The Statesman. — London, England, 1822-06-06 00:00:00

,?~.:;,. • • • ~_. venerable writers, Mr. Hooker, wb • said " to lire by one man's will it the misery of many." It was said thrt the existence of ale Bill made no difference n the tits. stint' of these 2.1,41410 persons. It made only th► trifling difference between liberty and slaver!, heto•. en Middle sex and Morocco. With regard to London being made the centre of conspiracies, it was not likely th it the , Neapolitans would come here to plot aysin4 the pater nal lioyernment of Naples upheld by the baronets of An•tria. Cott:* they raise ships and troops in this country ? lie thOngilt it was the last place in the world at which they would attempt to meet for sub wpm% The lion. and Learned Member continned to *Tree in support ado- policy of queen Elisabeth in protecting Aliens, oml concluded by saying., that he should lot ashamed to snake it a nutter of boast that his country did not mike reprisals upon the French lifter the pew . e of Amiens. - • • - Mr. 11. TWISS contended that all nations had a right to exc.:lisle Foreigners, unle.s they conformed to the terms laid down for their (slaw-trance. And whets they were admitted under a particular hareain or agree. meat, they had no right to complain. Modern Lawyers t s toi n eh b ac j v : c en might draw the cooclusion from Magna Chart; which which had been drawn that night, hat that wag not the meaning of one ancestors. One would suppose from t tbrt t Ar l i i gl e iei s ,nt p ss es ii e s s bie w me l tn i i i r s ce ; p ls t.n l : i t,n a igd d ieir hi s e im n beyn m .th e e d i e inuldt o . n lao t wn hi they were incapacitated from purchasing,or even hal ling lands; and an Alien at this moment could not be a holder of a term of years in a house noless for the pur poses of comuterse. The Honourable and Learned Gentleman would Tire the Aliens even greater rights than those enjoyed by English subjects. The King weld prevent his subject leaving the kingdom, or meld reeal him from a foreign country; hut the King had al WWII power over en Alien ; and as to the argument on the hardship of the present Bill, it was to he borne in mind that Aliens entered this conntry with a full know. ledge of the law and of their liability to he affected le it. He (Mr. Twiss) conceived there could be its qael• lion that the power given by the present Bill was pro perly lodged in the Executive. It would be prepos terous for Parliament to retain it to itself: for the 1W:- chief might be accomplished while the House was di.- cussing , the particular question of acting on the lea: I while one side was calling for confidence and the other for proofs. It had been argued that this measure might I expose us to retaliation on the part of foreign Govern went", anal yet it had been also argued, that it was in- I tended for their pacification. Both of those arguments could nut be well founded, for they were inconsistent with each other. He dionglit, however, that it was a precaution due to Foreign Governments, in consequence of the freedom of our institutions, which bad the effse t of inviting the factious and the discontented of foreign countries, and of enabling them through cur press to disseminate their views all over Europe. The Bill was not iutended to afford the means of giving up persona to the veogeanee of theirow•goverement, but merelyto remove those who were the objects of snspicioo. lo every point of view, such a removal was not lets political than just. It was the removal by Mr. Fox of the man who proposed to him the assassination of Boomparte. which caused overtures towards peace to be melt by France. The Bill did not contain those . toes lures which were contained in it in the first instance. It merely authorises! removal. anal he begged to caution the House against the objection to thistle because we were in a state of peace. The sauf.see might he smooth, but it did not follow that the elements were quiet; and the barbunriug of factious and perturbed spirits would give too much reason to foreign states to take a tone which would expose us to considerable em barrassment. Sir R. WILSON said, though the Right Hon. Gentle man charged himself with the responsibility of this Bill, yet he (Sir R. Wilson) had no doubt it originated with the Noble Marspless. It was a melancholy originated ste•Wee baneful connection of this errantry with European Oa- I vernments, who hail confederated against the progress ssf knowledge. The more he looked at this Bill. the more be was convinced it was stamps ei with the Auto crats of Europe. If this wer e an 'coexists of the Prero gative of the Crown, let it be preserved; bat that was the question ' • and if it were a part of the prerogratire. why ask for the enactment of a law sow? This Bill was liable to mech abuse, as was already known from the harsh treatment exercised towards two Italian domestic.. if it was said that it was to be only held in terrore,m, this wee the argument for the inquisition and arbitrary Fewer, till they were established, and then their terrors were put into full action. However high the e erecter of the Right Hon. Gentleman was, ler would not intruw him with such a power—such a pore.' be would not in. trust to his dearest friend. Perhaps the Right Honour. able Gentleman was one of !those who wished to posses s arbitrary power, merely that be might have the merit of abstaining from its exercise. But it was dangerous to put such a power into the hands of any man. He was confident that in spite of Alien Bills, and other mea sures against the freedom of mankind, Italy would still be free,and that thetireeks would triumph in their sting gle agaiest despotism. Mr.SCARLETTthought it was hopeless to expect that anything like argument would prevail with Ministers ro this Bill. He had conceived that the death of Boons. parte would have rendered the renewal of this Bill alto- gether unnecessary. Nothing could be so absurd as to , suppose that foreigners could ever exercise any impropere i n fluence among the subjects of this cou ntr y ; and h could see no reason for the , except that of as sisting the police of foreign countries, by removing per sons who had become obnoxious to their oven Govern ' meets. He should, therefore as lie had done before, re sist the Bill with all his might. Ile was sorry to see his Hot and Learned Friend (Mr. Twiss) who had lately taken a new station on the other side of the house, sur poet this measure in the way lee ; because the doo r, was greaser to the liberties of tie coustry when a lawyer supported such an o bnoxious !till as t h is, whick west to overturn every principle that had hitherto die, tioguished this from all other countries in the world.-- 1 Formerly if *slave from a foe gas c stintry set his : - celt or lesr shores lee was consist' red tie:: frous that inomeat but now no foreignor couid he free :inane . its for a ws• •ent ; anal the noble character of the nation would be change , ' fur ever. Mr. Sergeant ONSLOW defended the Bill; the Oster of the Crown call a 'or it on his owe response —(Hear, hear.) —And that was neither new nor constitutional. .Ir. SCA RLETT explained. thi Mr. DENMAN said lir entree no stage of 11111 to piss without giving it his ii-.vied opposition. - So proof whatever had hr. a given fur tier siecessi'y it. The power whirl, it gave was not 4-entitled to tl Home Secretary of State, Far eaeli of :het wo it other rnuries bad S an potver with 1;;:o sil was 1 '" passible to know iVliettier .1s• no. e r veweil them 14'1 ,tot been al aVSabliScd. There ',4‘1:011-• al e very reason ts, W . m re iu d ire ctly it hail hostile here abu to the novas of sed. Tlw erovi sd Magma Carts l nins 01 the bi' wiein lds gave protection to all foreign inerenatta rewiliet this country. Ile could not believe that an Englo lloUSe of eollituons, in the ei g hth yes' . of peace. ilea. consent to this most ohnoxione oleaSure, lOrrrl,beCa Right li o n.tientleinan wished to leav e th is dangers, ;sower vested in his hands. A Right Hon. liettik. 6l :', sad talked of conspiracies in other ronsitriee. ' :wean to say that the revolutions in S p ain and Fortee: and South America were convirades? W as the Roo 0 be told that the people of those countries had ea c r. Hooker, eels a said 6• to live be misery of many." It was said abet fTK 1 1 11 1 till made no difference n the situ. persons. It male only the trifling 1 hefty and slavery, 'veto, en Middle- Ile a ft Pith regard to London being made acies, it was not likely th it the es awe here to plot against the pater- Pe Pet :Arles uphold by the bay•orts of y raise ships anal troops in this Hsu dot it was the last place in the world Mal I attempt to meet for each wpm% Pi r ed Member continued to *ream in pi •of queen Elisabeth in protecting ed by saying, that he should l lie at a matter of boast that his country Os upon the French after the peze . e j e contended that all nations bad a irl ,reigners, unless they canformed to t e l a for their ob•ervance. And when ed under a particular ...argain or agree. iglu to complain. Modern Lawyers CO ,elusion from Magna Chart; which lawn that night, hat that was not the vectors. One would *appose from te laud been innate on this subject Hat asidereal by the old law to have equal stl Englishmen. But, on the contrary, ee :awed from porch aging, or even hal ling ten at this moment could not be a f years in a house sinless for the put- al le. The Honourable and Learned iw are the Aliens even greater rights te n 1 by English subjects. The King 'abject leaving the kingdom, or meld reign country; but the King had ea is Alien ; and as to the argument nn e present Bill, it was to he borne in sitered this conntry with a full know. 1 nal of their liability to he affected le s) conceived there could be its (Oft • tr given by the present Bill was pro- le Executive. It wonlai be prelim- tent to retain it to itself: for the te::- -mnplished while the House was di.- silar question of acting on the lea ; a railing fair confidence and the other I been argued that this measure might stiun on the part of foreign Goren,- had been also argued, that it was in- arification. Both of those arguments' founded, for they were inconsistent Ile thongio, however, that it was a Foreign G overn ments, in consequence e our institutions, which bad the effeet actions and the discontented of foreign enabling them through ear press to views all over Europe. The Bill was (ford the means of giving up persons of theirow• government, but merelyto o were the objects of snispicioo. In w, such a removal was not lees political s the removal by Mr. Fox of the wan him the assassination of Boomparte. 1 artures towards peace to be made by ill did not contain those . fen e contained in it in the first instance. [seal removal, and he begged to caution at the objection to this .betas se ate of peace. The surface might he id not follow that the elements were barbunriug of factions and perturbed e too much reason to foreign states to h would expose us to considerable sus- IN said, though the Right Hon. Gentle. itself with the responsibility of this Bill, ilson) had no doubt it orignsoted wits. teas. It was a melancholy proof et Vim 4 ion of this mantes , with European Oo- hed confederated &pleat the progress The more he looked at this Bill, the minced it was striped with the Auto- If tido were an exorable of the Iworo - rown, let it be preserved; bet that was od if it were a part of the prerogrative, enactment of a law sow? This Bill was abuse, as was already known from the exercised towards two Italian domestics. at it was to be only held is terroreda, this sent for the inquiction and arbitrary were established, and then their terrors ail action. However high the c erecter an. Gentleman was, br would not intruat a power—such a power be would not in. rest friend. Perhaps the Right Honour. I was one of Noose who wished to posses s merely that be might have the merit is 11 its exercise. But it was dangerous to er into the hands of any man. He was in spite of Alien Bills, and other Ines- de freedom of mankind, Italy would still :thetireeks would triumph in their strug potisw. ,:TTthought it was hopeless to expect that argument would prevail with Ministers ro had conceived that the death of Booms- we rendered the renewal of this Bill sabri- ng. Nothing could be so absurd as to 'Feigners could ever exercise any improper ag the subjects of this country ; and he 'won for the , except that of are of foreign countries. by removing per- become obnoxious to their own Govern- tsulal, therefore as he had done before, Fr- ith all his might. Ile was sorry to see his lied Friend (Mr. Twiss) who had lately cation on the other side of the house, sup- lure in the way be diet ; because the dea- n to the liberties of ti e country when a ted such an obnoxious Lill as this, +thick sin every principle that had hitherto dig- is from all other countries in the w orld.-- slave from a foe is. c itintry tort his on wa s considered IteC hoes that inomest- preign.lr could he free .mong ass for a ss- le noble character of the nation %souls! ha vet. ant ONSLOW defended the Bill; the Drown roll a 'or it on his owe respoesibili war.) —And that was neither new *or a ;LETT explained. MAN said he would atiff.r um stage of tbi without giving it his o pposition. atever hal here given fur the siecessiry wer which it gave was not ronnited to th tall of State, for eaiili of :het wo oth ere S lan euinoi paver with hiuli ; soul i 111 inow Whether .11• D ower se*teil is. them I"' aysalunsrd. There was 11 every reasonl ad here abused. The Fr.syieinns of the bit iy hostile to the words ref Magla aide, protectionto all forrizn merchants resulriv try. Ile could rod believe that a n Eng 1, commons, in the eighth ye‘r peace. sou Isis most obnoxious meas ure, mere', h n. ecs Gentleman wished to have this 'tangelo'''. in Isis luanuls. A Right Hoe. lientlre . olconspiracirs in other countries. a y that the revolutions in Spain and Fertile: America were conspiracies? Was the H oe hat the people of those countries bad 0,1 THE STATESMAN. -- - lion of the journal kept qv the Magistrates at Ilchester gaol, thought, as a matter of course, it would have been produced when an inquiry was pending on which it might throw light, and was mach surprised that the for uier motion on this subject had not been acceded to.— The statements which Mr, Hunt had made, that a door : had been closed which was necessary to be o p ened, in order to ventilate his apartment ; and that a Magistrate had refused him permission to see his eister, which it was said the Rev. Dr. Colston had authorised in Hon. Member of that house to contradict,-deserved seine at• tendon, in order to shew what degrettif. importance • ought to be attached to his anthority..jhe new jailer bad opened the door, not on Mr. Hunt's account, but to correct theinsalubrity of the prition. lie'(Sir Francis Burdett) understood that Dr. Colston had written a let ter to the Secretary of State, representing that it bad been necessary to close the door to question which led , to that part of the prison called fie Factory, as workmen were employed there in c.mserptence of its having been lately burned down. Now be(SirF.Bortlett) had been at Misstates . , and having seen the prisoq with his own eyes. Could say,it was impossible that it should have appeared necessary to close the door for the weep which had been assigned. as not a stone bad been touched since the fire took place, and the factory had- rietjet been re built. The other point was snore important. In 18:10 application had been made by Mr. Hunt to Dr. Colston, and another of the visiting Magistrates (Mr. Moody, he believed), fur permission to see his sister, in order to ex-' ecute some legal instrument. and hail been denied. Now one of the contradictions authorised by the Rev. Doctor being negatived, by what he himself lind seen, and th e other being, as lie believed, capable of being contradict ed by witoesecksybo were ready to appear at their bar. he knew not what term to apply to the conduct of that individual ; but he thonght it clear that he was unwor thy to remain in the Magistracy of the comity. He bad seen at .lath,io a paper called the" Sherbonse Mercrry," a lengthened report of a speech made by an Honourable Oeotleman near him, in which, very incorrectly proba bly, it was stated that Mr. hunt and a turnkey of the name of Hobbs had conspired to punish a Mr. Wyatt, because the latter bail surprised Mr. Hunt with Mr. Wyatt's niece on Isis knee. This story, he was convinced. was without the slightest foundation. The insinuation which it contained was very gross, and ought not to have been advanced on slight grounds. This Wyatt had waited upon Mr. Hunt who bad finally qnarelled with him. The lion. Baronet then referred to slew that the evidence of Wyatt was not worthy of attention—that he was at best hut a half witted fellow, who had been con fined for a violent assault on his wife and children, and that his testimony hail been very properly stopped by the interference of the Commissioners on account of its trifling and irrelevant character. He then called the attention of she house to the case of a man of the name of Evans, who had com;dained against Bridle. and who had been confined in irons. By 'he way he thought it right to remark, that all who bad complained of Bridle, whether officers or prisoners. had been visited for doing s.l in some way nr oilier. It appeared that an Hon. Member of that house, to whom he had before allotted. had sanctioned the use of irons on one occasion. Ile had gone down to look at the wall where the man bad got over, and had approved of confining the individual in the way he bad described. Evans had been confined for six months, hat it did not appear what had been done with him. He could wish to know when the man had been delivered. or whether (es might be the case for aught that appeared to the contrary), be was still in solitary confinement. The subject most be followed up in some way. It was absolutely necessary to ascertain whet had become of this man, and that appeared to him an unanswerable argument in favour of the present emo tion. The book which be called for ought to be pro duced. The Right Hon. Oentlemaa, in refusing to grant it, had fairly admitted that it was not to be re garded as private, as containing 'fleetly the memoranda of the Magistrate's private pocketlerek. He would not all for it if be thought it would make against the jailer Bridle. But he should judge. that instead of prejudicing ltim on his trial, its production arght be necessary for his defence, in order to chew that this or that act was performed in conformity with the order of such or such a Magistrate. lic hardly wished to see Bridle prose cuted at all, as be conceived nowt; of what be had done to have been caused by the coarse which the Magic trates had pursued. There weretwo acts which appear ed to he his own, the placiag of a blister on the bead of a prisoner, by way of punishment, and the confining a poor female, with her infant, without giving these even the refreshment of a drop of water. He hoped be woeld only be called upon to answer for those acts which were untionhtedly his own, and that the Attorney-Oeneral would be careful to lay the venue in another county, and to make such other arrangements as should secure him a fair and impartial trial, and counteract so far as might be,neceasary, any disadvantages under which he might labour at present. He however could not see that the production of the Magistrate's journal was likely to prejudice his case, and from the m in which it was noltheld, he suspected that it contained something of importance. Ile concluded by moving an humble ad dress to his Majesty. praying that he would be gracious ly pleased to give directions that there should be laid before that House the journal kept by the Magistrates at llchester jail. Mr. Secretary PEEL said the Hon. Baronet had, per haps unintentionally, misled him and the House, when rising ns lie had understood merely to move for the pro duction of the Magistrate's journal, he had gone into so many circumstances connected with ',cheater jail. lie now proposed to confine himself to the motioa, and the grounds on which he should oppose it. He had al ready stated, that on the Report of the Commissioners to the King, lie bad felt it to be his duty to advise cer tain proceedings with respect to that Report. He had t then the opinions of the law Officers of the Crown. They had advised a prosecution of the jailer, and had accordingly directed a prosecution to be commenced.— lie had also add r d a letter to the Lord Lieutenant of the County, stating' what hail been reported by the j Commissioners as to the !cite and condition of the ail, and requesting him, though be believed that to have been unnecessary, to call the attention of the local au thorities to the subject. He also wrote to others who were concerned calling on them to explain what had affected them. The. Hon. Baronet admitted that Mr. Bridle at present laboured under some disadvantages. All he (Itr. l'eel) desired was, that these should not be increased, and therefore, lie was anxious that the Jour nal in question, and the explanations which it might be necessary to give with it. should be reserved till after the trial. Then, should it be necessary to the elucida tion of the conduct of the Magistrates, he could pledge himself to consent to production of any part of the JOurnal, or the whole. The explanations which would be given, he was bound to say, would, in niany instances afford much satisfaction to the House. With the Jour sal, the trial being over, he would consent to the pro. diction of any document respecting the trite and con dition of the Jail, or the conduct of the Magistrates. Till then be hoped this discussion would be waived ; lie only wished it to be postponed till it could be enter tained consistently with the fair administration of jus tin. One word. with respect to Dr. Colston. The re presentations which he had made had been confirmed by those received from other parties not connected with him, and who were the.same to whom Mr. Hunt owed the relief from the inconveniences to which lie was for merly snbjected. With respect to the data of permis sion to Mr. Henry Hunt to see his sister, he would re peat the words of Dr. Colston, which were that " the first intimation ho received that Mr. Hunt bad a sister at all he had from the declaration of the Hon. Baronet. He bad 'applied to Mr. Hunt the regulation of the prison with respect to females, but doing an he had not the elightest idea thane was interdicting him from seeing Ile (Mr. Secretary Peel) could not hesitate to give credence to the statement, coming as it did from a Magistrate and a Clergyman, till ha bad strong grounds for doing otherwise. Mr. DICKENSON complained of the attack made on him by the lion. Baronet without tbe least notice having been gives of such being his intention. He hail &faint recollection that on one occasion be went to look at • wall which a prisoner bad got over. What he did on that occasion was written down and left in the jail. If, in that instance be bad sanctioned the use of irons, he would appeal to any one in that House but the Honours able Baronet, if th ey could be more p W properly applied to any . one than to a prison breaker. ith rop respect to tbe closing of the door, be stated, that if the wall had set been rebuilt, men had been employed there at the tinse when it was ordered to he shut. objected to the pre duetion of the journal. Mr. BROUGHAM, after what had been stated by the Right Honourable Gentleman (Mr. Secretary Peel) as the journal could not be pranced without prejudice to the Jailer, who was soon to he put on his trial, thought the motion hail been resisted on reasonable grounds, and was of opinion the Hon. Baronet bad better with- draw it. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL opposed the imme- 1 diets production of the book, as hkely to prejudice the case of Mr. Bridle. Mr. W. COOPER read a letter exculpatory of Dr. l Colston. Mr. Alderman Wood maintained that the deiWts of the jail ball not been remedied, and its state had been such that 4000risoners out of 6000 had been 111. 1 1 0 did not wish the p motion to be withdrawn. Mr. DICKENSON stated improvements to bare been' made in the jail, and a machine had lately been procured to pump water up from the river. Mr. ESTCOURT said, with respect to the statement, that out of 6000 prisoners confined at Ilchester, 4000 had been sick, rested on documents which bad been framed for the Quarter Sessions. A new account was made every time, the whole remnant being carried over, so that one prisoner who should remain during three Quarter Sessions would in these returns count for three. He did not think the production of the book would be injurious to Mr. Bridle. It iiad been in the possession of Mr. Hunt many days, and if it has contained any thing that would make against the jailer, lie did not think it likely that It would have escaped him (Mr. Hunt.) Mr. BROUGHAM explained. Sir F. 13URDETT replied, and after some remarks on the probable effect of the production of the book. consented to withdraw his maim—The motion waa ac cordingly withdrawn. ".-0,00%... - - ._. w ., : AI lESI ACT. Mr. Secretary PEEL thee rose to bring under the consideration of the House the renewal of the Alien Act. His intention was to propose that this Act should be continued for two years longer. Since notice of this motion had been given, • considerable time elapsed, bet very soon after an Hon. Member o f the Hotter (Mr. Hob- i house) stated openly. that unless a very free and fair discussion was permitted upon the subject, he would op pose it by other means than those which it was th practice of Parliament to resort to. Now it was not his (Mr. Peel's) intention to push the forward. nn til it had received the fullest latitude of discussion. He entirely acquiesced with that Hon. Member. that it ought to be fully diecussed; he and his friends 'hour him were disposed to treat it in that way, and after lbay ing said so much it was unnecessary to ask of the Hon. Member that be would sot resort to the clternative *Mt bleb the proceeding was tbreatened,s--(Htear frotwil_gs Hobbouse.) would. bowsaw,. iffi felt by►the Houle, that whilst lie (Mr. Peel) signified his williegatess to discuss the question, he had brought himself into a dif ficulty. Upon • motion which had been so often sub mitted to the House, it was very difficult to offer any thing new. The obvious arguments by which it could be defended, and the objections which might be taken to it, had been already stated so often and so ably, that little more remained for him than to repeat what bad been said on these former occasions. The nature of the danger to be met, and the necessity of meeting that dan ger, were amongst the arguments in support of the mea sure. The objection. and the strongest one which could be urged was, that it was not called fur in a time of profound peace—in the seventh year after the termi nation of the war, and at a period when, according to his Majesty's speech at the beginning of the Session. we were in profound amity with all nations. This was an• objection, of which he (Mr. P.) felt the full force. He felt that be was proposing the renewal of the Alien Act in • time of peace, but be felt also that that owe was the termination of a warfare unparalleled for its character, its levelling principles, its revolutionary destroying principles.—(llear.) It was a war which affected every state of Europe, in which some ancient Dynasties had been overthrown, and others put in their places. Any one who reflected upon all these circumsta nces must ad mit that the present measure was not unnecessary. It could be said that the mere words of a Treaty, or the circumstance of its being in force for seven years, could be effectual in extinguishing those principles which bad been broached during the war. For many years the greater part of Europe had been in a fer ment, in some places open rebellion broke out, in others conspiracy carried on by means of secret so cieties.—(Hear, hear.) Many of the persons COSl cerned in these affairs had fled for refuge to this coun• try. Here they found a reception, no matter what their principles were, what party, or what association they were connected with.—(Hear.) —Here they found an oblivion for all their past conduct, and in no case was protection refused them. 'Even where there teas a want of adherence to the formalities required, he appealed• to an Hoe. Officer opposite, if foreigners had not been treated with the gr,•atest liberality.—Hear from Siqit. Wilson.) —He wan warranted then in saying, that not oithstanding the Alien Act, there WSS no instance of the ncient hospit.dity of England being violated. All who came to seek protection were received, and those only who sought to make the country a theatre of poli• tieal agitation were refused admission. He could men tion the names of many persons who were most conspi cuous in all the convulsions of the continent, resident at this time in the country, but he was unwilling to make them conspicuous. He would show that the effect of the Alien Bill had been not to diminish, but increase the number of aliens in this country.—(Hear.)—ln there were but 22,000 foreigners here, now there were 25,1100.—(Hear.) —The increase of late years was very perceptible. The increase of the arrivals above &par tnres in 1819, was 266; 1211, 6U2 ; 1.21, 6./5; 1822. 635 ; for five months only.—(lb-ar.)—Hy this it a ppeared that the increase in the arrivals for five sssss ntlis of this year was equal to the whole number in IN2I. It proved that the Alien Act did nut prevent this country from being the resort of foreigners. It placed no bar to the ingress of all those who had any legitimate object in view; anal there were many here now who fled hither nut only to escape prosecution, but absolute impunity for crimes committed. But it was said that this very increase in the number was a reason why the power should not be continued to Ministers. This was • strange argument. for if the number had been lessened instead of being magnified. the same argument would be used against him. In fact, one of his principal objects •'Moto afford protection to Aliens.—(Cheers. —What was the meaning of those cheers? If persons were allowed to remain in this country, was there not, be monad ask, a total oblivion of the past, no matter what the acts might have bees t Ili. Majesty's Government said to Aliens, We are willing that you should remain in this country, lint on the condition that you shall not abuse the hospitality that it affords, or desecrate the sanctuary into which you are received—you shall not make this metropolis the seat of conspiracy." He conlel not con ceive a greater evil than that in the capital of the Bri tish Empire foreigners should have tile power of con spiring against Sovereigns with whom we are in alliance. If the house should do away with the Alien Act the most ruinous consequences must ensue ; but if Hon. Members were to call upon him to slate why he thought so I be was ready to admit that he could nut bring no direct evideocein stipportof his opiiiion...(Cheersand laughter.) However, hr proposed the present measure upon his own responsibility as a servant of the Crown. He pro posed it as Secretary of State for the Home Department, believing it to be necessary for the maintenance of the interests of the twittery. With respect to the Bill, it en. acted that all Aliens, on their arrival in this country, should make a declaration of their profession, or con dition in life ; and a penalty was imposes' on the Captain of any vessel who should rsfitse to put in the proper re turn. But the material part of the Bill was, that it au thorised the King. by his Proclamation, to o rder Aliens to depart from the kingdom, subjecting them to a cer tain penally in case of disobeilienre ; and then a power was vested in the Secretary of State to yitt the Proclama tion in form. It provided, however, a right of appeal to the Privy Council, who might, if they thought fit, rescind the order of theSecreteryofState. lie won's' now consider 'the objections which might he made to the measure by Gentlemen on the other side. It would, of course, be said that it was a deputure from the ancient policy of the country, which afforded protection Bail hospitality to foreigners. He admitted that the presumption was in favour of ancient usage; but he would contend that there were cases in which ancient usage ought to give way to emergency. Let the house compare the evil with the remedy, and then let them not refuse the remedy merely because there was not a precedent for it. An Hon. and Learned Gentleman last night sought to excite a prejudice against the Bid because there was not a precedent for it its Magna Charts ; and reference was had to the usage in the reign of Elizabeth; hot he would ask if circumstances at that period were in any respect similar tothepresent ? Any Gentleman notacquainted with Magna Charts would suppose that it contained a condemnation of such a proceeding as the Alien Act; but on looking to LiagnaCharta, he found in it *provision with respect to strangers coming into this country. It ran thus: 'Unties Inereutores Weans salaam et neural), pa:Ma kin venire its Anglian et excite ex Anglia." From this it might appear that merchants were at liberty to come and remain here, just as Amy pleased; but these words followed as an exception—" aVisi antes publit e pro- Itibiti." The Right lion. Gentlemen then read an ex tract from Magna Charts, translated into English, the substance of wh:ch was, that in time of war foreign mer chants should be allowed to remain unmolested in this country, till it was ascertained how British merchants were treated abroad. It ini.;lit, perhaps, be argued that the policy of Queen Elizabeth was different from that which had since been adopted. But be happened to meet with a letter from Queen Elizabeth to Alderman Heywood, Alderman t}/how, and other authorities, which directed that " those who were not of any church or congregation should be obliged to quit the realm." It was therefore evident that Elisabeth did not entertain such a high idea of prohibition as to prevent her from enforcing it, merely because a precedent could not be found for the measure. The Right Hon. Gentleman, after urging some other arguments upon this point. re ferred to Mr. Scarlett's Bill for the Removal of the Poor, in order to show that it involved a principle contrary to Storm Charta—namely, the imprisonment in the House of Ciirrection of such paupers as should refuse to work: TM. principle, he ebeerved, was advocated by one of the Iliestleuses ea the other side, though it was in direct contravention of the provision in Magna alerts, which declared that callus giber horn° utlegatur nut diuek gatur ant insprisonatur nisi jmclicio purism suoruns eel per kgent terra. Since the year 1815 there bad occur red only four instences of the power which the Act gave having been acted upon with rigour: and there was no instance upon record of any abuse having taken place. But be admitted that the circumstance of no 'abuse having occurred was not of itself a justificatioo of the Act, bat it afforded the presumption that the pre sent power might be exercised with safety by the hands to which it was intrusted. He could assure the house, that the Act would never be committed to subordinate agents. If it should be argued that malignant insinua tions might be used against individuals in order to get them sent of the country, be would reply that lie could not conceive it possible that any such ins,nuations could warp a Secretary of State the exercise of his duty. If a foreign power should apply to have any party removed from the country, the triumphant reply would be that no individual could be removed so long as he demeaned himself in such a manner, as not to excite the suspicion , of the 0 meat. The Right Hon. Gentleman here recapitulated some of the provisions of the Bill, and pledged himself, that if power was greeted, every possi ble precaution should be taken to prevent its abase. He should feel that Le was guilty of a culpable omission , if he had neglected to bring forward Ode measure, and I be should rather bear any thing than carry about with I him in the recess the heart - sic kenin g reflect ion, that he bad not done his duty from the fear of any opposition I which he might have to encounter.—(Lund rimers.) Sir J. MACKINTOSH said that however his mind might be filled with apprehension and alarm at beetle,: that this Act was to be renewed under existing circam stances, that alarm and apprehension was increased and accompanied by a deep feeling of melancholy when lie heard the principles upon which it was supported by thrttight Hon. Gentleman. He bad heard each prin ciples laid down as be had never expected to hear ad dressed to the House of Commons, nor to any assembly of Englishmen, and that by a Minister cf great talents, and from a Gentleman whose be sincerely believed to possess a most vspectable character. He felt his alarm and apprehension to increase became lie considered these to be the principles of a Ministry likely in all pro hability to last beyond his life. By such principles were 145,1109inilividnals, who had twide this country the home of their choice to lw governed, and by such would they be sobjected to the mere nil' and pleaseire of a Secretary of State. If they were to carry such doctrines as the Right Hon. Gent}-elan had advanced, into practice to their full extent, they would hive to abolish every essen tial and fundamental principle of the Constitution. The Hon. and Learned lientkenan then went on to argue that the defence of the present Bill was the same as that which was advanced to justify King Charles the First, in levying taxes without the consent of Ins people; namely, that the money was to he applied to a good purpose. and that the tat was most equitable in its ope ration. The Bill was nothing less than a Bill of Pains and Penalties against 23.btitt British subjects, for each they would be, and entitle.' to the protection of the British laws, if it was not fur the existence of the Alien. Art. By that Act, they were here not under the protection of the law, butt under sufferance, and sieteiret to the will of the Secretary of State. The doctrine which sup ported the Bill was the doctrine of pare despotism Such was nut the intention of the Right lion. Gentle man he knew; he shoals' be sorry to accuse him of am thing which lie slid not think correct ; bat he had lire. arguing against the ducttine of one of our learned an; ■ I