The Statesman.
London, England, 1822-07-09 00:00:00

THE S'rATESNIA*

Ilidherst, from the knows goodows of his beast esti
the soundness of his Ono Swank that safernsati
country. he was ready to acknowledge that he was in.
}lssas:4 by the best motives in opposing this smears:
but he had no hesitation in saying. that if he knew the
state of that country better, he would set *bow the
same objection to it. Ho (Mr. P.) said that a wore
rigorous despotism, sever existed is any seestry this
these lawless miscreants, who had takes ape% them the
government of the country: bad attempted to establish.
their •Aject was the invasion of all property; to effect
which there was no crime they were not ready te per-
petratit--thinder, robbery, honse-breaking. boss-burn•
tog, and species of crime by which they could
carry their lawless plans into execution. At the Special
Commission of Cork, sixteen unfortunate individuals
suffered death at Limerick ; a number not less met tie
same fate also in Kerry. Many had fallen victims to
'their infatuation, and yet these awful scribes had an
effect in putting (lowa thew disterbsaces, till the laser.
nation Act was applied, and Cot IMMO a sessible
change took place. Onght not these circumstances to
%wife a strong sensation in the Ilan. Member fur Mid.
lidtat is favour of the measure. Is consequenee of the
%toady application of this measure, the system of terror
ins put dews and tranquillity restored. Could any
Mon. Member vote against a temporary snspemien of
the privileges of tbe Constitution. when they were eas-
ed only for the purpose of stopping the effusion of
load. If the Hon. Member fur Mitilserst had looked ies
into the body of this Act instead of the marglaal set..
be would have found that the Magistrates were sot
mold with such extravagant powers as be was inclined
.fio *lab. The Ilagistrateeillese =nut Finish. their
*ides mist De first approved of by one of the law
asses, of the Crown, and in the event of his disappear-
belie% it suet be reported to Government, and their
illesfisiss awaited. This act was prepared by himself
asely is the same shape it was during the adminin
tie*, of the Duke of Bedford in Ireland, a Noble-
. man idiom nobody could charge with any disposition
0 dogma spas the rights and privileges of the
ipeople...eistl woad bate bets introduced to Perlis-
lost, erase Ii sot for the short period which that
• emlll4deleatien oestisoed. The Honourable Member
Zitto him if the Jeries is Ireland had net
sir duty daring the disturbances? It-would be
&Mg theft sa injustice ant to acknowledge that they
mt.:4-Ste duty 'solidly; bat their care was talten
1e Juries; from men of wealth and property;
!onto other clues who were g Ily •• Juries and
who resided in thatched cottages, were much sore
relied 110 be affected by intimidation, however well die-
they sleet be to do their duty. He received a
Beds the Clerk of the Crown in Cork, stating,
that a great part of the law expenses of that county anise
Ibis rting one hundred persons in the gaol, set as
. bat witnesses, who were obliged to take refuge
theme ts were themselves against the terrorists. In one
reillfilibsea a witness left the gaol and immediately fell a
*OM* his temerity. Then, when the lives of wit.
soma were in such entniinent danger, what would have
Cans' On fate of jurors. The Right lion. Gentleman
coneladed by apologizing to the Howe for trespassing
os Its attention.
Mr. GRATTAN did not oppose the Bill, bet expressed
6 hope that his Majesty's Government would do sass
thing effective for Ireland, and limit the dandle° of the
Bill to May only.
The House then divided— .
For the Bill, 135—.1gzinst it, 17 —Majority, 1111
Oe our admission again to the Gallery, we found the
House In Committee on the Bill.
. Mr. GO EIL BU it N pfoposed fillies up the blank with
the words First of Angrier.
Sir JOHJII NEWPORT saggemed Gist the First of
May ought to be substituted for the First of August.
Mr. GOV LBU RN assured the Committee, that lie
would take can to give an early notice of his iaten-
Hen to renew the Bill, if. unfortunately, the renewal
should be necessary.- No effort would be wands, on
his part to ietrodoce the subject when there would be
a fall attendance cif Members.
Sir J. NEWPORT could not admit that any den
which Irish Members had to discharge ought to inter-
fere with their duty in that Hoes..
Mr. J. P. GRANT expressed a hope that his Right
Hon. Friend not give up his intention to shorten the
derail°, of the Act.
Mr. BROUGHAM also recommended his Right
Honourable Friend to take the sense of the Commit.
tee apes his proposed amendment. He could not
depead upon the assurance of tile Right lion. Gentle.
man, whistaight be oat of office next year. He should
distrust the statement of any Minister.
_ The Marquess of LONDONDERRY said, Ile should

object to shorten the duration of the Bill If it was
limited to the Ist of May, the House would be com-
pelled to discuss it about Elmer, and his Majesty's
Government would not hart the opportunity of waltimg
to the longest period, to see if tranquillity might sot
supersede the necessity of renewing the Bill.
The Committee then divided on the question
filling up the Blank with the lit of August, 94 ; Pori
the Ist of May, 37; Moijo.rioy, 57.
The House then resumed, and the Report was se-
dated to be received to morrow.
TITRE LEAsING RILL.
Mr. GOULBURN proposed the second reading of the
Irish Tithes Leasing Bill, aid% an understanding that
the discnoosion should come on in the Committee.
The 801 l was opposed by sir, DALY and Sir J. Nair.
POZT,
The house then divided, when there'appeared—

Vet. the Motion, 6-1 ;—ARain.r it, 221—Majority, 42.
The Bill was then read a second time, and ordered to
be committed on Friday.
The Irish Constables Kill was re-committed ; and the
Haase being in a Committee on the Bill.
Ir. C. GRANT said, that although diany of his oh.
jections bad been removed by the modification of the
ke waa not yet reconciled to the principle of the
• Ile particularly objected to the power of appoint-
ing the Chief Constable being vested in the Lord Lieu-
tenant.
Mr. tiOULIICIIN rcp d his willingness to alter
the Bill so as to caret tile view of his Right Honour-
able Friend.
Some verbal Amendments were then arr.... 4 to ; the
House resumed, and the report was ordered to be re-
ceived on Friday.—Adjourned at Half-past Twu.

Lair IN Tf: L LIG ENCE.

COURT OF KING'S BENUIL-Jmy S.

BLASPHEMY.
TUC KINII V SOIANNAII WRIGHT.

This was an indictment against the defendant, So-
h. the wife of William Wright. fur publishing V.
veral blasphemous libels of and concerning the Christian
Religion. contained in Richard Carlik's Address to the
Reformers of (beat Britain, written end pnblisbed since
his confinement in Dorchester gaol.
There were nine Gentlemen of the Special Jury, the
remainder being Talesinen.
Mr. Ossetta and Mr. Ewa (in the absence of Mr.
Gurney and Mr. G. Marriott, who are confined by indis-
position) conducted the prosecution, at the instance of
the Society for the Suppression of Vice. The defendant
was Without Counsel, and wan attended iu Court by one

L~

of her bail and several female Mamie. She was smartly
dressed, end were a ce► bedecked with artificial lowers
During the day the Court was crowded to excess.
The indictment having bees opened, Mrs. Wright
bogged thecae@ might stand over until her defence ar•
rived, bet the Chief Jostles said this could not be per•
milted. the trial mast proceed, no doubt the defence
would arrive time enough. Shortly after the Counsel
for the prosecution bad commenced his address to the
Jury, a red book, In which the defendant's defence was
hound up, was banded to her by a bald-headed person
from amongst the crowd.

Mr. Basscas then, in stating the case to the Jury. pro-
eroded to reprobate the publishing of such libels, com-
menting upon several passages. as letters that were ad-
dressed to the Rev. Mr. Wayte, of Bristol, contending
that it was the intention of such persons. by publishing
these works to destroy the religious institutions of the
country. Tim Learned Counsel then proceeded to call
Mr. James Bigneld, who stated, that on the 9th and
30th of May last year, he purchased of the defendant
personally the pamphlets in question. at Mr. Carlile's
shop, 55:Fleet-street, where she was serving. He paid
6d. for one, and 2d. for the other.

Cross-examined by the Defen'dant.—l get my living
honestly. I have a pension from 0 meat.—
I was thirty years in the service of the Cus-
toms, and was dismissed with several other per-
sons, bat afterwards received a pension. I am em
PIMA h the Society far the Suppression of Vice, as
one of their agents, and am paid by them. They s•mt.4
meth bay the pamphlets. I never pier evidence seeks+
his Majesty. I was not dismissed from the Custouss
for giving false evidence against her Majesty.
The defendant then asked the witness what was his
religion; whether he could repeat die Ninth Command.
nsent, tee.; but the Learned Jndge would not permit
such questions to be put. The witness said he attended
divine service as often as he could.
The defendant—l don't think this man is to be be-
lieved on his oath. If I had a little more time I could
have proved it.

The Cum JUSTICC.—You have bad abundance of
time to prepare your defence. It is for the Jury to say
whether he as to be believed on his oath.

The Defendant.— I doo't deny that I hays sold these
publication to others, but newer to this man. The fact
is, I refused to sell any to him; and one day, I went
with another female to kick him out of the house.
The alleged libellous passages were then read by the
officer of the Court. At the defendant's desire, the prin.
cipal parts of the publications from which the libellous
passages were selected, were also reed, with a view to
show the whole tendency of the work.
The defendant then desired permission to ask the Jury
some questions.
The Cuter JUSTICE said the time was gone by for
ettelt.a purpose. Any questions she bail to put to the
Jam ought to have been propounded before they were
sworn.
The Defendant.—They were sworn before I caw Leto
Court.
The CHIEF JUSTICIL—TInt was your owo fain
ought to have been here.
The defendant then proceeded to read a written ad-
dress to the Jury, by way of defence, which, occupied
upwards of three hours. In the course of it, several pas-
sages called for the animadversions of the Judge and
the Jury, as being offensive, and such'as ought not be
allowed in a Court of Justice. One of the'Juryinen, in
allusion to.the length of the address, and to some offen-
sive passages, said, " This is a manoeuvre that the whole
may be published." The same Juryman, on another oe-
auto°, observed, " She is a mere automaton for venting
the opinions of othen.""'s'
The Cuter Jusyrcs upon this, said " I pity her."

dt. Yon

Towards the close of her address, the defendant hand-
ed up a note to the Learned Judge, requesting permis-
sion to retire for a short time to suckle her infant child
who was crying for her.
The Come Juvice granted the request, and the dee
fendaot retired for about 20 minutes.
It is impossible to enter into a detail of the defend-
ant's address. The matter and style of it were those of
a person of some literature, but read with such false
qnantities. and with so little knowledge of the ordinary
rules of prosody, u in some parts to lie utterly unintel•
ligible. The defendant, however, read with a clear,
distinct and firm voice, and to the last seemed vigo-
rous in her cause. She avowed herself a conscien-
tious proselyte of Mr. Carlile in all his doctrines,
and declared that she was a voluntary and willing pro-
pagator of his doctrines, without hope of reward. In-
deed, she had been brnugbt np to a genteel business,
and was able to maintain herself ES a lace maker and
embroiderer, and ber husband was i o good circumstances.
She said, " It is notorious that Mr. Carlile is no Chris-
tian, and I wish to be as notorious that I am no Chris-
tian." The writer of the address then proceeded to ex-
amine the allegations of the indictment, and denied, on
the part of the defendant, that she was influenced by
the motives therein imputed to her. She entered into a
long declamation against Christianity and its professors,
and quoted from the writings of several persons, in order
to show that their doctrines were in many respects sy-
nonplses with those held by herself. She proceeded to
read part of the libel which reflected• on the Judges of
the 19th century, and the Dignitaries of the Church,
when

The Loan Cusar JUSTICI asked her if site knew what
followed In the paper she held—she answered In the
affirmative.
The LORD CRIR? JUSTICR.--M Then you must pass
over it."
Mrs. Wright.—" I cannot take any thing oft"
The LORD Cnte► JUSTICII.—" Then I'll exercise my
authority: I'm determined it shall not be read."
The Defendant, however, persisted, and was again in-
terrupted. She then referred the Jury to several pas.
sages in Holy Writ, and begged them particularly to no-
tice Solomon', Song.
His Lordship said this was irrelevant to,her defence ;
but she proceeded with the utmost pertinacity.
She then referred to the doctrines of Christianity, as
held by Mr. Burney, on the trial of Mary Ann Carlile,
and commented on the Learned Dentlemen's address on
that occasion, at considerable length. She then read the
whole of the preface and discourse of the Rev. Mr. Fox
on " the, Duties of Christians towards Deists," and be-
fore she closed her defence, she could not, she said, but
lament, that en this present enlightened age, Judges and
Senators should be found, who would sanction such pro.
secutians ea that before the Court. Persecution, in what-
ever way directed, was objectionable. and particularly
under Most is called, a Free linvernment—but to perse-
cute the mind of man, was of all kinds by far the most
disgusting.
'l' lie trailing of the defence occupied nearly four
hours.

The Loan Inter Jurrtce then pent the case to the
Jury, and .% Mt very great impartiality commented upon
the various passages contained in the libel.
The Jnry, at three o'clock, retired, and after a abort
consultation, returned with a verdict of lividly.
She was immediately taken into custody by the tip-
stairs.
The defendant stood again indicted for a similar of-
fence; hat. owing to the lateness of the hour. the trial
was ordered to stand over to a future day. In this cue
the defen.lant is to have the advantage of • Mr. 11.
Cooper's abilities.

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS. Juice S.

'DAMNATION AND CO. V. C• .

lIPOTTANT TO bEenemoboetts.
This was an action brought by the plaintiff,. re-
spectable merchants In the city, ageing the defend-
ant, to recover the sum of 381. paid by then fur sr
vend rates. It appeared in evidence that the plain-
tiffs bad a lease of their premises for 21 years, on
paying a clear annual rent of 1601. a year. The
sewers' rates being demanded of them, they at first
demurred paying; bat eventually. sooner than be put
to inconvenience, paid, and now brought their action
against the landlord to recover the same. The point
at issoe was, whether a person taking a house on lease,
was liable or not to taxes which did not bear upon
the house, but on the laud, without its being mor
tinned in the lease ? The person who acted as agent
betneen the parties in letting the house, said that he
bad not any idea that the plaintiffs were liable to pay
the land tax or sewers' rates, and was very much
surprised when be ' -
of them

Chief Justice 1),
iiel gunner the dil
',RN who, after
Aerslict for,the pl

COURT 01