Speeches of John Philpot Curran, Esq (Volume 1); With a Brief Sketch of the History of Ireland

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1811. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... THE TRIAL OF ARCHIBALD HAMILTON ROWAN, ESQ. FOR THE PUBLICATION OF A LIBEL. IN the latter end of December, 1792, Mr. Rowan was arrested by virtue of Mr. Justice Downes's warrant, on a charge of distributing a seditious paper. Mr. Downes having assured Mr. Rowan, that the examinations, upon which the warrant was grounded, would be returned to the clerk of the crown, and that they would, he supposed, be in course by him laid before' the next term grand jury, Mr. Rowan, instead of going to gaol, in pursuance of his own opinion, followed the advice of his law friends, and gave bail for his appearance in the king's bench, to answer such charges as should be there made against him. During the succeeding Hilary term, Mr. Rowan daily attended in the king's bench, and on the last day of that term finding that no examinations had been laid before the grand jury, against him, he applied, by counsel, to the court, that the examinations should be forthwith returned, particularly, as Mr. Attorney-General had, in the course of the term, filed two informations, ex officio, against him, the one for the same alleged offence of distributing a seditious paper, and the other for a seditious conspiracy; whereupon Mr. Justice Downes, who was on the bench, having asserted that he had on the first day of the term, returned the examinations to the clerk of the crown, and the clerk of the crown having said, that from the multiplicity of the examinations returned to him on the first day of the term, and even on that day, he had not time to look them Vol. t G r over, the court refused to make any order. Mr. Rowan daily attended the king's bench on the following Easter term, until the same was nearly spent, and finding that no bills were sent up to the grand jury against him, he moved the c...