The trial of three well - known Chartists, Carrier, Potts, and Roberts,
for unlawfully assembling in June and July l!'z 39, and using language calculated to excite large bodies of men to c,munit breaches of the peace, commenced at Salisbury on Monday, and was not concluded tilt Wednesday. Carrier and Potts defended themselves : Mr. Cockburn. was counsle for Roberts. Carrier made a pathetic appeal to the jury ; attributing any offence he might have committed to distress at seeing so many working men, and his own fi.ther and mother, in a state of great poverty, and to his belief that bad laws were the cause of their suffering. The prisoners were found guilty, and Justice Coltman passed sentence immediately— As Carrier appeared to be the most active aguit, the sentence of the Court upon bins would be, that be shoubl be imprisoned for two years, and be kept to hard labour, and at the end of that time should find on reties for his good be- haviour thr three years, himself in 1001. and two :areties in5a/. each. That Roberts should be imprisoned for two years, but witheut hard labour, (in con- sideration of his station in life, imprisonment would be a much more severe pu- nishment than with Carrier,) and to find sureties for his good behaviour for three years, himself in 500/, and two sureties of 2101. each. That Potts should be imprisoned two years, but without hard labour, and to find two sureties for his good behaviour for three years, himself in 1u0/, and two sureties in 50/. each.
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