The National Register.
London, England, 1821-04-02 00:00:00

CITY AND COUNTY OF EXETER ASSIZES.
Guildhall, Aluntlay, March 19.
' LIBEL.—THE KING V. F1.11410L1.L.
The infoination chaiged the ilti.eritlarit with having
published a scandalous and malicious linel ainst the
Queen, contained in the Irestnn Luminary, of July I I,
Ng% in the following wi rds :—" Shall a woman, %%110
is as notoriously denoted to Bacchus as in Ventis—shall
such a one as would, if found upon our pavement be
committed 10 bildeWell and whipped, be held up in the
light of stiff. ring innocence, and enthroned in our hearts
011 tile prostration of our boasted principles?"
Mr. Serjeant P.:II brit fly staled the cas: fur the crown.
l'roof in- publication was eaten adduced, and the learned
serjeant said this Was tics ease.
Mr. Coleridge rose fur the defendant. Ile woilltl not
justify the passage whit b [ruined the ground of this in-
formation—it st a, an intemperate sentence ; and if tire
defendant would have had him to justify it, he must
have sought another advocate. jute et h;ence of crime
rested on the intention of a party; and ii he could she .„
them from a tram of circumstances that J 1 r.
hail no malicious intention, he would be entitled to
their verdict.
Alr. Serjeant Pell rose to reply. He could not con-
ceive how the jury were to consider the defendant the
innocent man represented by nis learned friend. On
that thy when her Majesty was surrmaided by dangers
that almost reached her lie, the defendant had describ-
ed her as abandoned to the utmost profligatv; a lit in-
mate for a prison, and deseri hug of a degrading !wish-
merit, ItifltetAl only on the most notorious criminals
He would call their attention to the strong language of
the libel, and leave it with tile jury to say if were 1101 01
the foul, infamous description charged in the informa•
tion.—" A woman denoted to Bacchus as to Vetius."—
It was false ; he would confidently assert it to be an un-
founded 1:brl. lle duct not find in any of the charges
which had been brought against her NLtjosty, that she
was " notoriously devoted to Bacchus ;" he had indeed
heard the filthy whisperings that were abroad, but be
treated them as they deserved. " Shall such a one as
would, if found oil our pavement, he cumuli:ter! to bride-
well and whipped, i,e held up in the light of stiffering
innocence? " Pheve was 3 coarseness here—a degree of
personal bitterness that did no credit to the heart of any
man. 'Pie contrasting het Nlojesty wills her daughter,
in the same paper, also went bey-ond any thing of 'mi-
litia!: guilt lie bad e‘er heard. The !tamed
made mine further ob.ereations Ott the libel, and con-
cluded with enforcing upon the jury to find the defend-
ant guilty.
'1 he judge in his aildress to the jury, principally di-
rected their attention to injmtiec oh prejlidicieg the pith-
lie mind against a pert:on charged with ail oil-oce. '1.17e
offence of the defendant was preci-ely of this description
—and it was his duty unequivocally to state, that he
considered it a libel.
Tne jury deliberated a few minutes, and returned a
verdict or guilty, but strongly and unanimously rt coni-
mended the defendant to (lit clemency and consul.-ration
of the crown. The jod..te said, that he tdiotild take care
that their recommendation should be made ki;o,en iu
the proper quarter,

On Tnorsday e%einic., John I kin, E•y of Roe-head,
len Huddersfield, soon after seven o'clock, mounted
upon a spoiled horse, and, as was his practice, was
►idingat lull speed. %Vim' he• had got about two miles
stud a half from Huddersfield, on his way home, lie
meta horse. and chaise travelling with company (roan
Leeds to Hoddersiielal. Tlie nigiu was icillarly
dark, but we iioleur speed at which he was riding p o-
bably prevented him from observing the approlch or the
vehicle and his horse, which wok tlae wrong s:ile of the
road, coming all contact with Ihr other hors:s, he was
thrown by the concussion Guw lais seat, and fell with
his head against the cotiier of the chaise, wish such
'cal violence tu uccasiuu ilia 111111.1:4:14t::