Star.
London, England, 1827-08-21 00:00:00

proceeded to warn the people of Coventry against the though the plaintiff now thought (roper to conceit it
consequences of opening the jurisdiction of Coventry to into the round of a grave and serious comp!** in a
these Gentlemen ; and, again alluding to Mr. Adams, Court of Justice, and actually alleged on the record, that
said, "To be sure, we shall have the benefit of his ex- in consequence of this publication no respectable per-
perience in the expenditure." Nothing could be more son would associate with him. Now he (Mr. Reader)
false or malicious than this libel, which imputed to would venture to assure Mr. Adams, that his character
this most respectable Magistrate, and as honourable a was not at all injured by the publication of this letter,
man as any in existence, that he had taken advantage of and that no person who had known him before %mild
the situation which he filled to saddle the county with hesitate for a moment to continue their -acqu iintance
an expense of 12 0001. to provide himself and his bro- with him in consequence of this hand-bill. Nay, he'
;her magistrates with lodging and accommodation, saw his Learned Friend the Sergeant in Court, and if
under the pretence of finding it for the Judges. Nay, he would suggest to his brother, the plaintiff, to invite
this letter imputed to the magistrates of the county of the Gentlemen of the Bar to dinner to-morrow, he (Mr.
Warwick, that they were boarded and lodged at the Reader) would ens* er for them that they would very
expense of the county. This he (Mr. Clarke) could cheerfully accept the invitation, console his wounded
take upon himself to state was a scandalous falsehood. feelings, and drink his claret—(Laughter) And he
He was himself a magistrate of the county of Warwick. dared say, he conveyed the feelings of the July when
and to his knowledge these Gentlemen never expended he said that they would do the same. And now that
one farthing of the public money upon themselves; he spoke of claret, he was led to the provocation to
while, on the contrary, they attended here to transact which he had alluded, and which was contained in an
the county business at a very considerable expense to after-dinner speech—(A laugh.) After the election had
themselves. 11 12,0001. were expended, it was expended terminated, the defeated party gave a dinner to cele-.
in building and furnishing a house, as so table lodgings brine their defeat--a very odd sort of proceeding, no
for the accommodation of the Judges, the fatigue of doubt. After the cloth was removed, Mr. Adams ad-
whose high and laborious duties, and the dignity of dressed the company, and commenced by saying, that
station required that they should have every comfort he had been turned out of a booth, and put into the
and accommodation provided for them which the coon- hands of a gaoler. Now the fact was, that Mr. Merri-
ty could afford. The Learned Counsel, after observing dew had requested the gaoler to attend Mr. Adams, to
upon the malignity of this libel, and the manner in protect him from -being insulted by the mob ; yet
which it had been circulated, added, that it was still here was the way in which his conduct was misrepre
further aggravated by the fact of the defendant having rented. The Learned Counsel proceeded to read a re-
pot a justification upon the record, of which the plain- port of the speech in question, in which the plaintiff
tiff dared him to the proof; and if he did not venture to was reported, in mentioning the county rate, to have
prove it, as in truth he could not, then it would be no spoken of the necessity of " submitting to plunder."
excuse to say that it was done by the special pleader in The speaker then went on to detail the particulars of
kondon, because no special pleader ever ventured, nor an interview he had had with Mr. Peel on the subject
could he, without instructions to that-effect, to plead a of the Borough, which ended in Mr. Peel's requesting
justification to an action of libel. Under all these cir- Mr. Adams to tell him what he wanted—(A laugh);
cumstances, the Jury would return such a verdict as after which he described the Corporation of Coventry
would mark their sense of the malicious conduct of the as rotten, and said their Charter ought to be burnt by
defendant, and vindicate the plaintiff's reputation from the hands of the common hangman. After commenting
so foul and so tinfouuded a calumny. on this speech, the Learned Counsel went on to argue
The hand-bill was then proved and read. It was to that this hand-bill was only a warm expostulation, and
the effect above set forth, and was stated at the bottom did not amount to a libel ; and even if it did, that it
to have been" printed by Merridew and Son, printers." bad not been published by the defendant.
A witness was called, who swore that he was em- Henry Merridew was then called, and stated that his
ployed by Mr. Henry Merridew, the defendant's son, father had withdrawn from the partnership in 1823,
to distribute copies of the hand-bill, and that he had receiving 1001. per annum out of the detendant's busi-
done so as publicly as possible. Other witnesses were ness ever since, and not being at present at all connected
examined, from whose testimony it appeared that the with it. The witness admitted, however, that appren.
defendant was an Alderman of Coventry, and had for- tices had been bound since that period to Merridew and
wetly carried on the business of a printer, in partnership son. He also admitted that this was originally a joint
with his son. He still was seen occasionally attending action against the defendant and himself.
in the shop, when the son ear absent, and the words The plaintiff's attorney and hispartner were called to
over the shop-door were, " Merridews, printers and prove the speech made by Mr. Adams at the election
binders." It was understold, however, that an arrange- dinner ;but they both disclaimed all recollection of that
silent had taken place between the father and son in Gentleman's having used the strong expressions con-
-1623, in pursuance of which the former -spited from tamed in the 'tricot Read by Mr. Reader.
the active management of the business, but no notice of Mr. CLAIRE having replied,
any dissolution of partnership was advertised until about Lotd TENTIRDEN said, that before he proceeded to
a month ago. Moreover, parcels were received directed sum up the evidence, he wished to state, that the noise
to Merridew and son; and although the father did not which had escaped him did not proceed from any list-
live at the house in which the shop was, he was seen lestn-ss on his part, or inattention to the observations of
to act as the owner of the establishment. the Learned Counsel who was speaking at the time,
Mr. READER (who was assisted by Messrs. Goutsuart but was induced, by that sense of fatigue which severe
and CLINTON) addressed the Jury for the defendants.—
attention to a laborious duty will some times bring over
He had never risen with more painful feelings in his
the constitution. He could assure the Learned Counsel
life than he did on the present occasion. He had known that there was no man whom the Judges more regarded
a'
the plaintiff, Mr. Adams, long and well, and could take and respected in Court, or more esteemed out of Court.
upon himself to say, that a more respectable or more His LORDSHIP then summed up the case to the Jury,
who, after about half an hour's deliberation, returned a
honourable man did not exist. Of the other Magistrates
for this county he was also enabled to say, from the ex-
verdict for the plaintiff—Damages, 251.
perience of 30 years during which he had attended their BRIGHTON, Avian 19.
Sessions, that there was not in England a more upright, At the Assizes for this county, which have just ter-
or mote conscientious, or more efficient body of Magia- urinated, an assault care was tried, wherein Mr. Henty,
trates. He also knew the defendant, who was one of one of the firm of the Worthing Bank, was defendant.
the Aldermen of Coventry, and was judiciously connect- The prosecutor was a Solicitor of the name of Holmes,
ed with him, he (the Learned Counsel) having the ho- residing at Arundel, and the cause of dispute arose
Dour of being the steward of their Court. This was a some time ago, at a meeting held at that place, for the
painful situation to be placed in; but, although he purpose of choosing a treasurer to the Savings Bank.
sliculd abstain from saying any thing offensive to either The defendant on that occasion charged Mr. Holmes
patty, yet he would not shrink from making such ob. with having endeavoured to get him turned out of a
nervations as his duty required ; and if these should bank, which the latter, in return, declared to be " false
not be agreeable to some persons, they had to as hell," an assertion that caused Mr. Henty to take him
thank themselves, who had placed him in that forthwith by the ear. For this assault the above pro-
situation. He did not believe that the plaintiff had ceedings were instituted; and at the trial, Mr. Holmes
brought this action for the purpose of vindicating his refusing to accede to the recommendation of the Judge,
character from any imaginary imputations contained in that the parties should settle the affair between -them-
this publication, but that it proceeded from feelings of selves, the case went to the Jury, when Mr. Henty was
disappointed ambit on, in being refused a distinguished fined ls. and the prosecutor and defendant were both
office which he had been desirous of obtaining. The bound over in their own recognisance: of 2001. to keep
Jury were aware, that upon the death of Lord Craven, the peace towards each other. -
who was Recorder of Coventry. Mr. Adams became a
candidate for the office ; but the Aldermen of Coventry

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

. -
did not approve of him, and he was repulsed, without
receiving one vote. Hence the irindictive feelings to-
wards the defendant, who was one of those Aldermen,

MANSION-HOUSE.

which were the real cause of this proceeding: and the
more effectually to punish the Alderman, two actions
were brought—one against the son, and the other
against the father, in ordtr to increase the costs. The
Jury had heard his Learned Friend talk of malicious
feelings; what did they think of malicious actions? Mr
Adams had been a banker at Coventry, in partnership
with his brothet•in•law, Mr. Beck, and it Mdb at their

Mr. Drinkald, the Common Councilman, one of the Directors
of the Watermetes Company, applieltolhe Loau MATOS on the
subject of the obstructions and other annoyances at the Tower
stairs. If two lacers were appointed to attend from morning till
night, the evils would, he said, be remedied. The military bad,
he added, adopted a strange system at the stairs. The moment an
officer of the City appeared at the stairs, a corporal and two privates
followed him about while he was looking after others.
The Loan hlavoa observed, that the Directors of the Company
might, if they pleased, employ officers, but the City could not pay
them. A regulation had beets made by the Committee, with which
he could not interfere.

house that the defendant had banked. In 1823,

be di.sclved partnetship with his snn, and apprised
the Gentlemen of that fact, requesting at the same
time, that any advances required for the business might
be made to hi's son. So that the plaintiff well knew that

Mr. Minicabd submitted to his Lordship, that as the Directors
themselves were paid nothing for their trouble, it was not reason-
able to expect that they should pay officers. The service would,
he said, be rendered for 4s. a day.
The Loan Nlevoa—To whom would it be rendered?

the present defendant could have had nothing to do with
the publication of this hand-bill. He was, in truth, as
ignorant of the transaction as if it had never occurred;
nor was it in his nature to publish an offensive thing of
anybody, for he was one of the mildest and most in-
offensive men breathing. Here the Learned Counsel
observed upon the plaintiff's evidence, and contended,
that there was no plod of any existing connection in
trade beta een the defendant and his son. But even if
this letter had been actually published by the defendant,
still he insisted that it was not libelous, although if
there was anything unpleasant to the plaintiff's feelings
in it, he had drawn it on himself by having given the
fi r-t provocation. Every person must recollect the heat
and excitation produced in Coventry by the election in
Jur.e last year. Mr. Peter Moore had been for taenty-
sevea years in possession of the representation of that
city. His friend Mr. Ellice had been the other represen-
tative for many years. But the tide had turned at length,
and Messrs. Heathcote and Fyler were eected. The
defeated party were greatly incensed at this, and got
up a petition to Parliament to open the •jurisdicrion,
as had been sta:ed, in consequence of Which a Bill for
that purpose actually passed the House of Commons,
but was fortunately thrown out in the Lords. While
this was going forward. it produced the greenest excaes
orient in the intniough, and election squibs, as was usual
+is such occasions, were let off on both sides. The pre
aunt hand-bill was nothing more than one of thes; ; si

Mr. Drinkald—To the public.
The Loan Mayon said, that if any of the public were obstructed,
they bad their remedy, and if they would not take the trouble to
summon those who put the impediments in the way, there could
nor be any thing very serious in the nature of the complaints. If
persons were convicted of obstructing before him, be should cer-
tainly punish them according to law.
A tide-waiter was charged with having deserted his wife. The
woman, who is old enough to be the mother of the defendant,
stated that be had got into her debt 261, when she was a widow,
and prevailed urns her to marry ►int ; that she had six beds upon
her bridal night, and now had not one ; and that he bad, is other
respects, behaved in a cruel manner to her.
The defendant said that he was willing to support his wife, but
she was so inordinately fond of drink, that no property would
stand before her habits. Lie defied her to say he ever had struck
her.—No, said she, but you have done worse, you nasty good for-
nothing fellow ; you have starved me, and it was because I bad
nothing to eat that I scinetimes used to drink a little.
• The Defendant—Wu know you have been brought home to me
blind drunk by six men.
The Loan MATOS ordered the defendant to make an arrange-
ment with the pcish officers. The order was obeyed, upon the
threat of his Lordship to send the defendant to prison.