The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-12-06 00:00:00

In five different shapes bad this libel appeared. 'llse
Learned Counsel proceeded to read some of the most
offensive passages, and among others that which im-
puted to Mr. Cleary, as a motive for the alleged forgery,
that hr committed it in consequence of receiving "a
pecuniary reward from his opulent and base employer,
stir Francis Burdett." So that, said the Learned Cs nit-
se!, the defendant was not content with simply charging
this to he a forgery—an imputation of sutheietit malig-
nity—but a motive most be attributed, of the very wont
character, namely—that the forgery was committed for
the lucre of gain! If any other an than Mr. Cobbett
was a defendant on the record, be should leave the race
in the hands of the jury without farther continent ; but
as Mr. Gobbed was the defendant, soil as that Gentlemen
meant to defend himself, it became necessary for him to
say a few words as to the nature of the question theylad
to try. The defendant had not pleaded aja stifieat ion ; he
bad merely pleaded the general issue, not guilty, denyinz
only that be had published the libel. fly that plea be
admitted that the letter was DOT a forgery, aid therefore
it was *sly opus to him TO eounment npon the wordii.g
of the publication, and slew, if he could, that it was not
a libel. The imputation was that of forgery—utiel
was clearly libellous, and, therefore, if the publication of
such an imputation was Invalid home to the defendant.
be accused to be clearly without airy defence. The
Learned Gentleman concludes! by a powerful appeal to
the Jury, tipoa the folly of considering that men are not
as much entitled to the protection of their good fame
and character, as of their worldly property; and urging
that an unbridled nod licentious iadafgrnce of slander in
the press, would be destructive of all those blessings of
which a free press woe the fruitful source.
Mr. John Weight was the firm witness tsar/doe& Ile
depose.' to the following effect :—I ate at-quaintest with
Mr. Cobbett; 1 know Isis hand-writing, the letter now
put into any hand, dated !holey, 111th April, lattet,
supposes! forgery), is Mr. Colstett's hand-writing titoct
=Mainly, I received it from him by the post; and hate
ntadosibt at nil that it is his hand-writing.
Cross-esamiased by Mr. I.IIIIIIETT ight (id a Instil
elld peremptory voice), Sir, look at rte. lam requites!
to look at his
Mr. Cionaerr—My Lord, is not Wiiglit to lout: at
me ?
The Cut= Jcerter.—tle may dank at you if he pleases,
but he is to direct his answers so, that the Jury mut
may hear hint.
Mr. Conorry resumed his cross-examination—Wright,
were you nut my servitor ?—\o, I was not. Yon were-
my clerk, employed by me?-1 was not. Were yon in
any employinent r—i can't say that I was; I flax an
arnt for you. You sere not employed by me -You
always denied it voerself, at the time you wrote that let.
ter; 1 always understood that I was year agent.
The uitness then underwent a most terse examination
by the defendant, and deposed in substance as follows:
The letter in question was not ui private letter, it was
never so considered ; most of the letters you sent Dl', and
which are bound up in the hook I hayermlueed, aro
private. There was a Idng arbitratinu of iserouuts be-
tween us in the years 1810, 11, and 12. It is entirely
an invention of your own, to say that I threat tied to
expose vourprivate lettets, unless you gave way to my
demands.' This is the first tistag_l anger lola, at IL.
first delivered this letter to \lr. Place, at the time of the
election in HOS. I had it hack, and I delivered it again
to the same person in 1815, at the then election. I
thought it my duty to deliver it to Sir Francis Itordett's
Committee, to chew what sort of a man Mr. Hunt ti as.
according to your description.
Did you not deliver it to the Rump Committee?
The Com. .Icartes said, he did not know what the
Runup Coln:Melee. meant, and he reipicateil Mr. Cobbett
to put Lls questions in language intelligible to every
body.
Mr. Connerr—l thought the Rump Committee was
understood to every body. A word that is used is eons-
titan parlance may he as intelligible as another word of
the same meaning. The witness and the Jury, 1 believe,
know what I mean.
Mr. Wright went on to &pos. e, that he had shewn the
letter to the Cent:teak? at Mr. Brooke's, for the purpose
of rebutting the attack upon his own diatacter thus he
had forged it ; in order that those who knew Mr. Cob-
bett's It end-writing' origin judge for themselves of the
falsehood of the statement. It was plies(' between two
glasses 13 a frame, to prevent persons (rum snatching' it
away. and thereby depriving -hint of the muses of self-
justification. Tins was immediately after the eieotion.
lie denied chewing any other letter* of Mt. Cobbett to
the saint Committee, except two, and those were
Amen merely for the corupariaon of the hand-writing.
The test of Lis evidence was not material, and was mete!),
a series of negatives to this soestions put by Mr. Cobbeti.
Ile believed that the whole of that letter was read by Mr.
Cleary froin the hustings.
Mr. John P4Ol was' aespiainted with the hand-writing
of Mr. Cobbett, and he swore positively that the sup-
posed forgery in question was that gentlem en's !ia:ie-
tvritinp.
Mr-Francis Place deposed that be had receive-1 the
letter in spiestiou from Mr. Wright. in 111 e, and gave it
to Mr. Cleary to read front the hustles, In Covent-
garden. II; desires! hem so read the whole of it ; he he-
lieva.l he did, though be wits not on the hustings at the
time.
Cross-examined.—Consislered the letter to be a pub-
lic ow% as far as related to el* condors of Mr. tient.
The object was to exclude that lientleinas from Par-
liaments
Mr. Was. Mains, another Member of Sir Prancis
Horded's Committee, in Him deposed that he heard
Mr. Cleary wend use letter from tie hustings. he be.,
lieyed the whole of it was read, lint was not certain.
Crosewmanainesi,—Tbe realism why 'he approied the
reading of that letter, Was because he thought it right
eiesnors silents' knew what Mr. Gobbed had mime
tWsieglis of Illr. ii dyes ebefsdseri 'conseiptencr of Ellie
attacks which the latter had made - • Sir Freesia
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attacks which the latter hadn't.. made epee Sir rearttli
litirsistt. He NMI siillorvi-thie•htte=blit awl ask A .
priest, est. as So as relossii.so br.
Jim triter *as 'bee reel.' bus soh beillkoo al
ore the •publie sepoole4lps' •is iitriket• hoteies
c.
• it apes. To prove thopobileitithne
• •.•• 1.! .11 't'... 44 li, •
r Jaehaaa, a printer, who ached fOrla. tt.
Alt 4 erroths. Amortise, is aid ars
•
liiseskilerisree. sisposeed tot •
boss which espooketel Ai I' -trewott i
flotkratios. .11•0 original aidifiellOgrat
re 5•411144161, Ofros:olobsoli tom. bar':., •• sr • •
leoro nod; osebviii.mittvillikiritlip
113,Mirrilis ). : let., " •,., ~ a ,w, n .1.! ,
The grimes then oniorwritt a lot
istateigolate4rllllooo,lll.4Lifg
W Mr. Cobliett si a eoefideutial per•es by WA Cherli-
msg. Me was to hare a half *haute et illso reams be

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