INSTANCES OF MAGISTERIAL IGNORANCE AND OPPRESSION.
A LIVERPOOL journal furnishes some particulars of the proceed- ings at the Quarter Sessions recently lick! at Kirkdale iii Lanca- shire. They are worth the attention of all who deem the administration of justice a subject of importance.
" Two decent-looking farmer lads were tried on the charge of stealing a piece of ham of very trifling value from a public-house at Huyton, on the occasion of a pigeon-shooting match. The prisoners denied solemnly that they had ever touched the ham ; and the evidence that they had taken it either in jest or earnest was very meagre. Several respectable persons gave them an excellent character as steady, honest, bard-working lads; and the Jury, without turning round in the box, acquitted them."
" Two men were brought all the way from Warrington, having been in confine- ment since the :/-ith of November last, on the charge of stealing au umbrella front a puliIiellouse. The tnen denied any intention of stealing the umbrella; which was exhibited in Court, and would have been dearly purchased at Is. The Jury at once acquitted the poor fellows. The costs a this paltry prosecution are tstimated at 4. or 10/., sc hieh the county will have the pleasure of paying."
" Another working mum, was also brought from Warrington, haying been in custody since the Eitli of October on the charge of stealing a spade ; which was likewise valued at Is., and was soul by the pi ismer for that sum. He was acquitted at once, by direction of the Court."
This is tolerably well for one Sessions. The present week, however, has furnished another specimen of the mode in which the Great Unpaid employ their authority to fine and imprison his Majesty's subjects. The transaction to which we refer was made the subject of an application by Mr. HILL, in the Court of King's Bench, on Monday last, for leave to file a criminal information against the offending Magistrate, who is in the commission fur the county of Nottineham. The Court refused to grant the rule, on the ground this t it was not applied for in due time ; but the circumstances ought nut to be allowed to escape the notice and animadver-ion of the public.
" The atEdavit on which the application was made, stated that a poor man, named Edward Dennis, in August last went upon a piece of ground belonging
to a Mu. Clark. Ile was there slaw ised by the gamekeeper of a Mr. Phillips, who laid an iolormation against him for a malicious injury. He received a sum. mons from the Magistrate; ;Ord when he appeared before him, no person was prepaled to prove that the owner of the ground had sustained the least injury. The .1.1ogiil, ale, hatetecr, eidhd hint an old (Wilder, and fined hint :31., and 198. on.fs. liaviog no money to pay, he was taken away by the constable and kept in ettrande. The man raised the money, amongst Ids ft iends, and some days after weot with his attorney to Mr. Clark, the owner of the groom!. The latter said no part of the fine had been offered to bin, ; and if it haul, he should not have taken it, as no injury had been done to his premises. The gamekeeper also admitted that the damage did not amount to Id. Some time after, the Magistrates issued a search warrant for the purpose of seizing poison, which it was said Dennis had purchased to poison dogs in his (the Magistrate's) kennel. The house was searched, and no poison found. Deunis, after that transaction, met the Magistrate on horse-back ; and the latter rode up, flourishing his dog- whin, and accused Lint of attempting to poison his dogs. He said he had infor- mation, and would have him tried at Nottingham and transported, if it cost him 1,0001. This threat, however, was never executed."
It is a most grievous injustice to the poor, that there is no
count of appeal to which they can resort for red) ess against such conduct as the Magistracy of England are daily guilty of. Lord MELBOVENE, the Home Secretary, who is generally supposed to be his Majesty's Minister for the superintendence of the Magis- tracy, declares that he has no power to interfere in behalf of the victims of their ignorance or malice. Thus the poor wretches who were imprisoned in Lancashire, on the charges which we have stated above, go home with blasted characters, and probably ruined health, to curse a country where such oppression can be inflicted with impunity by the brutes and blockheads who are placed on what ought to be the bench of justice.
The squires may care little for the sufferings of the labouring poor. But we should think that they cannot long remain indiffe- rent to the e,ipense which the bad administration of the laws im- poses upon them. Unfortunately, while the jobbers on Grand Juries find their account in slurring over the extravagance of county expenditure, the details of it are in most counties hid
Emu the inspection of the great body of rate-payers. The first check to tlw system ()I plunder and oppression coolliined, is earo- sure. It will then be discovered, that to imprison two men at an expense of 81. or 10/. to the county, on On ill-supported charge of stealing a shillinq umbrella, and in the ineanWhile to throw the cost of maintaining their families on the parish, is a most extra- rognot proceeding : and this consideration will tend to open the eyes of the majority it rate-payers to its ihjitatiee. The next step will be to petition the Government for the appointment of compe- tent Magistrates, salaried and responsible. Until they obtain such, iI is in vain to hope for a righteous adjudi:!ation of petty quarrels, and the infliction of punishments proportioned to the guilt of offenders.
The consequences which must ensue, and in faet have arisen, from the petty tyranny of' the Unpaid Provincial Magistracy, are fearful. The combination against thrashing-machines, the spread of hicemliarisni, aad the savage exultation which a burning stock- yard causes moo1 .. the peasantry in many of what were once the most submissive districts of the country, "are hints as geod as sermons or as rhymes."
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