The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-08-12 00:00:00

IRELAND.

STATIC Or 'rug COUNTRY.—The provincial Papers have,
for some time past, presented very gratifying proapects of
the return of our peasantry to habits of tranquillity. Those
that we have received tt-.-day, contain scarcely any *croon,
of outrages committed. We have no doubt that the
rlltial classes will improve this calm to the best purpose—
dist of reasoning with the deluded cl rases on the insanity
and wickedness of their form r projects a•nt misdeeds. The
extreme of credulity and over-trained apprehension we are
alike stranger. to: we cannot be weak enough to imagine,
that the lower orders have so rapidly:abandoned their revo-
httionary designs against property; nor are we inclined to
think, with some of our cutemporaries, that it is only "
brightening before a storm." It is, indeed, probable Nut
the unfortunate beings are becoming tired of the dangerous,
toilsome, unprotit ible work allotted them by their revolu-
tionary task-masters, and beginning to .feel that no confi-
dence can he placed in their deceivers. Lint, whatever cause
[mai are to a• tribute the change to, it is incumbent OD the
loyal and intelligent to turn it to the beet account without
in the least relaxing in their vigilance ; and also carefully to
'suppress the first symptoms of disaffection to the laws of
social order. It seems that a rood many stand of arms
have b-en lately delivered tip. our county is perfectly quiet
ite'listial--(Cartoto Morning Post.)
A man charged with petty larceny was conveyed a few

• Saturday se`nnight the LORD Curer .11.1TICit opened the
Commission+. After minutely explaining to the Gentlemen
of the Grand Jury the Provisions of the late Act of Parlia-
ment fur regulating the duties of Juries. his Lordship
t said, turning to the Calendar, if he were to form an opinion
rot the state of the county from that document, be should
**use to a very favourable conclusion ; bat when he called
to tersollettion the report of the Learned Judge who tilled
the place, he was prevented by indisposition from occupying
at the last Assists. he was nut quite so sanguine. Crtmes
of euormous tuaguitu le, and opptobrions cases of the a:lmi.
, aistration of justice, then engaged their attention. As
,Grand Jurors, however, they %solid have little trouble now,
but as Magistrates and Country tienticuien much Remained
ler them to do. The Constubul try force now established in
Howls( the old Police, will ai.l thew in the aduni.istration
of justice. They have all, no doubt, seen it acting, and his
Lordship expressed his satisfaction at what be had observed
'generally of their conduct on this circuit. They are not
to be called Military Police; they are a Civil Poorer, but
the system possesses all the advantages of subordination
and regularity. Frout two cases that occurred in other
counties on this circuit, his Lordship called the attention of
,the Magistrates, and of such of the Constabulary as might
ibe within his hearing, to the duties of that body. They
•saust recollect that they are merely constables, They act
with all the power, but also with all the responsibility of
rconstables. No man has a right to employ deadly weapons
'lit executing the duties of a constable, except in one or two
wiles. No constable ran he justified in taking away life on
.resistance to arrest, unless thr warrant be for treason or fe-
,lony. In minor cases, the policy of the law is, that it is bet-
ter the accused should escape tbau that a human life should
be lust. In cases of treason or fclony,tbe rule is otherwise. I f a
parses charged as %traitor or felon shall resist, or attempt to
escape from justice, the constable would be justitie I
in killing him; but if it should appear is Coati that the con-
stable could have made his caption good without resorting
to the use of arms, the Judge would be bound to tell the
Jury that the offence was murder, and the Jury would be
bound to find accordingly. Those who are in authority
among the constabulary ought to inculcate these truths
upon their men, many of whom, he was glad to find, were
chosen from among the disbanded military, who, although
otherwise well adapted to compose the constabulary, could
not be sufficiently acquainted with the duties imposed upon
1 them by law; and his Lordship thought, if the duties of
their office were printed and distributed among the consta.,
hulary, it would be an excellent arrangement. If they can
only have recourse to the last resort in cases of tresion or
felony, Magistrates should take special care to have the
warrant entrusted to them properly drawn. It has been too
much she custom to employ ignorant clerks and country
schoolmastt ra to draw up warrants for the apprehension of
persons accused of crimes. His Lordship was, however,
sure, that the Magistrates whom he addressed would grant
no warrant until they had made themselves fully acquainted
with its contents, They should satisfy themselves that the
crime charged against the accused party is really, and not
merely in name, a felony. The Learned Judge then ail-
' vetted to cases that had come before him on this Circuit in
other Counties of a nature which he trusted would never
occur in this one—cases in which Magistrates bad pros-11
I !rated criminal law to terve their own private purposes.—
In one case to which his Lordship adverted, be had to try
a police constable for taking away the UN of a fallow crea-
ture, and that on a most trivial occasion.
His Lordship then stated that he bad been directed by
the Lord Chancellor to tecomtnend a measure which, he
was happy to say, was already in operation in this County,
the establishment of Petty Sessions These Sessions have
already produced the best effects throughout Ireland. [Here
his Lordship dwelt on their utility, and said, the most fax.
tions will not dare to charge the Magistrates meeting in
Sessions with corruption.] The Magistrate may be misled
in his chamber, and, though he be only misled, the fact
may give rise to the charge of corruption ; but when acting.
together io Sessions, the evil which might give rise to that
charge will be avoided. When in Petty Sessions, the Ma-
gistrates should recollect that they are not sittirg as a
Court. They are not to examine Witnesses for the pur-
pose of acquitting the Prisoner; but are to act as they
would, individually in their own chambers. 'they are not
to exercise their judgment so as to I e influenced by the good
character of the accused to interfere to stop the legal course
of proceedings. They are to investigate, but not to usurp
the decision of a case which ought to be decided in a Court
of Law. His Lordship here pointed out the great advan-
tages of the establishment of Petty Sessions, as tending
to diffuse knowledge by bringing Magistrates frequently
together to act in unison for the public good, and by the
conviction which such open investigations must leave o n
the minds of the humbler classes that the law is firmly;
and, at the same time, impartially administered for the ad-
, vantage of all.
it

On Saturday night. between eleven and twelve o'clock,
two young men entered a Ilesber's stand in King-street, and
while the one was examining a leg of lamb, the other seiz-
ed a piece of rope, cried " farewell" to his companion, and
left the shop in a hasty manner. The fteslier shut his
stand immediately afterward, and when about to depart, he
observed the same young man suspended from a lamp-iron
on the opposite side of the :trees. He instantly cut him'
down in a state of insensibility, and succeeded in restoring
him to his senses. After being admonished of the aw-
Id consequences ivhirh would result from his rash and cri-
minal conduct. the unhappy person promised to go home.
The !testier, after his departure. went op stairs to um apart-',
ment, with the keys of the stand, and after a short stay,
found, on his retorts, to his inexpressible surprise. a men
and a woman cutting down the same infatuated individual
from a large nail on which hams that are for sale are
usually hang. He was recovered with a good deal of if.
ficultyy and afterwards conveyed to the Police Mice: He
was detained till.yesterdey afternoon, .when, reeniior to be
rner-letely cow to himself, he was liberated.— (Edinburgh
Star)

MARKETS AND FAIRS.
-••••■•••"•-..
At Totness in Devonshire, the following ate stated,
private letter, to he the prices of provisions t•e-
" A young roasting pig and a handsome dish tifk;
caught. enough for a party of eight persons, 3 ..:ti
of mutton, sufficient for seven persons, le. SC) flitst
pig, weighing 141 b. 2s. Od. ; a turbot, weiglll4•2l2l
!Oil.; two pair of soles. lb inches long, three large
ings,sand fourteen sni.iller ones, Is. 6d. For attire/1e
10s. 6d. per week was sufficient for the liberal shin
meat from the butcher for a 4nott- respectable I
consisting of 1,1 persons." .
Steyning Beast Market on Monday exhibited :
supply of the usual kinds of fat stock, which the bet
bunght tip pretty freely, Beef and Mutton, 3s ad. to'
Lamb, is. to 4s. 3J per stone. ...
The supply of Cattle at the fair of St. 4tephetst,
Launceston, en Thursday, was abundant; there was.
advance in prices.
At. Treglaptha fair, on Friday last, there was an .....
dant supply of cattle. Very high prices were demandvd
the early part of the day, but very few silts were rift'
before twelve o'clock ; after that hone, the expremtlor
the sellers became much snore moterate, and the pile,
tained were +nods lower than might have. been Uad
more early pert of the day. •
The supply of cattle at Boscastle fair, urn Tuts lip.,
great, bat the demand was very snotlerat-, and too,
conacciaeatt dull. Sheep and ••lialbs were fib:indite
ey
not ench of those pfenned.were sold. ''''' -"•," ''
• • Clare, annia, Aug. 4,-..ilfis have seldom -seetiVinik
*ter"us ittte.43dasfcei or If finentexhibition elPtattlerribii
,the fair of Cluereatl on ,Frisily lksOf•assirtitouelt tint
siege far- hAoir the expected offers, a great number of
were effected. The !ditto, of horses was not gust, at
i demand was, consequently, very trilling.