The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-09-24
Our London Correspondence.
Proofs 10 Sustain the Charge of Despottsm in Eng
understanding Repieur.


AT the point where the examination of the laws
of England terminated, in my last letter, there was
enough to satisfy any that liberty here is ut
terly obsolete. But propose to resume, and finish
the subject, SO that no conceivable answer can be
given to that overwhelming charge. 1t is not for
the people of England alone that such a work
should be attempted, though they have my deep
est sympathy. Nor Is it for the sake of my own
country men, who can need no sxch warning as is
given by the despotsm of the British system. But
the cause of human progress and human rights in
Europe, now in its infancy, requires that the
of truth should speak loudly against the dlrefuI
example of this so-called limited monarchy, but
practical despotsm. can hardly believe the true
state OF English law is known to the members of
the English bar, Indeed, know 1t Is not for if
lists, an effort would have been made by the
counsel tor the accused to discredit prosecu-
tions, by showing the individual crlmlnallty of
every citizen, under existing laws The Jurors
who tried the cases - aye, and the presiding
judges-had, every OF them, been guilty OF
crimes punishable with fines, Imprisonment, and
transportation, probably death, at some periods
oi their lives. For they had all either spoken
openly of abuses IN the government, or attended
meetings where such speeches were delivered; and
either tact was sedlon, at the least. But there
has been no analysis nor history OF the law for
political offences attempted That the lawyers
themselves, and the judges, are Ignorant of the
very law they administer, | can well believe, from
having seen and heard their respective displays
of ignorance, folly, and stupidity. The newspa.
pers, OF course, would be uniformly worse in
formed. Lawyers, In England, do not edit news
papers, and, therefore, 1t need not surprise you
that such creatures as the editor Of the Times
should chantlcleer about the vulgar boast of other
countries, and the established conviction of his
own, with respect to the Liberties (D OF English
men. 1t jurlsts are unconscious OF the various
statutes, still less could you expect the supercials
OF daily press to be aware OF the consequences
OF all they say, when they are every day COM
PEELED 10 say, something, about everything. But
the perch OF all such fowls must be pulled down,
so that our ears shall not be further moested,
the universal cause OF tree principles betrayed by
their Growing.
We will. therefore, proceed with our dissection.
But, to impress the matter more fully upon the
reader, il will be advisable to state to him two
things comprising the substance of all the charges,
and embodylng the law and Its administrator.
First, then, affirm that the law OF England, as
10 the liberty of the press, and the freedom OF dis
cusslen would be faithfully expressed by the fol-
lowing brief act of Parliament
and every political and other association, shall BE-
deemed sedtious and that every word said or written
in favor Of reform shall subject the writer publisher,
speaker, reader and listener to punishment, at the
pleasure Of the government"
Second, affirm the fact to be- that these, beng
thus epitomised, have been continually enforced
with most sanguinary rigor, and have kept the
mass Of the people IN fear, and have deferred the
great minds OF the country from endeavorlng TO
Introduce any mitigation OF the evil But, instead
of being less severe the spirit OF persecution for
political offences, wakes stronger and more san
culinary, as the English stronghold is approached
on every side, and contrasted with liberal instiu
tons. / will presently verify both of these con-
elusive propositions, and shall then proceed to
take up very briefly some OF the other grievances
'of this monarchical form OF government, whichis,
in reality, the most stupendous oligarchy the world
has ever tolerated. The crown Is but the high
and guided root of the edifice, but the mobiles
ats solid and crushing walls and columns. England
Is brilliant and powerful government of landed
aristocrats, whose foundations stand in all their
weight Lfon PROSTATE popular rights, and to whom
the Queen is more finish than necessity. The
business OF Engishmen is to topple the walls, and
not to waste their strength In sssallng the vaulted
quarter as certainly as the branches of tree,
struck at the root, will strew the ground. The
right hand can easily be learned cunning enough
system, whose flag, to: thousand years, has
braved the battle and the breeze"-but which the
storms of February, on the the continent, have I'M
dermned. Sui, before Englishmen can do any
thing towards their emancipation, they must give
up their ridiculous boastlng about liberty, alto
gether 1t will not do TOR them to deny the exist
ence OF the laws am setting out, by special re-
ference to chapter and section, and by, abstract
Nor must they retreat into the alsehood that their
abomlnabe laws not enforced, and that they
are nulllfied by public opinion. They do palpaOly
exist; and they all enforced, Gas shall further
prove,) whenever the occasion is thought to re-
quire it.
All meetings of persons, belonging to the lower
classes of society In England, are not only liable
TO the punishment provided against unlawful as
sembling, but they may be also implicated in a
riot And 1t is to be borne mind that is difficult
for any man establish his defence, because those
alone who could be witnesses, no matter how IN
nccently present, liable to be prosecuted.
Hence, they are afraid to come forward and the
license taken by the Attorney General and his
associates, in badgerng the witnesses tor defence
the frowning OF decorated officials, and the bully
ing of the Judge, are additional terms which are
quite efiectual IN paralyzing the accused, as well
as excluding his proof. A riot Is where three or
more persons are engaged in any act OF an unlaw-
ful or violent character to the terror OF the nelg-
bOrhood. The offence visited with severe
penalties Of fine and imprisonment; and the par
ties will be guilty OF constructive levyIng OF war
against the Queen, which Is high treas on, IT their
object be general one of altering the law, cr
raising the price OF labor.
AS to the offence OF conspiracy, believe have
spoken sufficiently in the previous letter. and also
rather fully of sedition. But will dwell further
upon the sediuon, before going to treason aud
other crimes, because, while Twas writing to you
Yesterday, trials were actually in progress at the
Old Bailey, for sedltIon. Several persons were
convicted. They attempted to conduct their own
a1efences; but 1t avalled them nothing, Irul =,
and reason and justice, have abouta little chance
in such tribunal, with such tunctonarles, as the
same strangers have IN the English bear garden at
the House of Commons. The voice OF authority,
alone, is heard or reg arded In either place, ana
that may stammer Out It's ioes 10 silent listeners,
h, ara :. III or is heard to be jeered, hooted and
-, 49,. "., ,n, came Old Bailey, lately, Sc
dion , has has snerossed the court 6v the way the
Judges may select whom they please to o..
ment, and he may be either the most obdurate OF
themselves, or any individual of their choice.
With such latitude, 1t Is easy, according to the
present law of England, to find the proper lnstru.
ment for the service, by especial commission"
of the government As stated, it Is perfectly
true that seditlon is most flexible charger in the
hands of these persons. Review the case, and
the law will be expounded accordingly. If a
popular leader has been seized, he Is sure to have
violated the law so as TO be liable to punishment
and convection, before English cor It and jury,
yseems TO be a matter of course. In lreland II ID