The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-07-24 00:00:00

RELIEF OF THE POOll.

While on this painful subject, we may observe, that for the dis-
tressed weavers in the West of Scotland there is another plan for re.
lief than emigration, which, we are surprised, has never occurred
to those enlightened gentlemen who have taken the direction of the
charitable contributions in that quarter. Instead of employing them
to break stones foe the roads, which is anticipating the labour of
future years, why not provide them with boats and tackle, and set
them to catching fish for the market ? The outlay would be but
trifling ; the return certain. Though the estuary of the Clyde and
the adjacent coasts abound with shoals of the finest fish, Glasgow is
chiefly supplied with that article from the Firth of Forth. Here,
then, in an unoccupied, rich field, on which the industry of these
poor men may be profitably exerted. It is an old remark, but not
less important because old and often repeated, that the fisheries of
Scoaand have never lawn cultivated near to the extent they might
be ; that they might give employment to many thousands more
titan are employed in them, and be a mine of wealth to the nation.
The backward state of them we would ascribe to the aversion
which people not born upon the coast have to that line of life. But,
in this case, that aversion would be overcome by necessity ; the art
may be acquired in a few days ; and swarms of starving wearers be
arovented into hardy fishermen, out of whose past wants plenty
may arise, and display itself in the erection of fishing stations all
round the coast.—Edinimegis Weekly Journal.
DISTRESSED DISTRICTS.—SPIF.S AT WORK.—Ai'S have no
doubt whatever that spies, not indeed in the employment of Minis-
tem. but of certain officious and almost professional spy-mongers,
are actively engaged in endeavouring to lead our suffering fellow-
eolintrymen into the commiotion of acts which may form a pretext
for the revival or the reign of terror, and for the employment of
increased military forces. How else dins it happen that nameless
persons, self-styled delegates HMI" ohs town, shall,' sfigln after
night, publicly speak seditious llarigsap to crowds ofisdiartand
people in attother town, advising ent to arm, sad organiz* re-
bellious plans:—we ask, how happens it that these men are never
aapiehentled, while half a dozen misled weavers, who falba It
their train, are selected and imprisoned? 11
There ass not wanting motives to the revival of the spyraystem.
Guilt frequently makes cowards of the guilty. Suppose, then,
that some old offender against the character and freedom of his
countrymen ; some long-practised trainer and employer of spies,
who feels, if he have any feeling, that through his atrocious ma.
chinations innocence has been made to suffer, and public liberty has
been abridged ; suppose such a being should apprehend, that if the
dreadful d'atresses of the people shwa excite tleeds of outrage In
any quarter, he should probably not be forgotten ; is it too great a
stretch of the imagination to suppose, that in railer that his neigh-
bourhood may be well furnished with the meads of forcibly re-
pressing any disturbance which might threaten hi., he should first
raise false alarms by agents under his own management, and thus
afford apparent grounds for what are called vigilant measures ? Let
our distressed countrymen beware.
EMPLOYMENT OF THE Pot:in.—One of our readers whore-
sides near Preston, an intelligent practical farmer, in writing to us,
says, " As I have a little paper to spare, I could wish to mention a
thing that I do not recollect ever seeing proposed except by you,
since the commencement of these distressing times, respecting find-
ing employment for the hands that are out of work. Why cannot
noblemen and great landed gentlemen employ a deal of the idle
hands that have nothing to do, in cultivating their waste lands, by
draining, fencing, marling, liming. &c. which would employ
those who have nothing to do, and in a year or two would find bread
for the eater and seed for the sown, and at the same time improve
their estates. lam of opinion it would pay a deal better than snak-
ing holes one day and filling them up the next. I wish either your.
self or some of your readers or correspondent' that are competent to
the task would give us a touch on the subjects If I was qualified
I would do it myself, but I am only an old clumsy fanuer, who
has spent more days at the plough-tail than hours at school." In
answer to the hint of our respected correspondent, we can only say
that none are better qualified than persons like himself, of sound
practical knowledge, to point out the advantage both to the rice
and poor, of such improvements Si he suggests.

At a Guild held at Berwick on Monday last, the thanks
of the corporation were voted to Joseph Hutne, Esq. M.l'.,
for his valuable services in the late Parliament. Same day
a motion was made, which is to be discussed on Friday
next, siz.—" That those burgesses who broke their pro-
mises to the candidates at the late election should be pre-
vented from holding any situation under the Corporation,
and that their names should be painted on a board, amid
hung up in the Hall, to remain for the everlasting disgrace
of the guilty."
We perceive the premises in Spring-gardens, where Mar 4
shall's celebrated Panorama of the Battle of Algiers is ex-
hibited, are to be pulled down on the sth of next month,
when this Exhibition must finally close.
It is quite true that the Knights of St. John of Jerusa-
lem are endeavouring to re-establish themselves, and to act
as a body in favour of Greece. It is probable that they
will have indirect support from the French Government,
for two of the French Ministers are Knights of that Order.
These Knights endeavoured to raise a loan some time ago
for the same purpose, through a Mr. Dearne, but it failed.
—Brussels Paper.
A meeting of the Municipality was to take place at Va-
lencia on the loth Jim., to consider the state of the pro-
vince. The fact of P ter having set off express from Ca-
recces, which was mentioned in the last letters from La
Guayra, is repeated. His presence is said to have been
called for at Valencia, to repress some disturbances among
the troops; but whether these disturbances were a renewal
of the licentious conduct towards the citizens, which oc-
curred previously to the re-assumption of the command by
Paez, or arose from any dissatisfaction at the General's con-
duct, does not appear. The accounts from Vera Cruz in
these papers atato the deaths at about 100 per day ; the
fever seldom lasts twelve hours before death ensues. Com-
modore Porter, his officers, and crew, were aboutleaving
Mexico, in disgust at the treatment they had experienced.
Errarxtx, Jut.v 10.—On the Bth of July a threatening
thunder-cloud passed rapidly towards the Rossert moun-
tain. About half way up it turned back over the culti-
vated slopes, and the village of Eppstein, and poured down
a dreadful shower of hail and ice, which entirely destroyed
all the crops, and carried away the earth from the sides of
the mountain, so that it wilt be years before many parts
can bc again cultivated. In 'he village, the windows and
root: were beaten in, the houses and stables filled with ice
and water, and many escaped by ladders from the second
story. Most of the cattle were saved; the ice and hail lay
four feet deep in the main street; the by-streets are still
impassable, and the lower parts of the houses filled up
with ice and mud,—Frankfiirt Paper.

THE BRITISH PRESS.

HOME CIRCUIT.

OUILDFOUD, JULY 21.
CHOWN 3IDE.
Before Mt. JUbtite Hot.noyD.l
CUTTING AND MAI.3IING.

Edward Edwards was indicted under Lord Elienbornogh's Act,
for wilfully and maliciously cutting and stabbing with a knife,
Richard Pople, a police officer, at Bermondsey, on the 22d of
June last.
Mr. THEssidra stated the case for the prosecution, and called
Richard Pople, who deposed, that being one of the °filters of
the Union Hall police eatablishment, he was sent, with other off.
cers, to attend a fire which happened on the premises of Mr. Cur-
ling, of Russell-street, Bermondsey, on the night Mahe 22t1 June
last, for the purpose of preventing depredations. lie aril•ed at
the fire about half-past eleven o'clock, and Ind not been there
many minutest when he felt a man's band on his back. He then
felt the same hand groping under his waistcoat, as if the owner was
feeling fur his watch. He tome:. round and recognised the pri-
soners. whom he had known before as a suspicious character, and
gave him a slap on the face. The prisoner then kicked him vim
lent ly, and in a moment he made a rush at witness with a drawn
clasp knife, and cut the thumb and two fore.tiogers of his lett
hand to the bone. Witness drew his emits*, anti gave the prisoner
a chop with it across hie arm. The prisoner retreated among
some of his companions cur • moment, and again rushed at witness
with his knife, and ripped up his trOwKcrs, but without touching
his person ; and the pri,oner was then rescued by his companions,
and got away fur the time, but was afterwards secured. Upon this
statement of facts—
Mr. Justice HOI.ROYD interposed, and intimated a clear opi-
nion that the case was not within the statute on winch the indict-
ment was framed. It was clear that if death had ensued, the pri.
toner would not have been guilty of murder, and therefore the case
did not come within the policy of the statute, the object of which
was, to make it Wasp- is ems where the party inflicting the wound
meditated murder.
The Counsel for the praeatrdon, acquiescing in the intimation
from the Bench, said, t carry the case any farther.
The Jury, under the Learned Juno x's direction, found the pri.
soner " Not Guilty," but he was ordered to be detained for the
assault until the next Sessions.
Mr BRODRICK was for the prisoner, who appeared to have
suffered severely scorn the wound in his arm, inflicted by the pro-
secutor with hit cutlaa.
The Assizes are not expected to finish before Tuesday. Mr. Nolan
has been of essential service in assisting to deliver the gaol.
Ott ILDFOID, JULY 22.
- -

BIGAMY.
THE KING V. JOHN JACOBS.
This defendant had been convicted at the last Assizes for this
County, before Mr. Baron Graham, of feloniously intermarrying
with Catherire Fitzgerald, his first wife, Dorothy Thompson,
being then alive. Upon the trial, a question arose as to the vali.
dity of the first marriage (which tonic place in Ireland), on the
ground that the defendant was under age at the time lie contracted
that marriage, and that it was solemnized without the assent of his
father. The question arose on the construction of the Irish Mar-
riage Act, 9 Geo. 11. cap. 11. which requires the assent of parents
to the marriage of an infant; but by that Act. a marriage so con-
tracted without consent of parents, must be avoided within a
twelvemonth afterwards, otherwise it is good. Here the defendant
had acknowledged his first wife long since this marriage was so-
lemnized. and had lived with her after the expiration of twelve
months. The case was reserved fur the opinion of the twelve Judges.
The defendant was now put to the bar, when
:11r. Justice HOLROYD delivered the opinion of the twelve
Judges to be, that the first marriage was good, not having been
avoided within twelve months after solemnization. The Irish
Marriage Act hail been often recognized in this country, and the
Judges felt themselves bound to take cognizance of it ; and there-
fore, attending to its provisions in reference to the facts proved in
the case, ttey were of opinion that the defendant's conviction was
right.
The defendant was then asked what he had to say why he should
not receive judgment of death ? He said nothing, but on his
knees prayed the benefit of the statute, making the offence clergy-
able.
Mr. Justice HOLROYD then told the prisoner, that considering
all the particular circumstances of his case, which was, as he under-
stood, attended with great ag g '.ion, his Learned Brother, Gra.
ham, thought the proper sentence to be pronounced was, that for
his offence the prisoner should be transported beyond seas for the
trim of seven years ; and his Lordship accordingly awarded and
adjudged that sentence.
The prisoner. who was a young man of gentlemanly appeatance,
beefed to the Court and was taken from the bar. Belted been
known by the name of Captain Hamilton. and war supposed to
have been successful in his matrimonial speculations, having mar-
ried more than two wives.
[Before Mr. Justice Hoentren
Samuel Perry was indicted for assaulting Elizabeth Ann Tully,
a child of tea yews ALI. at limasbetb, en the 21st June, viitb a
certain outrageous intent.
Mr. DowLano conductedebasepsecutioo, and Mr. Themes
he defence.
The prosecutrix was the daughter of parents in humble life, and
the prisoner was a shoemaker by trade, living in the neighbourhood
istr*eetOakley-street. On the 21st June the child was sent by
her mother to the prisoner's house, for a pair of boots which had
been left with him to mend. The prisoner lived alone in a email
house containing only two rooms. As soon as the child was let in
the prisoner took her up stairs. and committed the alleged assault,
under circumstances of considerable violence. He detained the
child for half an hour, and then allowed her to go borne. Next
day she complained to her mother of indisposition, and then the
extent of the prisoner's guilt was discovered. On the 27th June
the child was examined by a surgeon, when it was ascertained that
she was the victim of a barbarous delusion but too prevalent
amongst the lower classes. The prisoner himself was found to be
affected by indisposition of long standing. The child gave her evi-
dence in an artleint •nd unaffe:ted manner, and received confirma-
tion from her mother ind the surgeon.
Mr. Tit Est o a addressed the Jury for the defendant, and sub-
mitted, that if they ,believed that the offence was committed by the
defetideut under the ignorant delusion adverted to, and not with
the intent averred by the indictment, he would be entitled to an ac-
quittal in point of law, however guilty of a heinous offence in point
of morality.
The Jury, under the Learned JUDGE'S directions, found the
prisoner Guilty. Ile was sentenced to two years imprisonment and
hard labour in the House of Correction. The Grand Jury had
found a bill against the prisoner fora capital felony; but, upon
consideration of all the evidence, it was thought advisable to pro-
ceed for a misderceimor only.