The Sun.
London, England, 1844-02-02 00:00:00

HOME CIRCUIT.

The Right Hon. Lord Dennan.aidiff. Baron Alderson,
the judges appointed on this circuit, have fixed fur—
Ilertfer4shire--liertford, Wednesday, Feb. 28.
Essex—Chelmsford, Monday, March 4.
Kent—Maidstone, Monday, March 11.
Sussex—Lewes, Monday, March 18.
Surrey—Kingston, Monday, Mardi 23.
WESTERN CIRCUIT.
Mr. Justice Wightmax and Mr. Justice Cresawell com-
mence this circuit at—
Winchester, for the county of Southampton, Thursday.
Feb. 29.
Wiltshire—New Sarum, Wednesday, March 6.
Dorsetshire--Dorchester, Tuesday, March 12.
Delionshire--Exeter Castle, Saturday, March 16 ; for the
city of Exeter, at the Guildhall, the same day
Cornwall-13odmin, Saturday, March 23.
Somerset—Taunton, Saturday, March 30.

The Judges appointed on the remaining circuits hare not
yet fixed the days for holding the assizes on their respective
circuits.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
COURT OF QUEENS BENCH, Jan. 31.
_ THE QUEEN P. P. L. STRACIIAR.

It will be recollected that this was an indictment for an
indecent assault. The defendant was found guilty.
Mr. Kelly now prayed the judgment of the Court upon the
defendant.
Lord Denman suggested that it might not pefhaps be eon,
sidered necessary to read the Judge's notes of the trial.
Mr. Kelly said, he thought it might be proper to read the
evidence of the prosecutor.
Mr. Thesiger, for the defendant, said he feared, then, that
all the evidence must be read.
Mr. Justice Wightmau then read over his notes of the evi-
dence of the two chief witnesses.
Affidavits were then pat in from Lieut.-Col. Campbell, Who
stated that he had been Governor of Sierra Leone, and that
the defendant was then in service under him ; that he was
employed upon some very important missions, during which
time he caught the fever of the climate, and his whole frame
became paralysed; and his mind was at times so much Al-
tered, that he had sent home a certifict is stating his belief
that the defendant was occasionally insane.
Other affidavits from various medical men were also read,
who stated that a lengthened imprisonment would be of se-
rious injury.
Mr. Thesiger then rose, and said that, in addreasins their
Lordships on behalf of the defendant, it was impossible he
should do so except under circumstances of the greatest em-
barrassment and difficulty, arising out of the feeling which
must be excited from the serious offence of which the de-
fendant had been convicted. The facts were now so fully
before their Lordships, that it was almost unnecessary for I
him to make any observations; he should be very far from
wishing to make any remark upon the result of the trial.
His Lordship, who had tried this case with that fairness and
impartiality which characterised him, would do him the
justice to recollect that he abstained from making any
observations to the disparagement of the boys, althour,ell
he certainly expected to show they must have mistaken
the case, or their conduct would have been different; but
he assumed all they had stated to be true. Mr. Strachan
had ' offered •no affidavit ; he felt- it his duty to
bow to the Court. He (Mr. Thesiger) thought the
severe view the jury had takea might have been mitigated, '
and that the count. forAlitt assault only might have
been found. He wonld'Atot observe upon the case itself,
but there were peculiaN. circumstances in thb case,
which, when their Lordsliips he 4 to assign punishment, he
was sure they would not lose sight of. It appeared that the
defendant heid been, for a period of eight years, in a COMMIS'
which had been the grave of so many of his follow-country-
men—that lie had there been engaged on vary important
duties, so as to secure to him the confidence of the officer
who had the command of the settlement—that he had

turned with a shattere(rconstitution and with a mind en-
feebled by the disease with which he had been visited, not
so as to render him an irresponsible agent, but unqne-tion-
ably to place him in a situation for• their Lordships' mercy.
Their Lordships had heard his character from persons of high
station and respectability, who had known him for a consi-
derable number of years, and he was quite satisfied that all
these circumstances would weigh strongly upon their Lord-
ships' minds, and when they had to discharge a duty, the
most awful duty a man could discharge—that of passing, a
sentence of punishment—while they looked with that sternness
on the offence with which every properly-feeling mind mast
regard
it, that their Lordships at the same time would feel
that compassion for the sufferings, to which this gentleman
had been exposed which would induce them, as far as they
could, consistently with their high and important duties, to
pass a lenient sentence, such as would reconcile justice with
mercy.

Mr. Kelly, in addressing the Court for the prosecution,
said he was persuaded their Lordships would feel that it was
quite unnecessary for him to occupy the attention of the
Court at any length. By the affidavits a suggestion had
been made that the individual now awaiting their Lordships'
judgment had been subject to occasional aberrations of mind.
His friend had felt himself under the necessity of admitting
that this offence could not be said to have been committed
by an irresponsible agent. Of the offence it was not his in-
tention to say more, except that of any offence of this nature
was one of the gravest character—if it was possible that it
could be aggravated to the highest degree of conceivable
enormity, it was the case now before the Court, because the
Court would bear in mind the age of the boy, and the fact
of its being at Harrow. School, where it was scarcely pos-
sible to calculate the extent of the mischief. He was quite
satisfied their Lordships would give full effect to what had
fallen from his Learned Friend, but that they would not be
unmindful of what was due to public justice and to the youth
of this community.

Mr. Watson eras on the same side, but declined saying any-
iag.

116. Justice Patteson delivered the judgment of the Court
in the following terms :—Patrick Leigh Strachan, you have
been found guilty of an assault with intent to commit a hor-
rible and detestable offence, for which offence, if you had
completed your purpose, your life would have been forfeited.
It appears from all.the evidence that you must have gone
down to Harrow for the purpose of attempting something of
this kind upon the boys you might meet. with, and that ap-
parently under circumstances of considerable deliberation.
You can never be sufficiently thankful you were detected in
the present instance before you had actually committed the
offence, and your life had become forfeited; and that it has
pleased God to spare that life for some time, and give you an
opportunity for repentance and amendment, and I earnestly
entreat you to employ your time for that purpose. The sen-
tence ot the Court is, that you be imprisoned and kept to
hard labour in Clerkenwell Prison for 18 calendar mouths,
and in the mean time be committed to the custody of the
Marshal.

The defendant was then removed in custody.
The Court sat till a late hour.

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, Jan. 31.
(Sittings in Banco.)

LORD NV. PAGET v. THE EARL OF CARDIGAN.

Sir T. Wilde showed cause against the rule which was ob-
tained a few days aFo by Mr. Sergeant Channell on behalf of
the defendant, for indgment as in case of a nonsuit. The
affidavit upon which the Learned Sergeant relied, stated that
the witness Winter went on the morning appointed for the
trial with the plaintiff's attorney as far as Ilolborn, on their
way to the Guildhall, and that in Holborn Winter parted
company with the attorney, observing that he should be at
the Guildhall as soon as ate attorney himself. When the
plaintiff's attorney, however, reached the Guildhall, he was
informed that Winter was net there, and that he would not
come at all. The Learned Sergeant said, that affidavits had
been filed in support of the rule, negativing impatations
which had been cast upon the defendant, but he did not seek
to discharge the rule upon any ether ground than that of the
plaintiff having used dne diligence.
Mr. Sergeant Channell said that the object which the de-
fendant had in view in applying for the rule was to clear him-
self of the charge imputed to hint, of having procured the
witness to be sent out of the way. His Learned Friend having
disclaimed any charge of that kind, he was ready to accept
a peremptory undertaking.
Rule discharged upon a peremptory undertaking to try at
the ensuing sittings.
The Court sat till a late hour, but nothing further occurred
which was generally interesting.

COURT OF EXCHEQUER, Feb. 1.
(Sittings at Nisi Prins, before Lord ABINGER and Common
Juries.)
The following undefended cases were disposed of at the
sitting of the Court this morning ; in each case verdicts for
the plaintiffs were given :—ln Walsh v. Gates, for 26!. 19s ;
Martin r. Ratcliffe, for 351. 3s. 4d.; Cohen and Another v.
Lawrence, for 66/. 19s.