The National Register.
London, England, 1811-11-03 00:00:00

our soldiers, he believed it WAS as col pici
a; in the ancient battles which the detenti

Cressy, Poictiers, &c. The defendant had
the solcitv.s who fought in those battles not
medals ?"—And said " Oral such distinction

army." Now lie would ask did not the soldier feel a pride in the
bon:Airs and divinctions conferred upon his Officer ? The medal
which adorned the breast of the Commander under whom he had
fought, was also an honour to him. Every soldier participated
in the glory of those Commanders under whom he bad fought ;
and we find in history, that all armies have felt themselves ho-
noured with the elevation of the General under whom they have
fought. The thanks of the two Houses of Parliament were only
given to the Superior Officers by name, and yet the whale army
participated in the honour. The defendant had also spoken of
" the drooping energies and wasted resources of this country.'
His Lordship did not know how the energies of this country
could be said to droop, and was convinced that the energies of
Englishmen would always be found sufficient to defend the r
country. He would wish to know, for what period of tune the
energies of the people of this country have been to be supposed
declining ? Was it during the career of Lord Nelson's victo-
ries ?—Was it when Captain Hoste lately conquered in the Me-
diterranean a hostile force of double the number ?—Or was it
the other day, when he himself heard with his own ears, the
cannon of our cruizers that repulsed Buonaparte's flotilla, under
the eyes of that great Commander, and took one of his praams ?
The telling the army that they were insulted by their Govern-
ment, appeared to him a libel of the most dangerous tendency ;
and the calumnies against the Members ot• the Government
were equally libelous. Character is of the utmost importance to
every man in high trust ; and those in the highest situation have
A right to the protection of their characters from those coarse,
brutal, and calumnious misrepresentations which were so
often poured out against them. The principal danger of
those foul ca,luninies, which were often bestowed most un-
deservedly, was, that it was apt to make men callous to public
censure, and to generate a sort of indifference as to any thing
which might be published with respect to their public con •
duct. In thi, manner the licentious abuse of the press prevent-
ed that public good which might be expected from the fair ex-
ercise of it. He would not lay it down merely front his
own authority, but lie would state it from the authority of
Chief Justice Holt (than whom there was no warmer friend
to the liberty of the subject), that s libel on the Govern-
snent of the country, charging them with corruption and
baseness, was a sort of libel which ought to be severely punish-
ed. To tell the army " they were insulted," appeared clearly
to him to be a dangerous libel; and from this commiseration of
the situation of the English soldiers, the writer (as is the custom
in such articles) proceeds to compliment Buonaparte. With
him, merit is always rewarded, and the situation of the soldier
attended to." He could not conceive what greater mischiefs the
emissaries of Buonaparte (if there are any in this country) could
do, than disseminate such doctrines among our soldiers. As to
the Government, that was charged with so much imbecility and
corruption, he did not himself belong to the Administration,
Whatever was its character, imbecile or not so : but lie could
not have a doubt in his mind but that the charging the Members
Of the Administration with imbecility and corruption in their
offices, was a libel.. He had also no manner of doubt, but the
defendant was legally responsible for the insertion of such an
article in his paper. He knew that it was within the province
of the Jury to determine on the whole of the case; but it was
his duty also, to state to them his opinion of the article before
them; and that opinion was clearly that it was a libel. If the
Jury coincided in that opinion, they would of course find the
defendant guilty.
The trial of this information lasted from nine o'clock in the
looming till one in the afternoon.
'L'he Jury retired from the box immediately that Lord Ellen-
borough had concluded his charge, and continued in consulta-
tion till five o'clock. At about half past four his Lordship left
the Court, and at five o'clock the verdict was taken by Mr.
Low ten of—Not Guilty.

TIDE TABLE.
!IMO WATIR AT LONDGN BRIDGE ON

MOR NINO.

AFTERNOON.

Sunday
Monday
Tuesday . • . .
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday . .
Saturday . . . .

M. H.
47 after 3
23 4

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THE

694

'FIONA L REGISTER.

talltloll.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1311.

Tura NATIONAL REGISTER. 695
sporats.omminan.wromowomm., • -
.. ... . -...--. .
piceous in these battles, Press of matter compels us to omit many Original Comnaunica-
ndant lid alluded to, of dons, among others ON eSIMUS'S Strictures on the Rev.
had asked, ~ why were
WATTS WILYINAUN. N)l3, A. Lecturer of St. Mary Aldermary,
s not also honoured with
tion I,vaN an insult to the and.Bt..Tbomas the. Apostle, which shall appear in our nest.