Star. — London, England, 1818-02-03 00:00:00

I 11 4 , . I . .., 1 i 1 , I 1 , . . . 1 I f . , I , _ • ‘ 1 . '.l I . 1 44 ! 4 I ) ' '' c} ' 1 ' 1 ' 1 I * 1 ! • . . •.. ~ ..• HABEAS CORPUS ACT SUSPENSION. ETING TO OPEN A SUBSCRIPTION FOR THE' MESSRS. EVANS AND OTHERS. Cbq aluumerous Meeting took place at fhe Crown and Anchor Tavern, for the purpose of fowls log a Subscription for those i dividuaia who had beta imprisoned during the late Suspension Act. Long before the Chair was taken, •she large room and gal lery, with the avenues leading to it, were crowded to an excess seldom if evwwitnessed in that place. -A few o' minutes before one clock Sir FRANCIS BURDETT, ac companied by his brother, and Lord COCHRANE, came into the room, amidst loud and repeated cheering'. Sir FRANCIS liIIRDLTT having tajmn the Chair, said, that having had the honour of being called upon to preside at so numerous and respectable a Meeting, it became his duty to explain to them what its object was. He would not at present take up their time by entering into the topics connected with it, as he understood there were many who were desi rous to address them, and particularly such as had suffered by long continuance in prison. He could not but congratulate them and the public on the Meeting being so numerous. It could not, however, be otherwise, unless Englishmen were dead to all those generous feelings by which they ought to be ac tuated. He would now merely beg their attention to whatever might be offered by any Gentleman who was disposed to offer his sentiments. The Resolutions were prepared and would be submitted Immediately to their consideration. Lord COCHRANE said, that upon coming into the Crown and Anchor, various Resolutions had been put into his hand, hich indicated the important ob ject of the Meeting. It was a pleasure to him to ate that the spirit of the people was thus awake to the conduct of Government, and that a Meeting so nu merous and so respectable had been assembled. Had the same spirit prevailed in France under its ancient Government, the despotism which oppressed the ion would not have continued so long, nor those horrors been witnessed which attended the Revolu tion. It was lamentable to see that now, after a war of twenty years duration, after expending the trea sures of the country, and loading the people with an intolerable burthen of taxes, under pretence of main taining the liberties of Europe, that they were at last reduced to live under a tyranny, while Frenchmen were comparatively free (Loud applause), even though living under a Military Government That Govern 'Dent was imposed upon them, and supported, by Ragland., Oppressive, however, as it might be, even a military despotism was not more ruinous to the liberties .i t f the pedple than was the suspension of the Habeas Corpus—(Loud cheering.) France, by the aid of British troops, joined to those of the other despots of Europe, was kept in a state of degradings - gation. .What necessity was 'there for this? If the French Government was a good one, why did n. Frenchmen themselves support it?—(Applaase.)— The same system of military tyranny prevailed in this country. They could not walk through a single street without meeting soldier's in every direction. What was the use of those Janissaries that were now to be met with every where—at the theatres, at ex-. hibitions, at every place of public business or public amusement? Was this the state in which English men should be placed ?—How different was the situa tion of Artaerica, as represented in the last speech of the President I There the people were completely tree from taxes—they had no military establishment, or at least a very small one. Justice was impartially and readily administered in their Courts of Law. They were allowed to be their own protectors, and, in place of oppressing them with a large standing army, 100,000 muskets were placed in the hands of the citizens—(App/awes). They were also told in the memorable address of their President, that the war having ceased, they woukl of coutse be delivered from internal taxation ; and when such was the case, what a striking contrast did it form with the miser able state in which Englishmen were now placed!— No poiver was exercised in that country but by the people themselves. There a person was in no danger of being oppressed under the forms of law and jus tice. The iniquities practised in our Courts were not to-be met with. Here there was no justice to be had under any circumstances in which the Government was concerned—(Load chafing.) Formerly, Juries were packed ; but until lately this packing was not evenly avowed. But now, even the Judges on the Bench attempted to justify it! While the list in the Crown Office continued upon the former . plan,' the names of such persons were selected to i le tire upon Juries as were known to be-disposed to a‘ompliance with Government. This was done under an appear ance of fairness anti indifference. Until lately it did not become necessary to avow it. Thanks, however, to Mr. Wooler, Mr. essar Hope, and Mr. Pearson, the sys tem was abolished, and must draw down the indig nation of the country upon any person who should attempt to revive it !—He did not wish to delay the Meeting long ; but he could not, under such circuna r stances, avoid making some allusion to this subject. The partiality of the Courts to the packing of Juries was notorious. He had himself, in his own case, made various efforts to have justice done hint but all . . to no purpose--(Applause). It was this which per baps induced him to express himself with so much warmth upon a matter of this nature. He hoped the Resolutions adopted that day, by so numerous and so respectable a Meeting, would prove that the people • of England would not be put down by tyranny, but that their spirit would rise in proportion to the despo tic eiforts that titre made agaanst. it.—The Noble Lord having concluded, .amidst kind applause, pro coeded to read the following Resolutions: I. That exparhaate has lamentably proved, that the frequent nispenslops, dean' the last 24 years, of the gist of Charles the &mind, commonly denominated the e Habeas Corpus Act," have not only' deprived the people eff the valuable benefits of that statute, but under the colour isd pretext of merely sue pending that law, power, have been vested in his Majesty s Mi nisters, by these eets of auspendina, wholly incompatible with `a free costutiOlacing every many person at their disposal ; .whiCh is a titallobversion of the common law of the land, and .first priaciplise society ; thereby -creating a despotism worse 'dials that of tasters; because its injuries are indicted under the mask of law. , c g. That $1 Meeting views with indignation the indecent and 'dangerous Prielpitation with which laws affecting the dearest -interests Other country have been carried through Parliament; became sub precipitancy has deprived the people of the exercise of their boasted right of petition; and this Meeting particularly laments that thibrecent Repeal of the Habeas Corpus Suspen vies Act abituld have:been so hastily carried, as it may hereafter remrted 10 _as precedent to justify th e pawing of injurious la.'wilt *Alta pracJetetion. . S. That • bas been left period II uriotts to a wanton outrage of tae law., -- Wended by a corrupt and venal Administration... —_ rue r r t s m of more than a million of men who hate petitioned for 5. That the arrests which have taken place, were meant to delude the nation into a belief that the oppressive measures of tie ministry were necessary and just; and fo colour an affected alarm at tumults, generally excited by hired agents of the Government, in furtherance of its views to subdue the spirit of Deform. 6 That the sufferers under this malignant persecution have been treated in a cruel and arbitrary manner; banded front county to county, from prison to prison ; espossd in fetters to the public gaze ; subjected even to privations of food, and doom ed to rigorous solitary confinement; their letters intercepted, and communications with their nearest relatives forbidden. 7. That dam is every reason to bellow their utors know them to be innocent, while they were subjeped to ot these i ties, from their recent liberation without trial, some uncoils pooally, and others upon their own nxognizances, which tare bias cancelled by their accusers. I. nos this Meeting sincerely sympathises with all these vie. thoslif atbitrary power, and hired acctuation; and deems them sambiantly entitled to public support. 411. That in the opinion of this Meeting, the subjecting Mr. Means and Son, and other Englishmeo, to the shameful degs illation of being ironed, was a grow violation of the laws of the had ; a scandalous outrage upon humanity, and in their persons • Meardonable insult offered to the whole People of Eng • educing a wanton barbarity derogatory to the national ellwroeter, and revolting to the mild principles of the English CbatittitutMn. • 10. That the manly firmness of Mr. Evans, son. Mr. Evans, . and Mr. Benbow, in refusing any but unconditional Übe- Alden, signally entitles them to the warmest approbation, 6r boring afforded another noble example, chit, even in this age, deeds only to be resisted , to be subdued. a subscription be now opened for the assistance of the Messrs. Evans, Mr. Benbow, and such other sufferers under the recent Suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act, as may seem added to public assistance and support by a Committee. The Resolutions were received with loud and long continued expressions of applause. His Lordship proceeded :—He had anticipated, he said, that when the Resolutions should be submitted they would be received in the manner they had been. He did not apprehend that any person oould be found prepared to dissent from the truths contained in them; for it could not but be the conviction of every maxis mind, that had not his Majesty's Ministers taken'the steps they had taken last year to excite tumult, no tumult would have happened on the part of those who advocated Parliamentary Reform. Why did his Majesty's Ministers bring all their information to the Houses of Parliament concealed in a green bag? Why was it referred to a Secret Committee ? If acts of violence had been really committed by the people, ;here could have been no reason for secrecy; neither when they were prepared to take the individuals into custody, could there have been any reason for con cealing the acts of which they were accused. Had 'they received their information from credible per sons, what motive could they possibly have in con cealing their names? No man who came forward to give information of acts of violence committed again.t Government or the laws of the country, could pos sibly wish to have his name concealed ; for his own part, if he had given information to Government of acts of treason against the State, he would accuse Odra man, as, he conceived, merited the accusa tion, and would avow what he had done. There could have been no just ground of secrecy. The fact was, his Majesty's Ministers were conscious they had hired their emissaries, to give information against 'the people. They knew they bad hired Oliver, ask the ether villains connected with him, to give informs motion against the people, and they knew also that 'their information was false. What was the reason his , Majesty's Ministers again proposed to bring down another green bag, to be referred to a Commiktee , similarly constituted as the last? After all the alarms i they had excited had subsided—after the Constitu don of the country had been restored—after all grata& of apprehension must have ceased—it ap-, rapid that another green bag was to be referred to $ Committee. 'What was proposed by this ? It was ordered to carry on the delusion a little longer ! re were in the country many willing dupes,. and there were many who allowed themselves to be duped Who were interested in the plun der of the people— it was for this reason the alarmwas necessary to be kept - sible up. His Majesty's Ministers were at length sen that their villainy was exposed, and their con laid open in the face of day. They did not dare to meet the indignation of the public, and that was the reason why they were endeavouring to keep up the juggle a little longer. What they were doing was probably with a view to the Suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act, under the effect of some future alarm, or to afford them a precedent for that mea sure, whenever the people should hereafter come t forward, as he trusted they would, and cover the House with petitions for Reform. He trusted the people,notwithstanding the threats of Ministers,svould resort to the measures which had provoked the ven geance of Government last year. He trusted the people would not be deterred from meeting for the purpose of that Reform, of which they had, by the machinations of Ministers, been• hitherto deprived. He hoped they would not petition Parliament in classes of twenty merely, but in bodies of an hundred, tens of hundreds, thousand;, and tens of thousands. He would have them shew his Majestyri" Minisiers they were not afraid of their Bills, but would mebt in spite of them, till they obtained that Reform they were determined upon having. He would not tres pass further upon their time; he returned them thanks for the indulgence with which they had lis tened to him. His heart and hand were with them, and he should always most willingly, as far as his humble abilities would enable him, devote himself to their cause, and promote their endeavours to extort from Government that Parliamentary Reform so es sentially necessary to restore the Constitution of the country to its ancient purity.—(Loud liss.zzas followed Al, Lordship's speech.) Mr. WooLaa stood forward on the present occa sion to second the Resolutions which had been just submitted to their approbaticiu; and he did so with feelings of exultation. It was to him a subject of proud gratification, to see so many persons assembled together to celebrate what might aptly be called the signal defeat of Ministers in their last Ministerial campaign against the rights and liberties of the peo ple.—At this period last year, Ministers were full in array against the people, ranging their forces in every jiad, direction, and' Atte m p t i ng t o asswn mit an aspect. as if they thought th e G orgon nr i isterial terrors would frights= very one trot: te r Or altitC I` . shotild have the hardihotki gibbet, orsome other expe ois career. He had no doubt the Meeting this day would considerable degree of liberty common cry of their calum . were constantly told that the language they held at their public meetings, proved they were still in possession of a considerable portion of that liberty of which they complained they had been deprived. But to whom was it they were in debted for the small remnants of freedom that was still left them? It was to their own exertions—to their own effort; notwithstanding the perils with which their exertions had been attended. It was to this opposition to unjust laws and arbitrary measures, they were indebted for what they now possessed. — Certainly they owed nothing to his Majesty's Minis ters.--If it was possible any one should require proof if their hatred of freedom, it was only necessary to refer to their conduct during the last year. The brightest privileges of Englishmen had been torn one by one from them, as Ministers had from time to time determined to dispossess them. Never at any lieriod of our history had the people obtained a po litical benefit from Ministers; never had they obtained a voluntary surrender of their rights, unless when they had such a force to support their pretensions, as rendered the concession of Ministers an act of pru dence. Such was the short history of the people's rights. He then referred to the efforts which had been made by our ancestors, observing that the peo ,ple of the present age had been more disposed to ad mire the exploits of their ancestors than to imitate them. It should never be forgotten that Sydney and Russell, who had achieved so much in the cause of liberty, had sacrificed their lives, the one on the scaf fold, the other in the field. It was not the possession of a right, but the ikse of that right, which made it valuable. He obserrcd,-that the people had only to determine to be free, in order to secure to them the enjoyment of that blessing. To expect any thing from the present weak Administration-was in vain. Whoever expected good sense from them, must be disappointed. •Whoever expected that bold policy which formed an excuse for rashness, would 1* dii appointed.—But, above all, whoever expected from them mercy and humanity, would be completely dis appointed. Ministers could have no confidence in the people, because they must feel that they had no claim to the esteem of the people ; there was nothing by which they could maintain their importance, but by retaining their places ; for that reason they wished to render their offices They knew the English character must destroyed, before the peo ple could be reconciled to their Government. It therefore was and had been their object to degrade the people below the standard of Englishmen, in or der that the rulers and ruled might• bear a compari son with each other. He adverted to the petitions ,for Reform last year, to resist which, Parliament had felt the necessity of doing something. It became the Honourable House to assign some reason for the con duct it meant to adopt, that the public might know how to act, but the subterfuge to which Parlia ment had resorted, would, in the transactions of ordinary life, have excited a blush, as they had had recourse to some of the most barefaced falsehoods.— Violence had been attributed to the people for claim ing the rights of Englishmen, and their language in petitioning might have been strong, but it could not be stronger than their injuries. To have used words of adequate strength, they must have spoke in thun der, and delivered their words with the rapidity of lightning. ; no language could do justice to their feel ing. Their oppressors thought it was not violence -to bury the rights and privileges of Englishmen, and of the British Constitution. They had heaped inno vation on the Constitution, like " Pelion on Ossa ;" but that they considered no violence ; but for the people to dig round the sordid mass, and endeavour, from the rubbish, to extract what there was of value —that indeed was a degree of violence, for the re pression of which, weak and venal judges were to be concentrated round the feeble Administration, and 'law was to be perverted to defend that which was obnoxious to all law, and destitute of all principle. They would hear the details which had given rise to the meeting of this-day from other persons. He was persuaded that the recital of them would make those who should hear them imagine themselves either among the barbarous hordes of Africa or the despots of Asia—in truth, in any place but the British me tropolis. He wished it to be recollected, that the victims who had been seised by the arbitrary hands of Government bad been seized in the exercise of their most valuable right—the right of petitioning- Parliament. He deprecated the necessity of petition ing Parliament at all. There had been a time, when the'petitions of the people would have been laid- at eke foot of the Throne. It was an Innovation that the people should have been reduced to the necessity 'of petitioning their own servants in the House of Commons. If Parliament had not uinrpedithe power which they exercised, it would never have been vie-I eessary for the people to send petitions, calling on them to do their duty. This usurped power had been exercised in a most oppressive manner ; there were •some of the persons then present who suffered the ire-itest indignities and oppressions under the adts of t the Government; and the only way these sufferings an their parts could be accounted for was, that tlr. Ministerial crusade was so violently directed against the people, that these individuals would never have been so treated, had it not been intended that their graves should prevent them from ever telling the tale of their woes—(Marts of applause). It was indeed natural, that men who thus exercised their power, should resist every attempt at Reform ; that they should contemplate Reform as the most deadly weapon which could-be directed against their politi cal existence ; and therefore it was as natural to ex pect that they would have directed all their force against the voice of the people. Such was the line of conduct which they had resolved to adopt during the campaign of last year; but that was a year of signal disgrace to them, 'for they had been defeated in almost all the attacks they had planned against the liberties of the people. But as it was not possible fof the people, successful as they now were, to cal culate on the fresh effort despotism would again make, they must not lose the commanding situation in which they then stood, or let slip the fair oppor tionity they had of insisting on heir -ig;hts. The Godernment seized innocent men on charges of high Mid kliFew them into prisons. Did they be- A • 1 COOPtigIIWOU the fear, that if any one si ei.imiststalskra rennifl‘the halter, the 1 diens, Woold tattninate his sob the iniqOtoit• that t h e l anguage of the carps Act were pnwe that there was a cot hee r the Pecsige; in England. It was the cc too. to silence the minors, and the people we zee oath' limed for _ .. t lieve there men to be traitors produce the evidence they h bring them-to trial'? He belie but they were not to be fonn thus apprehended and thrown their persecutors ; for, if the IF to make against those person them to trial, they were thems tors—( Load applastses). Th well the advantages they had those men to trial; they knew their sides, and that their accn with a favourable ear in the Co fore they knew that if any thi dieyhad every possible chance o Why, then, were not the pa Because they knew they conic all the charges, which, by a m bad induced the two Houses away the liberties of the peop by evidence so unfounded, t} pejected by any night constl hase).—They did, however, tend to give evidence to that false, and that falsehood w; whole world. In one instar circumstances, which must el pet, the Government had s jects. The trials at Derby, trials, must give pain to ever susceptible of pity. Convictic and those were dwelt on as the existence of treason in the Went, that if all the circuit trialtwere sifted to the botu that Ministers had acted v city,in the whole of their pro with them, and that they th, ble fcr all the blood that had —lt had been recently asserts nisters, that the agents of Gc in provoking the acts-of treat tunate men at Derby sufferer would assert that one of di , the companion and associate was now in London, and wo this business. The individu: although co-operating with up and thrown into confinem son, although the Governmei ing only as an agmt. Thi: blmg unworthy of any Gove cient to point out the real cl stration. Some days after ti Crown had succeeded in cot Derby, they were resolved r came to town with their bri eager to renew their attack publishers of what were calle, mous libels were next singled punishment, although it was secutions instituted against been dropped, they were then fury, and Mr. Hone was pi though he had been dischai ' aance. He, however, obtain over his prosecutors ; but has obtained, and had Mr. Hoot convicted, could any one I would have liberated the Scat would have still been kept i new grounds would have bet the S'Uspension of the Hab er fore, all that Ministers coulc recourse taa Bill of Indemnit from the consequences of the oat their victims against the legal redress for the sof/mill From Ministers, then, they CI tain any satisfaction for their were not destitute, they we their countrymen, to whose li with confidence for redress f suffered in supporting their trymen, then, these sufferers and through their countryme stored again to society. H would return to Ministers 'chi censure and condemnation, al of those who had been so littl others. (Loud and reiteratea Sir FRANCIS BURINITT stat Pk Cartwright, had not been clay; but that he had sent h object of the Meeting, accomp ' be begged to be read. (ARP Mr. CLEARY received the I, ronet, and standing on the 12 PREY. The writer began by fitment had not the power tc or under any circumstances, I men. This assertion he did the House of Commons not I cation of the people, but on a for though the Parliament n well constituted ; and althou rpons were the true represent they could have no authority ties for a single moment, bac ;a m ; tes mightterthan their dele as well , power of the Court of King's in its turn, might as well, try 1 of the, Parliament. As no pa a higher power, so that of Pe pend the rights of the people. doing this was necessity, whi rants plea—a necessity whit power thought fit to explain. very long, contained a variet] the same effect ; and before ii the company became impatie letter might be printed. Thi Mr. Cleary sat down, intimat their wish should be complies .Sir FRANCIS Bunnzrr nov M,. Johnstone, who was me the suspension of the Habeas the Meeting. ( Cheers.) Mr. JOHNSTONE sated hit stone, from Manchester. He call upon the . Meeting to take various parts of the country, their patience. He had been menu without having comet law whatcxer, or having co;