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Leader (1850-1860), 4th October 1851, Edition Country of 2, Page 5

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      Protection At A Discount. The Gruduul Eb...

      «* rried through both Houses of Parliament . If , on the Xfr hand , the result of the next general election should £ tl confirm the policy adopted in 1846 , the county members could not help it , and their constituents must SSSntly accommodate themselves to circumstances . Until that time arrived let them hope for nothing from unm "I" 7 « . x Wanting Protection , they must ^ tZe 'JS ^ ir rSS ( Cheers . ) Mr . Disraeli had Jointed out these sources , and without expressing any derided opinion upon the plan propounded by that gentleman he must say that the farmers of England had an JnTubted rTht toLk Parl ^ -t r wme rehef , either from local rates or general taxation , queers . ) Still he thoug ht it was " very distressing" to bj « omr > elled to submit to wheat at 36 s . a quarter . But f « if as Lord Palmerston had laid it down , it was a question between landlord and tenant , he , for one , should know how to meet it . ( Cheers . ) He was ready at all times to regulate his rents according to the price of agricultural produce . ( Cheers . )"

      Major-General Wemyss admirably touhecd the hearts of the farmers in a subsequent speech : — " Mr . Palmer had told them he could not see the time when a return to prosperity might be expected , and the mischief was that while the grass grew the steed would starve . ( ' Hear , ' and laughter . ) In his opinion , the only safe plan to pursue in the interim would be ' To live and let live . ' ( Great cheering . ) He spoke quite disinterestedly ; for he had no property of his own , nor was he likely to have any . ( Laughter . ) He was no tenant farmer , but he had been one . ( Hear ) He knew that there

      was truth in the proverb , While the grass grows tne steed starves . ' { Cries of That ' sjust it : ) His advice to the tenant farmers was for them to try and carry on the cultivation of the soil on the most approved principles ; and his advice to tbe landowners was that they should in every way meet the tenants who so conducted themselves . ( Great cheering . ) He had never been a legislator , nor was he likely to become one now ; but he had a very poor opinion of state interference , he would rather see the matter arranged between the landlord and the tenant , then under the pressure of any legislative measure . ( Cheers . )"

      Oct. 4, 1851.] ^ Gftl Vlt&Tltt. 937

      Oct . 4 , 1851 . ] ^ gftl VLt & tltt . 937

      A Scene In The Court Of Aldermen. At The...

      A SCENE IN THE COURT OF ALDERMEN . At the sitting of the Court of Aldermen on Monday , Mr . Alderman Wilson moved that the thanks of the Court should be presented to the Prefect and Municipality of Paris . Whereupon Mr . Alderman Srdney took occasion to draw the attention of the City magnates to the recent and piquant leaders in the Times' , on the City and its corruptions , when the following dialogue ensued . Mr . Alderman Sydney said : — " He did not stand there to state any cause which the Times newspaper might have had for so sudden a change in their opinions of the Court of Aldermen ; he was at a total loss to account for the line which they had recently adopted , and he greatly deplored it , if there could be discovered any just cause for so powerful an engine being brought to lend its weight and influence against the corporation of London . ( Cheers . ) li

      Mr . Alderman Farebrother thought his friend Mr . Alderman Sidney had selected a wrong opportunity to talk about the Times . " Mr . Alderman Lawrence : I think so too . ( Hear , hear . ) " Mr . Alderman Wire submitted that the question before the Court was , whether a vote of thanks should be passed to the French Ministry and others who had so kindly and hospitably entertained the Court of Aldermen on a late occasion . What had the Times to do with this ? ( Hear . ) " Mr . Alderman Sidney : We have everything to do with what the Times has said about us .

      " Mr . Alderman Farebrother called upon the Lord Mayor to decide whether Mr . Alderman Sidney was in order or not . " Sir P . Laurie said he should support Mr . Alderman Farebrother . The Court had nothing to do with the Times . ( Hear . ) ' Let the gall'd jade wince , our withers are unwrunp . ' Who cared for the Times f ( Loud laughter . ) He was sorry that his friend ( Mr . Alderman Sidney ) should be so sensitive upon all matters connected with the press , and Hupposed he would attack Punch next . ( Laughter . ) No newspaper ought to be attacked in any way whatever . ( Hear , hear . ) " The Lord Mayor : I think it would be better to keep the motion before the Court quite independent of the Times newspaper . ( Hear , hear . )

      " Mr . Alderman Sidney said he was sorry that his friend ( Mr . Alderman Farebrother ) should be bo sensitive when the Times was mentioned . " Mr . Alderman Sidney persisted , and ruked up two certificates of character , one from Sir Kobort Peel and the other from Lord Lanedowne , wherein those statesmen respectively eulogized the Corporution of London ! Of course Mr . Aldormun Wilson ' s motion wus unanimously carried .

      A County Court Judqk In A " Fix." Mr. It...

      A COUNTY COURT JUDQK IN A " FIX . " Mr . Itamahay , the Judge of the County Court at Liverpool , has lately become notorious from his modo of conducting business . Not long ago ho was formall y arruigncd before the Chancellor ' s Court of the Duch y of Lancastur , and , wo are bound to add , formally acquitted . But us he does not possess the moat amiable- of tempers , and is rnoro than usually susceptible of external worry and annoyance , bo nun again fot into rather warm water with the people of iverpool . A » ho wa » proceeding to the court-house on

      Saturday morning , he observed a placard containing the titles of the contents of the Liverpool Journal , edited by Mr . Whitty , and his eye caught the following line , " Mr . Ramshay's opinion of the people of Liverpool . " Thereupon he ordered a bill-sticker to be arrested , who , however , proved not to be the billsticker of the Liverpool Journal . His next step was to send the bailiffs to " bring " Mr . Whitty before him . They went accordingly , without any warrant or written order from the Judge , and , on finding Mr . Whitty , that gentleman refused to accompany them unless

      they had a proper warrant , at the same time menacing the bailiffs with a " paper " knife , and retreating into his printing-office . Thither the bailiffs followed but Mr . Whitty called upon his men who , headed by Mr . Whitty , junior , interposed , and on the police arriving , gave the bailiffs into custody . They were taken to the police station and discharged . Subsequently Mr . Ramshay issued a summons against Mr . Whitty , for an alleged contempt of Court , the contempt being the line in the placard above recited , and against Mr . Whitty , junior , for having assaulted the officers in the execution of their duty .

      The case , as regards Mr . Whitty , lies in a nutshell . Was the exhibition of the offending line outside the court a contempt of Court ? Sir George Stephen , who appeared for Mr . Whitty , contended that it was not . The Judge contended that it was ; and at his own risk , thinking that the offence was one of « ¦ ' great enormity" sentenced Mr . Whitty to a penalty of £ 5 , or seven days' imprisonment . In the midst of the proceedings a reporter was singled out as having insulted the Court . His offence was this : —he had been pointed out to Mr . Sumner , the examiner of the court , as one of the reporters of" the journal , ' ' and consequently a chair was refused him . Whereupon he said the man was " as bad as the master . " His name was Simon Harker , and he was a reporter of the Albion . We have not heard what punishment was inflicted .

      Mr . Whitty was afterwards charged with having insulted the bailiffs , and assaulted them . The insult and assault were alleged to have taken place at the attempted capture of Mr . Whitty . We append specimens of the Judge ' s mode of dealing with the case . The witness is one of the bailiffs : — " One man held his hand up in my face , and he said he would strike me . " Judge : Do you know him ? " Witness : No ; he was a man with black hair , and in his shirt sleeves . " Judge : Was his hand doubled ? " Yes . " Judge : Then , you ass , don't you know that was a fiat : that is what it is called legally ; you ought to know that .

      " Witness : these men came and interrupted us , and Mr . Whitty went out . A number of the other men came round , and that is the reason I lost sight of Mr . Whitty . " The Judge : Let the bailiff * go and take every man of them into custody , every man they can identify ; and if it took a regiment of soldiers , if a regiment of soldiers were required , these men shall be brought up , every man of them . " The police declined to interfere unless a warrant were produced . On learning which the Judge ordered " every one" to be apprehended . The witness stated that young Mr . Whitty did not interfere with him , and at the same time mentioned the name of Mr . Clough . " Judge : Who is this Mr . Clough ? " Wituess : The indoor superintendent of the police .

      " What did he say at all ? " Witness : We said we had come to arrest Mr . Whitty under an order from the County Court . " Sir G . Stephen : If that statement wss made in writing at the superintendent ' s ofh ' ce , it should be produced here in evidence . " Judge : No , Sir George ; you will see that I am taking a statement of my own in the case . " Witness : Mr . Clough said , ' Well , you can't take him without a warrant . * " Judge : Did that apply to the taking of Whitty ? " Witness : Yes . " Judge : He is very much mistaken in the matter . I do not cure who the man is , as sure as he is a living man I will bring him before me . I do not caro who he is , nor how low or how big bis name may be ; but as sure as he is a living man , I will bring him before me .

      " Witness : They were laughing at us all the time in the police-oflice . " Judge : Who were laughing at you ? " Witness : The parties in the office . " Judge : All this may be a laughing matter in town , but whatever I have to do with , you may tell them will be no laughing matter by and by . Was it Clough that laughed at you ? " Witness : No ; it wan them in the oflice . " Judge : Why did not you say ho ? You'll be tellingme by and by Homebody was Belling tea and sugar in the next shop . What have I to do with that ? " Sir CJeorge Stephen contended that the bailiffs were strangers and trespassers on Mr . Whitty ' s premisoH .

      Mr Wlntty was perfectly justified in what he did - for if theae men came to his ( Sir O . Stephen ' s ) house without warrant , without a semblance of authority or without any authority of any kind , as they did in this SfflME ° - 8 tophe " > ™ '" " » " < " " "" " ¦

      ( Here the whole court , which was crowded by a great number of moat respectable merchants , bankers , and trrders , burst out into a loud and vociferous shout of applause . ) J J " Judge : I will clear this court if I have any more of this . I will close the doors , and I will fine every man I have reason to suspect for giving such expression to his feelings . ( Loud hisses . ) I have no doubt but that all the men belonging to this man ' s ( Whitty ' s ) shop are here insulting me in my own court . If you bailiffs don ' t take one of these men who made this indecent expression—if you don ' immediately , I will fine you . " Bailiff : Everybody in court cheered ; they all cheered . " Judge : Well , Sir , you don't bring one in—if you dont bring one before me this instant , I will fine you , Sir .

      " Bailiff : I can't swear to any one ; they all cheered ; the whole court cheered ; they were all glad . " Judge : Then I will fine you if you don ' t bring some of the parties here ; if you don ' t bring some of them before me . " Whereupon two were seized and fined respectively £ 5 , or seven days' imprisonment . The summing up of Mr . Ramshay is unique : — " Judge : Mr . Michael James Whitty , you have been brought up here by an order of this Court , and it has been satisfactorily shown that you have acted in a most gross manner to the persons sent to you with a message from this Court . If you had been a man , Sir , like any other man carrying on business in this town , and if

      nothing had occurred in your own mind of an evil character , you would have at once attended to the suggestion of the Court , or any suggestion I might , as Judge of this court , send you . In reference to the le * gal objection which has been made in your favour , I have only to say that it is impossible to send the bailiffs of this court everywhere —and as to their appointment , it does not require to be in writing , but may be general—and , therefore , they were in discharge of their duty . I tell this court that that man ( Mr . Whitty ) has been found guilty before me of a crime against the act of Parliament . and he must answer for it . ( Here the Judge became deeply excited , and ground his teeth when he concluded the sentence . ) . He has publicly offended against the bailiffs of this court . It is quite

      obvious ( addressing Mr . Whitty ) that you were determined to set the Court at defiance , and you have long done so ; but as you will stand elsewhere to answer that charge , I will not enter into it . What you are here now for is one of the cases of offensive insolence which you have so repeatedly committed and carried on . I tell you , Sir—for you are a man—and every man like you , that the law will be too strong for you , and you will find it out . I tell you , Sir , that you look like a man in whose eyes and in whose face the worst passions and worst feeling of our human nature are delineated . ( Murmurs . ) You do not look like a man , but like a person who is not at all sorry for what he has done . I tell you this , Sir , that for this disgraceful offence , of which you have been found guilty before me , you shall suffer punishment which shall

      be in some sense adequate to the crime which you have committed . I shall not wa 8 te my words with you . I tell you , Sir , that I shall inflict upon you for this offence—for insulting the two bailiffs whom I sent to you , —for that offence , —for wilfully insulting a bailiff of this court of the name of Hartley , I will order you to be imprisoned in her Majesty ' s gaol at Lancaster for seven days ; and for your offence of insulting another officer of this court , of the name of Cholmondley , I shall order you to be further imprisoned in her Majesty ' s gaol of Lancaster for another seven days , to commence at the expiration of your former sentence . ( Loud murmurs and disapprobation . ) Bailiff , I hear another cast : of insolence and disrespect to the judgments of this Court . I heard , a voice in that corner . Bring that fellow up .

      " liailifi : 1 did not see any one in particular . They all did it . " Judge : If you bailiffs are not active enough , and bring those persons before me , 1 will fine you ; ay , and I will commit you . I am not to be both bailiff and jud ^ e in my own court . It is impossible that all the people here could be engaged in this ; because I soe people here of the highest respectability , and they did not join in this expression of feelinpj . " Bailiff : They all did it . " Judge : If this occurs again I will clear the court at once . " The result was that the Judge lined Mr . Whitty two several additional £ <> , or imprisonment for seven days , and Mr . Whitty left the court surrounded by a host of sympathizing friends .

      The same night , Monday , Mr . Whitty left per railway for Lancaster Gaol . Ilia progress was a triumph , accompanied b y tremendous cheers for Mr . Whitty , and yells for Mr . Kamshay . Ah the train left the platform a railway official net the company in . a roar by calling aloud " Any more gentlemen , tor LaiicaBter ? Any more gentlemen for Lancaster Castlo" ? The police were summoned , as also the editor of the Mail , for the line in his plaeurd of Saturday , " Mr . Kamshay and his accusers . "

      In young Whitty's case which wan heard on ' 1 nonday , the charge being that of assaulting the officers in the execution of their duty , though the officers severally declared that ; they did not consider themselves assaulted , the Judge ( Mr . ltaniHhny ) nai ( l he should imposo a fine of £ 2 for innultiiiK Hurt ley , and £ 2 for the same offence uguinst Charnley , or be imprisoned seven < luyn in Lancaster Catttlo . lie was also sentenced to pay £ 2 each to the saint : men for obstructing them in the execution of their duty . Thoro waa no imprisonment added to the latter

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Oct. 4, 1851, page 5, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_04101851/page/5/