He has now no alternative but to look to the public for the payments of his fines, or to friends for loans for that object. It is a public cause. As an individual he has no wants, and in the cause nearest his heart he will do all that ever lays in his power to do. Those who approve his conduct and career, may enable him to do as much more as they please. The amount of Subscriptions received to the end of March 1822, is within five hundred pounds, and very near that sum. March 20, 1822. THE PROCEEDINGS ON THE MOCK TRIAL, &c. &c. FIRST DAY.-OCTOBER 12TN. THE first of the several informations which have stood in the paper for nearly a twelvemonth against the defendant, came on for trial this day. Soon after nine o'clock, Mr. CARLILE, accompanied by several friends, entered the Court by the side door, and placed upon the table several books, from which he intended to make extracts as necessary to his defence. Mr. Carlile immediately addressed Mr. Sheriff Parkins, and said that several of his friends, who carried with them books necessary to his defence, were excluded. Mr. Parkins requested a list of their names, and upon receiving it, desired that they should be admitted: At twenty-five minutes after nine, the Attorney-General, the Solicitor General, Mr. Gurney, Mr. Littledale, and Mr. Campbell, the Counsel for the Crown, arrived, and took their seats. Mr. Carlile made another appeal to Mr. Sheriff Parkins, and stated that his friends were not admitted. Mr. Sheriff Parkins addressed Mr. Collinridge, and desired that his orders should be attended to. Mr. Collinridge.-Mr. Carlile has already five friends in Court. Mr. Sheriff Parkins.-I suppose, Mr. Carlile, those per sons are necessary to your defence? Mr. Carlile. They are laden with books, to which I shall have occasion to refer. Mr. Sheriff Parkins.-They must be admitted. The names of four persons were then given in, and they 1 were ordered to be admitted. At half past nine, the Chief Justice took his seat. The cause of "The King against Carlile," was then called on. Mr. Carlile. I wish an order from your Lordship that several persons who are laden with my books be admitted, before I can proceed. - The Chief Justice. I can make no arrangement with regard to them. If you wish your books should be brought in, a few friends, and your solicitor, will also be allowed, but if your object be to be surrounded by a number of friends, it is inadmissible, your books might be handed in by any officer present. I am Mr. Carlile. It is impossible, my Lord, that I can allow them to get into the hands of an indifferent person. not anxious that my friends should surround me, but that they should be admitted with the books.-The books were then brought in with the exception of two parcels, which were missing until the afternoon. The list of Special Jurymen was now called over, and as Mr. Charles Wood, Abchurch-lane, answered to his name, Mr. Carlile said, Before the Jury are sworn, I beg leave to submit that this Court is not competent to try the charge against me. The Chief Justice.-The Court is competent to try any criminal information filed by the Attorney General. Mr. Carlile I submit there is no law which applies to this case. The Chief Justice. If there is no such law, you will be acquitted. Mr. Carlile.-I protest against the proceedings. The Chief Justice.-You protest. Very well. The following names were then called over, and the parties answered to their names. Charles Wood, Abchurch-lane. Robert Hutchinson, Clements-lane. John Hanson, Crooked-lane. George Harvey, Laurence-lane. Arthur Chichester Allen, Ironmonger-lane. John Wilson, Queen-street. Richard Chambers, Dove-court. William Parker, John-street. The Attorney-General prayed a tales. Mr. Carlile. I have had no copy of the talesmen, I should wish for one. Mr. Collinridge. I believe I have one, and you shall have it. (A list was handed to Mr. Carlile.) Mr. Bellamy then took out the names from the box in which they were placed, and Mr. Carlile begged of him to shake them up.. The Chief Justice.-Sir, the usual order will be attended to, but at least shake them well, if that be necessary.-Mr. Bellamy having first taken out the name of Mr. Robert Plant, haberdasher, said he might withdraw, and then shook up the names of the talesmen. The Attorney-General.-No; let Mr. Plant be sworn. Robert Plant, Haberdasher, Portsoken Ward. They having answered to their names, and the whole being sworn, Mr. Campbell stated the pleadings. Mr. Carlile.-I request that the information be read at the proper time. The Chief Justice.-You must not interrupt the proceedings of the Court. This case shall be tried in a similar manner with all others. Mr. Carlile. I only requested that the information might be read, in order that the Jury might understand the question which they were about to try; it is essential it should be read at length. The Chief Justice.-The information shall be read at the proper season. Mr. Carlile.-That is all I desire. The Attorney-General now rose and spoke to the following effect: My Lord and Gentlemen of the Jury-I feel considerable satisfaction in the reflection that on this occasion, I shall not have to encounter those prejudices which are sometimes very naturally excited in the minds of Englishmen, from a jealousy of all interference with the liberty of the Press, or freedom of discussion, especially on proceedings similar to the present. Gentlemen, I am confident if you are not already apprized of the charge, (as possibly some of you may not be) from the short manner in which it has been the duty of my Learned Friend to introduce it to you, I am sure when I shall shortly and plainly state it, accompanied with a few observations which my duty calls upon me to make; and, Gentlemen, when these are made, when these are heard by you, I am satisfied the warmest friend to the liberty of the press, the most strenuous advocates for the widest latitude of discussion that could be enjoyed in this free country, even the most unreasonable man in the community, will not find this prosecution has any intention to restrict that liberty. But, Gentlemen, I should have been guilty of a dereliction of my duty, if I had abstained from bringing this before your notice and that of the country. If the Defendant wishes to enlarge upon it, he will have the right, but I shall not detain you with any recital beyond that which is necessary to enable you to comprehend the charge. I shall also offer to you evidence of the publication of the Defendant, and you will no doubt come to a fair and unbiassed decision. It has long been the boast of the people of this country, (and I trust it will ever be) that they have lived under a religion, which having for its origin the Deity, who has heaped his favours on mankind, is at once the most benign and good which can bless the human race. The Christian religion so long established in the country, is a part of the law of the land, and when the present defendant contends that the charge against him is founded on no law, he labours under as great a mistake as has ever befallen man. Fortunate it would be for him that no such law existed, for in that case only might he hope for an acquittal; this must be his only reliance, for in no other case can he hope the verdict of a Jury will be favourable to him. But I fearlessly state to the Jury, confident that my statement will be confirmed by that authority to which all must bow, the learned Judge before whom the question is to be triedthat there is not the slightest ground for the assertion of the Defendant, that the present charge is founded in no law. Similar proceedings have often before been instituted, nor is there the smallest pretension for saying, that they were not supported on the clearest principles of law. It would be idle for me, after the oaths you have taken, to declaim on the excellency and benignity of that religion which we profess, and which forms a part of the constitution of this country. It would be idle for me to address men, who have sworn on that book, and thereby pledged themselves to the sanctity of that religion on which alone these proceedings can rest. You, by your oaths, have pledged yourselves to believe in its sanctity, to its being the revealed word of God, and from that belief I must expect your verdict in this cause. Indeed, I should give up in effect the Christian religion altogether, and give it up as not forming a part of the constitution of the country, if I allowed its merits to be discussed. I shall therefore abstain in the outset from offering any such re |