The Sun.
London, England, 1840-07-16 00:00:00

SUMMEII ASSIZES.

nomr, cli7c El I 7'. - .11 rprr 177.2) , .7 r 7.r 75.
Tat., Commis...on of A4q-ze for tile county of lierfe
was' opened on Thursday by Air. 134r0n Gurney. The
buo.inesA en the C,v,l f.ide will not commer.cfe until
Mond.ty, and Lord Abinger is not expected until this
evening:.

Mr. Baron Gurney, having opened the Commission,
attended Divine Service, and the Crown Court was
afterwards opened in due form.
There are nineteen prisoners for trial, seventeen
males and two females, and the charges comprised two
of murder, three of feloniously stabbing, one of arson,
and other serious charges. Of these prisoners only one
charged with horse-stealing can. read and write; the
others can neither read or write, or can only do so :me
perfect ly.-
The Grand Jury haring been sworn, Mr. Baron
Guars Er proceeded to addle ss them
LORDSHIP observed that it gave him great plea-
sure to see so warn; gentlemen of respectability in at-
tendance, to perform the duties of Grind Jurors, at a
perio of the year which was unfavourable fora route-
roes attendance. Although the number of prisoners
contained in the calendar was out tumericall greater
than was usual at tne Sutera,,r Ass Zes, yet. he per-
ceived there • were several very serious charge.Q, which
would require great coesiilera ion at their hands Tho
first charge he would allude to was one of child murder,
and in :h et case the principal ohjoct for thetuto turn their
attention to, was whether the infant was born slice ; and
epon this point they would doubtless have the evi.feaceof
seieut.fie persons. He most, however, to mark, that
evidence et this kind was considered most fallacious,
and there'ore it would be their duty to watch it nor•
roe ly, and see whether they were satisfied that the in.
Pant was born alive. It they were satisfied of this fact,
then the y would have to coasider whether the evidence
is support of the charge'of murder was sufficient to put
the prisoner upon her trial. • Tao next charge he should
mention was of a fearful character—that of arson, winch
was one, of all others, calling for the olosest degrta
of attention at their leteds. It was a crime never,
(accept under very extraordinary circumstances, came
mitted in the presence of any witness, and, thereibre,
it could only be proved by a chain of eircurnstava.ial
evidence, which, however, he would take that op-
portunity of remarking, was frequently more satisfactory
titan even direct or pesitive evidence. - With respect ta
cases of such a description, he should advise the
Grand Jury, if they thought the c‘idence not suffi-
cient, to ignore the bill, because justice tees
frequently defeeted by an incomplete case being brought,
before the Petty Jury, which, in the event of art
ac.
quittal, precluded ail further proceedlogs, Qereas if
in such a case the bill had heeii ignored, the priseaer
might in an unguarded moment have made afhois,ions,
or some additional evidence might have been procured,
sufficient to bring the guilt home to the party. He re-
gretted deeply to see that the experience of the Judges
of the land proved that a crime, formerly unknown in
this conetry, has of late been springing up, and it was
inaposs.ble to deny the fact, which at present prevailed to
a most dreadful extent, viz, that of cutting and stabbing
with knives and similar weapons. lie could not
account satisfactorily in his own mind for wen
a state of things, but he feared that it, was in a
very great measure to bo attributed to the habits of
intoxicati.or, so unhappily prevalent among the lower
classes of tenets. He would, therefore, take this op-
portunity of reminding • them of the contents of the
proclamation against vice and immorality that had jutit
been read, To impress upon them the neoessit7 of
doing nil in their several capacities, whether us magis-
trate; or as country gentlemen, to disueurare this gni
o:1Tr vices, and to inculcate the dut',es of morality
acidoistty among their Pec•Fer t:'..2ighbeurs in the:r
respective d6tmets• in Ito ! prese,.t calendar there
appeared to be three Nisei; of the description be
had to, in two of which the offence
charged was committed while the prisoners were
le 'a state of intoxication. The third case wits
one of en extraordinary character, Tir it ap-
peared thst the party charged, after lilt cling
a severe wound upon a female, had iefl•cted a much
more severe end danger-ens wound upon himself ; and a
question would :cry probably arise whether the prisoner
it the time he committed the offence was in such a
suite of mind as to render him legally responsible far
what be had done. With this question, however, they.
the Grand Jura, would have nothing to do, and if they
found this thincr eh irge supported by the evidnee, ft
would he their duty to find a true bill.
After some gen, ral observations the Learned Judge
conducted by dismissing the Grand J.try to their duties.

/-it-
G ED MOll.