The National Register.
London, England, 1820-05-21 00:00:00

Lin' REPORT.

COURT OF KING'S BENCH. MONDAY, Matt
An unustril bmtle WAS this morning displayed in
estminster H4ll, in consequence of thy great anxiety
manifested by all ranks of penille to procure a place in
('nun. The interesting proceedings which were this
day appointed to take place, naturally account for this
anxiety. Besides the judgment to be passed on Mr.
Hunt and his companions, it was generally understood
that Sir C. IVolseley was in attendance, expecting that
his sentence would also be pronounced. Seven noble-
men were in Court, amongst whom we noticed Lord
A psley and Lord Binning.
Mr. Justice 11..5t entered the Court a little before ten
o'clock, and after going throiLth some business of no
public importance, was soon after followed by the ether
Judges.
The Attorney-General then prayed the judgment of
the Court on Henry Hunt, and others.
Mr. hunt immediately made his iptwarance in Court,
attended by all the other defendants, with the excep-
tion of Johnson, who W-I1 then engaged in preparing
an affidavit. On this account tile proceedings were de-
layed for a short time. Mr. Hunt, accompanied by
. Johnson at length returned to the Court. All the de-
fendants being now in Court,
The Chief Justice inquired if all the affidavits were

ready.
Hunt —b it necessary, my Lord, to put in all
the affidavits at present? They are very long.
Lord Chief Justice—Yes; they had better be laid
before the officer. Muter some peculiar circumstances,
an opportunity is sometimes afforded of filing an affi-
d suit in reply.
The affidavits were then put in.
lit reply to a question from the Chief Justice,
The Attorney-General said, that he would not put in
any affidavits until he had braid those of the defend-
ants.
The officer then proceeded to read the affidavits, be-
ginning with Mr. Hura's. It stated, that lie received
an invitation to preside over a meeting to be held at
Manchester on the 10th of August last, which invita-
tion he, the deponent accepted. That on arriving at
Bullock Smithy, he was informed that the meeting was
abandoned, in consequence of the interference of the
magistrates. That he was then informed that a meet-
ing was appointed to take place 011 the 16th, and that
he. much against his own inclination, was prevailed
upon to remain in Manchester until that period. That
during that time, having heard that a warrant had been
issued for his apprehension, he went into the Court-
house, and addressing, Mr. Wright, inquired if this in-
formation was true. - That he was told that no warrant
had been Issued.; and after informing them that he
should always be ready to meet them peaceably, he de-
parted. 'that on the morning of the 16th he set out
from the house of his friend, Mr. Johnson, and ar-
rived at the-place of meeting about one o'clock. That
-the meeting then proceeded, and was proceding quietly,
when they were attacked by an armed body of cavalry,
who ,cut down men, women, and children, without
resistance. That he deponent, arrested this slaughter,
by inquiring of one of the officers near the hustings
the -reason of these proceedings, and being informed
that lie held a warrant for his apprehension, he the
deponent, immediately jumped down ; and requiring a
police-officer to execute the warrant, he immediately
surrendereu into the custody of Mr. Nadin. It then
declared that the deponent believed that the yeomanry
had intended to destroy him ; that, after he was pri-
soner. he had received two most severe blows front an
individual hold* the tank of Major-General in the
army; and that his life had been sated by the interpo-
sition of Nadin. That he was then thrown into pri-
son, where he remained eleven days and nights ; and,
that being brought up for examination, lie was remand-
ed, as he was then told, on a charge of high treason.
That upon a final examination, he, and several others,
were committed upon a charge of conspiring to hold a
seditious meeting, and immediately sent off to Lancas-
ter Castle, a distance of fifty miles. That he, the de-
ponent, disclaimed any idea of committing a breach of
the peace, and that he only saw the mottos of two of
the Rags, neither of 4% hich were exceptionable. That
notwithstanding the opinion of the Lord Chief Jus-
tice, the meeting held some time previously in Smith-
field, was held for a totally different purpose from that
4ssembled at Manchester, as was sufficiently evident
1%0181 the purpose expressed hi the public advertisements
announcing the meeting in Smithfield. That the depo-
nent, in consequence of this trial, had been much in-
jured in his private forearm, as- 'that his straits had been
considerably embarrassed. This was the purport of the
affidavit, which was of great length.
Many other affidavits were read, sworn to, principally
by persons attending the meeting, the wbole of whom
concurred in stating the legal object for which the
meeting was convened, the peaceable demeanour of the
multitude, and the unpro‘oked aggression of the yeo-
manry cava!ry
Another affidavit was subsequently read, which im-
peached the credibility of Chadwick, one of the wit-
nesses examined at the trial on behalf of the prosecu-
tion.
T he Attorney General observed, that perhaps he was
wrong in not having interfered sooner, but that lie
misted that such an affidavit ought not to ha-•e been
read.

Mr. Justice Best.—lt not only states him to be un-
worthy of belief, but goes on to accuse him of treason.
Mr. Hunt —lt accuses him, toy Lord, of being the
hero of the story which he himself had pod at the trial
After consulting the other Judos, the Lord Cnief
.Insuce addressed Mr Hunt, " that e you any thing
further to nr,ter"
Mr. Hunt.—" fly bird, had the wine of the witness
Chadwick been on the hick of the indictment, we ought
to, and shined have been prepared with witnesses. But
h.; was a witimsb totally unexpected, of whoa we bad