The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1819-12-10 00:00:00

140 , 1 fir the waiiiitration of measittie not in liaison • with the views of Government, after their recent eoperiente of the dismissal of one of the most yes aerelsle end Wright Nohleaseit in the it ingdosh 'CO Fimailliam), law merely attending a meetiuh, sole object of ,which was to promote inquiry.--. Mee", Aesse.l-119 the avowed object elf Ministers was to put doWn ad inquiry. they would take care awl pot at theliehd of .countivoi their vassals. who tastultl gle!eir 447 true wishes.of them whoplaced flosin. in official sit'uatioti, It was ridiculous to say that pßrichial meetings could convey the settee large bodies, er curry. that weight Which was leuustiintionaffyinteelled to he conveyed by greet abetting*. They might fie called in a carrier% which 'large meetings never could ; they might Ite cs led flu a room, winch would loudly admit More persons thha the rector. the churchwardens, and the beadles..— (A laugh )--getter therefore would it toe th 'lyave the beadle , . so briug the resort of the siehberattons of such meetings to the bar of Per. liansesit, then to impose the duty of preventing them noon their Metobers..-'4A luagh.)-;-The Ho uourable and Gallant Member, after arraigning In severe terms the Bill fur repressing the constitu tional mode of Meeting in large bodies, directed his attention to the Libel Bill, recording to the pro. visions of which, no man, whatever may be his wit 'or teleids, could undertake • political work with out previously giving excurity in en indefinite amount fur the pasyntent of any fine which might hereafter be levied Mims bins in au ex-officio prosecution. For the 'skein) offeoce, too, the author arm punishable with frabsportadon. and if he were Jound at large befure'rhe eXpirati tttt of his term, he was !whir to the ffenalty of death.—(Cries of " Shame !")—ill this, too, for an indefinite of ferier.--,What war a seditious lihel ? lit Isis opinion. there could not be one more seditious than the pub licatioo of the occurrences at Manchester—than the depositions taken before the Manchester Magis trates; nor any publication snore mischievous than that of the proceedings of Parliament in the present Seat .—(Applause.)—The ',Pouliot) of Juries 'was els° critical—they must be condemned by those in power if they did not bring iii verdicts of smoky, and by their own consciences if they did. After alluding to the acquittal of Mr. Hone, and the ground it woe supposed to have furnished for rt cent ineesures. the Film. and Gallant General ex pressed his decided disapprobution of the Traverse Bill—hut the oilier Bill was far worse, which au thorised the wieute of arms, and the entrance of houses for that purpose at night. He proceeded Co express, with great animation. the abhorrence with which he viewed the Bill end all its provisions. and tatert, from his own actual knowledge in behold, where lie bail • military command at the time of the rebellion, .the atrocities that were coinmitted un der the priri...Mos of a airoilar measure ; the out rage. 111-re inflicted by these midnight domiciliary 'tints were intlescribable—he could not trust him self there. with their iectial, of so horrible a com plexion rods. their nature. The Nonuurable and 'Gallant Genteel eutered lido a lew per . iculars illustrative of these berm.* in Irelaorl, aud de scribed ihe conduct of Sir Judkin Fmizgerald, who was rewarded by the Irish Government with a Baronetcy sod a Colonelcy for hi, cruel con duct. The •Barnaiet anal the Colonel was, how ever. sent trick, by the good and amiable Aber 'cromby, to whom he had been sent in the Egyptian campai4o. 7 .-(ripp/arse.)—The people of England bad no sec - ority., if This Bill pleased, for any exemp tion tar the mare sufferings which goaded the people of Irehord to mailuess, and of which he could give nisuy sad :pal affecting iostences. It was true that a suair`a house could riot he tattered except on oath, but at was all 04111, hot of a fact, but of the inform tea belief, mind fax which no prosecution for perju ry cool.' 'afterwards wise. An Hun. Gentleman bad said. he would defend his house from such 0)411 I," exclaimed Sir Robert. •• I shall defend my Moose and property, and the harbour of my faintly, from the violence of soy midnight rtiffiaii, under whatever garb he serail claim midnight aditilasion." Such pleasures would evetituativ make this country a hell tit ea. th. Whets V. illiem the Third disarmed the Pa piste, a strung !tarty of whom, in the interest of the exiled family, Optimal his views, he order e d it to I.e duo.. by dry, and there wes no power of mid sowt eiarance reserved by the authorities of the st.a.e.—(Applartse.)—He had seen Nlagstarstes to Ireland tramper' wretched being* by hundred* with out sassy trial or fortis of law. He bad seen the tri yogic. up from rooming till eight its the public streets 01 that unhappy country, for the purpose of tiogoig will% the rat-o'-nice-tails poor wretches, either to extort confessions Grim them of their owls gush. ur to induce them to inculpate other end prihipo ueent isitlividuals.--(3houre.)--The lion. and Gillant General related many affecting sostsuces of dor tiliction of barbarity and cruelty, and said, that though it liapprued when Lord Castlereagh oars only acting Secretary. and there fore uut in the Cahouet, our responsible for such acts. yet the Noble Lord afterwards weut into office with colleagues who were in power at the time whew these atrocities were the order of the day. —(Dear. hear.)--Fie then proceeded to justify hue toirduct in shakmg handl with Mr. Hunt on the bustious. and • tur calling this adegraded coun try--offences of which ',he, hall, been charged rr tire House of Couitiwins... ,He avowed both. Ile thought Mr. Hee op. ;het parte elder nee/mutt • au injured tufiti p , mid beathatikrd God lie had a heed mid lo,protect one so situated. even though be were his peramoil enemy. —(Applause.)—As to England's being degraded, what better proof was there of that than in Ilia erpriernierit of the present Ulegtnee.. 2— (Appl4lo4o—• There +sere wow he hopes for7k caniffry but by Two parties fillert thofitate r psue-COri.., sistesi of the Torte. and the Terrorists, Agso,wished • to ruie by the sword aud withiiwe the Conststatiou.: the usher was composed of the Whigs. and theie trienda, who cooperated" for 'she 'defence of the • Curistituttua and fur the itsteg4ty. of the laws: • If time people firmly backed thq. latter, ;here was a chas.ce tit their getting boat ithe rights of old Euglaird.—(4pplaase.)--The •promised inotitra of klr. Latubtou would furnish' el tangible point of union fur all purist's who, wishes:Ned to their OWN- • try, and Ibt trusted that in fur. a peaches! purpose, the people would be foon4,to places 'con tideirce 10 the parties to whoa; *'alluded. and will.. were presAlred to 'aspire,* a pilau of Illeferits• winch me add saw mistertelly reds* ilie-iourfelt a • • 4s , co- " • , c swab, MN i v . t i t: • • Nom OM +1114.1 ' iOV pe gulb t a d if fesubmkikra. • fi g e •: ' • • sh,e •• !, _ . terieessles 'the ensstry.—r Apphotte.)--irith respect to the rreusniiirmlatiou to their MtNi• leis to abstain from further Parliamentary attead- 'ince. perhaps St would be as well that the matter should be left Lb their discretion—though,liis opi nion was, that A would be as well to let Ministers tamp up au Opposition of their own born among thei► old borough stagers.— (LavgAter.)--The Mon. and Gallant General cossclistied an aide and eloquent speriAi, of which we regret our limits will only enable us to give a brief outline, by empha tically expressing his ho l m, that whatever fate awaited Englishmen in the times its which they now heed. they would never forget they had once a constitution, or reliisquissis their fixed determination to regain it; that they stem would desert the samara cause for which Hampden cited in the tield, and Sydney on the scaffold.--(Lorid Otters" Alter Some exioheerstitrots belweeis Mr. C•II.IISRT end Sir Rossay Wtt.som, the eighth Resolution was withdraw., and the motion of thanks to Sir Francis. Burdett was extended to the other Mem hers of the Opposition. for their parliameistary services. The other Resolutions were carried una nimously. Mr. ARROWSNITH anti Mr. BRANDS severally addressed to the meeting interesting speeches. which they forcibly cosidenissed the Bills now peal!- tug in Parliament, and urged the immediate urces sity of the removal of Miiiistere. Tile following minion was then pat. and nimbi misualv egrrrd :•••••• 10. That Ike Theisiks of this Meeting are eminently due, ■ad are hereby gives, to our worthy Representatives, Charles Calvert, Empire, and Sir lt..brrt Wilson, for their constant slid unwearied exertions in favour of the rights and liberties of the people, and particularly tit Sir Robert Wilson, for bin bold and manly speech iu 41t4euce of the last wreck of the Constitution. The Hon. Members returned thanks, as also did the High Bailiff in acknowledging • motion of similar compliment. Petitions to both Houses of Parliament were then agreed to, end ordered to be left in the Town- Hall fur signatures until Nlonclay morning welt. 11'e regret that the length of time which this meeting occupied, and the pressure of the debates in Parliament, compel us to reduce the limits which we should have otherwise telt ',leisure in allowing to a meeting of the Independent Electors of Southwark. IMPARIAL PAIILIAMEAT. HOUSE OF LORDS, THURSDAY, DEMMER 9. PROCEEDINGS AT MANCHESTER. The Earl of CAKNARVON presented • Petition I from David Dawsou, Joint and Samuel Dews on, the father and brothers of El111)11114 Dawson. stat. Ling, that the said Edruutol Dawson had gone to Manchester ou the 16th of August lest, to attend • nieetiorg for Parliatuentery Reform ; that he wee struck by sabres tear the limiting., and hieing at . trendy wounded, was taken to the Mericherter hov pitch, where he died. At. inquest was held • upon the body. but the verdict d: , l riot state either how or by whom the death was occa►ioned, *ld gh several persons who had Well the wounds inducted bad offeted to give their testimony. The Petition coucluded by prayt.ig that the House would insti tute a full and impartial inquiry into the circum stances connected will. this trausaction.—Laid ou the table. TRAVERSE—EX OFFICIO INFORMATIONS. 'rile Earl of SHAFTEsUURY brought rip the Report of tale Committee upon the Lill fur ex. pertitiog trials for incolemeatiors. The LORD CHANCEI.I.O3i proposed sonic verbal anteridotents, and one for omitting from the Bull the words Wales, and the town of Berwick-upon- Tweed," which were adopted. Lord HOLLAND rose for 11. e purpose of submit ting a clause, of which the purport was, that if the Attorney-Gent-rel. haying tiled an infurt•tiuu against any individual. did 'int proceed to the trial of it within eighteen mouthy after such iiiformatiou had been filed, it should be considered as null and void. The Noble 1..0d oh-erved, that it was not just that every indulgerice should be taken swat• from the subject, while the operations of the Auto. esey-General were facilitated. The LORD CHANCEI.I.OII said, that the clatter 'row proposed by hi• Noble Frirod, was one of very considerable importance, and merited enrich c•ousi derutiosl, but as it struck him, their Lordships would not act wisely were they to reduce the At. torney-General to the cooditiou ol • a private prose cutor. As the law slow blood, if the Attorney. Gentilil tiled en ex officio information, be could nut groerallt• be compelled to proceed to trial. because the Deremliasit mr such a case would not be • entitled to cairy down the record to the Assizes. to e C '•sion of Oyer and %trainer, or of general Csiol to.lese by the ups-. cial warrant of the Atturiel-(;erieral. In the case of the Krug r. --, in the td East, the quest was argued whether the defesoltiest, iu an infermatiou hid e.r et/icier could carry down th e ; record by way of pryers.). and it watt then decided that he could nut; but one of the Judges stated, that there was a mode uf • compellimg the Attorney. General to proceed to trial ; the delcuidaut might -move for a trial at bar, and if. on sufficient cause Aeon, the Court should grata this trial at bar, the -Attorney-General would be therelly compelled to j proceed to trial. The Attorney-General, however, ought not ill all cases to be placed in a situation ; similar to that of what was commonly called a pri. vile' prosecutor, for it was hut always possible fur I him to proceed to trial,frout the abseirceof witnesses, fur instance, and some other cause+•, which must occur to his Noble Friend near him (Lord Erskine). lit cases of a private prosecution, the defendant, M. I though he may carry down, the record by way of I proviso. yet must tender himself to trial, he must •rat vaihiii the range of justice. The Noble rod I :Darned Lord suggested the propriety of postpeu. ing the considerate's' of thief clause subse quent night, ur moil the third reading of the Bill, when he promised he should eittleasuur ror much as possible to assist the Nottle Lord iii the object he had in view, if on further considerenuri lie should I God the treasure advisable ; but 6.101.'110i he could -mot • pledge loripelf filially t• , coucar or the Naha Lord's. suggestion, he hit it a dirty lie owed to f every subitct of the reidiu to state to him his opt. thous upon the causes which, its his aloud, would render such a measure meripedietst. Utfd HOLLAND retold) coucurred in the wish exprevard by the Noble and Leatued Lard, that• . . the ConsideredOn of the4leoseshould be pokponed. and hoped, that as the Noble Lord bad admitted diet the propos . • was out which well merited considermtims, they would come to the question Idevoid of all prejudice, slid honestly endeavoor to devise the town effectual means of ' doiuK justice to the people. The LORD CHAIFF4I,I.OII observed, that a Bill upon this subject hid oil a former occasion been submitted to Parliaitreot. That Bill had two o h. ' jects : one. that no isiforinstion should be died for any °Weiser, after a lapse of three mouths from the time that the of - Yriice had been committed; 'the ether, that every inlormatiou should cease and de termine unless brought to oriel within a certain time. Upon the first point it was obvious, that the limitation was too strict, because ass offence, which might he very propeily made the %object of a minima lawman 00000 , might not be discovered within the narrow time proposed by the Bill, the other question was, that which was uow submitted by his Noble Friend. The Marquis of LANSDOWN expressed his sears. faction at what had fallen from the Noble and Learned Lord on the Woolsack, and hoped that no public injury would arise from postponing the third reading of the Bill until Monday. if it would rumble the Learned Lord to carry into effect any measure founded upon the clause suggested by his Noble Friend. He thought it desirable that such a measure should go Girth to the public in connexi 0000 with the present Bill, that wink the subject was de. proved of au admitted privilege. some protection would appear to be at the value time landed sg.this/ the power of the Attorney-General. He • oh. e rv e d, that the word. of the Learned Lord on the Woolsack. on a former occasion, with respect to this Bill, had beets very much inierepresesited. Hr was made to soy, that he hail founded the prin ciple of this Bill upon the castor the sevets Bishops, "duels cerainly was not the fact ; on the contrary, the Learned Lord distinctly stated, that if the Prelates lied pleaded properly they had been very hardly dealt with. Toe Learned Lord hail also admitted the existence of a defendant's privilege to traverse, but had argued upon genetsl grounds the expediency of taking it away. The Noble Marquis said it would be but seemly in Parliament, cud due to public feeling. if they would pro. reed parr passe iii facilitating the operations of Government and of ilit Attorney-General, mud in protectiog the subject from the itieonveisieoce of linviog a prosecution hanging over him for an later. minable period. He implored the House tu post -1 the 'bird reading of the Bill instil M lay, if by so slight • delay an opportunity would be given to the Noble Lord On the Woolsack of pre. paring the machinery of a measure which must be acceptable to the public. The Earl of LIVERPOOL said, that he bud no objection to the delay requested by the Noble Miliquis, but ohms ht as did also the Lord Chan cellist, that the measure might with better effect be merle the 'object of a separate Bill. The Report of the Bill was these received, and the Bill ordered for a third reading on Moodily next, when it wits understood that if the Lord Chancellor found it porcticable and consistent with I the public interest, he would bring in a Bill for expediting the trials of iuformatioti filed ex officio by the Attorney-General. BLASPHEMOUS AND SEDITIOUS LIBELS. The Earl of SHAFTESBURY brought up the Re. port of the Bill for the inure effectual prevention arid iiiiiiisliment of Blarpheniuut cud Seditious Libel.. Lord II0L1.•ND Said, as it was. understood that ally amendments which might be thought necessary should be proposed on bringing up the Report, he should now offer some to their Lordships' consi. &return. In so duoug, however, lie begged it to be distinctly uoderstood that lie by no means had conceded the lubj e ctious he formerly expressed t o the principle or the Bill, but lie felt it his duty, as a neither of the Legislature, to confine the opera tion iii the Bill to that species of offence* which the framers or it evidently contemplated. Ile should its no respect alter the Bill. so far as it re lated to blasphemous libels, though lie could not take notice even of them, without sajing that there was 'Birthing in the extent of the circulation of blasphemous libels which could justify an altera tion in the laws of the country. The account of their extent wee, he helieved, much exaggerated ; for when it was stated that bbiephetnous writings had increased in 'limber, it should be at the seine time remembered that every other species of writing also ' had increased very much within a certein period. and that the extent or blasphemous writings ought not to be estimated by reference to their extern in former times, so much as its relation to the a t of all other species of publications. But whatever may be the extent or danger of these blasphemous writings, it had never been explaiiird to Ilia House why the existing laws had nut not been enforced to their utmost severity agai n st such otkuces. There existed 110 greater difficulty now than at any former period in executiug them, and in inflicting upon of fenders condign punishineut coinmeusuriste with their offence, and more than commensurate with the danger that might result from their dissemi- ' Ostlun ; but with respect to seditious libels, his object was to coufilie the puoishineut to the individuals who were really guilty of sedition. It would perhaps be difficult to define with accuracy a seditious bbel, but it certainly was desirable, bona fide, to coofine the operation of 1 the Bill to suck libels as were of a character I really dangerous to the State. A practice of ' law had prevailed, by which an ;Will/Anal, from some accidental reletions, or pecuniary circum stances. might be retitleted liable to suffer as a Crilnilial for the sets of another. This was aro alio- tnuly as it regarded the rest of our law, for in no other instance is a Masi accountable for the criminal act of his ermine. Ile Oa, convinced that those who supported this Bill did not desire to punk!) p-rsons• who were not actually guilty of writing or publish log the libel, amid these it should be ihr endeavour of Pailiameid to save from so severe a penalty. Tu attain this object, he should propose several amend. menu. lie the first piece, he islootild move an alieratiou in the presitible, -by introducing the , word. •• person. knowingly and maliciously pub.., lishing." l u h ire n i ne , p age 'We,. he should I also propose the insertion of the words. " know. iugfy and aidliciuublx eudeavouriug to exam lii! Majesty's subjects to subvert by rioleaco the Go. imminent and Constitution of the seal., au by Isis estehlished." This would be more Necessary. as every. libel of • political stature might .be • readily constiutid to . be 'editions. The neat Paint to which he should direct the attention, might prnbehly be considered much more important. It was his in tention to propose the °missing' of the punishment of heasishusent—a punishment new in the history o f English legislation, wiltuown to our 'ancestors, arid 110 W prOpOled without reference to its effects Up 011• the policy of the century. the state of our foreign relations, the property of the individual's trimly, and the gruersl analogy of our liters. This Bill, he said, excited his suspicion as well as his surprise. How had they ascertained whet effect the Bill would have upon the ansiogy of the law, or how collected the possible effect it might pro. duce, by exposing a British subject to the caprice or power of a foreign government ? Possibly such an alteration in the law might he of advantage., but no proof had been offered of it ; and it was not wise in Parliament blindly to adopt an i 0000 ovation, without receiving a certain assurance that it would be attended with advantage. banishment he had 14 particular objection us a mode of punishment, on account of the inequality with which it affected different persons, snit inure partieulary if its ope ration must depend upon the enmity or favour of• the neighbouring potentates, to whose dominions the exiles might he sent. 'Elie House too should consider the cousequeoces of causing a British sub ject to cast his eyes towards any foreigu power, as being likely at some time to tither him a place of refuge, as it must induce him to court the favour of a foreign potentate. and facilitate the interfer ence of foreigners iu the affairs of this country. If they looked through the long course of history, they would find that never did a free State admit the penalty of beilialliinent that did not feel the ef fects of foreign interference. It was herd that in an ovation proposed from the other side, the one, probandi, with regard to its ill consequences and inconveniences, should always be thrown upon those who opposed it. The case was the reverse when ever any proposition came from the. side of the l i House at which he sat,lfor then a cry was Moonily set up requiring them to shew not only all the ad vantages that might be derived from the measure proposed, but also the incouveniences that were felt in the system proposed to be altered. The principle of banishment, however, was so contrary to their general enexims, that when in the last Sea sing, a Bill was proposed relating to the banishment of persons front Scotland, it was rejected. The House were aware that benishmerit is a punishment recognised by the law of Scotland, so that some times the gentlemen of that country ore exposed to the severe end creel punishment of bring sent to the southern parts of the island.—(a It, however, having occurred, probably to some pert lawyer in Scotland. that this punishment, whatever it might have been in former times, had now lost souse portion of its extreme severity, a law was proposed, empowering Sheriffs or other Magistrates to seize Scotch exiles, if found in Eng land, mid either to send them back to Scotland, or to Botany Bey ; but their Lordships threw out the Bill, on the ground, no doubt, that the law of England not recognising the puuisbrurot of banish ment, should not be ancillary, in that respect, to the law of Scotland.—(Hear.)—The Noble Lord made a few remarks upon the minor clauses of the Bill, and concluded by mum% the first amend meta. The Earl of lIARROWDY said, that, by leaving the Bill as it now stood wait regard to a seditious libel, no disadvantage could possinly arise to the subject, fur it was difficult to induce a Jury to find a verdict of guilty, except iu very strong cases, and where the seditious intent was sufficiently ins. infest. He admitted that, in the Act of 1791, which excepted a certain description of libels out of the general mass, the libel was distinctly set out as •• maliciously and advisedly bringing into contempt his Majesty's person and Government, and the constitution of the realm as by law establi►hed." The Noble Lord (Holland) had raid that banishment was unknown to the laws of Lug. land; hut he would find In tint very Act to which he referred that the ti rot offence was highly peon!, and that on a second couviction it was discretionary with the Judges to impose either a very lung impri. moment, benishment, or trausportation. He argued that imprisonment and flue alone were nut an ede quote punishment fur the repetition of the offence of libel, fur what was there to prevent an individual from repeating his offence every day or every week, mid could it be said that adding to the term of his imprisonment would operate as a correction ? No ludividwil could he a greater enemy to society, than one who was constantly aiming to alienate the minds of the people from the Government of the country, and the only inealiv of correcting the evil was to get rid of the individual. The objec tion made by the Noble Baron to the punishment of banishment, on the grounds of its unequally affecting different individuals. could have no weight, because it might with event propriety be said of I every other species of punishment. Lord ELLENsoaounu said, he did not see the expediency of introducing in the preamble of the Bill the words •' knowingly mid .nialicumaly," because he did out perceive how any man could write a seditious libel fortuitously, or publish it accidentally.—(Hear, tear )—Thrre seemed to be a difficulty about detiueiug a seditious libel ; lie should submit one, which it was leis intention to move ►hould be inserted to the Bill. The Noble Lord theist read a paper to the following effect :-- •' any person shall publish any writing, cal collard to bring imu contempt the King, or either House of Parliament, or tee stir up the peo ple to effect any alteration in the law of the country by other than lawful means." The Earl of LIVERPOI/L said, lie had no oh*. time to the introductinis of the liars:44e read by the Noble Lord, and suggested that the name of the Prince Regent ►hould tee inserted • in Lord ERSKINS said, it was argue upon the general principle of the Bill, on which he had already expressed his opinion, but to ediiiiiir himself solely to the umemlments. The Noble Earl opposite had, ens the former ought of de bate, mistaken his observations resiwcting bliisphe mous publicatious. lie had said that in mous libels there was nu distiection, hut in this he did nut refer to intellectual publications re. 'pectins religtoss, winch might be - mums by . good and moral, or by bed :ea, but %plo y to those dis gust i ng , h ose, and proaigete *to ! . I' of which the manifest inteut was to degrad e gion end the Divinity, which could lint br writ;l:l iu s d bily isc igt o7s da s t s e m i t ia he en ;c i e lel . thdt" } " i te e thoi f e e rh l s t °(l i t :l e : 1 1 6;1 1 so to b muchelit,ietit... dow n lied t could alai by attained by the present ; the piiiiishuuot proposed was Cis **ere, and the Bill 'solid reca s t motto its framer. Transportation, o i,„ properly applied, web, he admitted, a very proper kind of plissishnient '; for, Its in the cal amid the imptinties Cast out of our ',donjons. *lira strewed over the face of the earth, c..vered it with verdure anal fertility, so the removal of th e err." she society lhry had t`ojui_ ° up new cuuuhlrr, and, br ci their nu{u*fry ought Ix F f : le :e t: L ( 7 n vomu g upur t lio l aPei te lyieje i ci pcse lera r fh e; re f memos of human happiness But was it wise police to send to those new col 'es persops of a chsracti4 likely to pollute them, rod sow io their iisfaut *ti mely the seeds of discontent? By for law, sr it now stood, the Courts were possessed of sufficient power to inflict as severe, or perhaps a severer nient upon libellers than intrisportatio u . If a 111111. .once convicted, should offend again, he 1 / 1 / 1 11 ; 1 Weill 10 set his force swoon the law, and i.o MCI ever yet tried his strength against it who did not eventually find himself worst, d in the rowe.t. If a 1113111/UWIMM a wicked and malicious 'Mei, for it must be both fur the purpose of Ins coarse lion, he may for the recoud offence be tratis l ioned for seven years. Where was the 111•CCO•My fur this new punishment, when by the laws, as they stood, they could inflict • severer punishintart, that of iiii primomeot for seven years ? lie would ask. was it toot worse for a man to be confined in a gaol, shut out from society, tint to be sent to Bohm, A,,... where he might have comforts and ads citagers which in a prison he would be deprived of ? Would it be fit to send a min who was convicted of publishing an infamous blasphemy to olie Ll' the iufaut colo nies, to spread the contagion of his inaligaJity He remembered a case. when he was at the hoer, of a man who was convicted of a libel. which wills pub lished in his newspaper, which did oat originally appear in it, as it was re-published from alother paper. When the defendant was brought nip fur judgment he offered to produce to the Cowet the most positive evidence that when the libel was poll. halted lie was raging mad, front the effects of a inaliguaut fever; jet afterwards be, the Noble Lord, had the vetratiou to see him stand in the pillory for that offence. And why did the ',earned Judges refuse to listen to that eviderice ? Because by the verdict of the Jury it was put on the record that he had done it wilfully and maliciously. l'.nere fore was not the intendment of his Notile Friend necessary ? If a 1111111 thought proper to keep him self secreted, and sends forth his poison throsegli publisher day after day, God forbid the latter should not be answerable. Suppose, for instance, the Constitution was violated by an Act of I?arlia mem, and a matt honestly wrote hit. color' .sgainse that Act of the Legislative, sod it was by a Jury to b such a fou n e i l i d a n call to their " Mile d il a l i minds s o second i l i s ll ibe em e l o w ' o i o t f • u t I t r :l t r - bookseller, e who, from the nature of their basi not what was seditious or wh a t was not, cu d l ie was not a p i ess id ' ev c :i u i l i d f co read uld,ewsOerY lookuldun tbe th a t l Y ile r t libi o hed. decide allowed to say hr knew nothing of its contents or to prove it—how were they to carry the ;punish ment of bonishment into effect I—how were- they to enforce it ? We had our alien law., and on hid pro country. It was true, bainsinnent was one e ll , and they might riot like vs g iv e fure t i e g c n tio7 u t r o ltri s es n% an who was banished fro m hi s punishments of Scotland, but it was not much dreaded. As to himself, he was tratisported front there SI years, and he never considered it *sere. City.—(4 laugh.)—The Noble Lord• lied riot kseen able to prove that the low, as it stood, was not suf ficient for the punishmetit of the crimes co, item plated in the Bill, and until they had drop./ so, they ought not to have recourse to new and unmied ones. Earl BATHURST said, it was only sufficient to state the case of Mr. Carlile to shew that the ) as it now stood, was tut sufficient ; fur after t o•- victiat he continued to publish not wily wha t be was convicted for, but others, if possible, of a worse nature. It was slid by the Noble and I ,earo ed Lard, that if they transported a ir ,no trs New South Wales, that was guilty of puble s l u ing blasphemy, how would they preveut him fr• N o pub.. licking there ? fie would tell Inni that tl. at w^uld be the last place that ruck a publication would he attempted in. He had said imprison/lie, it for life would be a severer punishment than ti snsporta. lion. It would be • good argument Cu• 14 greater punishment, if the present Bill did iv st gi►e the Judges the discretion of fiue. Parthenon ei,t, trans portation, or banishment. 'Flue Noble BigrOn had said this measure would prevent discs ,halms; It would do no such thins, but it would make men careful how they wrote either blaantir my or sedt tton. For these reasons he would oppose Inv sinendateuts. 1 The amendments, as suggested by 1 ,ord Holland in the preamble, were then put and to glover-I. Lord HOLLAXD said; he could slot to I t , thiaskiug that there was a great difference bat /fr et' publi cation which tends to bring evernme ill into disre pute, and that %Inch recommends !. overthrow If it by force, therefore they ought nut to be visited wills the same punishment. Every one that knew bun, klIeW hr was nut foetidly to ann jai pair:antral+ and uuit•rrs.ll suffrage ; yet there t sere melt 111 61141 out of• Parliament that thought utter Insist. A Noble and !unarmed Friend of his, now • un more, hail brought a Bill into that House i or that purpose, and had written several pamphlets in support of it, yet it had never been suggested t• net her was disaf fected —then, why should a man t .ecummending it now he liable to the effects of this Bill ? Fits lineation was, that only those should he liable whi c h were maliciously intend eel. He recol lected the smile or. tl e Noble Earl (Liverpool) when he asked, would they s end men of ar dent minds to Botany Bay ? I . would now ask would lie send such men a j Swift and Addi son there ? He would pledge himself to lied in the writings of Mr. Burke some P assages that would come under this Bell as it it • arid. He celled ou their Lordshilat• to consider of the situation they placed booksellers ita by such a ,claduitiou u this iu ■ ■ FrAs: