The Sun.
London, England, 1825-02-01 00:00:00

when feelings and opinions take a firm impression, in securing 1
from the perils of cons!' uctive treason Horn Tooke, when he
and. his friends were called upon to answer that charge at the
.sazard of their lives, and it has been a subject of gratulating
recollection with Sir V. Gibbs in his latter years, that he was
concerned with the Atlas of British Liberty, Lord Erskine, on
that memorable occasion. Yet, Sir V. Gibbs, when in the
office of Attorney-General, so far forgot his veneration of the
press, that he instituted a prosecution against the Morning
Chronicle, for observing in an article—" 'What a crowd of
blessings rush upon one's mind, that would fall to the lot of
the country, if an entire change of Ministers took place; and if
every Monarch had an opportunity of becoming nobly popular,
it was the successor of George the Third.' Lord Ellen-
borough, who was not a whit more disposed to surrender prero-
gative, left it to the Jury in that case to say whether such an
o'servation exceeded the fair limits of discussion, and, of
course, they had no hesitation in deciding that it did not.—
Lie made use of that example; in order to impress upon them
the necessity of not yielding their understanding to the dic-
tum of great talents, ingenuity and prejudice, for there was
not one of them but was more capable of giving a fair in-
terpretation of a political article than, he would say, with
great respect, all the Law Officers of the Crown. It would
be for them to decide, whether the liberties of their fellow-
.-- citizens were to abide the hypercritical acumen of an Attorney-
'. 4 ileneral. lie would not ask this issue to be tried by any other
law or test, than the profession of the Attorney-General, and
would never interfere with a political discussion of men or
measures. if that principle were acceded to him on the present
occasion, he should consider himself as arrived in the haven of
safety, and he would now show that there was nothing in this
paragraph but what strictly applied to a fair political disqui-
sition. They were aware of the political principles upon which the
Star was conducted. It might be that those principles were
carried to an important length. There might be some of the Jury
who dissented from the politics of the Star, but there were none,
be was sure, who dissented front this position—that the sub-

ject of the Protestant Ascendency was na
legitimate topic for
newspaper discussion ; nor would it be said that impeach-
ing others with entertaining an opposite opinion to that
supported by the Star was a libel,. for some of the greatest chit-
- ratters in the empire have registered their dissent to those doc-
--• trines. He would not suppose it could he considered.an abuse
of the liberty of the Press, to state the opinions of some of those
great and splendid characters, such as Lords Farnham and En.
niskillen, whose zeal on the other side was notorious, and who
might avail themselves of their privilege of hereditary Counsel-
- lees of the Crown, and waiting upon Lord Wellesley, say to
him, that as experienced subjects, they would strenuously
counsel him that he had lost his popularity with that portion of
:he public which was valuable, and refer him to the page of his-
tory, where he would find, that, notwithstanding the profligate
character of Lord Wharton; he enjoyed a greater share of pub-
lic favour, because he supported those principles which were in
opposition to the policy professed by his Excellency ; and in
order the more effectually to entierce their opinions, they
might draw an historical portrait of Lord Wharton, to make
-- the contrast more complete, by enumerating those virtues which
• he wanted, and which Lord Wellesley possessed. If they assured
him that the true source of popularity was to be found in possess-
ing the principle of the glorious Revolution, instead of courting
• the favour of the Catholic Association, who treat all his zeal in
• their cause with sneers and scofils ; whilst one of their orators
compare his dispatches to those nf the great Roman tyrant, not-
, withstanding his anxiety to corraliate—if Lord Wharton enjoyed
populh.rity, though notoriously profligate, merely because he pro-
fessed those principles—this. would not be considered invidious
or offensive. The Learned Gentleman then proceeded to im-
press upon the minds of the Court and Jury, that such was the
true interpretation of the eallegedidael, and concluded,a splen-
• did piece of eloquence, by referring to the patriotic exertions
slf Swift, who so powerfully and ably drew the character-of
Lord Wharton, and who, if assailed by ex-officio: for the " Dra-
per's Letters," would never have effected the services he had
- rendered to his country, through the medium of the Press.
Mr. North, in the course of his speeeh, read the following
Ige•tutifill character of Swift from the celebrated "'State ofirs-
end, Past and Presort :"
" On this gloom, one luminary rose ; and Ireland -worship-
ped it with almost Persian idolatry : personal resentment was,
-perhaps, the first motive of the patriotism of 'Swift. • but it as-
- -sunete!- in its progress a higher port, and ;directed itself by
nobler considerations. The jealousy of the partisan soon ex-
panded into the generous devotion of a patriot, and the power
of his mind and the firmness of his character raised him to an •
ascendancy which no other individual ever attained or deserved;
chore suspicion, he was trusted ; above envy, he was beloved ;
above rivalree, he was obeyed. His wisdom was at once prac-
tical and prophetic ; remedial for the present, warning for the
future ; he first taught Ireland that she might become a nation,
.e.e.rul England that shemight cease to be a despot. But he was
• *churchman. Ills gown impeded his course, and entangled
efforts. Guiding a senate, or heading an army, he had per-
- baps been equal to Cromwell, and Ireland not less than Eng-
. /and ; as it was, he saved her by his courage, improved her by
his authority, adorned her by his talents, and exalted her by
. his fame. His mission was hut of ten years, and for ten years
-only did his personal power mitigate the government; but
e•when no 'longer feared by the great, he was yet not forgotten
Ly the wise—his influence, like his writings, has survived a
century—and the fbundations of whatever prosperity we have
slice erected, are laid in the disinterested and magnanimous
petriotiene of-Swift."
The mestranturous applause followed the conclusion of this
e e!ennene and. Learn eel Gentleman's address, which occupied
> the Court upwards of three hours, and of which the above is
• hut an abstract of the topics adverted to by him.
The ATTORNEY-GENEUAL and Mr. O'CONNELL ShO3k
- Mr. NORTH most heartily by the hand, upon his sitting
el fven.
Mr. O'CONNELL followed for Mr. Haydn, and applied him-
self particularly to the law of the case, which • he argued and
. dilated upon with peculiar ingenuity and ability. He con-
cluded, by observing, that Mr. Haydn and he differed upon
political subjects, but they were both agreed upon one principle.
- --the value and inestimable privilege of trial by jury. - It' they
• •• found the defendant guilty, they would send him to his cheer-
lien: house with the certainty of being soan torn from leis 12
children. If they acquitted him, they would send him (Mr.
O'Connell) to his 10 children and happy home with the most
• gratifying sensations.
The Court then adjourned to this day, when the Solicitor-
- Geteeral is to reply.
Titird, and last, Day's Proceeding: to-morrow.)