The National Register.
London, England, 1821-02-26 00:00:00

LAIV INTELLIGENCE.

COURT OF KING'S BENCIis
nEDNIrSDAY, IRS. VI.
THE KING V. HUNT.
The defendant in this case was the proprietor of The
.Frarniner weekly newspaper, and the present was aii
forniantot bled aganist him by the Attorney Gemral
for a Inn I inserted in that paper, on the 24th of July
last, reflecting on the House of Cot iiiii one.
The alleged libel, after describing the majority of the
members as greedy place-limiters, pensioners, and needy
adventurers,asseried that the house ciimained a far greater
number of public criminals than public guardians, ecc.
was the libel complained of.
A turney General stated the case to the Jury, and
urged the UMWI topic as to the mischievous tendency of
such publications as that now brought tinder their con-
sideration. He
disclaimed any personal monies in this
prostctirion. lie Low proceeded against the defendant
its the discharge of his public ditty ; and having done
Iris duty, he now Caltyll on the Jury to discharge theirs.
The usual proof of publication, and of the deleietant
being ',torte:or of the paper in question, was put in.
The defendant then proceeded to address the Jury iu
his own defence, a tid read a long written 'wiser, in which
lie disclaimed any other anotite than a wish to benefit
the public ; lie denied that lie li mil libelled the I louse of
COMitions, or that he had any lutetium' of villyilying or
degrading it; he ban only applied the same epithets,
and given the settle description of it as had previously
been done by .Jr. Fox, Nit. Borke, and other great men,
and lie contended that when the present constitution of
the House of CronitionS was Considered, when it Win
acknov ledged that seats in that House were publicly
bartered and sold, and that a minister oldie crown (lord
Castlereagh) had been inot-eil to tease participated its •
such practices, the description git en was cot rect.—
After soin.f further observations, lie declared lie misted
confidently to the Jury to do justice by their verdict to
the motive* which had actuated his conduct on this
occasion.
The Ciii4 Justice in summing up commented on the
nature and mischievous tendency of the publication
question, and declared himself decidedly of opinion it
was a libel.
The Jury retired, and after being out some time they
eallie tom Court and put a question to his Lordship, as
to the necessity of there being a proof of malice to con-
'tante the offruce
The Chief Justice said, the motive of a man's act
must be inferred from the effect which his act was likely
to have. If a mati was wilfully to du an act which might
in ellect cause the death of another, he must be re-
sound to have malice in his heart.
The July again retired,and in a few minutes returned
with a verdict of Guilty.
TUB KING V. FLSTCHER AND O'BRIEN.
This was an indictment against the defendants for a
conspiracy to excite discontent and disloyalty iti the
minds of his (Majesty's subjects, by the circulation of se-
ditious and iiifia 11111 l Jim), hand bills. The Case has been
fully detailed in our police-reports. Fletcher, alias
Franklin, alias Forbes, (lid not appear to plead, but Mr.
O'Brien pleaded not guilty.
('raison stated the case to the Jury.
Seale, the printer, was examined, mid proved that lie
received his orders to print a number of hand-bills nom
Franklin ; amongst them were the Sinithfield bills, the
bills to the unrepresented of Westminster, the bill re
lining to the Qtseen's plate committee, the fraud bill sent
to Leicester at Sir F. Burdett's trial, Ste.
The following se as the substance of Mr. Charles
Pearson's ant the attorney tit
Consequence of informat.on which I receiteil,
watched toe house of Mr. Seale on the Ist of October,
and also on the stil, 3d, and 4th of those days. On the
first two days I did not see any thing to attract my notice,
but on Wednesday, the 4th, alter a walk which I had
taken to avoid suspicion, I saw Fletcher coming cut of
Seale's house with a parcel under his tarot, butt four
niches in height. 1 recognised him burn the description
I hail ri ceivett front Seaie and others, of his rerson and
dress. Tuts was about hall past two o'clock in the at.-
ternonti. lie went down Tottenham-court through the
Seven Dials, into Castle-street, St. Alastin's•latte, and
thence through the courts to Craven street. Is tw him
go dine is Gras en-sireei, to No. 21, the house of Air. I).
O'Brveti, the other defendant. He had the parcel widi
Min its his hand. 1 saw I after lie gut into Mr.
O'Biyeit's,hrtuse. 1 passed the house, and immediately
saw to conversation with Mr. O'Bryen in his parlour.
I went into a ' house •lierwards to watch,
but se:mellow or ()Our I lost hum, lie escaped lily obser-
vation. I deans watched Al r. Scale's house on the SthoA
oClol,cr, in Cinnp.wy %%nil Ale. Wilde, not the barrister
1 saw .Mr toner tin that (la) ;he rune to Air. heale's
about 11.11 i past one, or lit Maps he maid there, I
should tim.k, about an hour. I waned iii an adjoining
Street (Attie, so that I SAW hint Come oul, he had a Paled
with him, it was about the size of that he had on the
precetinig day. I then traced hini to Craven-street again ;
1 saw him go inio Mr. Oetiis o.l3ryeit's house, in Cra-
ven-street. At that time he had the parcel in ill:, 1141ild.
watched the house iii order to see whether lie came
out, and lie tint come out about live and six in the after-
noon. He bad nut the parcel with hint then. Mr.
O'Bryesi came out a little before host and went away iii
a roach. On the ah of October 1 went to inquire for
Mr. Franklin at Maida-hill„ Edgeware-rni,4l, and some
One lOW WC filar a inaliallar house, out to mite,
was Mr. Ftanklin's. I made malty Inquiries in the
neighbourhood as to the name of the occupier of that
houseoisd I received the saute answer. Alter my return
return troll applied at Bow-street the next
morning, tile 71.11 October, and on the Saturday evening,
Bating obtained a warrant, 1 went to Mr. O'Brycii's
house bet, een six and seven o'clock ; I did not see Nll.
O'Brytu ti•at evening; it was the evening that 1 en-
quired lin Mr. Franklin of the maid-servant, who an-
swered sic float the area. The first answer that I