The National Register.
London, England, 1822-09-30 00:00:00

41'?"'•- 71"!!
THE NATIONAL REGISTER

Mr. Platt.—You dare sot answer that question.
Mr. Thoruhill.—Dare Dot, Sir ' You are protected Dow ost
your own dunghill, or I would let you know whether I dare or
not. You due not tell me so out of thin place.
Mr. Platt.—ls thin languix4e to be used before a magistrate?
Sir It. Sirnie desired Mr. Thornhill to be inure cool
Mr. Thornhill.—Sir, 1 have grekt respect for the chair ; but
d— toe if ever I saw such • fellow as this. 1 won't he ques-
tioned by a radian like him. He a member of the law l Why
he is paid for concealing the law, and Dot for expounding it, fur
be has Do law in him.

Mr. Platt coolly remarked, that the abuse of some meo wu
an honour.
Mr. Thornhill here indulged in a strain of coarse invective
for some time, sod told Mr. Platt he was to be found at 48.
Ludgate-hill, if Mr. P. had the cour••ge to meet him, or bad soy
thing to say to him.
This hint being repeated, Sir R. Birnie told Mr. Thornhill he
should certainly exercise his authority in a very decisive man-
ner, if he did not refrain his tongue.
Mr. Platt.—Did you not leave Bath because you could not
pass your accounts t—No, l did not. 111 answer you that.
Have you ever offered-to give up this kill to Mr. Claughton
upon receiving • sum of money t —No, 1 never did.
Did you ever see Mr. Clau.liton t—Yes, and showed biro the
bill ; but 1 took care to keep on the further side of the table
front him.
Whence are the funds derived from which you were to pay the
1,0001. to Mr. Knight, sa you gave su undertaking to du (-1
shan't answer that.

Did you otter Mr. Walker money to discount this bill ?—I
was introduced by him to the defendant, whom %Volker said he
knew to be a gentleman of fortune, and it was agreed upon that
1 should give 5001. I knew Mr. Claugbtuu was endeavouring
to hunt up the hill.
Don't you know that the hill was stolen I know it was
not. I saw Claughton, and he said be had been as bad as
robbed of the hill, and that a Mr. Farquharson Lad got bills
from him to the amount of 0 or 7,0d01., and had sent them into
the market without ever giving a farthing for them. Ile ob-
served, however, that if I was a bona Mr bolder of the bill, I
must be paid.
To some further questions Mr. Thornhill said, that Mr. W.
certainly stated that the defendant was a monied man in the
city, and in the habit of discounting bills to a large amount.—
The defendant said be would have nothing to do with Claugh-
ton, for be was worth nothing—his name stunk in the market.
Mr. Platt.—Will you swear that Mr. %Valker said the de-
fendant was a monied man, and in the habit of discounting
bills !—WIII I swear it! Why, Sir, have I not sworn it al-
-1 ready ? What do you near ?
Mr. Platt-1 do not wean to offend you by these questions ;
why not answer them coolly
Mr. Thornhill.—Now why did you not say that before, and
all would have been good humoured enough ; but you are such
a hoyalwag, there is no knowing bow to deal with you.
Mr. Platt, aildressiu,,', Sir B. Dirnie, said his defence to the
charge was a right to the possession of the bill ; and he had
no objeetion to allow it to be impounded with the worthy ma-
n gistrate, until the question cou!d be settled elsewhere.
Sir R. Birnie.—Did yon ever know an instance, Mr. Platt,
of a magistrate taiying such a step
i Mr. Platt.—We will give you indemnity, Sir.
Sir R. Birnie said, he must decline the honour of bolding
j the bill.

Mr. Turtill was called to prove that the defendant at that too- I
went was clerk to Mr. Bromine 11, a solicitor.
Mr. - King deposed, that he heard the defendant repre-
sent himself to be a loan of property, and that he often '
connted hills. He did nct lieu Mr. IVrilker say so.
111 r. Pollock said he had closed his case.

Mr. Platt then proeended to call witness for the defence.
Thomas Clauglitisii, Esq. M. P. for Newton, Lancashire.
and a magistrate for tint county, sworn.-1 loom this bill fur
3,5001. It was drawn by me upon Mr. Leigh. I gave it to
Farquharson with others, and have his receipt for them.—
(Lceipt produced.) I never received one farthing for them,
and I gate him notice ninny months ago to return them. I is-
sued advertisements to stop them. I also tiled a bill in Chan
eery, and several persons were served with injunctions not to
neg lisle them.
By Sir R.Birnie.—l wrote to the defendant to stop the bill
in rpiesii on. 1 knew him, and had had d alino with him.
Mr. Platt.—We are !"ree to confess twat thus was • plau to
get possession of lite bill.
Sir It. Hirnie.—l should Ise sorry to attempt to expound the
law iu the presence of two learned gentlemen who hear me. A
felony is the stealing and taking away the goods, money, or
property of another, and I certainly cannot view this charge
against Mr. Sweettnan as a felony. As far as I sun concerned,
Mr. Sweeinian is discharged.
The parties then quitted the olflce, the bill remaining in the
possession of Mr. Claughton's party.