The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-03-26 00:00:00

SWORD-NEARER.

The Report of the Committee on the nstnre,
du-
ties, and emoluments of the office of Sworil•bearre
was then read. It described the r Bice to b- nor if
great antiquity. dignity, and honour—and that the
especial duty of its holder was to attend the
Mayor's prison, sod also to see that the other City
Officers conducted themselves on all unit-ions with
decency mid propriety. The etauluniesits of Ilia
place, arising from various Pourers, between the ye,ir 4
1804 and 1819. were stated to amount to the sum
of 17,1341, ss. or 1,243/. 17s. 6,1. mutually.
The motion for agreeing to the Report having
been made—
Alr. S. DIXON, in calling the attention n f the
Court to the Report, was desirou• that she
deration of the Court should be COlati.iril Io 114!
subject matter contained in the Report, which rode
stated the nature, duty, and emoluments of the of
flee. The Committee were proceeding in the can.
Attention of the second reference to them. to cowl-
ier in respect of the future mode of diiniel.•;:, of
the office; as also in the consideration of the third
reference, its respect of the propriety of sholiai.ing
the Sword-bearer's table. and which would be re..ily
to report on at the next Court.
Mr. l'Efitson moved as an amendment, it That
it appears to this Court, that the publicity of the
proceedings of Courts of Justice is essential to the
due administration of the laws ; said that the foe
admission to such Courts is the undoubted right .f
every individual in the community :—'That it ap.
pears that the Old Bailey dots out affiird soffiiirot
accommodation to that portion of the wsh.: Isar-
rested in, or desirous of witnessing the trial. there I
and that it be referred to the Com eee i e tee to take
measures for throwing open the galleries to she
public, which hitherto hare beets looked on as this
property of the Sword-bearer."
Mr. JAMES agreed in the fitness of rendering
the Court. of Justice as open to the public HO pos.
Able, mud of abolishiog all fees on aduits.iiit; their.
to, which he looked upon as a gross abis.r. Ile
had many opportunities of learning the prai tic,*
which prevailed at the Old Bailey. Ile hail • eeee •••••
times tried Isis own personal ioflutruce with the
door-keepers, for the purpose of making his way
into the Court, hut generally without success.--
Ile had also at tinier had recourse to a half-eriiwii.
or even a pound, in eases of great interest. and hail
seldom found these last to fail.—f Hear., lie
trusted that an abhorrence of a premiere so repug-
nant to common prose sod decency would loupe.
gate itself into the breast of every Gentleman pre.
sent. and that it should be totally disc nosed.
He should bag leave to intisid the anseuthoresit.
The amendment hating been read—
Mr. F STILL was most arizioas to beer testimony
to the truth of the obeervatioot he had heard re-
specting the publicity of Courts of Jismice. and
their proceedings, ; but be wished not to have it
imagined that the subject bad they, for the olst
time. beets taken up ; it had long before liven at-
tempted in the Coon to throw op.i. she Old
bet obetrootions had beta tbrewu ill the way
that by Lord Elleabomosb. Bel she Forepaw did
cot smear to bitty t be the time to press the quer