The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-07-04 00:00:00

no ceilithei
and esM@ed,
loryman . being a nieseber @Wild
be a•goob _ °balling& If be (Mr. B.) sub•
scribed to ►ring on as isiletorsiMi be certainly was an
improper person to try h.-4111ear, hear.)—He really
tbeight he oast, in this respect, base misandentood
the words of Isis Hon. and Learned Friend, the

~ hear. bear.)-1 a

ease of a Welty, if a man had subscribed mosey to
tad the' bill of indictment. its (Mr. B.) held
that this would be a good case for challenging him as
a juror ; aid yet in such a cue it was sot likely that
say thing bad occurred from the act itself to roase
the passions. But the Bridge-street Association was
headed in party feeling alone. Even their enthu-
siasm, however honest, was dangerous; they attacked
oily those who differed from them in politics ; and not
tee least objectionable part of the case was the circum-
stance. that if the matter were carried by writ of error
to the House of Lords, the last legal resort, there were
some dozen of Bridge-street Associators to Fire check-
mate to the proceedings.—(A laugh, and cries of
bear, hear.)—Would any man of common understand-
iug say that this was consistent with common justice?
The influence of the Members of this Association was
not conismd to London. How could an impartial
Jary be found in the country. half a dozen Jurors
being tenaats of the Duke of this, that, or the other,
a Member of the Society? How could the unfor-
tomato defendant have a fair chance ? A counter-
Association. he repeated, would be worse than the pre-
sent evil ; for it would cause the whole country to be
split into parties, and would destroy the hitherto proud
character of English Justice. Thestrict legaiity of the
Association on its professed principles he did not deny ;
but the legality was no objection to the iuterference of
the House. The abase, even of a legal right, might
be a fair subject for interference. He did not ask
whether what Mr. King had said, or what Mr. Orton
had said was true; but he was satisfied that Mr. Murray
and Mr. Sharp had bragged of the commission of acts
which were illegal. He thought it was not legal to go
to a man's shop and say to him, " If you don't agree to
certain terms I propose, I will indict you. If you do not
admit COW guilt, give up your property to es who have
no right to ask it, and who cannot Like it without
violating the law. If you do not, besides this, take
an oath serer to repeat that which we proomince to be
as illegal offence, we will indict legal veiseeance upon
you, and you must endure the consequence." To do
this, be thought uas to act more like a mistier than any
thing else, more like a violator than a protector of the
law. This he held to he iliegal. If this was the law,
he had not studied it ; if it it as a part of the Cunstint.
lion, he did not understand it. If these proceedings
were to be supported by Peers, who might ultimately
have to pronounce ulon them judicially; then all he
could say wss, that there never was an Association put
down as illegal half •io touch to be reprobated as this
Society, this terror to all good men, commonly known
by the name of the " Bridge-street Gang." There
were, however many persons belonging to the Society
for whom individually he entertained a rem high
respect. To those he should prefer ming the lan-
guage of expostnlation rather then that oh reproach.
He believed they had been drawn into the &oleo by
designing persons ; that they were tbe tools ofilibers
for s hoes ao one could possibly foot any insure{.--
" Chortle and State," " Social Orden' and 6' !tiered
Institution." were fine phrases; but laiho pewit 1.-
stance, they meant that it was necessary that a parcel
of inditileals should steell their own woes by siting
those ot ether people. Something. however, had
dropped front the Hon. Member for !Smother (Mr.
Wilborttnre), about the propriety of patting, down li-
bels on both sides ; but what was the fag t ? Why that
all en one side were mown down, and all on the other
left untouched. Benbow, he believed, had been pro-
secuted for pehlishlng a Caricature upon his Slajrsty ;
bit this caricature was aetsally a parody on another
quite as gross, which had • been published against the
Queen.—(Hear, hear, bear.)—One was a libel on a
woman, the ether on a snag, and this excellent Society
bad taken no notice of the first.—(Cheers.)—The press
bad teemed with the lowa disgusting libels; yet hal
this same, this immaculate Association emptied all the
phials of their wrath on the other side and that only.
—(Hear, hear.)—lbe Society was, in fact, evidently
erected tar party porpoises, to punish libels on one aide,
sad, if not to encoura4e, at least to leave untouched
all those oa the other.

Mr. SOLICITOR iIF.NERAI thought thst in order
to ferns a correct opinion on the present question, it
would he proper to inquire what was the state ‘if the
proceedings referred to by the motion. hills had been
found by Wand Juries against in livideals for various
libels; the Judges of the Courts of Law had bell these
defendants to bail; and now the House of Commons
was called spun to address the Crown to strip these prose-
cution, without any inquiry into their merits. The lion.
sad Learned Member here entered into a review of the
proceedings against 31r. Dolby, and contended that the
Soave, had, in the course of the proceedings, done
nothingowhich was not justified by law. The stock of
Dolby wilt not demanded, he was only desired to give
up the remaining copies of the libel referred to in the
indictment. His Hon. and Learned Friend (11r. B.)
bad sok denied the legality of the society. Another
Hon. sad Learned Member denied its legality, on the
ground that no individuals bad a right to subscribe
for the purpose of prosecuting public libels. That
was an agreement which it appeared bad now been
given up. Indeed no attempt had been made in the
superior Courts to question the legality of the Society ;
and y attempt wade before another tribunal bad com-
pletely failed. The Hon. and Learned Gentleman
then referred to the Society of I ;9J2, which be said
bad been ably and eloquently defended by Lord
Ershiumitineself, on the trial of Willia.ns for publish- 1
ing PilFilk% " Age of Reason." What, indeed, could
be si more proper object than the pideputing; of sefli-
tiodb libels? And what sound objection could he
relied against a Society who could not take a single
stip without the previous opinion of a tirand Jury i
'hit sad, a Society was capable of abuse be.tild not
deny, but no ground bad bees shorn to induce a belief'
taiat any abuse witatever existed in the ,coaduet
of these prosecutions. He begged to correct his 14on.
sad Learned Friend u to a reuiark be bad made ' .on,
the proceedings in the Court of King's Bench oil the 1
westion respecting the Members of the Association
qualified to serve on the Specical Jury. The order,
of the Court relied on by his lion. and Learned rrientl,
bud beets made 'with the consent of the promeatere.l
:theptieires.—.(Hear.)--N0 person, palest called on. by
atiaty, maid consistently make clnitgra of,
deOcription, w)tich wep,t Nigh. PA/p
fith a? rance
fisee
ii‘rity. As to tie priateilims.ileA_ it grin of
estruagent a satire, that it was impossible to give

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y JAyPiRo etrugek 'Olititatribi ate Society. 11
.paqies would be so however. had declared thy*
if justice woeld be poi. that*: fart of a Juryman's
thought the objrctiou be stood cane of °bailout