The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-03-24 00:00:00

THE STATESMAN.

rite severity of ti.e Hotiny lei
ae; dearrihe.l by Justice
Holt, he would read. although he was afraid it might be
deemed a libel, lie wished to show the Jury. that no proof
whatever had been produced against hinvellpeeting his being
a 'editions, malicious person. ululated to excite diuffeetion
and hatred towards the Government. In order to show the
Jury what his sentiments were upon many occasions, both
in and out of Parliament, he had had a selection made from
hiavarious speeches, as they did not know him, and to re-
move that impression which the Attorney-General bad en-
deavoured to impress upon their minds.—(The Baronet read
u extract respecting his advice to the Prince of Wales to
support his claims by constitutional means); also on the Ms—
tiny Rill ; whereby it might be seen that he was no enemy
to the soldiers. In another instance, the boroughmongers, he
had asserted, had more influence than the Crown ; and that he
would also support the just dignity and Influence of the
Throne. lie wished the overwhelming power of the borough-
mongers to be annihilated ; and in every instance he had
always defended the three Estates. The Worthy Baronet
also read several other extracts, tending to show his vene-
ration for the Constitution, and respect fur the 'Throne. His
object was to show that these were his uniform senti-
ments; and that it was not his intention to propagate sedi-
tion in the country ; in order that the Jury might not listen
to no unsubstantiated charge made against him by the At-
torney-General. He never had been inconsistent with those
principles. of which his whole life was a sample, both In
and out of Parliament. Ile did sot think it necessary
to reply to utan) parts of the Attorney-General's speech,
as they were not before the Court. Rat the borough-
mongers, he meant to say, were those characters who
trafficked in seats of Parliament, and which all holiest
men despised ; and which he hoped would yet have a
remedy applied to this sort of oppression. His letter did
not go to excite any disaffection in the country—his al-
logistic.- nits in the person of the King, but he owed none to
the boroughmougers ; and his most determined opposition to
them would never cease but with his life. If the Attorney-
General could -how that he was mad, then he might agree to
the charge; hut he really felt that no loan who had been so
much before the public as he had, bail ever shown more for-
bearance. lie had never given way to popular opinion, as
a sort Of tiling: the Corn Bill for instance. lie bad also,
upon all occasions, shown dne respect to the King ; and.
whether situated upon the hustings at Covent-garden. or in
the House of Commons, his language had always been clear
and intelligible. At no place but Manchester had any dis-
turbance taken place; and very large bodies had met at
iimitittield, York, &e. lie was not actuated by any of those
soothes which the Attorney-General had endeavoured to lay
to his charge ; and it was certainly unfair, for this Law
Ulcer, to infer such improper motives against him; if any
danger had existed, why not make it a pee bane pub-
Ike question against him, and not bring an ex-a/tele in-
formation, after some months bad elapsed.—The Worthy
Baronet. with notch humour, coseirik•d with a quotation
from •• Measure for Measure," applying it to the Ulu of
the Attorne‘-lieneral.

When Sir Francis Botraet sat down, Mr. Dantean, his
Counsel. said, that he would wow call some evidence to
prose that the facts stated in the letter, respecting the transac-
tions at Manchester on the lath of Aerial, were tree.
Judge r said, he would not hear any evidence
respecting the transactions which occurred at Man-
chester.
Mr. De4seas wished to offer proof, that the troops
did cut down and maims Akerson. at Manchester.
Jade e.--It ...01.epiiiorthst ersiareaViiiiir
set be admitted. _ _

Serjeant tritium. —Was called upon to protect the
character of that officer, in whose place he stood. gr
officio informations bad existed for centuries ; and it was
a wholesome prerogative in his hands. The defendant
complained of this mode of Prosecution—as to delay ;
but in this he was mistaken. Why was it to be tried in
Middlesex ?—be might perhaps have preferred a Com-
mon Jury. But, for a moment, it surely must be thought
that a Special Jury would be more congenial to his ket-
ings than the other mode, on account of coming nearest
to the rank of Sir Francis Burdett. The Learned Oen-
tkman concluded a long reply, calling for a conviction.
Mr. Justice BEST, after having observed that all that
bad been said on es-officio informations, on special
juries, nu parliamentary reform, and on evidence respect-
ing the Manchester proceedings, was extraneous, pro-
ceeded to Slate his °pintos, that Leicestershire was the
place of publication, and was properly made the place
of prosecution. Libel and sedition were not charges
that could not be grappled with, and that could not he un-
derstood. It was unfortunate to have quoted from Boling-
broke and Switt,who were both discontented.l f the paper in
question was written with the same pure spirit with which
Locke, that great and immortal writer, wrote, it was no
libel. Without liberty of the press there could be no free
Government. God forbid that he should ever discon-
tione to feel attached to it. But the question was, whe-
ther this paper did not excite to disaffection? or, in
other words, was not addressed to the passions? If
there were only a few intemperate expressions it was
no libel. But if the writer stated what he could not
have known to be true or false, if he addressed himself
to the 'sliver orders, he felt it his duty, in terms of the
Act of Parliament, to direct them to hod the defendant
guilty. If they had no reason to suppose him wrong.
they were to take the law from him. He had then no
hesitation in saying that it was a libel. Was it proper
that a man of education and high station, like Sir F.
Burdett, should state that blood had bees spilt, because
he had found it in a Morning Paper? Nothing occurred
that could form any excuse for the most intemperate
men, it .ayiag that a reign of terror anal blood was com-
menced in this country. If terror and blood were on
one side, what t have been upon the other ? lie was
sorry to find the passage there which stated, " a man
can die butt once ;" there never was a more striking in-
stance of the mock heroic. The defendant knew per-
fectly well that no attempt would be made to interrupt
the meeting at Westminster. Could any one tell him
that any thing could he ewer pregnant with mischief
than the passage respecting the punishment of soldiers?
The Government rested not on the army, but on the af-
fections of the people. If the paper was calculated to
do infinite mischief, that mischief must have been in-
tended. More poisonous ingredients never were con-
densed in one paper.
. The Jury, without appearing to deliberate with each
Other, immediately pronounced a verdict of GUILTY of
Libel.
Mr. DENIRS X remarked. that the verdict did not find
the publication in Leicestershire.
Mr. Sergeant V A CAN AN contended it did.
Mr. Justie.e Bast. (to the foreman).-11./0 you find the
libel pnblisheri in Leicestershire?
Foreman.—Guilty of libel in Leicestershire.
Mt. Justice Bssr.—You find the pablicatian of the
libel id Leicestershire?
Foreman.—Yes.
Mt. Justice Barr.—Had you not better then find the
general verdict, "Guilty ;" that is the common form ?
Tlie Foreman assented.
Mr. Justice Bear.—Was not that your meaning when
you found your verdict?
Foreman.—Yes.
The tfial ended at half-past Are:

PRICR sToOKH 11110
Reek Wadi
11 per Cent. Red.
Iper Cent. Coos. 8I
111 per Cast.
4 per Cents.
6 per Ct. Navy ICI3I 104
lasi Atm.
lop. *per Cott. Auto. 68

etc ttatedman.

la TiE ORITISH rr&TZSIIAN" II INCORPOIaTIID WITS "Tit