The Sun.
London, England, 1820-12-12 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

COURT OF KING'S BENCH, DEC. 11.
LIBEL.—WRIGHT V. CORBETT.
• This action was brought by Mr. Wright against
Mr. Cobbett, to recover compensation in damages
foKan injury hii.character had sustained from seve-
ral gross, false, and malicious libels published by
t4e defendant in the Political Reois let's of the date
of Jan. 4, 1817 ;March 6, 1819 and -Pan..6,1001.
in which he described the defendant as a wretch
whom he intended to hold up to infamy the first
opportunity—an associate with Cleary -in fabri-
:eating letters and false vouchers----a person who
he had often said would be hanged for forgery,
and • whom he had cautioned to beware the jest
did not become a prophecy, &c. The Jury Tits-
ing :been sworn, the defendant stated, that he
meant to withdraw the plea of justification, and
stand upon the g'eneral issue.
The-CHIEF JUSTICE observed, that the plea
could not be withdrawn in point of form, but the
defendant perhaps meant to say, he would offer
no evidence in justification.
Mr. Cofteerr.—lf your Lordship wishes, I will state my
reasons. -
CHIEF JUSTICE.—R is nut necessary at present. You will
have another opportunity for that.
Mr. CtitTTY having opened the pleadings; •
• Mr. SCARLETT as counsel for Mr. Wright stated the case to
the Jury. The Plaintiff, Mr. Wright, was recommended to
him as a person of the highest honour,-7-one who was esteem-
ed by all who- knew hint,--a person to whom in the whole
course of his life,- cram! had never been imputed, except by
the Defendant. Mr. Wright was known as having given to the,
public several works Of great labour and utility.—TheParlia-
thentary Debates, Parliamentary History, and State *Dials.
The Defendant, Ms. Cobbett; had been many years known to
the public. He had become celebrated by his writings in
all parts of the world where the English language was known.
Whether his talents were' directed to good or evil, he should
leave mankind to detectable, Under the pretence of patrio-
tism there was-hardly any public character who had not occa-
sionally been the objswt of his attack. To the lmens. of Mr.
Wright, he was the first to bring this great libeller before the
public. Mr. Scarlett then detailed-the circpurstances attend-
ing the transactions between the parties up to the expositiun
of Cohbett's letter respecting limit. The Learned Counsel
observed,' that he should make out the libels to the satisfac-
tion of the Jury, and then they would say what damages a man
ought to receive for so gross an attack on his character.
Thomas Halby proved that he published the Register for
the defendant. An action being brought by Wright, the de-
fendant said he would justify all be had written.
• Mr. John Reeves stated, that when the defendant was pro-
secuted fora libel in 1810, he authorised him to make an offer
of giving up the Register, if he was not called up for judg-
ment. The witness did communicate the offer to the late Mr.
Perceval, and Mr. Yorke. • •
The Registers containing the libels were put in and read.
Mr. Paul stated his belief, that the libel, speaking of a
wretch whose infamy was not to he equalled by Jonathan
Wild, applied to the plaintiff.
• Mr. Adams, • one of Sir F. Burdett's Committee, saw the
letter, written by • the defendant in 1805, respecting Hunt.—
The witness recommended the reading of the letter by Cleary
on the hustings, in 1818. The whole of the documents hav-
ing been read— • • • .
Mr. COUBETT addressed the Jury, and after a long state-
meat of what he ternien fraudulent ungrateful conduct on the
part of the Plaintiff, lie adverted to his own •attack, on Sir
Francis gurdett. - He admitted that he was to blame in, that
respTet, but Sir Francis Burdett and himself wet e public:cha-
racters, worthy to grapple with each other. Their differences
wortid have subsided long ago, had it not been for the efforts
used, by, dirty, low, meat) conspirators, to keep their diffe-
rences alive. Mr. Cobbett then proceeded to counnuit on the
conduct of Mr. Brougham, and made sonic allusions to what
had been said by that Gentleman as to breach of confidence,
in publishing a certain letter Iron) St. Omer.
• Mr. Bannon/vat, Mai was in Court, interposed, and com-
plained of 4reing alluded to in this extraordinary manner
At the saute time, he declared the statement tuade by the de
fendant as to what he (Mr. Brougham) said, to be wholly
untrue.
Mr. CrennelT then confined.bituself to the evidence, which,
he said, did not prove that he was either the publisher or pro-
prietOr of the Register, or the author of the alleged libels.—
' He
ceded—
. M. Clement, who stated.that iu 1816 he rublished the Re-
gister for Mr..Cobbett ; lie hod the defendant responsible--
Ile•advanced a considerable stun tv Cobbett, jun. in 113-17, for
the use of the defendant previous to his going to America.
The edtries Tram .the Stamp Office were put in, by
,whkh it
appeared that Cobbett, Jun. in 1816 and 1817, was named
-Proprieter of The:RegiVve. • •
Cobliell,•jtili, stated,,that in 6316, be was•proprie-
- tor of The, Regiatr,' and he gave his father 301. a week as
Editor. In 1817,- he gave him 401. a .week. He continued
a proprietor until his father returned to _England in January
or February of the present year, when he gave it up to him
again. The copy received from America was materially alter-
ed by himself and his brother before it was inserted.
• John Caliber corroborated the statement of his brother.
Mr SCARLETT reelied, after which,
The Ciller JusTiCe summed
The Jury, after deliberating an hour and three quarters,
found a verdict for the plaintiff.—Damages, One Moiled/al
Pounris.•

OLD BAILEY.—In the course of the afternoon
of yeSterday the Grand Jury for the City of
London came into Court, aid having presented
their bills, the Foreman addressed the Court,
stating, that Mr. Brown, the _Keeper of .NeW-
oate'•had refutied them the right olyisiting- the
Gaol. Mr. Baron Garrow informed them, that
right, as formerly claimed, had been considered
by the Judges, and that,, as the subject would,. in
all probability, be bronght before them in their ju-
dicial capacity, they did not think it right to
give an extra-judicial opinion. lie would there-
fore suggest to them, if they thought it necessary,
in the perfOrmance of their duty, to visit the pri-
son, to consult proper persons, and adopt means
to have the case legally decided.

STREET 1101111—E—HT.:LASM-1. W:WEBI3, robe-
maker to his MAJESTY, Ivas' passing along Pall-
mall in the middle of the day, yesterday, just as
some of the proceSsions were going to the Queen,
he was hustled by a gang of pickpqckets, close
to the gates of Carlton House. One of these
thieves had succeeded in cutting open Mr. W's.
pocket, and extracting his pocket-book ; but
Mr. W. detected him almost in the fact, and seiz-
ing him by the throat,.grasped it witlrsuch vigour,
that the half-choaked ruffian let fall his prize,
and it was ilistantly restored to Mr. W. by some
of the bystanders.. We regret to add, that Mr.
W. having recovered his property, thought no
more of the thief, and he escaped.
A fetter from Whitehaven,- dated Nov. 29,
contains the folloWing lamentable_ intelligence
"'There is great mortality at Saint Bees, about
four miles,from Whitehaven ; it-is said to be the
Yellow fever, and, the infection: is supposed to
have been conveyed. in a person'S clothes from
the West Indies. The scholars at the academy
are all sent home."
SHOCKING EVENT..--On Saturday last the son
of Mr. Hesse, of Argyle-street, was accidentally
shot by another youth, sixteen 'years of age, in a
field leading from Uxbridge towards Rickstnans-
mirth. They
,were shooting small- birds, when
the gun of Master Smithers went off•accidentally
in going through a hedge, and lodged the con-
tent's in the body of young Hesse, who died yes-
terday. . .

PRICE 0

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THIS DAY AT TWELVE O'CLOCK.
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4 per Cents B7n Cons. for Opening 70i 71 70i

HIGH WATER AT LOICISa
Morning, 45 minutcs after 7.

•.
frN BRIDGE TO-NIORROW.
Evenitm, i ttituutcs after a.

IR
T 4 --CtRl3-1\7.-
•

SULEM QUIS DICERE FALSCINArDE.IT?

LONDON,
TUESDAY, DECEMBER, 12, 1820.

We are again without any arrival of Paris
'apers : two days' Jam nals are due.

We have the pleasure to receive from marif
places throughout the kingdom assurances of $
spirit of loyalty which is likely to produce &
powerful re-action against the attempts of Fac-
tion. The excesses of the seditious Press have
justly alarmed all reflecting _men, who plainly
perceive that endeavours are incessantly makios
to undermine the glorious Edifice of our La '5
and our Religion. It is, therefore, full time for
all men, who are theoretically convinced of xhe

unrivalled excellence of our Constitution ill
Church and State, to support it resolutely i 3
practice ; to rally round the Throne of an in`
jured and insulted Monarch, and, whatever they
may think of the character and conduct of Mini 4.•
terse to leave the Sovereign to the full exercise of
his own judgment and conscience, and not to disgust

him by proposing such as their succ es sors,who,
to gratify the impulse of ambition and the spleid
of Party, seem disposed to hazard the peace of
the Realm, and the very,-existence of the 1140.-
narchy, in order to possess themselves of the
power of oppreSsing their ftrilow-rountrymesi)
and revelling in the sweets of Office.

THE DUCHESS OF CLARENCE, &C.—The fol-
lowing favourable Bulletin respecting the DuChesc
of CLARENCE and the infant Princess,•was issue 4