Arizona republican., 1914-04-22
a&9.~ z&d[(R..ljIi&@. RI U Ize U Great Trials
 ge History
TRIAL OF HORNE TOOKE

The dissatisfied American colonistS of England prior to the Revolution found mary ardent sympathizerS at home Many of them out of true, patriotic motives, and others, no doubt, on account of grievances they had with certain English statesmen who were doing all in their power to precipitate war. There was strong party in England known as the op- position leaders, who frequently ap- pealed to the principles of freedom, yet there is no doubt but that the war feeling was popular in England, and the vast majority of that nation approved of the North Cabinet, Chief Justice, Lord Mansfield, and others, who were for crushing rebellion and preserving British ascendancy.
 One of the most outSpoken of these lovers of liberty was Horne TOOke. and his sentiments in favor of the Americans led him to become charg- ed with libel and placed on trial. Tooke was a man of remarkable acuteness and power of sarcasm. The charge against him was for writing and publishing an advertisement pro posing subscription ito be applied to the relief of the widows orphans and aged parents of our beloved American fellow subjects, who, faith ful to the character of the English race, preferred death to slavery and were for that reason only, inhumanly murdered by the kings troops at Lexington and Concord in the prov ince of Massachusetts"
 When Tooke was placed on trial he conducted his defense in person against the English Attorney Cen eral Thurlow. Lord Mansfield heard ject to provoke Mansfield to a sally of impatience, of which he might have taken advantage, and he even cross examined some printers of newspapers respecting their having been intimidated by the court. but in this he was foiled. for the chief justice remained throughout calm and complacent.
 The trial of Horne Tooke began on November r. 1794, and lasted for six days The solicitor general in pre- senting the case, claimed that Tooke had engaged in a conspiracy to eff feet a change in the sovereign DOW er-the, king, lords and commons That he had. to accomplish his ends not only quarreled with the admins tration and the form of government but the principles of the constitu- ton. He then advertcd to the vari- GUS societies throughout England particularly the Constitutional ant London Corresponding societies. O. which Tooke was a leading spirit He said he would attempt to prove
 that Tooke was in the chair wher certain resolutions were adopted. It required four days to hear thu witnesses for the prosecution, ant at the end of the fourth, MT. Took began his evidence. His first witnes.
 called was Major Cartwright, Wh'
 stated that the obpect of the societ. was to enlightcn the minds of tn public with respect to the nature O l their just rights, to obtain a radica reform in the house of commons ant to recover certain rights which the. conceived had been lost by the peo lle. Others who testified in his be | half were the duke of Richmond. tn Hon. William Pitt. Rev. MT Myvi' | and the lord bishop of Gloucester. l At the conclusion of the evidence MT. Gibbs. one of the prosecutin, attorneys, addressed the jury. whel the lord chief justice proceeded t 1 his charges, capitulating the ad
 dresses of the several societies, ant after very able and impartia 1 speech, proceeded to comment upol
 the evidence produced in behalf o
 the prisoner; the result of which. to gether with his observations on tn
 other parts of the case. and now tn
 whole was borne out by the evidence 1 it was solely their important prov
 ince to decide according to their con
 sciences.
 The jury. after comforting for abou
 eight minutes. returned with a yer
 dict of Not guilty" It was no soon
 CT announced by the foreman than i 1 was received with universal accla
 nation.
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