Star.
London, England, 1822-12-25 00:00:00

'WINTER 1103 IE CIRCUIT.

LEWES. tnteßmatit
The Winter Assize commenced here this morning,
before the Hon. Baron GnA HA/4 and the Hon. Mr.
Justice BATLEY: At ten o'clock the Commissions
were opened; after which the Judges attended Di-
vine Service.
Mr. Justice BAYLEY addressed the Jury to the
following effect:—
"'Gentlemen of the Grand Jory—lt cannot but be highly
satisfactory to find, thatin the various-towns through which the
JUdges pass, the gentlemen summoned upon the Grand Juries
attend invariably with the greatest alacrity, at this, which may
be called an experimental Assize.
" Gentlernen,—The calendar, which is now laid before you,
at about one-half the period since the last Assizes that might
naturally be expected, thews that, in.this oounty, 'there may be
great propriety in the treasure. When you look at the cha-
racter of the deferent crimes which the calendar contains, for
your consideration, I hope you will make alt the endeavours in
your power for the purpose of preventing the recurrence of
similar crimes, before the next Aasiogs. On lookieg at the
calendar, I persebre•that the crimes there are, with a very few'
exceptions, offences committed in the night. For the preven-
tion of these crimes' great watchfulness is necessary ; and peiu
haps nothing Would be better calculated for thatpesposethan to
take care that individuals are weßempleyeti chi:gingham the day,.
There hone Ailing however, which. has a greater tendeucy
than any other to the commission of.nightly crime • I mean that,
in some instances, parrichial reliCf has been Uffordeet to different
persona, without requiring a propertionateekgree‘ofiebour from
them. Now, if a person capable of labour is supperted without
working, by perish relief, •he certainly will not through,.
, out the whole 24 hours.
" With regard to the cases which are mentioned in the ca-
lendar, there do not appear wise any which require any parti-
cular bservations. item me. There areewo offences of the same
description,if the highest order—namely, of arson.. In these
cases, a principal point for your attention is, that the evidence
produced before you 'amounts to' something beyond mere sus-
picion: You will not •find the bills, unless • the evidence pro-
credo 'beyond that length. If. the bill is found, and the prisoner
should be tried on ineacient• evidence, andi thus acquitted,
he is at liberty, and can •never be- tried for that crime again.
But if the bill he thrown out, in the course of time additional
proof may be obtained, and that which at one time -was merely
a matter of suspicion, may at a nbsequent desizebecome a
matter of certainty.
4‘ Before I finish, there is one point which seems a necessary
, object for your anxious attention. It Is, that althnee Assizes,
as well as every othet,-thereinust necessarily be alreat number
if pommy discharged Ryon% confionuentv Mid ate as huge on the
worid,teisere easy means of subsistence is b theitiltdistry•and

". Oentlemen, at this season of the year it may be sfifatdt fee
persons to obtain em'ptoyment i and if they are to be discharged,
'svoilthoot seine meams.of subsistence to enable them toreoth
thole nespectise tomes; to have an opportunity, of
-notursiog, to

itkir.hoilestpursuits, What is to .be-ixpected? In the. county
we have just left,. there have. been forty itidividatals discharged..
"Mid 'of totirse it is babe hoped that a great snimber of them Will
ietturit bi habits of industry ; but I *snout liebvar remarking.,
on looking at; the diffaeut cdendarsv end attending. to 04'
of the. dUiltWehjails, I And thatch@ faces of the same
'us Who were diachylged at the Summer Assizes,fretrently
appear folloWing Winter. In many instances, at the
tlenteof their beingllisetiarged, the, would be willing to main..
Vain' thessidleet honestly;, bet.britheir extreme poverty,. Mot
seer again drivetsaiponi the commission of grime.
I bate no doubt, Gentlemen, • that when you take thelei
circuthitances into comideration, ybu- wilt be able to 'deviiiO4
ittine 'means by which this evil Mar, to Some extent, be.
died.- If in the cowrir of itunglacharge.of your, duty snyrid%,
amities shout& arise, I-shall be very happy to render you any
assistance ist sty pouter."
The culendureorrtaitis•eftreornmitments, several
of which are forvapital offences.
Davii Wes: lias indicted for having feloniously
uttered a forged-Bank a England note, for the value
0f.51. on the 27th of July, he knowing it to be forged.
It appeared that on the day in question, the pri-
soner had gone to the shop of the prosecutor, a shoe-
maker, at Mayfield, and purchased. a pair of boots:
In payment fie tendered a 51. note. As the prose-
cutor had not sufficient money in his own possession
to change•it,: be went toithe house of due of his re-
latives in the town tousklim. The latter thinking
that there nould be no cause for suspicion, -wit was
offered him by a relstthm;immediately sompliedwith
his request.' Before the prosecutor gave-the' change'ta
the prisoner, he asked where he had got it ? He said
•