Star.
London, England, 1820-04-20 00:00:00

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' his Bible, and Acted atiarge.—Suppose he were to
"preach or as cite, and to allude to persons in the
higher Walks of life, he might be prosecuted. Sups
prae he wet e to open his book at the sth chapter of
Jeremiah. Here the defendant again quoted at
length. How should he explain the Seriptures at
large, without sometimes taking texts which might
be offensive? Why were not such teats, taken out
'altogether ? Or why were not the Ministers of the
Gospel told at once what texts they might preach
from, and what they might not? It was dangerous
to name the higher powers. If they spoke disrespect-
fully of them, that was direct sedition. if they were
to speak respectfully, it would be supposed, of course,
Drat the respect could not be meant—that it was
• mere contempt and irony : and that would be sedi-
tion too. Suppose be went to the 22d chapter of
Ezekiel, the 25th verse. flare the defendant quoted.
There was sedition!—" The people of the land bad
oppressed the poor and needy." There was sedation!
Again; in the Sd chapter of Amos. Persons seat
about by Magistrates mittlit always pick out a word
uttered by a preacher, which might be tortured into
Ledition. In the 3d chapter of Micah, the defendant
quoted. People would be told in a Court of Justice,
that these words.were bringing the Government into
contempt. • Again, 7th chapter of Micah=here was
sedition, according to thenotion of the present day !
.Again, the 3d chapter of Zephaniah—the defendant
quoted. The language which. he had- been reading,
if it had been his own, would have been called sedi-
tion. It had been said, that Ministers of the Gospel
ought •not to enrage in angry politics. Mark the
word, 6, angry."' He, the defendant, had ever avoided
angry politics; but he would state what his reasons
had been for commencing his public career as a Re-
former. First, it was to prevent the dissemination of
infidelity, which he found to his sorrow had made
progress among the Reformers. His father, who
was a Minister of the Gospel, residing in Yorkshire,
had been a steady Whig. He had been a disciple of
Charles James Fox ; and from the Whigs it was that
he, the defendant, had learned his politics. He had
a book in his pocket worth its weight in gold; it
was Wat'l Answer to Bishop florslqr's Nenhons.—
Many quarrels had he had with the Refoi mers, on
account of his defending and propagating the Gospel
among them. His next reason for becoming a Re-
former had been to relieve the necessitous. He was
himself a poor man, but he might have influence
with those who were not so. • Truly, however, it had
been said in 21loore's Almanack of the present year,
that fe some men's charity would be their greatest
foe." So, indeed, had it proved with him, the defen-
dant. He had never thought it necessary to take up
arms in older to attain Reform. He had always
thought it would be enough if the higher orders
could be convinced that Reform was actually desired
by the people. On this conduct he would stand or
fall. There was, he tharght, a law in the reign of
Queen Anne, that no man should be prosecuted for
words spoken. Another law had been passed in the
last relga, that no man should be prosecuted for
words spoken, unless information were given of those
words within four days. Now, however, they might see
truth, hut they must not speak it; and this principle
was to be sanctioned by the Juries of the Country !
He hoped not. He hoped better things. Surely the
Gentlemen of the Jury could not sell themselves to
work such wickedness. The defendant theft went on
to observe upon the evidence. The first witness,
Matthew Cowper, had not heard the beginning of
his discourse. He had picked up a few words, which,
with a little twirling and twining might serve the
purpose of his employers. He had not taken notes
at the time ; but he had told the Jury that he (de-
fendant) had advised the people to abstain from ex-
ciseable articles, and that they would then starve the
.system which had starved them. He did not remem-
ber to have used such words. He might have said,
tat he was glad to see the people abstaining from
drunkenness, by which too often their fan.ilies had
been starved. Another witness had charged him,
the defendant, with advising the people to make war.
Ile thought war was now trade upon him—a war
rateli as he had often characterized in his speeches as
aan illegal legal war." The witnesses against him
had been Police Officers of Manchester; they had
masters to serve, employers to please; and the Jury
would find that he had been an injured man.—
Oae witness had spoken of the advertisements of the
lecture, but he had not seen them : there had been
La advertisements but what were common on such
occasions. The eighth count of the indictment
charged him with a heavy crime : no proof bad been
vivea ia support of that count in the evidence for the
, prosecution ; btu: it was in the indictment, and he
(Mr. Harrison) moat disprove it.—[Here the defend-
ant read the eighth count.'—He was confident no
verdict of guilty could be found upon any count.
The Attorney-General had laid a stress upon the
circumstance of this lecture having been given the
day before the great Manchester Meeting. He was
unite unconnected with that Meeting : he had not
attended the Meeting. He had walked towards
'Manchester on the day of the Meeting; but, before
be arrived, that Meeting had been dispersed by the
words of the Cavalry. If it could have been shewn
t‘aat, in his lecture, he had even alluded to the Man-
chester Meeting, then indeed the Jury might go
along with Mr. Benyon, and connect the 15th of
August with the 16th. But persons attended his
lecture, who would have retired in disgust if any at-
tempt had been made by him to excite the people to
rebellion or so bloodshed. He was not a malicious
•anan. He wished no harm to his worst enemy, and
be trusted the Court would allow him to bring an
evidence or two in his favour.
Stanley Hamilton examined by Harrison.—! was at the
Windmill Room on the 15th August, ten minutes before service
at.d after it was over; I observed everything very regular, as
became a place of worship; you (ilarrison) preached out of the
Bible ; you txhorted the people not to go to public-houses, and
ma to spend their all to the destruction of their families; I
bard nothing to encourage the people to insurrection or to
14.4rve the Government.
CroA.:examined by Mr. BEN-vou.—l am a weaver; M'lnnis
10.1,-ed with me for seven or eight months.
AssozNir-Ganzariz..—lt's a mistake; you are not the person.
John Burgess examined 'by Harrison.—! was at the Wiud-
n.;!l-room on 15th August; I joined with the congregation in
rehgicus worship, in singing and prayer; there might be 500
pup - 1- there •it was not so fully attended as usual ; you preached
arum the Scriptures; I did not conceive you preached a political
sermor ; I never hears the word Government mentioned ;
beard the defendant admonish the people to avoid drunkenness'
which was the case with many ; you stated drunkenness had
brought many families to great starvation; nothing to excite the
rcoft.: to arum, qu.te the reverse to that ; I did not hear deiced-

ant My tit, people should starve the government, nor that it
was a corrupt Voveriunent ; if it were said. I am certain I
should have beard it.
Robert Jump examined by Harrison..--I was at the Wind-
mill-room on the evening of the 15th August; I recollect some
little of what occurred ; the preacher encouraged the people to
peace and good order, and to abstain from public-houses; I
beard nothing disrespectful spoken of the Government, nor
heard the people advised to Reform the Parliament by force—
far from it.

by Mr. Man.v.—l ums door-keeper that
night ; I have but little to do with the management of the
Chapel.
Randall Wilkinson deposed to the same effect.
Cover —Who do you call next, Mr. Harrison?
Harthon.—l do not, my Lord, think it necessary to call any
more. I shall here close my defence.
Mr. BENTON.—Gentlemen of the Jury, yaw haie
heard the charges made against the defendant, you
will bear in mind the allegations and the proofs I
have offered to substantiate them, and if you believe
the words you have heard were actually made use
of, I know not for what other motive they were used
than the one suggested in the indictment. One wit-
ness (upon whom some aspersions were endeavoured
to be cast, but who, from his demeanour and general
conduct to-day, becomes, if possible, a more credible
witness than he would otherwise have been) has
proved to you, almost verbatim, the defendant's
use of the words charged against him in the indict-
ment, and unless you disbelieve this witness, corro-
b-rated in the main by two others, who 'followed
him, you cannot possibly decide in favour of the de-
fendant. Having gone over the evidence the Learned
Attorney-General continued—Mr. Harrison styles
himself a quiet, unoffending, and religious man ; I
hope on other occasions he is so ; but sure I am, that
when be uttered the seditious expressions I have
proved to you, he could not lay claim to the charac-
ter he has now set up. With regard to the many ex-
tracts from the Scriptures, which he has cited, I say
they are of Divine origi.n, but applied to times and
.circumstances totally different from those in which
,we live ; and, while I pay every respect to every
thing contained in the Sacred Volume, I have no he-
sitation in saying, if some of the extracts were ap-
plied to the Government of England, andintentionally
so applied, that such application of them would be
'seditious. The Learned Gentleman concluded, by
committing the case to the best and most impartial
consideration of the Jury.
The CHIEF domes proceeded to sum up the case
to the Jure. After having read over the indictment,
he said—The first thing you will have to consider is,
whether the words were spoken cr not; the second,
whether they are seditious; and, thirdly, whether
the: were spoken with intent to excite in the minds
of the liege subjects of the King, a contemptfor his
person and Government? In order to enable you to
do this, I shall read to you the evidence.---CHere the
Learned Judge read over the evidencej.--In one part,
he asks if it was fit that the people should obey the
laws so made? This, though put in the way of a
question, was a direction not to obey the laws of the
country. It is the duty of the Magistrates to procure
persons to give concert information of what takes
place on such occasions as the present, and therefore
no imputation could be cast on the witnesses called
to prove what they had been-sent to collect, from the
circumstance of their being so employed by the Ma-
gistrates. In allusion to what one of the defendant's
witnesses said, the Leatned Judge observed, Harri-
son wished to spew that his discourse was a religious
one, and yet we have his own witness, who tells you
that he said the House of Commons was corrupt.—
Was not this an introduction of politics ? Having
gone through the evidence, the Learned Judge said,
that he saw no reason on earth to doubt the witness
Cowper. He does sot come here charging his me-
mory with what was said, he took notes of it, and
therefore there could be no doubt as to the fallibility
of memory, and he was corroborated by three other
witnesses, who swore to the same words. Nor did
Mr. Harrison attempt to explain by the context what
he meant by the words imputed to him, which he
had an opportunity of doing, by asking what was
said before and what after. On the contrary, he en-
deavours to shew that he did not use them at all. Bat
all that can be taken from his witnesses is, that they did
not hear him say the words. As to whether the words
were seditious or not, it would be a waste of time to
speak on the subject; what could be more likely to
excite discontent and disaffection, than being told from
the pulpit that the Government starved the People,
and that the People ought to starve the Government ?
We judge of men by their actions, as well as their
words. What then could Mr.- Harrison mean by
using these words, unless that which is charged
against him ? This sermon he professes was a reli-
gious one, and grounded on the Gospel ; but surely
these words could have no reference to the subject
of religion? If you believe, Gentlemen, that the de.
fendant used these words with the intention imputed
to him, you will find him guilty ; if you have any
doubt on your minds, you will give him the benefit
of it.—The Jury, without leaving the box, returned
a verdict cf—Guilty.
. THIRD TRIAL OF AMR.-lIARRItOIf.

THE KING V. HARRISON, FOR SEDITIOUS WORDS.

The ATIbRNEY-GENERAL said, this was an indict-
ment for misdemeanour against the defendant, on
which he had an opportunity of challenging any of
the Jury if he pleased.
Mr. Harrison—l shall certainly challenge the whole Jury,
my Lord.
The Cuter ionic's—lf you do you must assign a reason for it.
Mr. Harrison—My Lord, they have found me guilty on one
indicuneht. which I thought they could not do, and I think that
is a sufficient reason why they should not try me again.
The Cruse Jussmr—That is not a legal reason, Sir.
Mr. Justice him's:lats.—No, no. that is not a legal reason.

The Arrorcizr-GENsasx.—My Lord, we will geiaftesh Jury
if the defendant wishes ; I have no objection.
The Clime Just:es—Well do so. You act very fairly ; only
I wish it to be understood that the defendant cannot have it as
a matter of right, unless he assigns a legal objection to the pre-
sent Jury.—Another Jury was then called.
Mr. Harrison—My Lord, I understand that some of the last j
Jury are again called.
Mr. Justice MAX smAzz—That is an matter.
Mr. liarrison—My Lord, I shall not say a word in my de-
fence, unless I have a new Jury; the Attorney-General may
take what course he pleases.
The Cum Junicz—You will take what course you please,
Mr. Harrison, in your defence.
Mr. Harrison—l have not a list of the Jury, my Lord.
The Psovuonoraß7—You shall have we, if you wish it.
Mr. Harrison—liarn says, that a Juryman having served on
one trial, is a sufficient reason against his Sitting on a second
against the same person.
The enter Jusview--No, no; you will not find It anywhere
for a misdemeanour,
The Avvoassx-Grvartst.--My Lord, wishing to have every-
thing fairly done, I hastily told Mr. Harrison that I would get
a new Jury. No; wishing to retrgit this promise, I shall, If

your. Lordships do not feel it necessary to press-the trial, put It
,off to the next Assizes. •
The Couaas—We cannot express an opinion on the subjanc.:
It is for the parties to agree about it.
- The Arroawee-Gmatiut&—Then, my Lord, I shall give Mr.
Harrison his choice, if he wisher it.
Mr. Justice Maastrass--I think, Mr. Attorney-Genetali you
had better bring the case un now, and rut an end to it.
Some delay occurred in endeavouring to procure a new Jury.
Some persons in Court were called upon ; bet
The ATTolutrr-theNzaAt said, that the Citizens of Chester
claimed the privilege of exemption from serving on County Juries.
Mr. Justice Measmat.l.—l think we must dispute that privi-
lege. The High Sheriff is accountable for this delay: He ought
to have a sufficient number of Jurymen in attendance.
A Jury having been at length impannelled,
Mr. Harrison said he objected to George Ethorards.
The Couar--What is your objection?
Mr. Harrison—l challenge peremptorily, my Lord.
The COURT—That will not do. You might do so on a trial
for treason or felony, but not for misdemeanour.
George Edwards was sent off, and another Juryman sworn
in his place.
Mr. MANLY then opened the proceedings. He stated
this to be an indictment against the defendant for
using the following words seditiously, and with a
view to bring the Government into contempt :
" Kings, Princes, Dukes, Lords, Commons, Parlia-
ments, Archbishops, Bishops, Prelates, Rectors, High
Constables, Constables, Sheriffs, Deputy Constables,
and Bailiffs, are all corrupt, and the time is near at
hand when they will be upset. The People should
rise en masse to suppress such a tyrannical Govern
rnent as the one of this country ; and it will not be
'long, but very soon, that it shall be overturned, and
many a bloody battle may be fought, and many a one
incarcerated in prison before it shall be accomplished."
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said, this indictment
charged the defendant with maliciously and sediti-
ously attempting to overturn the Government of the
country, and to excite contempt and disaffection in
the minds of his late. Majesty's subjects. Ile should
prove that these words were uttered on the sth of
December, at Stockport, in A sermon preached by de-
fendant at his chapel during evening service.. It
would be for the Jury to say whether these words
were seditious, and if they were used with the inten-
tion charged upon the defendant. If they could on
their oaths say that the defendant had no such mo-
tives, then-they would acquit him, and, if otherwise,
they would find him guilty.
Mr. John Robinson examined by Mr. Msaxv—What are
you, Mr. Robinson?
Witness—l am a man, I suppose.
The COURT directed witness to answer with more propriety.
I have been a Barrack-Master occasionally. I attended at the
Windmill-rooms, at Stockport, on the sth December. I saw
Parson Harrison and a crowd of people there. I went there in
consequence of having seen an advertisement of the Meeting. I
went to the steps leading to the loom; I was sufficiently near to
bear what was said. Mr. Harrison was preaching. I could
specify my reasons for going, if—
Judge MARSHALL—Conhne yourself to answering the ques-
tions put to you, Sir.
Witness—l heard Harrison say, that all Kings, Lords, Dukes,
Commons, Parliaments, were corrupt. I have my notes, but
I believe I have left them—l believe I have'got my notes some-
where about me.
Mr. Harrison—l object to his reading his notes ;he may
look at them.
Witness-.-I took my first notes at my father's, and I copied
this paper (producing a paper).
Mr. Harrison—My Lord, I object to his reading his notes;
he nry refresh his memory from them if he pleases.
Judge Msassmsn—Why do you object?
Mr. Harrison—Because it is contrary to law.
Judge Mansnetx—Pray where do you find the la* against it?
Mr. Harrison—My Lord, you know it.
Witness read from his notes.—Archbishops, Bishops, High
Constables Constables, and Deputy Constables, Hailiffs, and
even till be came unto the common Bum-Bailiff, were all cor-
rupt; and that if such a tyrannical Government must exist, the
people ought to rise en mane, to suppress such a tyrannical Go-
vernment.
Mr. Harrison—My Lord, it appears -that the witness is in
toxicated. It is calculated to bring this Court into contempt;
you ought to look to it.
Mr. MARSHALL (to witness)—Go on, Sir.
Witness—He went on to speak of Noah's Rood and the Ro-'
man Government. He said it would not be long, and, 'tat it
should not be long, when such tyrannical Governments as the
one in this country should be upset, and the people should rise
en mane to suppress such a tyrannical Government as the one in
this country.
The Couar—Mr. Harrison, do you wish to ask any questions
of the witness?
Mr. Harrison— As your Lordships have thought proper to
examine him, I shall do so.
Mr. Harrison—Do you ever read your Bible?
'Witness—Yes; and so do yo,u I suppose.
Judge MARSHALL (to witness)—Do you know that you are
on your oath? If you do, you must not joke.
Witness—l have read he Ten Commandm
" Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour." 1
have had the command of the Barracks some time. I was in
the employ of Mr. Harding.
Mr. Harrison—How long were you in that employ ?
Witness—What's that to you?
Judge hLtasnau.—You must answer the question put to you,
You are conducting yourself in a manner not creditable to you.
Witness—l lived in Mr. Harding's employ twelve months.
Mr. Harrison—What were you?—Hook-keeper?.
Witness—l don't know hOw to answer you; that's a very
blackguard question.
Judge hlsasnatx—Answer, Sir, or I shall commit you.
Witness—There never was a deficiency of £4OO in my ac-
counts ; my brother did not compound for me.
Mr. Harrison—Were not you in danger of being transported
under the Embezzlement Act ?

The firth in,

The Cotner stopped the answer to this question.
Jamts Whalley—l went to the Windmill-rooms with the last
witness; 1 did not see Harrison, but I heard his voice ; I never
heard it before; I heard him speak, but nct as a preacher ;
knew his voice because Smith said to tke preacher, Mr. Robin-
son is at the door, and the same voice said, if Robinson is at the
door let hint come in. The voice seemed to come from a pulpit.
I did not see a pulpit. I heard him stating the state of corrup-
tion before the Antediluvian world. He said the people in their
days were corrupt, and that it almost repented Gon.that he had
made man; and drat Noab, as a preacher of righteousness, had
warned the people for the space of 100 years in preparing of the
Ark, in which only eight persons were saved. I then heard the
same yoke treat upon the Roman Government; he said it was
tyrannical. Ile then compared that Government to the present
Government of this kingdom, and said that King, Lords, dukes,
Commons, Archbishops, Bishops, Rectors, Sheriffs, yoga (HE-
tete, High Constables, Constables, all Authorities till he came
down to common Bum-Bailiffs, were corrupt ; that our present
Government was tyrannical. And it will soon be that many a
bloody battle will be fought, and many incarcerated in prisons
and in dungeons before these things are accomplished ; but they
will be accomplished. And that the people ought to rise en masse
to overturn such. a tyrannical system. At this time Henry
Smith came out, and said, Mr. Robinson, will you walk in ?"
He declined going in, as silver would be expected at the door.
Smith went back. The same voice began to say what collection
had been made.
Cross-exantined by Mr. Harrison—l am not in the employ
of the Police, nor was I ever ; I went to the Windmill-room
with John Robinson ; I did not see him have any liquor on that
night; he did not appear to be intoxicated. I am generally a
sober man. but I get a.drop sometimes; I dare say I got a drop
last week, but I did not disgrace myself. I was formerly em-
ployed in carrying out political publications, but I cannot say
that 1 ever sold twopenny trash. I was agent to Mr. (heave, or
Manchester.
Mr. Harrison—l suppose, my Lord, I can't ask him if he left
that place honourably?
Witness—You may if you please—l'll answer It.
. Here the ease for the prosecution dosed.
Mr. Harrison rose andssaid—Here I stand befok
you or a.notLer indictment for preachinz. 1 buve

reason to believe that there are some things littered
in my preaching that will not please some people.
I think differently from many. But I never pub-
lished my sentiments, and I think that, as a free-burn
Englishman, I have a right to think as I please.—
, This sermon was preached to procure a subscription
Ifor a Sunday School, as I always wish to do all I
can in charity to my fellow-creatures. I was asked
to preach the sermon. It was publicly placarded
that the sermon was to be preached in aid of this
School, in which 600 children are educated. Ido
not know the merits of the school, as my Sunda) s
are occopied in preaching. lam net here to deny
my psdaching ; if I do wrong it is for you to find
me guilty. If I think lam right it is for me to, ju,-
fromtify myse
attlf if w
I can.
12 I: took my text on that occa.tiJn
mae vii.

" Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that mea thcold
do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law and Ase
prophotb."
connexion of our text with the foregoing verve
intimates, that the more goodness we expect from
GOD, the more kind and disinterested we should be.
to our neighbour. A firm persuasion that our
Ilra-
VESLY FATHER will give us all the good we need in
answer to prayer, vt ill certainly excite our endeavours
to promote the happiness of others. Thetext goes
upon the principle of self-deniai—appeals to the prin-
ciple of self-love—applies it to our neighbour—and
insists upon it as the motive to influence all our ac-
tions—and is similar to, " Thou shalt love thy neigh-
bour as thyself( and is the demonstration of that
text in action. If the principle of our text were acted
upon, what a destruction it would be to trade of
some kinds. I. The Parsons' trade would be cut up
by the root—the Rector, \vial his £3,000 per an-
num, and the Bishop, with hi. £30,000 per annum,
would have to resign their lucrative posts, and
weave, and spin, or till the ground, &c. &c. &c.
But no doubt they hope this will never be in their day.
2. The Lawyers' trade will be ruined. There will
be no quarrels or litigations; no ea pensive law-suits ;
no prosecutions. There will be no need of atternies,
counsellors, judges, courts of justice, jails or jail-
keepers, no bum-bailiffs., no police-officers, &c. &c.
S. The Magistrates' trade would be destroyed. There
Would be no granting of summonses or warrants. No
making of mittimuses—no bondsmen, and no bail
fees, &c. &c.-4. The soldiers' trade would Fetish.
No bloody 'Waterloo battles or Peterloo massacres—
no atming, training, drillings; swords would be
beaten into plough-shares and pikes into pruning-
hooks—musket barrels into gas-pipes, and cannon
into steam-pipes, &c. &c.-5. The Boroughmonge-s'
trade would be abolished. No giving £lOO,OOO for
a few old pig-sties, called a borough—no bribes to
voters fur members—no placemen, pensioners, sine-
, curiits, &c.-6. The King trade will be greatly
affected. No Parliament—no King but one, " and
his name shall be one in all the earth."—l observed
that this doctrine had been preached six hundred
years ago ; by Enoch before, and by Prophets after
the Flood; by the Apostles of discs in the Roman
Empire ; and ever since by all the true Ministers of
CHRiST. Alas! what corruption—what wickedness
has taken place, notwithstanding this divine maxim.
I had no doubt but large salaries would be paid to
Ministers for leaching their flocks; that Judges,
Counsellors, and Attornies would be employed for
along time before this.principle would be acted upon.
That military would be kept up ; that many bloody
battles would be fought ; many persons incarcerated ;
many blockheads crowned, and many crowned heads
cut off,. before this great principle was acted upon.—
I this,lGentlemen, and you will, I suppose,
con•iict me ; but I call not only Earth but Haas-Est
to witness, that I am incapable of uttering the lan-
guage so foully and so calumniously imputed to me
by that witness you have seen, and who, you must
know, is unfit to give evidence in any case. lam a
preacher of the Gospel, but am I to compose all my
sermons of texts of Scriptures ? Did any one ever
hear such a sermon ? Look to the preachers of the
Established Church—do not they introduce politics'
You, perhaps, have heard many loyal sermons—you
have heard political doctrines freely urged, and
loyalty. to the Crown recommended ; theu, if intro-
ducing politics into religious discourses be criminal
in me, it is so in them also. • As a preacher, it is na-
tural that I should wish to see the,days of Millennium
arrive. I would say, I will say, with the Apostle John,
" Come, }man JICSIII4 come quickly
It is for you to say, Gentlemen) whether we have
or have not a right, as public speakers, to utter our
sentiments. If we have a right, are you as Jury-
men to deprive your fellow creatures of their rights?
You are not to be guided by the speech of an Attor-
ney-General, or the charge of an Honourable Judge.
You are to judge for yourselves, and in that judg-
ment you are to be guided, not by interest, but by
principle. You are judging a case between your
-King and the defendant—between religion and the
defendant, and you are to say whether that defend-
ant was entitled to speak as he tells you he has done.
I find it in a book in my hand, that Solon, -the Le-
gislator of Athens, enacted a law, making it a capital
offence for any man to stand neuter, when party rant
high in the State. The writer says, he admires the
principle on whicli this law was enacted. He says,
that when party ran high, it was the duty of every
man to act with firmness and consistency. For my
part, whether in prison or out Of prison, I shall at-
ways advocate the cause of Reform. No matter
whether it please or displease men in robes or iii high
authority. Mr. Harrison proceeded to read extracts
from the work he held in his hand, in which the
author pointed out the lamentable effects which
would be produced by a perseverance in a system of
coercion and misgovernment.' He was proceeding
to read, when

Judge MARSHALL said he was reading an attack
on the Government and established Religion of the
country. It mii,ht do much harm, but could not
serve him in his defence.

_ .
Mr. Harrison submitted to the. Court. He wished
to shew the Jury that he was not singular in his opi-
nions. That many good men panted to see liberty
restored, as much as he did. He wished to accom-
plish this by peaceable means. He went on to stace
to the Jury his.re.vons for becoming a Reformer and
a public man, as Ile did on the fanner trial. He then
went on to say, that he never cursed the King. He
.never went on his knees in a garden to do so, as was Ow
case with a certain person now high iu authority in
this country.
Atter some further observations of a similar r.l-
- tune, he concluded his incoherent defence by capiPg