The Sun.
London, England, 1824-07-03 00:00:00

TNINA STEAM PACKET COMPANY.-
The Undersigned are now authorized to receive the
NAMES of PERSONS desifous of obtaining SHARES in
this undertaking, for which purpose the necessary printed
papers may be obtained at their office. Every practicable at-
tention will be paid to ensure an appropriation of the Shares, in
the order in which they are applied for.

AMORY and COLES, 25, Thiogmorton-street.

MARGATX, JUNE 30th, 1024.
At a very Numerous and highly Respectable MEETING of
INHABITANTS convened by the DEPUTY, and hold
this day at the TOWN HALL, at Twelve o'clock, " for
the purpose of laying before them the MEASURES which
have been adopted with the view of obtaining the PAR-
D(./N of JAMES TAYLOR., now at Botany Bay, under
a commuted sentence of Transportation fOr Life, but who
-it is believed, is guiltless of the.Crime,Tor which he is trans-
ported; and to adopt such further means in the Case, as
shalt be deemed most advisable ;"
FRANCIS COBB,TI Esql.Dvepiuty, in the Chair;
HIS mNG tailg
fully considerea
the Case of Attics Taylor, who, with Eighteen others,
Were tried before the Honourable Barop Wood, at the Spring
Assizes for the County of Kent, held at' Maidstone, in the Year
One Thousand Eight-Hundred and Twenty two, under the
Statute! Fifty-second George the Third, upon a charge of hay-
ing, on the Second Day of September, One Thousand Eight
Hundred and Twenty-one, feloniously assembled together with
Fire Arms, and other offensive Weapons, at, or near Marsh
Bay, in the Parish of St. John the Baptist, in this County, for
the purpose of removing Smuggled Goods. it appears that
upon the trial of the said Indictment, Thomas Cooke, James
Justice, Samuel Kerby Meredith, and Thomas Mears, were
examined, on the part of the Crown, not one of whom
(except Cooke) charged the said James Taylor with
being in the affray which was the subject of the In-
dictment ;' that Cooke, upon his cross-examination, admitted
that there was much confusion and noise, that he himself was
in a state of considerable alarm, and that the morning was dark
and hazy at the time at which it appeared to him that he saw
and heard Taylor in the affray ; that it is evident, that if Tay-
lor was in the affray, his presence there must have been known
to Justice, Meredith, and Mears, inasmuch as they were accom-
plices in the offence with which Taylor was charged ; that on the
part of Taylor. three witnesses, namely, Robert Harman, Chas.
Winch, and Jas. Saunders, were separately examined ; all of
whom proved most clearly and distinctly, that Taylor was en-
gaged with them, from 12 to 3 o'clock in the morning, in an.
other transaction at one of the Bathing Houses, at Margate, a
distance of nearly 2 miles from the place at which the affray hap-
pened, for which taylor stood indicted ; that although the trans-
action in which Taylor was so engaged 4 was one of an illicit na-
ture, yet it amounted, however, only to a misdemeanor, and was
totally unconnected with the affair which took place at Marsh
Bay, as is fully proved by the affidavits of the said Robert
Harman, John Saunders, Charles Winch, and one John Jones;
that Taylor being naturally anxious, not only on his own ac-
count, but for the proteCtion of the persons connected with him
in the illicit Transaction at Margate, was induced on his first
Examination, to suppress that tact, and consequently, to give
an unfaithful Recount of what he was doing duriog the time of
the, Affair at Marsh Bay ; the minds of the Jury being unduly
impressed with this Circumstance, found Taylor, together with
the other Eighteen Persons who were indicted with him, guilty
of the capital Felony with which they were charged ; it ap-
pears also that Mr. Adolphus, who had been retained as
Counsel for Taylor, handed over his Brief to Mr. Walford,
aftd lie left it to Mr. Ryland, who hid not read one word
of it.
'And also, that the Learned Judge, who presided at the
Trial Trial, being convinced that Cooke was mistaken as to the
,
of Taylor, and being, therefore, dissatisfied with the
'Verdict, the Jury recommended Taylor to his Majesty for a
Pardon ; that, notwithstanding this recommendation,
Taylor has been Transported for Life, contrary to what has
been uniformly the benign course pursued, in similar cases, by
his Majesty's illiistrlous Family, since' their Accession to the
Throne of these Realms. A

It is acknowledged by the Secretary of State, that Mr. Baron
Wood did recommend Taylor for Pardon, but it is stated the
Judge altered his opinion after he had received farther infor-
mation from Mr. Peel; from whence he obtained it, or how lie
could ascertain its truth, is very difficult to understand.
And further, that in addition to the case made by
Taylor at
his Trial, farther proofs of his innocence are to be found in the
dying Deposititions of the four persons who were executed for
the offence ' charged upon Taylor, all negativing Taylor's pre-
sence at, or participation in, the crime for which they suffered;
and 'also in Stephen Laurence, who employed all the persons
who were engaged in the said affray, at Marsh Bay, declaring
to several persons of the most respectable rank and character at
Margate, that Taylor was wholly innocent of the charge brought
against him, and that he (Laurence) was the person-who spoke
the words, and did the acts, attributed by Cooke to Taylor.
That therefore, whether regard be had to the evidence given
at the trial, or that which has been subsequently obtained; but
more especially when both are taken together into consideration,
there is abundant proof of Taylor
sinnocence ; for it is clear
that of the four witnesses who were produced on the part of the
Prosecution, one only affected to identify Taylor ; and that
witness admitted that he was at the time to which his testimony
referred, placed in such circumstances as necessarily to induce
much suspicion as to the possibility of his accuracy ; for there
was great noise and confusion then prevailing, and ho was in •
a state of much personal alarm, and the night was dark and
hazy ; and moreover if such testimoriy stood alone, it ought to
be deemed insufficient to ground a judgment of Guilty upon ;
but Taylor's defence is fortified by the negative testimony of
three of the witnesses produced on the part of the, Crown,
by the direct arid positive evidence of three consistent
witnesses produced by the priloner, who could not be
mistaken as to the fact to which they deposed, by the dying
depositions of four convicts who were executed, and by the de-
claration of Laurence, who admitted himself to be the person
whom Cooke mistook for Taylor; so that the charge against
Taylor is sustained by the testimony of one witness only, who
was placed 'in circumstances which furnish strong ground to
conclude that lie was mistaken ; while his innocence is attested
by eleven witnesses, neither of whom could be under any mis-
take or delusion as to the-Prisoner's Identity.
And again-
it appears, that upon a late application to the
Honourable House of Commons, in behalf of James Taylor;
Mr. Peel stated " his wish to do justice to the man, and had
been so careful, that when one individual had described him-
self to have heard words spoken while in his own house, at the
time of the afffay, which made in favour of Taylor, that he
had caused the distance between that House, and the Spot to
be measured ;' the consequence was, the House was found to
be fifteen roods more than half a mile from the Place where
the words were said to be spoken." Now it appears, from
the direct evidence of several persons present at this Meeting;
that in the evening of Tuesday the 22d instant, the experiment
was tried ;—when only four sentences were spoken by 3lr. Jar.
via, at Mr. Cramp's House,And every word was distinctly heard
at the place of the:outrage.
This Meeting therefore Unanimously Resolve, that they
consider James 'Taylor innocent of the Crime for which he
is punished ; and earnestly intrcat the Committee to take
such further steps in the Case as shall appear to them most
advisable.
Resolved unanimously, That a Subscription be forthwith
entered into to relieve the immediate necessities of Taylor's
wife and children ; and that it be appropriated under the di-
rection of the Gentlemen who signed the Requisition for this
Meeting.
Resolved unanimously, That we shall always consider our-
selves most highly indebted to J. P. Powell, Esq., the late
High Sheriff of this County, for the very manly and kind part
he has taken in favour of Taylor and his family.
• Resolved unanimously, That our sincere expression of thanks
be offered to R. Martin, Esq., M.P. for the very humane, and
activeopart he bath taken, in behalf of James Taylor.
Resolved unanimously, That the cordial Thanks of this Meet-
are especially due to the Inhabitants who signed the Requi-
sition to the Deputy, particularly to Daniel Jarvis,'Esq., whose
unwearied exertions, in developing the intricacies of this case,
are most highly creditable to his head and heart.
Resolved unanimously, That the Thanks of this Meeting
are due t,o our Deputy, F. Cobb, Esq., for his able conduct in
the Chair.
Reiolved unanimously, That these Resolutions be printed
and published in the London and also in the Kentish Papers.
(Signed) FRANCIS COBB, Chairman. .