Star.
London, England, 1827-08-07 00:00:00

t have the goodness to Bate In what 1 have erred; for limns you.
I ant yet Ignorant of particultinisuffnietitly'minute fdr that purpose.
" P.B.As a further proof of My innocence in the matter, I hog
to add, that the mistatt complained of .was copied from a rawest.
porary print."
list re was a further correspondence, from which it
appe tied, that the defendant had offered to pay the
taxed costs, if any had been incurred; and this, after he
had given, in a leading part of his paper, the fullest
correction of the error complained of.
Mr. Bartsrow repl;ed to evidence, and
The LORD CHM, JUSTICI then ch trged the Jury.—
He said, that in the reports of proceedings in Courts of
Justi ein newspatiers,•it was undoubtedly, as a geterat
principle, a justification to prove that they were cor-
rectly given. But hese a serious error had been pro.
mulgated. A man u hose misfortune it vas to have bten
charged with a serious crime, and acquitted, had been
recorded as a convict sentenced to transportation. It
must, however, be admitted that the evidence in the
case feinted the notion of malice, and that the error
was instantly corrected. Under such ci.cornstances,
undoubtedly little damage could have been infrcted.--
He the Judge) had known this newspaper in the country
for many years, and he believed it to he most respect-
ably conducted. There was not a tittle of evidence to
show malice here; and.he was rather surprised the de-
fendan's original offer was not accepted. Now, his opi-
nion upon cert .in points Of practice of the public pees:.
was %sell known ; but at the same time be was free its
say, that he should.be always ready to protect it against
actions, not for (air redress, but for a cons; dation and
muLiplica,ion of costs. Why had rot this action ben
brought against the Bath paper ? That was a circum-
stance which required some further information.. At all
events, the. Jury must find a verdict for the &aural;
and it was for them to estimate the amount of ink.ry
which he had TM ive.f, and to apportion the damages.
The Jury instantly found a verdict for the plaintiff....
Dam .ges one tat thing.
Mr. Sergeant WlLDits f"r the defendant, made a spe-
cial applica ion to the Court to certify costs, on the
ground that ever y fair retractation had been offered a:4l
given; and particularly that an action was now pendistg
against the Bath newspaper F.r the same off•nce.
Lord Chief Justice Bear said that he would take un-
til to-morrow morning to consider this application.—
The Court adjourned at half-past six o'cic,clt.
A UGUST 4.
CraL Sins. -Before Lord Chief Justice Barr.

When the Court met at eight o'cloek this morning, the Chief
Justice certified ler Mr. Chiswick, the proptietor of the Sherburne
newspaper, against whom a verdict of one farthing damages lop
given yesterday. on the prosecution of a man named !Aiming, whe
was stated in the paper to have been Sentenced to seven years', trans-
portation, instead ut having beesacquirtti (which was the fact), at
the last Spring liaises fur Soniersetshire. The effect of his Lord-
certification is, to prevent Mr. Criswick trent being viAted
with the costs et the plaintiff. The paragraph, which originated .
in seine mistake, was copied front a Bath newspaper, again's whist
harming has likewise instituted an action. This equitable devideti
of the Court is important. from its neeeibary tendency forebrain
the toofrequent practice of disreputable practitioners, so augment
actions against several newspapers for one and the same imputed
libel ; and such cases have been heretofore sought to be tried be-
fore hiefiustice Best, owing to a notion, we In•lieve•enfonnded,
that be entertains strong and adverse opinions bathe general 'manner
in which the public press is coodected.
•
Caowa Sena. . 441
THE KING Si. SIR 110111ERT STERLIL,•••-CHALLRISOR TO . -;•••
TIGHT A oust.
'We COURT inquired whether the defendant was prs.r.
sent.—After a short delay, occasioned by she,esssdedcr
state t f the avenues, Sir It.,bert Steele appeared in the
witness box, and was informed
.that room should be
made for him at the counsel tilde.. He replied, that he
was lame and unable to move through the crowd, to
get there, and would there!ore remain "here he was,
with his Lordship's permiss'on. Captain Garth sat near
hit C..uusel; and Lidy Astley, who had been subi cc.
n.ecl by the defendant, was in waiting, it her presence
were called for.

The indictment, which was of great length, and cop.
.tained twelve counts, was then read. It charged the
'defendant with having endeavoured by various false,
scandalous, and malicious means to provoke Captain
Garth to fight a duel with him ; and among other
modes of. proceeding which he adopted was that of
writing a letter on the 23d F .bi uary last, and. a'uv.
wards posting a copy fit in the Weymouth club-room.
as well as circulating more copies of it amongst the
Gentlemen of the county. The letter stated in sub-
stance, that it was only on that of ernorsit that it had
come to his ears that Captain Garth bad ben ei.gaged
in an attempt to undermine and assissinate his (Sir
Robert's) character, by insinuatirg that I e had taken
advantage of his absence to insinuate hin.selt into the
confidence al Lady Astley; that as long as he had con-
fined himself to the act of being the ihatteiing harbinger
of his own disgrace, he (Sir Robert) had remained
lent ; but that when he had .dared. to accuse him of
having taken advantage • f a Lady's protector to make
attempts upon her honour, the only answer he should
give him was, that he lied in his threat. Equ.ily false
was it if he had asserted that he shad ever borrpsed
money from him which he had nit lawfully r.tor..ed.
Tiff lett, r concluded with an intimation, that no with.
standing the Jury who tried th action for damages,
(Astley v. Garb) had scat. d, that no language could
eXpteSS their detestation of his cuuJucr, and that the
Judge who sat on the bench at that It ial, had said
clime, a worse creiture than he was could never have
crawled. he (Sir Robert) was ready to meet him half
way,-if I e 'emoted to come forward and give satisfac•
lion, notwithstanding he had found him a traitor, to his
mistiess, and fake to his friend. Let him now shew
that he was not the recteant knave which the world
'thought him.
The defendant when called upon fir his plea, said.
" I have, my Lord, too great a respect for the lawaef
my country, to defend at this moment ih breath pf
the peace which I admit I have committed. I therefare
plead guilty to the charge, and throw myself -upon the
mercitul consideration of the Court.'

Mr. Sergeant Wicns.—Then, my Lord, on the part
of the pto ecution, I pray the judgme. t if the Court
upon Sir Itt.beet Steele.
The CounT.—Has the defendant any Affidavits.
Mr. Sergeant WicoE.--1 do not know, but I have
some on the p of Captain Garth, whi,h 1 wish to put
in before judgment is given.
Sit Robert Steele.—..l am withou: con. sel, my Lord,
and unprepated for this mode of proceeding. 1 was nt t
aware of it,

The CounT.—lf yon desire time fcr any affidavits,
you shall have it. We must hear the affidavits for
the prosecution, and then yt u shall hive time to answer
them, it you can skew that that delay will•be necessary.
Sir Robert Steele expressed his thanks to
theCourt,apd
Mr. Sergeant IVILDE [brit, put it) three 4th writs on
the part of the prmeCution.,
The 6rat atii Wait was that of Caßtsin Thomas Garth. which
stated, that about the
the St. Jatitees P

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