Star.
London, England, 1804-12-11 00:00:00

• ,
.
.
i' arMggW-----_•".lel±il"1 gave his
L 4IV .1.,7_:L I. IGENCE. No. 8. Bi
......., at the Li
COURT OF KING S BENCH, DEC. 8. fell parti
Thomas
ItI4G V. THOMAS PRICE ALIAS JOHN watcnr. Taylor v
This was an indictment charging the Defendant for Sir
Price, in three different counts, with the do it aga
' crime of perjury, in Co much as he appeared at the often h.:
elation for a member to ferve in Parliament for the time he
County of Middlefex, on the 2.4.11 of July la ,beings mind
intoo
the fecund day of election, and polled for Sir Franci did
Burdett, under the name of John Wright, a Free- net's faw
bolder of the county. whore freehold lay at No. 8, Three 8
Bell Cotirt, GraYs Inn Lane, and of which he him- in corm
fell wit the nom pier. aft Ste'
Mr. Cottenoart opened the proceedings on the i
swhch 1
'part of the profteution. he on
Mr. Gaisow followed on the faMe fide, The Jury, ingly d
he obferved, had already this morning to difcharge a would
duty of the molt painful name ; and they were now friends
called on to perform another important duty, and to freeholt
inveftigate a Wind's equally gredsind difgraceful, as nets fay
it was effential to the liberties of the `country that h Elatice
fhonld not go undetected or unpunithed. It would for. 1
be neceffary for him to call the attention of the Jury lot poll
to Tome particulars refpeaing the let general elec. lor), r
dos, and the elation which took place in July WI, and ge
for the county of Middlefrx. He ihoulcl nor, how as he n
elver, go Out of his way, but fbould rather retrain the Gi
himfelf on the fubjeft, and fhould Late what was him.
Merely occeffary to enable the Jury to undernand the The w
prefent queltion. lowing
i On the elation ichicb took place on the diffolution out fit
of Parliament there were three candidates for Mid. (poker
dlefea—the two Members who hid formerly repre. done f
k tented the county, end Sir Francis Burden, a new Taylo
candidate. He was now ;unified in laying, on the bad g,
i authority of the only tribunal In this country emit. called
petent to invenigate the bunnefs, that on the part of away.
Sir Francis Burdett's friends a fyftem had been ma- nefdal
ri nifelled, by pouring in I number of fieitious voters Tayic
on the latter days of the elation, to procure a co• gone
lourable majority for Sir Francis Burdett ; and the witho
lime tribunal bad alto declared that the conduit of Note,
.
• the returning officers on that 'coition had been eha. till Iss
rafterifed by grofs partiality, Favour, and injutlice.— Crt
• This was all which it was neceffary for him to fay on a we
l the fubjea of that elation, and he had Rated that fume
only for the purpofe of (hewing how far it was con. is tha
naked with the lan elation, and with the prefent No, E
cafe. The returning officers on the late elation had
own. it do,
tefolved not to true to their own judgments in any
"Minion which might occur. They bad therefore prefu
taken the affifiance of a gentleman at the bar : and Itufti
if they had looked round the whole ranks of the pro- acco
feffion for a man of honour and integrity, who would by a
duly and faithfully difcharge fuch a duty, they could own
not have pitched on one better qualified than him on pen
whom their choice fell—the prefcnt Common Ser- Ann
leant ; 8 man, who, while he fpoke his own opinion that
find feelings on the fubje& he 'knew he fpoke the gay,
feelings and opinion of every other gentleman at the got
bar : if the pnffeffion of the molt confummate know- can
ledge in his profeffion ; if the molt laborious refear. had
Its ; if the praCtice and prefeffion of the molt ho law
; nourable feelings and principles which could actuate thei
the heart of man, could entitle him to fuck a prefer- he
:. awsee, was moll eminently calculated for the purpofe did
nor which he had been Wetted. Viiholefale purchaf- it.'
ere ofcorruption, it was well known, were publicly for
estovaffed. and he might fay, were publicly paid for rat
bringing down voters who had been declared to have a c
no tight on the former elation. It was not there. yen
fore to be wondered at that a number of gentlemen he
bad waited together, refolved that the molt populous kn
, and riches county in the kingdom Austad not be fa- wt
; ' oilseed, and allowed to fall into filch hands. Not- to
• ; withftanding every endeavour, however, confideting ha
what matters of art were employed On the other fide, ab
at might naturally be believed that a great many fuch lie
r votes would he admitted. He was authorifed to nate, kit
,
i that at lealt 3o were in this Rate, the portent being r
one of 30 bills for fintilar offences Mond by the N
Grand Jury. The Learned Counfel diets proceeded fo
to Rate the prelim cafe, the fats attending which, SA
will be teen from the evidence. r
Mr. Alfred Ayrton laid he was the Clerk at the nI
Holborn diva-ton in which Gray's Inn-lane lies, on h,
the fecond day of elation. He adminifleted the fa
oaths to the voters according to a form which he held al
in his hand. The other Clerk at his book easpered tt
the names. 1
Lord E. LLLLL OROUGH faisl, he obferved one of the ; ft
allegnions in the indiftment was, that a requifition l y
r bad bean made by the candidate on the Defendant to p
take the oath. • Where was the proof of this 1 h
Mr. Ganes laid, that requifilion was univerfal. ii
Crqii-aaamined by Mr. Easatat.—The witncfs ad- a
witted he did not take the form of the oath from the a
Alt of Parliament, but from a form given to him by f
the Under Sheriff. lie could not take on him to s
lay, that be did admiuiller the oath to every perfon, 1
: ' owing to the great tumult which fotnertimes prevail. i
ed, bur believed he did fo to every perfon after whole I
name jurat war marked.
Mr. Sudlow, one of the late 'Under Sheriffs, fail, i
P that a meeting was told at which it was :peed by
the Candidates to wave all the oaths except the Free-
holder's oath, and the oath againft bribery ; fo tar as
; he knew, thi, agreement was ailed on, and thole two
oaths were never difpenfed with nnlels fpecially
waved by the Candidates' friends. he farms of the
. , oaths were taken front and comparTed with the Aft
of Parliament.
t Mr. Rogers was Entering Clerk at Holborn Di•
vifiun em the fecund day of the Elation. He read
the entry : John Wright. No. 8, Bell-court, Gray's
• • ; Inn-lane, that being both his freehold and place cf
•.4, refidence—p. lied for Sir Francis Burdett—Jatat
• marked after his name. This, the Mama's laid, he
inever cowed till the voter had been (worn.
s
1 Henry Brett laid, Inc lad known the Defendant
for twelve months. Ili rime is Thomas Ptice.—
He is a Osoemaker, and lie never, except at the Mid
dicks Elation, I.•tew Hirt ho by any other name
than that of Thr Inas Price. lie few the defendant
on the oininit a, of the !lid d.ty of the lilt aliddh fa
Elation in I tat dr..•, !.l,•• I • or. where a C.m.
a
min of air 1. Bard.t.'s irli ;hi ,
met d
i .... Thl
e li tc
is alztft...
dint bade tl.: is toe 1' io••;.: lis ean
rt,ing is. EICI..f. r..:. 0.. the f ..i•ad ti i• • i the Lire
40 1 rt
. \ I il.ti he few 11:e thitit.i. nt t.l t!,. bra.ttt ,;% at thert•
lit
t :1, .t the I I t.lbo,r, 1).,n ~ n. The aitnc.; law
. % tint 1 t,l. The clerk ..:1.-..d 5. Ake clut.lion of hi.:.,
.\ b,t! The c ':•.tft. csnno. tat.: ria I. to to say ohat it
A., was. tieheard him ray Lc DAS a rfICIIC Aft. lie