The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-02-29 00:00:00

CONVICTION FOR PUBLISHING

SEDITIOUS WRITINGS.

The sevele sentence pronounced upon Messrs. Pigott
and Sullivan will, it is hoped, give a salutary check to
the spread of seditious publications (writes The Times'
Dublin correspondent). In requiring them to enter
into bail for two years at the termination of their
respective ternis of ituprisonment, the judges have
rendered the punishment more stringent, and adopted
the best precaution against any return to writings of
the class which the Crown has been obliged to indict.
They may have been led to adopt this course, or at
least confirmed in their view of its expediency, by
observing the character of last week's numbers of the
two prosecuted journals. In the Weekly News there
is a print representing Britannia as a bloated, help-
less, old hag, shrinking affrighted from Columbia,
who advances with a determined menacing air, and
presents the Alabama claims on the point of her
sword, which almost touches "Mrs. Britannia's"
breast. The tendency of such a sketch needs no expla-
nation. Another cartoon of the lady it: announced for
next week in a notice headed 'Portraits for the
People," which states that 'as it had been ruled that
to depict Mrs. Britannia otherwise than as a very grace-
ful, beautiful, and angelic woman is highly seditious,
and that to represent her as either old, or ugly, or
cross is grossly illegal, and is a crime which a Dublin
jury may adjudge deserving of condign punishment,
we beg to say that our next issue will contain a
portrait by which our artist hopes to comply with the
injunction of the law and to satisfy the most fastidious
loyalists." Mr. Sullivan seems sadly disappointed
with the Dublin jury who tried his case. A circum-
stance may be mentioned which made his conviction
mortifying, and at the same time more significant.
One of the jurors was a very respectaVe Roman
Catholic gentleman whose father, a friend and fol-
lower of O'Connell', happened to serve on a similar
case, but pursued a very different course. He was
one of the jury who in IXIS tried Mr. Charles Gavin
Duffy, the founder of the Nation, on a charge of
treason-felony, and alone held out against a convic-
tion, declaring that he would "eat his boots," as
the phrase runs, rather than find that gentleman
guilty. His digestive powers were not put to the teat,
but he remained inflexible sufficiently long to obtain
the discharge of the jury without agreeing to a verdict.
The result was that the prosecution was ultimately
abandoned. Mr. Doily entered Parliament, and
afterwards went out to Australis', not as a convict, !
but as an oiterprizing colonist, and he returned soon !
to visit the" old country," not upon a ticket-of-leave, I
but a pension from the Colonial Government as a
Minister of the Crown. Mr. Sullivan has some little
set-off against his disapp(2intment in the press prosecu-
tion in the fact that the juror who cliiseuted from his
fellows in the processions' case in favour of an ac-
quittal, belonged to the clam of his bitterest political
opponents. He addressed some "parting words," on
the eve of his sentence, to the readers of the Weal y
News, whom he designates "the true jury of my
country, whose verdict I most prize," to assure them
"that this monstrous decision, this deadly blow at the
life and liberty of the national press, shall not
I intimidate me or silence the Weekly News." He
' further says :--

Fellow-conintrymen,—The dictates of justice, the condo-
Mehl& of judgment, the emotions of the heart are beyond the
coercion of man. England may seed Its to gaol, but she
e moot force us to praise or worship that against which our
heart and consciences are in revolt. She may ant verdicts
as she pleases from permitted juries, well trained in treason-
felony trials, but she cannot change the verdict of the world
upon that hideous scene in Manchester. As for myself,
front tine mulacut the Crown came Upon me With IL double ,
pros2con ion I knew my doom was sealed- I knew that on
one indletsincot or the other—or on both—my incarceration
was to be achieved, in the vain hope of silencing er
tern ori.ing the Journals which I have conducted. Thin I
resolvid to meet the ornleal plainly and directly, fully con.
seine; that, come what might, the verdict on my fellow.
comitr) men would be with me. Ti exchange home arid ,
family fr the th,,,,rs of a prison may Inc hard, but brave ,
tint vo,,d ni n are Low daily cons!noned to severities far more
protractent that, those awaiting me at K.lmainhann The
spirit of sacrifice Was never sir, tiger in tar rain then it is ,
to-day, and never slave first treed., had • press that she
could call her twin hive the national journalists been mined
(van the roll of those " fallen at their post." Fellow-country-
men, I will not haul done the flag Neither will it lall to
the ground aihea I am struck does, by the foe. Other
!lands, true and tried, sill bear It onward still, till I cant
once amtn take my place at the post or reeemsibillty.— I
remain, dear fellow.conetrymen. ever yt sir devoted friend,
ALEXANDER M. SULLIVAN.
The Trieleman writhe in a similar spirit :
All we can say in that these prosecutions and convicUons
will not tweak the era-it of the national press. No matter
what may be the period of Mr. Pigott'. Incarceration, he
has friends who will bear the lamp he has lighted, and keep
this journal worthy of his sufe-nrMg and his Rome. It would
be seuseleas bravado to say that they will defy the law—
even as administered by Greet-street juries. But within
the limits of the. libel law—arbitrary, and therefore tyran-
nous, as it is—it is pencil do to advocate the ratlonel close
and animate the national beset Neat week we will
have something to say en• the restrictions million these ex-
traordleary convictionn place upon the linerty of the Irish
press. To-day we wilt content ourselves he .iinte
whatever be his punisbmcot, Mr. legott sill endure it. like a
M.W There is one privilege, of Which retch, prosecu-
tions, nor juries, nor judges, nor gaolers can deprive him.

In his ciungeou.cell he can utter the aspiration which is now
It seems, branded as the watchwotd of sedition,
Oat save Ireland!

Visite of sympathy have been_paid to Mr. Sullivan
and Mr. Pigott (now confined in Richmond Brideweli),
by Sir John Gray. Ml'.. Mr. Serjeant Barry. M.1'..,
and several int-tubers of the town onmeil.t Dublin, of
differest polities. These pawl* Usswev! r, were not
suffered to do more thou leave their cards, or enter
their names in a btu& to be shown to the prisoners, who
are confined in UN/ ordinary cell', bet, ell Wmedieal
certineate, have been allowed a Letter than the prison
diei ary. The hoard of superintendenasi confide! ed on
Monday their !application to be allowed to receive and
i answer letters fiesly, and refried tho matter to the
luspectoruv tetteral f Pri,olut The Is antare said to
have passed an order (their meeting was private)
exempting the prisonery From Veitritigtie piivbn dress,
and allowing them to "provide food at their own ex-
pense, subject to prison regulations."

CLAIM FOR DETAINING A LETTER.
An Edinburgh physician, with the eiagjously-appro-
priate name of Allshorn, has just been badly east in an
action againet the Compagnie ImmobiDo as pr.,-
prietors of the Grand Hotel du Louvre, under the
following oircut,iutauces:
In July: Dote, Dr Alhhorn wad staying it'tyits bidet, wta
a letter came addressed to him which he alleges summoned
him to to, don on lituiness of very great importance. The
letter, owing to some mistake on the part of the servants of
the hotel, was pot to a wrong box and sot duly delivered. A
few days later, Dr. Allshorn received a telegram referring to
the letter, and expressing astonishment that belted not kept
the appointment in London. Then only, in consequence of
inquiries, the letteirnas found. Dr. All.horigs correspondent
bad by that time left LOUtiOn for Venice, and thither the
doctor proceeded to find him. Unfortunately he got to
Italy just about the time of the battles of Lissa and Oleos.,
and he was arrested and detained in custody for some time
on suspicion of being an Austrian spy. Ile le.ought his scion
to recover 7.r4otr. damages from the proprietors of the hotel
for the prejudice caused to him for the nomdellvery of the
letter. lu, isnuputitigyhas claim he chargml for his travelling
expenses to Venice, Mfr. a day for Ids forced sojourn
in Paris, slut 5.000 fr. for the loss of practice as a physician
during his absence from Ktiiiiburgh.

The court held it not proven that he had suffered
damage on any one of these heada and did not think
it made out that there was any neceseity for his going
to Venice. Accordingly the doctor's action wan the-
mined with costa.

A DISPUTE WITH A CABMAN.
Mr. Herbert Bulkley ?mad—, of ifift, Fleet-street,
banker. woo summoned be/urn Sir Robert W. Carden
at the ti :Mihail, in London, for assaulting Henry
Edwani Sawyer, the driver if cab 1.661, :md the latter
appeared to answer two PIIIIIIIIOIIPCS taken out against
him by Mr. Prised—one for demanding more than his
legal fare, and the other for being guilty of misbe-
haviour by using insulting and abusive language to
him.
Henry Sawyer said that on the /fhb inst. Mr. Pined
took tom from the cab rank in Piccadilly, near the
Albany, and toll him to drive to Fleet-street. He
told him where to stop, and when he got down he gave
him is., but he demanded Is. lid. He got of his box,
as Mr. Pined would not give him the la. 6.1., and
asked him for his name, lie rang abet!, and then Mr.
Freed turned round and gave bun a violent blow in
the eye, which knocked him down. He got up again,
and was struck again by Mr. Freed, and when he got
up again he was knocked down a third time. A
police-constable came up, and he waa given in charge
of a police-constable, but at the etation-house both
parties were referred to this court for redress by way
of summons. _ _

Frederick Dewanap, a shorthand Writer, swore that
the defendant struck the complainant three times and
knocked him down. . .

---„.
Mr. Dawes. surgeon, said he had attended the com-
plainant for injuries received a the face. his eye
wr.s bruised, and his jaw swelled and appeared to be
the effect of several blows.

.....
Mr. Praed said he took the complainant'ficab friqn
Piccadilly to Fleet street, and gave hini la as his fare,
and then he rang his bell to go indoors, but gm cabman
got off Lie box and demanded another fid. He refused
to give it, and then the cabman put himself into a
fighting attitude, and declared he would have it. He
also said, "You are no gentleman," and • • I suppose it
is your last shilling." When he assumed finch a
threatening pesitiou he (Mr. Praed) knocked I
down. Ile got up and again attempted to strike him,
but he warded off the blow and again struck him in
the face. The police came, anil they went to the
cation-house together, where they gave their names
and were liberated.
William Carpenter, porter at Praed's bank, said he
answered the bell, and when he opened the door he
saw the cabman facing Mr. Praed. The cabman was
ins fighting attitude, ant struck "viciously " at Mr.
Freed, but he warded the blow off, and struck him in e
the eye; the cabman came up:Am tight gain, and he
struck him again and knocked him down. The cab-
man came up again to fight, and was again knocked
down by Mr. Puled. He then called out for the
poliee, and they both went to the stationliense, where
they were released.
Mr. Praed these got into the witness.box,.anil on hie
oath repeated his statement.
Sir Robert W. Carden said at first he thought the
cabman was a very ill u.sed man, but after that evi-
dence he wetild dismiss the summons against Mr.
Pmed, and, considering that the cabman hail been
severely puuished already, that he had lost his day,
and bail to pa,y his solicitor, he would dismiss the
81.11111110118 against him also.