The National Register.
London, England, 1821-09-23 00:00:00

LANCASHIRE ASSIZES.

Drfore Mr. Jaylice Milroy: and a Common Jury.
LIBEL UPON II ER. LATE M AJ
RP.% V. BLACOW, CLERK.
Previously to the opening of the piddle doors every part
of the Court, where any accosts tttttt lotion for sifting, or even
lor coin:Mem skinflint: and hearing could be found, was al-
ready occupied. The Rev. defendant was among the first
who look isis seat immediately below the crier, and directly
opposite to the Jury. IVlsen the doors were opened the lash
was tremendous, and in an instant every inch of standing
room in the Court (the most spacious in the kingdom) was
occupied. At nine o'clock Mr. Jrstire llolroyd took his
E. at. and the Jury was sworn.
Mr. Tindall stated the pleadings. It ass an indictment
against the Rev. Richard Blacow, fur a scandalous and ma.
hciuus libel against the late Queen. The first count charged
that he had romposetl and preached the words charged as
helloes; the second count charged, that he had composed
and published the words in a pamphlet, entitled the sub.
stance id a discesuse, fitc. ; the third count charged, that
be had composed and published the words set forth in the
;atheistical. The defend; at pleaded Not Guilty, upon which
issue was joined.
Mr. Itroughain.—May it please your Lordship, gentlemen
of the Jury,—lt is my manful duty to lay before you the
parsieuturs of this cos and it is yours to try it ; and my part
shall he performed in a very short time indeed. fur I have
little, if any thing, more to do, than merely to read—a hat
I will not characterise by words of my own, but what I will
leave to you, and may leave to eves/ won whose mind is not
pea serted, to las a proper description. I read to you what
the defendant composed and printed. You have heard from
my learned friend, and if you have any doubt it will soon be
removed,—to whom the following passages applies. Of the
Queen it is that the p: ssage is written sod printed.
" The term, cowardly,' which they have laid to my
charge, I think you will do me the justice to soy, does not
belong to me ; that feeling was never an inmate of' my bosom;
neither when the jaenbins rangeti arou .1 us * at all their
fury, nor in the present day of militia uproar and delusion.
The latter indeed have one feature about them even more
hideous and diasusting than the jacohins themselves. They
fell down : id worshipped the Goddess of Remo's, a most
respectable and decent sort of being."
And you know, gentlemen, that she was a cotnmon pros-
titute taken from the stews of Paris.
" A most respectable and decent sort of being, compared
with that which the radicals have set up ns the idol of (twit
worship. Tito, have elevated the Goddess of Last nn the
pedestal of shame, an object of a" others the most congenial
to their taste, the most den ring of their holmium, the mint
worthy of their adoration. After eshibiting her claims to
their favour in two distinct quarters of the globe, after coma
passing sea and land with her guilty paramour to gratify to
the full her impure desires, and even polluting the holy
sepulcre itself with her presence, to which she was carried
in mock majesty astride upon r s ass, she returned to this
hallowed soil so hardened in sin, so bronzed with infamy, so
callous to every feeling of decency or of shame, as to go on
Sunday last"—
Here, Gentlemen, the reverend preacher alluded, not to
the public procession to St. Paul's to return thanks, or to
other processions which might, partly at least, be consi-
dered as political, but to her late Majesty's humble, unaf-
fected, pious devotion in the church of Hammersmith,
—" to go on Sunday last, clothed in the mantle of &fini-
te' y, to kneel down at the altar of that God who is ' of
purer eyes than to behold iniquity,' when site ought rather
to have stood barefoot in the aisle, covered with a sheet as
white as unmanned snow,' doing penance for her sins.
Till this had been done, 1 would never have defiled my
hands by placing the sacred symbols in hers and this she
would have been compelled to do in those good old days
when church discipline was in its pristine vigour and
activity."
Gentlemen, the author of the libel is a Minister of the
Gospel. The libel is a sermon ; the act of publicatiou
was preaching; the place was his church; the day was
the Sabbath; the audience was his congregation. Far be
it from me to treat lightly that office of which he wears
the outward vestments, and which he by his conduct pro-
fanes. A pious, humble, inoffensive, charitable Minister
of the Gospel of peace is duly entitled to the tribute of
affection and respect which is ever cheerfully bestowed.
But I know no title to our affection or veneration which is
possessed by a meddling, intrig g, turbulent priest, even
when lie chooses to separate his sacred office front his
profane acts; but far less when lie mixes tip both together
—when lie refrains not from entering the sanctuary with
calumny—when he not only invades the sacred circle of
domestic life with the torch of slander, but enters the hal-
lowed threshold of the temple and casts it flaming on the
altar—when lie pollutes with rank calumnies the air whit la
he especially is bound to preserve holy and pure—when
he makes the worship of God the mesas of injuring his
neighbour, mid polluting the flock committed to his care.
1)1 the defendant's motives 1 say nothing. I care not
what they were; fur innocent they could not be. I care
not whether he wished to pay court to some patron to look
tip to the botinty of power, or whether it was mere mis-
chief and wickedness, or whether it was a onion of interest
with spite. [lt is impossible to convey au idea of the
pON edit' sole • ty of this address, or the irresistible im-
pression it made ou all who heard it]
Mr. Thomas Botulism' Julinson.—l am a pointer at Li-
verpool. Mr. Maces, applied to me for printing of his
sermon. That was the sermon now handed to me. Dining
the time the printiug was going of 1 saw hint repeatedly..
I &live' ed to I the reef sheets. I have one in my
custody. It contains a few marks made by I
By Mr. Blacow.-1 do not know the instigators of this
prosecution. I Mina know at whose expense it is can ted
on. I know Mr. Brougham. He offered himself a candi-
date for Liverpool some years ago.
Mr. Justice Hulroyd.—What has that to do with your
defines?
Mr. illacow.--I wish to show that Mr. Brougham is
comiected with those in Liverpool who instigated the piu-
seetition.
Mr. Justice Holroyd.—'f hat is immaterial.
Cross examination continued.—When I was engaged in
printing the Simen, you uudwhbtedly
had frequent con-
vet:odious with our tespecting its p,iaciplesand tenalenet.
The substance of your motives, as you slats d them, was to
expose the views of the Whigs and Radicals. You never
showed bitterness or hostility towards the Queen on these
OCCRbiOII.. You often expressed your regret that she had
COMO:Clekt herself with a desperate faction in the state.
'Fliontas Coghlsti.—l was present at the preaching of tae
scillilltl UR the 'pith of November,ie St. Maik s.—

It was a Sunday evening's discourse. There was a uumt•
runs audience. I believe it is the church in which Mr.
Blacow usually preaches. I never heard him but then.-
1 took notes.—l have not a note beg' g with the term
" cowardly." I recollect the term being nsril. I have
a note respecting the Jacobins worshipping file Goddess
of Reason. I conceive the expressions used were (as read
by you), " they tell down and worshipped the Goddess
of Reason—a most respectable and decent sort of being
compared with that which the Radicals set up, as the idol
of their worship." I have not the words, but I have the
substance. I have the very expression—" They have
elevated the Goddess of Lust," " an object of all others
the most congenial m their taste, the most deserving of
their homage, and the moat worthy of their adoration."
I I recollect the very words being oacd j bust 1 did not lake
them down. I have the word, down—" After compass-
ing sea and laud with her guil►y paramots. I have the
very expressions—" Even polluted the Holy Sepulchre
with her presence." and " returning borne hardened iu
sin and bronzed with infamy."
Mr.lllacow.—My Lord, is it right that the words should
be read to the witness in this manner _ . .

Mr. Justice Holroyd.—No; you may refresh the wit-
nestle memory, but no more.
(Here a minute examination as to the expression took
place ; and after some legal conversation, the first count
charging the precise words preached was abandoned.)
Witness proceeded.—Without doubt the words applied
to the Queen. I have not the least doubt of it.

By Mr. Illacow.-1 ant not in the habit of attending St.
Mark's church. My motives in attending that evening
Mere—that you intended to preach a aerosol', the chief
object of which was to animadvert upon the Queen. It
was from a curiosity I attended. Ido not recollect any
individual that communicated it to me. I believe it was
generally talked of. I usually attend the Unitarian cha-
pel, of which he is minister.
Mr. Justice Holroyd objected to the evidence.
Mr. James Beinne'l.-1 was at St. Mark's one evening :
I don't know the date. I heard Mr. Blacow preach.—
[ l'he printed sermon was handed to the witness, and he
was directed to look at the whole passage set forth.]—l
cannot swear this to be the passage, vertatim et literatim,
that I heard ; but I believe this to be sum and substance.
Looking over the whole passage!, I certainly did under-
taut the words to apply to the Queen.
By ha' Blacow.-1 am not in the habit of attending at St
Mark's. I heard you thrice, with that time. There was a
procession, I think, before that day. 1 sow the procession
pass down Costleistreet. It principally consisted of mecha-
nics, labourers, and others of the bran. There were at the
head twenty or thirty gentlemen whom I knew, send whom
would cull respectable. 1 cannot speak to the number.
Was it not your impression that they were generally the
lower orders; 1 mean the very lowest, the scum and rabble?
It certainly was a motley group, a very motley group, and
there was not that IKtrtiuu of respectable pc.....sni that I saw
at other processions. My Lord, I don't wish to he under-
stood to adopt the word " scum and rabbit." They were
mechanics and persons of that class, and might b.: decent
persons Ibr any thing I know.
Mr. Broughsea.—No no; we know the words are not
youra.
Ite-examined.—The procession was vety peaceable and
well behaved.

Mr. Millar.—l purclie%ed the printed sermon—that printed
sermon, at the shop of Evens, Cbegwynn,sad Ball. It was
exposed to sale there.
Mr. Justice Holroyd.—Do you wish the whole discourse
to be read as bearing upon the charge agairit you, and ma-
terial for your defence ?

Mr. Blicow.—Yes that is my desire.
Mr. Crosse rose to his task, but it cannot be expected
that we should report even the substance of this sermon of
30 pages, without one idea of sober reason, or one sentence
of honest language. But two notes insole page* and al tac hed
to the subject of titre!, and read in cunt tumor 0000 by Mr. Cross,
made such an impression ou ull w►o heard them, th • they
never man forget them.
(Note to " guilty paramour—" See Juvenal's account, in
his Gth Satire of llippiali's Journeying* iii the self-same
region of the world, by sea and land, wills her paramour
Sergio'. But such parallels it should seem, however oppo-
site or striking, are not to be adduced, while the advocates
of " injured innocence" and " unsullied purity" feel no
scruple whatever in holding up to public execration, as the
very antitype of Nero himself, one whose forbearance nud
generosity of character—vs hose great, noble, and truly mag•
nanimous qualities, place him in the very first tank of l'i inces
ho have attained and dignified their exalted sit oar • ;
and who, ever since the sceptre of power was lodged in his
hands, Nth swayed it with so much honour to himself, such
glory to his country, rind such intsiiinahle advantage to
those who have the happiness to live under his mild auspi-
cious rule of governance.

(Note to" Mock Majesty astride upon an ass")
" Eider Jet 'oaten] on an ms,
"'Then ou the singe act columbine ;
" Attend with Bergami at miss,
" Theo to St. P.mrs—oh I Caroline I !!
Mr. Cross got through the printed sermon in about an how's
time.

Illacow next rend a sermon in manuscript, which
occupied about two house nod a half. We mkt- only a few
FlN...amens. The Jai y having heard the se hide of that dts-
course, he would now proceed to Slate his 1111 l tis es, and then
lie would conclude se Oh sonic rellectioi.s. Ile entered on
the subject a iih great reluctance, ow big to an event so
awful and sudden as the (4Heree, death, Thai event ought
to have hushed all angry feelings. [lee e the defendant
apprated to weep.] But Mr. Brougham NIL, the first to
disturb her ashes. Alas, I On that party death made
no impressing. The malignant feelings which were brood-
ing in this hearts vegetated in their breasts, even beneath
the rypiess. The hydra of fact' had resin d its terrific
head on the day of her funeral. That disclosed the Llllll4.
laileled malignity and atrocity of the designs they had enter-
tained. lier COUNSI lal re deieriniiii dto c,irs y then vindic-
tive feelings beyond the tomb. Ifer nmettle was ins their
(wads, and they were endeavouring to raise Iniploots on her
Omni). This was a postliu 1111 l us chits t of their malice.--
ti/VOUred as she hail lwen by the late King, and o utuw. d
4"shehad been from the first years she was in this cuuntn,
be. had felt great interest in her. lie felt for WI pet kip,
II 1111 greater sincerity than her vaunted pi of, ssion..l Own-
Plow. But when the haul, filthy, and abominable C11.111;12,
itmiiiist her were es.talnistied—
Mr. Brougliain.—l should tint wish :ressaiily to in-
t. dere, and I have stayed lung lit:foie 1 nth led any inter-
ruption: but surely thus is maul to Ire t. rd.
Ms. Justice llolony ll. Nu t:vadcuce would be admitted