SALISBURY SPECIAL COMMISSION. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SPECTATOR.
- Pythonse, 26thJannary 1831. Sia—Your Paper of the 8th January has just been put into my'hand by a friend ; and I am induced to notice your misrepresentation of my conduct during the late riots in this district, and the Special Commission
at Salisbury. You, Sir, are not actuated by tkuch motives as . some others are, who have .repeatedly, during a long period of years, made me- licions and false charges and assertions • against me, -which, 'from the well-known character of the parties, have needed no refutatien or exp4- sition on my part. I feel anxious, therefore,. to undeceive you, and, through your means, to undeceive the public in this matter.
First, in reply to your assertion, that I gave evidence against "men on whose criminality" I "had, half in hour before, •fit " as judge," deny the fact altogether. I was, against my own expressed svisti, ap- pointed foreman of the Grand Jury ; but I did not officiate as foreman, or remain in the room during the time when the cases in which I was concerned were under consideration, or for the first two days of the business of the assizes.
In reply to your second charge I have merely to observe, I did not
"follow the mob from place to 'dace, for the purpose of watching theii criminal. conduct, with a view. to their future punishment ; " but "with a view" to save the deluded men from the consequences of such conduct, by repeated remonstrance and entreaty ; and which I have the satiSfartion of knoWing had its desired effect on many, who, but for my persevering in admonishing them, would now be suffering the penalties of the law. • It is well known that I did not identify More than two persons whom I' had seen with the mei) on that day, and that I did not give evidence 'against those two as to the crimes of which they have been convicted. It is also well known that I saved, probably, the lives of two men (Tuosiss TOP and SAMVEL BAN. STONE) who had committed a most cowardly assault on myself, by refus- ing to prosecute them for that assault, when I was well assured that the punishment of death would be the result of their conviction, of which there could not be the slightest doubt. I refused to prosecute another person for the same reason ; but as he is now at home with his family, having given ample security for future good behaviour, I will not mention his name.
It is very irksome to be thus obliged to defend that part of my con-
duct which I consider as deserving of praise instead of censure. By no means unaware of the personal danger I was incurring, I nevertheless alone perSevered in performing my duty as a magistrate, and as a friend to the deluded men who were incurring very heavy legal penalties by their conduct. For this I have, together with many others who have observed the same course, fallen under your displeasure: but I trust you will do me the justice to publish this letter in your next SPECTATOR,. that the facts of the case may be made known to. others as well as to
yourself. I am, Sir, your very faithful servant, JOHN BENETT.
[We feel much obliged to Mr. BE NET T for setting us right,' in those points where, from the inaccuracy of the reporters, we had done him injustice. The ithportant facts which his letter states, appear now for the first time we believe, in a London journal. Had we known them sooner,. we Laid not have required this polite And temperate cor- rection.—ED.]
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