The Express.
London, England, 1848-08-25 00:00:00

THE CHARTIST TRIALS.

CENTRIL CRIMINAL COURT.—Tnis DAT.
OLD COURT.—Before Mr. Baron MO.

George Shell was indicted, for having, is the presence and
hearing of divers subjects of this realm, uttered certain
seditious words concerning the then state of Ireland and
her majesty's government, the tendency of which was to
alienate from her majesty the queen the affection and
loyalty of her sutjects, and to excite them to tumult and
insurrection against the said government.
The Attorney-General, Mr. Welaby, Mr. Bodkin, and
Mr. Clark prosecuted.
The Attorney-General, having opened the case for the
crown, proceeded to call witnesses.
Mr. \Vaasa Counsel salt.: lam a short-hand writer,
and was present in that capacity at a meeting held
in the Chartist-hall, Webber-street, Blacktriars-road,
on the 28th of July. About 200 working men were
present. A man named Bryson was in the chair. The
prisoner spoke at that meeting, and I took down his speech.
I now produce my notes. The witness then read from his
notes the resolution proposed by the prisoner, condemning
the conduct of the government in suspending the Habeas
Corpus Act in Ireland, expressing a determination to assist
the Irish, who were then supposed to be in open and avowed
rebellion, when the hour of trial and need arrived, and com-
mending the conduct of Feargus O'Connor, and those who
in parliament opposed the paining of the measure for the
suspension of the Act of Habeas Corpus. The witness also read
the speech delivered by the prisoner in moving the resolution.
It was one abusing the government, and insisting upon the
right he said they possessed of rendering assistance to their
Irish brethren, who were struggling against their oppressors.
He called Mitchel, the convicted felon, the honest patriot.
He applauded Mitchel's conduct, and held it up as an ex-
ample foe his hearers to follow. The prisoner, at the con-
clusion of his speech, exhorted the audience to act as men
when the decisive time arrived ; and told them that if they
did not he hoped that they would go howling and hooted
through the streets as a base and cowardly race of men ; and
he prayed God Almighty to grant them victory over their
enemies, who would be compelled to hide their heads in the
dungeons of the hulks, whilst the people they had so long
oppressed, and their honest patriots, would be restored, and
would fill their places, and have the enjoyment of that
liberty they were struggling for.
Police-constable fdainwaring stated that he apprehended
the prisoner at the Chartist ball,lin Webber-street. Ile
searched his lodgings in Southwark, and there found certain
papers.
Mr. Law, the landlord of the house in which the prisoner
lived, was called to prove the findicg, in the prisoner's room,
of the book produced. In the book was an entry by the
prisoner, as secretary to a chartist society, of a resolution,
proposed by a chartist named Cuffy, which was, " That
every district should send a delegate to Cartwright's Coffee-
house, there to anisette a plan of communication," There
were also copies of a circular addressed to persons inviting
them to attend a chartist meeting.
Mr. Richard Kemmis, son of the ulicitor to the crown in
Ireland, produced a certified copy of the record of the con-
viction of John Mitchel for felony, and his sentence of trans-
portation.
The Attorney-General read from the copy of the record
extracts from the articles written by Mitchel, and published
by him in the United Irishman.
Michael Hayden, of the City Detective Police, proved
that the " Cartwright'a Coffee-house" alluded to in Cuffy's
resolution was a rendezvous fur Chartists.
Mr. Cope, the publisher of the Times, produced a copy of
the second edition of that journal, published on the 27th of
July, containing the announcement, conveyed by the elec-
tric telegraph, of the actual commencement of hostilities in
Ireland, the defeat of the troops, and the rising of the
whole people of Kilaenny and the south of Ireland in open
and avowed rebellion. (This of course proved a fabrication.)
This closed the case for the prosecution.
The prisoner then proceeded to read from a bulky docu-
ment him defence. He said that in his speech he embodied
it at which woo matter of history, and as such he quoted it.
He did not use it as any piece of imagination—for the misrule
of the English government was a thing which every one
knew who was acquainted with the history of the English
connexion with that country. He then referred to the
American war of independence, and other matters not
bearing upon the issue, and contending that what
was imputed to him did no: amount to a crime—it
was only a difference of opinion between lens and
the government. He said the jury could not convict him.
Ile then referred to the six points of the charter, as de-
fined by Dr. M•Douall, and in which, he said, was embodied
as much reason and common sense as ever was submitted to
any society er class of men.
The Attorney-General briefly replied upon the prisoner's
observations, and said, In reference to Dr. M'Douall, that he
had hoped that the fate of Dr. M'Douall would hay, proved
a warning to those who were foolish and misguided
enough to act upon the doctrines advocated by him,
and which were espoused by the prisoner, who in his de.
fence asserted that *hose doctrines were common sense and
reason. Perhaps at that moment Dr. fil'ltouall was under-
going his trial, at Liverpool, for his promulgation of those
doctrines; and at Liverpool true bills had been found against
some fifty individuals, supportenofki'Douall's pnnciples,fcr
a treasonable conspiracy to murder. Such were the principles
denominated ky the prisoner as cou.mon sense. The learned
gentleman then made some remarks relative to the topics
introduced by the prisoner on the subject of Ireland.
Mr. Baron Platt then summed up.
The jury., after consulting for a few minutes, expressed a
wish to retire. An officer was then sworn, and they were
locked up. After a short interval, they returned into court,
with a verdict of Grsilly.—Sentenee deterred.
Another jury was then empanelled.
placed at the bar, upon
James Maxwell Brxoees was then
a like indictment.
The Attorney. General having opened the case,
Mr. Fredenck Bond Hugh's, government short-hand
writer, was ealled. He produced notes taken by him of a
speech
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many of his hearers felt, like Douglas, that they would lire
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But that was not the ulna' to say it. Troops were daily
being despatched from Lludonetioeulgrebredee,enan,d
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Ireland for? To do the same. The remainder off the
speech referred to the then supposed,
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