On Friday the Attorney General obtained a rule to shew cause why the trials of James Geo BRUCE and Wiliam PEARSON, charged under Lord Ellensborough's Act, with shooting of William BIRCH police officer, with intent to kill him, should be put off till next assizes, on account of the absence of a material witness
The trail of the Rev. Mr HARRISON for libelllous expressions in a sermon was expected to come on, on the 8th inst.
The following are stated in the indictment to be the obnoxious words "The government has starved her people, and it right that the people should starve the government".....The indictment also charges the defendant with saying "it's a corrupt government", and with endeavouring to incite insurrection, sedition and to overawe the two houses of Parliament.
On Friday Samuel HARDERN, aged 28, a wood-turner at Macclesfield, stood indicted for joining with 200 persons in disturbing the peace, and riotously breaking windows in the house of Jonathon WILSON, of Macclesfield............Mr WEST, for the defendant, contended that it had been shewn on the evidence of a magistrate that the principal distress existed among the weavers and among them the inflammation arose. His client was, however not of that trade, and it appeared had been accidentally drinking that afternoon and went into the crowd out of curiosity - The Jury brought in a verdice of Guilty.
Ralph WRIGHT, aged 24, was then put to the bar under the same charge. It appeared that he was a silk weaver. It was sworn that he was seen in the crowd shouting " That's right -that's your sort- God speed the plough" but that he had nothing in his hand, and did not commit any violence. He had been in the army, and was present at the battle of Waterloo. For his services he had been honoured with a medal - the Jury bought in a verdict of Guilty. HARDERN is to be confined eighteen months, and WRIGHT six months.
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