The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-01-19 00:00:00

01.1) B lILb Y, S ITURDAY, JAW. 17.

Jamey Verb-riot wilt. after a lila' which (tern-
Lied olw time of the Court eight honing, acrinitted,
191011 61111 inillchnrnt which charged him in the brat
instionre with having forged and uttered, knowing
6, to 1w 1 rged, to 5/. note; with intent to defriud
.1..1111 tivorss.. or the Governor and Company of the
Monk of England ;and in the second instance,
Kith hat is hail in his pos-essiooi four other 51.
votes, koloosotig them to he forged. Five witneinwa
too tlor part of the Batik proved that the Primmer
point to each of them a forged 5/. note in payment
of some articles which he purchased from tlwm.
This any by all present considered conclusive. But
the defrtwe Wag of a most extraordinary nature ;
the *Outpost.* on behalf of the Prisoner brat proved
an alibi to the satisfaction of the Jury ; sec •••••
that the Prisoner was *ft much like, and had been
taken for it nom aho load actually committed or•
from.% s •ler to those charged to the Prisoner.

ESSEX EPiPII.4.NY SESSIONS.

CHELMSFORD.
sEDITIOUS MEETiNGs• Art

On the third illy of the S •s-sons, all Nool4lololl
era. made for 3 Iseense miller the lote Act of P.r-
haitortit, itasiool lit the purian• or !mmHg d..w.1
*editions sort winch of -ril, ,tile cartons
discussion, acd elicited she sew .e of the Miseistricy
or this county of that strong McNamee of the Le.
Ltislature. A Clergyman oe the Church of Eisg-
land, of unimpeached loyally and highly merito-
rious character, who, we believe, has not the good
fortune to bask wider tlw sunshine of church ire-
ferment—the Rev. Mr. Ploomti Id, of Rending.
hell, in the county of Norfolk —has been for snow
tone past devoting his tone to the dissemination of
useful knowledge, as a pieldir trourer, its diKrent
parts of this mid soijst 11111 l g count es, and has at.
*raciest the notice of souse nowt respectable circles,
as well on accou it of the wilily of his labours, as
the laudable motive of his conduct—namely, to
eke out by honourable exertion the maintenance of
an amiable wife and a large family of infant chil-
dren. Several respectable inhabitants of Clielons-
ford having sigiiilied their wish, thst hr should deliver
a course of lectures in this town on "The Philos°.
phy of History," he applied fir a license to a Special
Petty Sessions held lust week, ni enable him an to do.
'There were then ten Slagistrattes present, and the
matter being fully debated, the application was re-
fused by a majority of eight tot Imo Justices, upon
a supposition that the lecturer moght possibly have
some sinister or political iatsiition, under the pre-
tence of delivering literary and philosophical lec-
tures, Some of the majority, linos ever, acted upon
a totally dilf-rent ground, namely, that tow upon-
cation was not rorans j•gilire, inasmuch as the Act
of Parliament required that the house should be
Krooted either by a Special Petty Sept. s too i.e
held for that specific purpose, or by the Justices
of the county assembled 1:1 General Quarter Sew-
situ,. Mr. Bloomfield now resumed his application
by his Comely',
Mr. Ws I.FORD, who, after for;w.r.iiig the provi-
sions of the Act of Pooliaineur udder the nonce of
the Court, which lie said reoldered this application
necessary, sulnnittrd that the prayer of XI r. Bloom-
field was one which the M igistristes count have
no difficulty in granting. The intention of the
Reverend bovine was to deliver six Lectures upon
the Philosophy of History. Ilia first lct ore pro-
posed to teat of ilistore in general; the second,
of Man, in sus savage and pastoral state ; the third,
of War, and its importance to the history of 111611;
the fourth, of the Dirk Ages, and the N.orthern
Barbarians; the firth, of itelogi tttt , and it. im-
portance to the welfare of inankonit, Ike. The
Learned Connorl was proceeohng to read testimo-
nials no favour of rt fr. Bloomfield, when
Sir J•111P4 I YRREI.I., li.ort. a Niagistrate, residing
in the neigh! 110041 of Chelm•ford, resins-sled chat
the Lernied Counsel would ei4tr, for use
iufornta-
ti••o of the Court, what the ohject of the sixth
lecture was?
fr. %V A 'soap said, that in the sixth It clothe
ti, ld loroloonovol to treat of the inoat un-
portant and u.tful iiiVeifilsons know') to mail par-
toculady the noVelationi of wil,powtler. slid its tifects
its war and politics ; and Ow soveution of the IMO..
rioter compass, and its importance in the ',avid
affairs of mankind. _ .

......
Sir JOHN TT KRELL interpiord, and said, he
should object to the discussion norm Ilw subject of
gunpowder, a+ he certaiiily rl :tilt it necessary to
guard attiring ilw possibility of the county town be-
ing blown up.—(A luNg4.)
141 r. WA LFORD then proceeded to adduce nume-
rous testimonies in favour of Nlr.
racier, and the nature of his lectures. Ainnhost
these were, threw of Lord Gosforil, several Iwisiticed
Clergymen, Mr. Clay, the Mayor of Colchester,
somata! Muglstrates, and a great many respectable
inhabitants of the c .oily of Essex, all of whimi Iwd
hetus auditors of Mr. Bloomfield's lectures, and
bore testimony to tl.rir ocerice, and to the . i ... -
peachable character of the lecturer.
Sir JOHN TYRRELL now robe, and express 11
his sorrow fir troubling the Court with stating the
grounds tit which he ititettilt tl to resist this ap.
plication. Ile was induced iniiicipally to rise ut
consepience of what taok place at the I'rtty Se 4.
Silolii., 111 Which Mr. Bloomfield had tie t pr.-wilted
has applit•atiouy Ills blurb occasion a difference of
()pilaw' had aria. sl between the Mi-gistrates. Of
Mr. Bloomfield he knew nothing ; lie might be a
respectable man ; hut as a Magistrate he (Sir J.)
thought it his duly to consider well the nature of
the Lectures which the Lecturer proposed to de-
' liver. It was true that Lord Gosfoid had borne
testimony to the propriety of the Lectures which
Mr. Bloomfield hail delivered : hut it di.l not fal-
low that the Lectures which were delivered before
that Noble Lord, were of the same complexion as
those slow stated hi the Lecturer's syllabus. Ile
had not the slightest prejudice of a personal nature
against Mr. Bloomfield, but lie bail certainly a
strong prejudice against this sort of itioerant
Lecturer., who went about the country disse-
minating priociples which ought or might not
be objectionable. Ile might posiiisly differ on
this subject from many grave Luiv)ers and re-
spectable private individuals, who might think
that there was no harm in giving countenance
to such persons ; and he might lie toll, perhaps,
that the Act or Parliament under consideration
was, to a certain extent, an arbitrary abridgment
of the liberties of Englishmen. Be it su; but lie
for one thought the Legislature had done wisely in
[hissing that Act, at the time and under the circum-
stances in w latch it was found necessary so to do. A
re siwchible tradesman in the Wall (Mr. Candler, we
beleete), bad put a paper into his hand, purport-
ing to be a syllabus of Mr. Illoomfield's Lectures,
and requesting that he (i he Ilon. Ibuont I) would
steroid the wish of that gentleman to olitaiii a
license to deliver than iii the town of Chelms-
ford. He told that respectable individual, that as
the request had been wade to lima. he errtaiiilj
should make the applicanmi to the Justices la
Petty Sessions, hut at the since time lie &dated
has oi .... ion to he, that philosophy was ales, made
the pretest for isiculcatisig stoning. titgisl) dangerous
to the peace of the count' iiiii ty ; and add. d, that
he certainly could not aid the a Woes of Mi. Bloom-
field, if such was the object and tentitlicy ul In.
tures. Ile had since read the paper which had lweii
handed to liitn, and, in his humblepulgnient, a.ch

a man, as a public, lecturer, professed to discourse
upon the subject of politics, and the uses to which
giatipowiler might be applied (matters upon which
public opinion was so intich thvide4l), he was di11p..4.A
p..4.A to think there was more meant than met the
ryo, and 'list, tPulor cover or philosophy, revolu-
!musty Politics might become the preilommatit
Cobjorts of inculcation. l'olitit•al inquiries mid
111.9'11.. * a. as to the cause and effects or rev°.
lotions in states, were Mlllter4 which had better
be I. t alone its times like these. alien provimons
were dear, and alien the tuldie orlon was too sus-
ceptible of irritation. Ile might be wrong in his
Opinion Lbut such was the strong impression of his
mind. When this ',object was brought forward be-
fore the Petty Sessions, it underwent the examina-
tion or a very unoterous attendance of Magis-
trates, and Mr. Bloomfield's application was refused
by a large nrijority of gentlemen. many of whom
were of opinion with himself, that the town of
(71telansford did not stand in nerd of deriving any
i!iformation from this sort of persons. The majo.
illy of the Magistrates. nu this ground, thought it
right to resist the application, leaving Mr. Bloom-
field to apply to this Court if be thought proper,
and take the sense of the whole Magistracy of the
comity. It might be said by very well-tneaning
lwrsons, that they could see no harm in permitting
these itinerant persons to go about the country ; but
the Bench could not fail to recollect that this was
a very novel oroceediug. tinder these impressions,
he concluded by moving that this application be
rejeCted.
Alr. Ocular., a resident Magistrate in this town,
seconded the motion.

Colonel 'Pouts rose decidedly to oppose the mo-
tion which had been moved and seconded. Ile
had opposed the 'application sit the Petty Sessions,
because it was canine Hon judire—the Art of Par-
lamest requiring that the etiortter should be sob-
mitred to the consideration 1.1. et Special Petty Ses-
sion-, enlivened for the specific purpose. mill the
Petty Sessions at which it was brought forward
leavitig lwen hri.l fir other business ; but how that
the question was before a competent tribunal, lie
should fully and freely orioles. his sentiments. As
a friend to the liberty of the ►ul.ject, lie could not
but consoler the freedom sit speech as essential
to that liberty; and feeling thus nl►ou general
prisiciples, he could not but aCtillit:-cc tu the aleph-
cat ttttt of this Gradient on, an planted us It Was by
such respectable testimony of loyalty and integrity.
Iridess a eery strum.; case had been made out to
chew that Nlr. Ilio ttttt field Wilt. .111 improper person
to receive a license, Ire could not conceive upon
what pretence the inerrian of tai• Learned Counsel
could be resisted. %Vireo the Legislature passed
the Act iii question, which limited the freedom of
the subject in so important ate entitle as the discus-
sion of political subjects, they wisely placed a ells-
ceetimilry power in the. Nlaogistracy of giantiii4
censes IU c uses like the itre.wsit ; but et the same time
giving them a power of ret.o mist i•ui, to the event of the
party abusing the esistlonaly given to loin. It never
could be in the contemplation of the Legislature
to put a stop to inuotcnt IIIPCIIB.4iOII ; and the proof•
that such could slot he their intent' ttttt ales the
power given to the Nlagistraies of controlling such
discussions if they exceed-il due limits. If the
power of grateing licenses iterated and tliiug. it cer-
tainly dill not mean the power of liking From the
subject the privilege of free and • •cent discussion.
%Vhatever might be the supposed motives of the
Gentleman whose case was under consideration, it
became matter for serious attentiuu, aliciher the
Court would give any creil.t to the re sin ctahle
testimony they had heard, or shut out the leissilacy
of events which never could happen. As to the ter ills
polities and gunpowder, they created no apprehen-
sion in his 1111iitl. POI itical discusion, a hen
fairly 11941 temperately conducted, was not only must
irinocent but most useful ; and in the sense in wit eh
the a ord pa/ifics was obeli by the applicant ill his
syllalms, having reference only to the
tory of mankind, Ins inutives appeared to be per feet.
ly legitimate. Nay, if lie had gone further, and pro-
posed to discuss the political history of Oita coun-
try, he (the [lota. Magistrate) teas not '►repined to
say that lie had not a tight, us a British suliject, so
to do. %Vino ! were the mouths ot• a free people
to he atopt up ? We're nn 1111111 to hate the power
of conirnunicating to his frilow until the honest
sitinitiits which lie might esltertaiu upon matters
intimately c tell with the hahopittess of the
commuiiiiy ill which he lived ? It was nut neces-
sary fur him to enter more at large into the subject ;
lie Lad only to say, that he could not concur in the
sentiments of the Iluu. Baronet, the tendency of
' ',how ob.er%utiosler would go to put a stud► not only
to all 'political drscussion. but even to extinguish
the light of science, end barlearise the mind of
man. Genius itself would expire stouter the cramped
and frigid influence of such notions ; all mental
iroprotement, troth political aid moral, must
cease, bird 11rau, the image of his maker, must re-
turn to a state of ignorance and ferocity. %Vas it
likely that the great name-sake of this Gentleman,
the poet Bloomfield, would have emerged from a
cobbler's shell, if such sentiments had prevailed
in his day ? and was it presumption to say, that
his Geutleinan might become as celebrated ler poli-
tical knowledge, under the protectiug iittluence of
liberality, as the humble parent of " The Farmer's
Buy" had become as a poet ? The great tragedian
Kean might have languished in obscurity on the
board. of a Devonshire barn, but for the trooping
and irresistible powers of genius triumphing over
ignorance and prejudice. It was well knorsu that
that celebrated person was an obscure itinerant,
and had emerged from a barn, to personate the dia.
racier* of heroes awl of kings, before au auditory
a ortht• 111 apprecieting his userits—the British pub-
lic. It was mifficie in fur I (the worthy
hate) to know that the Magistracy had the power
of checking ally slase of the privilege granted to
the Petitioner; and feeling that it es a. the duty of
the Magistrates to feat an honest, a stonily, and a
liberal tousle ucti tttt upon the Act, Ire certainly
should give his assent to the mutimi made fur grant-
! tug the license.

Mr. DISNEY (lately a practicing liarristtr on the
IVratern Circuit, hot now ass active Magistrate
for this 4 omit)) said, that us hr beloved the floss.
Coot. Ilsol allotted to him, sties, lie talked of mate
I.ossri 0, lee felt it necessary to t splsio the tomtit eta
his conduct no the present occasion. lie oats pre-
seta •lien the 141birti 4425 ditcu►sed at Ike Potty
Sessioot, and he dim stabil it to be his oploioo, that

-~_.~.

the Magistracy of this great county ought not to
delver their sentimelits upon atlels an application in
a • orner. It was tit that the world should see
their conduct and hear their sentiments. Ile also
stated, that by the common law of the land evri v
snail lad a right to lecture in public, and sicker
Ids sentiments openly and without any other control
than what that law had previously provides', in cases
where the public welfare wile not endangered. As
the Legislature, however, thought proper to adopt
an extraordinary measure, and arm the Magistracy
with particular powers, he thought it to be hisduty,in
execution of that powar, to look at it most strictiv,and
grant will t hesitation the license which had 111'1-11
demanded ; Imecause if there was any real reason for
ssippming this mass's intentions were dangerous, it
was easy to put a stop to the supposed mischief.
According to the construction of the Act, the li-
cense to lecture was not a personal privilege, but
had reference only to the lecturing room. It wai
not like the provision of the Toleration Act, which
required a license for the person, as well as the
place. Ile was not afraid of this gunpowder Percy,
though lie was not stead. It was unjust to presume
bad intentions, where none were proved to exist,
and therefore he should vote for the license.
Mr. llttismrsTuts, the Chairman, said, that how-
ever lie might agree in general with the sentiments
of Sir John Tyrrell, in cases where there was really
any apparent danger, lie could not but think that
the strong certificates of character which the appli-
cant had produced must silence all objection.
The Bench, which was very iminerously attend-
ed, came to a division, and there being only the
dissentient voices of the Mover and Seconder, the
License was granted.

lint. lint when prtc•ed as to her belief upon that
point, she said, vile thorstbt they might be with the
rest of her father's family. Hyde aus in the hour,
keeping possession under a hill of sale to the De-
fendant Hawkins and others.
The Chairman, Mr. HUL'row (Mr. Sturges
Bourne having, from motives of delicacy. declined
sitting on this trial), summed up the evidence with
great accuracy and impartiality, and in conclusion
observed, iii answer to Mr. Pollen's observations as
to the Under-Sheriff having carried on this prose-
ctition, that lie had only performed his duty in so
doing, and would bli ye neglected it if he had not.
for that be was bound to protect the officers of the
Sheriff, in the due execittiiiii ipf their office, and that
tin persons would he found t execute process,
tt
they were to be resisted tool treated as Wit.zar had
hero, and the offenders not prosecuted and pu-
nt-lied.
The Jury found Mr. Richard E.:in:film and
Elawkiiis guilty, and acquitted Mr, lint haw's tKi.
sons and llyde, who seemed to have been acting
tinder their discretion and influence.
. .

... •
It 17:14 %lig/4041'd by Alr. that the wai..
rants being returnable. %Viiizar had im tight in
Ice there, mid that the Defendants were jmtitiril iu
removing him.
The sentence of the Curt wal, therefore, sus-
pended, and mai Dawkins bound by re-
cognizaners in 100/. each, to attend tit a future
Sessions, when called unoti to receive sentence.

TO TUE EDITOR OF TIIR BRITISH PRENs

fluentlun-square, January 17, ISIS.

SIR —The statement which appeared in your Paper to-day
of the 'taint inside fille3ll between Mr. Clbiotin and myself,
last Wrdoesday Mild, is crossly false in many particulata,
and cannot have come from the rezular reporters 'a ho,
am convinced, are, for the major pact, men of wools and
but must have proceeded from sine pet sou ac-
tuated by pique, interest, or other unworthy midi% es.
Charging toe with a nezlect of my hiciary duty, and a
wmit of evert towards that public aho have so liloerally
patronised my anonymous endeavours to amine them for th •
last four years, at the Olympic and other Theatres, it is cal.
culated to du me the highest injury, both with them and the
thilitu ical win hl m general. . _

You, Sir, I am asmired, have too much feeling and honour
to lend yourself to the ungracious attempt nt crashing the
humble t fforts of a young man w unknown and unaided as
myself, in a profession that is at all times attended but with
too much difficulty.
I toast, therefore, you sell allow me to state, that floe
contest in question did not arise from any next, ct of mine
in the production of " The Fortunate Youth," as that piece
never was objected to by the Lord Chamberlain, ner was it
err rat,. runt to me for alteration ; the delay in the produc-
tion of that piece was occasioned by the alssenee of Mr.
Dscamp, who was necessitated to fulfil his engagements its
the country, before he could appear in it. I never bad any
wash or design to adds ess the audience on the subject of my
pirate wrongs—l have too great a sense of propriety, and
too great a deference for the public, to et 'mire at such an
obtrusion ; neither did I appear in sight of the audit nee, or
thiat uia the pis forinance of my pieces iii any way. The con-
test had its birth hi a hasty withholding of my privileges as
au Author on the iiight in qua •t ion, perhaps front mistake,
but certainly nut fa the Fat fat ionic, as stated. Mr. Ellis-
ton is incapable of sun b little recrimination, and after the
meeting at BOW 01'111 Ull the succeeding morning, all my
tights were voluntarily rilo:ite,l to me. Nu verbal ahcace-
tauu took place Mucci' Mr Ellis un anal myself, the hint
was kindled in both parties by the commuilicatoo.a of a
third pcisun, an official on the establishment ; had we es.
any words on the subj. et, the aiistincli n; coding
might have been explained, anal the central avoided.
1 must apologist, Sir, fur Inking up so much of your lime
on so very trifling a subject, but the reputation or every in.
as dear to himself, as his well-being depends nisi..
it, and, as a philanthropist, you will feel that the wt 11-beinz.
of any one is a matter of impertance to avary other
l'UhliCii is what I have always studiously avoided, hat 111,
name has been most strangely %Inuit forward to public no.
lice in the present instance. By whom the account, su dis.Pl
ru-
edly false and libellous, was transmitted to you, and which
appeared, for the first time, un the saute day. ita the sauce
words, in three ilifl.rient Pipets, I can perhaps gloss, and
may Ittrearter requite the favour.
I have only to acl.l, that I hope this is the Ina lime Nn:
public will be [molded on this subject, as all .111144 'ova b. -
tween myself and Mr. Ellaston here been most li.o.oneably
and amicably at ranzeil, and we ure a4aiit uniting our clintta
to retain the patronage at preSClllt Lustowcd
on the Olympic.
I have the honour to ha-, Sir,
You:- gem obedieut Servant.
St. MONCIIIEFF.

Mr. JOUR GREENWOOD, Attorney, of II ,
Aged 24 yrurs. stud son of litt hale WILLI AM
GREEN WooD, Epq, of Leeds, banker, in 'ldiot;
thruugli Burnley, on Saturday seesiuiglit, fill hour
his horse, *lid fractured his skull. Ile lingeled
until Sunday afternoon, wiles' lie died.