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tioned in the indictment, were guilty of those acts I have attributed

to them.

Recorder (with a nod and sarcastic grin)-Go on with your defence.

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The defendant (looking round the gallery) began, Leviticus chap. xv. verse 16, to the end; chap. xviii.; chap. xix. verse 13, they should have had this command before they left Egypt. Chap. xxi. ver. 7, ah, Hosea did not know this, I suppose; let us see, Hosea chap. i. verse 2, oh! I find God told him to "take a wife of whoredoms," and again, another whore, chap. iii. verse 1; and what is worse, one that was beloved of her friend." Well, I see God does not remember every thing. Chap. xxiv. verse 10, now, Gentlemen, there have been great disputes and altercations about the word blasphemy: if this is the word of God why do you not take his word for your standing rule, you will find here that blasphemy consists in cursing God, (the defendant read 10, 11, and 12 verses) "Put him in ward," that was a prison I suppose, that they might know what punishment to inflict upon a man who would dare to curse his God, for it does not appear that there was any command to that effect before; cursing or calling people bad names does not seem to have been such a crime; for we find, as we have already read, that Noah cursed his own grandson; Shimei cursed David,; even Jesus cursed a fig-tree, which was not his own, because it did not bear fruit out of season; even Job would curse the day of his birth, but he would not curse God; because he knew he would get stoned for it, according to this law which God now made. He then read verses 13, 14, 15, 16, perhaps Job's wife might have found it to her interests to persuade her husband to curse God and so die. We even find that an angel can curse. Read Judges chap. v. ver. 23,thus, Gentlemen, you see, that blasphemy is cursing God, by the Mosaic law, and who among you can charge me with cursing God? It may be said, that those things were only "types or shadows of things to come," that the apostolic doctrine teaches different, let us see then, what James says, read James chap. ii. ver. 5, 6, 7, Here you find that blasphemy consists in oppressing poor people like me, and dragging us before your judgment seats. I think I have now explained what blasphemy is, according either to the old or new will of God, and as I should suppose the jury might require a little refreshment as well as myself, I would beg to ask permission to retire a quarter of an hour.

Recorder-Go on with your defence.

(The defendant's voice here began to fail, and the Governor of Newgate, Mr. Wontner, persuaded him to read only those passages which he might consider as absolutely necessary, for he was sure he would soon be exhausted; he then began)

Numbers chap. xii. verse 3, could Moses write this of himself? If he did, it shews a great deal of vanity; but let us see whether the record he gives of himself be true, read chap. xxxi.

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Is this the meekest man of the earth? Could any man act more barbarous? The chapter is so horrid, that I cannot dwell upon it. Chap. xxii. ver. 20, to the end. Is not this a fable? chap. xxv. ver. 6, 7, 8, Josephus says they were married; but if not, was he justified in murdering them? O, yes, he had a covenant of peace" given to him read c. xii. v. 9; died 24,000, now Paul, when speaking of this says only 23,000. Surely, this is a contradiction, a thousand men is a great number, Duet. chap. iii. ver. 1 to 8, what slaughtering work is here! I am tired of reading it, chap. xiii. ver. 1 to 5, observe, Gentlemen, this command is said to be given by God. If a dreamer's dream did come to pass, he was to be put to death, if his dream tended to draw them after any other God; now, read Matthew chap. i. ver. 20, and chap. ii. ver. 13, and 22, you can find here, that Joseph dreamed three dreams and was never put to death, although the thing which came to pass did actually tend to draw them towards another God; namely Christ, and all this was done it is said chap. i. ver. 23 to fulfil a prophecy, let us read this prophecy, it is in Isaiah chap. vii. (Here the defendant read the vii. chapter to the 17 verse and by commenting in various parts proved that this prophecy applied no more to Jesus than himself, but by the eighth chapter he explained the prophecy,) chap. xviii. ver. 15, I have heard some persons say, that this too, meant Christ, but Christ was no more like Moses than chalk is like cheese. The prophet, he was speaking of, was Joshua, who was exactly like Moses, a blood thirsty murdering villain. Read some of his acts, Joshua x. and xi. Surely it is enough to prove him a murderer, Judges chap. i. ver. What a pretty God this was that could not drive them out because they hid themselves in iron chariots! chap. iii. ver. 15 to 23, here is something more than is contained in the indictment, here is encouragement for treason. The Defendant asked again if he might not be allowed to retire for five minutes, only to take a little -refreshment, the Recorder told him he had better go on. fendant said he found himself exhausted for want of refreshment; but he would read a little more and contrast the one part with another, in order to prove its contradictions.

19.

The De

Recorder-You are wasting your time in reading what cannot possibly apply to your defence, if therefore you exhaust yourself, it is your own fault.

Defendant—I find I shall require more time to finish my defence, than nature will allow me without refreshment.

Recorder-What is your intention? Do you intend to do any thing more than you have been doing for this some time past? Have you any means of shewing you did not publish the libel?

Defendant-I do not deny, neither am I ashamed of publishing the work; but I intend to prove that it is no libel; if I prove the truth of the epithets charged against me.

Recorder Yes it is, for what is true in some cases if publish

ed may be very mischievous, and courts have decided, that to publish what you now have uttered, language vilifying the religion of your country, and the word of God, upon what it is founded, is highly blasphemous and libellous.

Defendant-I have already proved that blasphemy is nothing less than cursing God; and if I vilified a hundred religions, you cannot make blasphemy of it; but blasphemy or not blasphemy, I can prove the truth of what I have said, if I am suffered to refresh myself.

Recorder-I certainly shall not give you any indulgence for that purpose.

The Defendant then read, I Sam. chap. xv. ver. 3 to 29, this is most singular and glaring, even in the same chapter we are told at verse 11, that God repented and now verse 29, he cannot repent, chap. xxi. ver. 2, 3; Did not David tell a lie, here, and one of the most atrocious nature; for he says, chap. xxii. ver. 22, that he knew what would be the consequence. What was the consequence of David's lies? why, read chap. xxii. ver. 18: here was murdering work by the lord's annointed! chap. xxx. ver. 1 to 19, here is a contrast! it appears, that the heathen did not slay a man, but the Man after God's own Heart, slew them all save 400 men, whom he could not catch; but how is this people come to life again, I read, just now, John chap. xv. ver. 8, that Saul a few years ago, slew them all, utterly destroyed them, 2 Sam. chap. viii. ver. 2, what cruelty, verse 4, 700 horsemen : why here in 1 Chron. chap. xviii. ver. 4, it says, there were 7000 horsemen, chap. x. ver. 18, 40,000 horsemen, here again 1 Chron. chap. xix. ver. 18. it says 40,000 footmen, chap. xi. to 17, basely murdered! Now hear the last dying words of this Man after God's own Heart, 1 Kings chap. ver. 5 to 9, I am to be cast in prison for calling this man a murderer, xi. to 9. This also is a good man I suppose, xiii. to 25, so we find that the deceiver escapes, and the poor deceived, slain. And when men of God lie one to another, how are we to believe them? 2 Kings chap. ii. ver. 24, here were 42 children destroyed, although Jesus says "of such is the kingdom of God." Chap. x. ver. 6, 7, 8, those 70 persons were murdered by the orders of Jehu, whom Elisha the man of God annointed King of Israel, on purpose to commit this bloody deed. Chap. xix. ver. 35, Did God suffer this bloody angel to come into heaven again? The Defendant now said, that he found himself so exhausted, he must leave his case to the Jury, if not suffered to retire a few minutes; that he found such a dizziness in his head, he should, if he proceeded further, commit some error, which he did not wish to do, that he found such a pain in his head, he hardly knew what he said. Will you (to Recorder) allow me a short time, Sir, to refresh myself?

Recorder-If your object is to go on in the way you have hitherto, I will not, I will not hear you utter the most blasphemous

and horrid expressions in succession, with which the ears of the Court have been assailed. You have added to your guilt, by attempting to shew the truth of your wicked assertions with regard to all the characters you have vilified in the Bible, excepting two persons. I would advise you to proceed no further, I will not allow you to utter such dreadful language against that being whom I, and every Christian believe to be our redeemer.

Defendant- I have proved the truth of all I asserted, except as to Paul.

Recorder-And our Saviour?

Defendant—Yes, Paul and Jesus.

Recorder-Is it not horrid, that you should have classed those persons with robbers, adulterers, murderers, and have repeated and justified the blasphemy you stand to answer for?

Defendant-I do consider Jesus to be the best of them; for he did no murder himself, he seemed to be an enemy to priests and hypocrites, like myself: he might have some qualifications which would rank him amongst the good and virtuous; but if this book be true, I can prove that I have said nothing but what I can justify from the Bible; suffice it to say at present, that Jesus took an ass that did not belong to him.

Recorder-I will not hear such language.

Defendant-You wont hear truth, you won't give me time, I leave my case to the Jury. Here the defendant could scarcely reach the seat, through weakness.

The Recorder then summed up and pronounced the book to be a wicked, blasphemous, and prophane libel. The Jury found the defendant Guilty without the least consideration. The Defendant being asked what he had to say why he should not receive judgment, as in case of misdemeanour, replied, that he had been rendered incapable of making his defence, through his (the Judge's) inhumanity. The Recorder, after dwelling on the various circumstances of aggravation contained in his Defence, sentenced him to imprisonment for three years in Newgate, and to enter into his own recognizances in the sum of one hundred pounds for his good behaviour during life.

THE TRIAL OF WILLIAM HALEY,

For publishing No. 21, Vol. 9, of The Republican, before the Recorder and a Common Jury, at the Old Bailey Sessions.

THIS case was called at half past eleven o'clock on Friday morning the 11th of June. The Jury being called and having entered the box, the Recorder told the Defendant, that now was his time to ask the Jury any question, relative to their having ever been on a similar case.

Defendant-I will not occupy unnecessarily the time of the Gentlemen of the Jury, by putting the question to them individually-but shall ask generally, whether any gentleman in the box has ever served on a trial of a similar nature, trusting to the candour of the Gentlemen.

A Juror rose and said, that he had been a Juror on the trial of the King v. Carlile.

Defendant-Then, my Lord, I object to that Gentleman. Recorder-How long is it since you were on a trial of this

nature?

Juror-Four or five years.

Recorder I cannot see, then, Defendant, what objection you can have.

Defendant-My Lord I do object to that person?

Recorder-In a case of felony, the prisoner may PEREMPTORILY challenge twenty Jurors, but you are only charged with a misdemeanour*, therefore, you must give a reason. The trial on which that Gentleman sat as a Juror, was not for the same publication.

Defendant-My lord, it is absurd to tell a prisoner that now is his time to challenge the Jury, and on his doing so, to endeavour to evade his challenge. I challenge that Juror on the ground that he is not unprejudiced.

Here some conversation took place between the Recorder and the counsel for the prosecution, (Barnard) but it was inaudible, beyond the table at which the counsel, &c., were sitting.

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Recorder-Defendant, you cannot on this ground challenge the Gentleman as a matter of right; but if the gentleman who is engaged for the Crown does not object to the gentleman leaving the box, he may do so.

Defendant-I claim it as a matter of right.

Mr. Barnard here rose and said, that the Defendant was mis

Which is only punished by three years' imprisonment.

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