JUSTICE TO THE ABSENT.
THE Standard of Tuesday closes an ingenious and elaborate argument on the mischievous absurdity of the doctrine of cumulative libel, by insinuating that the prosecution against Mr. ALEXANDER, of the Morning Journal, has been provoked not so much by his recent labours, as in consequence of his connexion with a former newspaper called the Glasgow Sentinel; and it endeavours to fortify this farfetched hypothesis by referring to the fatal duel between Sir ALEXANDER BOSWELL and Mr. STUART, in which Lord ROSSLYN, flow one of the Cabinet, was second to the latter. We should have left this attempt to connect the Earl of ROSSLYN with the criminal information against the Morning Journal unnoticed, (we dare say that his Lordship, as well as most of the public, now learn for the first time that Mr. ALEXANDER is the same individual whose quarrel with Mr. MURRAY BORTHWICK excited so much attention in Scotland and in Parliament,) had it not been for the strange misrepresentation that follows. "Mr. STUART," says our contemporary," slew Sir ALEXANDER BOSWELL, provoked by that excellent 'person's exertions in the cause of his King and country." The late Sir ALEXANDER BOSWELL (the son of JOHNSON'S BOSIVELL,) Was a very witty and ingenious gentleman. His contributions to TnomsoN's work are creditable specimens of his powers of light humour. Of his peculiar exertions in behalf of his King and country, we were not previously aware. Had our contemporary said that Sir ALEXANDER was induced to libel Mr. STUART solely because of the political opinions of that gentleman. and that he wittingly courted the rencontre in which he fell, he would have come nearer the truth. Mr. STUART, according to the concurrent testimony of all his acquaintances, is as kindly-hearted and amiable a man as ever his country produced. His talents, although he is no poet, are acknowledged to be most respectable. He never before their unhappy quarrel had the slightest difference with Sir ALEXANDER BOSWELL; nor did he ever, by word or writing, directly or indirectly, offer offence to him. When Sir ALEXANDER BOSWELL, in the columns of the Sentinel, described Mr. STUART, by means of a bad pun, as a coward*, and stated that STUART could draw anything but a trigger, he did so without the slightest provocation or excuse. He was requested—almost begged—merely to say he did not mean any personal offence—that it was a bad joke ; and he haughtily refused, influenced, it was rumoured at the time, by some strange misconception of Mr. STUART'S character as a man of courage. They met, and Sir ALEXANDER fell by the first and only shot that ever JAMES STUART fired in anger. The survivor was acquitted, after a long and patient trial, by the unanimous 1. voice of the Court and as honourable a Jury as ever was impannelled. These facts are all on record; we do not state them from private information ; nor should we have stated them at all even on the temptation of setting our contemporary right, (which is no small one,) were not poor STUART'S back at the wall. He is now, in consequence of pecuniary involvements, an exile from his native land, and, as such, an object of pity, were he a much inferior man. We respect the manful way in which the 'Standard defends its political coadjutor; all we object to is, the stripping of one unfortunate in order to shelter the nakedness of another.
* The charge was made in a Scotch song, of which we only remember two lines : "There's stot-feeding Stuart, Weel kent for that cow-art." .1. Scotch criminal juries decide by a majority of votes; there are fifteen jurors.
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