The Statesman.
London, England, 1812-06-25 00:00:00

TITE ISTATERMAN.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
COURT OF KING'S BENCH, Jena N.
PRATT (Ind tow) O. 'Siam.
This was an action brought under the statute of
the sth of Elizabeth, to recover penalties against the
Defendant, for employing persons as journeymen
bookbinders who had never served a regular appren-
ticeship to tho trade, contrary to the provisions of
the Statute.

a total overthrow V the public creditland the public
!finances.--We are, in reality, devouring the capital
Cabinet; the,
of our revenues. Government is la the situation of
within these an individual who is in debt to the amount of every
and a half to thing he possesses ; whose steward would disburse
If the country!
the whole of his revenues Imong his creditors, and
perhaps, the satisfy them at once; but that he finds it better to
Ministry are borrow every eear the sums necessary for the wants
enabled, with the greatest facility,
of corruption ;• to secure in both Houses of Partite: •
to raise the means ,of his master, and the management of his affairs.
•ei ' nit .lenables them, on all oecite ''
meat a majo ay, u i
I The only difference between the Government and the
individual is, that the former cannot he compelled
rions, to eerie .every measure that suits their ambi- !by law to pay its debts, but, on the contrary, finds,
Lions views. 1V ere they alone dependent for money iHI the law, new rums of increasing them. It is to
on whet the taxes produce, they never could ►ne se
• ' /*; the Logo System, likewise, that the country owes the
sere in their profligate career ; but when, s
a if by ! present wretched state of the circulating medium,
a magic wand, they can fill the Public purse with as land that Bank-notes have been made a legal tender
many- millions as they please, there is nothing este: by the Governmentee.-Almost all the war expenses
traordinary that a British Minister may
not Preeure I require to be paid in speciee—The importation of
through the all-powerful influence of gold. In thee gold attd silver into this country is far from being
year 1799, when Men TT laid on his memorable Fro- I sufficient to answer this purpose. To secure the
party Tax, he stated in the House of Commons that bullion which the Bank Directors had received in
the net income of the nation was one hundred vieSl I return for their paper out of the hands of the Pub-
two millions sterling. By subsequent statements it He, Government Jule recourse to the Act which pro-
has been estimated at one hundred and thirty-six! tected that body from the consequences of pot pay-
pellicles. Of this som, nearly one hundred millions ing their notes in gold or silver. Thus when the
will be spent during the course of the present Sear se/
san.contractors haver a paymeut ,to make, they
to meet the exigencies of the ';fate. This would meet 'this, partly by transferring stock to the Bank,
have only thirty-six millions for the maiiitenance of and partly by paper money ; for whichehe Bank, in
the whole inhabitants of the United Kingdom. Bet': return, supply Ministers with specie. The country
as this sum would be totally inadequate for 'desire. es thus gradually and imperceptibly drained ot its
pose, and as, according to the present ruitiol* sys-
..erealth ; and, utdess the channels through which die
tern,
tern, Government must hare money to forwareetheie Previews metals were formerly conveyed into Great
plans, they are compelled to raise it by Loan, which, Britain are again opened, which can only be by the ............,
indeed, they always find to be an easier mode than COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, SCNR 24.
restoration of Peace, the time may be considered as
that of taxation. This enables the Minister to exult WATERS V. TAYLOR. '
not far distant when gold and silver will become as
This was an action by which the Plaintiff, Ed.
over our national prosperity, while in fact there ~are in the hands of the Bank Directors, as it is at mend Waters, Esq. sought to recover from the
exists a real penury in the resources and various re- present in those of the people. The fate of the c Defendant, Wm. Taylor, Esq. a compensation in
recoups of the State, because the greater part of country will then be decided. Without the means of , damages for certain defamatory charges made against
these is acciJeutal or artificial. In reality the politi- prosecuting the war, Great Britain will he compel!
the Plaintiff. The Defendant is one of the Proprie-
.
cal fortune of Great Britain is founded on the Loan tore tithe Opera House, and the Plaintiff is the Es-
ed te seek for safety in the arms of Peace. But will
and Banking Systems—establishments which are ecutot of Mr. Geoid, the other Proprietor of that
she be able to accomplish this, and at the same time : conceit and also the mortgagee of a part of Mr.
themselves founded on the industry and commerce ofTaylor's.
share from misfortunes similar to those which thel share of the property. The present action
the country. It is not, perhaps, generally known, `establishment of a paper currency in France, ! was brought in consequence of injurious expressions
that we owe the Loan System to KingWneeen HI. I brought on that devoted country in the early part of ! contabed in letters from the Defendant to Mr. Har-
who ought to be regarded as the legitimate father of , the revolution ?We should be rejecting the evidence risen, the Treasurer-of the Opera House, in which ,
the National Debt of Britain ; and it is somewhat arising grow experience, were we to maintain that the Defendant charged the. Plaintiff with haring him.
. I
self defrauded the Pnblic ; with being the collusive
remarkable, that the Preamble of all the Acts passed she would. Already is the disorder wasting her vi- agent of Mr. Villiers, one of the greatest peculators
in his reign to raise money in this way, bore, that it tals. Her commerce and her manufactures, On of modern times ; with emploting the money so re
was to enable the Government to carry on the war which are founded the Baukinrand Loan Systems, eeived by him be ruining the Defendant by litigation ;
so ith vigour against Francs. But before this Sove- have almost arrived at the verge of ruin ; and who and with admitting, by his order, a person into the
reign could give sufficient effect to his favourite sys. will venture to assert that when the foundations are
Theatre, whose object might be to set fire to it, and
,
tem, he found it necessary to establish public funds, gone there is still a chance that the superstructure with whom also he. represents
. the Plaintiff as being
confederated in this design.
and a public bailleng company, to which peculiar ad- may be prevented from falling ? Ruin, unavoidable • •
Mr. Soryeant BERT having stated the case on the
vintages were attached, in order that hem ight make ruin, must overtake the country, if other measures part of the Plaintiff,
them sufficiently subservititt to his views. By these than those persisted in by Ministers, are not speedily Mr. liarrieon, to whom the letters in question had
means he opened to the Royal Authority, the road adopted. , been addressed, was called as a witness. He proved
to Loans and to despotism by the corruption of the •
,
natioual representation. In the early part of the .POLICE. (pence of two several letters which he had since re-
ceived from Mr. Taylor, desiring that they might be
reign of Glentos 1. an enlightened Ministry, jealous ---eimo---
BOW-STREET. returned, he had returned the originals to Mr. Tay-
of the honour of their country, established the
Yestetay a well-known character as a street-rob- for, not by the bearer of Mr. Tayloc's letters, but by
Sinking Fund, for the purpote of effecting the ex-a servant
.. of the Opera house.
ber, of the name of Joe Davis, was brcnight to the
tinction of the National Debt. Were this fund to be Notice on the Defendant, and his Solicitor, to
Office, and charged with robbing a Gen leman of his
held inviolate, and the Minister who dared to en- pocket-book, in Chancery-lane, yesterday mornete; produce the letters, was proved; but
ccor.cli on it, declared guilty of high treason, it which being satisfactorily proved, he was committed Mr. Serjeant SHEPHERD submitted that there was
could not fail to prove highly beneficial. But this is for trial. here no evidence sufficient to prove that the letters in
WHITECHAPEI. 'question had found their way back into the. posses.
case. bv no means the . The money intended for this
Yesterday John assay, a young man was brought sion of Mr. Taylor.
k? p :ree is, by a special clause in the Act,up, and underwent examinotinn, b ing, charged with
left at the Sir JAMES MANSFIELD was of this opinion.
c,
disposal of Parliament ; and, dariug the time of having stolen, in a dwelling-house in Poland-street, The Plaintiff was accordingly nonsuited. •
ea., being exposed to the retielity or the ambition Oxford-road, where he Ice gad, sundry articles of REED V. TAYLOR. •
of Ministers, they have only to use the means in wearing apparel, which lie pledged at a pawnbroker's This was an action for a malicious prosecution,
their hands to procure a majority in the House of in Whitcchapel ; the property being produced and ; brought by the Plaintiff, Mr. Alexander Reed, for-
identified by the Prosecutor, he was fully commit- ' merly Cash Clerk to the Opera House, against the
Cmonttler the ns in favour of a different application of unfit
ea .
to Newgate for trial. Proprietor, Mr. Taylor, for indicting him for per-
Foiemndopretext of enabling the Government '
William Griffin and Joseph Vier were brought up ; jury, in two several affidavits sworn by him in Chan-
to meat the public service of the year. Thus ambi- and underwent a final examination, being charged,
I eery, in a suit in which Mr. Waters, the co-pro.
tious er kuavisb Ministers trly, at any time, dispose the former with steeling 37 gun barrels, from the I prietor, sought to have Mr. Taylor removed from
at pleasure of the sums appropriated to the discharge I manufactory at Lewistown, Kent, the property. di the management, on the ground that he had applied
of the National Debt. To obtain success, they re- I his Majesty ; and the latter Prisoner with receiving the joint funds of the. concern to the payment of lilt
the same, knowing them to be stolen, and in whose own personal and private debts.
quire only to ensure a trifling majority in Parliament.
possession the same were found, which being identi- The assignments of Perjury were various :—ap-
Application to those who leave the command of the fed, the charge being made out, they were fully plying to two sums of 761. and 741. to Messrs. *el.
f Lads for new Leans, become frequently necessary, committed to Newgate for trial. ton and Stone; to a sum of 401. to Mr. Sestini ; to
and are never filled up, except at an increase of in- acceptances of Taylor's for 2101. to Mr. Glossopp,
terest. But then these Loans supply Ministers with A few days ago, a boy of nine years of age fell I payable 27th March, 1810 ;to a sum. of 20101. tp
Mr. Hill • to . a sum of 71. 7s. received from Mr.
the means of Internal corruption, .by either directly into the old river at a deep part of it, opposite the ' Barto '
Valle;
and to a charge of threatening words,
bribing those who may contract for them, or by gir. New Bayley, Manchester. be
' veral persons saw his I
expressive of the Plaintiff's desire to ruin the De
-
ing them re preference to all others, when furnishings situation, but none of them dared venture to, the t airmant.,
which charge the Plaintiff negatived in his
relief of the sufferer. At that moment a boy about!
for the army or navy are wanted, even though their second affidavit.
16 years old ran from the bridge, et here be had sees
estimates should be the highest. The result of Xvidenec was adduced corn fetal t' • the
mpy negaeving
the ' ' ped into the Mier- with his clods*,
accident, JIM%
System has been, that the traffic of votes in Paella- on and as the child was sinking a third time, caught
Itit* first ,cimiltes, but calculated, from the con.
i dieting, or rather uncertain nature of the testimony,
onnt (for most Government Contractors are Mem- May and brought him safely one The boy, uti-
to th row a doubt upon the other charges.
bets of Parliament), and in the Public Funds, have ' eonsciees of the gallant act be had performed, only i SirJ AMES MANSFIELD, in h'charge to the
become general througheu t the country. " Legible- I observed, that he should.s clothes so wet.—We add be scolded when he got to ; informed them that there could not be a doubt that
tion," to adopt the emphatic words of elate writer,
i upon the three first charges, consisting; as they must
I w his work for having In
with pleasure, that his employers have raised his
4.' has taus become a trade; the Loan-jobbers alclStock- . !hare done, with Jr. T.'s knowledge, that he (the
wages a shilling a week for his admirable oonduct. Defendant) could not have any reasonable or probe-
jobbers, have destroyed the landholders ; they have -me •
. Samuel Answorth, of Loughborough, Stone- We cause for indicting the Plaintiff for perjury. . As
Corrupted the nation ; and have introduced their maser, and Wbarfinger, whose prospects * •in life were to the other charges the evidence was not so clear,
party as an integral poition of the National Legisla- I very promisinge was, on the 16th instant committed and his Lordship was not prepared to tell the Jury-
tion."—ln truth, the Members of Parliament in ge- ; to Leicester gaol, for trial at the next Assizes, being that the Defends* ought to be esteemed as having
',era!, only seek to arrive at official -places, "'charged with assaults upon two youths of that town, been without any reasonable or probable cause as to
'wherein they may rest peaceably, make a flew i one of them about thirteen and the other about them.. On the three first, however, there could be
Loan, and enchant or bind up the public credit' fifteen years of age. Mr. Ainsworth himself is sup- no doubt; and it was for the Jury to consider what
I
posed to be forty or upwards. When the Magistrate should be the quantum of' damages, taking into their
by wing the method and expra•nts so successfully I
, was about to commit him he had ,the audacity to consideration, that though there was in the concerns
rut in practice by Mr. Pier, whose science and cun-: request the father of one of the injured youths, who of the Opera House a great deal of • ill blood, the
ring, in imitation of his Royal predecessor, WIL. I was then present, to give-bail for him, but the pre- law would not gratify the ill humour of any party,
r.t.tht Ht. consisted in propoieg new Loans, getting ! position was most indignantly and naturally re- by encouraging indictments of perjury, where there
them filled up, and in inventing and levying new 'jected• was not clear ground for them.. - .
taxes to pay the interest. By adhering to this Sys.-
On the Itith instant, an Inquest was held at the The Jury, after retiring for some time, returned
tam, Government feel themselves constantly under
house of Mr. Torr, Shoulder of Mutton, Basford, with a verdict for the Plaintilf.—Damages 9001.
I se the body of Mr. Thomas Matthews, an aged man,
the necessity of leading the public opinion more artaiiir
n the employ of Ichabod Wright, E r sq. who was COURT O EXCHEQUER.
mere astray ; and the deplorable facility which th found dead in the manger of a hovel, where he had LANCASTER V. TAYLOR•
fruancial system and schemes of the " heaven-born gone with an intent to tie up a bull, which he had This was an action .by Mr. Lancaster, a Bo:-
Minister," give the present faction for abusing the the care of, and which it is supposed turned vicious ' broker, against Mr. Taylor, of the -Opera - Housee,
credit and fortune of the State, must bring on con- on his heads, and he could not escape the animal's I by which he sought to ,recover a competestitm ie.
fury; several of his ribs were broken, and he was . damages for slanderous,expressions used against him
sequeneesehe more fatal, because ministerial autho-
otherwise much bruised and gored. Verdict--Died by
rity has no longer the means of changing the method by being maimed and wounded by the bull, and and in a letter to the mal-content Box Proprietor..
tad expcdieets; without running the risk of effecting otherwise; and a fine was inflicted of 51. .1 The Jury forted for the Plaiutiff—Damages 2001.

It appeared, that the Defendant was a master
bookbinder iu the City, and had two persons in his
employ of the names of Clarke and Stone. He had
formerly employed these persons as his porters, but
between the month of May, 1811, and May, 1812
(for which period the penalties were sought to be re-
covered), the Defendant had occasionally employed
them, the one (Clarke) in binding and stitching of
books, and the other (Stone) in beating, stitching,
backing, and boarding.
Mr. TOPPING, for the Defendant, contended upon
this evidence the Defendant must be acquitted of all
the penalties, inasmuch as the man (Clarke) was onty
occasionally employed in beating and stitching,
which constituted but a very small branch of the
trade, and Stone in beating, stitching, backing, and
binding, which also constituted a small portion more
of that trade, and that in order to recover the penal-
ties under the Statute, it should appear that they bad
used and exercised the whole trade or calling of book-
binding.
Lord ELLtX110110;7111111 however, thought it was a
question for the Jury to say how far they had exer-1
child the trade, so as to consider them as using the
trade of a bookbinder; and the Jury, after a short
deliberation, found a vrdict for the D.fendant as to
Clarke, and for tie Plaintiff, upon one penalty of
40s. as to Stone.