The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1808-12-23 00:00:00

•`•4"*.irrt

I'REEM4SONRr

411.7 I

At the
,Assizes for the county of Tyrone. held
at o+oo. an action was brought by Alexander
&eon; Esti. u Barrister at Lew, against a Mr.
William F. Graham, of Dublin, and which was
tried hefore Judge. Daly *nth' Special Jury.
The declaration was opened by I:movienor I'.
MACKLIN, who &mated, that the Plaintiff brought
Ins action against the Defendant Sir tlefienetirei,
Mid the publication of three several li'velo—the
first, a resolution, dated tld April. IW)7, of the
Grand Lodge of Freemasons in Ireland, statine;„
that Alexander Sento had live', expelled the
Uraud Lap and Masonry in general—the second,
cautioning the brethren against receiving or sanc-
tioning Certificates sigued A. Seoul, dated since
l't ALly, 1806, US he bad not held any office under
the (fraud Lodge since that period—and the third,
.being the Resolutions ofthe Grand Lodge of Eng-
land, dated London, September 2, lao7, stating
that the Crand Lodge of England would not on
any account receive or acknowledge nay Certifi-
cate issued by or under the hand of the said 'Alex-
ander Setun, dated any time subsequent to the
6th of June, 180(i, nor should any person, by virtue
of such Crtifirate, be thereby received into any
Lodge nutter the Grand Lodge of England. The
Plaintiff laid his damages at Y.OOOI. and the Di:-
readmit pleaded the ;ieneral
The ease was stated ou the part of the Plaintiff.
Ivy Counellor RottErrbw, who, at great length,
expatiuwd un the injury doue to the character sod.,
property of the Plaintiff, by thus stating to the
public his expulsion from so aueient and respect-
bile a Society, and the natural ignominy and dis-
grace that would attach to his character, if the
Jury did not in damages prove to the country and
to the society the falsehood of such a charge, and
which only could be done by their verdict. The
Learned Counsel also stated, tiut by this action
the right of the Plaintiff would be proved to the
situation of the Deputy Grand Secretaryship to
the Freemasons of 11.1a1111, and thereby instruct
the Meinliers of the Order where they ought to
apply for such Masonic documents es they had
occasion for, the Defendant hevieg assumed upon
himself the situation, and thereb► claiming the
fees that were attached to the °Bice, and also in
that right publishing and circulating the libels on
which the present action was founded. The
Plaintiff then proved the publication sod circula-
thin of the alleged libria, and, alter the examination
of several witnesses, closed hist:dal&
The Learned JUDGE then intimated his *pinion
that the Plaintiff should be non-suited—and the
Plaintiff having stated his determination to appear&
andgot,iiub mit, but leave the question to a .fury
of his cinntg, the I)efendant's Counsel declared,
diet out of respect to the Court, they would not
state eny ease, nor call any evidence.
The Jol,llllt, after a most able and eloquent-
charge, and haring gone into every Taiwan& of the
evidence, directed the Jury to tied foe the Defend-
ant. •
The Jury retired, and, alter 14011101 eonsideration,
brought id a verdict for the Defendant, with Gd.
costs, thereby allowing the right of the Crawl
Lodge, mid the justness and propriety of publeth-
jilzi the expulsion of its Meusbersr aid clearly as...
certaising the Defendant to be its proper Officer.

• ' ' COMMON PLEAS, DUBLIN.
•
WIIMIXAMOMM &STOW, Esq. Barrister a Low, e.
• WILLIAM FRANCIS GVAIRAM, Esq.
Thieves a motion on the part of the Plaintiff, to
set aside the verthet had for the Defendant, at the
last Aliktio at Oinagh. On the report of the Right
Hon. JUdge Daily, who tned the action, it appear-
ed that the Plaintiff had declared, in the situation
of D.IG.-"Secretary to the G. Lodge of Fe.o-
masons in Ireland, for the publication of libels,
stated to be circulated and published by the De-
feclent, to the following effect--among other.,
1. Grand Lodge of Ireland, Thursday, April el.
1807: Rewilved, That Alexander Setou be ex-
pelled this Grand Lodge, and Masonry iu general."
And that by evidence given on the' part of the
Plaiiitiff, the action was brought more to try his
right to the office of Deputy Grand Secretary to the
Grand Lodge of Irtlawl, than anything else. The
other libels alleged to be published, were the subs
sequent acts of the Grand Lodge of England and
Ireland, confirming such expulsion of Mr. Setou.—
The Leerutd Judge, in his report, which iris eery
full, and reliance{ the entire of the evidence iven
by the Planner, stated his opinion, that the Plinio-
iff ought to have been nonsuited ; but the Plaintiff
having directed his agent to appear, and net heving
done in, he had directed the Jury to and for the
Defendant. the Plaintiff's evidence ant supporting
his declaration. The Court, on heatieg the Luna..
eel Judge'a report, did not conceive it necessary to
call on the Defendant's Counsel ; and after hearing,
for a considerable length of time, Counsel for the
Plaintill, Lord Norbert' was pleased to declare his
opinion an follows : Tirat the action, on the pert of
the Plaintiff; was a mere contest for office, a
scramble for emolument. and appeared so by tl e
declaration and evidence that the Plaintiff'. refusal
to be nonsuited was an indiscretion; that if the
publication weie unnecessary, Obi ACCordin to
the duty of the Defendant, that then it would Le
a different case, and that it eneht to be left to the
Jury; that the nght to the office was the matter it.
wait} a', and that the Court had not sty r;ht to in-
terfere ; that the Plaintiff stated the Society to be
of a very great laegth of staudiust. beite"; uptrerde
of weevil sears old, that it therefore had it ri 'tit
to act as it thought proper; but it appeared that
the sever:ll publications were dietributed, aid sent
to the different Lodges of Freemasons in Ireland,
a* informatees to thet body. by the Defendant,
Mr. Graham, who was then the officer of the Or:.
der; sod that pot:inig in the Cline Icssto be left to
the Jam, but whether the Dgfesidatit did. in di-
rected lyre the Order, in his sittat;enoted that it ate
peered he only communicated the publications to
the Order in that light ' • that the Society was rests.e
hated by it. own laws, aad that the Plaintiff might
Lave rev(); • d to it f.r relief, if he had thought
proper ; that tlw Plaintiff had set tip the iustitu-
eau and Nee laws of it, and on them grounded his
case; mini that if ilw Court Iwheveci Lim, they

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not only full in every respect, but nuttily and
c9rrect.
Judge Fox, in o!)sersitr on this ease, stalest it a
very novei uue, that it %l An. i,etio.l for defame
Lion : after rtolittni., the tirlt`abstut iu the Ilecialou.-
.

tint., lie observed, thtit if a u,au d. fauna) I.chotat.-
ter, not called on by his 01111;.e flyrin if wus Pipe!.
lous ; but that flair ruse would not ttidaid tti4L test;
he referred %lieu' I the rehlitotifttk ille Viall
Grand Lodge of irehriut
id of April, Pun. Brother Johit Leeds, Es.l.
Grand Secretary, informed thd'Orand Lodge. that
porsoatit to their order made on the bth of-March
last, he bud. leiumnded the books and other Inuni-
mviith, the property of this Grand Lodge, to he
I,;:crit up by Brodier Alexander Setou, late Du-
p.ity Grand Secretary, which demand had not Wee
ct,.upned ith : ltesolved, That Alexander Se-
wn be expeliral this Grand Lodge, and Alxsonry
in geuerol. Alexander Jaffrey, D. John
1.010,G.i." That the publication contains inure
than is get seat on the face of the Deleiniant's de-
claration ; that by it, it applied that the cause of
theexpul.imi was for not giving up the hooks of the
Orden and that in consequence of the Plaintiff'.
disobedience, he seas expelled : that it could
Rot be cositelidert, that it was libellous, if a man
sided contrary to the Society be was a meialwr
of, land was expelled that Society, to *tate the
tiet ; anal alluded to the case of eipulaion of a
1111* Olasef of 4 club, for not paying his toth.enption,
awl the publ.estion and distribution of it amotig

tate imensiters ; that the special demagog was kid in
the Plaintiff's declaration, it was not tuaterint,

appearittir the piiMications were wade in di..-
.dairy/it. of the Defeiiitaiit's duty that it could not
• bi therefor. I Aro 114 a libeLy—(Here liesionpared
it to tlw ease of Sir .lollit Carr, tried iint,linig ago
ustd aid, yen tnieht extract ;diet out
of hole wri4 if you stroppri! at partienkar tortitenees,
lent tithe iu the whore context 4
,'Tint it ate
peated bt 11w Plaintritla eved•eurea plat the De-
f. ial.e.at. (:raiksto,acteil as a Stiletto told Secre-
t/Iry to that bx,lx; shot lie toi,k the order of el-
f:01On', from the seal their pittilished it; that
(Mr. (leabseno's) duet' to do so ; and that
;west' of a ,decent could 'not exist if it was.
it tuuhl not be lobkird upon as a
teeio4 w.th.o tne sphere rirthe ore yuu doing
it. and that therefore ao -.elided' coedit be eastained
for it ; that the eketteration w*. Lot sustained by
the pubtication: that sin appeared out
of the t/eJey. rums that the pubtications distributed
ule,eraretti• wvei.sary ; that- tbertfore the verthet
ought to, the eattse.shewn by the De-
lendant 'be allowed with costa; thus ascertaining
the, tight of 11w Crawl nt Prccinisona ha
1,„4,,,,,; to expel. tht. 3leinheni oho iset.coiltrary to
their order. and pcovortg the nekr: (aut. William
'lratecis anoluene, to be their Drinil Cried Sr-
CrCLAry.
.11r. .loatiee Fe.sTctiset—" I concur is ,I ton
with the r..t of the Count."

• BIM .t.trr ins.? *Pt s.x4tr:t. vcn sirirrn . .
rasa TIM ',cora. tUstsfirve or A Gillet i rt. its, MILT".
. .. , ILuillmeitoffillisS, Awn toUltrlt4C.
. • Heflin- H ruse, Rath, Dee. 6; tans.
The &missal Meeting of t 'Society was Wide,'
thin flay •:--.
S. licsdlllOrts e, Ea. M.P. ERA. President, lat Chair.
rtillIVIT a f.sli, • • . . -
.. air .P.,.0 -1 irippistsy, Bart. M P Matthew Briehdale,
)Fit Jaha Bititt.saley„ Ea,. Wm. ClAtili, Esq Wen. Ds im,
114. Er. Parry. C, G. Gray, Em. Jobs Pant Paul, tni
Yba. Jeryee, V.I. Rick Brizbt, Cmi. vim I),tkemsoa, Earl
DI P. Vet-Presidents.
Sir Wm. Berke; Sort. Air Thomas T orlon, Bart. M.P.
Sir J W &pith, Hart. --- I' me, FN. 11 I' 14r Oxon, Jo.
ohm Sweith, Eat M P. for Poo:tit : a.,tla very numerous at-
trodr.:.r. of GO.ltletrom of loaded interest in the Western as
irettasnaguit ronoth.s.
X l'acancy in the Vioe-Presidency being declared.
I'. B. t.ctigsrialga, Esq. M.P. was nuaninsonsly
elected to fill the barrio. Vsenocier in the perma-
nent Consinittem.of the Society were died up,
anti several. additions; ma.le, ea 'formals), to 4 pros
poial of a Kevin's' general meeting. . I.
His papal ili4imesa the Doke of Cileareester
(hieing previously condescended to become an
Honorary Member,) ate/wird the peincipuf Sitting
of •thi.Ahlival Meetings' lutrarlsee,d by Sir John
Co* llippisley., Bart. Before his Royal Highness
l took ha seat at the top of the room, he was ad-
dreined ou behalf sir the Society, by the President,
Benjamin Hoblionsiv„ big. bout the Chair, in u
ahrift, milkopriatc. mud elegant *peed', which drew
from hisHoyal Illigbnesa it reply, in the most gra-
cious ieniis, highly complituentarr to the President
and 1 hi. F.,ciety.
The Csi.i.ontet, of Superiiit..nlance reported on
the progress cud result of thc..- labours /luring the
past year. and, iii particular, in von:le.:lion with
the Committee of Staple Regulation, on the fur-
ther arrangesne.utc they had maile to perfect the
i views of the SosSety in respect to the growth, nia-
nulacttue. and sale of improved British wool.
enn The Cmitteir of Chemical Research reported.
thatitieffn samples avails, Ste. which had been
sent to the Society, hed.beets carefully analysed by
l' their Clie:nicitl Professor, Mr. Bop/ ; and that
II their funds had been 0 Air:lent for ever(' purreme.
In confirmarimi of Cite r,cotnutwa,t3;tiAns of pre-
vane. General Nlsetings and Saerial l'ommittees,
various Premiums and Bimini, s were awarele.l.
The Premiums °tiered for the trial of Pl.nighs,
and the exhibition of Lire St'ielt, were enlarged.
%With a further view iss excite emulation, and ob-
-11 bin a larger exhibition of Live Stock,. it was wiz-
-1 oirnously rcsolpell, that the Anniversarytrl, of thin So-
ciety should i.e sudden on the Tuesdey in the
week przcetiiirg float on whit is Chitsmasimday may
fall in even, year, .
The following Gentlemen were ananimoisly
el..iterl I lootorury Members:—
` Dr. Coventry, of Eslmiterelt; Col T. Barclay, New-York ;
Clint. *miry Hill, Ewq. :Staub, ; Atha Nay Ball, Esti. Bath;
Mr. Jut. Wood, arehlteet, -Loodus; nIUIIIIIII, Foster, Ent.
l•rotaley Hall.
I'he fallowing Members have been added to the
1- Sueicty •ilicetlieliel Annual
.Iretine :--. - ..

i Nighi Mon. Wj,. Mltrkhiun, ea Searle, Si: Andrew Rt.
John Ces. Con.ptun, ErsqA Juha E. kershalt. Esq. Janses
Read: IEB4 R ;cloud tertiis, Esq. W. T. Burton, Esq. T.
Cliffisrd,s7.sq T. Weld, Fa,. Clarks Chichester, E.sq. K.chd.
91p.snstee, Rsq..lohn Hereby, Esq. Keith Jopp, Esi. Thomas
11 . Rl..t Lhuure. I.sq. Richard C....per, Esq. Jehn Cann, Esq.
: G.t.rge Wm.& A Leg. J. Wrnise Wtaton, Esq. Thomas
(r....pry,
fro..irrr. FII Pavl li arisen. Esq. (Sen. Ready, Esq .1 S.
eilip,..ky. r.i. Mr. John Lanr, Rev. C. Cussisblr, Mr.
I.l..wlett, Mr Drinksrafrr flaysvard, 31r. Kemp, Mr J. G.
limas, Mr. Laurence, Mr. IrsrJer, wad Mr. Broutaba",. i

t nets