The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1852-03-23 00:00:00

SOUTH LANCASHIRE ASSIZES.

The commission for the southern division of the county
was opened on Saturday, on the afternoon of which day
Mr. baron Alderson entered the town. He was met at
the Railway Station by the Sheriff, Thomas Weld Blun-
dell, Esq., of Ince Hall. His lordship proceeded to St.
George's-ball, and having opened the commission, the
court was adjourned until ten o'clock on Monday morning.
On Sunday, Mr. Baron Alderson, the High Sheriff, and
Sheriff's chaplain, the Rev. Peter Whitfield Brancker, in
the Sheriff's carriage, and accompanied on foot by the
Mayor, Aldermen, the Town-clerk, and their officials
bearing the sword, maces, and other ensigns of authority,
proceeded to St. George's Church, his worship's family
being conveyed thither in the Mayor's chariot, drawn by
two greys. An excellent discourse was delivered by the
rev. chaplain from John, viii. 11 :—" Neither will I con-
demn thee ; go, and sin no more."
Yesterday morning, shortly after ten o'clock, Mr.
Baron Alderson took his seat in the Crown Court, and at
once proceeded to business.
The following gentlemen were sworn on

—THE GRAND JURY :
John Ireland Blackburne, Hale Hall, foreman.
Hon. Colin Lindsay, Haigh Hall.
Henry Ashton, Woolton Wood.
Henry Cleaver Chapman. Liverpool.
Edward Chaloner, Oak Hill, West Derby.
William Blundell, Crosby Flail, Little Crosby.
Richard Clayton Brown Clayton, Adlington Hall.
William Earle, Liverpool.
Hugh Hornby, Sandown Hall, Wavertree.
William Hall, Seaforth.
Samuel Pearce Hope, Brook-house, West Derby.
William Nicol, Liverpool.
Thomas Rodick, Kendal Cottage, Little Woolton.
Gilbert Stapleton, Ditton, Warrington.
Joseph Walker, Calderstones, Allerton.
William Gerard Walmesley, Westwood, Wigan.
Joseph Brooks Yates, West Dingle, Toxteth-park.
Edward Tootle, West Lodge, Pendleton.
The proclamation against vice and immorality having
been read, _ _

The learned BARON proceeded 'to deliver his charge to
the grand jury. He commenced by observing, that there
were old associations in his mind which made it peculiarly
pleasant for him,—more particularly so, as being one of
the first, if not the very first, of the judges who, in the
regular exercise of his duty, had had the opportunity of
addressing them in that splendid hall, for splendid it
undoubtedly was, although he hoped to see several improve-
ments made in it. It was desirable always that the
building for an assize court should be of such construc-
tion that the business might be done in that way which
was satisfactory to the ends of justice being dispensed.
There were certain arrangements which architects fre-
quently lost sight of, and they often sacrificed advan-
tage and convenience in adding to the general appearance
of the edifice. For instance, in the administration of
justice, it would frequently be convenient for him to see
and consult with Mr. Shuttleworth ; yet he doubted
whether the architect had ever dreamed of this. The
object was generally to make the judge a picturesque
character by placing him in as elevated a position as pos-
sible. This might do, were the purpose 'aimed at to form
an adornment for the Illustrated News; but it was
exceedingly inconvenient frequently to the facilities and
convenience of dispensing justice. Now, a prisoner at
the bar, surely, had something to do with the adminis-
tration of justice. It would be convenient and proper
that he should be enabled to hear and see what was going
on, which so materially affected his own interest ; and he
ought to be placed in such a situation that he might be
able to interpose, and assist the judge in the administration
of the justice of the country between him and the Queen.
Ho had before remarked, in reference to the Court-bouse
at Carlisle, that if the arebitect was but once placed in