Star.
London, England, 1816-03-23 00:00:00

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SATURDAY,

,RCII 23, 1816.

MAIDSTONE ASSIZES, MARCH 21.

. . COURT QF COMMON COUNCIL.

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SUITRINCLIPAINT OF PUBLIC - _
Yesterday, after some preliminary business had
been disposed of, the Loam biasoa read the Requi-
sition, in pursuance 'of which the Court had been
called. In this it was requested that an early d
might be appointed for taking into consideratiob ter,
propriety of petitioning the House of Lords against
the Property Tax, aid against the proposed Mili-
tary Establishment.
Mr. WAITIIMAN eflogratalated the Court that the
necessity of petitions the House of Lords, and ad-
Aressing the Prince nt, agaiast the odious In-'
=falls, sow no longerexisted. It was a proud
on to reSect that the voice of the people had
hat last been heard in the Howse of Commons, aid
List this Court had set the example, which had bees
*lowed by the whole country. of petitioning
,went against the incpsisitorial meature. Entire nne.
'nint.ity of sentiment had been expressed, and his
Pllkpety's Ministers bad found it intpossible to stem
melting with tech irresistible force acid
pidity. The Resolutions which were passed at a
Meeting held at the Mansion House in 1798, it had
been said, did sanction the first introduction of the
, Property Tax; but he was ready to contend, that if
' that Meeting had had the least idea, the least hint,
of the intention of Government to impose such a Tax
upon the people, it never would have passed those
Resolutions. What he should, therefore, propose
was, to petition both Houses of Parliament, etprees-
ing the opinion of the Court on the proposed Peace,
Establishment, and praying Parliament to use their)
utmost endeavours for the adoption of that system of
economy by which atonecould*the country be saved.
He would not now take up the time of the Court by
discussing a question upon which so much had
already been said in another place; but he would
merely touch on the different points, of which the
Court were able to judge, with candour and calmness.
It would be recollected what was done in the reign of
King William, when, notwithstanding the disturbed
state of the country, the cause of the people was lis-
tened to, and a diminution in the peace establish-
ment did take place. If then, the voice of the pea
pie was listened to at that time, why was it not now
attended to ? The time had now arrived when the
people should be determined in their opposition, and
he could entertain no doubt but that, if a firm step
was taken, they could not be resisted.' The victory was
not yet complete until this peace establishment was
seduced, and until a system of retrenchment was set
on foot. Economy had bee* recommended from the
Throne, and the word was in the mouths of all his
Majesty's Ministers. Not one single effort had been
made, bur the first step taken was at once to bring
forward that infamous tax, and to endeavour—hap-
pily, however, unsuccessfully—to saddle it upon the.
people. The country had been accused of clamour,
and of exercising " an ;guarani impatience for a re:
laxation of taxation," but those very Ministers had
not fulfilled oneof their promises—they had professed,
not practised, economy—they had dismissed a num-
ber of poor clerks and labourers, whose salaries had
I hardly been sufficient for their subsistence, while they
had wantonly lavished and wasted the public money by
raising the salaries and pensions of useless officers ; and
this was what they termed retrenchment. The Ministers
and their placemen had boldly accused the glorious
majority on the Income Tax of corrupt motives—of
relieving themselves and not the people; but he should
be very glad to have it fairly ascertained which of the
two could with the most justice be so accused—whe-
ther the Ministers, with all their train of placemen,
were not the most corrupt ? Among the most pro-
minent jobs of the day was Mr. Croket's, and that
of sending Mr. Canning to Lisbon at a salary of
£14,000, as the representative of this country, at a
time when there was no Sovereign to whom the Bri-
tish Court could be represented. He should therefore
now propose some resolutions, which, he trusted,
would have their due weight with Parliament, after
having been framed into the form of a petition. This
Court had always acted with firmness, boldness, and
discretion, and he trusted they would not now be
led away by a temporary success, but would continue
to act with justice and judgment, so as not to incur
the charge of acting either under any delusion, or
Ifrom party motives. He concluded with moving the
Resolutions, praying for a reduction of the Standing
Army, a discontinuance of the useless offices of the
State. and a rigid economy in every department.
Mr. 13111ISTEAD, in seconding the Resolutions. coo-
-1 gratulated the Court upon the glorious stand which
had been made in the House of Commons against
the Property Tax, and he believed that a great deal
of that firmness might be attributed to the unanimous
expression of the public sentiment:
Mr. A. Baowu perfectly joined in congratulating
' the Court upon the discontinuance of the Property
Tax, but differed from the sentiments contained in
some of the Resolutions. He considered that it was
impossible for any man to pretend to decide upon all
the subjects contained in the Resolutions at once, and
on that ground he should move the previous question.
Mr.DIXOII would with readiness second the amend-
ment. It was too much to expect that any man could
do justice to the different subjects contained in the
Resolutions, or consider them altogether. He also
I objected to some of the expressions contained in those
resolutions, as being too vehement and loess to be it
to be carried np, when framed into a Petition, to
either House of Parliament. To lay that the Income
Inc was more iniquitous than any measure adopted
in this or any other country, was, he thought, going
rather too far. Some Gentlemen who lad been
reading Adam Smith's Works had adopted his argu-
ments, without considering whether they were good
or Ind ; but it was to be recollected dills Adam Smith
was sot an oracle without fault or error. Another
lolliortion be bad was, that the worthy mover of these
insulations bad taken upon himself, and all those who
bad agreed with him took upon themselves, not to
farm their opiniool but boldly and ptlidvely to as-

TRIAL OF THE MARGATE MAGISTRATE.
ROBINS V. DOYCZ.
onlyTh two otaasettenwadsedtri. tried
dlt bwyasaaBnP:uill'olnjubrikro.fGwhich
H. Robins, Auctioneer, of London, againste7
Boyce, a agistrate of this county, or false impri-
sonment, on the Ist of October last, at Margate, and,
compelling the -Plaintiff to enter into securities to'
appear at the Dover Sessions, by which he was put
to the expense of travelling from London to Dover
to get his recognizance discharged.
Mr. Serjeant Best, for the Plaintiff, stated, that
he lamented there was not a full Special Jury to try
this cause—not becaufe he felt the common Jurors
would not do ample justice, but the Special Jurors
were usually Magistrates of the county, and he wish-
ed to have the opinion of a full Jury of Magistrates
as to the conduct of the Magistrate against whom
this action was brought ; for, knowing the havow.
able feelings of the Magistrates of this countyt,*4
knew theuntast rawkwewid madam the arlitliey,
Illegal. and oppressive =Watt of Edmund Boyce,
the man who was the defendant in the present action.
It was not unknown to the Jury, that at Margate, in
this county. there existed a most excellent atarity,
the Sea Bathing Infirmary; and it had often hap-
pened that learned and pious Clergymen had lent
the aid of their eloquence in Charity Sermons for
the support of its funds, by gratuitous Charity Ser-
mons : and it had been expected that the Reverend
Vicar of Margate would have granted it the same
support. Why that support was refused, it would
be for that Reverend Gentleman to explain ; but
certain it was, that he refused the use of his pulpit
for a charity Sermon to aid the funds of the charity.
The plaintiff, Mr. Robins, a gentleman high in the
commercial world in the metropolis, and also a Go-
vernor of the Infirmary, with other Governors,
thought, and justly thotight, that they were well war-
ranted in supplying the deficiency, though in this they
were thwarted by the same malignant influence.—
They then determined that. they would make a col-
friction near the church yard gates, and that, although
they were refused the aid of a charity sermon, they ,
would apply to the Christian charity of those who
came from Divine Service. They made no secret ufl
this resolve, and their design was not kept a secret.
The defendant, a Magistrate of the County, imme-
diately caused placards to be stuck up in the town,
that persons so acting would be apprehended as va-
gabonds; and that it they repeated the offence, they
would be liable to transportation from this country
for the space of seven years. They were not, how-
ever, deterred from this work of charity, but on
Sunday, the Ist of October last, took their stations
near the church gates, and collected from the con-
gregation coming out of Church, for the benefit of
the Infirmary. Soon after the defendant came from
within the Church. and went up to Mr. Robins ; he
asked him what he was doing, and said he was a vagrant.
He forthwith called two constables, who took him
into custody ; and for this offence he held him in
custody until he gave security to appear at the nest
Dove; Sessions to answer a charge ut vagrancy. He
should only add, before he concluded, that the de.
fendant actually went to Dover to pursue his charge;
but lie wanted the parish to pay the expenses : they
spurned both him and his accusation, and therefore
he abandoned it. His tyranny was controlled by his
avarice, and by this the Jury would learn how to
punish him; he loved his money, and they would
touch him in the tender part. The notice of action
was put in and proved.
Mr. Shipdem, attorney at Dover, produced the re.
coritance returned to the Dover Sessions.
Thomas John Taylor, a gentleman of fortune, rev
sident at Margate, stated, that on the Ist of October
last year, himself and other Governors of the Sea.
bathing nfirmary resolved to solicit the usual chari-
table donations at the church gates. Accordingly,
on that day four gentlemen, Mr. Robins, Mr. Wood.
thorpe, Mr. Dyson, and another, held the plates at the
church-yard gates; he saw Mr. Boyce come up to Mr.
Robins, and order him to be taken into custody. He
was taken to Mr. Boyce's, the attorney, in Hawley.
square; but what was done there he could not say, as
he was not admitted. There was nothing like noise
or tumult, but the people passed quietly along, and
the plates were not presented in the usual way, but
people were rather forced to turn out of their way
to give their donations. Olt CTOSS.eianlinatiOnp be
said the Vicar had. denied the use of his pulpit for a
charity sermon. A thousand hand-bills had bees
printed, to announce that a collection would be made
at the church gates without a sermon. Several ques-
tions were put as to the intemperate conduct on the
part of Mr. Robins, all of which he denied in the
most positive terms.
Mr. Edward Wright, a Gentleman residing in
Verulam.buildings. Gray's Inn, said he was present.
There was not the least noise or disturbance.
Mr. Justice BAYLZY said, what Mr. Robots had '
done was a legal act ; and if other persons had medal
a disturbance, they, and not he, were to be punished
for it, unless they could these he was a party to it.
This produced a short conference between the
Counsel in the cause, when Mr. Guatizx made a
short apology to the Jits7 for his client, stating that
he was mistaken in what he had done,verdict for and that it
was agreed that they
Plaintiff, with £5O damages.
Mr. Serjeant BUT said, he consented to this; and
Mr. Robins, who was in Court, declared it was not.
his intention to pocket the damages, but that he
would give the whole to the Infirmary.

TIM KING IP. TIOMAS.
The defendant; who was indicted for murder, babe a marine
en board.the Achille,. and shooting a watennen who weak* ap-
proach the ship, was found gusty; but the Jury said be did it
under a mistaken idea of duty. 'Eh* judvnetat was of' course
respited.—The particulars another day.
oavaa.--Edreertifnut was tried for the murder of bilicMid.,
Thornton. a Revalue alter, Moe yean since. Kevias wide-
teds the "(Menge betas tlefectiee.

Of; 11, p!.;
••.

r

PRICE SrvfixdrAN rm.

art, that the military establishment now propr.se4
was absolutely unnecessary. He thought also that
enough of justice was not done to the character of our
brave soldiers, when it was said in the resolutions
that with such an army the Constitution could not
live. He could not entertain so mean an idea of our
`ran and officers ; and he believed that there never
was a set of men who would stand up more firmly
for the maintenance of the rights and liberties of the
people than the soldierss
Mr. Deputy Pan was of opinion, that there could
kw no difficulty in deciding upon all the topics con.
tamped in the resolutions at once, and it was to be re-
collected that there was no time to spare, as it would
be necessary to present the Petition before the War
Tales were proposed in a Committer of Ways and
Means. The victory Which had been obtained the
other night in the Houself Commons, he considered
would be incomplete. unless it were followed up by
measures of retrenchment in every department.
• Mr. FAVIILL justified the proceedings of ois wotthy
friend, the mover of, these resolutions. All the three
ifrostiOlneroutainadin these R4olssrions,.he conceived
were so plain, and so unquestionable. that no doubt
could exist of this. truth. What possible pretence
could the Ministers set up for maintaining so large a
standing army, in the very teeth of the Allies, who
had proportionally reduced their establishments ?—fn
the work published by Mr. Colquhoun, he divided
the community into two classes—the productive and
the unproductive; and the army and navy were
placed among the latter. But he (Mr. Farwell) would
not go quite so far as to call them unproductive—.
both the army and navy had rendered services to this

country never to be forgotten; but he would•main.
tain, that the proposed enormous standing army wan
dangerous to the safety of the British Constitution.
Mr. Alderman HILYOATZ was persuaded that the
only motive of the mover of the amendment for the
previous question was, that the different subjects
might be fully and fairly discussed. He, however,
differed from him in opinion, as he considered that
but one opinion could be fairly entertained of all the
topics contained in the Resolutions. He confessed
his inability to comprehend the present policy if his
Majesty's Government. His Royal Highness the
Prince Regent had, from the Throne, recommended
economy, but the conduct of Ministers had been di.
reedy the reverse they had endeavoured to impose
upon the people the most odidus and galling measure
ever proposed in opposition to the ooanimous voice
of the people. Their subsequent conduct was still
more inconsistent : and after telling the country the
great necessity for the utmost exertions to keep op
the public credit, they came down to the House—
without consideration, without deliberation, and
without knowledge—and proposed, in addition to the
loan of six millions, instead of the Property Tax, a
further sum of £2,600,000, instead of the Malt Tax ;
and the only excuse offered was, that so small an ad-
'dirion could have little effect upon the money market. .
The victory obtained the other night in the House of
Commons, unless it were followed by a gereral re-
trenchment. was not complete. He deprecated also
the language which had been used in the House of
Commons by an Hon. Member against the present
Royal Family. To use such language, he conceived,
was against that Honourable Member's interest, and
only served to throw himself more completely into
the snares of the Ministers.
Mr. JACKS observed, that the arguments used by
the three preceding speakers fully convinced him of
the necessity of adjourning the debate, in order that
the Resolutions might be fairly discussed : those
Gentlemen had reasoned under the impression that
the Resolutions embraced the points only of retrench-
ment and reduction of the Standing Army; whereas,
if he had taken down correctly the words as read by
the mover, there were expressions of an uotiecoining
' nature to be adopted by a grave, deliberative assem-
bly, such as 46 daring and perfidious attempts of
Ministers.' Oa the subject of the augmentation of
Salaries.a object which he (Mr. Jacks) thought.
with the mover, a most improper and injudicious
measure—the Civil List was also mentioned, and in
terms, if he understood rightly, not very courteous
to the Head of the Government. The Cons itution
was also stated ,4 to be suspended by the existence of
a Standing Army," and that 66 it ought to be re.
Juced to a Constitutional Stiftdard. Upon this
latter subject, it was quite a matter of opinion as to
what the number should be to form a Constitutional
Army. He bad noticed the debates on the subject ;
and, from what he could collect by Mr. Wortley's
and Mr.Calcraft's Amendments, the only actual diffe-
rence between Ministers and their opponents was 10,000
men, exclusive of the 30,000 we were obliged by treaty
to keep in France ; which was the nearest constitutional
number he found it difficult to satisfy his own mind
upon. Agreeing,therefore, in several of the points pro.
posed by the Worthy Mover, but thinking that there
was much extraneous matter introduced, and that the
!violations bad been hastily drawn up, he thought the
Court ought not to send forth any thing to the world
which had not been carefully considered both as to
language and matter : he should second the motion
for the adjournment of the debate, always disliking
that of the previous question.
Mr. Alderman GOODIEHERZ recommended that
the Resolutions should be referred to a Comm;ttee.
He objected to the motion for a previous question,
because it might appear, if that motion was agreed
to, as if he wished entirely to do away with the Re-
solutions.
Mr. Dam was of opinion that the debate should
be adjourned till to.morrow.
Mr. WAITRWAN. in reply, could not conceive how
'it happened that these great City orators, whose duty
it was to solve the most difficult questions, could not
comprehend this plain and simple subject, which had
already been's° much discussed. He could not see
that say benefit could be derived by the adjournment.
The question was then put on the amendment that
the debate be adjourned until this day, and was car.
tied ia the affirmative.