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London, England, 1822-05-20 00:00:00

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COURT OP KING'S BENCH, MAY ie.
Viz Kiss V. WADDIVOTOW.
The defendant, whose name is familiar to our
leaders, was brought up in custody from the House
Of Correction, in Coldbath-fields, to Plead to an in-
dictment preferred against him by the Society for the
Suppression of Vice, for. selling a work called Pal-
mer's Pt incipks qj Nature.
The indictrnenthaving been read over to him by the
officer of the Crown Office, he was required to plead.
Mr. Waddington, instead of pleading, addressed
the Court, and began to complain that he had been
taken into custody without having done any wrong,
and that he had been paitially and unjustly treated
by the Magistrate who committed him to prison.
The LORD CHIRP JUSTICR informed him, that all
he could do at present was to plead Guilty or Not
Guilty ; or, if he chose, he might obtain time to
plead; but that the merits of his case could not be
discussed at present.
The defendant.—May I not be allowed to address
the Court ? I can prove--
The LORD CHIRP JUSTICIL--NOt at present. You
must say whether you.are Guilty or Not Guilty, or
stand committed.
The defendant. —I have been .illegally committed
already, and I must answer the charge of which I am
innocent.
The LORD CHIEF Jurrica.—That will appear here-
after. We cannot listen to anything untill you have
pleaded.
The defendant.—ls there not the Bill cf Rights ?
(4 laugh in k'outt).
The LORD Cater JUSTICE.—You have nothing to
do now but to plead or to ask for time ; if you will
do neither, you must be committed.
The defendant then pleaded Not Guilty. He then
begged to address the Court on the injustice which
he had suffered.

The Luna CHIEF JUSTICE informed him he could
do sootily on affidavit ; if he had any complaint to
prefer, he might support it on oath, and then the
Court would hear him.

The defendant then retired, the Court directing the
officer to take care that he had the opportunity of
making the affidavit which he desired.
In a subsequent part of the day, Waddington re-
turned into Court with an affidavit, in which he cotn•
plained that Mr.Minshull, the Magistrate before whom
he was taken, asked the witness Smith to point out
the passages on which his charge of libelwas founded,
but that he was not able to do so; on which Mr. Min-
shull himself said that he had read the work and knew
it to be libelous, and therefore he should commit
him. He therefore submitted that his commitment
was illegal. He also alleged that he had been sur-
prised into pleading by understanding that the Conn
would not hear him unless he pleaded, otherwiie he
should have taken time to plead. He had a great
mass of matter which would convince any Jury that
he had published no libel.
The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE said that it was quite
clear he had been rightly committed. As he alleged
that he had been taken by surprise, he might with-
draw his plea, and take till the first day of next• Term
to consider the course which he should pursue.

The defendant then said he. would take the time
offered him.

The Lotto CHIEF JUSTICE said, that after the affi-
davit which the defendant had made, the prison of
the Court was not the proper place for him, and
therefore he should be committed to Newgate.
The defendant expressed hope that he should be
allowed-to see his friends.

The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE replied, that he would
no doubt have all the indulgencies permitted by the
rules of the prison.
The defendant then left the Court in custody.
TUE KING V. RICUARDSON AND BLAKE.

Mr. NOLAN moved for a Rule to shew cause why
a criminal information should not issue against the
defendants, who reside at a village in Berkshire, and
one of whom is a farmer, and the other a bailiff to
a lady of fortune. His affidavits set forth, that they
had broken into the parish church, and taken pos-
session of the books of the parish clerk, who had re-
fused to resign his office at their desire.
The Corny observed, that the offence was pro-
perly of ecclesiastical cognizance ; but as granting
the Rule might induce the parties to retrain from
their indecorous line of proceeding, they would not
now refuse it. The Rule to shew cause was accord-
ingly granted.