The Sun.
London, England, 1833-04-09 00:00:00

REX V. THE HON. F. CAVENDISLI.

The Hon. F. Cavendish was arraigned upon three
bills of indictment, for so many libels published by
him in the Castlebar Telegraph of January 30,
1833. The first was for a libel on the Marquis
of Sligo, Lord-Lieutenant of Mayo; the second
for a libel on the police ; and the third for a libel
on the Magistracy of Mayo.
The first indictment was that on the Magistracy.

Mr. FRENCH stated the case for the Crown.
The object of having the case tried in Galway was
to give Mr. Cavendish an impartial trial. Had he
been tried in Mayo, where the Browne interest
may be said or supposed to predominate, it might
be stated that the Crown intended to oppress the
prisoner. If ever any individuals were libelled,
the jury could scarcely have a doubt that those
were the Magistrates of the county of Mayo. They
were charged with having entertained themselves
with doing no less than shooting the peasantry. " If
there be not something done (says Mr. Cavendish)
to prevent this pastime, the population of Ire-
land will soon be thin enough, without the inter-
vention of emigration, or sending them to Van
ll:emen's Land." There were several other passages
to the same effect, all tending to bring the Magis-
tracy into con'empt and abhorrence. He would
not trouble the jury with any other observations,
but proceed at once with the proofs of proprietorship
and publication.
Charles Vernon, register of newspapers in the
Stamp-office, gave the usual proof of registry and
publication.
John Lynch, chief constable of police—Lives in
Oranmore ; subscribes to the .Mayo Constitution,
and was a subscriber to the Mayo Telegraph in
January. The remainder of the witness's testimony
went to prove that he received and read the al-
leged libel in the usual way.
Cross-examined by Mr. FITZGIBBON—Has been
a sutscriber for about three months to the Mayo
Constitution; par►ly approves of the principles of
that paper; subscribed two years to the Telegraph;
approved of the principles of the Telegraph ; toasted
it; will not swear that he drank confusion to its
enemies; it was not to make him a disinterested
witness on this trial that he gave up the Tele-
graph; was frequently at the liGuse of Mr. Caven-
dish ; was intimate with him, but ceased to be so
since the publication of the present libel; it was not
with a view to his being appointed a stipendiary
magistrate that he gave up the Telegraph and took
in the Constitution.

The case for the prosecution here closed.
The Hon. F. CAVENDISH rose, and addressed the
jury for about three hours, and with great ability.
After some short deliberation they found a ver-
dict of Guilty, but recommended the traverser to
the consideration of the Court.

SWINDLING BY A PRETENDED

CLERGYMAN.

The Rev. Mr. Fortescue, whose works and fame
are sufficiently notorious in the western districts,
was frequently in the habit, it appears, of writing to
wine-merchants, imposing upon them some very
plausible story of his having dined a day or two
before with my Lord Such-a-one, and relishing the
wine from his vaults very much (which, by-the-by,
we believe, was very much like the treat in the
" Arabian Nights,") requesting them to send him a
bottle or two of various sorts, as samples, stating
that if he approved of them, he would order a
quantity, and at the same time remit the amount.
His address was sometimes the " Rev. J. M. For-
tescue, Kentchurch Rectory, by Hereford ;" at
others, " Captain Fortescue," " Mr. A. M. Mantell,"
and " Mr. Smith." The wines disappeared, but the