, Henry Wooldridge, you have also been convicted of felony ; you were engaged in the destruction of machines : and to-day you have been found guilty of a dangerous riot, though it does not appear that you took a very active part in it. " The sentence of the Court upon you, Henry Wooiridge, is, that you be imprisoned 18 months in the House of Correction, including 3 months to which you have been already sentenced for the share you took in the riot. " I trust, Thomas !Mackrell, whether you are al lotted to spend your life in this country or in another, that you will feel duly grateful to your Sovereign and the Almighty for sparing your life. " When you, 'Wooldridge, return to society at the expiration of your period of imprisonment, take care to conduct yourself as an honest and peaceable man, and avoid again mixing yourself in transactions of this sort, which must end in the ruin of the indi viduals concerned in them, and bring destruction on their families and connexions." The prisoners were removed from the bar. RELEASE OF THE PETTY JURY. Mr. Justice PARK said—" Gentlemen of the Jury,—This Commission continues in force for some dine to come, and for that reason I cannot discharge you from further attendance, but I shall release you for the present. You are at liberty to go home; but you should actively exert yourselves, by kindness and attention to the poor, and by firmly resisting all unlawful proceedings, you should thus exert your selves with a view to prevent a recurrence of such evils as have brought you here at this time. If such unhappy tramactions should take place before the Ist of February (when this Commission expires), perhaps it may be my duty, and that of my Leaned Brothers, to attend here again, on which occasion you would all be called on to attend. Of course you will receive due notice, should your attendance be required, but I fervently pray that it may not be necessary." Charles Coster, James Rodway, and James Row land, were then discharged by proclamation, and the proceedings of the Commission terminated. The Judge proceeded to Aylesbury, to open the Commission in that place on Monday. SALISBURY, FRIDAY, JAN. 7. Charles Davis, James Le, John Harvey, and Job Hailstone, were indicted for destroying a thresh ing-rnachine, the property of Robert Pyle, on the 23d of November. Luff was acquitted, but the others were found Guilty. The prosecutor expressed his regret at having to appear against Harvey and Hailstone, whom he had known as good workmen, and to whom he gave ex cellent characters. He begged to recommend them to mercy : in this the Jury joined. Isaac Roberts, John Pinchen, Harry King, James Gardener, Edward Lake, Thomas Goddard, Chas. Davis, James Lane, James Burden, Stephen Dun ford, George Smith, Thomas Wells, and Laban Stone, were put to the bar, charged with robbing Mi. 'lift. The Jury found Davis and Stone Guilty, and ac qutted the others. Isaac Roberts, John Pinchen, Thomas Goddard, James Burden, George Smith, Thomas IVells, Robt. Romaine, Barry King, Stephen Danford, Edward Lahe, James Gardener, and James Lane, were put to the bsr, charged with destroying a threshing machine, the property of John Chit. This was a case arising out of the conduct of the same riotous mob. Bullock, who acknowledged he was with the mob, and assisted in breaking the machine, said that the prisoners were in the mob, and actively engaged. The Jury found Roberts, Pinchen, Burden, Smith, Wells, and Lane Guilty, and Goddard, Romaine, King, Danford, Lake, and Gardner, Not Guilty. James Lane, 36, William Afarsh, and John Rose, 23, were convicted of having destroyed a threshing machine, the property of Joseph Perry, on the 21st of November, at Hallingdon. Isaac Roberts, John Pinchen, James Lane, James Burden, George Smith, Thomas Welk, William Marsh, and John Rose, were then placed at the bar to receive judgment. Mr. Baron VAUGHAN sentenced them to seven years' transportation, and a further sentence of seven years' transportation on James Lane, to commence at the expiration of the first seven years, for break ing threshing-machines. Judgment of death was recorded against Charles Davis, Laban Stone, and Gifford North, for robbery. Peier/hers, aged 23, was indicted for mali ciously, unlawfully, and feloniously assaulting Oliver Galley Codrington with a hummer. Oliver Calley Codrington—Went to Rockley on the 23d of November; was sworn in, with five others, the night before, as special constable ; was not appointed in writing. He was on horseback; had a hunting-whip with a horn hook at the end. Joined Mr. Baskerville and Mr. Canning near the latter's house. There were forty or fifty people kept following them. Counted forty himself; did not know any thing of them ; had no arms at all. Mr. Baskerville told him to pursue that fellow, he had demanded money, or some such words. He did, and got him against the wall, and seized him by the collar. Ile received several severe blows on his head and body, and supposed his horse did also, as he started away, and left Withers at liberty. Re collected pulling his horse and attempting to pursue the same man. Recollected nothing further. He recovered about two hours afterwards, and found himself in Mr. Baskerville's house, and a s urgeon_ l bleeding him. The principal blows were _o s yeriis senses right eye and nose. When he re covere d an t: no i s sie f n a .c c hT e a ha n te, dd surgeoncl o h t a t l i f es lao N t v nt e ge r n e dd e all d n o h :m e t i r _ublood.it ht es sd a e s tt taoufrsdchaaiysr following. He thought he was bled a second time when he was put to bed. He was compelled to keep his bed two or three days. The surgeon lived at Marlborough. Benjamin North—Recollected the 23d of No vember. Was in the mob at Rockley. There were nearly 200. It was about half -past ten o'clock. Withers was there. He conducted himself very well as far as he knew. He did not hear him say any thing, but saw him threw the blacksmith's hammer at Mr. Codrington, which knocked him off his horse on to a wall backwards. Saw blood on his nose and face directly afterwards. The hammer struck him on the right side of the head. The .Jury found the prisoner Guilty of assaulting slr. Codrington, with intent to do him some grievous hodily harm, and to prevent his (the prisoner's) law ful apprehension. Mr. Baron VAUGHAN said they should take time to consider their judgment. The Court adjourned at eight o'clock till nine to morrow morning. FRIDAY, Jaw. 7.' John Eyres, Enoch Leach, David Heal, .7. Ro maine, and David Ranger, were convicted of having destroyed a threshing-machine, on the 2 . ..? d of No vember, belonging to Thomas Jenner, of Nether haven. William Hillier, indicted on the same charge, was acquitted. William Hillier was again put to the bar, and con victed of having destroyed a threshing-machine, the property of William Sweetapple. AN IMPROPER JURYMAN. One of the Jurymen here said, he hoped his Lord ship would excuse his sitting any longer, as he had some business to do of the utmost importance to him. The COURT was considering, when The Juryman said he had no property in this county, and he thought he ought not to be kept. Mr. Justice PARKE exclaimed—What is that ? You have no property in this county ? How long have you sat ? You are not qualified to sit. Juryman—Only that morning. Mr. Justice PARKE—What is to be done ? How ever, he has not been challenged by either of the prisoners who had been tried that morning. He must quit the box certainly. The qualification of the Jurymen ought to be inquired into. Another Jury was then sworn. Robert Barrett, aged 26, was indicted for hav ing robbed Mary Packer of a sovereign, her pro perty, on the 25th of November, at the parish of Stanton.—The prisoner was acquitted. Robert Barrett was again indictesl, together with Robert Willoughby and George Ball, for having de stroyed a threshing machine, the property of Mr. Edwards, on the 24th November, in the parish of Highworth.—The prisoners were found Guilty. Mr. Justice PARKE immediately sentenced them to transportation for seven years. EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF SENDING THREATENING LETTERS. Isaac Looker, convicted the day before yester day, and sentenced to transportation for life for sending a threatening letter, was again put to the bar, and indicted for having sent a certa►n letter to Henry Woodman, threatening to burn the farm of the said Henry WVood►nan, if he gave evidence against any of the prisoners who were confined in the gaol. In a second count he was charged with having aided and abetted in the sending of the above let ter. Thomas Watts, a keeper of the Earl of Ayles bury's, picked up the letter addressed to Mr. Wood man, near to Stitchcombe, the residence of that gentleman, and of course gave it to him. Mr. Woodman had received the letter in question from the last witness on the 22d of December, and from other writings of the prisoner, which he had in his possession, he suspected it to have come from him ; he had no doubt that it was written by him; witness had taken out a warrant against a nephew of the prisoner's for destroying machines. Several other witnesses, who gave their testimony on the former trial, swore to their belief of the letter being written by the prisoner, and also repeated their evidence given on that day. The letter was put in and read, and ran thus— " Mr. Woodman hif you goes to aware against or a man in pribson you shall have your farm burnt down to the ground and look out yourself or hell you shall have you bluddy hed and guts cut out." The prisoner, in his defence, said :—My Lord, I am quite innocent. My desk has been open to my sons and my servants for between two and three years ; indeed, except for about two or three months, it has been open all that time. The key was broken, and I had not procured another, and I had nothing in it but my papers. When Mr. Smith took me, I Has three-quarters of a mile from home—not a quarter of a mile, as he states. Besides, he left me in the cus tody of a constable when he went to my house for the purpose of searching it. I afterwards begged of the officer to take me home, which he did, and when I got home, I found that the officers were searching my house. I asked whether I did not give the officers access to every thing, and even told my children to pay them every attention, and not to offer any resistance ? I know myself to be perfectly innocent ; I am as innocent as the child unborn of every transaction of this sort. I did not write nor send any of these letters. I consider that Mr. Valley has borne me malice for two years, and I have no hesitation in saying that I have lost as much as 500/, in consequence. I was its the habit of buy ing and selling a great deal of underwood, and I had a very good connection in that line. The prisoner went into a detail of some particulars relative to his widening a road, and his building a stable in such a situation as to create a dislike towards him, and again protested his entire ignorance either of the writing or of the sending the letters. Mr. Missing and Mr. Everett then called several of the same witnesses who appeared on the former trial, each of whom swore that the hand-writing was not that of the prisoner. The Learned Coun sel also called _ _ _ George Edwards, Vestry Clerk of Wimborne, who said that was not the writing of the prisoner, but it was that of his son, Edward Looker; he taught the son to write. Robert Evetleigh—Keeps the King's Arms Inn, at Marlborough ; he had had dealings with the pri soner ; saw him write on Saturday five weeks, and in the course of the last six years, he had seen him write 100 times; the writing in the letters was not like his, and he did not believe them to be his writ ing Edward Looker was the son of the prisoner, and was about eighteen years old ; he lived with his father, and resided at home through the whole of December last; he can write; that letter is written to Mr. Woodman; it was written by himself on the 21st of December, when he was at home; be sat at the desk in the kitchen to write it; the desk was part of the bureau, which was always kept open; that letter is to Mr. Vaisey, and was written by himself on the 21st of December, at the same time he wrote the other ; that one is directed to Mr. Rowland, Axford Farm; when he wrote them, his two brothers were present ; George Viveash was also present ; his father was not at home then; he left home about six o'clock in the m orning to go to Draycote to sell some wood; it might _be ten or twelve miles ; he came home again about ten t t e h n e paper or twelve o'clock that nig ht ; e r at which his uncle's; a m one sheet a h es letter, he put into t he bureau ;e bald borrowedhue, b r i h t a t ed the h he went and : h edi . d not tell his pieceafterreVd i a v y e s a s i n h g and aoi it might have been a week. Coleman w as the son George ; f a ther about his ha vin g written them , dropped them on the same evening ' C ro ss-examined —lle ha d some relations in cus. todyth Colemanen;their names;theyhad been are Hobert a brt of his uncle, of whom he g ot the p a per; there is a barn bet n-een the two houses; he had not been to gee them in prison ; he heard they were taken up few for robbery and breaking the machines of Mr. Vaisey and Mr. Rowland ; he heard that M r . Woodman was going to swear against them ; he heard people talking about the matter; he never heard it mentioned at home; he did not hear his father say a word about it he did not recollect that he had ever said anything to his father about his cousins being in prison ; he heard people talk of the Assizes which were to try them, but his father never said anything to him about them ; he heard his brothers tell his father that his cousins were taken up; it was some days before the 21st of December ; he did not know what his father said, but he once heard him any that it was a bad job; when he went out to work in the morning he very seldom came home till night, when lie went to bed; he used to carry victuals with him in the morning, so that he did not come home to his meals; the week of the 21st of December• he WON et work at Ramsbury ; he heard people talk of threatene ing letters which might get the prisoners off; wrote them, not knowing that there was any harm, and not being aware of the consequence ; he did not recollect that he said much to his father about it ; he spoke to his uncle and brothers about it before he wrote the letters. He was not present in the Court when the trial was going on the ether day ; lie wag standing outside; his uncle told his father that he had written them ; he told the lawyer who defended his tither, when he was in prison at Marlborough► th it he had written the letters; he spelt the words in those letters as well as he could; he did not try to disguise his writing, but he had a bad pen to do it with ; he should not have written the letters if he had known the consequence of it ; his brother Laban looked over him as he was writing the letters. —The prisoner was acquitted. The son, who surrendered himself on Wednesday, was again removed to the gaol. The Court rose at eight o'clock, and adjourned to nine o'clock to-morrow morning. SATURDAY. Soon after Mr. Justice PARKE had taken his scat in Court this morning, Edward Looker, aged 18, was put to the bar, and charged ‘vith having feloniously written and sent a certain letter to Henry Woodman on the 22d of December, threatening to burn his farm and to murder the said Henry Woodman. The prisoner pleaded Gulty. SENTENCE. Mr. Justice PARKE—Edward Looker, looking st the evidence, as laid before the Court, the case i 5 one of a very bad complexion, and calculated to lead to the most prejudicial results. In consequence of what has taken place on another trial the Court is in possession of the facts of the case, and it cannot re' frain from saying, that it sees the object with which this offence was committed. The offence is one of the greatest magnitude. It is only of late that the law has been so framed as to punish this crime other' wise than by death. That was the penalty a persoll subjected himself to under the statute passed in the reign of George I. By that enactment, the punish' ment of death was imposed on such persons as com mitted the offence in question. By a recent enact' ment, however, any person convicted of that crime shall be punishable, on the said conviction, by tran sportation for his natural life; or, at the discretion of the Court, to imprisonment for any term, not exceed ing seven years. There can be no doubt of the enor' miry of the offence. It is one of the moat serious in its consequences to the well-being of society; be' cause it is calculated to create alarm and agitation in the breast of any man of the strongest nerve' Looking at your case in every point of view, and At the circumstances which have been urged in mitiga' don, the Court will not pass the extreme sentence which the severity of the law appoints for extreme cases. Your punishment, however, though not se' vere, will not be light. You are, therefore, so" tenced to be transported for the term of seven years to s uch place beyond the seas as his Majesty, by the advice of his Council, shall direct. The prisoner was then removed from the dock. Wm. Legg, aged 28, Thomas Legg, 21, and Joh" Legg, 18, were indicted for feloniously breaking and destroying a threshing-machine belonging to Richard Shewry, of flantlington, who proved, that on the 24th of November, a mob, consisting of forty a fifty persons, armed with various implements, carne to his premises, and destroyed a threshing-machine , which had been previously taken to pieces.—Wm' Legg was acquitted, and Thomas and John found Guilty. William, John, and Thomas Legg were again sr' reigned, charged with having robbed Elizabet h Montgomery of half-a-crown.—The Jury found the prisoners Guilty, and sentence of death was recorded' Charles Pizzic, 21 , , was indicted for feloniousli robbing William Wendell of 1/., his property, il l the parish of Great Bedmin.--The Jury, withal. hesitation, found him Guilty. In the muse of the day, Mr. Justice PARKE sere tenced David Bartlett and John Hiscocks, for having destroyed the threshing-machine of William Ferrel, of Draycot, on the 22d of November; ft ° ,' bert Fribbers, William Baker, Charles Skittre lit and Henry Broadway, for destroying the threshing' machine of Thomas Gale, in the parish of Burbage, on the 23d of November; John Young, for destrori ing the threshing-machine of William Robbins, ° Cherton ; James Kimmer and John Wilde, f °l. l breaking a threshing-machine, the property (i f Rizhard Litter' and Thomas Pyke, in the parish ° Milton ; John Eyres, David Ranger, and WOO Hillier, (or destroying a threshing-machine, the Pr °- perry of Thomas Jenner and Ch ar l es S tag g, at 14° ' therhaven; Samuel North, Daniel North, and W ill ' North, for destroying a threshing•maching, the Pro' perty of William Fulibrook, at Hippenscomba; i ° be transported for seven years. Daniel Collins, for destroying machinery, the pro' perty of William Tanner, of Tidcombe, to be ja i ' prisoned is the House of Correction for fifteee months, and be kept to hard labour. John Towil g " end, for destroying machinery, the property of Jo ll° Goodman, of Easton, on the 23d of November; Isaac Roberts and John Martin, for riot; Jos e ph Martin and Michael Hoon, for riot on the 2 4t November; and James Keale, for destroying a 111 ' 1 ; chine; to be imprisoned and kept to hard 'ah ea d for twelve months. Richard Pantm, for riot ; te r Leach, for destroying a machine ; to be prisoned and kept to hard labour for six morah 9 Thomas Edgeworth, for destroying a threshing - a i r chine, the property of W. H. Ricketts, at Highwo rtP e r to be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for dire months. ,Several prisoners were tried in the course of th day, for destroying machines, and obtaining wa ne ' by threats. The cases, in their particulars, resell': bled those we have already reported relating 1, similar offences. Some of the pri soners were Ce ll e victeand the majority of th em or d ere d to h transported l s t' p or ted for seven years. TIIREATENING LETTERS TO THE JUDGES. We understand that a threatening letter 1 so me days since, picked up i n th e C ourt , a ddress! to the Judges on the Special Commission at S Alls bury, containing threats ; and two or three othe th of the same descripti on , h ave b een sent t o their lit their lodgings. Egg., Of On th BIRTIIS. the 6ti Guildhall, of a snn. f S' On the 9th i ns t. i n S a li s b ury-square , t h e lady' 0 Wray, Eng., of a daughter. neck , On the Bth inst. in Doughty -street, the lady of A. 4' Esq. of a son. inst. the lady of P. B. Hooke'', DIED. On the Bth i ns t. M r . F . J . L ow, o f W oo d-street, ch' ! ar side, aged 30. On the 7th inst. at Swaffham Priors, Cambridgeshirve: aged five weeks, Anna Maria, infant daughter of the Re Dr. Jermyn. ;f• f On the 6th inst. at Richmond, Amelia, wi f e ° Quilter, Esq. On the i t h i ns t. i n Upp e r Baker-street, Major lkier ender Watkins, late of the Bengal Eatablishmen PRINTED ♦ND PUBLISHED BY MURDO YOUNG, TIM SUN Orricz, 112, STAMM', LONDOII. ,t f ,, . ~~ ~. `, THI • 1831. THE( • WILLIA MAT] CRE3 ANA 7 S OUTH SUR( I IIDV BUR NE COM] SOUTH Pu p il s tal are al For pa St. n ot R Sir C Rliarl( Sir oher SirSirJohn F rs Charlesnc' C j o l —"emil.s 1I /3 1 Neill Mal, Eatabl N, by "Pie vrli ()(1 1' Al Persot kept, ari RE TUR on any c , if 3001. Tlaia ( L ightnin : Itecei f rfi as, ma and Corr who will Lt 2d 3.1 I"P s i - - - 'N-co Sii 1-;rant < C harles vor n oi John E g zuAtiel V4eorge C. Pore Tw o .., periodiev life, wit tached A diN after wh D ee d of UPon %;ii become i Rat es Pany' s ( t owns tl /l INER JoEl rou s h_ t ; , War, L ondou —_____ Al) Sackyu and n), DR. 4 Pprov ihinitte bileas t &c. f nind Pac mu c h `c., al ang 0 1 , Fp us e d b ' , Ms a Syster hour AIA cellect Sores, 114 d 6 BU .?,4Ni rthubi Pro po , and p, 'n all end a 110 x, PE Act/ up oq "lord carre l e.) 11 „ 4 Co" , N. hive to the