The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-12-12 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
-.0.--.

COURT or 'CHANCERY. Ltscours
Ml *T, 11.
The LORD CHANcELLot came into Court at
half-put ten o'clock.
JUDGMENT.

THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL e. THI cORPORATION
oT BRISTOL.
The LORD CHANCELLOR gave an elaborale judg.
ment iu this ease. He slated that it was an juror-

mation filed by his Majesty's Attorney-General
against the Defeudinits, to which they had de-
Inurred, and it came before him in the shape of an
appeal from the judgment of his 140110Uf the Vice-
Chancellor, as to the validity of the demurrer. The
information set forth that Sir Thomas IVltite, who

was Lord Mayor of London in the reign of King
Henry VIII. wishing to increase the trade of Bris-
tol, and other curpormed towns, paid to the Cor-
poration of the City of Bristol the sum of 2,000/.
in trust, that they should purchase therewith landed
properly, which would produce 1201. per ttttt um,
for them to distribute between themselves and
twenty-tour towns iind corporations. in certain pro-
portions for charitable purposes, which was to be
denominated the perpetual charity of Sir Thomas
White. The Corporation of Bristol purchased the
land of the value of 120/. per annum, hut it hail

increased in value to a very large ■mount : the
question then was, whether the twenty-Gu towns
■nd corporations hid a right to share in the surplus
rents with the Corporation of Bristol. His Lord.
►hip was of opinion they had slot. But he gave
this opinion without deciding the question whether
the Corporation of Bristol had or had not the right
of putting the surplus to their own sm.. as that was
a question which could only come before the Court
by the present information bring amended. or a
new information filed. He was therefore cf opinion
that the demurre► ought to be allowed.

fees in the bookselling business, it being intently/
that on use acdount was his name to (blower as a
;tonner in that branch of the business. The Ibleiti-
tilritesigned a reason for that, which wu, as it was
known that he was as man of property, if it
apprtred that he was • !seiner, the Defend/Hai
might obtain a greater degree tit* credit than they
were entitled to. This was denied by the Defrost.
outs, who said the cause of his name not bein4 pro.
ininetit in the firm was, that be was a priutfr„
that according to the rules of that trade, hi
not carry on the business of a bookseller. Arcola.
ing to the deed of partnership all bills and note.
for the purposes of the trade of the firm, were to be
drawn and accepted by the Defendants. The
Plaintiff had secured to himself by the deed the
right of printing all the books of the pirtitershtli.
It was shin provided that a c.shiihook should be
kept, and that it should be balanced once a montii„
end that they should have it booker, althossghli.is
was dented by the at .14vd of the Plaintie : • l
also there was a clause in the deed for • 1•10 I I.lf • •
of more money, if it was wanted in the business, to
be lent lay one of the partners to the firm..ttad tf
one of them could not give the loan, that the money
was to be raised.

The LORD CRANCELLOR—" I am obrigtd ow
rise., it two o'clnrk, go I am er•inimliril
intend eliwwtiere. Mr. Wetherell, go on with this
motion to-morrow morning."

COURT OF KING'S BENCH, WISTMINSIES,
MONDAY, DrCUtialtit
Before the LORD CHIEF JUSTICE and a
Xpeeial Ju►y.

WRIGHT C. coBBETT.
As soon as the Jury were swig's—
Mr. Co',hot rose and said, he meant to 101,,lriw
the plea. in this cause. He meant to plead tne
general issue.
The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE—" Sinctly open's-
tog, that cannot be done.—You do not mean to
offer soy evidence, then'"
Nlr. Cobhett-s-" No, my Lord ; I will expla'a
the reason, if your Lordship
The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE—" Thst is not lie.
ceesary."
Mr. CHITTY then proceeded to open the ;de la-
ingot, which slated, that the Defendant. io the st.n
January, 1917, on the 6th March, 1819. and 1$ 0
January, 1820. had published three several lint
on the Plaintiff, chugging him with having forged
his, the Defendant's name, mid obtained money
under false pretences from various perspire. To
those the Defending had pleaded the general issue,
and had also pleaded several pleas of jtistificerioc.
Mr. ScARLETT then rove and said, his Learned
Friend who had read the pleadings would have so'.
ticiently explained to the July the nature of the
action. He would now state to then, more in de-
tail who the parties were. Mr. Vi'right, the l'hen-
tiff, was a gentleman who was esteemed by all who
knew him, and no one had been darieg enough to
impute fraud or falsehood to him, except the De-
fendant now in Court. He was proprietor orseeesof
learned works, and the Parliamentary Debat.s.
though published in Mr. Cubbett's name, were cps,.
ducted under and by the exertions. the talents,
and abilities of the Plaintiff: lie would not at.
tempt to describe the Defendant to them ; he
was a wan who had made his name familiar
in every place where the English lotigua4e was
known. He did not wish to say a syllable more
than the cause required; but this he must that
he possessed loch powers as few melt hail ever ex.
seeded. He particularly possessed, more than aey
other man, powers over the public mind, hey mixing
(he must pardon hint for saying so) a (Timm coarse-
ness of feeling and expression, which he well knew
bow to use. It required great courage in a
man who had the misfortune to be expose,' to the
attack+ of such • person to bring him to justice.
Mr. Woglit's first acquaintance with Mr. Cub.
bett arose while he was in America, from the cir.
cumstaatce of Mr. Wright, who was then a book-
seller, sending him out some books, and the
first pecuniary concern which Mr. Wright ever had
with him was his advancing Mr. Cobbett 201. Mr.
Cobbett, on his first arrival in this country. pnb..
Fished a work called " The Life of ThomosPaine,"
a work which did him infinite honour. The Learn.
ed Counsel here quoted a passage from that work.
to shew the great powers of the writer. No doubt.
he mid, Mr. Cobbett's object at that * was to
repel the npproaches of sedition and bleaplismy,
and having such objects in view, it could he no im-
putation on the Plaintiff to form a coonexion with
him. Some of the first characters in the country then
thought highly of him—he need mention only the
name of the late Mr. Windham. Under such auspices
the Parliantextary Register was commenced. in
which the Defendant was to be at the expense of'
publishing and minting, and the Plaintiff was to be
at the trouble of conducting the work. The De-
fendant published also the State Trials, iu which
he was assisted by a gentleman of the name of
Howell. This continued till Mr. Cobbett went to
Southampton, about which time he was writing a
great deal about paper money. yet he became • our.
chaser of laud, over-bought himself, and raised money
by accommodation paper to the amount of 60,000/.
or 70,0001. He drew on Bagthaw, his publisher, and
Swaim, his paper-maker. discounted for him. The
Plaintiff was written to by him to raise him money
on those bills. and that begot a great money ors.
count between them, and led to accounts of great
intricacy. The Defendant kept no account, or pre.
feuded to keep none, and made a system of sitsto '-
log every leiter or voucher which hr received tr.. is
the Plasm:ff. The accounts lied iu conseriue,e-t,
become so difficult, that, according to a 'vitriol
,06,4
OWN " The Devil himself could not unravel theme'
In this state they were when Mr. Cobbett was coo.
victed of writing a libel, and to evert the
of being brought on the fluor -of that Cosset is. cr.
crier judgmeiri, and a question *goae as to the sire s
to be taken, I,lr. Cutibett proposed to the Govern.
mew, thioisiii a gentleman whom he shoo d
befote them as a waters, that if he should not be
caned up for judgment he would alwaia from.
writing any more Registers. Front that per oil
Mr. Wright wished fur a settlement of AV=
counts, arid Mr. Cobbett required from him prune'
of every stein which be laid ever disbursed fur
him. He therefore employed an accountant
make out the accounts in the best manner he
could, and that stuntman he should also call berate

'=----~

them. Mr. Cabbett claimed between 11,0001. and
12.0u01., which was reduced by the award of the
arbitrator to whom it was referred, to 6,0001. which
was paid. From that period Mr. Cobbett's great
hostility to the Plaintiff took its rise. Some time
before his departure for America, The Tines news-
paper published a paragraph respecting his inten-
tion to have absodoned the writing of The !register,
provided he had not been called up to receive padg.
meat for the libel of which he had been convicted.
Oat this the Defendant wrote, in his Register,
" A letter to George Rome," in which, niter reciting
the charge in The Times, he odds, "the charge is
basely false ;" sod goes on, " if I were asked how
'Walter became possessed of any knowledge of the
matter. I answer, I cannot tell, but I suspect it
was communicated by a wretch not equalled by any
in the annals of infamy, not even by Jonathan
Wild himself." This was known by •Il who knew
how the Plaintiff corresponded with Mr. Cobbett
to allude to that gentleman. That was the first
libel. The Learned Counsel then stated the his-
tory of the second libel, which arose from the
production of 11e. Cobbett'a letter. written in 1808,
at the Westminster election. in 1818, which reflected
on the conduct and character of Mr. Hunt. and the
lady with whom he lived. The Learned Counsel
co:atetided that it was a public letter. notivitlistsiid.
mg the construction which Mr. Cobbett might now
choose to put upon it, and meant for the Corn.
mittee who were then conducting the IVestutioster
el.ctien. This letter was known to all the Cam.
mittee. in which Hunt was designated as a bad cha-
racter, but to the surprise of every one, ten years
efter he was held up by 11r. Cobbett as the fittest
man to represent the city of Westminster, and the
Committee thought it so infamous an abandonment
of all principle, that they considered the 1411111 C
Omni(' he made acquainted with it. During the arbi-
tration, Wright, who had all the letters, put them
in the hands of the accountant, and that very letter
was seen by Cobbett in 1811, and lie slid not deity
it to be his. The reading of this letter gave ti.se
to the second libel, published in the Register of
Oh Match. 1419, in which Mr. Cublsett atilt na.
Sizes the 'Plaintiff as a man who stood charged,
upon Ilse oath of Sir Francis Borden lions-If. with
basing been guilty of forgery. Sir F. Burdett was
in Court, and could have proved that, if true, and
yet Mr. Cobbett hail told them he should tint
call hint, he had abandoned his elsas, said had
thereby acknowledged the falsehood of the charge.
There was a certain decorum in carrying on an
argument, even with an adversary, and admitting
it were a breach of private confidence, as 11r. Cob-
brit contended, to have published his letter re-
specting Mr. Hoot, yet for that should he charge
the Pl.tintiff as a felon, a forger, and a spy ? And
o lien it clones to the point when he is to prove the
charges, he Girlie's and abandons his plea cfjosti-
heitieii. H.. (Mr, Scaslett) hail abutitlauce of tes-
tintony to rebut the justification. which as it hod
been abandoned lie should not open. The Defend.
net could have had no good 'eaten' for puttiiis those
pleas on the record, Rod ebandotting them only at
the last motneot, shrwed that malice was the first and
motive dins almost savage attacks on the
hit In the third libel, published 6th January, 18=20,
he spoke of the Plaintiff as the " prime tool of base-
netts." So Mr. Cubbot, whose vast d is
occupied to save the nation from ruin, speaks of
every one as traitors to their country if they dare
even differ from !inn in ()Molest. The Iterated
Cuuusel coucloded a very animated and eloquent
address by requesting the Jury to give such da-
mages as would shew that the wholevonse and con-
stautioual colors"l which was vested in them over
the licentiousuess of the Pleats was sufficient for
its purpose: . -

. .
Henry Hay examined by M►. GURNEY.-1 um a
printer; I pri.ted the Political Register of 4th
January, 1817 (the first libel), for 31r. Cubbeit,
from his etantasesipt. I printed the Political Re-
gister of January 6. 1810; 1 received the maim-
script from Mr. Dolls) ; 1 em certain it was Mr.
Cobbett's writing ; the manuscript Mts returned to
him (the Political !register of March 6, 1819, was
given to the witness). 1 printed this from a priuted
copy brought to me by Wm. Cubtrett, jun.; Mr.
Dolby paid me for it and that of January 6, 1820.
The advertisement at the hesd of Match 6, 1819,
was iu manuscript.

Ambrose Castle sworn—l served a notice on the
Dlfeadart personally to produce the original ma-
incscripts.
Ileury Hay cross-examined by Mr. Cobbett—
Your son paid me, or, rather, I believe, I was never
pad at all. l cannot recollect if there was a stamp-
ed "Resister;' I think not: this was the " two-
penny trash." Your soil published the " Regis.
ter" at that lime from No. 8, Catherine-street, and
it was retailed from Mr. Clement's shop. The ac-
counts were kept in your .uame ; your sou was a
minor. I know your hand-writing from your son's.
1 Imre seen you write. 1 called for copy for the
44 Regiater" of January 4, 1817. and law you writ-
ing.; Mr. Hone was with you. You said you would
stud the copy by your son. I ant not sure the
manuscript was in your hand-writing.
Mr. Cubbett—Mr. Hay, have you ever read the
chapter of St. Luke?--
Mr. CURNZT submitted, that was not the way
to examine the witness. •

Wituess-1 printed the Register. under the di-
ret.iiim of Mr. Houston, about twelve months. I
went to Brook-green to you, to explain the bad
conduct of Houston. I did not promise not to do
the like again; I went to explain what Mr. Cob-
bcit's servant had done, not what 1 had done. 1
belie►e the manuscript of January, 181 7, was in
your hand-writing.
'l'hoinas published the Register; an
action having been commenced against nie by
Mr. Wright, 1 went to Mr. Cobbett, and asked
him to furnish me materials for my defence ; lie
toll me that lie could establish by evidence that
all v.ll.cli lie Mid said of Wright was true. I saw
a second tune, and the conversation was still
oi• the same subject.
I ro4s-esuirtiurrl by Mr. Cubbett—l made no
boigaiii with Wright. that if he would withdraw
ti,.; iecurd I would appear ar a witness against you.
Cubbett, junior, received the balances and
settled actions'''.

By the JUDGE—I spoke to Mr. Cobbett gene-
rally of the letter as his production.
Wm. Jackson, ezoinixed by Mr. SC•111.11TT
Proved that he published the Register as Mr. Cob-
heti% agent, from March 1817, to January 1819,

at which time Mr. Was. Cobbett, jun. attired from
America, and brought • letter from Mr. Cobbett,
and in consequence of the orders in that letter he
gave up the paper to Wm. Cubbett, jun.
Jobu Reeves proved the proposal made by the
Defendant through him to Mr. Perceval, to give
up his Register if not called up for judgment for
the libel hehril published, but did not remember
at what exact period of time it was.
Mr. Cobbett's letters of 27th and 28th June,
1810, to the Plaintiff were put in and read.
John Paul examined by Mr. GURNEY—Proved
that he pas employed by Mr. Wright to state the
accounts between himself and the Defendant, and
is great many of Mr. Cobbett's letters were put in
his hands for that purpose, and many of them were
produced to Mr. Cooke, the arbitrator.
On his croft-examination he said, he had but
little acqnaintance with Mr. Jacksou. He had ap-
plied to Mr. Sheriff Parkins for him, but not to
obisiii money.
The witness then proved the letter of the De..
fcndant to Mr. Wright respecting Hunt to be in
the hand-writing of the Defendant; and also that
hi' had a memorandum of having submitted that
letter to Mr. Cobbrtt in July 1911.
William Adams proved that the letter respecting
Mint was read in 1808, in the Committee, when
there were 30 or 40 persons belonging to it.
The witness was cross.examined by the De-
fenilaiit, to slew that there had, notwithstanding
that letter, hten a great degree of intimacy be-
tween himself and Hunt, but it was denied by the
witr.ess.

Mr. SCA RLETT said. as the Defendant had
abandoned his pleas of ju•titicatino. he w'.s not
prepared at present to offer any further evidence.
Mr. Ccroomr then role. and addressed the Jury
at consider/11de length and with his usual ability,
hot from the lateness of the tour at which the trial
terminated. we are prevented from offering even a
sketch ni it to our readers.

Jr. William Clement ealTed and examined by
Mr. Cobhett.—Your son William publirhed " The
Political Register" in 1816. In the begi 111 l bog of
1817 I litibliArd the stamped part of " The Re-
gister." I settled with Wm. Cubbett, jun. with
whore I kept my accounts. The first time I saw
you was in Citherine-street. Strand, early in the
year 1817. Till you weal to America, I settled
account,. with your son ; but I held you respon-
sible, though not legally responsible. You never
settled with me for " The R.gi•ters." I could
not swear to your hand-writing, because there is so
great a similarity betweeu yours and your rou

Crols-examined by Mr. ScARLETT.—In 1816
Illy and Turner were p►inters ; I considered the
father responsible because the son was not of age.
Iloisstou first applied to me to publish the " Re-
girder." I never treated with the son but as the
frolier's swot. By legal proprietor he uoderstood
that the son's haute was entered at the Stamp-office.
I think it likely that Mr. Cobbett participated in
the profits after he went to America, but I account•
ed to Mr. Jackson. I gave to Wm. Cobbett, jun.
a large sum in bills for his father's use, in antici-
pation of the causing proceeds.
Re-examined by Mr. Cuisbett.—l think I was
told verbally that the bills were for your use by
your son IValliam, but not in yonr presence.
Charles Preston, from the Stamp-office, pro-
duced an nifirlivit of Wm. Cobbett, jun. of the 45th
J.arruary, 1816, as printer, publisher, and sole pro-
',titbir of the " Register."
Wm. Cobbett, jun. examined by the Defendant.
—I was proprietor of the " Register" at the time
the first of the three " Regisiers" (now in ques-
tion was published. The sum first allowed you
as Editor was Sid. and afterwards 401. • week. I
recollect that 1.11 the hat Jairusry, 1817, you were
at l'rckhuut Lodge. The house in Catherine.
street was not furnished before the middle of Ja-
nuary ; I think you were not in Catherine-street
more thin mace to we the hotter till after the
middle of January. I saw Mr. Horse twice at
Catherme-street in March. I don't recollect tipping
the nomitiscript of dare " Itegister" of Jan. 4. 1817.
I recollect the " Register" of 6,1 i March 1819; I
received part of that from America. and sent some
of the manuscript to the press. I arrived in Eng-
land from America in January 1819. I heard of
the meeting at the Crown and Anchor in the No-
vernber preceding ; I found my mother, sister, and
brother extremely desirous that rornething should
be written about Wright. I received front my fa-
ther some copy ; the " Register" of 6th March
1819, was partly written by me.
Mr. SCARLETT objected to this examination.
The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE You may pot
the printed " Register" in his hands, and ask hien
whit alterations were made."

[The " Re‘,.;ister" of titli March, 1919, was put
into witness** hands.]
Parts of that were received from America, I
don't think the time of Wright was uientioned in
the manuscript front A meric.s. 1 cannot recollect
the ',articular parts which I wrote. I left nearly
all I found in the original article, and made the ad-
dition where 1 could. I certainly wade it very dif-
ferent as to 'Wright. I awl John wrote about live
colooons oot of the twenty. Neither you nor myself
were in the habit of keeping the manuscripts; it is
generally used for lighting tires. 1 was not desired
to publish the " Register" for you, it war altogether
a concern of my owl' from January 1819 till J -
unary or February this last year. You had made pro-
vision by other lllel lIA for my mother and sister. I
was never requested by you to publish any thing
which you seat me hods America. The character
of your hued witting is so like that you have fre-
quently mistaken it formitte. We arc to the habit
of rigising for eat li other.
Cress-examined by Mr. SCARLRTT—I never
did print the " Register." 'there itever was any
precise bargain between niy father and nie. He
was to receive about 3.501.0 month; the residue I was
to keep. Before IV‘ Clll to Alllerleil I did not write
much for the work ; I knew the lute Mr. Boswell
I have not seen him since 181-2. Since I gave up the.
" Register" to my father, but received no multi for
it. I had only the tole, and if I had refused to give it
up, my father could have written for another paper.
The letter " to Jiinies I'aul Cubbett" 1 received
from Bulky, and understood it was 1,0111 toy father.
John Cobbeit examined.-1-le coutiimid the ter
timooy of the preceding witness.
Cross-examined by Mr. Wigwam-11 did not
either tee or hear the Later of 6th January, 1820,

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