The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-03-04 00:00:00

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others shoul:1 also be Iluiverl to escape. --,lfeer.) and only objected to the Panties, handle *WI it
Whether he should prosecute such parties or not, was sought to wake • them.—(Rear.)
t_
was, however, unother.matter, and must depend on Lord Ceti% thought the doctrine a the
the ultimo'r view which he should take on the sub- Hon. and Learned - dentin who hail jutlit opoken
ject with reference to each individual rase. but lie open to much animadversion, particularly isait
would not discharge his duty if he for one moment tame front a professional Gentleman.--(heat.)—
admitted the principle, thin, .because the pratecu- There never could be u doctrine maintained more
lions against a 'tingle Unlimited failed, therefore fate! to the laws, and to the fair and impartial ad-
other% fur the some species of offence, elmold he ministration of justice, or its purity and tranquillity,
discontinued. As a general proposition, the one than that a Jury, on their oaths, hound to decide on
was not a necessary consequence of the other.— the particular ease before them, should be allowed
He had too greet a reverence fur the decision 'l6 travel out or the record, and erect themselves
of Juries, to allow his mind lightly to question into • sort of political tribunal to adjudge, by cord-
their decisions. He never ttal dams so—lie never 'Hinson, different matters and different persons.—
should do so—(Hear, hear, hear)—bet it hail This was contrary to the spirit and principle of
come within his knowledge that one Jury had jurisprudence, and he trusted the House, or coun-
convicted • party for the mine elites's of offence try, would never tolerate that their judicial titbit-
that another had been acquitted upon; and that nals should be elected into places for politicul die.
each a conviction had been obtained with the una- quisitions. It was in vain to defend these offensive
Milton, satisfaction of all present on the occasion. publications, on the ground that other Parodies
It was soot fur him to speak lightly of the Juries I had been previously suffered to pass with impunity.
which acquitted Mr. Hone, bat the question be. He was at the same time ready to admit, that
Fore theist was one which easily resolved itself into whenever the Scriptures were 00 parodied, the act
an opinion of individual feeling. The libel, in was highly reprehensible. no matter in what way
fact, alight easily be discussed as a mutter of 11.11`• I the Parody was intended to be applied. Offences
tinder reasanisig, and considered with all the of this kind, however, were open to different views.
circumstances as applicable to the individual on He knew not to what Parodies the Hon. and
trial. Now it was proved by Mr. HOOP, and I Learned Gentleman alluded, but there was a great
Ise believed truly proved, that tee moment he difference between the effeet of publications cireu-•
was informed of the objectionable motile of I lined eta cheap rate, and couched in language cal-
the Parodies, and their bad effects, lie stietaist. i ciliated to diffuse poison throughout the country.
le, so tar as he was concerned, suppressed and those which were eitcillettt at a dearer rate lii.
their sale; this might have weighed cenoiderebly a higher circle of society, and, in fact, isiteodid.
on the onside of the Jury ; but did it follow that I but fur literary classes. His object, however, was 1
others, who at time very tissue were busily occupied not to defend by comparison such publications, he'
ia vending the mimes through the country, should I merely rose to protest against the doctrine so
also be suffered to escape ? indeed this avidity, in Istosully laid down by the Hou. and Learued Gene
defiance of law, in circulate these publications was tleinati. that • Jury, solemnly tryiqg a particular
such, that mime of the parties 410%1411y disputed the fact, should be allowed to travel out of the record,
copyright of them among each other.—(hear.)— and neutralise that fact, beceule other patties had
Under such circumstances he did not hesitate to previously acted with impunity. to this manner
state to the Hume awl the country, that he shnuld the Jury might be said more to try the Attorney•
tat discharge hen duty, if because one individual General fur Isis prosecution, titan the Defendant
had been acquitted, he should therefore abstain from who was really committed to their inquiry.
inueecuting others who had been (at least as he Mr. BROIIGHAM explained that the Noble Lehi
thought) guilty of • high offence. This he mated had combated that which had never been laid dawn
as a general proposition ; and he, of course, iti the es a doctrine by hint. Whet he had said was this,
discharge of his duty, would be regulated according the Jury were so placed that they were celled on to
to his view of the stature and extent of the crimi• I single out one matt for conviction on a pettietilnr
many in each particular ease. One of the Pen. offeenat, comlaitted with impunity, nay, with en-
timers stated, that had he nut been removed by couragement, by others for a course of years. To
certiorari into the Court of King's Bausch, he make such a distiuctioss to amt political liens
might have bee„ tried in due course at Orsuskirk, would have been any thing but that eved-haddeti
in his own neighbourhood. Now the reason of this justice they were sworn to administer.—(Hter.)
removal was, that he (the. Attorney-General) did I Lord CASTLEREAGH repeated that the Hon. tind
nut like to brisig those who appeared to be but I Learned Gentleman had, in hie ettplanation, re-laid
subordinate agents to trial, until the case of Mr. down his original doctrine of political equity for
Hone, the prime mover, wax disposed of. He the consideration of a Jury.-..(Hear.)
would again repeat, that his acquittal did not ne- Mr. WlLaetteoacs condemned these public..
cessnisly abrogate the prosecutions spinet others times in the most unqualified rummer, and thought
for the publicetion of three Parodies.—(Rear.) I the Law Officers of the Crown were called on to
Mr. LY I-rewrote would embrace this uppoittiotity take cognizance of them. The Hon. Gentleman
of condemning the detestable Parodies alluded to, then alluded to the former prosecution, of Patine
and their immoral tendency, and declaiiug that lie I for blasphemous publications, and he well remelt].
thought the authors of them tit objects for proseeu- tiered that before the prosecutions commenced, a
tion.--( Hear, hear.)—He also fully agreed with I consideration arose whether they were likely to hate
the Right Hon. and Learned Gentleman, that he. the effect of iiscressing the circulation of the its
cause one acquittal had taken place, however con. bellows matter: it was found they would not. He
ecientiously given, it did not therefore follow that did not know whether any such considerations had
the same success should attend other provecutions preceded the informstioas against Mr. Hone. If his
for • similar (dream. He, at the same time, felt opinion lied been taken on the subject, the prose.
that particular circumstances were to be considered cutions against that person should hate been limit.
on such 0CC461011., anti though mind law may die- I toted quite free and distinct from any ',oinked al-
tate the conviction of the pnriy, yet that it *mild [(talon, and in the simple and naked offeitee thet
he well to refrain from pressing the point too far. hail beau committal. The Attorney-General
lest the attempt to heal the grieratice would loggia- would have departed from his imperious deify
rate the evil. On the verdict of the Juries who had lie overlooked the publications alluded to,
tried Mr. Hone, all be would say was this, that or allowed himself to be diverted from calling
they might have been indisposed to bring its a dif- I down upon them the arm of the taw. The goes.
tereut verdict front that which they had done, on- f tan was not on the comparison between throe
der the Peculiar circumstances of the country, I and soy preceding libels, or the impunity that
raisarting, as it winiectosarily did at she time, on- l might have attended theta ; but whether or no
der as uncomilittstioual law, and also wider the I their tendency was irrational, and immoral. Hit
iwculiar circuinstauces attending the prosecution. be true, as laid down by Sir Matthew lisle, a great
How tar these Petitions might to be attended to, and enlightened Judge, that the Christian religion
on the eve of an bide ty Bill, it was for the I formed ii a part and percel df the Commou Law of
Home to contider. I England," why thesi it followed that any publics-
_

Mr. ituoutat A /4 quite Ogreed, that, notwitlistand.
Mg the three verdicts obtained by Mr. Hone, there
publications slionld be regarded MS very reprehen.
*elite, if not di-wilting. He also agreed that each
case must be token me its own particular character,
rad theta finale i•rwiecutiess, be its result whist it
may, could cast no reirospeciive imputation on the
verdict given ui Mr. Hope's Mir. Had he been en
that Jury, lie would have coricarred in the verdict
they pronomiced—a verdict mainly grounded en
the impunity with which similar productions had
heretofore parsed. The Janes were fully justified
in their renlict, and they bad eio choice., though he
thought it probable they ;Uglily disapproved of the
publication* in gerstiesi. They no doubt felt that
the prebecutiows were political, not ; and
that hod they coutaMed ten times we lunch bias.
plemy (if that were poweible) on the side of Mims.
tern, instead of being in ridicule of them, m. Jury
would have been empaiwielled to try the author or
publisher.—f Heisr./--The Jury, tlworfore, felt it
their duty to sever the ptea of religion from the
Pro4ecutor's complaint, and to reject the attempt

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lion tending to call into ridicule or discredit that
religion. was in contravention of the law, and alight
to be treated accordingly.—../Heur.j.—He hoped
that enough had been doste to discountenance any
future publications of this kind. The Law Officers
of the Crown had certainly done their duty. though
it was at the rinse time to be regretted that the pro-
secretions had not been instituted. so as to appear
quite free from any political allnsion.—(Hear.)
Lord COCHAAN s hoped that hit Majesty's Minis-
ters would ruminate well nu the prayer of these
Petitions, and reconcile, if they coekl. their con•
sciences with their acts. The true motive of ?dr.
Hone'i acquittal had not. he thought, been stated.
Ile was tried for a religions offence. when his act
was merely a political one. He earnestly hoped
that these Petitions would be hated with attention,
and duly considered by the House. If their *lle.
gatimir were true, the Petitioners ought to be re-
ds d —ir false, they ought to be exposed and
poinislwd.
The r

on these Petitions herr ceased.

ROYAL RVRGRS IN SCOTLAND.

to iii.ike it a mere cloak for politir.i poaecutrmi.—
lr i

(tleur.)—The Jury knew full well the there had
been Parodies published, eiretshited, and npplaud-

Lord ARCHIBALD HAMILTON presented a Peti..
Lion from the Corporation of the town of Ayr, in
Scotland, preying for a Reform in the Royal
Burghs.—The Petition was laid on the table.
He begged, at the sante time, to ask the Noble
Lord opposite, whether his lklejsty's Government
meant to take the subject into their cousidenttiou ?
Lord CASTLIIRRACH replied, that he nuderstood
his Hon. and Learned Friend, the Lord Advocate
of Scotland, wits engaged in prepanng a Bill for
the consideration of the House on this subject.
He did not know the nature of the Bill, but 1w
would certainly inquire into the subject.

eel, out of thr Lit:my alone, hot of n large tool

tegral portion of the sacred Scriptures thenowlves,
to serve the cause of a part♦ in the pay of Govern-
ment—he particularly alluded to the ['aro;lies pub-
'lobed at the time the Noble Lord (Castlereagh)

wool the bulk or his Collengues were getting into
office. 'These Parodies were tit that time eiretilist.

oot ne dozens, but in ten* or ; xnd
in Cot from the author% being pro*rculed, they were

taken under the fircial proteCtiun of Guyer ;; 11l ton.
They were safe, because the puhlicirtions were
directed against political adverwiries.--( Hear,
hear.)—Thr Jury felt that it would be imposfahle
to do religion a greater (!isservice than to woke it a
handle for political purposes; and tl►at 111,i11 would
do the worst injur►• to the sacred cause of truth,
who could (teal out general justice with a partial
hand, aittect►ug it tor political grounds atrzainst an an-
tagonist, when lie would applaud the act if played
off to ►apport the iiiirrest of a iiirticuliit
the hl►eller may inoliKti
the act were dour to sttl►latrt the Miiiisters of the
flay ; hot if to upimme thrift, then the nature of the
olience changed soar*, anal it became all at
of an immoral cl►aractrr. fir ►rtwtwd 1111 1111111114

dietimorobatiun publ mai _on* the itim:l-yrs,