The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-09-12 00:00:00

Pat= Swum NMI.

of Puk.lane, near Hyde -Park Corner: He wished
to observe again the Sir Robert Baker bad nothing
to do With the arrangements of the procession.—
But- in consequence of the applications made to him. he
was desirous that it should pass through the city. The
°ricer of the Life (hard, bad orders to attend Sir R.

•Uaker, but to proceed according to the route prescribed
in his instructions. When they got into the Park. the
people no doubt must have been much disappointed.
The consequence was, that they endeavoured to shut
the gates ; the soldiers endeatoured to open them ;
and then it was that the isischte commenced. It op-
peered to him that the persons stationed at the gates
had a right to beep these open. The Parks were as
mach the property of the King as his own house was
kin property. The practice of shutting them up on
'Monday evenings was a freest atettie. When the sa-
lters attempted to.,,open the gliqg they were pelted
with stones and brickbats. Another party came to
their assistance, and they were pelted in the same man-
ner. When the Jury reflected that these soldiers were
called out, not knowing where they were going, it-was
impossible to suppose that they could have malice
aforethought in their hearts. The next point they had
to consider was, whether by construction of law they
could be charged with implied malice? Hs, would
take the liberty to read an extract from a book pub-
lished on the subject by a gentleman named Umfra-
•ille, and leave it to them to make the application.—
(Here the Coroner read an extract from Mr. Ceara-
vine's book, the tendency of which was to abets, that
the malice required to be proved in such cases was that
which implied a settled desire of revenge.)—He next
quoted a definition of his own immediate predecessor
toThe same effect ;4" but observing, in addition, that in
all cases of homicide the law afforded indnlgencies t
human frailty, and to that alone. It was impossible
to conceive a more irksome duty for soldiers of acfinow-
ledged bravery to be engaged in (and those troops were
acknowledged to be among the bravest in the world)
than than that of being called upon to act against their
fellow countrymen unarmed. It was impossible
to suppose, that under such circumstances, they wall
bear that malice which the law required to be proved
in cases of murder. The men were there to pre4erve
the peace, and for no other purpose. They woul.l
find, on the evidence of a Captain in the Navy, Vint
the soldiers were pelted in the Park ; that so far front
betraying any ill tetuper, or wish to retaliate, they
removed from one`side' to the other, in order to get
out of the reach of the stones. What could the men
do more? An advance was next made by two soldiers.
and what injury followed? One person got his coat
dirtied—a common accident, upon which every one
must calculate who gets into such situations. Then
woes were petted.
Words break no bones, bet RUMS do."

Soldiers are men—they have the feelings of min, and
are vulnerable as other men. It was was a proof of
the disposition with which' the soldiers acted on that
day, that though they had pursued one man into a
situation from which he could not escape, they in-
flicted no injury upon him; and he, instead of retiring,
returned, and got under a coach to make his observa-
tions ; that was the witness Alexander. But after
all, it was impossible to imagine that an hundred men
willing to do mischief c nid have been fifty minutes
among that mob, without inflicting any other injury
than that of cutting an umbrella and knocking down
a few men. They had it also in evidence that thirty-
seven soldiers were sent to the hospital, and that
eight horses were wounded. It could have been no
slight attack which produced such consequences.—
Besides, it appeared that their pistols were not loaded
on going out, for they bad to load theta on the spot.—
A great deal had been said about the Riot Act; that
Act was much misunderstood, awl therefore he would
read an extract from it, io order to satisfy the
minds of the Jury as to its tendency. Here the Coroner
read an ex. ract from the Act, which states, " That if any
persons, to the number of twelve or more, !sting com-
manded by one or more Justices, or by the Sheriff of
the county, to depart peaceably to their habitations, or
to their lawful business, shall remain to the number of
twelve or more, they shall be adjudged guilty of felo-
ny without benefit of clergy; and that it shall be lawful
for any person to seize and apprehend them, and bring
them before a Justice of the peace, to be committed foe
the said offence." This did not give the soldiers any
authority to fire upon the people, bat merely to ap-
prehend them. But in the case under consideration,
the soldiers were attacked in a most violent manner ;
and were justified in taking measures for their own de-
fence. They were not to stand to be thrown at like
game-cocks at Shrovetide ; and such allowance as they
would grant to other men under similar circumstances,
they wete bound to grant to soldiers who were com-
manded on a disagreeable duty against their will.—
Even if they had ascertained by evidence, who it was
that had fired the shot, they were bound to consider
whether it was done with that motive which could jus-
tify them in bringing in a verdict of murder. 'net
poor men had unfortunately lost their lives, but it
would be equally hard to expose the lives of others
without cause. There had been a good deal of ill
blood and ill will in the coarse of those proceedings,
but he was persuaded that the Jury would disengage
themselves from all irritation on proceeding to consi-
der their verdict ; be was sure that they would forget
what had happened at the Barracks; fortunately, none
of the Jury had there received any material injury.—
lie called on them, therefore, to lay their bands upon
their beaks, and say whether what had been done by
the soldiery bad not been done in their own defence.
and whether if so, they must not acquit them.
It being then ten o'clock at night. several of the
Jurymen gave it as their opinion that it was too late
to deliberate on their verdict, and that they ought to
adjourn till fleet day..
Tba Cottons& said the whole question lay Is *inst•
shell, and that it would be better to decide ere&
that night. .
After some discussion, it was decided, that the Jew
should as*Crble.goll.oTOMAlLltillVel .0'414; lot the
purpose of considering their verdict.