The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-09-25
mo. 10.

4 q u
| bel, lord Castlereagh had been one of Tire
| principal secretaries OF state ofhjs maiestys
and Gentlemen, there is another allegation.
that there bad been on the 23d of january.
scandalous and selitois libel in the form
OF a letter Coz cerning lord Castlercagh, pub
nsheu IN a. certain newspaper called The
Morning Chronicle. That allegation in
wolves, hrst OF all. the fact. and next the
construction; first, the fact, that there was
such letter published in the paper. That
has been proven BY the printer of the paper,
who produces paper, which he states to
nave been published OH that day. containing
letter signed P. Finnerty. Then has that
letter the quality annexed to it---,It is al
| iedged 10 be scandalnus and malicious H..
pei Ihat Certainly is material allegation.
The whole scope of that which has been
read in detail to YOU from The Morning
Chronicle. does ir& ,ute to lord Castlereagh
| .he purpose OF prosecuting and expressing
ShiS man Summing 1t up in the last para
| graph, that lie had made use of his n,iniste-
rial power 10 CRAFTY prejudice, to invite the
prosecution ri his person, and to FIX an i'm.
putation upon his Character, and the whole,
o' the a'eTncnt which is Contained in the
letter, goes to maintain that which in the.
summing up of the libel is stated TO be the
motive for lord Cas- lereagh's conduct.
| Gentlemen, there certainly can be noth,ae.
more hbeilous, than TO impute to a man in q
| hiSh pubhc office gross abuse Of his pub
| II; rune, IONS, To degrade & iniure an incivi-
quail he question tnerct re, upon this
| part OF the case being whethe, this Ietter
has properly apphei TO it the description of
scanoaionS ahd malicious li,el /; the dess
criPuon 10 maintained b. adverting to the
terms OF The letter itself. But that is mere
ly preliminary step, for il is mn the pub.
licatloa OF thIs libel for which the defendant
| is indicted ; but he has adverted to 1T i'm
me three lIbelsS for which Immediately he,
| ~ questioned, and II is to these papers and
we conten's OF hem, that YOUR attention is
TO be particularly drawn, nasmuch as il is
III respect of them only reference being
mace 10 o'ner matters merely for explana-
| tiolL) ;hat he stands before You 20 day
he publications in question are three in
number; the que sion IS whether they are
Oh loeiioua nature. and whether that des-
CiiPlon which Is applied TO them by this in
dictmen; is justly applicable 70 them. Z
VIII cad them. and Comment upon them as
read them. The first b. gins thus: Ought
my lord Castlereagh's conduct towards Mn.
fln"erty during the late expedition at Wall
chereh 10 be approved as salutary mea-
sure OF precautiUn, preserve order and
aisclpiine among his +iesty s forces or re .
onated as a tiagrant infringement upon the
liberty OF British subject, and a cowardy
act OF oppression against an innocent indi.s
vidual l''
| Now, Gentlemen, is it to be borne in a
country where people have an estimation OF
character, that it shall ne allowed to any
'bah 10 put IN this alternative mode of quesY
tion tor the discussion of all mankind. whe
1hsr man has bsen guilty of a base act Of
oppression, whether he has not been guilty
OF an enormous crime, and to have that mat.
ter made the subject of debate by all per-
sons WHO may chuse TO pay one shilling to-
come within the precincts of the place Of
assembly where this is the appointed mat
ter OF debate : Is it not calumnious to
any individual to have his name held out to
'he Pnbhc as that OF a person respecting
whom it may fairly be doubted whether he
mas mol been guilty of cowardly act of op.
pressionf Put il 10 your own breasts, gen
tiemen. and make it your own case suppose
man 10 puck up An auecdote of your pri-
Vate conduct-----any thing respecting YOUR
conduct in SOCIAL life, & that he should pub
Iisn 1t as question whether in particular
circumstance OF life, you had been guilty Of.
base disregard of your duty to wife, TO
chiid' To trend, or any other person, and
should make that a matter of discussion for
all the assembled careless people who might
chuse to resort together for the purpose Ell.
| 'hsr OF holding or of hearing that discussion :
Gan any thing be considered IS more calum-
NOUS, more destructive to the peace of mind
OF the individual 30 held out, mere mischiev-
GUS 70 the public, or more irritating to the
feelings of the individual so held up Ia,
kiug only in iD,ine the first paragraph.
feel myself. in the solemn discharge Of nv
important functions bound by the cath of Of
nee / have taken, and by my duty to the
public, to state to you thar consider this as
an highly caiumnious publication
Then, gentlemen, IT goes on to say, The
statement of Mr. Finrsrty's treatment by
lord Castlereagh, rs it appeared IN the Norm
ing Chronicle, Of Tuesday the Odd inst has
been read with lie most lively emotions and
has excited universal astoniihuent and a..
larm ;" --alludng all along to he publca-
ton Of MIR Finnerty IN the Morning Chroni-
Gle which has been read to vou.--- Mr..
Finnerty has appealed to the good sense,
| liberality, and justice Of the British ma
ton. TO give their decided opinion on the
subject. So far the British Forum can
lend IT'S aid towards collecting and proclaim
| ing that opinion, neither his appeal nor
that ut any other prosecuted or defenceless
individual, shall ever be made in vain"---
Is not this an allegation. than this person TO
whom thet are lending tir aid, IS per-.
secuted and detenceiess individual, and by
whom perSecutedI the whole scope and con-
text shows clearly that it means to impute
that persecution to lord Castereagh -
Then II goes OIL II he gentle lord Cas-
| tlefeagh can master sufficient confidence to