Star.
London, England, 1814-05-06 00:00:00

ASSIZE OF Illit.tO.

Al lerrn in Bsmu brought up the Report of the
Co!omittre. The Alderman stated, that in
hl.twAing lip this Report, and moving thht it beagreed
to, he acted merely in his official cap.rcity 'of Chair-
rzt ,n of the Committee ; his own• iudivittutl opiniOn
differing frotn the Report, as he shusal4taite an op.
portunity of stating to the Cottrt. Tit* Report was
id, f• :pressed Ahe opinion of the Commit-
mg away the assize of bread, a fair
1d betstablished, which in its conse-
trove highly beneficial to the public.
wing been read, the Alderman, as
Committee, moved that the Court

Report, and stated two'
the price of bread.. The
firer of the article, upon
interest in the price,
and the second was,
iaterial at the first hand,
sieved to be essential to
Many intelligent per-
opinion, that by the doing
- of bread might be re-
tern loaf. it had been
, that many of the 1700
mortality, would bethrowo
almost every case, some
irise from a new arrange-
-onsideratision was, would
benefited In the pee-
Agin more alarm was felt,
case warranted. bat
id passed thseeivic chair,
linen, that the assize of
it might be said, that in
the people might impute
-.tices, and that the t ffects
ill heavily upon the ba-
assize. But this could
the police and the civil
calling in a military force.
would be indemnified by
onged. Bread. corn was the
every article ; and in the
the proper time presented
,:eisting law. Every at-
present systein had made it
'(ter the Bill introduced by
' had been known to rise
it had never risen more
might have been collected
many bikers been deterred
Committee from fea r of in-
- mealmen. He gave his

it a dangerous expert-
. been so long established.
xpedient to abolish the assize,
should contain a clause ena.
it, should it appear to
:ircumstances of the case.
open, and only some new
which the people might
price. To introduce a
serous experiment, and by
people and not the Magis-
iudges 4 scarcity or plenty.
the abolishing the assize
that nature contained a
Imption, when necessary,

. not think it necessary that
cerested in the price of bread,'
price of bread, he would
of it. It had been said,
:ed 3d. or 4d. in .price, if'
but the means whereby
to be effected had not
court come to a resolu.
they should proceed upon
was a dangerous experi:
.tablisbcd harriers, and a
• the necessity of calling
tkers themselves were by
subject of abolishing the
under a certain price, the
done away, and might be re-
example a shilling, was
biscuit was now considerably
that of the quat tern loaf ;
'ulated by the former, the
.4 to 15d. The average
iken, and then the average
into flour ; and the ma.
:ion of fixing the assize,
heat or of flour. But at
should be made gradually,

was against abolishing the
vs to be wished that mere
ild be given. If mere ma-
price of flour would be re-
preventment.
e public bad never received
iference of that Cow t, in
price of the articles of life.
in a great measure to be
the price of other articies
would fall in like manner

. Should the trade be thrown
experience a disappointment.
'sr that the cause of the high
the existence of a distinct
bought corn at as cheap a
rate as they possibly could.
iient to fix an assize on
other articles, to butter,
Ps meat ? Every thane

must be accompanied with sate partial ineonvenienee; '
but were that intonveniettee to operate against the
change, the continuance of a state cif war should be
I preferred to the return of peace, as many would for
a time be losers by the change. if the trade were
once laid opcii, things would soon find their level ;
and should the repeal of the assize be found produc-
tive of bad consequences, it might be again renewed.
Mr.. GRIF rat, was in favour of the Report. The
portion •of the bakers, as things now stood, was old
age and rags. •
Mr. FavEtc.—The only argument he had beard
urged in favour of an assize, was drawn from seasons
of great scarcity, when it was said it might be useful.
But to argue from extreme to ordinary casts, was
not logical ; and during the last great scarcity in this
country, the assize had beettiound ineffectual, to pre-
vent popular commotions.
Mr. JUDIONS (a baker) contended, that by taking
away the assize, protection would be taken away from
the poor. The experiment was a dangerous one, by
which one-third of the bakers would be ruined, and
the others would be enabled to exact what price they
pleased from the public. Bakers, factors, and millers,
would all suffer alike.

After some explanation on the part of the Alder-
men Br RCIT and GOODIIEHERE, the question was put to
agree with the. report of the Committee, and carried
by a shew of hands in the affirmative.
it was then ordered that the report be referred hack
to the Committee, to take the proper steps to carry it
into execution.

Z. 41, INTELLIGENCE.

COURT OF KING'S BENCH, MAY 5.
11• KING V. RICHARD GURNEY, JUN.

This defendant was brought up for judgment,
which he had suffered to pass against him by default,
'upon an information for an assault upon Robert Gif-
ford, Esq. Barrister at Law, accompanied with lan-
guage which tended to excite him to a breach of the
peace. Thecircumstances of this case were fully laid
before the public upon slievling cause against the rule.
for the information. The prosecutor had been .em•
ployed as Counsel upon the Tregony petition, before
a Committee of the House of Commons; and in that
capacity it had become necessary for him to comment
upon the evidence of the defendant's father, the Vicar
of Tregony: this evidence hid been contradicted by
three other witnesses, atilt the Learned Counsel, in his
speech before the Committeek characterized it as in-
consistent and improbable. The defendant, who is
an attorney at Plymouth, and a student of the Inner
Temple, was employed to conduct the defence to the
petition, `And swore that in a room adjoining to the
committee room, he had heard the prosecutor say, that
the evidence of his father was very extraordinary,
and that for his part he had no doubt about it. Upon
this the defendant commissioned his friend Major Ni-
choll, of the Royal Marines, to wait upon the prosecti-j
dn., to demand an explanation, which he declined giv-,
ing, since he considered his situation as an advocate,
a protection for any thing he . had said in that charac-
ter; and the Major said, " Then, Sir, you are no gen-
tleman." The prosecutor asked if he was to consi-
der those as the defendant's words, to which the
Major replied in the affirmative. The prosecutor
then heard nothing more of this affair for sixteen
weeks. for which delay the defendant accounted, by
deposing, that an indictment was pending that time
against his father for perjury, and as it was probable
prosecutor would be employed as Counsel therein,
the thought it might look like an intimidation from
duty to proceed then with his demand of explanation.
The indictment at last being given up, Mr. Abra.
ham, of the Temple, was commissioned by the defen-
dant to wait upon the prosecutor, to request an ex-
planation of such words only as he used out of
the Committee Room, to one of the Members of the
Committee. The prosecutor replied that he had no
recollection of having used the words imputed to him,
and thought he could not have done so to any Member
of theComnaittee, since they were an strangers to him.
The defendant then wrote to the prosecutor, enclosing
him a letter from Mr. Cochrane Johnstone, the wit-
ness, who had contradicted the defendant's father in a'
fact material to the question before the Committee,.
apologising to that gentleman for the imputation.
which that contradiction had thrown upon hircharac:
ter, and avowed that, from subsequent recollection;
he ends that it was he that was mistaken, and not the
defendant's father. Upon this the defendant perse-
vered in his request that the prosecutor would retract,
his observation ; but he still declined all explanation.
This was on the 26th of June last ; and, as Mr. Scar-
let urged. although the prosecutor might have been
met every day going to and returning I rom Wectmin-
ster Hall, it was not till the 9th of July, when Trinity.
Term, during which an intim:tr.:6ot: might be moved
for, was over, that the defendant met the prosecutor.
near Li: coln's-inn gateway, who was walking with
Mr. Beauclerc an Mr. Whams, the ban isteas, and
accosted him in the language charged in the informs-.
don, viz. " I wished to see you : you have behaved
in a scandalous and ungentlemanly Manner tenatards
my father, and I desire an explanation." The pre-
Immo: still refused to give this, and the defendant
then gaily laid a horse-whip across his shoulder%
The defe ;dant in his affidavit, in mitigation of punish-.
meat, sail, that he had, in the avenues of the House
of Commons, prevented Mr. Cochrane Johnstone from
committing an assault upon the prosecutor, for lan-
guage used by him against that Gentleman ; and that
a true bill of indictment for perjury had been found
against one of the witnesses who contradicted his
father.
While the defendant's affidavits were reading,
Lord Ecce.s:nonoccii censured them for attributing
the defendant's meeting with the prosecutor in Chan-
cerydane, with an horse-whip to accident. It was
also clear that the defendant's vengeance was excited
by what fell from the prosecutor.betore thecommittee,
and not by what passed afterwards.
Mr. ATTORNEY GEERAL and Mr. SCAULET ad-
dressed the Court in support of the prosecution ; the
former insisted that the defendant had no right to
overhear what passed between the prosecutor and Any
other person relative to his professional opinion of•a
witness's evidence: the latter urged the•defendant's
adroitness in waiting till after Trinity Term before he
committed the assault, that the prosecutor might go
the western circuit, and witness the defendant's tri-
umph before he could obtain an information.
Mr. ABBOTT and Mr. H. COOPER addressed the
Court in mitigation. of punishment. The former
having said that the defendant-had been always

ling to refer the matter td any private professional ar-
bitration, Lord ELLENBOROUGH observed that no af-
fidavit disclosed that fact, or that his conduct was al.
tered since. If the outrage had been the effect of a
' sudden warmth, it would have come before the
Court in a more venial shape; but recollect the four
•
months.
Mr. Jultice Le BLANC in pronouncing the jndg-
ment of the Court, observed, that the defendant's first
application to the prosecutor was not through a mem•
ber of the profession to soothe his feelings, but
through a military gentleman, who desired the prose-
cutor to name his friend if he would not give the de-
fendant an explanation ; and the second application
through Mr. Abraham, must necessaiily be referred
to this first step. The Court were not called upon to
say what would be the resilient the defendant's appli-
cation to be advanced to that higher rank of the pro-
fession for which he was a candidate ; but unless his
temper of mind experienced a great alteration, that'
rank would nut be materially adorned by his acces-'
sion to it. The Sentence of the Court was, that the
defendant should be committed to the custody of the
Marshal of the Marshalsea of the Court for six months,
and find security for his good behaviour for five years
afterwards, himielf in afsoo, and two aureties in £250
each.

portunity of' stating to the Cot
then read, and expressed,the op
tee, that by doing away the a
competition would beestablishe
cpsences must prove highly be
The Report having been rea
Chairrnau of the Committee, t
agree to the Report.
Mr. JAM agreed with the RI
C!lt lOUS 14CtS, connected with th
'one was, that the manufacturer
the present system, felt no
riv!,ether it was high or low;
that he did not purchase his ma
though this was eenerally belie
the l rssperity of every trade.
sons had given it as their °pie
away of the assire, the price
•
chiced 3d. or 4d. ii the quartet
. .
aojected on the oilier hand, ti
bakers, within the bills of mon:
out of employment. But in al
partial inconvenience must arise
meet ; and the question fur coi
the public, on the whole, be to
sent case, however, he though!
than the circumstances of the 4
of eleven Magistrates who had
eight were decidedly of °lshii
bread should be abolished. It
the case of a bad harvest, the
the scarcity to fraudulent practi
of their indignation would fall
kers, if not protected by the A
easily be guarded againq by t
power, or, if necessary, by call
Even at the worst, the baker wt
the ward to which he belonged
Az/tenon of the price of ever
prospect of a long peace, the
itself for an alteration of the ex
tempt to improve the presen
. worse than before ; and after
Alderman Skinner, the bread I
three assizes, when previously i
'than one. More evidence mig
upon this subject, had not mat
from appearing before the Cor
curring the resentment of the
cordial assent to the Report.
Alderman BIRCH thought
:trent to do away what had bt
Should it be deemed expedient
any Act to that elect shoal(
blitz the Magistrate to renew
bins to he called for by the cis
' A f. competition was now o;
regulations were wanted by
baie bread at a reasonable
military force was a dangeroi
abolishing the assize, the per
trate would be made the judg
He should, therefore, oppose
of bread, unleis any Act of t
spt.itic provision for its nom
by the Magistrate.
Alderman ATKINS did not
the baker should be interestec
' as had he a power to raise the]
be averse to any rt.duction of
that the loaf would be reduce
the assize were done away ;
that reduction in price was
fr., been explained. Should the
lion to petition Parliament, th
some filed principles. It v
meta to throw down long est
very serkus evil to be under
in a military force. The bal
no Means unanimous on the s
assize. When the bread was u
assize might perhaps be done
stinted when that .price, for I
excet .d. The price of biscui
higher in proportion than tha
and were the latter to be regu
price should now be from 14
prices of wheat might be take
price of making that wheat i
gistrate might have the opt„
either by the average of whe
all events, any alteration slit
• . and not with precipitation.
Alderman GOODBEHERt w.
• assize, though it was perhaps
indivijual discretion coold I
• cis eery were employed, the pi
' 'Weed, and combinations pre.
Mr. Linos said that the pi
any benefit from the interfe
attempting to regulate the pr
The high price of corn was i
ascribed to the war, and as tt
had experienced a fall, corn Is
during a period of peace. Sh,
open, the public would expert
MT. WAITHMAN thought t
. , price abreact was owing to tl
class of middle men, who bo
ratite, and sold it stars dear a rat
(Hear;) If it were • expedie
ear,* way not extend it to c
is charm, sad to ii,„„bees