The Sun.
London, England, 1832-01-07 00:00:00

of the crew had been attacked, but their lives
were not despaired of.

NOTTINGHAM SPECIAL COMMISSION.

NO TTINGHAM.-7 HURSDAY NIGHT.
I stated yesterday my opinion that the business of
this Commision would terminate either on Saturday
or Monday next. In this I spoke without sufficient
force as to the nature of the indictments, and the evi-
dence by which they are to be supported, as also of
the defence which some of the prisoners intend to
make. I now find that several indictments for ca-
pital offences have been prepared against many of
the prisoners, that these rest on the testimony of a
great many witnesses, and that some of the prisoners
have as many as 10 or 15 witnesses to prove an
alibi. It is said that the witnesses for the prisoners
amount to 250 in all. Taking this into considera-
tion, and the fact mentioned below, that nothing has
been done to-day but the charging of the Grand
Jury and the finding of indictments in one case, I
think there is no chance of the business of the com-
mission being brought to a close before the middle
of next week, if so soon.
I may here mention that a meeting was held here
a short time ago, at which an address was voted to
the King, praying, amongst other matters, for the
dismissal of the Duke of Newcastle from his office
of Lord Lieutenant of this county.
This address was sent to Mr. Hume, who acknow-
ledged its receipt in a letter, dated the 29th of De
cember, which, with the address, I subjoin. They
are not destitute of interest at this time.

This morning, at half-past ten, the Judges, ac-
companied by the High Sheriff, &c., went to St.
Mary's church to attend divine service, after which
they proceeded to the Crown Court, where the roll
of Magistrates being called over, twenty-seven an-
swered to their names, amongst these was the Duke
of Portland, who soon after took his seat on the
bench. The Court was crowded in every part, but
owing to the very kind attention of 11r. G. Freeth,
the Under-Sheriff, the reporters from the London
Press were provided with very convenient places.
They have also to acknowledge the very obliging
attention of Mr. Collison, the clerk of the arraigns.
After the usual formalities, the following were
sworn on the Grand Jury : --
Lord George Bentiuck, Foreman.
The Hon. Charles Picrrepont. J. S. Sherwin, Esq.
Sir R. Clifton, Bart. J. G. C. Gardiner, Esq.
Sir R. H. Bromley, Bart. H. Machin, Esq.
J. S. Lumley, Esq. T. Nixon, Esq.
J. E. Denison, Esq. W. Taylor, Esq.
NV. F. Handley, Esq. T. Hall, Esq.
W. Miles, Esq. H. Mundy, Esq.
J. E. Westcome, Esq. F. Wright, Esq.
J. Wright, Esq. H. Smith, Esq.
Wm. B. Martin, Esq. P. Brooke, Esq.
NV. F. N. Norton, Esq. W. NV. P. Clay, Esq.
The usual proclamation against vice and profane-
ness was then read, after which
Mr. Justice LITTLEDALE addressed the Grand
Jury to the following effect :
Gentlemen of the Grand Inquest,--I am most
happy to find a full Grand Jury, consisting of such
highly respectable gentlemen, on this solemn occa-
sion. We are assembled by virtue of a Commission
issued by his Majesty, to exercise the criminal judi-
cature in this county. It is well known to all who
now hear me, that in the early part of last October,
some very daring and outrageous acts of violence
and rapine were committed, and a great quantity of
property destroyed in the neighbourhood of this
town. These acts appeared to have gone to such
an extent, and to be of such magnitude, that his
Majesty deemed it proper that an investigation should
take place as to who had been the perpetrators of
these crimes, at an earlier period than the usual time
appointed for the trial of offenders. It appears that
in the early part of the first of the days on which
some of these outrages took place a meeting was
held at Nottingham, connected with the question of
Parliamentary Reform• It does not appear, how-
ever, that at at the meeting any thing occurred
which led to what afterwards followed ; but when a
great number of persons are assembled for one pur-
pose, it frequently happens that after the meeting is
over, misguided and ill-disposed men would take ad-
-vantage of an assemblage having taken place, and
will proceed to acts foreign to its original object, and
will commit aggressions against those who differ
with them in opinion on the subject of the meeting,
or will take an opportunity of venting their private
malice against individuals unconnected with or
owing to any particular opinions, or for the sake
of rapine and plunder, or for the sake of wanton or
reckless mischief; but, gentlemen, it is no part of
your duty, or of those who are named in the com-
mission, to enquire into, or consider the cause or cir-
cumstances which led to the commission of the
offence which ought to be investigated. Even if
we were to do so, and could be quite certain of

having come to the right conclusion, it would not
in the least vary the question. Our only duty is to
consider whether any crimes have been perpetrated,
what the nature of those crimes is, and by whom
they have been committed : and we shall be the
better able to investigate these objects of inquiry by
confining the question to the points themselves,
without reference as to what led to them. lam
sure that the country may solely rely on the vigi-
lance and attention with which you will proceed in
the examination of the cases brought before you,
and that no indignation at the outrages which have
been committed will excite any prejudice in your
minds, when you are considering the evidence
against each individual, and deciding how far he is
personally implicated; and on the other hand, that
the serious nature of the charges will not deter you
from presenting to the justice of their country those
who may reasonably appear to be guilty of them.
You are not, however, to decide whether the per-
sons charged are guilty or not—your duty is only to
enquire, whether the evidence appears to you to be
sufficient to justify you in sending them to another
jury, who are appointed by law to hear the evidence
on both sides, and to say whether the persons
charged be guilty or not of the crime imputed to
theta. It is of the highest importance to the peace
and good order of society, that not only those who
have been concerned in the late outrages, but that
all other persons should be taught, by the awful
lesson which may be afforded here, that whatever
vain notions may be entertained of the power or
strength of a riotous multitude, and however
such a multitude may maintain for a short time
a successful triumph, the law of the land will always
be found too strong for those who transgress it, and
that those who defy it will in the end be subdued by
it, and be compelled to submit to its justice or to its
mercy. The cases which have given rise to this
commission are,—first, the burning and partial de-
molition of Colwick-hall ; second, the burning of
Nottingham Castle ; third, the burning and partial
demolition of a mill at Beeston ; fourth, the riots
in and near Wollerton-park. The law as to these
cases lies in a small compass. With respect to the
burning, at common law the malicious and voluntary
burning of the dwelling-house of another, or of a
barn with corn in it, was a felony. Several Acts of
Parliament have been passed for the prevention of
arson, the last of which, prior to the late consolida-
tion Acts, was the 9th Geo. 1., c. 22. ; and now,
by the 7th and Bth Geo. IV., c. 30, sec. 2, it is en-
acted, « That if any person shall unlawfully or ma-
liciously set fire to any church or chapel, or to any
chapel for the religious worship of persons dissent-
ing from the united Church of England and Ireland,
duly registered or recorded, or shall unlawfully or
maliciously set fire to any house, stable, coach-house,
out-house, warehouse, office, shop, mill, malt-house,
hop-oast, barn, or granary, or to any building or