Committal Of Mr. Hale.
The Times, 1824-09-17T00:00:00

WVedncsdav Afr. George Hale was taken by Kceble the consta. ble, to the police.office at WVoolwich, before Sir Jouc, WEBn, phy- sician to the garrison, the Rev. John AIsSITER, chaplain to the p%rrison, andi Mr. MIARSH, door-keeper of the Royal Arsenal of Woolwich, magistrates acting in that division; for final examination, charged with submittiig libellous pamnphlets, entitled "L The Two Opinions,` to the soldiers in the XVoolwich Barracks, intending to incite them to ncts of insubordation, &c Alr. Hale was atteneled by a gentleman who conducted his de- fc.ncc, to whom the magistrates expressed their thanks, for his en- dcavours, though unsuccessful, to persuade Mr. Hale to desist from a further distribution of the obnoxious pamphlets. MEr. Alay, the chief clerk to the magistrates read over the evi- dence of the soldiers, and of Henry Ridout, the iiigh constable; and then said to the accused, " These pamphlets yoa distributed to the soldiers in the garrison, Mlr. Hale, did you not ?" Mr. Hale's friend here prevented Mr. Hale from making the ad. inission so anxiously eisdeavoured to be elidited by the worthy Jus- tice's clerk; and Mr. Hale, whose shrewdness and rationality upon every subject, save that upon " war," cannot be dispxted, replied, G Gentlemen, that is an unfair question ; I have no wishh to conceal any part of my conduct, but I think you ought to prove by evidence the offence you charge me vith, and not en eavour to entrap me into admissions of my guilt." M r. Mlay, the clerk, proceeded, by order bf the magistrates to read over the alleged libellous publication, previous to whict Illr. M essiter asked the accused if hie had got bail for hisgood behaviour ? llfe repliel that lie hail no bail, and asked what was the offence he was charged with; for he was not at present aware whether it was for not having a printer's name to the work, or if the work itself vwas considered to be illegal. Sir Josasy WEBB said the charge was, that he had unlawfully distributed'publications amongst the soldiery, calculated to excite in- subordination and tlisrontent in their minds, and to induce them to throw down their arms. Alr. Hale.-In the pamphlet I have published there is not one word but what is taken from God's word: the Bibleisthe foundation ef the Christian religion, and I can have done no more wrong than if I had distributed the Bible amongst the soldiers. mr. MxEssikrE said, that some parts of the-pamphlet were cal- culated to do a great deal of mischief: it was evidently vwritten to deprive Government of that power which it possessed over the sol- diers, which was essential to the existence of social order, and to in- duce obedience to the laws. AlMr. Hfa'e said that there was not one word in the publication but what had been preached a hundred times in different places of pabic worship; anti the Tracts published by the l ondon Religious Tract Societies inculcated similar doctrines, which Societies were under the patronage of some of the most eminent men in the country fbi leeaning and piety. Sir Joux WEnB.-They do not conec dowit to thts garrison and distribute their tracts to the soldiers, and endeavour to persuaade them to throw down their arms? Mfr. Hale.-They publish works against war atud bloodshed, and are not prosecuted. Al r. May having read the pdinmietfriom beginning to end, Mr. ME8SITEI A btserved, that the mo-st offiensive pasqage was the following _" lsach of you have souls,andnever.dyingsouls,too; and iFyou live and die in opposition to the comrnandments of Christ, you are undonetoall eternity I IfyourfeUow-creatures teach and command you tohate and fightagainstynrentenlies,they,bysddoin, areleading you on, in the most wickedand wilfdl oppitlon to the bolk ligion which theythemselves profess , believe inandderend, and inamanner that must end in yottr own inevitable and eternel ruin! ' If any man liath an eat, let him hear. He that leadeth into captivlty, shal go into Captivity: he that kiUeth with tke sword, must be killed with the sword.' It is your duty, yoitr interest, and your privilege to obey Rod rather than man and while you arefightwg, orevenlearn- ing to fightag.instyourfellow-creatures, you areactingcontrarytothe Christianrel Fon,and disobeying theconimnazdsof theonly Sav-iour of ainnt!rs . V natever engagementsor obligations you niay beunder to your fellow.creatures, rememberthatwill notexcuseyouat the lastand terrible day of reckoising ! It is your plain duty to obey God in preference to man ! and where God commandayoit to love and Vray for 3 our enemies, and your fellow-creatures teach you to hate and fight against them, it is your duty to obey God5 and not man! 1 For all tey that take the sword, shall perish with the sword 3; Mlr. Hale said there wras nothing in the above filegal, or that could be Charged as libellous. Sir 3. Wge:B ordered Mr. May to read 2m admission of the ac. cused on Mtonday last. in which he said that his object in distribitt. ing the pamnphlets wto induce the soldiers to turow dow their arnis; A2r. Itale obserted, that he would not deny having mae that ad- mission, but he wished to explain his meaning. His object was to present war in this and erery country where the Chrlstian religion was sanctioned by the existing Governmnent. MIr. XESSYTER said his notions were as absurd as the South- eotonians, who, the other day, were reveUing over a stuck pig: he did nottquestion the motives oriitentions of the awdcsed, but hug acts were dangerous to the Government, and must be repressed; and he believed that he (Hale) wvas more fit for Ikedlm thanu laiditone g7aol. dIr. Hale's friend said that lie was satisfied as to the putity of 2r. Hale's intentions, though he differed with him as to the pTo- priety of his conduct: he, howevesr, must coafesti that he could not Bee any thing libelous in the paphlet which- Mr. Hale bad pub- hished.| The Alaglstratez here generallyremarked, tbat they had nothi lo do with the motives of Ar. gale, they believed the work to beoe a mischievops tendency, and that was suficient' to indue them to call uponi hin- to give good atourity for big 30d behaviour in future... Their qnly objct w4 to put a stop tothe evit; they did not wish to act with peve.ity towards a man wio was to be pitieaL epealed attetripta were f4a~do to preval on the acused to desist frdul the cosirsq hcwspT ngl bu~toseopgxpase. Mtr. l~&ie saidX thatc the commands oY GAo weic to be oliserved hi' reference to all human engagensenta, and boasted tat his OpiniOis mdti wis were o.pposlte tO Ua?~e7 f@ he (the accisied) wi- ea to pro gatc those opinions wlich were f6unged on the Bible and on the C, rdstiin religion, which had Veens decided-in courts of law to be prt and prcel-of the law of theland. SirT. WsEnh 6ere e*pressed his strong disinclination to send tbe accused to a prison, aid nzFed ]?Ir. Haole to p,ut in bail. fr.i Hlle saia he was readyto go to a prison, or he would put in bail to answer the charge before a jury, but not to be of good beha- viotur, or, in other words, he would not engage not to distribute the publications in the mean tin3e. He knew the only object the magis. trates bad in view was to prevent his publishing the work, and that tlhev had no intention to bring him to tris1. ilr. AfEssiTRL said, that if he (Mr. Hale) studied Iis own in- terest, he woould put in bail, and avoid further expense and trouble- and he would be pernmitted -to remain for several days at a tavern in the custody of an officer, till his bail was produced, if he thought proper to take that course. ir. fale said here, that lie was convinced nojury would find hint guilty of the offence of Ahich he stood accuised, and he would find no bail. His commitment was then maade oat. The lagietrates told him that a few days' imprisonment might alter his tone, and he could then put in bail eithser in Maidstone, or before a Judge in London. COMMITTAL OF .UR. IIALE.