cumftances, fo contemptuous both to the name of the king himself, and his dearly beloved Francis Buller," it would, he was convinced, render it indifpenfably neceffary for the court to poftpone his trial; and, as he confidered the virtues of the judge equal to his abilities (both of which he admitted to be bright), he trufted his integrity would still remain unfullied, and that the court would not proceed to try him till they had evinced their power fufficient to the production of his witneffes, and believed they would not attempt to decide on him' till they were first enabled to do him juftice.

The attorney general faid, that he could not poflibly allow the merits of this affidavit. The notice of trial had been given near three weeks ago; therefore an ineffectual attempt to ferve a fubpoena but two days ago, could not form a fufficient claim to any further delay. He wifhed alfo to know to what parts of his defence the evidence of Mrs. Fitzherbert would be applicable.

Lord George replied, by mentioning a converfation which, he faid, he had with Mrs. Fitzherbert at Paris; in relating which he intermingled fo many remarks, too abfurd for repetition, that Judge Buller was compelled to interpofe. His lordfhip was with fome difficulty filenced; and it was then ordered that the trial fhould proceed.

The information was then read; which stated, as libellous and feditious, two paragraphs which appeared in the Public Advertiser, on different days in the month of Auguft laft, relating the particulars of a vifit paid by Count Cagliostro, accompanied by Lord George Gordon, to Monf. Barthelemy, the

French Charge des Affaires, enlarg ing on the merits and fufferings of the count, and concluding with fome fevere reflections on the French queen as the leader of a faction, and on count d'Adhemar, the French ambaffador, and Monf. Barthelemy, as the infidious agents of the queen and her party.

The attorney general opened the cafe, and faid, that amongst the great number of libellous papers which the gentleman now before the court had publifhed, it feemed to be ftrange that he fhould go so far out of his way as to libel the French ambaffador, or any gentleman left in charge for him, as it could have no view whatever but to create a misunderstanding between the two courts. The characters of gentlemen reprefenting their fovereign were not thus wantonly to be attacked; otherwife no man could ever ferve as an ambaffador from any foreign court to the court of London, because they would be under the apprehenfion of feeing themselves attacked in the public papers, and held up as bafe and infamous characters, without an opportunity of gaining redress.

John Bolt was then called, who purchased two newspapers at Mr. Woodfall's office. Mr. Woodfall fwore to the hand-writing of Lord George. Mr. Frafer, one of the under fecretaries of ftate, proved the official fituation of Count d'Adhemar and Monfieur Barthelemy. He added also, that the abuse contained in thefe paragraphs had been known and felt in the capital of France.

Lord George then put the following queftions to Mr. Frafer:Do you know any thing of d'Adhemar's family at Paris? No.-Don't

you

you know he is of a very low and
mean extraction? I do not.-Don't
you know that he bears a bad cha-
racter in Paris?-The court ftop-
ped him by observing, that these
queftions tended to nothing, as the
count was ambaffador at this court.
Lord George then entered on his
defence; when he contented him-
felf with re-afferting and juftifying
every thing he had written. There
did, he faid, exift a faction in Paris
guided by the queen, and the Count
Caglioftro had been perfecuted for
his adherence to the Cardinal de
Rohan; and although he had been
acquitted by the parliament of Paris,
yet d'Adhemar continued to publifh
bafe, falfe, and infamous paragraphs
about him in the papers, particularly
in the Courier de l'Europe, a paper in
French, published in London under
the immediate patronage and direc-
'tion of the count d'Adhemar. Cag-
lioftro, therefore, threw himfelf un-
der the protection of his lordthip, to
extend what influence he might have
in his favour in this country. Count
d'Adhemar, he proceeded to fay,
was a low man, of no family; but,
being plaufible and clever, had
pufhed himself forward to the no-
tice of men in authority; in fhort,
faid his lordship, whatever Jenkin-
fon is in Britain, d'Adhemar is in
France. His lordship then proceed-
ed to speak of the queen of France
in the most improper manner, but
was ftopped by the interference of

the court.

The attorney-general obferved, that his lordship was a difgrace to the name of a Briton.

Lord George then continued, and faid, that it was in order to have thefe bafe paragraphs explained, that his lord hip, with Count Caglioftro, had waited on the French am

baffador, where not receiving the information they expected, the paragraph in queftion was written and publifhed. He therefore contended it was no libel, as it contained nothing but truth in favour of Count Caglioftro, who had as much right to the protection of the laws as Count d'Adhemar, or any other foreigner.

After a fhort charge from the judge, the jury inftantly returned their verdict, GUILTY.

The counfel for the prosecution were the attorney and folicitor generals, Meffrs. Erikine, Bearcroft, Baldwin, and Law. On the other fide Lord George ftood alone, and pleaded his poverty as an excufe for having neither advocate nor folicitor.

Before the time appointed for receiving judgment, his lordship went to Holland. Whilft at Amfterdam he received the following orders from the burgomafters of that place:

My Lord George Gordon, by order of the high esteemed lords the burgo masters of Amfterdam, you are to leave this city within the space of twentyfour hours. Signed TELLIER, fbcriff's officer."

In confequence of the above no. tice, Lord George Gordon left Holland and returned to England; and on the 7th of December was apprehended at Birmingham, by Mr. Macmanus, on a warrant from Judge Buller, for a contempt of court. It appeared that he had lived at Birmingham ever fince Auguft, con verfing with nobody but the Jews, whofe mode of drefs and manners he had affumed, and to whofe religion, it is faid, he had profeffed himself a profelyte. He was imme diately brought up to London, and a few days afterwards, by a general

habeas

crown, was committed to the maf ter's fide of Newgate."

habeas corpus, moved for by the laws of your country. If you were to read the facred fcriptures to any good purpofe, you would find, that one great end of religion is to promote peace and harmony, to teach men fubmiffion to government, and obedience to the law. And it will be of great advantage to the public, as well as to yourfelf, to learn to govern your own practice agreeably to its precepts. One is forry that you, defcended of an illuftrious line of ancestry, fhould have fo much difhonoured your family, by deviating from thofe rules, the obfervation of which induced their fovereigns at firft to confer titles of diftinétion on your ancestors; and that you should prefer the mean ambition of being popular among thieves and pickpockets, and to ftand as the champion of mifchief, anarchy and confufion. As to that part which reflects on the judges, they themfelves would pats it over with that contempt which it deferves; but it highly concerns the good of the community, that the dignity of the taw, and of the administration of justice, fhould be maintained against thefe attempts of ill-minded people who endeavour to bring them into contempt. By endeavouring to afperfe thofe who are entrusted with the adminiftration of the laws, they at laft are apt to bring the law itself into contempt, and to fap and undermine the foundation of all government. With regard to the second of these libels, it appears to be written with the fame fpirit of malevolence and wicked intention. Every good man is happy to fee peace and tranquillity again reftored to this kingdom, after having been engaged for a long time in a fcene of wars with France and other powers. It has been the bufinefs of perfons in [234

On the 28th of January, 1788, his lord fhip was brought before the court of King's Bench to receive judgment; and the court having heard Mr. Wood and Mr. Dallas on behalf of his lord hip, and the a torney-general in reply, Mr. Juftice Athurft delivered the fentence of the court, as follows:" George Gordon, commonly called Lord George Gordon, you have been tried and found guilty, on very clear evidence, of publishing two very fcandalous and very feditions libels; the one intitled The petition of the Prifoners, the other published as a paragraph in the Public Advertifer. The firft of thefe libels is addreffed to yourself, is merely fictitious, of your own fabrication, and is manifeftly calculated t excite infurrection, difcontent, and fedition, among theprifoners confined under fentence of death or tranfportation, and to propagate in the minds of his nuajefty's fubjects a hatred, contempt, and abhorrence of the criminal laws of this country, of all others the most famed for lenity, and to traduce thofe who are entrusted with the adminiftration of them. In the other, you attempt to afperfe the character of her Mott Chriftian majesty the queen of France, and Moni. Barthelemy, as being the inftrument of a faction. It would be doing you too much honour to read in public thefe libels, and particularly the fcurrilous language and low abuse in the prifoners petition. It were to be withed you would make a better ufe of your reading in the Bible, and not ufe the fcripture ftyle and phrafe for the wicked purpofe of promotingmutiny and fedition, and to undermine the

this