第51章

atleastastrongsuspiciononthefairadministrationofjustice。’These

protests，however，weresilencedbythejudges，andthoughtheAttorney-General

announcedthathewaswillingthatthecounselforthemagistratesshould

retire，nochangewasmadeinthearrangements。

TheSalisburyprisonerswereunderafurtherdisadvantagepeculiar，it

istobehoped，tothatgaol。Theywereforbiddentoseetheirattorneyexcept

inthepresenceofthegaolerorhisservants。Thisruleseemstohavebeen

construedbytheauthoritiesinamannerthatsimplifiedconsiderablythe

taskoftheprosecution。ThefactsofthecaseofJamesLush，condemnedto

deathontwochargesofextortingmoneyinamob，weremadepublicbyHunt

inalettertotheTimes，22ndJanuary1831。Lushwasaverypoorman，but

whenfirstcommittedhesentforanattorneyandmadeafullconfession。

’Thisconfession，soconfidentiallymadetohisattorney(byanextraordinary

ruleofthegaol)thelegaladviserwascompelledtosubmittotheinspection

ofthegaoler，whichpaperhekeptinhishandsforseveraldaysandinall

humanprobability，thisdocument，oracopyofit，waseithersubmittedto

theinspectionofthejudge，orplacedinthehandsoftheprosecutor，the

CrownSolicitor，ortheAttorney-General：whenthismanwascalledupfor

trial，suchwashisextremepoverty，thathecouldnotraiseaguineato

feecounsel，andhewasleftdestitute，withoutlegaladviceorassistance。’

TheAttorney-GeneralcouldonlyanswerthischargeintheHouseofCommons

bydeclaringthathehadnorecollectionofanysuchcircumstancehimself，

andthatnogentlemanoftheBarwouldavailhimselfofinformationobtained

insuchamanner。Lushcouldnotdistinguishthesenicetiesofhonour，or

understandwhyhisconfessionshouldbeexaminedandkeptbythegaolerunless

itwastobeusedagainsthim，anditisnotsurprisingthathethoughthimself

betrayed。ItisonlyfairtoLordMelbournetoaddthatwhenHuntdrewhis

attentiontothisiniquitousruleinSalisburyGaolhehaditabolished。

ThecasestriedwereverysimilartothoseatWinchester；batchafter

batchofboysandmenintheprimeoflifewerebroughtuptothedockfor

abrieftrialandsentenceofexile。Suchwasthehastethatinonecase

atleasttheprisonersappearedwiththehandcuffsstillontheirwrists，

acircumstancewhichelicitedarebukefromthejudge，andanexcuseofoverwork

fromthegaoler。Amongstthefirstcaseseightprisoners，varyinginage

fromseventeentothirty，weresentencedtotransportationforlifefordoing

£；500worthofdamageatBrasher’sclothmillatWilton。Thirteenmen

weretransportedforsevenyearsandoneforfourteenyearsforbreaking

threshingmachinesonthedayofthePytHouseaffray。Mr。JohnBenettwas

satisfiedwiththistaleofvictimsinadditiontothemankilledbythe

yeomanry，andrefrainedfromprosecutingforthestonesthrownathim。For

thishetookgreatcreditintheHouseofCommons，andnodoubtitwasopen

tohimtoimitateBinghamBaring’sfriends，andtotalkofthatkindofoutrage

as’murder。’

AtSalisbury，asatWinchester，evidenceaboutdistressandwageswas

ruledoutbythejudgeswheneverpossible；thuswhentwelvemen，nineof

whomwereafterwardstransportedforsevenyears，werebeingtriedforbreaking

athreshingmachineonthefarmofamannamedAmbrosePatience，thecross-examination

ofPatience，whichaimedatelicitingfactsaboutwagesanddistress，was

stoppedbythecourtonthegroundthatinacaseofthissortsuchevidence

wasscarcelyregular；itwasintimated，however，thatthecourtwouldhear

representationsofthiskindlater。Butsomelightwasthrownincidentally

inthecourseofthetrialsonthecircumstancesoftheprisoners。Thusone

ofthePytHouseprisonersurgedinhisdefence：’MyLord，Ifoundworkvery

badinmyownparishforthelastthreeyears，andhavingawifeandthree

childrentosupportIwasgladtogetworkwhereverIcouldgetit。Ihad

someworkataplacefourmilesfrommyhouse。’Hethendescribedhowon

hiswaytoworkhewasmetbythemobandforcedtojointhem。’Itisahard

casewithme，myLord；IwasgladtogetworkthoughIcouldearnonlyseven

shillingsperweek，anditcostmeashillingaweekforiron，sothatI

hadonlysixshillingsaweektosupportfivepersons。’Anotherprisoner，

MouldofHatch，wasstatedbyLordArundeltobeverypoor：hehadawife

andsixchildren，ofwhom

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