The Sun.
London, England, 1828-09-26 00:00:00

LONDON SESSIONS, SEPT. 25.

Mr. PAYNE, (a young banister), in the interval
between a trial for an assault and another case, re-
nested to be informed at what time it would be
the pleasure of the Court to hear the parish appeals.
Great inconvenience had, he said, arisen from the
delays which so frequently took place.
Mr. Serjeant ARABIN shook his head, and said
they must stand over. It was impossible they could
be taken that day, the business which must come on
being very great and important.
Mr. PAYNE hoped that some arrangements would
be made by which the inconvenience he alluded to
would be removed.

-- Sir
JOHN PERRING (/Daunt tenen.s for the Lord
Mayor) said the Court had other business before it,
and could not attend to the Learned Gentleman on
that subject.
Mr. PAYNE said, he had been some time wait-
ing for the opportunity of addressing a few words to
the Court, and be ascertained that nothing was be-
fore the Court previously to his presenting himself.
He repeated, that the inconvenience which resulted
from reiterated postponements and delays was mat-
ter of very serious complaint, and he did not see why
a respectful remonstrance to the Court should not be
entitled to some attention.

Two of the Aldermen—We can't hear you ; there
is something else before the Court.
Sir J. PERRING—No, no, Sir ; we can't hear
you. Go on with the other business (to the other
counsel.)
Some of the old counsel joined the bench in the
strong disapprobation of Mr. Payne's endeavour
to be heard. They declared that he ought not
to say a word. The parish appeals could not be
brought forward that day, so that that question was
settled.
Mr. PAYNE said, that if such postponements took
place so frequently, he should be compelled to re-
monstrate as often. He meant nothing disrespect-
ful to the Court in reminding it of a certain cause of
complaint, in the hope that the Court would, in its
wisdom, remedy the evil.
The Learned SERGEANT (to Mr. Payne)—Sir, we
having been doing business in this way these hun-
dred years, and we have done it well, and shall per-
severe. (Laugh ter.)
Mr. PAYNE here stated that this mode of doing •
business well was exemplified on this occasion, where
parishes were put to the expense of the attendance
of witnesses and all the law charges during three
sessions, and now, it appeared, had to wait for a
fourth. He had, of course, nothing to complain of
professionally.
A strange case succeeded this conversation. The
father of a little girl, about 10 years of age, was in-
dicted for chaining her, and using her in other re-
spects with excessive cruelty ; and her grandmother
was indicted for aiding and assisting the father.
A witness stated that he had gone to the apart-
ments of the male defendant, and saw the child
chained to a large piece of iron. The child cried
bitterly.
The little girl deposed that her father chained her
from Tuesday morning till Friday night, and heat
her likewise. (Here she seemed disposed to
whimper.)
Mr. PHILLIPS, counsel for the defendants.—Gen-
tlemen of the Jury, this is one of the most barefaced
impositions you ever witnessed. We admit that she
was chained, and chastened otherwise too; but the
fact is this :—Her father is a poor tailor, and lie has
a drunken wife, who is in the workhouse. As the
daughter had some of her mother's blood in her, he
determined to prevent her from going into the streets
whenever she pleased, and was absolutely obliged
to chain her to his goose to restrain her hereditary
impetuosity.—(Laughter.)—But what would the
Jury say when they found that she actually went
into the streets, goose and all, notwithstanding the
prohibition ?—(Loud laughter.)
Mr. PHILLIPS then cross-examined the girl.
Pray, my dear, what did your father chain you to
the goose for ?'—Cause I wanted to go to BartlemY-
fair.

And did you run away with the goose, chain and
all ?—Why, I (lid go away.
With the goose ?—Yes, along with the goose.
You did'nt lly with the goose did' you ?—No, it

wa'nt a goose what would fly.
The Learned SERGEANT said, it had been stated
that the child got no food.
Mr.. PHILLIPS—Look at her. I never saw a finer
lfato
atitehrtcelri for a tailor's child in all my
The Learned .)
SERGEANT—Did your father give
you enough to eat ?—No ; but my grandmother did.
Alderman VENABLES—It was really a shame to
bring such a case as this into Court. We admit the
impropriety of punishing in this way, but the ease
ought not to be brought here.
Mr. PHILLIPS further proved by the cross4xami-
nation, that the defendant unchained his daughter at
bed-time, and she never had any mark of punish-
ment. upon her, The Jury acquitted the defendants,