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

APRIL 20, 1820.

_

CHESTER, APRIL 18.

SECOND TRIAL OF MR. HARRISON.
THE KING S. HARRISON, FOR SEDITIOUS WORDS.
The indictment in this case charged that the de-
fendant, Joseph Harrison, being an evil disposed per-
son, did, upon the 15th of August, 1819, unlawfully
and seditiously, with intent to bring into hatred and
contempt, &c. and to excite to tumult and insurrec-
tion his Majesty's liege subjects, use and titter the
following words: the words were then set forth—
" That the Government had starved the people; and
that it was right that the people should starve the
Government.' " That it is necessary for the con-
sent of all three of the estates, King, Lords, and
Commons, tarnake laws, which cannot afterwards
be altered but by the same consent." 00 That the
Commons House was the house of assembly of the
people, where their rights should be protected ; but
that, when the people asked for their rights, they
threatened to make war upon them." " Can laws
proceeding from such a source be called the law of
the land ? or is it fit that we should obey them?"
. Mr. iltmvoN, for the Crown, stated, that he should
be very brief in his address. The defendant, Joseph
Harrison, stood charged with having used the ex-
pressions imputed to him in the indictment, with a
view to excite the people to tumult and insurrection,
and stir up a hatred and contempt of the Govein-
ment. The day upon which those expressions were
stated to have been used was upon the 15th August,
1819, one day previous to the celebrated' Meeting at
Manchester. The Jury would find that the Magis-
trates of Manchester, aware of the Meeting which
was to take place there upon the 16th of
.Augury
and hearing that a Meeting at Stockport was to be
held upon the 15th, had sent over to Stockport Mr.
Matthew Cowper, in order to notice and report to
them what might piss. Upon Mr. Cowper's arri-
val in Stockport, he found a large assembly oc-
cupying the Union room. Mr. Harrison, the de-
fendant, was preaching a sermon—a sermon in which
there had been, as the Jury would find, a great deal
of sedition, and but little religion. Mr. Cowper had
taken notes of what he had heard, and he would be
called before the Court. If the Jury believed Mr.
Cowper, they would say that the defendant had ut-
tered the words imputed to him ; and more sedition,
in the same compass, he (the Learned Counsel) had
never heard. The questions for the Jury would be
—first, whether the words were uttered by the de-
fendant ? arid, next, whether those words had the
meaning imputed to them in the inuendoes of the
indictment ? Upon neither of these questions did it
appear to him (Mr. Benyon) that the slightest doubt
could arise.
Matthew Cowper..examined by Mr. MANLY.—IS
public accountant in Manchester. On the 15th of
August (Sunday) went to Stockport to .hear a lec-
ture, advertised at the Windmill-rooms upon that
day. Went to the rooms about six in the evening.
When he got there, found Mr. Harrison 'preaching
to a large concourse of persons. Harrison had begun
preaching before witness could get into the room,
therefore he had not heard the beginning of his dis-
course. Harrison was in a pulpit. Ilis discourse
continued, witness should suppose, three quarters of
an hour. Witness, as soon as he left the room, took
notes of what he had heard.
By the Couar.—Thought a thousand persons must
have been present. The room was much crowded.
By Mr. MANLY.—Witness went there on purpose
to take notes. Was instructed by the Magistrates of
Manchester to do so. Could not take no:es in the
room en account of the crowd. Took his notes at
the Bulkeley Arms, within a quarter of an hour
after he left the room. The first head on which he
heard Mr. Harrison lecture, was upon the propriety
of living soberly. Under that head Harrison called
upon the friends of Reform generally to abstain
from the use of tea, coffee, tobacco, and Other excise-
able articles; that, defendant said, was the only sure
way of causing the Reform which they sought.—
Harrison added, " the Government have starved the
people; and, therefore, it is fit that the people should
starve the Government." That ended the discourse
upon the head of sobriety. The next head was on the
advantage of liiing righteously. Mr. Harrison said
the word righteously applied as well to the rich as
-to the poor; to the governors-as to the governed.—
He then stated, that the Constitution of England
consisted of King, Lords, and Commons. I-Ie added,
that it was necessary for all the three estates to make
laws, which could not be altered but by
:the same
consent ; that the Commons House was the house of
assembly of the people, where their rights (Right to
be protected; but when people asked-for their rights
they threatened to make war. He added, " can laws
proceeding from such a source be considered the
law of the land, or is it It we should obey them ?"
Witness was at Manchester next day. There were
100,000 people 'at that Meeting (the Manchester
Meeting). Stockport is only six miles distant , from
Manchester.
Cress-examined by the defendant.—Was a witness
on Hunt's trial at York.

PRICE SEVEN-PENCE.

see the advertistmept of the Lecture, but the Magis-
trates told him it was advertised ; never had been at
such a Lecture before or since; had no wish to ,no
again ; did not hear the text ; did 'not remember
hearing defendant say that he preferred the Consti-
tutional Government to a Republican Government;
did not remember hearing defendant say that he
would support the Constitution of his country as long
as he lived.
`Jr. William Shaw, examined by Mr. BENYON.—
Was at the Windmill-rooms on the 15th of August.
The rooms were much crowded. This was the day
before the Manchester Meeting. The defendant was
speaking ; he said he was very happy that his towns-
men had refrained from thinking ; by so doing they
would starve the system that had so long starved
them. Ile added, " You will have a dark valley to
go through ; the thuhders will roll over your heads, •
and lightnings flash in your faces." He continued,
" England has been the paradise of Europe r and he
hoped it would be the paradise of Europe again, and
that it was a corrupt Government.
COURT.—What were the words ?--It is a corrupt
Government.
• COURT.—What Government ?--I understood him
to mean the Engliih Government. Witness heard no
more; the place was so crowded that he came out.
Cross-examined by Defendant.—ls sure the defen-
dant said " starve the system that had starved them."
Is a labourer. Has laboured in a foundry and alto in
a factory. His last employment was that of a watch-
man.L He was employed by the Magistrates to attend
lat the Windmill. Has been a soldier. Hasa pension.
Never fought at Malta. has lodged, since he came
to Chester, at the lit Ctowi one night; and since,
at 2, in Chapel's-buildings. Chiefly spent. his even-
ings at the Split Crow. Does not remember saying,
that by the job he had in hand, he could clear /ss.
per day, after expenses. Gave notice to the Magis-
trates of what he had heard at Stockport on the day
after—Monday. Did not hear the text. Was not
present when the defendant was praising the Consti-
tution of England.
Mr. George Hemming, examined by Mr. Mart-v.
—Attended the Windmill-rooms on the 15th of A Li-
.gus, by order of the Magistrates. When be went in,
heard defendant say—lle was happy that Isis towns.
people had refrained from drinking ; if they wntird
stick to the system, the system that had starved them
they would starve. They had a dark valley to .go
through, and thunder might roll over their heak's and
lightning flash in their !aces ; but if they would stick
'to that, they would gain their point. Went to Stock-
port with Mr. Shaw, the last witness. Did not go
Intl! Mr. Cowper.
• Cross-examined by the Defendant.,--Is a labourif ;
works at anything he can get to do. Has been a sol-
dier in the Artillery. Was at Malta ; never fought
there ; did not run away. Never leaped into a draw-
well to screen himself hymn the enemy.
• Did you understand that anything serious Would
happen to Mr. Harrison, in consequence of this trial ?
• Repeated by the COURT.—Cannot say. Did not
lemember saying that, when he was sent out by the
Magistrates, he must bring home something.
Cooax.—Did you ever say so ?—Never. Did not
remember where he was on the ith or Bth of Au-
gust. Cannot say he was not at Ashton. Will not
swear that he was net drilling the Radicals on AA..
ton-moss upon the Bth August. Has beets in the pay
of Mr. Nadin. Does not remember having been nine
weeks in arrear in his Ray.
Re-examined by Mr. MANLY.—Were you drilling
•the Radicals on the Bth August ?—I was not.
Mr. NlatiLy.--.He did not understand the question.
That was the case for the prosecution.
Mr. Harrison addressed the Court in his defence.
He stood before the Jury, the defendant said, under
different circumstances from those in which he had
been placed upon a former day. The present indict-
ment was something more credible than the formei;
but still it had not specified when, where, how, and
under what situation the words had been spoken,
and he had therefore found it difficult to make out a
defence. He might possibly have made use of some
of the words charged in that indictment ; but if he
had made use of all, in his opinion there would have
been but little of sedition in his conduct. By the com-
mon law anything might be construed into sedition—
" For learned lawyers, at their ease,
" Twist words and phrases as they please."
He could not take up the Bible and read three chap..
ters without uttering something which might be called
seditious. He could not afford to employ Counsel,
but he would have employed a Solicitor, if he could.
have found one; but Solicitors were unwilling to act
for Reformers, and therefore he was his own Attor-
ney and his own Counsel—unless so far as the Learned
Judge would, as the law expressed it, as44l the de-
fendant—that was to say, the prisoner. if persons
were to be prosecuted for preaching, the best days of
Old England 1-.-ere over—they were gone—they were
fled. lie should not be long alone. Ile should have
company enough. As long as money was to be got
by informers, there would be no want of prosecutors
or of prosecutions. At the last trial he had enter,

Q. You confessed there that you had robbed your 1 tamed no hope of acquittal. The Attorney-General
master ?—The question was objected to by Mr. had on that occasion pleaded hard against him; but
/3tutiroN and by the Court. it was his duty to his employer. The Learned Jude,,y
The witness. said that he wished to answer it. The had summed up hard against him; but he too must
question alludes to a period fifteen years ago. At please his employers.
that time I was in the service of Messrs. Dawes and The CHIEr JUSTICE.—I have no employers, ;Ir.
Fogg.
.I was then 15 years.of age, and I applied a Harrison, and you know that well. What I said,
sum of money to my own use, which belonged to upon the occasion to which you allude, I said because
my employers ; in conser7tience of which I was dis- 1 thought it. Go on in your defence, but confine
missed from their service. That money I repaid tb yothseif within the bounds of decency. The Court
.them out of the first I could command, with corn- cannot permit reflections to be cast upon persons sit-
pound interest. I ought to add, that as soon as I left ting in this place.
Messrs. Dawes and Fogg, robtairied another situa- I Mr. Harrison could take the hint. That which he
tion, in which I rernanied :nine years, until I went had. Said,. he. also had said because he thought it.,_
into business for miself. I Times had been, vhen Bills of. Indemnity could nct
•Coun r.—Are you in business sow ?—I am a pub- protect the guilty. Empson and Dudley had been
lic accountant. hanged with their Bills of Indemnity about their
By the Defendant.—You were at the Windmill- necks. If preachers were to.be.Nsecuted, they had
,
room on the 15th August ?—I was. Witness did not better not preach at all.—lireVr. Harrison (veiled