The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-02-13 00:00:00

frEw LIVERPOOL STANDARD

STATE PROSECUTIONS.

LATEST MTELLIGENCE.

The proceedings on these trials will be found detailed
in another column up to the close of the charge on Satur-
day night.
At half-past seven o'clock Mr. Justice Crampton en-
tered the court, and informed the counsel for the traversers
that he should retire till a quarter to nine o'clock, when
he should again be in attendance. Bailiffs were then sworn
in to prevent access to the jury. In accordance with this
intimation, at twenty minutes to nine the Judge again
entered the court, and shortly after the Attorney-General
and Solicitor-General entered, and took their places at
the inner bar.
The High Sheriff having intimated to the jury that his
lordship was in waiting to receive their verdict, the Fore-
man entered the box and informed the court that the jury
were not quite ready. His lordship then withdrew.
At ten minutes to eleven he again returned to court,
and the jury being called into the box, the Foreman
asked if they were to give a verdict upon each count of
the indictment, and was informed that the following was
the course. If they were agreed upon each count, or
upon all the counts, they had only to say " not guilty," or
" guilty :" if they agreed upon some, they must state
those upon which they were agreed, and the names of the
traversers, with respect to whom they were agreed ; but
that there ought to be a finding upon the whole.
At twenty minutes past eleven the jury came again into
court and answered severally to their names. The crier
was then directed to call the traversers, of whom Daniel
O'Connell and John O'Connell were not present, and
were called upon their recognizanees, though only as a
matter of form. To enable our readers the better to un-
derstand the finding of the jury, we present them here
with an abstract of the various counts of the indictment.
The first sets out, that the several traversers together
wit,' divers other persons unknown, did unlawfully and
maliciously conspire to excite discontent amongst her
Majesty's subjects, hatred and jealousy amongst different
classes, and discontent and disaffection in the army : also
contempt of the established tribunals for the administra-
tion of justice ; also to create changes in the government
and constitution of the conntry and to bring them into
contempt. The count then sets out the several overt acts
which were done in furtherance of that conspiracy.
The second count is the same as the first omitting the
overt act.
The third sets out the meetings for seditious and un-
lawful purposes.
The fourth, the conspiracy to excite discontent and
disaffection in the army.
The fifth, the conspiracy to bring into hatred and con-
tempt her Majesty's government.
The 6th to procure changes on the government and con-
stitution by means of intimidation.
The 7th is the same as the 6th, adding the charge of at-
tempting to procure a dissolution of the legislative union.
The Bth, 9th, and 10th set out the attempt to disparage
the tribunals constituted for the administration of justice ;
and

The 11th charges them with using means of intimidation,
with causing large numbers of persons to assemble, and
with having addressed them in seditious and inflammatory
speeches. Also, with the fabrication of matter intended
to effect changes in the constitution.
The Clerk of the Crown then proceeded to call on the
jury for their verdict. He said gentlemen—you say
nothing on the first count, nor on the second. On the
third count you say Daniel O'Connell, Richard Barrett,
and Charles Gavan Duffy, are guilty.
Judge Crampton.—You find nothing on the first count,
gentlemen.
Clerk of the Crown.—You say on the fourth count that
Daniel O'Connell, Thomas Matthew Ray, Dr. Gray,
Thomas Steele, and Charles Gavan Duffy, are guilty.
On the fifth count you say Daniel O'Connell. T. M.
Ray, Thomas Steele, and Caries Gavan Duffy, are guilty.
You find nothing on the sixth count.
And on the seventh you say Daniel O'Connell, John
O'Connell, and Thomas Steele, are guilty.
There is no finding on the Bth or 9th count, but on the
10th you find that Daniel O'Connell, John O'Connell,
Thomas Matthew Ray, John Gray, Thomas Steele, the
Rev. Mr. Tierney, and Charles Gavin Duffy are guilty;
in the 11th count there is no finding, but merely the fore-
man's signature for self and fellow-jurors.
Mr. Justice Crampton.—You must take your verdict
back, for in its present state it is imperfect in six
counts—in respect of which you have come to no conclu-
sion as to the guilt or innocence of the traversers. It is
your duty to return a verdict of guilty or not guilty; and
if you cannot come to an agreement on any count or
counts, you ought to say so in your verdict.
A long conversation then ensued, in which the Judge
informed the jury what was the proper course which they
were to pursue with respect to those counts which they
had omitted to fin'. With respect to the first count, the
foreman explained that they were agreed upon it, but that
they were at a loss for the wording of their verdict. and
was informed by the A.ttorney-General that the first count
embraced the several branches of the conspiracy, which
were split afterwards into other counts; and if the jury
were of opinion that all the traversers, or any of them,
were guilty, of course they would be of opinion, under the
circumstances of finding on a portion of the first count;
but were at liberty to find on the whole of the counts.
Mr. Moore, on the part of one of the traversers, objected
to the direction that if they disagreed in regard to any
count they should express their disagreement. The jury
then retired.
At ten minutes to 12 o'clock they appeared again, when
the following rather dramatic colloquy took place.
Judge Crampton—Gentlemen, have you now arranged
as to your verdict ?
Foreman.—Not yet, my lord.
Justice Crampton.—lt is very near twelve o'clock ;
therefore you had better be quick ! (Great laughter.)
This noise is extremely indecent, and I must exercise the
authority of the court, if I find any one committing a
breach of order. I request that there be more order pre-
served.
Mr. Moor e.—lt certainly is just twelve o'clock.
Mr. Justice Crampton.—ls your watch perfectly cor-
rect ?

Mr. Moore.—lt accords with the Post-office clock, my
Lord.

Mr. Justice Crampton.—The Post-office is not always
correct. At all events, it well be twelve o'clock before
hwhe ejtuhre yr wt
hi
el
va
eg
radi
G eral —I cannot possibly
The Attorney- en consent to
.considered
the jury Justice Crampton.—l don't suppose you can. separating.
Mr.
inc t appear,i
st to be andtak it
tn to-night remains
toobr be
ot.
The Attorney-General.—l think, my lord, the court
should to be adjourned.
Mr. Justice Crampton.—Do you say that the verdict is
not receivable after twelve o'clock ?
The Attorney-General.—l do not go the length of say-
ing that.
Mr. Justice Crampton.—l only want to do that which
is right—that which is according to law.
The Attorney-General.—l certainly should wish the
court to adjourn.
Mr. Justice Crampton.—l shall not discharge the jury
against the will both of the crown and counsel for the tra-
versers. And I now adjourn the court until eight o'clock
on Monday morning.
Mr. Moore.—Eight o'clock ?
Mr. Justice Crampton.—Yes; for I do not desire to
confine the jury longer than is absolutely necessary.
Perhaps I might say nine o'clock.
Mr. Justice Crampton.—l want the jury a third time.
(Laughter.)
The jury having appeared,
Mr. Justice Crampton addressed them as follows :
Gentlemen, I have a very unpleasant communication to
make to you. lam informed by the learned counsel that
it now being past twelve o'clock, it is out of my jurisdic-
tion to receive your verdict. lam very much distressed,
indeed, at the necessity which results from the circum-
stances. You must remain in your room, and give me
your verdict at nine o'clock on Monday morning. This
is a fatality arising out of the hour. Sunday morning has
commenced. You will retire to your room, and every
possible accommodation will be afforded you. The sheriff
has been instructed—indeed he requires no instruction on
the subject—to make you as comfortable as possible. You
will be provided with sleeping accommodation, and every-
thing you may desire. The sheriff will, to-morrow, at
the proper hour, acompany you all to church should you
desire to attend divine service—you will return with him,
and on Monday morning I or some other judge will be in
court to receive your verdict. Again, I say that I am
very much distressed by the circumstance of inconveni-
encing you, but under the peculiar circumstances of the
case there is no alternative.
1 he court then adjourned until Monday at nine o'clock.
During the whole of the time when the jury were
making up their verdict, the ball of the courts was crowded
to such an extent as to be totally impassable. The most
intense anxiety to learn the result was manifested in the
hall and out of doors ; and so far as the imperfect verdict
showed what their ultimate determination would be, it
seemed to stagger the Repeal party, who, to the last, had
been taught to look for an acquittal or no verdict at all.
The castle authorities had taken every precaution to pro-
vide against any outbreak of the populace, the military
being under orders to be in readiness from an early hour
in the morning.
ADDRESS OF O'CONNELL TO THE CATHOLIC PRELATES
OF IRELAND.
On Sunday an address by O'Connell to the catholic
prelates of Ireland was published in a fourth edition of the
Nation, dated Sunday evening, six o'clock. Its purpose
is ostensibly to call upon them to exert themselves to pre.
serve the peace of the country, in the event of his convic-
tion ; but one paragraph of the document is probably as
seditious and provocative of the passions of the people as
could well be conceived. •` I know," says the writer,
" that every exertion for maintaining the public peace will
have your lordships' sanction and powerful assistance.
But that assistance is probably the more necessary now,
inasmuch as the state prosecutions have had a sectarian
colour given to them by the conduct of the prosecutors, in
striking of all the catholics from the ballot jury list, in
addition to the fact of the dropping out from the jury
panel at large no less than thirty-five catholics. It is to
prevent any irritation springing from this violation of the
religious feelings of the people of Ireland, that I, with
profound humility, intimate to your lordships the pro-
priety of suggesting to the clergy of every parish—and
your suggestions will, of course, be acted upon zealously
and universally—to take care that neither vindictive nor
angry feeling shall be exhibited by their flocks as a conse-
quence of this wrong—to stifle every expression of sorrow
and resentment in the recollection that prudence as well
as duty, personal safety as well as religion, imperatively
demand that every dietrict of Ireland should persevere in
maintaining the roost perfect order and imperturbable
tranquility."

CORRESPONDENCE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.
Sir,—l am often amused at the long and prosy debates
in your Dock Committee and Town Council, and cannot
avoid telling you that you are a set of drones in Liverpool—
a generation behind the age. You have not yet learnt
the "go ahead" system, as we have done in Cheshire,
where we do things while you are talking about them.
Only look at the fudge and humbug there has been about
•

your dock extension. Months have elapsed since your
Dock Committee found out that they wanted 40 or 50 acres
of additional dock room, and your newspapers have been
filled with debates, pros and cons, personal vituperation,
and loag letters, which I am tired of reading. Your
Dock Committee, like a parcel of noodles, let the land at
the south shore slip out of their fingers, which everybody
with any brains knew they must re-purchase at no distant
period : and it is a great pity it was not in the bands of
our commissioners, who would have got up the price to
five guineas a yard before the duck people had got through
half their talk. Look at us, I say. We want 29 acres of
land to finish out our grand park, which, when it is
finished, will whip "the Regent's" like a flash of light-
ning: Our commissioners meet—after dinner always.
(I wish your council would do the some, because in wino
weritas.) Well, it belongs to the chairman. Ha declares
that he has had £l2OO an acre bid for it, and wont take
less. He walks out of the chair; a temperance man, in
Pensylvania drab, gets up to object. Bowie knives are un-
known at Birkenhead, but bowie tongues are up.
Samuel is down in no time. The commissioners di-
vide, and the chairman has hardly time to take a pinch of
snuff outside, before £35,000 has changed hands, and our
friend Will (we always call him Will on this side of the
water) mounts the chair again ; and the rest of the busi-
ness is done in no time. "Go it, ye cripples" of Liver-
pool, and be content to learn a lesson from the Commis-
sioners of Birkenhead.

As to your stop-gap, Alderman Evans, if you don't
urn him out next November (and if you do, it break
the old man's heart), make him a Birkenhead Commis-
sioner, and we'll grind bim over again. At present he is
more fit to legislate for the reign of George the First than
for the seventh of Victoria. Then, again, only look at
the talk you had about your Assize Courts. Why, we
get plans and go to work like moonshine. The only thing
we have to consider about our Town-hall is, whether we
should place it in Hamilton•square or on the top of Oxton
Hill ; because, as in seven years Birkenhead will reach to
Woodchurch, some people think that by the time it is
up it will be more in the centre of the city at Oxton than
where the commissioners have chosen ; but we shall settle
it in quick sticks when next we meet. By the bye, Mr.
Editor, let me tell you a secret. It is said that land be.
tween Hoylake and the Leasowe Lighthouse will be worth
£1,200 an acre before long; and that some of the com-
missioners who have been boring in " the Pool " have
discovered a gold mine at no great depth, which is to be
the making of the docks. Everything flourishes at Birken-
head, and everything gets up here. I should advise you
Liverpool slow coaches to apply for an act to amalgamate
yourselves with us railroad people, and merge your Cor-
poration (poor creatures!} into the Commissioners of
Birkenhead.—l am, sir, your obedient servant,
Woodside, February 9, 1844.

EBENEZER JONES.

QUARTERLY TABLE OF THE MORTALITY,
FOR THE END OF 1843.

The authentic Quarterly Return, ending December
30-1, 1843, is now before us. It is derived from 114 dis-
tricts (subdivided into 571 registrars districts) ; 33 of the
districts are in the metropolis, and the remaining 81 com-
prize, with some agricultural parishes, the principal towns
and cities of England. At the last census (June, 1841)
the whole population of these was 6,534,535, or nearly
4-10ths of the total population. The average annual
number of deaths registered in the 114 districts was
163,193, or 47 per cent. of the total deaths registered an-
nually-in England. The deaths registered in the autumn
quarter of 1843, were 42,263: while the average number
in the five autumns of 1838 to 42 inclusive was 40,683. The
population increased about five per cent. every three
years from 1831-41, and as it is probable that the in-
crease continued down to 1843, the deaths of the autumn
of that year would, compared with the rate of mortality
in previous years, be five per cent. more numerous.
The deaths in the provincial districts were 28,525, the
uncorrected average number for autumn being 28,827.
The mortality was therefore, in the aggregate, considera-
bly below the average.
Thu, mortality in the Metropolis was above the aver-
age; the deaths were 13,738, or 1,923 more than 11,815,
the average of the five previous autumns. After a cor-
rection for the increase of population, the excess is 1,368
deaths. The most fatal diseases were small pox, measles,
and especially scarlatina ; diarrhoea, dysintery, and cho-
lera, were also more fatal than usual. The deaths from
disease of the nervous system are considerably above the
average, as were those from diseases of the lungs. Fewer
violent and sudden deaths were registered than usual.

Amongst the districts in which the mortality was higher
than the autumn average, are West Derby, (near this
town,) Wigan, and Chorlton. Amongst those in which
it was lower, we find Chester, Liverpool, Prescot, Man-
chester, Salford, Ashton, Sheffield, Huddersfield, and
Leeds.

The following is a synopsis of the mortality, as exhi-
ped by these tables, in
LIVERPOOL.

The population in 1841 was 223,054; the average deaths
quarterly in the five years 1838-42, was 1875, and the
quarterly average for the five quarters of these years, 1962.
The deaths in the autumn quarter of 1843, ending 31st
December, NN ere 1855 ; a decrease on 1962, (the average of
the previous autumn quarter,) of 107. _

DISTRICTS, AS PER REGISTRAR'S RETURNS.
Great Howard-street.--Seventeen above last quart er,
including 16 cases of small-pox-5 only having been
vaccinated.
St. Thomas.—Fifteen fewer deaths than in the corres-
ponding quarter previous year, and 45 less than 1841.
Principal diseases fever, measles, pneumonia, phthisisis,
and bowel complaints.
Mount-pleasant.—The deaths exceed those of the former
quarter by 50, and those of the last corresponding quar-
ter by 41. The most prevalent diseases have been con-
vulsions, inflammation of the lungs, dropsy, fever,
asthma, consumption, measles, and hoop;ng cough.
Islington.—A decrease this quarter as compared with the
corresponding quarters of 1841 and 1842, of 14 per
cent.

WEST DERBY.— Township of West Derby.—An increase
this quarter, attributed to the unusually damp and va-
riable state of the weather. Chief causes of death—
diseases of the lungs, convulsions, childrens' diseases
generally, and measles.

Great Crosby.—An increase of seven over last quarter,
though only three epidemic cases.
Toxteth-park.—A further increase of deaths this quarter
(19) as compared with the previous quarter. The mor-
tality in the whole district (of West Derby) is above
the average. Amongst the deaths are (during the quar-
ter) from consumption, 40: inflammation of the lungs
and chest, 23, and diarrhoea, 15.

In Blackburn the deaths within the quarter were under
he average number ; and in Preston the deaths were 29
fewer than in the same quarter of 1842.

BRISTOL.—The number of deaths were considerably
above the average of the two last years, chiefly from the
prevalence of scarlatina ; and, under this head, we find
the following extraordinary remark by one of the regis-
trars :—" The practice in Bristol of keeping persons so
long after death, tends during the prevalence of an epi-
demic, to increase the number of deaths. If a person
die, say on rhursdav, the body is invariably kept till
the Sunday week following, and this frequently when
there is only only one room for the living and the dead,
and during the quarter, in two or three instances, two
have died in a family from the causes named."—[This
practice, as well as that (still prevalent in our town) of
frequent interments in church-yards already filled to
repletion, and in the middle of great thoroughfares,
demands, we think, immediate legislative interference.
—ED. L. S.]

1"-The Chester Courant says :—" We are delighted to find
that the project, which we last week advocated, for im-
proving the navigation of the river Dee, and the port and
harbour of Chester, by the construction of a ship canal,
and the formation of docks, has been favourably enter-
tained, not only by some of our fellow citizens, and coun-
try gentry, but, also by several merchants of Liverpool.
CONSPIRACY OF THE MANCHESTER COTTON SPIN-
NERS AGAINST THE LIVERPOOL COTTON BROKERS.—
The recent advance in the price of cotton at Liverpool
has excited considerable apprehension amongst the cot-
ton spinners of Manchester and the neighbourhood, not-
withstanding the advance that has taken place in the price
of manufactured cloths. A meeting on the subject was
held at Manchester, on Saturday, when not less than 500
individuals were present. Mr. Robert Gardner, who had
called them together, took the chair. He suggested the
working of only five days per week, and not to light up
the mills from the 19th or 26th of this month, and that
those Manchester men who had large stocks of cotton,
should sell, at the present prices, to those who were
without, in order to prevent the latter going into the Liv-
erpool market, and giving higher prices. Mr. Edmund
Ashworth said that the present speculation was owing to
some of the London bankers and money lenders, whose
circulars they had seen, offering to advance money for in-
vestment in cotton, if they could only find responsible
parties willing to make purchases ; and the payments were
made through orders upon Liverpool bankers. There was
a class of men called brokers, in Liverpool, who stood
between the importers and the manufacturers, who had a
direct interest in encouraging this spirit of speculation.
There had been many schemes suggested for doing away
with the evil, but it was quite clear that nothing could be
done unless a sufficient number of the manufacturers were
to unite together for the purpose. Cotton belonging to
Manchester men was imported into Liverpool and there
sold ; but it had been suggested that it should be brought
to Manchester and there sold to the consumers, and that
the trade should be kept from Liverpool during the next
three or four months; and that the Manchester cotton
should not go into the hands of the. Liverpool brokers—
(cheers)—and the people of this neighbourhood would
have the satisfaction of knowing that their money went
into the pockets of their own friends rather than into the
hands of the brokers, bankers, and money-lenders of
London and Liverpool. Mr. A. Buckley and Mr. S. L.
Behrens also spoke. Mr. G. R. Chappell denounced the
present mode of paying the Liverpool cotton brokers,
which made it the interest of the brokers to rob the man-
ufacturers. There were some brokers who were excep-
tions to the generality of their class, and were honourable
men ; but such was the tendency of the present mode of
paying them for purchasing cotton. Some resolutions
were passed, and a committee was appointed to mature a
plan of action, and report,