The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1821-11-26 00:00:00

OLYMPIC THEArRr.

A new oeriona melo-drsrna web predated' al this
Theatre on Satardsy night, called Ls &RaoleS,
trasoloted from a mere now performing in Pan,
under the same name, of which the following is the
story :
The Count St. Maur, bevies bees *rah, et the Stet of the
throw of Framer, I. &feedlot( the King feta sit attempt On
Us life and sovereigety by Charles the Bud. Duke of Bur-
goody, his sagitisived widow retires re the Valley of Usage
bleb, is Switzerland, for shelter, with her infest duelists*,
Eloise, whom, us her death-bed, she bequeaths to she gear.
disesbip of her uncle, the Baron D'Hersialt. desiring Mak
she may never be Maimed av jail the valley I.e a
more dangerous renigesee midst resell sett pelages.
litre the growing charms of the young orphan, jest bow-
tog into the dawn of weistembeed, Meet the eye and suttee
the licentious passions of the Coast de Palm. &minim of
the Duke of Lorrain, to whom sister be is millaweed, orb
-espies his confidant Miebelli so carry bee of by fame.—
• mysterious Solitary, dwelling la a lowly below the preci-
pitous summit of a desert simientaia, is she eons whirls
forms the boundary of the Volley of Daditillalia stakeout'
yet eadeared to all by the sets of MANN MU& bu le cow
&tautly performing, exerciees a sari at tatiratipmedbaship
over the orphan Eloise, watch's' her siege ttad 11.601mit het
of impending danger. Oo her being attacked .bip
sod his ralEans, be frights is and smeneet iatg Mid after-
wuds extorts from Miebelli a foil dldastslasf ih t deeigas
of his muter, inclodiog hie iabtadird gees& Se Leeriest
France, with a levy of Swiss troops whieh helms berm so-
tberisel by the Cantos' to raise ter the eadelante of the
Duke of Lorraise against that Prime. De Pailag, defeated
in his attempt by force to obtain pommies/ Site, Makes
proposals for her hand, which gramilimphal by the Bova.
but with respectful firmness &seised ir 11/Mits lA* hos
formed a roasautie attachment for the /Wiry. Ea.
couraged, however, by the Bates, M pesswome is his
solicitations, and at a seemed interview is 114.411441 bir
her with more determined resolution aireetepaeied wits
reproaches for his base sasd tersekwasiedesirie, of which
she has, since hie first applicatise„ bore Wormed by the Soli.
tary. lectured at her retrial, owl paseeked by her dieeeverip
of his iateutious, De Palso tbsewilamo her with Miser to
intimidate her into compitisami, bust foilim, swims a dagger
to Fluor into her bowie, ria4 lie Orphsa of Is. Maim
again owes her safety to the ieerremiliew at hire snystivrees
protector. lie now discloses r lieloa OM we swim, mil
devoted love for her burns with's' his beeset, and is easamell
by her of • food return; but assiirwm her that commissioners
of his history forbid all bole of their heiwg mired, bat
bids her farewell fur ever. Night evade' ea, the Primp of
lUndeilach, the residence of the Baru., is attached by 1)s
relay and enveloped in Same% theta wheel& Elia* eacepieg,
dies for protection to the Solitary os his desert utountaie,
where she is julued by her nocleoritoemssevito to their notion,
but requests to know the name aisle mimic's future husband.
The uuknown having exacted from both an oath of seereey,
:aims his visor, and discovers the festaros of Chattels the
Bold, the murderer of Eloise's father, and seducer of the.
Baron's daughter. Bursting with rage Dud the thirst for re,
image, the Satins revokes his rash eimmast, and invokes the
most awful curses ou the destroyer of the peace of his family.
Eloise, heartbroken by the accumulation of horrors thus
awfully crowding upon her, falls deed ow the spot. At this
instant, Ile Palzo and Michell. bevies gained the summit of
the sououtaiti, rush lots the het in search of Eloise, and the
Solitary tiring a tuna, buries them in its ruts*, and fallsdesti
by the corpse of Eloise.

From this sketch it will be seen that the piece
abounds with striking situations, and with ►ncidents.
of a powerfully interesting nature. Some excellent.
scenery is also introduced, of winch the Goalless el
the Priory of Underlach, and a view of the Labs
with the Village on its borders, by moonlight, front
the autumn of the desert (1301111t4111, deserve to be
particularly mentioned for their beastly and pleasing
effect. Mr. H. JOHNSTON suede his first appear-
ance at this theatre in the part of the Solitary,
which he played with his accustomed energy and
vigour of aisle, and was warmly received and
greatly applauded. Mr. POWER played the Baron
with nine.' propriety ; his scene with the Solitary
on the occasnou of his discovery was a highly credit-
able effort. Miss S. BooTH made a powerful
impression on the sympathies of the audience in
her delineation of the feelings and emotions of the
interesting k loise. The burlesque tragedy of
Bumf& skin followed, and the extravaganza of
Life in London concluded the entertainments of
the night.

On Thursday, being St. Cecilia's Day, the gen.
tlemen of the Windsor Catch Club held their
annual celebration of the festival at the Swan Inn.
Nearly fifty persons sat down to an elegant dinner.
After the cloth was removed, Nos Nobis Domine
was sung in excellent style, by the gentlemen of
the ‘Vindsm Choir, assisted by severel amateurs.
God rove the King, Glorious Apollo, and many
other fine songs, glees, and catcher, were sung iu
the course of the evening.
New Journals start up every thy in Madrid,
some of which bear curious Hies : such as the Pe-
riodical Mania—the Clamours of the Paroquet of
Grenada, Clamours del Papagoyo Grenadine*.
M. MAJENDIE is elected a member of the Aca-
demy of Sciences at Pais, vice Doctor CORVISART,
deceased.
Among the travellers who landed at Calais be•
tweet' the 11th and 17th instant, on their way to
Paris, were the Duke of HAMILTON. Marquis of
iIEADFORT, English Peers; Lord HERBEUT and
"tits. Lord LOWTUER. and Count de MosTe-
it : the two latter with dispatches.
Friday night last a pony belonging to Mr.
firtwo, of St. Stephen's, to decide a trifling
aagrr, walked up a flight of fifteen stairs into the
porter.room in Norwich. The entrance of this
film-legged stranger, who walked round the room
and returned without receiving or doing the least
injury, afforded much amusement to the company

present.
On the 7th instant was slaughtered. at &larch. in
the l.le of Ely. for the purpose of deciding • het.
• Wet-shear ewe. out of the breeding flock of pure
Leiceiners, belonging to Mr. JACKSON, of that
place. the carcass or which, when dressed, weighed
1021 b. and had also 141 h. of loose fat. The rive
seised • couple of lambs this year. and bed only
gesss keeping during the whole season.
The excavation of the r;ver Nene, from Peter-
borough to Yonder, has commenced arid is ginAg
on with rapidity, there bring nearly 2tlo men eui—
ployed.
The following is the copy of a lett, r addressed to
the Sheriffs of London and Middlesex :
" aftVislB/ilt 23, 1821.
"Gt/ITLIBItII—As it is evi.kail that a large body or the
ralighteued sod respect. hle pert vlll.e community are "laid-
"lli gsmost the seventy or the prrsroi as 'initial code, sad
more especially of that part which relates to she punishment
of death fur the forgery yr Mut. Noire. it has beets thought
.Irso able to call • lodine milling in reference to the cases
of the persons under ars.teisce of (Noah for u. at Tuesday
On morrow); acid the tooterbigtird rcpt. al you well have the
loi.duris w call the same."

...
. 1
..,, ~..;‘, 4,* if' Nltt,itllt• it": 1..-i . .- • Vrikk ft th Weeplatitilair.-
______;_:.,...4...vi - ..; ..., i , •
lißlitiSH IIaffriTEITIOW. CLOWstette. 41littlittliiitet'W.firtiitlit.'''
r i
, i.t 'ht with leeliwgit of the didiitkifl'heiritir lie lsgirit '
#1,1411 Ala..
—l.. to elate. that on Mail db bight. or ;silt kgmteyellit
• /TV !Minting of the fichool terininatea no Satier.34, the MOrtiong, the house of kir. Vothenittit t.9hea, an OPU•
MHOS I
having to be cleared for the mew year's exhibition. lent farmer, at I.4ltrtmlitiiii. hearCleastrekl, N -
A spirit of perseverance sal an snamitiqureable degree a 'Oren Fetherd and Mittlitvihithe, Haretnk bf Mid.
Impri4rement have Wen ittwerrible in the performanees at I dlethiril. in this county, and at the niirtls-west
the students. !tome of the most laboured and excellent foot of Slieviiiimaii Mattitistry, was destroyed by
'works of the late i•altilliiinii have twee studied with a sea a 'fire. with eßiblaml.l Shine hit wife (*ha was sttn-
raseareh which mist go far in ailrameiteg the miterid ells- posed in have Iris in on that n"hai"1ty night of an
Meter of British Art. Copiea have her, multiplied 1.1 vci. iriTiCin). five children, ft fine yontig ertwiltin who had
Wm nn a 'll4l it the hisq 40 aP, five 14+811g men,
/hung artists in • goitrous spirit of entilation, which has kb
and three servant Minds! Minds!
!
to lbe happiest 'vaults.
We speak of the ahove as matter Of fact, come
King Ckartei• Children, YAVDIrIitIt—INS h•tit imitated
maniented to us by in eye-witne.s, who saw the
wish great felitilY, la tom or in fall, li. Mr. M'CaWt.,
bodies yesterday at ones. Its represented them as
Mr..l. Col Lon, Mr. Rosso. Mr. Wean, snit Mr. Novice.
having scarcely the resemblance of the humanThe Rivera, Otko. tmatt—has bees rigneonsly emote. form hot
memi4.4l
rather tvlike blasts' of bog-Wood,
ted by Mr. Ill'Er•wa., and Miss Jones bas made a verb Mt- as they lay near the dense almost in w cloister, inter.
riled sail besatifal mightier, ropy. mixed with the ashes of the hurr,t 'Mich.
The most finished copy seem. I° he that of the WO of It had been mentioned in town, throughout the
,tte Vos, by Mr. F•um•En, heihg • Hose approxinvition lathe whole of yesterday, that 1g persons an ffered, vie.
*lessee*. spirit, sod onlosseing of V 'it original. The that Edmond Shea was snot by banditti, in at-
partrait of Dr V himself, though not of each strict ae. tempting to escape from the Wiese, and IR others
curacy in the copy, is of powerful composition and harmn- perished in the flames ; but as it appears there is
Dios• effect in rutouvlag. Mr. Feu KK ' esteems on yet no evidence of thin, it is mere matter of tin•
these pieces, Percent a great many reeditabie attempts on certainty, and we trust somewhat egaggerated.
the same subjects from the notice mad approb•tius to which. Though w•• .tre &writhe of confining ourselves
is the absence of his. they would be entitled. as much its p able to matter of fait, independent
Mr. Daustmottp km, of a reduced scale, very merest/Ole of loose or idle conjectore, or hearsay. it is just we
catbird Runlet's Bottle of Norellingen, and preserved the should mention that scarcely a dnubt Oxists the
terrible Node of war With a force and energy almost equal to conflagration was felonious, and the coliskliteettie
the inspired zeal of the original. of a serious attack by murderous banditti : aid
Mr. E. CHILDS has copied, with tasteful fidelity. the we have the information from persons who were
passing near the scene, that shout two yesterday
Rorpitheel, which, together with most of the valuable *sl-
ims otentineeti shove, belongs to the King. He has bees ri- morning they heard . m"."81 sh.ots',.altd. gnus „al:".
ward. saw OM extensive fire in the direct toil of 1-.104.0•
walled, bat scarcely equalled, by Mr. Wasik sad or two
others. lichee aim copied the Rest 1 ,in neon, as they were nit their way to Clonme I.
It appears there was a jealousy against the Shoes
company with Messrs. Vtleetilre and SterefeiroW. It is
regarding some ground t hey lately Came into pus-
difbealt to ileirrmine which fairly owns the preference.
session of—and it is supposed that this was the cruse
Rh Maiesty'a Meet of Rembrandt, has aimed a greater
of the catastrophe ; but of this we know nothing.
multiplication of copies than say picture in the robot. Mr.
Of some of thew facts, we alipitOse, we ilifilltbe
CLAYTER, Miss DRUMMOND, Mr. &straw!, and Mr. Ross, better informed, when the result of the Coioner's
seem to have shared eiwissestee among the group of labours.
Inquest is known. We unilersteurl the Inquest
The Lesion lin, of Milieux° km been copied by these will not be held till this day. —(C kernel Ad:
or four artists. His manner, with the exception of node re- ties titer.
lined peculiarities as to his colouriag, has been very happily
imitated.

THIS IMITISII NA I'

The present number of shipe of the British Navy employ-
ed in Consmission (exclusive of those Gi ling out to relieve
others, sod revenue cinistre„ is 124, six —l2 soil of the line
(nine as guard ships), 33 frigates, 53 elm,* awl beim 9 ilia.'
cover, and surveying ships, and 17 ger twigs, echouriers,
nod cutters:—
At Portsmouth—Queen Charlotte, 108 ; Albion, 74; Re.
lollies, 74; Active, 46 ; Brazen, 28; Hiud, 24; Rosario, 10;
Csaielcon, 10; Grecian, 10.
At Plyinsonlk—loaprennable, 104 ; %Vladimir Castle, 74;
Spencer, 74; Phaeton, 38; Albeit, 14; Relicua, 10; Pigmy,
10; Dwarf cutter.
At Chatham and Shte eeeee —Genoa. 78; Norlbumher.
lend, 78; Bulwark, 78; Severn, 50; Wye, 26; Brisk, 10;
Pioneer, 10; Surly, 8; Swan, 8.

At Corls—Senuransie, 42; Cyrus, 20; Arab, IR ; Gan-
mit, 18; Pandora, 18; Sappho, 18; Harlequin, 16; %Volt,
16; Pike, 14; Plumper,
At Leith—Dover,2ll; Nignrcl,l3; Martial, 12; Swinger,
12 ; Cherokee, 111.
la Ike Aledsterranean—Roehefort, 80 ; Revolutionaire,
46; Srrinppliam. 48; Havaiusah, 315 ; Leine, 20 ;' Martin,
20 ; hlrdina, 20 ; Dispatch, 18 ; Racehorse, 18 ; Ruse, 18 ;
Redpole, 10 ; Chanticleer, 10,,
In tAe East Indies—Leander, 80; Glasgow, 50; Liver-
pool, 50; Topaz., 46; Hyperion, 42; Dauntless, 24; Sa-
tellite, 18; Sophie, 18; Curlew, 18.
In the Inst Indies—Sybille, 44; Pyramus, 42; Tribune,
42; Tamar, 28; Tyne, 26; EA, 20 ; Falmouth, 20; Nau-
tilus, 18; Oalatio, 18; Partlsinu, 18; Raleigh, 18; Suri-
nam, 18; Bustard, 10.
At the Brastls—Superb, 78; Aurora, 46; Dori', 42;
Owen Glendower, 42; Creole, 42 ; Blossom, 26; Cunway,
26; Beaver, 10; Alacrity, 10; Slaney, 10.
At the Cape—Vigo, 74; Menai,26 ; lleron, 10; Cygnet,
10 ; Shearwater 10.
On the Coast of Africa—lphigenis, 42 • Pheasant, 22;
Myrmidon; 20; Morgiana, IR ; Thistle, 12 Snapper, 1!.
At HaWax—Newcastle, 60; Forte, 44; Niemen, 28;
Athol, 28; Bellette, 20; Cyrene, 20 ; Dotterel, li; Jassrur,
18; Argue...lB.
At Nesefunadlastd—Sir Francis Drake, 34; Valorus, 26;

Erris, 14 ; Grasshopper, IS ; Niter, 12; Drake, 10;
Clinkn, 10.
Discovery and Surveying—Flory, Herta, Leven, Sham-
rock, Bathurst, Investigator, Soap, Adventure, Kangaroo.

TIU NEVAI'S CRUISE.

His Majesty's ship Mani, Captain Moresby, C.B. ar-
rived at Port Lassie, M•urttine, 4.h April 1/111, with the
Success brig, of Nantes, Viisceid Bertrand, Master, from
Zanzibar to Bourbon, weds 343 slaves, men, women, and
boys. The hlenai bad previously captured the Eoily
schooner, with 80 slaves. The following is an extract from
a letter Omitting the recent services of this *hip
On the 234 April we embarked Prince Sitiiiski, a Mada-
gascar Chief, Mr. Hastie, Ambassador, Mr. David Griffith,
missionary (Dr. Bogue's pupil at Gosport), with their suite,
servants, baggage, Ice. 11111 arrived on the 29th at Tamati►e.
We saluted and she forts returned it. About six hundred
black fellows were down in a crack to clear ►he boats. The
population is entirely black. The palace of the King, Ran-
d..., is situated on a prodigious high mountain, more than
300 miles inland. One of his principal Generals was an
Irish serjesiat in our artillery. The King sent a message to
our Ambassador (whose principal object is the abolition of
the slave traffie), that 1,200 of his troops and two thionomd
slaves, were on the way to escort him up the country.
There being no carriage conveyances, every thitig is con-
veyed oa emu's bailie. 11'e had a bullock sent ow board
every day ; they sell Isere at about • dollar and a half each,
weighing from 30016. so 400110.—plenty of poultry, but no
vegetables—limes and lemon trees grow wild. 1a fact, these
civil islanders gave us every thing we want. We are now
fitting (12th Jour) at Port Louis, for • two.mo•tbs cruise,
i•lendiug to take a trip to the Johanna Islands, with two
Madsimear Princes. This fr enffiy Wised contains upwards
of four snillious of iuhabitants."

EXTRAORDINARY SPORTINCI.—As two Gentle-
men of Qn;tinton were retureing from rabbit-
shouting on Wednesday, the 14th inst. the fowling-
piece of trae of them accidentally went off, and
killed live grew.
REMARKABLY LARGE EEL.—A few days since
was caught at Thyme Mill, by Mr. BODDINGTON.
an extraordinary large silver eel, ineasuriii!, in
circumference eleven trochee, and one yard' six
inches in length. It was in the possession of Mr.
ROBERT HEDGES, auctioneer, name, who grati-
fied the public by exhibiting it.
A dreadful accident happened at Corunna on
the 31st of October. The trial of a cause respect-
ing the liberty of the press wan held oil that day in
the Convent of Franciscans, for the better accom-
modation of the numerous audience : the floor
gave•way, and 70. persons !striated, being buried
under the ruins. ••

. .
• 113.tlikINtiwil
• • „o
t, .
•
•
' • •
Serfbltiliti Weenies:A 21.
This gwerlasr the Court was crnii•dett With midi-
Orkin !Very eWly hour. excited by the r‘inerlittloti
of hearing the ‘jittleinetit t.l the Court nn --
Shicow, genets ibd of st 111).1 nit her hoe Nlajestv.
SIMS, after the sitting of the Court, Mr. Day-
' 411411„sesueed fen-judgment on the Defend-nit, in
'beano, of she King e. Blwuw, hut Nlr. Justice
BEST being detained in the Ball Court, the Cart*
JUSTICE desired it might swill over toll he cause
lobo Court. The Court being full--
THE thin tb. WESTER AND oTtiscs.
The Sosictiilt-thuili4i prayed the judgment
id the Court Eat thew' Defendant., who were tried
hefitre the Lori! Chief Justice at Guildli.ll. nt
the sittings attire last Term. On that occasion
no evidence was offered. The Solicitor-Ge.
nerd. who appeared f.r the Defendants. con.
arming toe verdict of Guilty. The Defen•
dente are the Proprietors and Printers of the John
Roll Sunday newspaper. The libel for which the
Defendant' were.now bmnght up for judgment
was published in that Piper of the 54th January,
1821. It imputed the stints of Licly Ossultote,
• and the other %Male hratichrs of the Countess of
Tehltervillt's Mtly to her late Mitjettic, to the
circumstance of tlie late Lady Ciroline ‘Vrottesley
(the daughter of the Countess or Tankerville) h4s-
nig been detected in a criminal intrigue with a
menial servant,

The affidavit of Sir John Wrotterlee, Bart. was
then read. It stated that he had beet, married to
the late 11. adv Caroline Wrottetley 22 years, and
that during that time he had a numerous family of
children ; and in leta, to his infinite grief, Lady
Caroline Wrovesley died in his arms. The affidavit
further shoed, that she was a Lady of the strictest
honour and cliavtity, hint there was not the Ilightest
ground for the libel in question.
T4tillidict Of Lady Taukerville was then put
and send. The deponent was the mother of the
Me CI Combine 11 rottevley. It stated the affec-
fit•h' harmony sitht•itting between Sir Jolly
IVrotte-ley and her late daughter. and teat,fied to
the high character s thus Lady for chastity and
honour. •
The affidavits of Lordln aetiont Oeoilston and
the lion, Henry Grey Berniaillbrotherri to the late
Lady C;irofine.lVrOttesfil). these affidavit. were
confirmatory of the preeedinji ones. and further
slated, that the papers continual the libel in ques-
tion were sent to the inns it, the steighboorhood of
the residence of Sir John Wrotylley and the Earl
of Tankerville, Mad' otherniti tudustriou.ly circu-
lated, fur the purVosi, as'llie,dootient. believed, of
',Minding the &diets of the jpdividuals belonging
In thane
The efft laviti of the Ofefewciaoh were then put
in and read. •
Hobert Thomrs Metier Swore thefts, was inertly
employed as the reader to the JoBrs Ball, and that
'he had no authoiity whatever to admit or reject soy
!paragraphs publidled in the said piper. Mr. Henry
Tons Cooper selected the articles for publications
lead the deponent did not are the paragruph
;question till after it was eompo4ed. The depts.
inkjet' did not know the author of the said paragripli.
matiuscript copy, lie believed, was destroyed.
;ai the practice of the office was to destroy all pa-
pers soon after the publication of them. He further
'swore that he did not send the papers of the 14th
January, 1821, into the neighbourhood of the Earl
jof Tasikerville end Sir Jobe Wrottesley, whose
Iplaces of residence he did not even know.
Thomas Arrowsmith, printer of the 'John Bell,
and one of the Defendants, sirore to the same
'reffect as the preceding, and that be did nut even
Ace the paragraph in cotillion till sonic days after
it had been printed. That ki ri secoud edition of
the same Paper, he eaesiid the paragraph to be
struck out, and 4,000 copies were actually circu-
lated oruithog such piregraph, and that hod'. be
seen the original copy lie would not hare suffered
it to he inserted in the Paper. The copies of the
first edition, remaiiiing on hand, lie had imme-
diately lucked up to prevent their further cir-u-
-lotion.
William Shackell, proprietor of the paper, and
one of the Defendants, put in au offidovit contain-
ing the same allegations as the preceding.
-Toe affidavit of James Harmer, Solicitor for the
prosecution, was then read. It stated that the de-
ponent had seen, iu u previous paper of the Joke
Ball (No. I.) a paragraph' in which the members of
the Tatiketville family were spoken of in terms
nearly as offensive and to the same effect as the libel
before the Court. The deponent had gone to the
office of the John Ball, and stated, that if the
author of the libel iu question was given up, no
prosecution would he had against the printers and
publishers; but they declined giving him may in-
formation on the subject.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL complained of not
having seen the last affidavit of Sir. Harmer, but
after some consideratiou he declined the offer of the
Court to postpone the judgment to Tuesday next,
to give him time to answer it. He then addressed
the Court in mitigation of punishment. He stated
that the Defendants were sincerely sorry for the
publication in question, and had consulted him
when the Court was first moved against them, and
had desired him not to thew cause against the role.
They had pleaded cot guilty, in order at the trial
not to justify, but to express through their Counsel
the regret which they felt at having been made in-
strumental its such a publication. He enlarged ou
the difficult situation iu which proprietors of news-
papers were placed, from the hasty manner in which
such publications were given to the world. He did
not deny but that public policy required seine pu-
nighmeitt should be inflicted on his clients, but he
strongly urged on their behalf the absence of ail
indignant feeling towards the prosecutor.
Mr. PULLER followed ou the same side.

Mr. SCARLETT ►poke in aggravation of punish-
ment. It aas at all times disagreeable. sometimes
inviduous, and would in all probability become
dangerous for au advocate to undertake such a duty
av that which had devolved on him. Had be seen
any thing in the conduct of the parties either at the
time of publishing the libel. nr subsequently indi-
cative of that contrition and sense of impropriety
for which their Counsel had given them credit;
had they shown 'any token of penitence by any

• .. •
to be found, M their publication, or rile
soovered any iocheionimpa however slight, to nootke
reparation to the wounded feelitiga of Aussie
.whom they had so grievously °integer', he would
but have troubled the Court with a single re.
(nark, but would have left the offence entirely with
the judgment of the Court. Their retention en-
titled them to no commiseration. There wasmot
only a perfect absence of contrition, and an entire
neglect of reparation to those whom they admitted
themielves to be falsely calumniated in the subse-
quent numbers of their publication, but there was
no circometance tending to alleviate their guilt iii
their affidasits. He expatiated oil the eitormity of a
system of crime like that which had besot espouted-
ed. From the statement of the it Counsel, it was
plain that a machinery fur libels might hr put in
motion which might disseminate die most 1,1. e sod
envenomed calumnies ; and, if their plea .sere ad-
mottled, there could be no reiteration dome I' vier to
the individuals maligned, or to the good miler
of society, however grossly and watitonly broken
its upon. The real author obscured himself. awl
the mechanical sgents of his knit west put foir-
ward to plead haste or ignorance as an excuse for
publication. They were deprived even of this
excuse. Their affidavit stated, that one of them
was so convinced of the falsehood of the libel,
that he would have remonstrated with Cooper, the
Editor, had he been in the way. Hire was proof at
It nit that lie had the power of renatnietnuice, suit
au apparent sense or ability to distinguish right
from wrong ; and yet nothing had beets done by
any one of the Defendants by way of attempt
to undo their own maiden and guilty Pppadom,
except just 'so far as they juolged it might lie
woeful to them in Pecking shelter fr tier
impending judgment of the laos. Ile trusted
their Lordships would prove. to these Defeedants
that before they undertake to pit:dish hires of the
same kind again, they artist be assured that they
were neither slanderous nor false-or, if they were
convinced that they were true, they noun still los
prepared to Phew • better tea than soy
they had yet urged for publishisig them at all.
" Parties in these coots," the Learned Coutisel
proceeded, " usually state they have too malice in'
their publication of such libel*. They published
this, however, and with what motive ? Why ate
we left tot silence on this subject? There was too
previous malice-8m operating motive; and is it to'
be then endured, that, without any motive, such tor
abominable *holder should be given to the world ?
•• My Learned Friend has attributed seine merit to
his clients, as to the mode jot which they met the.
•informition and appeared at the trial; and I could
sincerely wish be were able to skew me, that by soy
one paregraph, since the Maarten' of toe libel, they
had expressed any one symptom of regreto-aily one
particle of coutrition foe hoeing so inserted it. If
the subsequent numbers of the paper cootained ;toy
.one retractatiou of so scandalous a charge, or any one
;circumstance to ask for conciliation or compasstoo.,
'I am quite satisfied the affidavits would have coo•
taiticil them. But Ho such thing slwer*. They
admit they wire conscious of their WrOOI4, but
they did not avow it, while other papers were, or
:might be, losiod bold enough to say, 11'e in iy los
;prosecuted, but your threats we altogether despise.'
jl could make every allowance for pony feelings, for
:angry reseisteneuto, which often mike mesa forget
;their better reasou, and then commit themselves ; hut
.what allowance can be made tar the muligiiaiit
derer, who invents facts to wound the feeiiiios c f
others, or so steles circumstances (which might be
;eerily replanted) as to provoke and wantonly
his fellowscreatures ? What will your Lordships
say to the individuals who are ever busy its raking
'tip the ashes of the dead, for the purpose of venting
their in slice against the living? Here. unfortunately,
we have not the real author. These person., how-
.ever, represent him-.upon their own Confeseiont they
admit him to be guilty, and they must be punished
as inch. I ask, Has it ever yet been discovered in
'the whole history of the liceutiousiters of the press,
if there were a paper whose trade was that of at-
tacking the private characters of womeat ? In all
my experience I have been able to find but one
—but one which your Lordship may remember.—
in 1789, a person of the named Witlwrs thought
fit to publish • libel ou Mrs. Fitzherbert ; he
probably did so through some party feeling ; he
was indicted for it, and lie received a punishment
in this very Court, which cannot easily he forgotten
—he was sent for twelve months to Newgate, and
was obliged to pay a considerable tine braider. Its
the preseut case we know the object these persona •
have in treducing 'intne character—in serving a
political object of souse sort or other, they thought
the end sanctifies the means ; but the judgment of
this day will teach them otherwise. This !list!,
however, was may introduced amongst • airing of
others ; and I suppese they thought, if they were
justified iu attacking the most illustrious female its
the kingdom, it was a more veniil offence to attack
and scandalise every other. But what a condition
would ruatikind be reduced to if this system were
any longer tolerated ? Suppose it was the ohjec•
of any individuals to write down a particular cho-
rseter, mid I'm, that purpose to select (for scandalous
notoriety) all the persons who shewed him or her oily
respect; and what they failed to produce by malice
they might effect by slender. Suppose also
another set of individuals to take an Opposite course
—and equally malign all those opposed to the cha-
racter they supported—whet a capital employment
uwold it not be for the British Press ! ! Theis vos
should have the Defendants on one side harrowing
up the dead ; and A. B. and C. on the other per-
haps doing the sante thing. But I sincerely hope
that the sentence of to-day will have the salutary
effect of preventing so much evil. It is impos-
sible that the author of this libel can have the feel-
ings of a gentleman, though his education may be
that of une. Suppcse that these were even colour .
for such a charge, was there iso respect to be 'hews'
to the children—to the Mu-thous mother, an exam-
ple of virtue, and beyond all impeachment ? What—
to publish such a libel merely because he did mot
know it was false! No attempt could be more base,
even to gain the wickedest objects by the wickedest
means. There was on personal malice on the part
of the prosecutors in this ce-e ; but they felt it
their duty to call for punishment on those proems
who lent themselves to the commission of every apt-
cies of crime—perhaps not every species of crime,
but every species of this stature. To /hew th •
wickedness if the course the Defendants as 1604
pursued, suppose at the other vile a paper said, 04

1
I
!

I

*

well attack every man who goes to Court ; we will
prevail on his servants to cheat him ; his tradesmen
to plunder him ; why, even here, the feeling could
not be half so base, as that which your Lordships
see called on to punish this day. The Defendants here
said, we will go where malice takes refuge and seeks
its envenomed shafts : and then we will sully forth
and speed them at the moat virtuous living, or the
most worihy dead. This is the confessed view of the
Defendant.. Two of them enjoy the fruits of this
vette its scandal,and the third is intimately concerned
welt them. I know in this case your Lordships
will feel it a duty to the public to take cure that
the sentence shall operate to prevent persons who
lend their aid to such atrocities from sheltering
themselves under the plea of no malice, of not
being the author of the Libel, and therefore making
an endeavour to avoid all punishment. The author,
yen may depend, is all this time behind the cur.
fain, and will of course pay whatever fine your
Lordships may inflict on those who served his in-
terests and his passions. The punishment, how-
ever, would be incomplete if another merely paid:
ea, the object of punishment on these Defendants
is, not only that the author should, for the future,
find nobody to assist him, but that those who did
etiould he made to suffer for it in their own persons.
I shall now ray no more. But few occusions have
arisen in me in which I was called on to press fur a
severity of judgment; nor should I do so now, if
I were not satisfied that the deepest naaligniy lay
at the bottom of this disgraceful transaction."
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL-6' In the case anti&
ed to by my Learned Friend, an affelavit was pro.
(need after the verdict, which was said to contain
an apology, but it 'appeared that it was really worse
than the original libel."
Mr. SCARLETT—" It is very fortunate for my
Learned Friend's clients, that they have acted on
Ass discretion, and that they are not noes placed iu
a similar situation."
The Court delibersted for some time, when
Mie. Justice BAYLEY pronounced the judgment
of the Court as follows :—" R. T. Weaver, T. Ar-
rowsmith, and W. Shackell, you are now called up
to receive judgment, after being found guilty of a
libel, and that on the character of a deceased Lady,
In any case, to make a newspaper the vehicle of
pliviate attack is most reprehensible ; but when it
is so made on the character of one who is dead,
acid on that point so deeply affecting her honour,
it is the bitterest pang that con be inflicted on her
surviving friends. Two of you state your ignorance
an the nature of the paragraph at the time of its
insertion ; and it would have been but prudent on
the part of the other, if, when seeing it, he had
remonstrated with the editor, or had held some
rtinumanication respecting it with the proprietors.
It wtsuld'bree been wise if he had preserved the
manuscript, so that, in case of necessity, the real
inatlior might have been come at and punished if he
deserved it. The editor gave us no information,
neither was he given up, on the application of the
I:laintiffe, to ascertain the author of the libel.
'[he affidavits alluded to the general system of
managing the paper; but nothing was said in them,
why no subsequent search was made for the manu-
eeitpt, after the application of Mr. Harmer. It
sans most incorrect that the 'manuscript should be
a,estroyed, because it prevented further inquiry
I'nni throwing any light upon the subject. The
offidavits proceeded to say, that a new edition was
published with the exceptionable paragraph ex-
punged, but he Jinni(' have been much more
swished if that were done without any application
from another quarter. No man who felt for the
interest of society could tolerate such newspapers as
dealt in private slander ; it was even far worse in
this case, for the attack was made on one who was
voile to answer for what she might have dune, and
tliey might allow her ashes to have slept in peace.—
The Court cloth therefore order and adjudge that
.sou, R. T. IVeaver, do pay to the King a fine of
ene hundred pounds; that you, T. Arrowsmith and
W. Shackell, pay smirch u fine of five hundred
pounds ; that reels and all of you be kept in the
custody of the Marshal of the Marshlike'', for the
apace of nine month.; that you then find two secu-
rities each in the aunt of two hundred and fifty
pounds; that you enter into your own personal re-
cognizance., in the sum of five hundred pounds. to
keep the peace for five years; and that you be fur-
l'rer imprisoned until the same fines be paid sad
tecogi.izances entered into."
CHESTER ELECTION.
THE KING V. THE MAYOR OF CHESTER.
The Defendant, John Wallisms, Esq. late Mayor
of Chester, was brought up for judgment, in come-
quence of his conviction at the Assizes of Chester,
cl acting corruptly in the performance of his duty
as Mayor, during the lust contested election. It ap-
pawed that during the last election, in which the
candidates were Lord Belgrave and General Gros-
venor on the one side, aud Mess's. Egerton and
Townshend ou the other, the friends of the latter
Candidate applied to make forty-four freemen ; that
the Mayor, notwithstanding the usage to the con-
trary at Chester, refused to comply with this requi-
sition. said that he should not make any freedoms
at either aide. awl that lie acted by the advice of
tic Town Clerk, Mr. Finchet, who happened to
be the attorney for the Grosvenor family. It also
appeared that, to avoid importunities, her (the
Ali.iym) had secreted himself in the house of a Mr.
Herrman' ; amid released, at the requisition of sonic
of the parties, to call a Court of Aldermen, to
consider the conduct he ought to pursue. It fur-
ther appeared that the refusal had given an undue
advantage, and in fact the return, at the election,
to the Grosvenor interest.
Mr. Justice fluff, and afterwards Mr. Justice
HOLROYD, read the notes of the trial.
The Defendant put in an affidavit, setting forth
he had been elected Mayor of Chester in the year
lain. Not being a man of professional knowledge,
and being solely engaged in his own trade, he de-
termined early to be guided by the advice of the
'Town Clerk in all matters of • professional nature,
ssliila he remained in office. The election for Mem-
bers to serve in Parliament for Chester took place
ia March 180. and at the opening the Defendant
did nut expect a great severity of polling in the
contest; tine, however, did occur, contrary to his
expectation., and the Sheriffs being the returning
officer., and haring uo regular •ssessar, employed
the Town Clerk in that office. During the heat of
the election, all application was made to the De.
tendant, as Mayor, to admit to their freedom several
spplicauts he consulted Mr. Finchet, the Towu

Clerk, who advised him at such u twit bot to trod ,
their admission, and feeling that advice to be ho-
nestly given, he abided by it, and equally refused
admitting the applicants of each of the contesting
candidates. He most solemnly denied being actu-
ated by any sinister motive in his refusal, and also
solemnly denied that he had used the expressiotui
imputed to him—of having said" we have done
them nicely."
Several other affidavits were put in, giving the
Defendant an excellent cnuraeter ; and also one
from Mr. Harrison, denying that he had heard the
Defendant use the expression " we have done them
nicely."
Mr. SCARLETT rose on the part of the Defend-
ant, mid urged, that he had acted at least equitably
between the parties, for he bad refused to make
freemen at either side. It ass notorious that the
Mayor bud acted under the advice (which he had
every reason to believe was honest) of the Town
Clerk, be (the Mayor) bring u man in business,
and quite unacquainted, with professional 'slattern:
besides, he begged to point out the great inconve-
nience which mu.t result from admitting men to
their freedom during the heat of a contested eleo-
tion. They could recollect that much blame was
imputed to the Mayor of Bristol for admitting
freemen in the celebrated contest between the late
Mr. Burke and Mr. Cruger--
Jurrice—" I think the objection
at Bristol was, that persons claimed their freedom
by virtue of marrying free women of Bristol after
the election commenced. It did confer a privilege
of freedom to marry a Bristol woman ; but then in
that case the marriage took place during the elec-
tion."
Mr. Scset.ere, in resuming, urged the difficulty
in which the Mayor of Chester was placed in the
heat of ■ contested election, stud submitted that his
oiilv object was to steer impartially between all the
parties in the contest. The Court would also bear
in mind, that this was the first time the offence
had been committed, nod that the declaration of
the law would suffice on the occasion to prevent a
repetition of such a breach of duty. The Defend-
ant, it should also be recollected, had already suf-
fered heavily in the expenses of the prosecution.
He remembered when engaged with Mr. D4uncey.
at a former Worcester election. that the Mayor did
the same thing which had been done at Chester,
and said he was advised by "Jack Phillips," a gen-
tletniti well known at the bur, to act so. He (Mr.
Scarlett) at length compromised the matter, and
the Mayor took The votes at each side. He had
hoped ihst the party spirit of the election would
have passed away with the time at which it origins•
ted, and that a prosecution like the present would
not have been instituted. The affidavits showed
the estimation in which the Mayor was held by
many of his respectable fallow-citizens; and his
error was certainly a very venial one. and only at-
tributable to the peculiarity of his situation, in a
moment requiring all the energies of a strong-
muffled man.
Mr. POLARS briefly addressed the Court at the
same side.
Mr. PEARSON, also for the Defendant, submitted
that the error of the Mayor was a very venial one.
He might have had a predilection for the family of
one set of candidates;—that bias was natural enough
for a man whose faintly had raised themselves from
the condition of humble life under the auspices of a
family of rank who had for generations closely at-
tended to the welfare of Chester. He did not mean
to say that feelings of gratitude should supersede
the dictates of strict duty; but still the bias, if not
arising from corrupt motives, was eutitled to some
consideration.
Mr. Jams rose in reply, and urged that the viola-
tion of duty on the part of the Mayor was clear and
indisputable. Instead of taking the advice of the
Recorder (Mr. Jones), who had arrived at Chester
during; the election, he preferred attending to the
suggestions of the Town Clerk, who was directly
identified with one of the parties ; he had then se-
creted himself to avoid the importunities pressing
upon him to disc:large his duty, and thereby adopted
a course which directly changed the result of the
election. For such misconduct, in a station of high li
responsibility, he trusted that the Deletidant would
he made rt•spousible. it was true that lie denied
having received any indemnity; but he (Mr. Jervi.)
hoped the Court would take care to inflict Upon
him u punishment against which he could not obtain
any indemnity, and in a place where he would be
deprived of the indulgences he might receive at
Chester.

Mr. TAUNTON, Mr. WILLIAMS, sod Mr. CAMP.
BELL severally said they were at the same side with
Mr. Jervis, but they declined troubling the Court
with any additional observations.
Mr. Justice BAYLEY, in pronouncing the judg-
ment of the Court upon the Defendant, said, that
though he might not have been generally d in
the prinriples of law, yet he must have been versed
•in the usage of the town, which, he knew, was to
admit such an application as lie had, fur an undue
purpose, rejected. It was it:anon:int that the
Court should punish officers tilling responsible
duties at elec►iuus, and prevent an infringement of
popular rights. The sentence of the Court, there-
fore, was, that he, John Williams. should pay to
the King a fine of one thousand pounds, and he
imprisoned in the King's Bench Prison for the
apace of six calendar mouths ; and further until the
said fine was paid.

111