The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-10-02 00:00:00

COLONEL A RCIIDA

MAar noaountr-stratEv.—Therttiair of Colonel Archdall has
merged Imo a disnutation between Mr. Withers, the father of the
pro .tutor, and Mr. !fanner, his solicitor; and the unaccountable
circumstance of the Lord Chief Justice Abbott resting content
with a prisoner's personal hail only turns out to be an error, which
the ;rasa has been deluded into by the fact that the order of the
Chief Justice had reference only to the personal b,til to be given
before the Magistrates to warrant them in the defendant's dis-
charge, the co-bail having been previously accepted by the Judge.
The power of the (thief Justice is indisputable, as Mr. Dyer re-
marked on Saturday to Mr. Butler, that the Magistrates have no
right to consider about the propriety of the security, the order
being peremptory to them to discharge the prisoner. The order
being silent es to the co-bail, gave rise to the suppositien. that his
Lordship had thought personal bail teifti,ient under the representa-
tion made on the part of the prisoner. SD general was this In-
ference, that Mr. Conant made the reiturlc—'• My first impression
was, that the Judge had been imposed on." Why the mipliratinn
for a reduction of the bail was made to the Cider Justice in pre-
ference to the committing Magistrate appears singultr, for Mr.
Byer distinctly told Mr. Velma", the solicitor, some weeks since,
that the Magistrates had the power to reduce the bail on a sufficient
representation that the sum was excessive, and said, as we re-
ported at the time—" I think the proper way will be for yourself,
or somebody conversant with his (Archtlall's) affiiirs, to draw up an
affidavit that he has a chance of getting bail to a certain amount,
and I will consult my brother Magistrates on the subject." Mr.
Yatman said that should be done, but it has not, and the eonse-
quenre has been that the-defendant has remained in Tuthill-fields
Bridewell till last Thursday. In all cases of bail at this office the
persona offering have to undergo a very strict examination by the
Magistrates, which may be the reason why resort %vas had to the
Chief Justice. From what appeared in the newspitpes on Friday,
Mr. Withers came to the office that day, ana stated that he knew
nothing of the proceedings before the Judge, or he could have pro-
duced such fresh evidence us would have induced his Lordship not
to consent to a reduction of the bail. This imputative statement
getting into Saturday's papers produced the following communica-
tion from Mr. Harmer to the Magistrates by the hands of Mr.
Butler, his clerk:—

" 17, flatton.garden, 30th Sept. Info.
" Mr. Harmer having observed in the Times this morning a re.
port of the communication or statement made by Mr. Withers
yesterday to the Magistrates respecting the liberation of Lieut..
Colonel Archdall, from which statement it might be inferred that
Mr. Harmer had permitted the defendant to be discharged on his
own recognizance, and that Mr. IVithers had been kept in Igno.
ranee of the defendant's application, Mr. Harmer feels it neces.
Dory to acquaint the Magistrates that the defendant haring obtained
a certiorari on an ex-carte application, took out a summons for
the prosecutor to Show cause why the Judge should not take such