The Sun.
London, England, 1825-09-15 00:00:00

LONDON SESSIONS.

Yesterday these Sessions commenced before the Right Ilon.
the Lord Mayor, the Recorder, the Sheriff's, and a full Bench
of Aldermen.
The RECORDER addressed the Grand Jury at considerable
length :-11e was free to confess that it gave him great concern
that the labours of the Gentlemen of the Grand Jury were likely
to be extended to a considerable length of time; for, up to the
time the calendar was made up for publication, there were 82
prisoners charged with crimes within the city of London, which
. was at least one-fourth more than he ever remembered in the
corresponding periods during his 40 years' experience. With a
few exceptions, the charges were of that common description,
with which they were, alas, but too familiar; therefore, in de-
ciding upon them, in all probability their intelligence and ex-
perience would most likely supersede the necessity of remarks
from the Court. There was, however, one case on which he
would make a remark, viz., maliciously killing 2 valuable horses.
—Formerly the law did not deem this heinous offence% capital
felony, unless it tVas proved that the offender was prompted
to such a brutal act from a principle of malice against the pro-
prietor of the beasts or cattle which were maimed or destroyed.
During the last session of Parliament the Legislature had
judiciously passed a law which would prevent persons of this
description from escaping (as many had done) with impunity ;
the offence was now become % capital felony, and punishable
as such. There were some cases which the calendar did
not contain, one of which number would probably come be-
fore the Grand Inquest, and it' so, it would demand their
serious attention. The Learned Recorder said lie alluded
to a charge of combination, or unlawful conspiracy. In a
country like England, this offence was not to be tolerated.
Since the session before last the Legislature had very pro-
perly made an enactment which would render the common
law of the land operative, so as, if possible, to annihilate
the evil, or at least stern its torrent. Experience had shown
that the offence to which he alluded had not only been
subversive of order, and detrimental to trade and com-
merce, but i:s result had been stained by the foul crime
of murder. Those conspiracies had not been confined to
one element, but in some instances bodies of men had armed
themselves, and attacked ships, &c., thereby preventing
the orderly and satisfied mariner from doing his duty. He
adverted to the occurrence of an illegal conspiracy which had
taken place l years ago at The Tinics office, and which had
been prosecuted with great spirit by the conductor of that jour-
nal. The offenders were convicted, and a severe punishment
very properly followed, hut a punishment not more severe than
just. The consequences were extremely beneficial, as conspi-
races of this nature were afterwards for a long time prevented.
After the Learned Recorder had remarked upon the several
other offences, he dismissed the Jury, expressing his confidence
that the members of it would discharge their important duty in
a manner which would prove not only satisfactory to themselves
on reflection, hat also obtain for them the thanks of their
fellow-citizens.
The Cotnur afterwards tried one assault case, and heard a
number of parish appeals not possessing the least interest.

Last night, between nine and ten o'clock, the
metropolis was visited by one of the heaviest
showers of rain we ever remember to have wit-
nessed. In many parts the streets were, for a
considerable time, rendered impassible. From
the courts that empty themselves into Fleet.
street, the water rushed clown in torrents, and in
some of the houses in Holywell-street the lower
parts we re flooded. Under the archway at St.
Clement's Church the water was nearly six inches
in depth.