The Licensing System.
Amongst the proceedinigs at the last Glocester Assizes which excited particular local interest, an(t dwhich wethilnk of great public importance, wvas the findinig, by the Grantd Jury, a true bill against the tef1endailt, a magistrate of that counity, for alleged corrupt conduct in granting an ale- licence. 'l'he Grand Jury (comnposed of the defendlant's brother magistrates, with Lord Edwarti Somiierset their foreman) have, by returning a true bill, (lecided that the charges against Mr.Aldridge ought to be investigated, and of course the trial will take place at the next assizes. Although we have ascettained the particulars of the case, we do not feel jtustified at present in laying them before tle public, as we should be sorry to give the defenidant reason to think that his case was prejudicedI by an ex-pczric statemeint. Thte recordis of the court being free ro those who are interested in searching them, we insert a copy oF tliee counts in the indictment (consisting of ten), ie whichl the material part of the charge is comprised. THE KING AGAINST EDlfARD ALDlRII)GE, ESQ. " Glocestershire, (to wit.)-The jurorsfor ourLord the lihig, upon their oath, present, that heretofbre (to wit) on the 1st dav o' May, in the fburth vear of the reign or our Sovereign Lord, George thc Fourth, the now Kinig, one William Gardiner was the pro rietor of a certain mnessuage and premises situate in the division af Bisley in the parishl of 'isley, in the said county of Glocester, and was then and there desirous that the said niessuage should be licensed a% a public house for the selling of ale and beer by retail, according to the provisions of the statute in such csse made and provided. And the jurors aforesaid upon their oath aforesaid, do further preseut, that one Edward Aldridge of the parish of Bisley, in the said county, Esquire, was then ana there, and still is, one of the Justices of our said Lord the King, assigned to keep the Deace oi our said Lord the Kitig, in and for the said county of Glocester; and also to hear andi determinc divers felonies, trespasses, and other n:isdlemeanours in the said county ; and as such Ji stice,was authorized and empowered toact in the granting of iicences to persons to carry en the tra.de and business of licensed Yictusllers, in and for the division of Bisley aforesaid, in the county atbresaid; att(l titereupon the sai(d Villiamn tiardiner being so destrous as aforesaid. and the said Etdward Ald- riidge being such Justice as aforesaid, hc the said Wllillianm Gardi;er, on the first day of Mlay, in the fourth year aforesaid, at the parish of Bisley atbresaid, applied to the saide Edward Aildridge, to join in licensing, and toprocuring a licence, for tbe said meua.,j ae sitiiate in Bisley aforesaid, to beopened and used asa house for selling ofale, beer, cider, perry. or other excieable liquors, by retail, at the then next If- censing day (to -vit), in thc month of Septemb'2r tbien next follow- ing. And the jurois afbresaid, or their oath aforesaid, do further present, that the said Edward Aldridge, being such Justice as aforesaid, on the fifth d ty of September, in the fourth year atbresaid, not regarding his duty as such Justice as aforesaid, but unjustly anti wrangfully intending to conmpel and oblige the person who shoull tbereatter be the tenant of the said house, to purchase the beer wlticli hould be retailed in the said house, wlien the same should be licensed, of and from one Joseph Watts, a coommon brewer at Mstoutdl in the said county, on the said fifth day of Septetnber, in the fburth year atbresaid. (the same being thc day appointed for licensing victualling and public-houses at Stroud aforesaid, in the count, aforesaid! not n-,inding to cxt- cute his duty impartially, as such Jlustce as afores:id. corruptlv and against his dlity as stuch Justice tlid procure to be li censed, and as such .Justice corruptly did joiti in the licetnsing ot the said house, situate at Bisley aforesaitd, and tid corruptly procure i licence to be granted to one Peter 'iGasna; ani did join in the grant- inec of the said licence to the said Peter Mason; to the great Yran- dal and disgrace oat tie lacvw, against his duty as such JuRtice, to the evil example of atl othiers in the like cnse cflendinz. iad against the peace ot our said Lord thc King, his crown and " And the jurors aforesaid, upon their oath aforesaid, do fuirther present, that the said William nGardiner. on the 1st davoi llay. in the fourtlh year aforesaid, at the parish of Bisley afeoesaid. in, the coutity of Glocebter aforcsnad, applied to the said Edward Athridga, as such Jtistice as aworesaid, to license hi:m tie *aid Wil- liaan Gardiner, to keep a ccrtain itouse oa him ihc said William (rlrdiner, situate in the division of Bisley aforesaid, to be used as a comMMn inn, alehouse,orvictuallinig-hotitr, at tbetb.cn next licensing day (to wtit), in the month oftSepternber bllowing. Anid thc ieurors aforesaid, upon their oatris afiresaid, do further present that the said Edward Aldridge, being stih . ustice as aforesaid, on the said first day of May, in the tourth vyear aforesaid, at the said narish of Bisley aforesaid, in the county atbresaid, not regardina l-is duty as suichw Justice as aiforesaid, b,it wrongffully and corruptly intenti- ing to benefit the said Joseph Watts, hc the said Joseph \Vats then and there being suchl comoton brewer as aforesaid. did corruptly re- fuse to license thc said W4:illiani (ardliner as last aforesaLid, or any otler person. except a person to be nominated hy the said Joceph W'Vatts, and did thitn atid there corrupthe bargain, stipulate, ;nd agreewith the said WVitlliamn ardiner to license any person to be no. ininated by the said Joseph Warts. Ani the jurors aforesaid. otn their oatl afbresaid, do turther present, tat the said Edwarcd Ald- ridge, being such Justice as af resaid, afterards (to evitr on th e fth day ot Septctrher, it the fourth year aforesaid, at Bisler aforesaid. in the cownty aforesaid, in pursuance of stch corrupt bare-ain. stipu- lation, anid agreentent, unlawfully and corruptly did, as such Justice as aforesaid, join in granting a licence to one Peter Mason, the said Peter illason beiug thei and there a erson nominated b: the said Joseph Walts to keep the said house as a comnion inn. a-lhonise, or victulallingthouse. as atbresaid (to wit), at Bistey aforesaid, in tile county oftGlocester, to the great scandal and disgracc of the laws, against his duty as such Justtce, to tLlC evil exattple of all otiers I in the like cise offending. anti against the peace of oursaid Lord the Kinz, his crowni atd (lignity. : And the jurors aforesaid, tupon their oath aforesaid, do frlrther present,that the said EdwardAldridge,being suchJusticeas aforesaid bitt nor regarding his duty itt that behaltl afterwards (to wit) on the said ffth day of September, in the fourth vear of the reign aforesaid, at the parish aforesaid, iii Lhe counity aforcsaid. utnlawf llyv, corrnpt- ly, anti colourably, did procure to be grantedt to the said Petcr Ma. son, a licence to 1ier1 a coinmaol inn, alehouse, or victualling. house, in order that the said Jicenre should atrerivardR be traltsfer ted to a certain other persont, (to w`:) a person to bc notninated by the sail Joseph Wlatts, to thegreat scandal and disgrace of the laws against his duty as such Justice, to the evil example of all others in the like case offending, attd against the pebace of our Lord the Kitg, his crowl, and dignity." THE LICENSING SYSTEM.