The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-12-06 00:00:00

THE BRITISH PRESS.

TO TILE EDITOR OF 7'llE BRITISH PRESS.

Sta—How long that custom bath prevailed which drags
forth the criminal to the exposure of t le public gaze, while
listening to the " Condemned Sermon," or at what period
religion became subservient to the curiosity of spectators,
it is not now necessary to inquire : it is enough to know
that it exists and to feel that it ought not to continue. When
the judgment of the law has awarded the highest punish-
ment that human power can inflict,—the loss of life,—when
a few days are to separate the unhappy culprit from the
world for ever, mercy has ordered the Ministers of religion
to prepare him fur death, and to exhort him to repentante.
It is for this reason that the Ordinary delivers that sermon
which is to impress on the minds of his auditors a due sense
of their dreadful situation. But why is this excellent in-
tention rendered abortive by the admission of strangers ?
Why arc they to be exhibited to the stare of a crowd, to
be pointed out and gazed at by the unfeeling and the
curious ? To those who are so cai'oua to lininatiity as to
consider that no punishment can be too cruel fur the guilt ,
and that pain ought to be rendered still more poignant by,
exposure, it is in vain to appeal. Of those who, semi., in
conscious virtue, look with horror on the criminal, it may
be asked, which of them would be arrogant enough to
assert, that passion wou'd never impel. tier nee..ssity ever
instigate, him to acts which wouhl invoke the vengeance of '
the law? iVe a 1 hi all do well to reflect that although
we have been preserved from the commission of crime, it
becomes us still to look with compassion on the unhappy
offender, who, however fallen and de grail d, has vet a claim
to human sympathy. It may be question d winder the
punishment of death ought to hr inflicted, exc-pt, perhaps,
for murder, by eny legislative authority ; hut there can be
little doubt that there exists no right to aggravate that pu-
nisliment by the addition to it which this public exhibition,
untie! the pretence of devotional preparation, must create.
It would therefore bedtxirabletoahohi.h the custom, which
can only tend to distract the refFeCons of those to whom a
condemnation sermon is addressed, and for whose repentant
feelings it is intended, by exposing them, at such an awful
moment, to the gas: of the curious and idle vulgar.

I am, Sir, yuur oLetlient servant,
R. M.

SIAWIJLAR CASE OF LUNACY.

IN NZ MILLION, • SUPPOSET) LUNATIC.

()tiring the last week a commission de Iwoufieto iuquireredn was
held at the Royal Mona, public-house, in W,stlwielt, the proceed.
ings of which excited the utmost curimi:v. The lethject of the in-
quiry was one of the oldest fanners Kent, who is possessed of
property to the value of between 30 POOL at,d 01,01:0/. Doctor
PKILLIMORE, Mr. EVANCE, and Mr. AVIIIT3IOBE, presid d
as Commissioners, and a highly respectable Jury were swora to
decide upon the merits of the case.
. . _

Mr. Si.roters conducted the proceedings in behalf of the peti.
donee during the first day's kernel, hut Mr. llvanes attended
in the lathe stage, and performed that duty in behelt of the heir ot
the supposed lunatic. It appear*, as well from what was ?wed it
the course of the proceedings as final what is a matter of noto-
riety In the neighbourhood, that the supposed lunatic, Tilollll4.
Million, sen. is a wealthy fanner and grazier, who, liar the last
forty years, has carried on business with great success at Plum-
stead, in Kent, where he rents sevci.tl farina, and is the owner
of considerable property. Ile was considered to have been as
shrewd and clever a man in his way of lite as any in the country.
Ile is now in his fifth year. Ile has one son, f homes 31ilison,
the petitioner, and one daughter, the wife of Richard Clements,
the respondent in the case. This daughter is about six years
older than the petitioner. She has the misfortune to be totally
destitute of personal attractions, and had but kw suitors of wino:
she approved. There appeared, however, about the year MOS, a
person whom she thought calculated to make her happy, although
nil a cor.dition in life was rather hmnble. Ilex father happened to
hire, at Croydon fair, one Richard Clements, a labourer, to work
upon his farm, and brought him into the house. This man was
ex.remely industrious, anti although not blessed with an education
above the sphere in which he moved, he thought proper to fall in
love with his master's daughter, dispensing with " the throne on
her bock." which had completely removed all fear of eompetitors.
The young la,ly listened, and at leng•h yielded to his prayer,
that he might become her husband. They eloped• and were married.
Thomas lifillson, his brother, used his goo/ otfices with the oki man
ti obtain forgiveness for the tender error of the girl, and sue.
ceeded. The fond couple ghee admitted to Mr. Millson's hawk
and affections, and an allowance was libelant made. Clement's
situation was now greatly impuived ; lie critter worked so hard
nor fared so moldy as he had haen accustomed, but he exerted
himself wonderfully to gain the plod-will of his holter-in-law,
was frugal and attentive to the interests id the farm. Ile has now
several children by his wife. The fanner's son Thomas took a
farm called White Hart Farm front his father. whoa/
roof he quitted, leaving Witt under the care of Clements
sad h:s wife. Clements, after this depart3re, persevered
in his assiduities, his care, and industry, and rose in the opinion
of the old man, whilst the son, who was at a distance, was tab.',
served to decline in his father's favour. About five years ago the
0141 farmer had a fit of apoplexy and an attack of paralysis, which
affected his speech, and, as it was alleged, his reason. From the
time of this change in the condition of the old man's health,
Clement began to assume the active management of the farm,
superintended the labourers, and was always by the side of his
father-Maim, advising and obeying hiat. About the year 182'2,
the son. who had sustained sonic losses. and felt the /anomie of
the agricultural dieters which then prevailed. found his farm very
unproti•able, and amilied for assistance but his lather behaved with
harshness to hint, and took away the farm, allowing him, how.
ever, IL a week for the maintenance of his family. Clements
assumed openly more and more the active control of all the property.
He or his wife regularly received the rents and paid the men. The
NO. on the contrary, sunk into deeper distress, and about seven
months ago he was compelled to apply to Mr. (learn, one of the
parish officers, for parochial relief. 111 r. Cleaves, upon hearing
the case, went to seethe supposed lunatic, but Clemente absolutely
refused to permit an interview. Having stated thus much in ex-
planation of the relative situation of the partici, it is only neces-
sary further to state, that by some means or other the son suc-
ceeded in getting a petition before the Lord Chancellor, and a
comniisaion issued, on shish the present preceedings were founded.
Several witnesses deposed to the strange conduct of the alleged
lunatic, and gave it as their opinion that he had bent insane settee
the year IMO.
The evidence given upon these facts dined the case for the peal.
lion, when the aileged lunatic himself way brought forward for ex-
amination. The old man rode through the town on horseback.
When he was ushered into the presence of the jury, he looked
round him with a vacant stare. hut behaved Inniself with perfect
propriety. lie is a remarkably stout, nelltity-Inoking old than.
Ills hands were evidently stfected with paralysis. Ile sat dean, and
th • following examination took place by Doctor Phillimore
" How are you, Sir ?" •• Pretty well, pretty wt-P." ••How goes
on fanning ? ' Pretty well, pretty well." " l'hey are now then
good times for you ?" di, yes." " Then you find them good ?"
" Oh, no. they are bail." " How old am you?" " Thirty-six."
aVhat is your name it" "So and yo." Doctor Philliinore re.
peeted th:: question, and the game answe• was ermines/. " V'hy. I
tight your name was Millman ?" Oh (recollecting himself ),
an it is—re. it is."

The cis iiinalion was con'inued ; but the above is a fair speci-
men of the wind?. and in the end not the slightest doubt was felt
by any one as to the present state of the old man's mind.
.Me. PEPTS andressed the Jury for the defendant. and called
'Omega-5 t, show that up to the beginning of last year Mr. MillSoll
waa edetpuv ttir,,tk, and that anything of a suspicious nature that
had taken place latterly. was to he considered as the temporary
rt of disease, rather than as confirmed lunacy.

Dr. Pit ILL! to ac summed up the evidence, and the Jury re-
tuned a •:relict. tilitling that Thomas Minium, stn. had not been of
soiled mind Pir ce the lath of September, 1820.
The manage:rent of the mates of the lunatic in the usual
course, now devolve upon the son.

On 'PurrAlay last, Captain Castle, late of the East Kent
Nliliiia. who has lately resided in Park-lane, Southsett, died
qinhietilv, in the " Accommodation Van," near the Green
Pest. Ildsra. Ile left London the preceding night, where
he had been a few day.z, and was in his usual state of
health until the coach tail arrived at the atbresai I place,
when he leaned his head backward. and expired. The
body was taken into the Green Post public-house, and a
Coroner's Imptezt held upon a vier! of the game. It ap-
pc acd that Ow deceased had for some years past boo) sub-
ject to fr‘finent and severe attacks in the hi ad. Verdict—
" Oita M Apoplexy." Capt. Castle was a most worthy
; and his death is deeply re:Jetted by all who
knew him.

A Niallel rise A T MEIMItt. BEL1.1101:112 ANO Soya,
SA W-Nt 11.1..--A little before two o'clock this morning (Sa-
tus day) a fire troke out iu a stove of Messrs. Bellhotisc's saw-
mill, tear Oxford-road. and Ina d for drying timber. 11 con-
tained at the titre, we understand, a large quantity of
boards and scaetling,s, and therefore burnt with great fury.
As the stove adjoined the other buildings, and communi-
cated, by means of a door and a window, with an extensive
range of sew kshops tilltd with dry timber, the moat ot, rims
apprehensions wt re entertained that the whole of the pre-
mixes would again be consumed, and the flames did at one
time communicate to the workillops. By great and judi-
cious exertions, flowerer, they were prevented from extend-
ing, and by half-prat three o'clock were completely cub-
du<d. As the store was heated with steam, and no lights•
were allow( el to be taken into it, there is but too much rea-
son to fear that the fire was the work of an Incendiary.—
iloticArriet Gwrdien.