The Sun.
London, England, 1803-04-28 00:00:00

LONDOf4'DERRY ASSIZES.

7ohn Dinsmore, John Stewart, George Stewart,
111;n. 111' Kay, Charles Stewart, and John Dempsey,
being indided for the Murder of Neil M'Teer and
John M'Reynolds, at Kilrea, on the 7th of June
last, and for a Riot; and John Hanna, Hill Camp-
bell, John Kane, Thomas Hart, Patrick Kane, Pat.
Bradley, John M'Kenna, John O'Neil, and Hugh
Mooney, being indkled fur a Riot at the same time
and place, Mr. JAMESON, of Counsel for the Crown,
having begged to refer the Court to the examina-
tions of Henry Paterson, Esq. in which the whole
case was fully disclosed, stated, that the magnitude
of the riot, in which some hundreds of Freemasons
were engaged on the one side, and some Orange.
men on the other, and for which the Traversers
stood indkted, had arose to such a pitch that it
seemed as if the late Rebellion had still raged ; and
that in the dreadful conflid two men had unhappily
lost their lives, and several their limbs; that the
Government of the Country, determined to punish
all offenders against the public peace, whether
Orangemen or Freemasons, Protestants or Catholics,
had sent the Crown Solicitor to the spot to investi-
gate the fads ; that in consequence of his exertions
eight of the rioters had been conviaed at the last
Assizes, and the persons charged with the murder,
and the other persons .now in the dock charged
with the riot, had been brought in for trial ; that
on the ftillest and most minute examination of all
the persons who could be produced on both sides,
there appeared to be nothing of murder in the tin.
happy killing ; that all parties, both Freemasons
and OrAngemen, having felt the strength and effect
of the Laws, and being sensible of their own crime,
had wished to become friends, and return to their
industry, and to cultivate a good understanding
with each other, and to shake hands ; that the
Counsel for the Crown thought it unnecessary to
take, up the time of the Court in further investi.
gating a killing, which was now so fully ascertain-
ed to be free from any of the circumstances which
constitute the crime of murder ; and as the public
Justice of the Country has been satisfied by. the
punishments rrhich had taken place, in order to as.
sist in the-restoration of the peace of the county, he
would not trouble the Court by producing any wit.
nesses against the Traversers or Prisoners.
The Prisoners and Traversers having been ac.
quitted, the Hon. Baron GEORGE, who presided on
the trial, said—" You, Prisoners, who are now.
going to be discharged from the dock, being ac-
quitted of the murder, and you Traversers, who
have been acquitted of the riot, you are all about
to return • to your homes and your families, and be.
fore your departure I wish to address a-few words
to you, as your common friend. You have heard
from the Counsel for the Crown, that the Govern-
ment is determined to prosecute all description of
offenders against the public peace of the country,
without resped to parties or persuasions, whether
they be Freemasons or Orangemen, whether Protes-
tants or Catholics, until they shall have restored the
morals of the people to that good order and p,,,,;,ce.
able disposition to each other from which they have
been torn by the late horrid Rebellion. I exhort you
to embrace one another, and return to your homes ;
lay aside all differences ; vie with each other in
obedience to the Laws—vie With each other in In.
dustry—vie with each o:her in Loyalty : you are
all subjects of the same King ; you arc all inhabi-
tants of the same Country ; you all worship the
same Almighty God ; you all hope for salvation
through the merits of the same blessed Redeemer ;
you pray for forgiveness of your faults—forgive
then one another ; open your arms and embrace
one another as friends and brothers, and bear en-
mity to none .but the foes of your King and Coun-
try, for they are your only mortal enemies : you
will then live more peaceably ; you will die more
happily ; you will not be hunted by Constables or
Officers of Justice ; you will not be confined in a
Jail, nor brought to the bar of a Criminal Court.
Go home, then—,return to you habits of industry,
peace, and obedience to the Laws, and so may God
bless you all."