Star.
London, England, 1819-10-06 00:00:00

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• Nl' 416 RN,. .

THE. EVENING STAR. •

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1819.
THE FUND&
TRIGS Of STOOKS THIS DAT AT OYZ 04CLOCZ
- Bank Stock shut
3 per Cent. Reduced shut
3 per Cent. Consols 70i
31} per Cent. shut-4 per Cent. shut
Imperial 3 per Cent. Anna. 691
5 per tent. Navy 1034 f
India Bonds 7s. pre.
Exchequer Bills (2d.) 5 7 6 dis.
Omninm, Money,
Consols for Acct. 701;14

We continue this day our account of the proceed-
ings of the Inquest at Oldham. We stated yesterday
that the Law of England gives admission to every
subject into any open Court ; that a Coroner has no
more right to question any person as to his motives
for attendance, or to restrain him from Note-taking
in the Coroner's Court, than he has to question a man
on the King's high-way, or to prevent him from writ-
ing notes of his journey ; that the bare emission of
evidence from the mouth of a witness is the actual
publication of that evidence, all England being virtu-
ally present to hear and weigh the evidence by its
sworn Jury ; that therefore any mandate to News-
papers not to publish the proceedings till the investi-
gation be terminated, is illegal and absurd;—illegal,
because all England has as good a right to hear the
evidence as the Coroner himself ; and absurd, because
the evidence must have been already published in
Court before any Note-taker can commit it to writing;
and because the Editor of a Newspaper is not the

publisher of the proceedings in such a case, but only
lends his aid to circulate, by a re-publication, what
all England ought to be made acquainted with.
The unconstitutional doctrine which we now op-
pose, has been maintained by men who would yet be
considered as sound Lawyers's it has, on more than
one occasion, been given out in the shape of mandates
from the seat of Judgment, by men, who, from their
situation and profession, must know that it is con-
trary to the Laws of the Land. It is high time that
such iniquity should be constitutionally opposed, and
the birth-right of Englishmen—a Free Press, be
fully vindicated.
Having witnessed the exertions made by some of
our meritorious contemporaries to furnish England,
though at a great expense to themselves, with the
earliest and fullest account of the proceedings before
the Inquest at Oldham—exertions which (owing to
the circumstance of their being able, at Knutsford, to
overtake a Liverpool coach, which reaches London
or night, in time for their towuin publicaLlem,) ena-
bled them to anticipate the pdblication of any Even-
ing Paper; and, having observed the indecent, as
well as illegal interference, to prevent the Reporters
for these Journals from taking notes, we thought that
it was imperative on us to lend our aid to have all
the points of this assumed authority brought before
the l'ublic, with a view to any ulterior proceedings
that may be instituted. The question concerns ills

England, and we are confident, that the Independent

Press will obtain due credit with the Public for the
exertions it has made to vindicate this remaining bul-
wark of our rights and privileges as a free and inde-
pendent People.
The only point in which our contemporaries, already
alluded to, have, in our opinion, erred, perhaps from
xrant of time for due consideration, was their com-
pliancy in answering most rude inquiries—(rude, be-
cause they would not be permitted elsewhere)—re-
specting the n.tmes of persons attending an open
Court, and the objects for which such persons may
be taking notes of the proceedings. We wished to

bring to the test this point, namely—Whether the
- - - _

Oldham Coroner would venture to exclude from the
Court, any Gentleman, for -merely refusing to an-
swer the impudent questions--" What is your name,
Sir?"—" What Paper do you attend for?"—And a
Gentleman, every way competent to meet any such
attack, most readily agreed to take a journey to Old-
ham, for the purpose.

It will be seen from our detail of the proceedings
that this Gentleman would not and did not gratify
the Coroner, in answering any one of his impudent
.extra. judicial interrogatories. He was not however
allowed to take notes ; but the Coroner did not •en-
- exclude him from the Court for refusing to
his curiosity, either as to his name or as to his
in taking Notes. He gave his name, however,
till he had obtained the name of the Offiter
loin he was assaulted, and had received per-
)n to remain in Court. So far the object of this
.man's journey has been accomplished, and here
,p this affair for the present: but, before we
ide, me beg to offer a brief for the use Oa cer-
!gal Gentleman. " who cannot carry his law-
to the Court." We put it into as little size as
le, that he may be able to put it into his
'book.

A BRIEF RESPECTING CORONERS.
,ccording to Sir Ed. Coke, in his second Institutes, a Co-
should be. Probus homo ,2. Of sufficient understanding
knowl, :3. Zegalu homo :4. Of good ability and power
'l.• Ills office: 5. Diligent in executing it.
the Common Law does not only require expert men to
Coroners, but men of sufficient ability and livelihood for three
rposes, viz.:-1. The Law preimet they will do thoi; duty

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