The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-11-25 00:00:00

S'eN

Mr. PRINOH, in conclusion, appealed to the compassion-
ate feelings of the bench, and to that charity which was
the chief excellence of the Christian Religion. He im-
plored them by their sentence, to convince the defendant
of the benignity of that creed which he had for a whi/ e
forsaken; and not by a severe infliction to fix him In
contumacious hatred of its authority for life. He was sure
they would be happy to act on the principle of Grodus--
" Relegio Christi in pace et tranquillitalc natal est;
nihil nisi pacem et tranquillitatens spiral; pace et tree-
quilitate non ands neva vero carceribus propaganda."
The Somyroa GENERAL, in reply, observed that the
offence of the defendant her/ been committed wilfully; for
that he avowed himself an a gent and a zealous disciple of
Mr. Carlile. •He bad no wish to press for vindictive
punishment against the inferior agents of those who
setl the law at defiance. but the principal offenders
eluded detection, and it was only by punishing their
agents that the mischief could be stayed in its pro-
great. In reference to the argument drawn from the
preaching of Unitarians, he referred to the case of the
King v. Whiston, 2 Strange, 1823, where the Court mid
they tvould allow the general truth of Christianity to be
called in question, but they did not mean to preclude dis-
cussions between learned men on bontroverted points of
theology. The work published by the defendant attacked
Christianity in the most contumelious terms, and called
its divine author" an impostor and a murderer." Tnis was
the offence charged on the defendant i and no reasonable
man could doubt of the illegal nature, or the pernicious
tendency, of such a publication.
The ConaT, adverting to the defendant's affidavit, which
omitted to state to whom be gave up his stock, or for what
purposes, directed that be should be committed to New-
gate, and brought up on the second day of next term, that
he might then, if he should be so advised, give the Court
information on these particulars.
THZ RING V. RICHARD COOll, RICHARD HILL, AND ELIZA/Sr/II
HILL.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL moved for the judgment of the
Court on these defendants, who were convicted at the last As-
sizes for Kent, on an ex-officio information. charging them
with a conspiracy to introduce smuggled goods into the coun-
try, and to bribe a revenue officer to connive at she pro-
eeedings.
The COURT. adverting to the infirm state of health of Eliza-
beth 11111, who appeared nearly fainting, declined paxsing any
judgment on her, except that her husband should toter into re-
cognizances for her good behaviour for five years; hut sen-
tenced Richard Codke to pay a fine of SIX., and bd imprisoned
in the House of Correction, at St. Augustine's. near Canter-
bury, for sit—months ; and Richard Hill to a similar imprison-
ment in the same place; and each, at the expiration of the
tem, to give sureties for good behaviour for, five years, him-
self in 1001., and two sureties in 601. each.
GAMBLERS.
THE KINO O. OLDP lELD AND BENNETT. . -

The defendants appeared on the floor to receive judgment,
having been found guilty of keeping a Common Gaining-house,
viz. No. 71, Pall Mall.
The Zorn Cuter Juvrice read his notes of the trial, by
which it appeared; that the defendants kept a rouge et noir
table, and carried on the system of that game.
Oldfield pitt in affidavits stating that be had been greatly
injured by paragraphs which had lately appeared in the news-
papers respecting gambling. In one Instance a person had
brought an action against hint to recover 39td. alleged to have
been won by deponent at play. lie stated that his properly
was reduced, and that another fine Inflicted by the Court would
make hint a bankrupt.--He recentmenJed a wife and seven
children to the merciful conuideration of ►beet/art. His health
was stated to be so bed as to require medical attendanze. The
affidavit fnrther stated, that the prosecutor Grant, to the best
of deponent's belief, was never to the house, 71, Pall Mall ;
and he added his firm persuasion that the prosecution had been
commenced not for the purposes of justice, bat to extort
..u.toney.

Bennett made a similar atildevit respecting the pro

secutor.
Mr. T. E. Grant, the proseentor, In his affidavit described
the defendants 0 be persons possessed of considerable pro-
perty gained by gaming. It also stated that the defendants
since their commitment Lad actually kept a hazard table iu the
;prison.
Mr. AD^ Lruus expressed a hope that the Court would allow
the defendants en opportunity to answer the affidavit of the
prosecutor, and also air rd Mt. Grant the power to make an
additional affidavit. Ile was most desirous of having the par-
ties fairly contrasted.
The LORD CIIIILV Jusvics.—Let them come [up the second
day of next Term.
Mr. AeoLeaus.--It is but fair to mention, that In the
vsmlng transaction, which took place some time ago in the
King's Bench prison, none of the defendants were present.
The LORD CHIEF JUATICR.—NO ; none of these defendautts
were present.
THE KIND V.11131310:43 AND WALKER.
These defendants bad been convicted of a nuisance in
working a steam-engine to the annoyance of their
boors in the eastern part of London. It was alleged on
the part of the defendants, that the nuisance, since the
conviction, had been abated. This was denied on the part
of the prosecution, and now the case came before the
Court on a two-fokl applica'ioo—first, to compel the defen-
dants to pay the costs of the prosecution on the authority
of a late Aot of Parliemet t; and second, for the Court to
appoint an arbitrator to determine whether the nuisance
had been abated.
The COURT, after hearing Mr. GURNEY and Mr. Als-
pnews for the Crown; and Mt. DENMAN and Mr.
liaaccuaut for the defendants, determined on the first
question, that the defendants ought to pay the costs of the
prosecution pursuant to the statute; bi.t they reserved the
second question for further consideration.
IN THE MATTER Or IVAN MAUDROLIT.
Mr. CartsweLt. moved that Evan liaudesley; brought up
from Lancaster by habeas corps:, should be admitted to
bail.
The defendant, a fustian cutter at Manchester, it may be
recollected, was committed for manslaughter on a coroner's
inquest, held on Mary Ann Handley, his infant apprentice.
The depositions charged him with causing the death of the
girl by hard labour, insufficient food and improper correc-
tion; but a medical man who attended her attributed tier
death to natural disease, and other affidavits were directed
to exculpate him from these charges. It appeared that
the hours of work were from six in the morning till eight
or nine in the evening—a length of time which, it seems,
is not thought unreasonable or unhealthy at Manchester ;
and there were depositions that the child was well fed,
and that the accusers were influenced by vindictive
motives.
The prisoner was discharged on giving security for his
appearance, hinisalf in 5001. and four sureties in 501. each.

POLICE.
.-...m.-

MAMITOSHOUSIL—HIGH PRIC. orCoa is. Much complaint
has been Lately made in the City aliont the present high price
of coals, and the Lord Mayor has received several column.
nications apon the subject, requesting his interference to
prevent the gross impositions which there was reason to
suppose were daily practised upon the public. The state.
moots made were to the folluaing ettect :—The present
price of coals was enormottsly great, and it was to be re-
gretted that the number of meters did not correspond with
the timber of cargoes of coals which had lately 'Mod in
the River, so that the delay arising front the deficiency of
coal meters necessarily prevented the expected and natural
reduction in the price of the article. .Thies were now
nearly 300 coal vessels in the river, and as the matters must
take their turn regularly, three or four opera must elapse
before the vessels could be cleared out. This delay supplied
speculators and shipowners with the opportunity and means
of keeping up the price of coals, by uniting and forming a
nrinopuly, which had already reached .an alarming
height, and might, if not couuteractrd, be the source of
the greatest distress in the severity of the *inter season.—
The poor acre already earring in consinence of the emir-
,' bitaut cbarge fur so accessary au littitle. which was at the