iur, MEMOIRS and CORRESPONDENCE of JAMES ACLAND. Proprietor and Editor— written by Himtelf. " / LIKE HONESTY IN ALL PLACES."— Judge Bavley. Printed and Published by JAMES ALI. AND ( 801,1 PPUPRIKTOK AND EDITOR) at the RRSSTOLUN OWEN, Kristolian Cuart, Bridewell LONE. VOL. IV- No XXIV. SAIURIMY, JANUARY 8, IS31. [ Pmci MORE INDICTMENTS. Matt.— Two fieih Indictments have, i jie. cieve, been preferred against me— and trie, Qrand Jury huve, it » eems, found a. True. wound under the glaring radiance of the Sun of Truth! If this were not so in mv case, whv is even proceeding against mo for alleged libels, insti- tuted in a Criminal Court ? I reply, because tyiii in each ease. The crime, imputed i » * W mV persecutors dare not afford me ihe opDOr of writing, printing, and publishing—- i'AETA ' i his. is conaiste » t in in> enemies and beconrcs tp « : a as persecutors of a free press and as lit isuili^ ns I, however, derive consolation from the reflection that all these varied pro- cowing* to destroy that liberty, which is the lifeguard of our every privilege as men and freemen, must assuredly converge the crisis « f Reform, So it ever is— for as in Nature the flesh must « ee Corruption ere its ethereal inhabitant can enjoy its full portion of happi Bess— so all other things, moral as well as physical, must be reduced to the apparent Verge of destruction before the re. vivifying impulse in restoration or in reformation, can be aroused. It is Despotism which gives birth to Revolution and to Liberty. The physician reduces the strength of his patient lo the helpltssness of the child— in order to ;. his preservation, convalescence, and strength. The persecutions of the Press proclaim the necessity of its counteracting influence. The jades wince not until galled, and they, only, wince unto vengeance and persecution, who ftel the barb of correction to rankle in their tunity of justifying what 1 have published, by proving it to be true— and which, had thev proceeded bv an Action at law, 1 should be entitled to do. And there is yet another reason. By preferring the Criminal process they would have me tried by the servant of my Corporate friends— the Recorder or Town Clerk, whilst a Civil procedure would of necessity be under the cognizance of a Judge of the Land, who might not be so willing an instrument in my persecution, I know not at whose instance these two fresh bills have been preferred and should be glad to. be informed. I guess them to be of legal manufacture. J. A. Q3" Correspondents will be pleased to for ward their fayors to the Bristolian Piinting Office, Bridewell Lane, the first floor at the bottom of the Passage, near Nelson- Street. J. A RESTRICTIONS ON THE PRESS. Tbare can be no better criterion of the proportion of Freedom which a people are allowed to enjoy by the Government of their • mntry, than the qnantum of encoura^. nent or discouragement which it measured • ut by Ministerial enactments, to the pr<> pifo. ors and conductors of she Public Press, If this obs^ rwrtion be just, the people Great Britain are much U* s free titan the/, iirctend ta> belief* tbemselve, and desire others to suppose them. The Government whicfc desires to pay a due regard lo Pnblic Opinio ® , and which is really anxious to attain an fcor est judgment on its bea ing, with reference to Ad" ministrative measures, would naturally endea- vour to throw open the Literary sources of • knowledge to all classes of society— the poor as well as the rich, and to such end, would above all things, be careiui te refrain from such taxation of the produce of the mind as might countervail such honest object. Such is the case in America, and hence its almost incredible advance in civilisation, and its equally extrao/ dinary position in the scale « f Nations. Is our National detrioraiion then, matter « S wonder, if we have due regard to the ruinous monopoly of the Public Press of the country, which is directly encouraged by the Govern, ment, and which is calculated to destroy it* utility, by the mis direction of its energy and influence ? And that this is fact, it is by oc means difficult lo demonstrate. I proceed to to do so. Ttie paper on which Newspaper5 I 9* THE BRISTOLIAN •• re printed, is heavily bnrthened ' with Taxation, The stamp duty OH every Newspaper sheet i* four- pence. The tax on every Newspaper Advertisement Three Shillings and Sixpence— even to the distracted mother who has lost her child !: Then comes the requirement that heavy sureties shall be lodged at the Stamp Office, before a Newspaper can be published. Then follow all the iniquities of the libel Ififir, which makes truth criminal, and offers the premium of impunity on the abstinence • I" * Public Journalist from the honest expo- sure of villainy! These are the fetters with which it has been t- huught necessary by the Government of this Country to clog knowledge. What are the consequences? That the Newspapers are tbiown into the Sands of Capifalists- talent and honesty degraded lib the level of hireling-— the Ptess pf the Country rendered a mere speculative com- modity— and profit and loss weighed in the Stale of sell interest, against public duly and , National honor! Hence it is, that the Editors of Newspaper^ are more loud in their demands tor any and • very olher descriplion of Reform and Resto- ration of Rights, than that which would seem, fO casual observers, most to concern ( hem- • elves, and which, in truth, most of all con- cerns the Country. The Proprietors of News- papers are well aware that if the Government • ere ( o concede thai Free Tra « le in knowledge, Which the removal of the restrictions on tbe Press yould constitute— that ihe Newspapers • f the Country would be almost immediately increased tenfold; that there would be more menial product in the market ; that its price K> the consumer would be reduced ; that, a superior quality might be proffered ; that the mockery of the present humbug system migh, he exposed, and its present manufacturers be ruined ! Yet in their ruin, the Nation would be resuscfiated } ihe alarum of danger rung through. ihe land„ and the protection of Edtto. Vial vigilance extended to the people,, instead of tieing, as now, perverted to the dishonest purposes of a corrupt Government. Should these things be? Should thev be permitted to exist an instant longer than can be avoided P No honest man with a spark of patrotism in his breast will answer in the affirmative. It needs not to be more than observed that the legislative acts of modern British Parlia menu are by no means perfect How else would the little Biistolian have stood ihe racket for \ ears— the leader of the forlorn hoDe against the strong hold of ignorance. The small sized parent of manv promising chi'dren which are now traversing the king' dom in all the success which bold measures, promptly adopted and vi^ orrously pursued merit. Should tbe Bristolian die of a premature old age— the creative mind of its originator y> ill not die wilh it— b" t will survive to ex- change ils form — re- animating another, and possibly a more enduring and more avail- iab! e body. In avowing that I have for some time con- templated ihe means of making my press more generally useful to ihe community at large, I confess the indulgence of a hope that 1, and others, may eventually compel ihe Government to refrain from a system of re- striction which admits of evasion— and the Newspaper Proprietors to relinquish a Mono- poly which cannot be effectually maintained. Such is my object. It is one in which I shall expect the support of all the admirers of a Free Press— of all poor men who feel ttha they have a stake in Country equal ( to them) wilh the rich men's thousands— and of all who seek knowledge, and estimate truth and honesty as virtues. By the incontroveitible law of nature, man, laboring man, is entitled to a penny- worth of bread for his penny— and by the incontro- vertible iaw of mind, man, intelligent man, is eptnled lo a penny. worth of knowledge for his penny. Yet Government says " No— tor his penny he shall have but a half- penny worth of bread— for his sevenpence, he shall hav • bul lhree penny- worth of inielltgence." If ih • form of our Government were despo'ie, this would, of necessity be permitted, or ralher s . ffered. But, since it is- no' so— I or apy other man has a right to do that, in con- travention of injustice, and in opposition lo usurped power, which the law— which the strict lener of the law pel mils. And that will I do— and speedily. J A. MES AC LAND. MEM — I have been honored with a foolish letter from a person whom 1 have not th « pleasure of knowing, but whom I suspect to be first cousin to one " Swing," of unfortu- nate notoiiety. The following is an ex< ict copy of it: — " Sir, " You har a chap wot sets every bodv by there here* together and has for a long time. So ! de have you to no that theie is six of Ug good fetiers rhof we be Bristolians which wont put up with it not any longer. And we have sweared upon the Prayer book as if you writes any more of yore Use arter next Wensday that is we shall fire yore place and, put an end to yore damd paper So mind. » ( Signed) BLAZE « ' and 5 besides." MnM.— This is mosi probably a hoax, b'. cause ihe threat ii by no means likely to be enforced. What! in ihe very centre of tbe once second City of ihe Kingdom— where ihert is a Mayor and I don't know how many Aldermen— and the Town Clerk —( to say nothing nf ihe Brisac and ihe Burgeefa) with ihe well ordered Police ( supposing there were' no special constables ) !! • Is il likely ? Certainly not. The police are kept in such older too! Why they no more dare wink at ihe blaaing of the Bristolian Office— than they dare shove an honest- hearted Englishman into the Bridewell for merely suggesting a little humanity ! Pooh ! The thing is without the bounds of possibility. Still I beg to caution the Corporate Staff Company how ihey provoke Corporate vengeance by their THE BRIKTOS. IAN^ neglect— for if they shonld be negligent— and for ihe man begged and entreated me, publicly the Tea Company in London, consequently tf e ' if " Blaze" should burn me out of my ' n the sl. op, to settle it, opening to me the Traveller called on me jusiaf ej the above eir- • trong hold in Bridewell- Lane— and if I should terrors of the law, and the mightv force I had cumstance— I related the whold transection to prosecute such negligent guardian — his masters to contend with, and much more which is not> him, with which he was peifeciiy sati- fied, anil might punish him severely— at leas by a w rh mentioning. I replied, smiling, well Sir | SHIJ if it would be an essential service to me, I fine to themselves— ind possibly to the atnonnt all this would be terrible tidings to some men,; might renew'it; I told him I was much obliged o htm, but as soon as the ( ill becme due f should be ready, ami I bless God thai I was en- abled so lu do, after all their detestable proceed- ings. The lime ot trial now arrived, and with ately. He went to ihe door, and said, well Mr. Windsor, you may depend on it Mr, Rickets will prosec ite you for ihe charge he has brought against you. ' ! asked him what thai w* s. He replied. yo\ i know what that is, and went * » ay. On my E"' ng up to my Atlorney, jnw after, be accosted again in' Temple- Stl'eet, by - avmg that be hoped I wa » not goiny lo defend the ac ion, for you tnay depend upon it you will be thrown ; you have acknowledged the receiving if, and Mi. RickM's says there is other accounts not sen led, therefore 1) 0 let me beg of you to settle it, for the expences w ill ruin you. 1 told trim I did not care for or fear Mr R. or any other man's threats, therefore I beg you not to s.< y « ny hing mote lo me ot* that subject. Now Sir'. I had at this time given out 8 bills for goods; one of <£ 27. for cheese, one of <£' 22, tor salt butter, and one of ,£ 37. for tea. On ihe foil, me to say thai he was ra her short of ca'h, and should be much obliged to me if 1 could settle r the butter, or in part. 1 answvred hiin by aying I suppose Sir, by your coming here on „ uch an errand, yon have heard something pre. judicial to my character; he hesitated for some i time, but at last said, why Sir 1 must say tha( lit has been reported you have been arrested— I According to the promise of Mr. Bishep, 1 then told him the whole particulars, and added, was in a few days after, made to feel the fulfil- as there is five weeks before my bill becomes ment of it, being served with a copy of writ by due, if you will alloM me the whole discount, 1 some Attorney's Clerk. But mark, Sir, the will pay you immediately— he was quite con- SOr's Letters to be ne* r its termination. % time I was served. They well knew that my founded,' and said I have not the bill by me, it his own ac count Tie is an injured man, bat shop was generally full at the close of the day is at the Bank, but I will get it to morrow if it ' the justice of his observations on others tri^ y and therelore that time was fixed on, in order agreeable to you to pay it then; by all means 1 think, in some instances at least be qtjjss- that my customers may see the transaction, and Ii< 8d him, and On the following day I paid it. tioned. We shall see at the wind- tip' tia. it may be spread about, to injure my credit But this was no! all, intelligence was seat to Meanwhile i repeal, for at te' « « thefiiiihlret A of 20s. more or less! Remember therefore who know no more of law than ' yotirself. He that you are duly cautioned. I then asked me if I would te. ch him— I told I should state that the hand writing of htm > es, I would, and that is. I shall put you this pretty letter is very gailhman ish in its OUI ,) f my sh(, p if yml ,)„ „„, q„ s, j, j,,.^.!!- character; that u, very lawyer- like. Who tuuld have written it? Could it have been my old acquaintance Isaac Cooke ?— or the BrocUey Biddulph, ( for he was once a gentleman )?— or S ephens ?— or Haraiar?— or Harris . » — or Saunders ?—. J • am bewildered ill flits blaze of gentlemen ! Who- ver may be the pi> > r thing ( whethei contemplating fun'or mishtef) I think 1 can disarm bim by a ehispep of Truth J. The burning of the BIKUJIIIHI Office would do ice very liule injury indeed— necessity hu^ compelled me within ibe- e few d » ys to sell Biy press, tjpe, every ihing that is theit— and lo pay a comparatively heavy rent, by way of good interest for the purchase money, for ibe Use of the uiatetials lie who bought them is not a rich man, and could ill afford to lose tbera. But for my si If— if Misier " Blaae " would burn anything or mine, he must first find me, and then set fire to ihe lappet of my coat, or the booi • nd af my unmentionables. JAMES ACLAND. No. 6.] TO THE EDITOR OF THE BRISTOLIAN. Sir, with much cheerfulness 1 went to the Hall. Mr Ludlow was my Conusef, and Mr. Smith vas M<\ Bishop's. Mr. Smith stated the case, and made some remarks on it— the Gentleman who presided told Mr. Smith lhat they had ground for the action, tor by righ . Mr. Rtcketfs ought to have brought iheaotion agairistfWindsor. Mr. Ludlow said most certainly Sir, but we are {} J ire ' agreeable for them t > proceed ; accordingly Mr. Davis, Cashier to Mr. Ricketts was sworn he was asked if the sum of £ 2. and odd wais ever paid by inc to bim, on Mr. Bishop's accourif — he said no ; can you swear that it was neve* paid to any other f no Sir, but I cao suear thttt t isno? entered in the books. Mr. Ludlow handed him asm* } iirip of paper, and asked bun if knew the hand- writing— he replied O yes Si*— what does it say ? read it out— he money Was received by Mr. Alfred Rickets. He was askerf fi he was certain it was his signature, he repliorf Yen. Mr. Smi h then said we have lost it Thus Sii, I made Mr. 8. repent, as I to) A him. You, Sir, may perhaps be led ' o ask tp « if lhat was my general way to receive strips © f paper when I paid ( he money collected by me; no Sir. it was not, and I shall shew, hereafter, the cause of doing it then. 1 remain, Sir, Your's, & c. JOHN WINDSOR. Jan. 7, 1831. MEM.— I suppose the series of Mr. Wm# » THK DR1STULUN and In the B- istol Gazette, dated August 27 pounds for his trouble." Your reply wa*, wavs as accessible In 1829. the following advertisement appeared "<> sir, 1 reco lect s . mething of it but the meeting is broke up without an\ sale." A Copy of Mr. Daniel Bnyntou's Letter, ( nominal A* si< rn't U> Insolvent Dr* w ) time, that I have never been a oir- izan ria'. m. c > lu nns < re tia accuser a,- to th- ac user Still I feel it by the older of the sa- ne Daniel Baynton. ue to mvself to declare - ha', had I been in j ' I he Creditors of John Drew late of Bristol, or had cog aizanee > f this ctirre, pon. ; the Hotwells, are requested to meet the " To Mr John Watkins, r _ . ... _ . > I he whole of Drews dence, which distance and ITS n cessity o1 delega ing s > mc auth. iri. v iri th- se matters to others, ptevened, I s'h > uld most assuredlv havp personally investigated eertain of Mr. W.' s allegations For instance, I well re member nav ng a vei v Se-> vv accusation pre feried to me against Mr J > hn Hare, Jun. some tnne sii- ce, with reference to which I made personal enquiry at the time ; and for. tunatelv so, for such charge was, as I had ,. fterwards reason to believe, most malignantly and falsely advanced. Need 1 add, that my recollection of that case would have operated upon my sense of go - d fee'ing in the present instance, if I had been at all aware, or even s ispicious of the direction the vindicatory epistles of my cor. espondent have taken. As it is, I shall be happy, as far as in me lies, tadojus ice to all parties— and to such end ahall feel obliged by,, any communications which may be forvrarded me, so that they be not annonymous J- A. TO MR DANIEL BAYNTON, Solicitor. Bristol, Nominal Auigntc to JOHN DREW, ate of the Hotwells. in the Parish of Clifton, in the County, of Gloucester, Builder, who took the Benefit of the Act in Maich. 1822; and to Simuel and Wa, 81a jk, and Wnt. Bartlet, of Bath, Annuitant* to the Estate of the Insolvent John Drew, and to all the Creditors of the said John Drew, and tfe. ali others whona it might concern. Take Notice, that an Advertisement ap- . jwyijed in the Bristol Mirror Newspaper of Saturday last, Jan. 1, 1881, to convene/ a of John Drew's Creditors to appoint a ti » c and place for the disposing of the SM<£ John Drew's interest in his freehold prflfert?.. . . . , , ,, „ . , he whole of Drew's proper. y if sold to- Assignee of the Insolvents estate, on frt- i , ... ,' ' L _ ' dav, would not pa the Incurnbrancss upon dav, the I 1th day of September next, at ; t b a' least one thousand pounds— he o vei I'welve o'clock at noon, at the Office of | eightv pounds and the onlv expectation Messrs Bayn'on, Son and Thomas ; to assent to or dissent from the said Assignee conveying or assigning for a nominal con sideration the Insolvent's interest in certain Estates, situate in Bristol and the County of Gloucester, unto sundry persons to be named at such meeting, being respectively Annuity ( reditors and Morgagees of such Estate." Now Mr. Baynton by the tenor of this Advertisement you did not consider the reversion, if it had not been previously sold which you well knew it had, which will ap p^ ar by the follo wing letter, that the Insol- vent's reversion was not worth anything. You calls this meeting of the Creditors for the purpose to sanction you to dispose of the Insolvent's Interest, if he had had anv, to the Annuitants or Morgagee for a nominal con- sideration, and to bo disposed of to those persons who had the incumbrance upon it. and no other. Bv this it appears, that the reversion, at you call it, na other person would huv > t except the Annuitants, and there it it to be conveyed to them for no consideration whatever, bring nominal. At this very meeting a professional Gentleman attended on behalf of the real purchasers of the reversion of the insolvent, who had bought such of the Insolvent previous to his taking the benefit of the Act for a valuable consideration. 1 his, Mr Baynton you well knew At this meeting but one person at tended except the Gentleman on behalf of tho purchaser of the reversion, whom * on was polite enough to ask him his business, who informed you that he came on behalf of the purchaser and to inform the company if any had attended that the revession of the Insolvent's had been previously sold, and produced two of your letters directed to John Watkins, to endeavour to pievail upon the purchaser to resell the said reversion to yourself, and that you would give hitn twenty 1 have of getting paid is the chance of being emoloied to make some of the Conveyance in a Sale I have no objection to run the risk of giving the purchaser of the reve sion, thirtv- five rounds for the interest he has in the property, if he agrees to accept it— I will pay the moment he signs the deed lo me. D B \ YNTON. " Bris'ol, 22d Dec 1823." P. S — Your second letter to John Watkins will appear. Now Mr Bavnton vou cannot sav that the reversion was sold undei its value, when even in the vear 1S29, you c ills a meeting to ve! l th<* same for a nominal consideration - - Now Mr Bavnton vou iepre « ent yourself as the Assignee— of course vou have the Insolvent'* Schedule, wherein i> is set for'h to whom he sold the reversion the amount for which he sold it. and what he did with the money. Prav Mr Bav ton did vou not send for me t ® vour office P and did you not produce aa affidavit to me sworn to by the Insolvent, that i' " as a bona Jillr and just sale ? Thit was at the time vou offered me twenty poua d, t but 1 could not prevail upon the party to sell to vou at that time— two peisons have purchased the reversion since it was sold b* Drew, one of the two is very willing to sell to you his in'erest, rhe other is not. What will you give me now, if I can prevail upon the oiher to sell his interest? as 1 am very short at present but then you mus' buy it wiih the following incumbrances as the pur* chaser did — 1. In Drew's schedule your debt is ,£^ 9 10 0 a great diffeiencebetweea that and eighty pounds— don't you make a mistake Mr Bavnton? Incumbrances^ To Messrs Samuel and Wm. upon Insol f Slack of Bath an annuity vents' pro V. i' 250 a vear Two years in* perty whenl terest due <£ 500 — To Wm. Sold. j Bartlet, of Ba. h, an annuity of £ 161 a year, interest due ,£ 150— Authut Palmer, Esq. Solicitor, Mortgage, ^ 800, terest due, jfSO — This is taken ftom InsoU vent's Schedule, who give up the possession lo the Annuitants and Mortgagee, previous, to his disposing of the revetsion. Greatest part of the property is Dean and Chapter and Merchants' Land, subject to Renewals. By order of real Purchasers, JOHN W. WATKINS, Agent. R wnham Place, Jan. 6, 1831. fcjJMM& S ACJUHD, ( S « M FMTHMM U* EMM] at the fUutcusa C » ic » ,£ ritta> Uatt Centt, BrMeweil LAW*