In the Court of King's Bench, on Monday, the notorious
Stock- dale, the plaintiff in the cause of " Stockdule versus Hansard," applied to Lord Denman to dispense with the certificate of the barrister that he had sued in forma pauperis : the attorney, he said, refused to sign the certificate, being intimidated by the Report of the Committee of the House of Commons. Lord Denman innocently asked what the case was ? Stockdale informed his ignorant Lordship, that it was an action against Hansard for publishing a libel in the form of a Report of a Committee of the House of Commons.
Lord Denman wished to know on what ground the present application was mede ? Plaintiff—" On the ground that the attorney had been intimidated by the Report of the Committee."
Lord Denman—" Ilas a barrister refused to sign a certificate ?"
The plaintiff replied that Mr. Curwood had promised, but that gentleman was out of town.
Lord Denman said, the rule of the Court which required the signature of a barri.ter to a certificate that the plaintiff had good grounds of action could not be dispensed with, unless sonic very strong pound were given for so doing. The plaintiff again said, that the barrister was out of town, and thb action was brought in order to save time.
Lord Denman said, that that ought not to have been done until after the certificate had been given. The Court could not do any thing in the matter at present.
In the Bail Court, on Tuesday, Mr. Hill obtained a rule to show cause why a writ of mandamus should not be issued to the Church- wardens of Birmingham, calling upon them to summon a Vestry for the election of Churchwardens for the ensuing year. The ground of this application was the arbitrary and illegal conduct of the Rector ; who, on Easter Tuesday lust, had not allowed the proper time for polling the rate-payers, but forced his own nominee on the parish. Rule granted.
At the Thames Police-office, on Wednesday, warrants were granted against John Davies and Robert Ray, master and mate of the ship Manly, on a charge of inhumanly flogging two seamen. Davies is the man who some time ago prosecuted two of his mates for mutiny; but the mates were acquitted. At the Kensington Petty Sessions, on Wednesday, a gentleman, calling himself John Guelph, but who is really a Captain Wood, was charged with trespassing in the private part of Kensington Gardens. The prisoner declared that he was neither drunk nor insane; that he was a brother of the Princess Charlotte, and the son of George the Fourth by Queen Caroline : of his right to the throne of England there could therefore lie no sort of doubt. He promised not to go again to the Palace, if his presence were unpleasant to the Princess Victoria. His object was to be sent to prison, where the question of his right to the throne could be brought to a decision. Evidence was given of the general respectability, good conduct, and sanity of the poor man ; and he was discharged.
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