The Statesman.
London, England, 1818-12-15 00:00:00

lin ok Stock

3 per Cent. lied. 77iii
3 per Cent. Con..ols
3% Per Cent. 86i
Latnenk fee Arr. 7/74 79*
4 per Cent. 94i 95

74 A ,
LONDON:
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c‘i ,11 ;retlia.
go r DECERIBER 15, 1818.
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Notwithstanding
.111 the representations so hu-
manely made on the subject of the cases of the three
men, Joke Driseol, William Weller, end George
Cashman, conrietp(l of Forgery—and notwithstand-
ing all that has been so justly urged on the insuffi-
ciency of the evidence upon which men's lives are
now sacrificed with so much indifference by the Bank,
another spectacle, shocking to the feelings and cha.
racier of a civilized country, was exhibited this
morning at Newgate, in the eaecntion of the above-
mentioned convicts for uttering Forged Notes; and
of Huston IVillianis for burglary. When Wa-
co!, Weller, and Cashman ascended the scaf-
fold a general murmer ran throughout the vast
crowd of spectators, who seemed to testify, by the
horror they felt, their disgust and disapprobation of
so nnguioety a proceeding. Weller and Driscol
were attended by the Rev. Mr. COTTON, and Cash.
man by a Jewish Priest, who was dressed in a black
cassock, with a large white sash over his shoulders.
Before they were turned' off they shook hands with
each other, and died very penitent. Williams was
attended by the gev. Mr. DIMIRRAUE, a Catholic
Clergyman, to whose admonitione he fettered to pay
great attention, but the prospect of his' morel fate
did not tippet'r to make the same imprekon *polo
Williams as upon the other three. The aibule scene
formed a most appalling picture of the state of our
Criminal Laws, and a melancholy proof of the ne-
cessity of a legklative revision of them. As it cannot be
supposed that every one is blest with the nerves of
Ministers of State and Bank Directors, we earnestly
trust that these horrid and multiplied exhibitions of
punishment will form a ground for enforcing 'men-,
tic's to,,this subject and the state of the country,
-votterepenletttiness vouch the cause of crime and cal
spectacles ttoclattgio humanity.
It will be observed by the reports which we give of
the interesting proceedings at the Old Bailey yester-
day, that two more of the utterer, of Forged Notes
were found guilty, namely William Jones, who
had•iiinicted his plea of guilty for the minor of.
offence, and nins. Clacker, in whose eases the capital
charge was spot persevered in. In the course of the
trials yesterday, the distinguishing marks of the
Bank came, of course, again under review, and the
Inspectors gave the usual, and we suppose the best,
explanation that can be given of them. The proofs of
Forgery satisfied the Jury, but they would not hive
satisfied us; and we think it material to observe,
that though these distinguishing characteristics may
at the hour of trial be discovered, that is, when it is
ton late to be of service to the Public in any other way
than in the condemnation of a criminal after he has run
his race, they are far from being sufficiently obvious to
to the generality of the community who are exposed
to imposition. It was stated by Mr. Lees, a Bank
Inspector, that the line compriAug the date; and the
word " London," were stereotyped ie the genuine
Notes, but engraved in those which were tiotgeneine;
the same was said with respect to the number of the
note, and the letters '6 No.;" that the water-mark I
was effected in the Note in the making of the paper,l
and that with the exception of a general knowledge
of the signing clerk's writing, there was ne other
means of distinguishing a genuine Note from a Forged
Note. Mr. Las, howesatrudded, that the Bank
Inspectors were assisted tnucClty long erperlenee,
and the constant habit of examining Notes.--
If it were intended by Mr. Lea's evidence to give
the Public an assurance that certain infallible
means did (mist, enabling the Bank Inspectors,
althost it a glance, to detect a forged Note, it
would seem to us that this object had not been at-
tained.
It cannot be doubted that other peruse',
besides those who work for the Bank of England,

could produce, by stereotype, an impression of
the line containing the date and the word LONDON.
It trill not be pretended that an insuperable difficulty
is offered to the ingeosity of the fabricators of notes,
in the mode of effecting the watermark, so that the
vaunted skill of the Inspectors resolves itself, after all,
into their long and cultivated expeoience. It was
allowed by Mr. Lccs, that one instance did or+
wherein even an Inspector was deceived in a Note,
having taken a forged for a genuine note. It is to
be regretted that this come of examination was not
;moved, and that he was not asked, Whether an in.
Stance bad ever occurred wherein a genuine Note was
rejected,- stamped as one forged ? If his memory
served him with even one instance to this effect; and