The Express.
London, England, 1863-02-27 00:00:00

COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH.-FIB. 25.

After Term Sittinp at Nisi Prins at GaildhalL—(Before
Lard Chief Justice Cockburn sad a Special Jury.)

CAI PULL, D.D., o. SPORTMITOODI. —CRAWL OF LIBEL
AGAINST TIN "SATURDAY REVIER."

After our report last yastsrday,
Dr. Campbell was cs lad. He stated that he gradu-
ated at St. Andrew's, Edinburgh, and before that he was a
student in the Glasgow University. He bad been 35_yean
minister of the can that assembled in the Tabm,
mole, City-read. He turned his attention to heathen mis-
sions more than 20 years ago. He obtained the prim of 100
guineas for • work on the subject. The London Missionary
Society formed • Chinese mission 70 years ego, but it was
not prosecuted. He had been • minister and constant
subscriber to the London Missionary Society for 34 ram.
Mr. Thompson was an old friend of his, and • large rub-
scriber to the paper and to the madam He bd_pro.
mised to give • series of letters in the Snags on Chins
random, addressed to the Queen and eminent personages; It
wee arranged that publicity should be given to them by
their free circulation, to be subscribed for. The letters ware
signed " Editor." The million copies of the New Testa-
ment sent to China were provided through his &grey in the
lasi" He bad co-operated with persons of eminence in
prosecuting this mission. Mr. Thompson, of Bath, cab-
scribed for 5,000 copies ; Lord Shaftesbury subscribed for
1,000 copies ; Load Oeimborough and Mr. Kinnaird,
aso subscribed. [Mr. Kinnaird's letter and Lord Shaftes-
bury's letter were produced and read.] "R. G." we Mr.
Robert Gray, • merchant of Edinburgh, who died
about two months since. " The London Minis-
ter," referred to the Rev. Mr. Mummery, one
of his most respected friends. The " Old Soldier"
wise very old friend. He had given him thousands of
pamphlets for distribution amongst soldiers and sailors. He
bed siso given him numbers of the Swaps for circulation.
He was devoted to the work, and he subscribed for 100
copies. Plaintiff was editor of the paw, and cm jointly
interested in it with Mr. Pratt. He never bad made, and
never would make false announcement&

Cron-examined by Mr. Bovill—He waa formerly editor of
the British Banner, for which he was paid a salary. He
edited it for nine years. It wee managed by a committee.
He resigned, and started the British Standard. The
readers went b the Standard, and the Banner collapsed.
( ter.) He bad sucosedad with the Standard to his

Mr. Bovill—Dos the Standard continue to Sourish?

Dr: Osstipbell--YhZisavagne- ter.-
Mr.Bovail—ls it to your satisfaction
- - - -

Dr. Campbell—l still wave it to the best of my ability
and to my satisfaction. (Laughter.) He started the Ensign
for the benefit of the mama The Standard was • 4d.
papa., and the Ensign Id. Be had been • mowing writer
for twenty yea,.. In 1861 he published • series of laden
in the Ensign addressed to Prince Albert. One hundred
thousand extra copies were sold. There was • subscribed
free circulation list for the series of letters. In those letters
he warned the public of the fear of the Prince of Wales ho-
odlum • Roman catholic. He pointed out in than the
dancer that was likely to result from hie royal highness's
familiarity with the Pope, and his communication with
Roman catholic priests in Canada. They had the precedence
everywhere. (lAnghter.) He also warned the public
spinet the Prince of Wales being sent to Oxford, the seat
of Popery. (Laughter.) The letters to the Prince Consort
caused an increase of circulation to the Ensign.
Mr. Pratt, proprietor and the publisher of the Ensign,
was called. He stated that subscriptions were received for
between 29,000 and 29,000. Letters from Mr.
"R. G.," "A Lerida' Yielder," and "An Old Soldier,
were received. In the course of bathroom they lied been
destroyed. The subscription embraced the whole series of
letters ; they were not yet finished. He proved receiving
the original letters ordering the copies of the paper as pub-
lished in the E71410i. The Ensign circulated about 9,000
weekly, and thews subscriptions averaged an extra circuhdion
of about LOW weekly. The subscriptions were expended
the cost of diidribution. The letters had had • slight effect on
the general circulation of the Ensign.
Mr. Thompson waa called. He proved that be ratecribed
for 5,000 ca 'es for himself and wife. He denied that he
was • Mrs. Harris—or that there " never ins
no such pennon ." (lainghter.)
The Rev. Mr. Mummery also proved subscribing under
the signature of " A London Minister."
Mr. James Simpson, • venerable looking old man, the
" Old Soldier," was next called. He said he bad retired from
the army for 32 years. For 50 years he carried arms, and
was accustomed to the blast of bugles and the rolling of
drums. (Loud laughter.) He took • great interest in mis-
sions to heathen lands. He was the 1/41/02 of establishing
libraries for the army. He subscribed to several of the
mission funds.

Mr. fierjeant
1 Parry—And are you the old moldier who
sitbscrthed for 00 cepies
Witness-1 am, air. (Laughter.)
Mr. Serjeant Parry—And you requested to be described
as "en old soldier"!—Witness-1 did, air. (Laughter.)
This was the plaintiff's case.
Mr. &Tiff, for the lefendant, said this came showed the
importance of free discussion. The prams of this country
had for some years exercised great influence over the public
ailed, and it was rarely that their publishers were brought
to the bar of justice for punishment, and they might
rejoice that the days when private character was
wantonly assailed had pused away, and that the
papers that adopted that derogatory course had
disappeared. In this case the kiatertfor Review coml.
dared it was bound to defend this entice. After speaking
in high terms of the articles contained in the Review, the
learned counsel maid they had done no more than treat of a
public question. The plaintiff was • public man, and from
his position his opinions and writings received great attain.
tion and had great influence. His sincerity could not be
doubted, aed it was not the object of the 'defendants to
throw discredit on his feelings or views, or to treat with
levity any of the persons who honestly and sincerely took
part in the conversion of the heathen. For many years the
plaintiff had put himself forward, and he was as much a
public character as a member of parliament or • member
, of the her, who spoke in public ender a sense of responsi-
bility. He was • man who spoke with authority, and his
writings influenced thousands, from the belief that they
were doieg right in following his directions. The lesz
counsel then referred to the letters published in 1861,
addressed to the Prince Consort, which increased the sale
of the paper by 100,000, and said that when the announce-
' meet of the thinese letters appeared they attracted attire-
. tion. The first letter relative to China was addressed Lo
the Queen. It invited the co-operation of the friends of the
heathen in endeavouring to obtain for the paper which
would contain these letters the widest possible circulation,
and he desired in that, as in the Prince Consort
letters, an additional issue of 100,000 copies, although
ten times that number would fall short of the emergency.
The paper contained also at the same time a leading article,
which stated that the measure of good must depend on the
circulation of the letters. The best thing, as • means for
carrying the mission to the Chinese, was to seed subserip-
Wes direct to the office for copies of the Brifisk Ensign far
distribution amongst those who felt interest in the cause.
The article held forth that to save 400,000,000 of human
beings was not to send out to China and support there •
number of missionaries, bat to purchase copses of the
BritisA Ensign. and increase its circulation to 100,000. With
him was senociated Mr. Pratt, part proprietor of the
Ensign, who was described r his " excellent publisher."
What the plaintiff proposed was according to has writings
for " the salvation and glor of God." No doubt Dr. Damp-
bell was were when be _wrote that "All brick of the
truth in Jona" were bound to adopt the means he proposed.
It was all very well to make such solemn appeals to prior
who plod implicit faith in his words; but what mere did
be point out foe the salvation of the heathen bat by wadies