exit historical chronicte. . 
mitted. to” lord Gower, at Pa-| Trialof Thomas Payne, 
ris, 2c: fhould be laid before! This long expected trigf 
the house,”” which was ordered came on at Guild hall on 
ner. con. Tuesday Dec. 18: Thomas 
Since the meeting of par-|Payne was accused of having 
Iiament a strong spirit has dis-| written and’ publifhed’ a cere 
played itself through all parts /tain seditious bock, under the 
of the country towards dis-jtitle of the second part of the 
couraging those dvactitiohs |[rigbit of man, &c 
chiefly among the lower claf- The attorney’ general, in 
ses of men, which had become support of the prosecution; read 
very general for the purpose several excerpts from this work, 
of forcing a reform, and pro-|on which he commented, en: 
pagating notions respecting deavouring to fhow as he'went 
government, that the soberjalong that they were of a se. 
clafs of citizens have thought jditious tendency, being’ cal- 
had a tendency to excite sedi-}culated merely to betray the 
tious discontents, The news-|ignorant into a belief that the 
papers are now filled with loy-| people are under the'rule of a: 
al and constitutional resolves,|/set of tyrants, and that they 
in which the parties bindjare little better than slaves 
themselves, with their persons|groaning under the severest 
and fortune, to support the ex-jopprefsion. 
ecutive power in supprefsing| Mr Erfkine, ‘with his usual | 
all riotous proceedings, and|ingenuity, rose m defence of 
discouraging seditious publica-] Mr Payne; but on this occas: 
tions of every sort. Mr Grey! sion it was very observable: 
made a motion in the house|that he spoke with’ a much 
of commons, levelled at these} greater degree of caution than 
afsociations, in which he alle-|is usual with him. He took. 
ged that the same attention care in particular to state, very’ 
was not bestowed in preser-|clearly, that in this defence, he 
ving a due subordination tojacted merely’ in the course of: 
the laws among bodies of this|businefs, His arguments were’ 
description of men, as withiingenious; but did not’ con- 
regard ‘to those afsociations|vince the jury ; who stopped 
which afsumed to themselves|the attorney general when he 
the name of friends of \ the\began to make a reply, the 
seople. The motion was over-/foreman of the jury politely 
ruled ;. but it is to be withed}telling him, that he was in- 
that a due attention may be/structed by his brethren to in= 
bestowed to prevent any ex-|form him that they were satis- 
cefses originating from  this|fied. Verdict guslty, 
cause. 
