The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-12-13 00:00:00

LAW IJ%TTELLIGLVCE.

COURT OF KING'S BENCH, Duc. It
Middlesex Adjourned Sittings after Michaelmas Tenn before
the Lord ChieLlastiee sod Comsat Jaries.

MIT, GENT. V. GIVTNNE, LL.D.
This was an action by the late Vestry Clerk of the
parish of St. Matthew's, Bethnal-;creep, against the de-
fendant. lately one of the High Sheriffs for the county
of Middlesex, a Doctor of Laws, and a Barrister. for
publishing an alleged libel of and concerning the plain-
tiff's character as an attorney, and of and coact/reit%
his conduct as late Vestry Clerk of that parish.
The defendant pleaded a justification of the libellous
matters set forth in the record.
Mr. SCARLETT, Mr. GURNEY, and Mr. HOLT conducted
the plaintiff's case; and the Soucevisa-tiontenaL and
Mr. MARRIATT the defendants.
The circumstances of this case afforded very little of
interest to the public. The transaction which was the
subject of the present inquiry arose out of the long con-
tinued disagreements in the parish of St. Matthew's,
Bethnal-green. In April, 1t319, there being about to be
a contest for the election of a Vestry Clerk of the parish,
a warm canvass took place on the part of the friends of
Mr. May on the one hand, and a Gentleman named
Brown on the other. The interests of the latter Gentle-
MO were espoused by Dr. tivrynee, wise joined the
Committee nominated to conduct his election. It was
alleged against the defendant, that in order to blacken
the character of the plaintiff, and injure him in the esti-
mation of the Vestry at the approaching contest. he bad
caused a packed meeting of certain inhabitants of the
parish under the influence of himself and a Gentleman
named Sayers's,- to bh assembled for the purpose of
raising solutions of censure upon the cooduct of Mr.
May. as to the appropriation of the parish money to-
wards the expellers of a prosecution instituted agalast
Mr. Ilerceren. These sesolutioss waded to impost se
the plaintiff that he load made out fictitious bills of Costs
for that prosecution, and that he bad misappropriated
the perish money is the expenee of the eating and
drinking of a party in the parish called " The Consti-
, tined Antborittes." It was alleged that the defendant
Dad canted these resolutions, with a prefatory address of
his owe eonsposieloo, to be inserted in j w. tined"'
.411ouiter of Aril 2. 1t419; tha Ira afterwards mused it.
to be printei os a hand-bill, sod circulated amongst the.

•
Parishioners; wad itil he he'd Ai`Oen-%itett sad 'Pits.
ed a pamphlet of aittili more litook;as tendenei, far;
Hoe purpose of blackmail; the plaintiff's charisctett, ta
defeatiag his'electiou.
The plaintiff's ease oCcipied a considers le portion of
ihrilarla plowing theintroductory overwinds of the decli.
atißmk. ikad the publitationef the alleged libels by till 40'
let. One of the principal objects of the int menden.;
Milteed of evidence woe, to show that Dr. Owyone had
,Illialled skies it rike parish disputes, which seemed to
!Rim bees originAly generated ia the iniputed corruption
*sconduct of Mr. Moraine in the itanegmeeut of
the feuds. It will be remollected that slant twoY'rs
i„ei., , gentleman was priteseated for" thii alleged '
, . ,aid misconduct, Lad also far an abuse of his i
hlitgleatote.la greening &eases to public imams
rifkwitteh hewn the dwner. sad that ipso coaviefflew
he was sentenced to 18 months' imprhiountest. It was
provettaat on that occasion One of the principal insti-
pteetet the prosecution was Dr. Owyene, in conjunc-
'with the Rev. Mr. King, Rector of the parish, and
few other respectable inhabitants. Before the con-
*don took place, it was alleged that the Doctor, for
ems reason not assigned, had begun to repent that be
bad taken any part in the proceeding, and actually paid
Messrs. Knight and Freeman, the solicitors employed to
conduct the Piltsecution, a sum of 1251., to reimburse
them the expense they had already incurred; and on his
part abandoned all further proceedings in the business,
and then became a partial, of Mr. Merceroo. It was
further alleged, that after the conviction took place, the
Doctor became extremely anxious to defeat the ends of
justice, and prevent Mr. ilereeron from being brought
up for judgment. Upon this and other points the Rev.
Joshua King was examined, and he swore that after the
conviction tank place, Dr. fiwynne waited upon him at
his house; and laid, that in coussquesee of the affliction
of Mts. Metter** at the misfortune'. of her husband,
Ind urged by thi intiesties of friends, lie called upon
him to.ehaeavoic to induce bite and the other gentle.
ma who bad btOught forward the prosecution, to
iferlbear Wight, Me. bieiteron up for jnflement.
Mr. King intpresied his concern for Mrs. Simi.'
rotes sufferiugs. ..r.hieta he seriously deplored, but
said ha wield Min had himself to defeat public
justice. t'pon which Dr. thrynne ;aid, 4‘ De'
was -duly authorised to offer 10)1001. to 'save Sir. Mei-
rredit from the sentence or the Glatt of King's Bench."
'stagily expressed his indignation at such a
at4l said that if Doctor Bayonet laid down
of the Indies et his feet'.
_he would not become
-4--18setieli of ilie edir4farieel-
- -, kialk at all fur-