which they were accompanied. It was almost unnecessary to inflame their minds with a repetition of them; but there was one to which he could not refrain from drawing their attention. It was this

"A Whig of eminence may be allowed some excuse for rejoicing at the fall of a great Tory, because his ru ling passion the hope of place-may be flattered by such an event; but this apology cannot be allowed to men whose talents and pretensions are so extremely humble as those of Mr Palmer, who, except, perhaps, as deputyassistant clerk to Mr Creevey, would never be employed by any administra. tion upon earth.”

That was one of the comments: but let them listen to what came next. After abusing Mr Palmer in every possible manner, on he goes

"Lest the incredibility of the above statement should make it doubtful with our readers, we beg to observe that there were in the room, amongst other witnesses to the affair, the Hon. Colonel Anstruther, Captain Price, Mr Tuppin, Mr Thomas Tanner, Mr Bull, and Captain Rich."

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It would strike the jury with horror to hear, that of the gentlemen' thus vouched by the libeller to have been the witnesses to this affair, one was in France, another in Brighton, another confined to his bed by ill-health, and the fourth absolutely unknown in the town of Reading; and yet it was on the authority of such persons that Mr Bull avouched a libel to be true, which he himself positively knew to be false. Perhaps, however, Mr N. Bull laboured under some mistake. He would therefore examine whether there was any ground for such an idea; and here he would say that he was willing to give up his case if it could be shewn that any person had spoken a disrespectful word of the late Lord Londonderry, or that Mr Palmer had de

manded, or that any person had refused to give, an apology for any language that was uttered upon that occasion. There was no ground for stating that Mr N. Bull had acted under a mistake; the whole story was a pure invention of his own; nothing had occurred that was at all like it. He would produce the gentlemen who were present in the billiard-room, and they would declare upon their oaths, that so far from the facts being as Mr Bull had stated, they were directly the reverse-that, in place of the conversation imputed to Mr Palmer, he had expressed before Mr Bull the regret which he felt at the manner of Lord Londonderry's death, had stated his sorrow at seeing the people about Wokingham rejoicing at his death, and had added, that he had gone out of his inn there on purpose to rebuke them for so doing. He should prove, he repeated, that this was said in the presence of Bull himself; what, then, must that individual be, who after hearing Mr Palmer express his regret at the manner in which Lord Londonderry had died, and his indignation at the savage joy with which the people received the tidings of it-what must he be, who under such circumstances could go to the public press of the country, and impute to his honourable client conduct diametrically the reverse of that which he had actually followed? He would tell the jury what Mr Bull was. He was the son-in-law of Mr Tanner, one of the persons said to be present at the conversation, and one of the most violent opponents of Mr Palmer at his different elections in Reading. That circumstance might afford them some clew to the malice which had led the defendant to write the libel for which he was now called upon to answer. He would bring before them individuals of great influence in the town of Reading, who would tell them, that if his honourable client had not taken

this method of vindicating his character, the electors of Reading would never again have returned him to Parlia. ment; for, feeling as men and Christians ought to feel, they would have spurned a man who could make the death of a political opponent a fit subject for merriment and revelry. He had said that Bull had had time sufficient for reflection before he published this libel. He would now examine, whether since its publication he had done anything to atone for the injury which he had wantonly inflicted on the character of his client. For a few days after its publication he might not know that it had hurt Mr Palmer's feelings. He (Mr Phillips) would not therefore complain of his having offered no atone ment for some days afterwards. But it was not long before the club, in whose room this conversation was said to have occurred, assembled to take notice of it. The persons who were present whilst Mr Palmer was in the room were all examined as to it. Every one of them declared, upon his honour, first of all, that he did not hear one word of the imputed conversation, and secondly, that he had not given any information of it to the John Bull newspaper. Colonel Anstruther, the president, then wrote to Mr Nicholas Bull, who was the only person present who had not been examined, and informed him of what had occurred in a letter, which was quite proper for the occasion, and which no man could be offended at receiving from another. The letter was as follows:

"Reading Billiard Club, Sept. 8, 1822. “SIR,

"At a general meeting of the members and subscribers of the Billiard Club, held on Thursday the 5th instant, to take into consideration certain most offensive paragraphs in the John Bull newspaper, detailing a pretended and disgusting conversation of Mr

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Fyshe Palmer in the Reading Billiard Rooms, relative to the death of the Marquis of Londonderry, and imputing to him language derogatory to the character of a Christian and a gentleman, I am requested, as president and chairman of the said meeting, to inform you, that every gentleman present when the above conversation was supposed to take place, denied, either that such conversation took place, or that he was anywise instrumental in communicating to the editors of the John Bull newspaper the libel against Mr Fyshe Palmer's character contained in the report of such supposed conversation.

"I am requested, also, in order to give you the same opportunity of denying the two matters above-mentioned, to ask you whether you ever heard Mr Fyshe Palmer use the words imputed to him-namely, that he would have a jollification on the death of Lord Londonderry, or words to that effect; and whether you have been anywise instrumental in the propagation, or in the communication to the editors of the John Bull newspaper, of any such conversation?

"Not doubting but that you will duly appreciate the honourable and candid feelings of the meeting towards you in making this application to you, and that you will readily comply with their request in a matter where so sacred a thing as character is concerned, I wait in confidence of having from you a speedy answer, and remain, Sir, your obedient servant,

DD. ANSTRUTHER, President, &c. "Captain N. Bull.”

The Colonel Anstruther who wrote that letter was the Colonel Anstruther to whom reference was made for the truth of the story in the John Bull newspaper. Now he thought that Mr Bull, under these circumstances, seeing that every gentleman present denied

the correctness of his statements, ought to have written to Mr Palmer and made him some atonement for the defamation to which he had subjected his character. Did he do so? Quite the reverse. After due deliberation he wrote the following letter:

and

"London, Sept. 13, 1822.

"SIR, "In reply to your letter, which I received but this moment, on my return from Holland, I beg to state that Mr Palmer did in my presence, and in my hearing, say to Dr Midford, who was then in conversation with Mr Palmer on the subject of the death of the Marquis of Londonderry, that we would for prepare go a good blow out' (that was his expression)-that there would be a haunch of venison, and plenty of punch too; and more than once invited the doctor to partake of it; and I do verily and truly believe that this invitation was given in consequence of the lamented death of the Marquis of Londonderry; and I do most candidly, and as a man, confess, that I have repeated what I have heard to my own private friends, but not with intention of its publicity," (a deliberate falsehood, said Mr Phillips, as I will prove to you upon oath ;) and I would put it to Mr Palmer's honour, whether or no this invitation was not given in consequence of the event allu

ded to.

"I have the honour of remaining, Sir, your most obedient servant, "NICH. B. BULL. "To the Hon. Colonel Anstruther, Reading, Berks."

He begged the jury to observe, this person was so good a Christian himself, that he called the death of the Marquis of Londonderry a lamentable death; and yet at the very same moment he gives mouth to an observation which was so foul and so false, that it

would have disgraced the most wicked and obdurate Pagan. He again repeated, and after due deliberation, that the conversation in question had occurred. Now, he would produce the gentlemen who were present, and who would inform them upon oath, that nothing had happened that bore the slightest resemblance to it. He would produce Mr Shackell, who would prove, that instead of not wishing to give it publicity, the defendant had absolutely forced him to publish it, and after reading the proof sheet which contained it, had given his honour that it was all correct. He observed, that his learned friend, Mr Alley, had laughed at this last assertion; he supposed that it was from an idea that he should not be able to prove it. It was, however, a blessed thing that Providence, as if it were to warn weak mortals against the perpetration of wrong, so blinded them when they turned miscreants enough to commit it, as to extort from them almost without their own knowledge, proofs of their own miscreantcy. He would produce a letter in Mr Bull's own handwriting, in which he said that he would be answerable for the contents of the paragraph, and he hoped that the jury would make him a little more answerable than he had expected to be made. He did not perceive that his learned friend now laughed. He would first read the letter of the alarmed Editor to Mr Bull. As soon as Mr Shackell saw the resolutions of the Reading Club, he addressed Mr Bull as follows:

"K. B. September 12th, 1822. "DEAR BULL,

"As I have no doubt but you have seen the Chronicle and The Times of yesterday, in each of which is contained sundry resolutions of the Reading Club, disclaiming in the names of those then there, as also in the names of the persons present at the time you men

tioned the conversation to have taken place, any such conversation, or any conversation in the least tending to your version thereof, I feel called on to request that you will favour me, without delay, with a few lines explanatory or otherwise of the affair. You no doubt recollect, that after having written down the conversation, you had an opportunity, on Saturday evening, 17th of August, of correcting it, or saying it was erroneous wholly or in part" (the jury, Mr Phillips said, would find that the defendant could not deny this to be the fact ;)" and that you then thought what I then struck out ought not to have been so struck out, because it was correct, and not even strong enough for the expressions used." (You will find, remarked Mr Phillips, that the Editor of the John Bull actually thought the comment so strong as to deem it advisable to strike part of it out. Mr Bull at the same time declaring that it was not strong enough ;)" and pray oblige me by attending to this request as speedily as possible. I have directed my man to wait for an answer.

"Yours truly,

"Mr N. Bull."

"W. SHACKEll.

He would now read them the answer of Mr Bull to this letter, and they would see from it whether the statement of Mr Bull, in his letter to Colonel Anstruther, that he had no intention of giving publicity to the conversation, was or was not an abominable falsehood. The letter was as follows:

"MY DEAR SHACKELL,

"We have just arrived, and I have this moment seen your man, and have got your note, as well as the enclosed. What am I to do? I cannot say that every word mentioned in the same is exactly true; but that Palmer said he was going to provide his dinner on the

occasion is as true as that I am alive." (There he is, said Mr Phillips, denying the correctness of his statements, again reiterating their truth with the strong words "as true as that I am alive." Mark this letter well, gentlemen, for I'll prove from it, under his own hand, that he has exaggerated grossly; and I would then ask what justification can be advanced in his behalf? The letter went on)" This has much hurt me: for I have certainly exaggerated some parts." (Did you ever hear of anything like this, gentlemen? He imputes a foul and calumnious charge to an honest man, who, after two arduous elections, had been twice elected to serve as Member of Parliament for the town of Reading: he declares that this false and calumnious charge is as true as that he is alive, and yet in the very next sentence, he confesses that he certainly has exaggerated some part. He says, too, that it has hurt him much-To have given birth to such a calumny? Noit has hurt him much, because he has been found out as the author of it. The letter then proceeded :)-" Pray write me, and tell me what you advise me to do. We are off again in the morning, and I would come to you, but cannot spare a minute. Our passage has been a most arduous one.

"Pray tell me what I can do to get out of this very unpleasant affair. "I remain your much troubled "N. B. BULL.

"Wm. Shackell, Esq."

He said, "I am your much troubled N. B. Bull." Why much troubled ? Because he had unjustly traduced the character of Mr Palmer? No; but because he began to be afraid that the verdict of twelve honest men might make him pay heavy damages for the calumnies he had circulated. "But," added he, "what am I to do to get out of this very unpleasant affair?"

He (Mr Phillips) would tell him what he ought to have done. He ought to have gone to Mr Palmer, and to have told him as he told Mr Shackell, that he had certainly exaggerated some matters against him : he ought to have said "I know that I have done wrong, but I am ready to atone for it-I intended to injure you with the electors of Reading, but I am ready to make an apology before them, and to unsay all that I have said to your disadvantage I spread the venom, and I am now ready as far as I can to communicate the antidote." But instead of doing this, he advises the Editor of the John Bull to reiterate the falsehood, and to publish another letter, stating, that "our correspondent states it to be as true as that he is alive, and that all comment, as The Times says, is superfluous."

The defendant allowed the judgment to go by default; but Mr Alley spoke in mitigation, and endeavoured to shew that the prosecution ought to have been against the proprietors of the John Bull newspaper.

The jury returned a verdict of 2001. damages.

The panel pleaded not guilty.

Henry Ker, land-surveyor, examined by the Solicitor-General.-Was acquainted with the deceased, William Howat, with whom the witness resided in Broughton-street in February last. Dined with him on Saturday, the 8th February, in company of Alexander Welsh, Mr Johnston, and Walter Grieve; Mr Wilkinson joined them about two hours after dinner; dined at four. Left Mr Howat's lodgings about nine. Had been drinking whisky toddy; drank between two and three bottles of whisky. Left the house at nine, with a view to go to Mr Wilkinson's, Bristo-street. It was agreed that the party should make some sport of Mr Johnston, as he was going home. Witness was very little affected with drink; Mr Howat was rather intoxicated, but had no difficulty in walking; there was little appearance of drink on Mr Welsh and Mr Johnston; Wilkinson and Grieve appeared more intoxicated; all walked without any assistance whatever. A proposition was made of going to Mr Cooper, the boxer's; but Mr Johnston said he would not go to that house, he would go to a respectable house. Proceeded

MURDER OF WILLIAM HOWAT.

High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh,

Friday, March 14.

This day came on before the Court, the trial of Mary M'Kinnon, lately residing on the South Bridge, accused of the crime of murder, by having, on the evening of the 8th day of February, assaulted and stabbed in the breast or side, with a table knife, William Howat, the clerk with Thomas Johnstone, writer in Edinburgh, of which wound he languished in the Infirmary until the 20th day of the same month, when he died.

the house of a Mr Anderson, but did not go in, because they could not be accommodated with a private room. The party then crossed the street to a house which witness now understands to be Mrs M'Kinnon's; it is on the west side. The whole party went into this house together; were shewn into a room; saw two or three girls when the door was opened; one of them shewed the party into the room; asked for a jug of toddy, which was immediately brought; were joined in drinking the toddy by two or three girls; one of the party lay down on the bed, but not from drunkenness; drank no more than one jug. It was the ser.