The Sun.
London, England, 1823-02-07 00:00:00

. .
the defendant did not appear, and was calied on his rung.
nizances ; but he afterwards Came into Court, and the J..4=ned
Solicitor renewed his MOtiCID.
The 1401 u CHIEF read his notes of the trial.
On the part of the . defendant his own affidavit was read,
stating that he had a steo- and several children. dependent upon
him for support anal:hat he waS4lgicted with a complaint in
his head, which threatened to deprive bun of his eyesight, and
sometimes reduced hiM to a state htwhich he was not the master
of his own actions. This statementiWas corroborated by the
affidavits of several witnesses who.had known the.defendant
many years, and who had always regarded hint as a map of on-
blemished character. The managing eleticof the meteantile
house in which he was employed-also: stated, that he had re-
cently been compelled to take a hurried journey to seotiand on
business, which had produced a very sensible effect Millis bodily
and mental health.

The Juilgts consulted together for some tinier„after Which
The Loan Cum VSTICE, said; that there were circum-
stances disclosed in the affidavits which blade it advisable thut
the judgment should be postponed till next term. The Mince
W 1144 $ very serious one, and could not be visited by a lightjud-
ment; but under the CaCUITIStalleeS disclmed, the Court would
direct the dekndant to attend on the second Monday in next
tutu to •receive sentence.

The defendant then and one of his bail entered into reeopi_
nuance for his appearance, and left the Court.

TUE KING V. WRIGHT.

;)Ir. Gun/4El.lllond for the judgment of the Court on Mrs.
Stlssannali Wright, wht, having been found guilty of publish-
ing a libel on the Chr*thikreligion, waseonunittedlast term to
New,gate, for persisting to o'ffer matter *Welt the Court deemed
offensive.

• Mrs. Wright now appeared on the floor of the (hurt, attended
by a female friend. She was neatly dressed,• but appeared ,to
have suffered in health from the imprisonment winelt she has
undergone. •
The Loan CHIEF JUSTICE asked her if she wished to offer
any thing in mitigation of punishment.
Mrs. Wright replied that she did.
The Lour) CHIEF JUSTICE.—Then we are ready to hear
you.
'Mrs. Wright produced a large paper, and proceeded to read
it. She began by declaring, that having reviewed her conduct
in the solitude of her prison, she saw no reason to change her
opinions, or to repent of the constancy with which she had urged
them. When she was lust before the Court, she was prepared
to show that the Judges had no right to pass any sentence upon
her, because Christianity was no part of the law of England.
In pressing this argument, she had been stopped by their l,ord.
ships, because her reasoning was not agreeable to their ears—
Mr. Justice BAYLEY.Not because it was not agreeable,
but because it was not legal. I will show to you that it Is not
our assertion, but the solemn decision of former Judges, that
Christianity is parcel of the English law, and we cannot suffer
that point to be argued now. The Learned JudFe then read
the opinion of the Court in the " King v. Orme,"
Mrs. Wright, without making any reply, proceeded with her
argument, that Christianity could not be part of any human
law, and that. no human Judges had a right to punish those who
endeavoured to destroy it.
The laird Cur Ei-Juter rct then addressed the defendant,
who continued her endeavours to obtain a hearing :—Mrs.
'.l right, have been informed by the Court thatthey can►
not permit you to contend, that to defame and vilify the Chris.
tian religion is no offence against the law. If you. can urge any
thing to which we may properly attend—especially if you can
address to us any topics to Wier/ that a pitying consideration of
your case may be taken, wo are moat ready, nay, most anxious,
to hear you ; but we will not hear what we cannot listen to
without a breach of the dui .we owe to ourselves and to the
country. We will not suffer any person convicted of a bias.
Ominous libel to repeat the offence under pretence of shewing
that no judgment ought to' be pronounced against them. .
Mrs. Wright...-•l donot consider it as an offence,' and I will
prove—
Mr. Justice lixitt.tv--.4t. is not what you consider which
must prevail, but what the Court diteruunei:.in conformity
with previous decisions, and under the sanction at their oaths.
Mrs. Wright, however, proceeled as if no prohibition had
been addressed to her—" The Christianity you say you hold°—
The Lou n CHIEF .1v s`r c you offer to us any
grounds in mitigation of punishment ?
:Wry. Wright —I shall proceed with this—," The Christianity
you say you
The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE.—We are sorry to take this
course, but we have no option. The law must not be bathe
down and trodden upon by defendanti in this mamier. We
can hear no more, union; you will Address us in :a way *bleb
we can properly hear.
The Judges then began to consult, but during the whole of
their carom- tuition,' Mrs. Wright proceeded to read on, quite
regardless, and apparently unregarded. At length she was
stopped by
Mr. dustier' BANIAT, whd rose,- and without any prelimi—
minary °bumf:Mon, said, " Susannah Wright, the judgment
of the Court CO you is, that for the offence of which you have.
been found guilty, you be imprisoned in 'the Iliataeof Cor.
rection,' in Cold.liath-Fields, for eighteen calendar months,
and that you pay to the King a fine of IOU?., and that, at the'
expiration of your imprisonment, you find two sureties fur
y•our good behaviour for five years, in AU each, and that you
he further imprisoned until such sureties be found and such
fine be paid.
Mrs.. Wright was taken from the Court, protesting against
the sentence, and with a contemptuous smile on her counter
nance.