The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-10-10 00:00:00

...' '

THE AMMAN.

i
charged here with eirenlating seditious placards ? Craven-street, Strand ; and it was tepresented at the
Mr. Pearson. No ; he was hut the itsstristsseat whom Office (we know not with what degree of truth) that
311 r. Birnie described as ignorantly giving effect to the 1 that gentleman has, fur several years, held a sinecure
purposes of others. I hare been 5 days 'oil 5 nights place under government, worth SOO/. per &ileum; and
in search of the author of the placard and employer ! that he is a writer fur a certain morning paper, which
of the poor boy. I now ask for an officer to search edvocatel the cause of the Ministers.
fur this person ; and I state boldly that he is etageed ; Information was given et the office that Mr. Frank-
in a treasonable conapitacy against the people. Sir 1 lin had been watched for some days, and has been ob-
Robert Baker. I understand what treaaon against the : served to meet every day, at the house of tlr. Dennis
King means ; hut treason against the people I don't' O'llryatt, with some other distinguished characters
understand. Mr. Pearson. The King ami the Hovers. connected with the ministerial press ; and that all the
went are understood to represent the people, and to act treasonable and seditious hand-hills are carried to that
as their agents. Sir Hobert Baker. Yes; but tresses I house, and the conspirators admitted by a signal given
against the people I do nut understand. Mr. of drawing a stick along the railing. When Mr.
Pearson. Well, I cite •ge him with treason against Pearson and Vickety arrived at Craven-street, they
the King. Mr. Minshull. You charge with were refuted admittance by the servant ; when Vickery
treason ; the term is sufficiently Intelligible. Mr.! threatened to get iu at the window. At length a gen-
Pearson.-1 charge him with treason ; and lup : Orman f within, who appeared not to like the
that from this charge he is attempting to run out of aspect of a:fairs, came out ; aud the officer took ad-
the e try. I call upon you to use the same means vantage of the door being opened to enter the house,
for securing him as yon would against an ignorant, , followed by Ylr. Pearson. Mr. Ih.nisis O'Bry: • coin
a poor, and a seditious versa, in the usual tease at- wade his appearance, and declared must vehemently
Latched to the word seditious.—Sir Hubert linker. We that he did nut even know Mr. Franklin, although Mr.
have now sent to the man who undertook fortis ap- 1 Franklin has becu traced into Mr. O'Bryan's house
pearance—a very respectable man whilst) I have long' t•onstantly during the last titter years, and although
known, and who lives in the neighbouring parish.— I Mr. Williams, upon his examination, admitted that he
Some person reported that he was nut there.—Mr. I bad wet the aforesaid Mr. Dt•susis O'Brian at this uu-
Pearson. I stated other charges ngainst hint to sons! known 31r. Franklin's house.
air. Ilirnie.---Mr. Birnie. Yes, you dill, in your let- The search of Mr. tEltryan's house was unsuccess-
ter ; and I refused on that account to bail him. lam ful, and Mr. Pearson returned to the office. During
quite sure he will not appear.-- Sir Robert Baker. I his abseurr. Mr. Ilaydon contrived to draw some very
know only this—that I discharged him upon the re- important facts from Mr. Williams. Ile admitted that
sponsibi!ity of a most respectable gentleman who lives on the Sitittla uight, so late as 10 o'clock, ,It. Franks
in .st. Martin's-lane. I have no doubt that he will! lin told, him that he meant to go out of town, and that
appear : if he does not, I shall spare no means to ap- I that worming. at S 40.cit.n.k. Mr. Franklin's daughter 1
prebend tutu, not only for this charge, but because i had told him that before 12 &cluck her father would
he deceived me.---Mr. Minshull. lie called on tee' be abuse IVO wiles from London.
yesterday; and I have to doubt, if I had been pre-; Mr. Minsbull remark,-! that it was very singular
sent, I should have done what my brother magistrate tarot not until three o'clock a 1104 this gentleman recol-1
did.-- Mr. Pearson. Well, I am ready to state my 1. lett a circunsatauce s.. important to the inquiry ; and'
case.---Sir Hobert Baker. Would Ina that be better that he should have thought an honourable matt would
...one in private?---Mr. Pearson. If you please.-.—Mr.: not have rested until be had disclosed those facts to,
Vickery cause forward to justify bit activity and fide-: Sir Robert Baker, in order that warrants might have'
lily on the occasion.—Me. Pearson agreed.-- Mr. Items issrted early in the morning for his apprehension.
illeide. Where is old Mr. William ?—...it %v.,. an,,,,er.. We understand that warrants for the apprehension
ad that he was in attendamee.--Sir Hubert Baker.' of the accused are seat oil to different parts of the
Let Mr. Williams come let war?..---An old man of very country.
respectable appearance, tame forward to the end of Mr. Pearson, attended by Mr. Hayden, Mr. Wilson,
the table.—Sir Rama Baker. Have you seen your auad two other gentlemen, theta went to the Secretary
friend ?—Mr. Williams. I have nut to-day.---Sir; of State's office, and hall au interview with Mr. Clive,'
Robert Baker. Will he be here to-day ?----Mr. Wil -I who, very much to the astoaishtueut of the party, had 1
limns. Yes, be told we so.—Mr Mane. I never ex- received intellionce of all that had transpired, aud was
pected that b • would appear, and therefore I refused as well acquainted with the mysterious escape of the
to take hail.—Mr. Williams. I have nut seen hum, accused, and all the mit:utile of the case, as were the,
toolay.—Mr. Willie. What arrangetsteuts dill you gentlen.eu tlsetuselyes. Ile further laboured to justify
make ?—Mr. Wi:liates. I went this morning to see the conduct of Sir Hobert Baker. by saying that the
him, being soy next-door mighbour.---Mr. 3141401. charge was only that of a ntisilenteanour, and that
When dill you s• e him last i—Mr. Williams. Yester-• therefore he might let hint out at his discretion. Mr.
day nserninz we went to No. ti, Berlieley.street. sad I ; Pearson, in very warm terms, replied to this assertion,
called with, him at Sir Hubert Baker's. We saw laily that a magistrate possessed no smelt right ; but that,
Baker, who told us that Sir Robert was probably . whatever might be the rank, family, counexions, or
at our office (Mr. Minshull's.) We came to your' political feelings of a person accused, a magistrate had
oilier, but, not finding him, we went back again tot no power to order his discharge without taking good
Sir Hobert Baker's.—Mr. Millie. But what *range- . and sufficient bail fur his appearance. With great
talents had yon made for meeting this day ?—Mr. Wil- eift.rg-y to Mr. Clive, he told hitn, that he begged he
li.tms. None.---Mr. &limit-. When did you part would expressly understand, that, in the presence of
with him ?-31r. Williams. At DI I,'elork at 1,4,10, the gentlemen then iu the room, he invited the aid of
at his house. I came home with him, and dined with the Hume Department to secure the apprehension of
him.---Mr. Birnie. Did he say be was coming Isere the accused ; that as the Secretary of State was in the
to-day ?—Mr. Williams. lie said so in going along.' habit of o:feritig rewards, issuing proclamations; for
---Mr. liirnie. In glitig along? Were you to call um the arrest of offenders of comparatively minor import-
hilts, or was he to call on you, to come here together ? since, he earnestly entreated of him, that very day,
Mr. Williams. I was to call on him ; aud I called at s to take measures fur the appreheusiuu of this daring
o'clock this morning; but he was out at Isouse.--Mr. offender.
liirnie. Were you surprised ?ur did you expert 141 find i Mr. Pearson further remarked, that, considering
hint ?--Mr. Williams. laid t•xpect to anal him.---Mr.' the individual in question stood charged with having
Birnie. I knew Mr. Williams, and I reluctantly re- published seditious anal treasonable placards, and,
fused bail, knowing that Mr. Williams was a respect- with a great expense and trouble, distributed them
able mats ; but I never supposed that the accused meant; gratuitously by hundreds of thousands for a period of
to appear, and therefore 1 refuses! bail. I understood three years, extending over times in which public
the arrangenseuts to be, then, that he sl Id be here i distress load driven the lower classes to a state of int-
o* 13 o'clock, awl you, Mr. Williams, with him, ready , tatien, amounting almost to itsadu•ss; considering the
with bail.---Mr. Pearson. Mr. Williams, you must be feverish state of public feeling at this moment, when
&onions to get him apprehended as well as I. You these atrocious placards were being issued forth : consi- ,
pn,bably can tell us the statues of some of his relations, tiering that he 11:1,1 ordered 50,000 copies to be printed,
with ishont he may have taken refuge. Is his name 1 and hail actually bespoke a handsbill, calling upon the
Frank/and or Freak;in!--Mr Williams. Fearildin people to arm themselves, and to resist the cousti-
Mr. Pearson. What is his Christian name?.--: tational autlscrities ; considering also that the acensed
William. Mr. Pearson. William Fran.lin ? lie lives j had been suffered to escape through the s•xtraordittary, ,
in Clarentlomplace,Kilgware-road.—Mr. W. Yes.--Mr.' mysterious, and unprecedented conduct of their own
P. ilas lie not a sun in the Guards?—Mr. W. Ile has. magistrate, Sir Robert Baker ; that, if the Douse
Mr. Pearson.---An officer in the tivards?—Mr. H'il- Departtneut did not use extraordinary exertions to re.
liasat.--Yes, he is an other. Mr. Pearson. —What is trieve the error of their own officer, and to deliver up
his Christian Millie, and where dues he live ?—Mr. 1 this man to answer to the offended laws of his conn-
Williauts.---in trhtb Idi n't know his name, or where try, there would nut be wanting people to suppose
be lives.---Mr. Birnie. Mr. Pearson, you are now that the rank and occupation of the man had secured
stepping too far. All this ought to be private. Mr. his safety; aud, indeed, the world would dime con-
Minshull, Mr. Pearson, and Mr. Williams, retired 1 elusions too obvious to need to be specified.
then to Mr. Stafford's room, where the inquiry was! Mr. Clive said, that Lord Siihnouth was net
proceeded with. Mr. Stafford returned 'taw after- then at the office ; but that, if Mr. Pearson would
I
wards, and said that Mr. Williams denied having given call another day, he would receive an answer to his
bail. Sir Hubert Baker.—the certainly gave an nn- applicatiots.
siertaking ; I don't know whether he considers it Mr. Pearson replied, that, as he believed the ac-
bail or nut. Sir Robert Baker soon afterwards retired I eused would quit the country, it was that nights and
into Mr. Stafford's room, to assist in the inquiry. that night only, that the services of his Lordship
In the private room air. Williams's examination would be of any use; and that, therefore, he would
was cuatinued, for the purpose of obtaining, if pos- call again if such were Mr. Clive's pleasure ; but he
sib'', a else to the discovery of Mr. Franklin's place could not leave the neighbourhood without receiving
of concealment. Mr. Williams resolutely persisted a decisive answer.
iu his declaration, that be had not is any way bound Mr. Pearson left with Mr. Clive two of the seditious
himself for Mr. Franklio's appearance; bat that he hand-bills, and was appointed to call again at half-
had merely assured Sir Robert Baker of the respect- past four o'clock, at which time that gentleman and
Oddity of the accused, and that he would &Mud with his frieuds retussed, and Mr. Clive addressing theta,
him in the lamming at the office. From the remise- said, that Lord Siihnosth did not see any thing in the
Lion of Mx. Williams it appeared that Mr. Franklia hand-bills to justify his interferrare. It should be
was a gentleman of independent fortune, and that he remembered that the two bills left were the one which
bad a see an officer iu the Wards: he also said that we have before copied, and another, containing,
he had been on the Sauday with the otheer sad the among other seditious and inflammatory expressions,
prisoner to Mr. Birait, at his country house, its unite the following, alluding to the execution at Derby :
to ohtain his Mutation ; but that Mr. Birnie refused " Strike not at all, or strike home ; think of our per- I
to seaply with his request, aud had advised Mr. Wil- I usual iasupporinhle parvitude ; and always reureutber.l
Hants, as a friend, not to have say ahing to do with that the alternative is, liberty, or a gloriosa grave."
the prisoner. In &haw, however, of Ws advise, Mr. Pearson replied, that if sock were Lord Sid-
he weet to Sir IL Baker with the pietism.; and that mouth's answer, and for seek reason*, he had drawn
gentleman discharged him out of custody, upon his his coaciusions from insaMeleat premises. Say, that
promising to appear an the neat day. At this time lhe rested his claim to Lord Sidatouth's interference,
Mr. Pearson observed that he had received Woman- not railing epee those placards, infamous Asia tram
Lion that Mr. Franklin was, probably, at a house in sortable as they were, bet ekes span the eights,.
the neighborhood ; and ructaenied that an Amer others, ail of which had been ciaouhsted desists is
aighebe war with his to search the house. Vichury last three years. Mr. Clive said distinctly 1161104110
sees eppointeil to that service. The house in titivation had "'tied this to Lord ftiduatastls,, who had replied
belongs .to a Mr. tlenuis 4-s.6rYeu ; is situated in that be saw no occasion toe tilt interference of the do.