An act to prevent the issuing and circulating of pieces of gold and silver, or other metal, usually called tokens, except such as are issued by the banks of England and Ireland respectively.

An act to extend the provisions of an act passed in the 36th year of the reign of his present Majestv, for the relief of persons equitably entitled to stocks and annuities transferable at the bank of England, and of an act passed in this present session for the relief of infant suitors entitled to the like stocks and annuities, to all other transferable stocks and funds.

An act for charging foreign liquors and tobacco derelict, jetsam, flotsam, lagan, or wreck, brought or coming into Great Britain, with the duties payable on importation of such liquors and tobacco.

An act to enable justices of the peace to order parochial relief to prisoners confined under mesne process for debt in such gaols as are not county gaols.

An act for enabling his Majesty to grant leases under certain circumstances, and for the better carrying into effect the provisions of an act passed in the 39th and 40th

year of the reign of his present Majesty, touching the formation of a map of the New Forest in the county of Southampton, and continuing and extending other provisions of the said act; for further appropriating the monies arisen or to arise from the sale of certain crown lands under the authority of divers acts of parliament; for annexing certain lands within the forest of Rockingham to his Majesty's manor of King's Cliffe; and for enabling the commissioners of the treasury to appropriate small portions of land for ecclesiastical purposes.

An act for the preservation of the public peace in certain disturbed counties in England; and to give, until the 25th day of March, 1813, additional powers to justices for that purpose.

An act for the relief of certain insolvent debtors in Ireland.

An act for enabling his Majesty to raise the sum of three millions for the service of Great Britain, and for applying the sum of 200,000l. British currency for the service of Ireland.

An act for the relief of certain insolvent debtors in England.

TRIALS FOR LIBEL AND STATE CRIMES.

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Trial of Mr. Kirwan, one of the Catholic Delegates, at Dublin. The Court of King's Bench having commenced their sittings for this term on Thursday, the 23d of

January, proceeded on Monday the 27th, to the trial of Mr. Thomas Kirwan, one of the Roman Catholic delegates for the parish of St. Mary's, in Dublin.

After the pannel for the jury had been called over, one of the counsel for the traversers rose, and challenged

challenged the array, on an allega tion that the pannel had been returned at the suggestion of the prosecutors. The counsel for the crown joined issue on the challenge, observing, that such a proceeding was only calculated to encourage that hostile indisposition to the laws which was spreading fast through this country.

After a reply from the counsel on the other side, triers were appointed to decide upon the challenge.

The crown solicitor, after an examination of unusual length, proved, that his application to the sheriff for a copy of the pannel, to which he conceived himself entitled as of right, was resisted; but he admitted that he had obtained a copy from the under-secretary of state. This being produced, was found to contain private marks made by the crown solicitor, and was numbered with figures, in some instances corresponding with, and in others differing from the order of the pannel returned into court. On this circumstance the traverser's counsel appeared principally to rely in support of the challenge, and at length closed his evidence, insinuating that the difference had been caused by the interference of government.

Mr. James, one of the sheriffs, was then called on by the crown, and examined: he contradicted the insinuation, and explained the few changes which had been made in the pannel. The traverser's counsel, Mr. Burrows, then spoke to evidence, and was replied to by the Attorney-General; when the chief justice addressed the triers, who retired for a few moments, and

brought in a verdict against the challenge.

On Tuesday the court proceeded with the trial, when an affidavit on behalf of Mr. Kirwan was brought forward, the object of which was to postpone the trial, that the traverser might have the same advantage of time for inquiry, which the crown had had with respect to the persons on the pannel. The affidavit contained also an allegation, that he believed many of the pannel were Orangemen, and enemies to Catholics; and he named Mr. Blackwood, the first on the pannel, as one. Mr. Black wood publicly and solemnly denied the fact. The solicitor for the traverser being then called on by the court to deny his possession of the pannel on behalf of the traverser, at as early a time as the crown had become possessed of it, refused to be sworn, screening himself under his character of attorney in the cause. The jury were then sworn, and the trial proceeded.

The Attorney-General opened the case at great length. He stated the charges to be, that on the 9th of July last, an assembly, calling itself an Aggregate Meeting of Roman Catholics, did assemble in Dublin; Lord Fingal presided in the chair; and that assembly did, of itself, order county elections to be held in the several counties of Ireland, for the purpose of electing or returning ten delegates for each county. These resolutions were published, and Lord F.'s name to them, as chairman. The indictment then stated the assembling so proposed to be convened, as an unlawful assembly, and pregnant with danger; it was enough to

state

state it as an unlawful assembly. The next count was, that on the 30th July last, an assembly of the parishioners of the parish of St. Mary was held. At that assembly they proceeded to an election of delegates. Those delegates were to be the delegates for that parish, according to the mandates of the meeting of the 9th of July: at that assembly the traverser was present, and did act in the election of the delegates. He recited the second section of the Convention Act, and then proceeded "I have now stated the charges in the indictment; and they divide themselves into a question of law, and a question of fact. Of law, if the assembly so ordered to be convened is an unlawful assembly. It will save time to inform you, that question was agitated fully upon the trial of Dr. Sheridan; and after a full and most able defence, the court was of opinion, that it was an unlawful assembly, without any doubt; and to that opinion I bow, and that point is now settled, unless my learned friends mean to persuade you that yon are the judges of the law, whereas the constitution have only made you judges of the fact." He then pro ceeded to comment upon the evi dence produced on the former trial, and to shew its sufficiency for conviction. He contended, that, notwithstanding the verdict of the former jury, the facts were as clear as the sun.

Huddleston and Sheppard (the peace officer), who had been produced as witnesses for the crown on the former trial, were examined, when the latter produced his notes, the loss of which seemed to have

been so dwelt upon on Sheridan's trial. The court adjourned at six o'clock, till Wednesday, when it proceeded upon the trial, and J. McDonagh (also a witness on behalf of the crown on the former trial) was produced, and upon his examination and cross-examination having closed, it appeared by his testimony, as well as Shepherd's, that one of the persons assembled in Liffey street, on the 31st of July, warned the meeting of the proclamation issued on that day. This was considered as laying a foundation for giving in evidence the proclamation, to shew that it warned all persons from holding any election, pursuant to the resolutions of the aggregate meeting of the 9th of July, from which and the warning, it would appear that this was a meeting of that nature. The Gazette, being offered as evidence of the proclamation, was admitted by the defendant's counsel, and its contents read': here the evidence for the crown closed. The proclamation furnished an additional link to connect the two meetings.

Counsel for the traverser then contended, that there was a variance between the indictment and the evidence,—that the charge was "the having elected five representatives for a district in the city of Dublin, called St. Mary's parish," and used as a parish by the Roman Catholics; that the evidence was, that the Catholic parish of St. Mary, for which they conceived the election to be held, comprised three Protestant parishes, one of which, St. George's parish, by an old act of parliament then produced, appeared to be altogether in

the

the county, and not at all in the city. To this, two answers were given the first, that supposing that to be so, there was no material variance; the second, that taking the whole evidence together, it appeared that this meeting was in compliance with Lord Fingal's resolutions of July 9, by which counties were to elect ten each, and the parishes in Dublin (as contra. distinguished from the county,) were to elect five each; that therefore the jury had strong evidence to shew that the election in Liffev-street was held only for so much as was in Dublin city; and that the allegation of the indictment, "a district in the city of Dublin, called the parish of St. Mary," was sustained. The court determined on leaving it to the jury, whether the election really was so or not; and according to their answer, afterwards to decide on the law. Counsel then, in a speech of three hours, stated the case of the traverser, and went fully into all the political doctrines connected with the case. This occupied the Wednesday.

The proceedings of Thursday opened with a speech from the Solicitor-General, in which he displayed his usual command of wit, eloquence, and argument. He particularly animadverted on the traverser's counsel assuming the high tone of an advocate of the people and of a public cause; and yet condescending to question notorious facts, and to insist on every petty cavil that would be used in the defence of a thief. He also animadverted strongly, but in respectful terms, on Lord Fingal, who was present, for sitting by, two several times, while a witness

was tortured and branded for swearing to resolutions which had for months appeared in the public prints with the sanction of his lordship's name, and without contradiction. At half-past one he concluded, and the chief justice proceeded to charge the jury, explaining to them the provisions of the Convention Act at some length. The jury then retired, and after being out fifteen minutes, returned with a verdict of guilty.

On February 6, Mr. Kirwan was brought up for judgment, i when, after a speech from the court explaining the crime, and the purpose of government in prosecuting, he was fined one mark and discharged.

The Attorney-General entered a noli prosequi upon the other depending causes on the same charge.

Court of King's Bench, Dublin, February 21.-This day the long pending causes of the Police Magistrates of the city of Dublin versus Mr. John Magee, proprietor of the Dublin Evening Post, came on to be tried. Mr. Burrowes conducted the prosecution, on a criminal information for a libel, in the before-named newspaper, intituled " Inefficiency of the Police." The libel stated a number of outrages to have been committed in Dublin, through the want of proper attention on the part of the Police, that the magistrates received salaries of near 10,000l. a year of the public money, to which might be added, the sum of 40,000l. accruing from fines,-and that the watchmen would do their duty effectually, if the magistrates bettered their condition, and attended to their own business. It

likewise

likewise styled them the corregidors of Dublin, who loved money as much as the watchman in his rags, and were unwilling to give a fair price for honesty. Mr. Magee had been remonstrated with on the effects of this statement. He acknowledged he was the editor, but denied any specific knowledge of the contents of the article. He said he knew the author, but would not give him up. He further stated, that his ears had been stunned with complaints against the Police. The learned counsel contended for the maxim, "qui facit per alium, facit per se;" and asserted that such publications did great mischief to the liberty of the press. Mr. Goold spoke for the defendant, and was replied to by Mr. Burton. The chief justice summed up at considerable length; when the jury retired, and after an hour and an half's consultation brought in a verdict-Guilty of publ's ing, but without a malicious intention.

They were informed by the court that such a verdict could not be received; when they retired a second time, and after remaining out ten minutes, returned with a verdict of Guilty.

Trial for Blasphemy.- Court of King's Bench, March 9.-The King v. Daniel Isaac Eaton-This was an information filed against the defendant for the publication of a blasphemous and profane libel on the Holy Scriptures, the work of Thomas Paine. After the pleadings had been opened by Mr. Abbott, the Attorney General mentioned the motives which had induced him to file the information, and characterised the publication in question in terms of the greatest

abhorrence. The libel, he said, asserted that the Holy Scriptures were, from beginning to end, afable and an imposture; that the Apostles were liars and deceivers; the author denied the miracles, the resurrection, the ascension of Jesus Christ, nay, his very existence as the Son of God; and even as a man on earth; he asserts his whole history to be nearly fabulous, and places it on a level. with the legends of the Heathen mythology, concluding with taking · upon himself to describe infidelity in these words, "He that believes in the story of Christ, is an infidel to God." The Attorney-General then enlarged on the mischiefs that must result from disseminating such doctrines, which struck at the foundation of all that was sacred in Christian societies, and all the sanctions of legal proceed-. ings. He showed that blasphemy had always been considered by the law of the land as one of the highest, of misdemeanors, and adduced various cases of decisions to this purpose. He then noticed the plea which might be brought for the defendant, that he was only the publisher of the libel; and said that whoever was the author, it would be proved that the defendant was well acquainted with its contents, and had been at the pains of importing it from America, and had assured the purchasers that thev might rely upon its being the genuine publication of Thomas. Paine. After he had concluded. his speech, the passages were read which were charged in the information.

The defendant then began to read his defence, which contained a history of his life and, opinions,

and