Star.
London, England, 1826-04-04 00:00:00

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Mr. &ROAM'S, on the part of the Crown, said that
is this was, he believed, the first prosecution that had
taken place under the late statute against Unlawful As-
thmblies (4th Geo:IV.) it might be necessary to adds ess
the Court and jury. 'The traversers were indicted for
a misdemeanor, in acting as members of a society called
Freemasons, by appearing in the insignia of the order,
and marching in public procession. Mr. Schoales read
some passages from the statute, which showed that all
associations, lodges, &c. bound together by secret oaths;
or engagements, were, amongst others, wisely prohibited
by this statute; and that public processions of any such
bodies, having a tendency to produce disturbance, and
to lead to riot, and perhaps to bloodshed, were especially
intended to be prevented. He then stated, that on the
27th of December last, the Mayor of Coleraine having
received information that Freemason lodges were as.

sembling in that town, repaired to the several places
where their flags were displayed; be informed the per-
sons astembled that their purpose was illegal, and ad-
vised them to disperse. In general the advice of the
Magistrate was followed; but the traversers, With some
others, resisted it, and proceeed through some of the
streets of Coleraine, in procession, with flags, &c. as
usual. Another Magistrate having joined the Mayor,
with some constables, they attempted to take the fl igs,
and a struggle ensued, which constituted a riot, and in
which one of the Magistrates was nearly knocked
down. But as the traversers had since expressed con-
trition. and declated that they acted in ignorance of the
law, Mr. ScboAles said the object of the prosecution
would be answered by such moeerate punishment as
the Court, in discretion, should think sufficient to pre.
vent a repetition of the offence.
Mr. ROLLICSTON, for the traverser, declared, that
Freemasons would he among the last persons in the
community to commit a wilful breach of the law. He
admitted that his clients had acted illegally, but they
had not any knowledge of the existing law at the time.
They were sorry to have offended, and wished to make
amends by withdrawing their traverses and pleading
guilty, not generally to the indictment, but to the count
for the infringement of the new statute.
Mr. ScHool.as said, that they had sufficient evidence to support
a riot under the common law. _ _ _

Mr. Roussel*, in reply, said, that now for the first time he bad
heard Freemasons accused as a riotous mob. I am myself, my Lord,
a Freemason, and never till this moment in Ireland did I bear of
their being accused, as a body, of anything illegal, immoral,
or disloyal.
Mr Senoatita—My Lord, Mr. Rolleston cannot now be heard,
unless his clients submit to the charges in the indictment.
My Lord, said Mr. ROLLILSTON, submit to the charge
of riot I Freemasons submit to the charge of riot!
Never!—he who reveres the order will not advise or
suffer the men of the Society he loves to admit they
have polluted themselves by a base and degrading riot.
No, my Lord ; the Freemasons of this kingdom are
men of spirit, virtue, and morality, who have never
been debased even by the imputation of a breach of
-the pence. No; ages have established them pure, vir-
tuous, peaieful, and loyal. I shall tell your Lordship
what they will admit—that on the day in Inestion they
assembled is an ancient and highly ses2ectetble lodge
of Freemasons, as' they and their ancestors had done
sine the eireetion of the temple. They will admit, that
on .the day• in question they marched as free and
accepted Masons, s.ccotding to the custom of that an-
cient and revered body. They will admit that they
were on that day, for the first time, informed that a
meeting of free, independent, and united Masons, dis-
playing the signals of union and fraternity, were con-
traty to law. They will admit that, however anxious
they are to hoist the banners of love, friendship, and
loyalty ; yet if that is forbidden by the Legislature,
they will no longer unfurl them in public. Let them,
my Lord, with this admission, and with this acknow-
ledgment, depart peaceably to their homes. Though
I admit they acknowledge no more, it is impossible to
punish men of their purity and morality for this inad-
vertent error. No Jury can convict them—they will
.nbt, if informed by your Lordship that the assembling
as Freemasons is illegal—they will nut again publicly
display the sacred emblems of their order—they will
be satisfied in secret to press them, inscribed with love,
fraternity, and virtue, to their loyal and generous hearts.
The Learned Juno' agreed in every respect, and said, that as
they had thus, in open Court. declared their sentiments, and that
no public parade should again be made, hi would permit them to
return so their ►omes and to their families without any imputation
whatever, but that of inadvertent mistake of present privilege.
They had now acknowledged their offence, and submitted to the
mercy of the Court, and his Lordship thought public justice woubi
be sufficiently vindicated by a small fine; upon payment of which
they were discharged.

The Greek merchants of the City report that Lord
Coen sows will immediately be invested with the title of " First
Consul of the Republic of Greece."
CLAuna SznaAT, the living skeleton, pabsed through
Dover on Tuesday, on his way home ici,Rrance]
The public ate not generally aware that the Order inl
Council, which a short time since prohibited the es.l
portation of aims and ammunition from this country,
expired in the course of last week. The Order was to
be in force during six months only from. the -80th of
September, 1825.
AsnucTion.—Tuesdgf Hugh Reynolds, who was
tried and convicted at Cavan, for abduction, underwent
the awful sentence of the law in front of the gaol of that
rtown.—ln the month of April, 1825, a party, headed
by Hugh Reynolds, came at the hour of midnight to
the house of an industrious farmer, named M'Cabe, of
the townland of Shankhifl, near the town of Cavan,'
"who had an only daughter, reputed to have a fortune
of 1001. They broke Open the house, and demanded
.M'Cabe's daughter, who, on hearing them, cnncealed
herself. They sought for her, however, until they found
*her ; but, on their attempting to force her away, she
;king round her mother's neck, from which they tore
her with some violence, and carried hrr off almost in a
state of nudity. When they had proceeded about half
'a mile, one of the ruffians said, 4. Now is the time to
insure the prize." The unfortunate man who intended
her for his wife, hesitated to commit so foul a deed in
their presence as that to which they urged him ; but
the monster again said, "If you do jot, I will ;" which
' had the effect of inducing the wretched man to perpe-
ltrate the clime, in the accomplishrtient of which he was
assisted by his brutal companion, while the remainder
of the band remained at a short distance. They then
proceeded to the house of John Reynolds, brother to
Hugh, where they kept the wretched girl for two days,
and then allowed her to retain home. Reynolds was
afterwards taken by a party of Police, and also his
brother John, who is likewise under sentence of de.atii
for aiding and assisting.—Erne Packet.

~PbktP G IN'I'EI.LIG EM .

ETTINCLRObIi, TATS. ALIJA; Aien.
The Room disring the /thine Of tie diterlsoin ie at • vneitialif
crowded. AU the leading lietithg.Genfleshen being iii attendant.;
engagements to.a ref y large ditiount were entered into, the betting
being strong on all the staked, ptosltteing important shanties: The
odds on some bf the, tterbj fatroiltites hale earieli Considerably,
Panic not bein4_l4itked io fretly fill back d Adiance, en
the contrary,reee fapidly, haling plentrintickers. the Moslem
too, Left stfr--6-or 4 points Setter than en ThUrstlay. 'Of the out-
siders the Baroaiips Witten up, and i 7 to 1 taked; the last quo-
tation, however, is 11 to The principal betting GO the Oaks wad
ma Bitter*, (Mame filly) who is decide/1y first favourite. The
St. foie+ betting wai brisker than not home weeks put, eel more
interesting. Crusader, in consequence (as It w Said) of baring been
Med with Calypso, and found wanting, retrograde/ Several points,
to 1 being taken several dates la the early part of the day; but
awards the close he recovered a little, and settled at 20 to 1, being
backed at 6to 5 against Calypso. Upon thewhole !be day) bug;
less was exceedingly interesting. The odds ate IS
Ikuga.ksisoasu. rr

2 to 1 apt Henry
3 to 1 apt The Modena
31 to i apt The General
to 2 art Monarch 28 tO 1 agst Prerniet
8 to 1 apt Panic 30 to l apt Natty
to 1 apt Advance 30 to 1 agst Roiveni
ig to I apt I'h Moslem 83 to 1 apt Raivast
IS tot art The /kraal 35 to 1 art Aeries* se •
20 to I apt The General &3 t• 1 apt Waterman
29 to I apt Pluto 35 to 1 apt Gramarie
22 to I apt Sophist 35 to 1 agai Centaur
25 to 1 apt Goddard I 45 to 1 apt Apelles
27 to 1 agst Twatty I 1000 to 15 apt Miss Syntax,
liven betting between Centaur and Barossa.
Even betting between Centaur and Rowena.
100 to ft against Advance for the stakes on Monday neat.
• OA K&

0 to 1400t4011454.
J 2 to ltit Taraplule

6 to 1 agst Filagree
14 to 1 agar 111igniottette
7 to I apt Problem
114 to I agat Henrica
10 to I agst Rachel
12 to 1 apt Elizabeth_

15 to 1 apt 80-Peep
11:0 to 1 a`►t Morel
£2 to 1 apt Tars
£2 to 1 apt Paraplaio
25 to 1 apt Loath

JUONCAS7t2I; Sr. Leona.
7 to 1 apt Bedlamlte 20 to 1 asst Crusader
12 to 1 apt Belzoni 25 to 1 apt Calypso
17 to 1 apt Fumy 28 to 1 agst Panic
1$ to 1 apt Barataria 35 to 1 apt Barefoot
6 to 5 Crusader apt Calypso.
Match.—Even betting between Cedric and Sligo, et. p.
Lord Jersey's Hem** is matched against Mr. Greville's Elisa-
beth (sat. 71b. each), at the nett First October Meeting, for
100 sov. h. ft.
Mn. Greville's Whalebone is matched against Mr. Mills's Apace
(est. Sib. each), at the next Houghton Meeting, for 100 sou. b. ft*
At the Craven Meeting next year, Mr. Mills's Panic (sit. 7th.)
is =itched *Omit Mr. Grevill's Elizabeth (tit. 41b.). for
$OO son. b. ft.
The following Matches have been made for the Newmarket
Cravat Meeting, which commences on Monday se'unight, the 14alt
of April :
First Day.—Lord Orford's b. c. Swiss Guide, by Tramp, dam by
Haphazard, against Lord G. H. Cavendisies b. c. by Allegro, out
of Pagoda, est. Sib. each, for 500, b.
Lord Darlington's Barefoot against Lord Exeter's Zealot, tat. 71b.
each, for 500, b. ft.
Duke of Portland" e. by Tiresias, Sit. lnlb. against the nuke of
Grafton's c. by Salim, bought of Mr. R. Wilson, set. Mb. lbe 100,
h. ft.
Colonel Wilson's c. by Merlin, est. 7th. against Mr. Waivers
Link Boy. est. 41b. for 100, b. ft.
Second Day.—Mr. Latubton's Cedric, est. alb. again* Lord
Anson's Sligo,llst. last mile and half of the R C. for $OO. 11. ff.
Third Dirt' —Mr. Wortirfs Reformer, Su. SW'.. kgaita Mr.
•
Udny's Tarandet, set. for 200, h. ft.
Fourth Day.—Duke of Grafton's f. by Woful, recalve4 erns.
from Lord' Word's f. by Comes, list. 41b. each, A. V. for3oo, h. ft.
1100 RACES (HERTORDSHIRE).
Sweepstakes of Twenty-five Sovereigns each, for two-years old
colts. T. Y. C.
Lord Verulam's b. e. by Wait* .
Mr. Eimer's f. Davin
Plekford's The

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