'>20 FACT AGAIXST FICTIO^^ 



labour, to p;ct liousecl for tlic winter by committal, 

 and to drink as they did at Brentford. I speak 

 as a Justice of Peace of very long standing, and 

 also as a Foreman of Grand Juries, and I know 

 that for a man of the working classes to call on 

 God to witness, by his oath, the truth of what he 

 says, is no more binding to his, the swearer's, 

 conscience than if he had sworn, as actors in a 

 theatre do, by the large centre chandelier. 



The entire working population seem to consider 

 direct perjury as the best means of defence. To 

 prove an alibi, by sending to the nearest low 

 beer-house, the resort of tramps, who are just at 

 that time passing by, and will be off the next 

 day, is the, constant habit of the accused. Tliere 

 they can always obtain well got-up men and 

 women to attend at the Petty Sessions, who, one 

 and all, having consulted beforehand together, 

 swear to the same lie, and before a bench of 

 magistrates at Petty Sessions, if there are Parsons 

 there, they are sure to be believed. Of course^ 

 it is impossible to rebut their false testimonyj save 

 by the oath of the prosecuting witliess, and it is 

 Ciuious to see how a bench of magistrates will 

 cling to tlie defence made by non-resident and 



