The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-03-30 00:00:00

SOUTH LANCASHIRE SPRING ASSIZES

FRIDAY.
The Spring Assizes for the Southern Division of this
county• commenced this day in the Court House. The
Judges are—Mr. earon Maule, who presides in the Crown
Court ; and Mr. Baron Rolfe, in the Civil Court. Their
lordships arrived in Liverpool, from Lancaster, about seven
o'clock yesterday evening, and the commission was opened
immediately afterwards.
This morning the learned Judges attended divine service
in St. George's Church, accompanied by Sir Thos. Bernard
Birch, high sheriff of the county.
At twelve o'clock the Crown Court was opened before Mr.
Baron Maule, with the usual formalities. The following
composed the Grand Jury :
John Ireland Blackburne, Esq., M.P., of Hale, foreman
Meyrick Bankes, Esq., of Winstanley Hall.
Richard Barton, Esq., of Spring Wood.
Thomas Bolton, Esq., of Liverpool.
Thomas Brocklehurst Barclay, Esq., of Liverpool.
Thomas Drink water, Esq., of Irwell House.
William Earle, Esq., of Spekelands.
Richard Edwards, Esq., of Roby House.
William Gale, Esq.. of Ligbtburne House.
William ltathbone Greg, Esq., of the Dales.
John Pemberton Heywood, Esq., of Norris Green.
James Heywood, Esq., of Acresfield.
William Ford Hulton, Esq., of Hutton Park.
Michael Hughes, Esq., of Sherdley Hall.
William Nield, Esq., f Mayfield.
R. J. J. Norreys, Esq., of Davyhulme.
Sir Thomas Potter, Kra., of Buile Hill.
William Rathbone, Esq., of Green Bank, Liverpool.
Samuel Taylor, Esq., of Eccleston Hall.
Humphrey Trafford, Esq., of Trafford Park.
Sir Joshua Walmsley, Knt., of Wavertree Hall.
Robert Henry Welsh, Esq., of Leek House.
Richard Willis, Esq., of Halsnead.
Mr. Nield being a member of the Society of Friends.
The royal proclamation against vice, profaneness, and im-
morality having been read,

The learned Judge proceeded to deliver the charge to thf,
Grand Jury. He spoke as follows :
Gentlemen of the Grand Jury
observe that the cases to which your attention in the course
of the performance of your important duties will be drawn
upon this occasion, are not only considerable in number, but
that the nature of them, or of a very large propottion of
them, is of a very serious description. There are nearly one
half of the charges which are for offences combined with
personal violence, and a considerable number of them contain
charges of the very deepest kind. I have not been able so
far to acquaint myself with the particulars of the cases which
are likely to be brought before you, as to call for any thing
like detailed observations on-msrpart. It is satisfactory how-
ever, in one respect, to see there is nu trace, as far as I
have been able to observe, of any of that disordered state of
society, which I have sometimes found in this and in some
neighbouring counties. I trust that the exertions of the
magistracy and the police have been successful in convincing
evil-disposed persons that the law is too strong for them,
and in inducing them to desist. With regard to two or three
of the cases which contain charges of a very serious nature,
I will just take the liberty to remind you that in the event
of a bill being found, and the trial taking place, if the party
be acquitted, whatever additional evidence may be hereafter
discovered, no new trial can take place. That appears to
be a reason in some very serious cases, why it may be
advisable not to find the bill when a case of -very
strong suspicion only arises, unless it is such a case as will
justify the common jury in convicting the prisoner, be-
cause, supposing a case of acquittal, there would be a failure
of justice in the event of the subsequent discovery of evidence
to which I have adverted. You will take this as a general
observation, and as 'not arising out of any particular know-
ledge of the individual circumstances of any one case. Such
cases do occasionally occur, and if they do, I think the sug-
gestion will be worthy of notice. The learned Baron then
dismissed the Grand Jury to their labours in the usual form.

,—lt is with great regret I

The Grand Jury having retired, returned in about half an
hour with a complaint that there were no bills brought be-
fore them. The learned Judge, in consequence, announced
that unless attorneys immediately presented their bills nei-
ther their nor the witnesses' expenses would be allowed.