The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-05-23 00:00:00

CORRESPONDENCE.

CADVERTISEMEN'T.]
TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.
SIR,—In your paper of Tuesday last we find a report of a
trial in an action for false imprisonment, in which we are the
defendants, tried before the Assessor, on Monday last.
It is an universally admitted axiom, Mr. Ed itorAhat " law
is not always justice, and of the truth thereof we think this
case bears strong testimony—for, though the damages were
but a shilling, we are saddled with costs. In your report it is stated that when the plaintiff was
brought before Mr. Rushton " that gentleman discharged
the case, and stated that he had good Vounds for an action
for false imprisonment and also for deffimation."
Any person ignorant of the facts of the case would natu-
rally suppose on reading this, that we had made an unworthy
attempt to punish an innocent man, although the verdict of
the jury would tend to show that we had some grounds for
the course adopted. Now, either we must have been sadly
misled by circumstances, or the six witnesses we had must
one and all have committed gross perjury. Out of a court
of law, and emobscured by the ingenious torturing of a paid
and eloquent advocate, we should no doubt have received a
different verdict, and even have saved the one shilling da-
mages.

When the man was brought before the Stipendiary Magis-
trate, that gentleman dismissed the case, in what certainly
appeared to us a most extraordinary and abrupt manner,
so much so that two of our principal witnesses were not ex-
amined, nor was the case even properly attended to. We
complain not of the decision of Mr. Rushton—it might or
might not be in accordance with his notions of the legal
bearings of the case ; but we complain—and we contend with
justice I—of the remark he thought proper to make after the
case was dismissed. His words were (and not as reported on
the trial) " take care you dont have an action for false im-
prisonment."
Mr. Rushton, in his speech at the Town-hall, on the 11th
March last, says, " Every man who takes a share in public
business must be willing in this free country to undergo the
rough and honest criticism of a free press."
1:.,«e quite agree with Mr. Rushton in this his view, and
take him at his word. Had he not thought proper to indulge
in a remark which we take leave to think was irregular, gra-
tuitous, and uncalled for, in his capacity as magistrate, he
would not have exceeded his duty.
I IHis remark was totally irrelevant to the case before him,
and it was injurious to ourselves, inasmuch as we are confi-
dent the man would not otherwise have had the audacity to
bring his action for false imprisonment, and we should not
have been taxed with the costs of an action for endeavouring
to protect ourselves from pilfering servants. The attorney
who conducted the case before the Stipendiary Magistrate de-
clined to act upon the " covert" advice so gratuitously
given, and refused to proceed to trial with the action—Strong
presumptive evidence we think of the value of such a remark.
We would venture to make same further comments, Mr.
Editor, under the license offered in our extract from Mr.
Rushton's speech, but do not wish to trespass on your kind-
ness in granting us space : our only object is to set ourselves
right with our friends and the public in a case where, though
we hays failed to the extent of a shilling damages, we contend
we were bound as respectable tradesmen to proceed with.
Remaining Sir,
Your most obedient servants,
MATHER, DICKINSON, & CO.
57, Leeds-street, 20th May, 1813.

A verdict of manslaughter has been returned against the
servant of a druggist at Newton, near Hyde, for having sold
opium instead of manna, by which the death of an infant,
aged four weeks, was occasioned.
It is said in the city that the merchants who claim com-
pensation for the opium delivered to Captain Elliot. have
acceded to the terms proposed in the first instance by go-
vernment.

- -
The war-frigate Eurydice was launched at Portsmouth.
on Tuesday, in the presence of a numerous
spectators. Its extreme length is 141 feet 2 assemblage of
inches ; extreme
breadth, 38 feet 10 inches; depth in hold, 8 feet 9 inches ;
tonnage, 908.
THE LEICESTER BANK.—At a meetingof the creditors of
Clarke and Phillips, of the Leicester Bank, was held in that
town on Thursday last. It was stated that t
of the firm were £600,000, and the assets Z8010ja0b:110itiesAolfl
its
present were opposed to a bankruptcy, on
account 'of
de-
lay and expense. In two years it was urged 20s. in the
pound might be realised. The concern isto be w mind up
under the direction of a committee, and a report
ig of the of the exact
state of the firm will be made to another meetit
cre-
ditors, fixed for the 31st instant, at Leicester.
AMERICAN Ons.—lt has been discovered at
to introd'iver- °
P ol
that the Americans have been attempting
that port a spurious article under the name of " laurcdeoiinl,t'°'
which consists of 66 per cent. sperm oil, and only 44. per of lard oil. The reason is this. The new duty o /cent.
oil under the tariff is 25 per cent. ; that on lard oil is° 87
ad valorem. If, therefore, this imposition had
succeeded
great mischief would have accrued to the regular trader in
at
sperm oil. The sooner Brother Jonathan " repudi
such transactions as these the better for himself as well his customers.—London paper.
MR. JOHN GLADSTONE AND HIS TENANTS IN SCOT-
LAND.—In consequence of a proposition having been made
to Mr. Gladstone's tenants to improve their resretive farms
by subsoil-ploughing and furrow-draining, a (fleeting took
place at Fettercairn. to take into consideration Mr. Glad-
stone's proposak made to them,.when the following resolu„.
tion was unanimously adopted, The tenants feel much
gratified by the kindly interest Mr. Gladstone takes in their
prosperity; and they cheerfully wish to avail themselves of
his generous proposals in as far as circumstances will admit ;
and they fell anxious to be favoured with the advice and
superintendence of a person of skid, as Mr. Gladstone pro_
poses to assist them in carrying on the operations as sngersted
by him.
The tenants further beg to offer their grateful thanks
his Prierority and
to Mr. Glad!tOnt for „tlttentkHl to_ their
prosptrlty, on this and fOttlr6--tlOO., home
thhtlat b "Mei riutithVti