The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-12-21 00:00:00

I

ciple which fur the future would absolutely prevent
any man of an independent mind from engaging in
so humiliating and degraded a trade. One provi-
sion he looked on to be of a most alarming nature.
that which empowered one Justice of the Peace to
make an order for the searching houses for copies
of a libel. The dutiesimposed onJustices by these
Bills were violent and arbitrary. They were suffi-
ciently arduous before in consequence of the many
modem Acts of Parliament relining to them ; if
in addition to these they were now to be called upon
to search for arms by day or night, to impose tines,
and to enter and look through people's houses for
libels. he thought it impossible that persons could
:my longer be fecund to till an difficult and re/prin-
table a situation without a salary ; and limn what
became of our boasted unpaid tuagistracy?— ( Near.)
Further, it was not possible that any snail Of cies-
veat ter or respectability, who could support himself
i any other way, would'have recourse to such an
i , pigment, it a salary even were i ttttt exed ; and
erefore he thought it must important, in this
new :done, that the present Rill should not
sv
lass. L-t them pause before they said it was tw-
t
cersary to arm his Majesty's Ministers with such
new extraordinary powers. They had already con.
ferred on them very great powers with respect to
, the holding of public meetings. They had allowed
6 I lit ::1 tO direct a search for arms throughout 17
counties in England, wherever they had informa-
tion that they were kept for the purposes likely
to endanger the public pierce—words so large and
indefinite, that it was Mffitult to imagine a case
where a Mageenee might not, under cover of
them. enter any house. They had gone further
in a Bill, which certainly was an improvement on
alie law—they had enabled the Law Officers to
bring a defendant immediately to trial. Why had
(7nritle been put on his trial so late as the year
1819, but because such a poorer did not exist be.
fore? But when they had given this right to the
Ciovernment, they had, in his opinion, done all
that was necessary.—/Hear, hear, hear.)—Theu,
as to the acquittal of Hone, could any one over-
look the obvious distinction that presented itself
in the cases of the two individuals ?—(llear.)—
But he could appeal to well-known facts to chew
the sufficiency of the existing law. Different Juries
of Englishmen hail declared it as their solemn con-
viction and judgment that blasphemy was en of-
fence. and io so declaring it, had proved that the
existing law was adequate to its suppression.—
( Ileer.)—lt had been objected to Flom. Gentle-
men on his ride of the House that their remarks
tended to throw imputations on the character
and conduct of the Judges—he denied the Ile
'tertian ; so far was lie from thinking so, that he
said, if there was any nue thing above another to
which the people of this country could look for
encouragement and hope in these appalling time.,
it was to the administration of the law in the courts
of justice.—(/fear, hear.)—But he did toot say
t las of the administration of the law by the magi*.
trade*. ou different occasions, and particularly at
111 ano hesicr.—(Hear.)-11' lien he looked to the
transactions of that day, and their consequences,
lie thought it impossible not to conclude, that mat-
ters had been managed there under the directions
and instructions of Government; and without now
p ...ois‘g •n opinion on the prudence or imprudence
a the steps taken by the Magistrates, he said, that if
they had acted in the manlier they had at the desi re of
the I tome Department, that alone constituted a sell-
eirtit ground fur removing them. Could Hey Gentle-
man, lee asked, point out to him a precedent in the
law of England for that clause which required a
resew* security ? They had, indeed, been ie•
felled to the Excise Laws, to the times of
Chatter. 11., and to the Star Chamber. The licens-
ing privilege had. indeed, been exercised by that
Court, and after its suppression in arbitrary times,
but from the period of the Revolution there was no
attempt to revive any such restrictions on the
liberty of the press. The present clause was a
prodtct anomaly in the history of England, lead if
it were not an imprimatur, it was an imprimut. It
made the whole of the important right of ptiblish-
i
ilig periodical pamphlets to depend on the dis.
cretion of the Magistracy. Was it not enough in
an English House of Commons, in opposition to
ally nietistire, to say, that it was perfectly unprece-
dented ?—(lleur.)—lt was iii vain for any set of
I men its imagine they could keep dime the spirit of
11,e press in England.—(llear.j—With respect to
newspapers, he thought it right that those small
1 cheap pamphlets should he subject to • stamp duty.
But it behoved the Administration to stop in their
career and deliberate; they were successful hitherto
in gaioir.g the sanction of time House to their coer-
cive Bil:s, hit they might carry matters too far.—
• (Pear.)—They might at last offend and turn into
1 the ranks of their opponents those who had believed
it necessary to stresigtheu the hands of the Govern-
meet, and hitherto gone with them.—(Fleur )—lie
did not speak of the other law further (hats this,
that they both seemed to rest upon the ground set
turtle an substance in the preamble. that the exist-
tug laws had been found insufficient for the sup-
pression of seditious and blasphemous publics.
tions—a proposition which lie had scarcely seen an
aitetnpt to establish, and whose truth lie did not
iiiiinit.—(Hear.)—Examining Cailile's case, had
.81ipt the existilig laws beets proved sufficiently
powerful against him? Was he not now in
Dorchester gaol, which made the repetition of
his offence impossible ?—(Hear, hear, hear.)—
To taik of banieffineet as a punishment and a
preventive against the circulation of libels was per-
fectly ridiculous. The same penalty had been
tiled in France, amid he asked whether the writings
of banished authors had not made their way into
teat country iii greater numbers oil that very sc.
come. and whether the Revolution had not been
meetly attributed to their effects upon the people ?
—(!tear, hear.)—And suppose that some of the
prisons banished under this law, should establish
t hrmsr!yes in one of the couetries on the Con-
tinent. where paper was cheaper, and public*.
toms easier them here, 'amid it be supposed
that their productions would cot steal into Eng-
land ? Would not motives of curiosity, rod the
interest excited by the writer's fate, cause them to
he more eagerly sought after amid examined, and
more widely, though secretly circulated, than if
they had beets left to depend on their own intrinsic
importance ? When they lucid required those cheap
publications to go forth with a stamp affixed, they
bail done every thing called for by circumstances.
Every step beyond that would only sink thew mu
o

`4

the estimation of the peop!e, and separate theta
more widely from those whom it was their duty to
prote ct.
Mr. DIC.KINSON explaitied.
Mr. BAK vs said, that vi the M
N E, and Learned
Gentleman who had spokato boa bot one (Air.
Draining hail called nllnn those Members who had
supported the A diniiiiiiratioso in the present con-
juncture, though not psrticularly imitated to il, to
say whether lots Alajestj's Ministers had not been
armed with sulteii tit power by the illeAsttrei
viou•lv enacted, he (Air. Banks.), for one, dirt say
that the isrevioua measures were essentially neces-
aary to the peace and tranquillity of the counter.-.-.
(Hear.)—But he said. moreover, that if they
stripped there, in his the wolf: would hree
been left most inqwrfect— (Hear. hear)—null as
far as his opinion Might have any weight, he do-
dared, that the mischiefs against which they haul
been before guarding, appeared to him compara-
tively unionism-ant, but that they were now deal-
ing with that which was the main-spring of all the
evil, and which. if they twalecied to regulate,
left • mute which was working gradually atoll sorely,
and which would in time blow up bath the Govern-
mint and the Constitution of the country. They
could not stop where they were. It appeared to
him that the abuses of the press haul grown up so
as to create a monstrous degree of mischief, and
such a state of danger and alarm. as to call for the
instant interference of the House.—(/)ear.)
Thole who spoke of the freedom of the press, as
now conducted. as being so necessary to the con-
terration of the public spirit, .the happiness, and
prosperity of this country, seemed to hint to take
an erroneous view of the subject. They argued
from the effects of the !tress at former periods; but
the pieta of former times was not like tile press of
the present day.—( Hear, hear.)—Judge Black-
stone, in his elementary work, had expressed him-
self very openly, as it became hint, on the advan-
tages of a fire press; but had it at that time ever
been contemplated that newspapers and other pub.
lications would have multiplied in such a way as
they now had, and as they were now propagated in
every town soul village, and in every corner from
one end of the kingdom to the other ? The time
was not extremely distant when there was not inure
than one regular newspaper in London ; and as to
the smaller publications, they were then alto-
gether unkttowto. It was not above half u cella
tury since Blackstone published his work ; and let
any one reflect, whether what he had said of pubs
lications could possibly be meant to apply to the
newspapers and pamphlets of the present day ?
He said, that the excellence of our constitution
conosisted in this, that whenever new mischiefs
broke nut, new remedies were discovered also.—
(Hear, hear, hear.) —The measures, therefore, ad.
'tatting them to be new, were accordiog to an old
principle of the constitution, and never for a too-
Tent departed front it ; and if, as the Hon. mod
Learned Gentleman asserted, the provisions of the
law under ;Aeration were unprecedented, he
should not to about laying down a new prin lli
-
ciple to meet a new mischief. But it might be
worth while to examine how the matter really stood
in past dines, with regard to the freedom of the
press ; fur in opposition to the argument of the Ilion.
and Learned Gentleman, he contended, that the
press was never perfectly free iu this country. An-
ciently it was looked upon, as in other States of
Europe, us a matter of State, and was obliged to
depend on a hector. Till the time of Chinks I.
it was regulated by the Star Chamber; the odious
judicature of the Star Chamber was abolialied,
together with the indict public grievances, previous
to the Commonwealth ; but a very slight alleviation
of the rigours which it exercised was allowed the
subject, and that was done afterwards which is
usually done by usurping Governments—the re-
publicaus re-established the regulations with regard
to the press which they bad put down, and placed
it on exactly the same footing on whirl, it hail stood
four years before, mod according to the Star Cham-
ber decree of 1637. Ott the Restoration, it was
found necessary to adopt some measures to pre-
vent the disseininutioo of seditious and irreligious
works, to the 'undue • of which such excitement
had been given by the recent violent changes in
Church and State ; and not long after the return
of Charles 11. a statute was passed, founded on the
Parliameotary Ordinances, and ultimately the decree
of the Star-Chamber before referred to. It was re-
vived once more, and all this matter which was sup-
posed to be so fundamental an article iu our rights,
without which our liberties cannot exist, and which
was said to be the most precious part of our free.
dom. How dal it stand at the carrying of the Bill
of Rights? After what the House had heard this
night, would not they suppose that the liberty of
the press was nieutionsuf in the frost of it ? But
among all the fundamental rights which it claimed,
was there one word said about the libery of the
press ? Not mgr.—(How,' hear, hear.)—There
was not a single complaint about the press.—
He should take the liberty of telling the Hon. and
Learned Getalentan how the matter stood: four or
five years before the end of the reign of Charier IL
it did so happen that this Act expired, and was nut
re-enacted.—(Hear./—James 11. found it very
necessary fur the support of the power he aimed at
establishing— (Hear, hear, front the Opposition,)—
and accordingly it was revived for a term of seven
years; consequently the Revolution, when it took
place, found this Act in existence, and iu •
very flourishing riate.--(Hear, hear, hear.)—
He prayed the indulgence of the House—(Hear)—
be was endeavouriog to point out that at the time
of the Revolution a censorship over the press wits a
grievance in existence, sad that of the strictest kind, so lust
be believed a stricter never WAR estaldisheal even ender the
Isiquirition, and it was left in existence. Bus it might be
said, that as it was to expire in a fro years, the repent of it
then was a matter of nu great concern. However, how
stood the fact ? When the period fixed fur its coutinunace
elapsed, the Statesmen of that day did not think it slake
sate to starer it to expire, and accordingly renewed it in be
3.1 anJ 4th and Mary, sad in its full inte-
grity, fur one full year, and from theme to the eta% or
the next Session of Parliament. It ritually expired in
the year 1694, and fiuns that time till now the press
of Eueland has coniiunaed UtireSt 0(64 Hear, hear,
Limy, fiom the Opposiliox.)—But if the Ilisnourahle sod
Learnt.' (ieutlemais would look, be would find tint the
Crown made three or fuser attempts tore-enact it in °teatime
reign. He would are that iii 1098 a Bill for the purpoor was
actually limn& down to this House from the lioniarior
where it had passed ; that it was read a first time, but a. the
motion tor a second reading, negatived without a division.
He 'mind to p roves that, at the ern of the Ilevolotion, an
remit ahich bail hero so warty and justly admired, as im.
proving a:id raveling ear Cuostitottuu, null which had

~. ,

been matte tiee of the greatest possible lisartfits to !minify, .
the House of Cumulous haul not been so mach alive to the I
necessity or prudence of establishing the tit,..,jv of Iwo is,.
strunient of literature and scirnee—(M Bear," front the Mi.
mialcrinl Beerbee;—end that theGu%rrnment did not with,
lv suffer it to raw.. at the time it had. Amy who were the..
persons composing ohm Adinsinstratiou ? dune who, he
weed, were the mum .1 admi,atton of the Whigs attic pre.
sent day—to whom he slippmo•d :to brighter or inure perfect •
model of political wird and purity could be exhibited
Site r !het of the men who effected the glorious
I.llilla —;!fear.)—Now how would Gentlemen opposite re.
runtile sorb eunduet with their own maxim, that 111
II Ilei ure or cireamen•tassees could justify the imposing re_
atrictions no the press? Rat what was the stature of the Act
which the Whigs at the Revolution Infoosired to n vire ? It
prohibited absolutely the pnblicstiosi of heretical said sou.
nctLcal doetrioes in religion, of an, thine 11,1'11011Z
ronlelllpt 111111:11 thus abut administe...l she goveroment •
of chorch or stair. 11. la' OVlallitla wrrr much stionger than !
Close of the Rill in progress. It et/acted a lirensing power !
by particular prams only. The Homusratile Gentle.
titan then examined the remaining provioons 4.f the Act,
coulrndiug That it, provisions were more strict, and its pe.
unities more ii au. e, than thuae of the Bill b. fuse the Hunse. t
111....xpr.gmed his droilit• of the prudence of carrying the
ethication of Ilia. loser ruders to the extent to which it was
ouw pi oreetoig —(t, Hear," front the Oppnsition.)—lie
went wills Miuisters as far as th.y had gum, but lie was !
certainly inclined to gu much further.
Mr. A6F:IICROMBY still. he had at first been nt a lons to I
know what appitraltuo the Hon. Member's (Mr. Smiles) !
speech hail to the subject before the House, but at the emit
of it a little light brute in upon him. He regretted that his
speech bad 110 i [wen delivered at a meeting of Radicals—it
might r bode to reconcile them to the measures against
churn they cried me loudly, and to %hew them that if they i
tusked Mick shout a limulred years they might find Bonn-
thing ill match theita.--;llcar, Atar;.—He could Out admit
the necessity of the new measnies till it Lied been sati.fac-
bottle chew,, to him that the existing laws were insufficient.
Alrais era ought to have chew.., which he maintained ;
that they had not, by facts produced, and *when-
tieated by evidence laid on the table, that the tx-
isting laws were deficient. The case of House's
trials haul been offered as an answer. It was au
idle waste of time to animadvert on the ar-
gument deduced front those trials. Then the
House had to look about for the reliant:. why
More couvictioiss lied nut taken place. Would it
lie said that Juries were so imbued with the effects
of blasphemy and sedition, that they would toot
fulfil the duty they owed to God and their country,
even to the most atrocious manifestations of those
crimes ? lie could not believe this without the
facts being, as they were not, produced. Before
such restraints were allowed to he placed on iloe
liberty of the press, the House loud a right to de-
mend proofs of the moat violent libels against:the
King, the Parliament, and the religion of. the COOPS. I
try having been acquitted by Juries. Without
that, no further step should be taken with the Bill.
To propose to legislate in so oppressive a measure 1
without that evidence. ought not to be tolerated in I
that House. There was evidently no answer which
could be given to this practical argument, or the ;
Attorney-General would not have cited the case of
Hone, which was indeed a very bad answer. But i
lie had s 1111 l ething snore to point out. The new I
Bills were to give the laws new functions and
powers.—(here the Honourable Member repeated
some of rite clauses of the Hill which subjects the I
author of a second libel to transportatioul—But !
in the mime of wonder why should the House pro-
ceed to pass a law for the punishment of a second I
offence. when it was declared to be utterly hope- !
less to gain a conviction of the first ? It was all I
explained, however, if the Hon. Gentleman who i
spoke last lied spoken truly, that the present men- r
sures were only the beginning of a series, which if
it failed of the purpose intended, would more gra-
dually lead the way to further restraints, and ems- ;
ble the Ministers to raise their superstructure of ;
despotism, so that they might quietly enact such
laws as would give that Hon. Gentlemen complete
satisfaction and security. There was nothing which
satisfied loins that the existing laws were foot suffi-
cient. Undoubtedly the country had witnessed a
great increase of objectionable publicat. . The
reason for their appearance might be given in one
word—impunity. The publishers had found out
that there was no loss of any thing but character,
and much pecuniary gain in carsying them on. But
if the laws lied been duly enforced, and appeals
suede to Juries out the most wicked of those cases,
there would have been nothing to complain of. As
no such thing had been done, he was compelled to
object to the motion.

Mr. BENNETT expressed his regret and surprise
at the speech of the Hon. Member for Curfe Castle,
a speech which had hot been paralleled for the extra.
ordinary doctrines it contained withal the walls of
that House since the passing of the arbitrary Acts
to which the Hon. Member had alluded. The Hon.
Member might have carried his series of precedents
further back—he might have ascended to the Plan-
ta,genets ; and such was the misfortune of our his-
tory, that he would have found a precedent fur any
act of tyranny which could be proposed. Au Act
had been passed by Henry VIII. for setting aside
the power of Parliament. The Hon. Member
was nut only the advocate of these severe measures,
but had expressed his aversion to educating the
poor. He (Mr. Bennett) maintained that without
education there would be neither morals nor true
religion among the poor. If the Hon. Gentleman
had only looked out from Curie Castle, he might
have convinced himself that in proportion to the dif-
fusion of meson' light, so were morale, subjection to
the laws, and piety among the poor. He knew, in-
deed, of unsuccessful attempts to prevent the
benefits of education among the poor, hut he
never expected to have heard a Member of Parini.
meat lamenting the spread of education us the cause
of immorality, and proposing ignorance as a remedy.
That which the King (he hoped he might be allow.
ed to use his revered name on this occasion) had,
with a beneficence and understanding the most
dewing. expressed as his most fervent wish, that
every child in his dominions might be able to read
the Bible, was to the Hon. Member a source
of dread and aversion. He wished them nut
to read their Bibles, and would have them abut
out from enjoying that great inlet to the
knowledge of their interest here and hereafter.
Ile had been drawn aside from the matter and lire of er.
gument, which he conceived to be the state of the existing
evil, and the remedy proposed fur it. As to the evil, sume
blasphemy hail been descend, but it could nut be pretended
that it was general. Nome publications had gone forth in
London and most of the large towns, which least lung ago
called fur the interference of the Attorney-General. Bait it
must taut be pretended that there was say purrs' apirit
fur supporting, or by any means propagating them. Ile
had reason to know the success of Carlile's Republican, by
information derived from the midrib of it iu one particu-
lar distrito—slie seller being gene rally oursoisrions of
the contents of the wurk. B. fore his trial, the paper vie.

-•-•

eulatetl very few. At the lime of his trial, nad for a week
or two euireepiently, urarly fifteen hundred hail been sold
in the district, which %vs,. accounted for by the curiosity of
the people to know the issue and consequences of that trial.
But when afierwaids it was discutered that there was no-
thing bon a tissue of blasphemy nod treason contained to it,
the circulation stink by rapid degrees, and was 11011, in that
dist. irt, whiny 111111119. AA to the prevalence of Sal h
crimes for .an. period hefn,e Oen, soil after Hour's trial,
Lord bidnomtli himself had Sala in the ;louse of Lords, isi
I Old, that there was a diminution of filet-1111C' only in tin they
but its quantity, 41111 that (luring that year there bad heels ma
case littri li...seemed by the Crown nt all. How, then,
cool.' it he Asalnud by the thin. and Learned Gent
nppn-
site that ids Is had increased in consequence of Mr. Iluue's
acquittal, alien they had the declaration of Lord
that aide, I:11 lir die time be wit speaki.c.: there
had been 1111 lilarje of Idol brought forwai .1 by the Crowu ?
A. to 110111 6 trials. they gate no lumen m n. so ihe country
satisfaction. Ile at proved iu the course of them that so
far knot doing any thing which h tat eier before been deemed
lilasphe ...nue of the giratest Ecclesiastical Ch traders
io the coolltry bid done the 11/11111. and at so time were thi is
ter so scan parodies as at a period distinguished for au al-
most religions mailmais, the period ~laud immediately subse-
quent to the Wen Himont. He defended those peisons who
had supported Mr. Hone is that struggle from any 'mouse-
lion of sedition it, irreligion. There never was a fouler
slaiider, that was the intention in citing the case, than to
assume that llone had been acquitted and supported from
any inclio. lion 19 it-air:set klaspbensy. The parties knew
that his pio.ecietiois was a circumstance of base hypo-
crisy. The dory was Immo to the world, so were many
of Mr. Relic's after supporters: they were pet-eons of
strict pnlilleal COIIIII.II /11. y. He would solisict to the
clause imposing the necessity of • stamp on all pamphlets
of a certain size. He regretted thus exceedingly, as it would
put down the mum useful part of the press. All the b. st
works relating to morals, religion, mid political economy,
were now, in eonsequetice of the distress of the labouring
classes prohibiting them Ilion the purchase of motive works,
circulated in numbers. Those who had tern what kind of
works were this circulated, sod of 119 W many of them by
this means the poor made themselves master*, would ping-
nattily regret the success of the Bill before the House. There
was another objection. Would it prevent the circulati 11l of
cheap pamphlets ? Cubbalt's Braider had circulated from
four to test tlmusand while be sold it for Is. ; whet, be reduc-
ed it to 2.1. he did not sell one.sisth part so many. Again,
the difficulty of the present circulatiou would be done away,
as the cheap papers, when stamped, would be circulated
through the post-office. To impose any measure which
would prevent the circulation of good works, because they
would 11111a111114 11 to bad ones, war la wild, mischievous,
and absurd, as to liar the eyes and prevent the occurrence
of bright colours and pleasurable objects, out of dread of
encountering objects of disgust. lie thought it a severe
harils:iip to compel the publishers of books mid pamphlets
to find securities for OMB. It had a tendency to create a
corporation of rich booksellers, to the disadvantage of
all others. But what was worse, it was contra'y io
the rights nod lan, which Englishmen had all been used
to the enjoyment of, and by which they had been allowed
hitherto to publish what they pleased, subject of course to
the correction of tlw laws in case it should be proved triftli•
nal. A great deal had heti, said about the general excel-
lence of the plan of the constitution; it was almost always
praised most iu that House just iss its effects were about to
be suspended. Now it seemed to him that it was not ill the
power of that House to change its precepts, or fairly to set
aside its provisions. It seemed to him that the Parliament was
to the Cemstitinion what churches were to religion ; both
were proper places fur the promulgation of their respective
doctrines, which doctrines ought iu either case lu be unalter-
able. Those who praised tlic Constitution, and voted for
measures which set it at nought, were worse iu the practice
than io their theory; their practice were hostile to their
theory. The youngest man in the House would live to
lament the day when it should be agreed to impose a bond
of Gaol. on a publisher. Ile objected to the motion.
Mr. trildnoT objected to the assumption, that these was
a design on the part of Ministers to settle a plan of dein,-
thin lu the country. He considered the .lerangements oh-
servable throughout the country, as sufficient to W3lllllll
the present measures. He did taut agree with die Member
fur Code Ca-Ile as to the point of education. But the
people had nut advanced far enough iu their new circum.
stances, and the measures were necessary to confine then,
in the twilight of their knowledge. He objected to the
use which had bee. made of his Honourable Friend's
allusion to the Acts of Owlet; 11. Glertainly it was nothing
to say in favour of an arbitrary measure that a precedent
exists for it. But it was an arguineut as to what•had existed
in the constitution tespecting the liberty of the press; and
when Gentlemen directed his lion. Friend to go tip to the
time of the Plantagenet'', they were bound to shew that
any thing like the present liberty of the press had ever
existed before that period. He quoted the rase uf a printer
who hail, for a very insignificant breach of the privileges
of that Howie, been obliged, at the beginning of the pre.
sent reign, to kneel down anal beg pardon of the Members.
He compared the arguasest on the present measure to that
which was adduced at tbe time of paying an Excise duty uo
spirituous liquors. It was then urged, a would you toil
p t the evil is some degree by rendering it more did;
cult for the poor thus to injure themselves?" Thus be said
of the stamp us cheap publications. The trash issued from
the cheap press tanght the poor a dislike fur the authority
of the House; it bribed them, not with gold, but with de.
!naive hopes of fntnre beuefit, to forsake their natural pro.
teeters and to rebel against the dispensatiwis of Providence.
He drew an argument in favour of the stamp from a
treatise on popular representation. It denied the right
of voting to those who had nu property to lose, as they
must be necessarily interested in bringing about a sub-
version or division of it. As to the clause requiring
banishment, it would never take place except in very flagi.
'iota cases; sod what right bad such writers to escape it?
The argument as to the liberty was not well cunsidered.
That was a subject which had its disadvautagea.—(Here the ,
Hog. Member quoted some lines from Cowper's poem entitled
Takla Talk, relative to this subject ]-11e wished to pre-
vent this c 00000 it:l, which had been the model of freedom, from
becoming a standard of deepotiam. Ho wished timely to
prevent the everflowine of those contaminating waters of
sedition, which must, if not so checked, destroy the remain-
isig liberties, of the country. For this reason he would sup-
port the minium
Mr. Alderman WAITHIOAM felt all hie alarmseonfirmed by
the declaration of the Member for Corfe Castle, that the
measures were only preparative to a succession of Biennia
arbitrary nature. He alto repelled the imputation thrown
on himself and friends for the support they had given to Mr.
Hone during his hypocritical probecutioss, and afterwards.
The House had already passed out measure subversive of
the right of the Bill of Rights. The right of petition-
ing was also put under the arbitrary disposal of one per.
sou, and, as it regarded the constitution, was almost
abrogated. They were now about to subvert the liberty of
the press. He would not state it as his conviction that the
offences upon which the present measures were defended had
hero set tin by the Government; but he had been shewo
some writings of a character so flagitious that he was in.
duced to believe that his Majesty's Ministers were winking
at them. As to the banishment proposed, he could say nothing
more descriptive of his own feelings on that subject than
what was contained in the petition of the Londou I
limiest-Bela, headed by Mr. Butlerwueth. Every bookseller
would be subject to that ignominious penalty, and might
be sent into ie 'lumen country, the lauguage of which be did
net nuderetand, where his Cllll,lllllOlllll eunleh Ire of en use ;
to has family. He plated the opinion of Justice Black-
stoue, to prove that no one should be called upon to an-
swer fur the publication of any tiding, need it had been I
pronounced criminal by a jury. As to the iscresee of
publications, which bad been quoted as a teasun for
the proposed ri.straints, so bad the power of the Crown
and the influence and property of the Peers increased also.
The public, the,, had a right to the benefit of inereasing
their puldreatious, and more liberty of Shambled had linnet a
essentially tweessary to them. in properties sts they be.
came enlightened by such means, as sismild they he left r. ilea
fewer restraints, bream* am increase of knowledge bettught
its own wittily. The measeres were mot only recalled foe;
but would nut alumni their intended purpose. They left
sidition just where it war, madame!) it nest meld be

• ••• • • ...p..

defined. 11 was as the pbOosopher had described Me dial-
Sinn of night and day, an indescribable time. Mold • peo-
ple, used to fight the battle of otheas, now submit to Wl-
qualiCc4l tOeTCII3O He 'thought oat. Hoarser this might
1w hurtle 'lotto fur a time, it would 1w Impossita:e to do it
HE et tiall;t. He must oppose the me io every we* and
shape in which they should be put.
Or. Plitt.t.twunt wonld an itp:ort the measures, OM fly
because be would resent thus, rha.grs ah,rh had
broochl against the supporteo• of them. They had 14)1
• the right of fartitton, Our mil or IttghH, tin,
liberty of the Press. The fit rhos of teas-or., a hi, Is he
had supported arose wit .4 a testiposnry to•reuily, sad Wert-
pooperly hunted in thew dor:ditto by the PX3.ieliC, of i r
The arc I WAS footsie.' on .sits 1.1 os ,re Sail-
ing effect, and u ere, as psoperty, to he permilwrt
Amongst thew was the to eseut in lo)
the it he. ty of Mr press, only the hoot rii;clsally trr pi C.
Wl**, it. He was fioonilly t., *Lit liberty, Sod also to the
apical of ellocesitusi—to the well.bettig of both uf which lie
deemed those measure, Ili be nt•avt itadispett.alaly ue-
ressary. Honuorable aloft-own when ibes loolll.lll.seti of
the loss of rn:hi.a 10.1 sight of those as ecsentia; as any—
the right of CONSetVation of the public peace, and
morals. The liberty of the press awl the light of petit:on.
had been used to levy a tat On the Cousinutiost, which if
yielded would have been destructive to it. it was the more
necessary to guard against it as the (-loins was urged outlet
cahoot of the constitution. The principles of the coustita.-
lion were not defined, had commeured a: Ito release pet:mi.
but had grown up with obe population, and arrommodsted
themselves to all eircurnsinuces of mosp•t tv and arise. sat .
One of its pritiniphs wa, It, rusoftio Lidsplarnly and wed,-
lion, ahich was, in fart, to aogniont re-broom liberty
and the savorily of Ito, p- itsd loyal. 1n reply to
the übwrvation which had Weis snide by the
for Dothan', that Mr likg like lotaislatieet vas kuov
to the eunstitut• before, the Honourable Member read
a clause stating the rondtions 0111111111111 acre ta
banished, out of the Great Charier. Hr toured also, fat ao
Brarton, Lord Coke, and the statute of Colla of Eitmabe!l-,
that banishment not a puttishmebt reeognieed, stud Ce-
quently itificied by the h-sea of England. He denied that
there was ally thing new in the punishmritt hassishmebt,
and emulsified by supportiog the present 11,11, a, IleCCl"ity
for the maintenance of the peace and happiness uf the com-
munity.

A Member, whose name we could lint learn, inquired bow,
iu the event of rosivietion„a scheiton wee to made for
mini.lintent a so in a partftersi,p concern; wan
it the senior or the junior !miner. or wlorli of the firm was
to be selected as the object of ponielinient
No answer was returned in sills
The Howse then divided, when the numbery were—
For going into the C ~,,, inittee
Against it

Majority for the Cononitiee
On nor readmission to the otliery we 6suud the Mott
in is Committer, rtoursorpong the elatest fn compelhng per-
ous so toter 11110 recOtilirts.civ to ■bide the ir•ste of libel.

----••
Mr. MARRVATT eumplaintrl or the hard-hip of cum.
pci ta,e persons, in Ih^ first inviance, to • titer olio sureties
of 3011/. It was well known that printers commenced bus-
nese on their own account, in a small any, with whatever
credit or rateihg they lout secures! as joutoc!useti.Py
were only able at the outset to get a little filo., And it liras
utterly impossible for a soon liegisoing the world to obtain
such a merely. The effect of such a regulation would be to
emmig Is the parties to total ruin. or • Ise to throw a trade.
whit+ gave useful employment to a nitriturons china us society,
into the bands of a few opulent men. Uesidesolie clause went
to establish a new prior iple, loch w av, instead of pliwatlttsseht
after guilt, punisbandit in the first instance, by way of pre.
edition. It would also materially affect British trade*for
by thiowieg the 'lege 'mother wit of employment, It *cold
create a niminpoly, and. constituently, lois, the prier in the
market. Now, unfortunately, the price W3A at present tuts
high, for tiortign rid:limit of English authors ; turd Hyrou'is
works, fur csampie, were imported, duty paid on them,
and thrown int., Slur market to the detriment of home publi-
cations. Ile moved, Ilivrefore, as an amendment, that the
words " togethir with low ur !lute elficieut sureties" be

Mr. Alilrrniso N'AITUMA`J said, that no in his senses
would Ire found In enter 31.11/1 studies fur initiator cinder the
piorivions of this Rill. Bow would Dr. Vrankhn have
made his way against the obstructions which this Bill inter-
posed

Mr. W. SMITH complained of the general terms of thin
clause—the words were, " All pit blica• 10114 conl• luting pub.
lie news, intellirence, or occnrrences." These words would
put an end to the publication of any Analysis of Naturist
History, Religion, Missionary Journal, Agrieisltural, or
commercial tofornsatiots, or any other useful wink.
Mr. WHARTON denied that the clinse hind ihi. construe.
tints, for 1101 It of the .I,l'lll Ics alluded so a lf,rkil Church au.l
State." The newspapers were still 11p..11 and Uli4frcet.'d
it; awl whatever may he termed the general of tb.•
press, and political predilection of the iscw.prper4„ mine of
them (he of course spoke of the respectable .I.•iiroal..) ever
outraged Coe morals of the country, as the ,nn slier poblica.
lions, such us The Mach Dwarf awl ushers bad done.

Mr. V. Slims repeated hit uhjectinir to t4r clause. It
would affect such ti ',slier as that a short lime ago diatri.
holed, to impress upon the public the lICVlir digress of the
iuhabilanta of the Scilly Wands.
The ATTORNEY-(4.llaltAL dedied that the atuee could
have any such operalion. Sort, nipera could
eluded within ihr fair westoing of the words, b ruht:e swops,
intelligence, or orcurreure." Th• y were not within the
purview of the Art, for they terse out pipets t• fir swle;'—...
The Right Hun. and Lcaractl Grit!. theta ref.. Icd the opoii.m,
that the mode ,of prevuotion adopted by Vita Bill oi,l• new
iu the history of the law of Hos country, and iblistrated bia
•rgitatent by :dating that in rases of Et:riot, and ul berusing
public.housem, previous security wa: indispensable. The
obj, ct of the Bill was nut to tier the I.
to curb the propene of blaspht MIMS and sea:bout pub—
lications.
Mr. MACDONAI D explained,
Mr. JOHN St/ITII Cuntentlett that ILO:1'411114 of useful
publications would be affected by the Bull. It would Affect
and play-tickets—all these must base a CI. stemf •

Mr. ANltinsan WtITHIII•SI said, that the xerartty on the
came wir • public -huatnr WWI only 10/. awl it ,"ifi pro% nlr.l 50
prevent a kauvrta and palpnble uffeuer, tn.l varli 3 th.,:bg . •
nu undefined libel.

Mr. ATKVIS %VRIGHT thanked the preitut
the clause belUre the ('

Lord CASTLICIMAtiII controlled, fleet the clause was new
cessary to put dowel seditious and blatpheseitm• pohbeationa
—a necessity no where admitted more le:comely or enure
emphatically than iu the Wiesen., (corn that most re *piet-
a's:le body, the booksellers The Bill wax in the 'writ of the
coustitntiou, and to be effrctual must be passed 1.1 its pre-
slut (tom.
Mr. MIRRTATT quoted the ease of Mr. Hammond, of
Dublin, oho published a Shippeug List, lent wide obliged to
d.op it, when an iufuroser brought the file a Stamp Act to
bear upon it.
The SotietTott-GEW•nat replied, that Owes was a clause
he except mods pieblications (roue tier commit of it.ws Bei..
He contended, that the principle by institutive. was aet
sorrel part of the Cuuttitutioo since the time of Alfred. If
a mau imported Kumla he was compelled to Mice a bond to
dispose of theta in a particular martier. It was trot tow
muck &fie r the evidence which had tsetse. rheerres So adopt
mcusure. So prevent that tole of blasphemy which went to
sap the morals of the country.
Sir Wit. Dc CRESPIONT said, that if the Notile Lord op-
posite (Castlereagh) were by any .ward tarot, cut short
in his , be cnald tent base the opportunity ..f crowding
his last drug apetch and declaration, without he publiedwel
it un a stamp.
Mr. Wtcsow thought some limitation was necessary ice
Ilse operation of she clause berry the Committee.
The Committee then divided, when the naught-ea were--
For Mt. Matt alt's Amendment .... Si
Apinat it

Majority against it •• • •
Oa oar readall»w■ to the Gallery, we &wad Mr. D. W.
Hay awl Mr. Joint Santa strongly comptaiaing or lb.

1

~._

LONDON,

TUESDAY, Dec Mean 21, 1819.

The enactments of the Bill for the punishment
sr-el prevention of Seditious Meetings were last
right discussed in the House of Lords, but the
M,eisters did trot yield a single point : several
ilteratiorts were proposed, but they were uniformly
'ejected. Such was the fate of a motion by the
EA of Burstwiosi, that Ireland should be ex-
cluded from the operation of the measure, but the
iteltelowledged tranquillity of that part of the
errpire, with the assurance that it has never been
enstomary there to hold meetings for political dis-
t cssichi in the open air, were not sufficient to pre-
ser%e Ireland from this visitation. Prevention,
we are pertly told, is better than punishment,
it is vat the characteristic of freedom that the
pei;ple sl:ould be deprived of their privileges, only
1.e.. fear that they might by possibility abuse them.
'Pie same consideration applies to the far greater
ps,i of this country which has preserved its tran-
qtyllity, and where no taint of Radical doctrines
even been suspected. But argument and re-
tiviiistrance are now ineffectual, and we must only
submit in quietness to the gradual deprivation of
oru most valued rights, until in other times and
unit, r better Ministers they may be once more
esthred to us. The Bill will be read the third time
this evening.

Several Petitions were presented last night to the
!louse of Commons from the most respectable
lloAsellers in squint** parts of the kingdom, and
ntler persons, against the Bills now in progress in
Parliament for riestioy;ng the liberty of the press.
Ctiiii.idering the undefined nature of • libel, the
derimiciation of • punishment so dreadful and se.
,ere as perpetual banishment, is extremely revolt.
1134 to every feeling of justice and humanity. In
I;in is it urged that punishment is denounced
against wilful offenders only, and that no re.
slier-table and loyal man has any cause for appre-
-I.ension;but can a line be drawn to distinguish
tl,r respectable and loyal so called, from those
Mho may be thought tint to merit these flat-
tein g epithets The individual who happens
to publish what might be afterwards deter-
mined to be a libel, must be responsible for
occurrence, tied no previous respectability,
loalty, or integrity, can save him from suffering
the consequences of his offence. A publisher in
extensive trade must, from the limited powers of
ntonre, depend upon the discretion of others. He
vaiinot read every work committed to his care, and
even it he were, can lie be supposed capable of de-
tetroining what may chance to be proved a libel,
when it is known that the most experienced
lawyers.• sad even the judges, frequently differ

opon Such subjects. A libel is not, and can•
not be strictly &fired ; upon the discretion,
therefore, of on individual must the character of
every writing eventually drprud, and aith it the
prosperity and happiness of every political writer
or publisher in the empire.
The second reeding of the Libel Bill was post-
poned until this day. Tie Newspaper Stamp
Duty Bill was discussed at great length in the
Committee. Several amendments were proposed,
and negatived. The ATTORNEY-GENERA I„ by a
special clause, exempted price currents, papers
for mercantile information, school-books, and other
publications of a similar kind, from the operation
of this Bill.

French Papers of ‘Vedriemlay, Thursday, and
Friday, have arrived at our office. On Thursday
the little Princess MAniE LO(' se-Ttieiteks
D'Awrots, daughter of the I)nke of BERRY, was
with great solentuity baptised iii the Palace Chapel.
The KING and MADAME the Dochr.ss of Axoou•
JAME held the child ut the baptismal font in pre.
belleC of the several Members of the Royal Family,
the Ministers, Great Officers of Court, and other
Personages of distinction. The ceremony was per-
formed by the Cardinal Archbishop of Paris.

The Committee of the Chamber of Deputies
charged with preparing an Address to the KING,
in answer to the Speech from the Throne at the
opening of the Session, met on Tuesday and on
Wednesday, but the result of their deliheratious
was not made public. It was known only that
a project of address had been offered by M. BEN-
•AMIN CONSTANT, sod another by ;11. Box:Ruyan.
It is understood that the Minister of Finance pro-
posed to submit to the Chamber of -Deputies, on
Thursday, a project of a law for the definitive set-
tlement of the accounts of 1818,and the provisional
examination of those of 1819. This project will
be discussed separate from the budget of 1820.

Accounts received in Paris from Madrid intimate
that orders had been issued by the Spanish Minis-
ter of War to the Colonels of the Militia Itegi.,
menu in Spain, that they should hold their regi.
ments in readiness to march, if necessary, upon
Madrid ; but some of the Paris Papers throw doubts
upon the authenticity of this intelligence.
The Spanish Government, for the encouragement
of the agriculture of Spain, has removed the duties
upon the importation of Spanish corn into the
American colonies, and has icupo•ed a new duty of
eight piastres and a half a barrel upon all foreign
wheat imported into the Island of Cuba. This
measure will sensibly affect the United States.
The Rimesters seem to increase in Paris, if we
are to judge from the multiplicity of complaints
that are daily made by wounded females to the
-poke of that city. It is very extraordinary, that
DO person has been as yet arrested for this diaboli-
cal crime.

The Five per Cents are 69 fr. 55 c. Bank
Actions 1,465 fr.

A Flanders Mail has arrived, with Paper• from
Briosels to the 18th inst. We are told for the
Nod, time of the preparations making for the Ca-
diz expedition.—The following are extracts:—

STLTSARD, DECIDILIER 10.

We have here a censorship of the press, as in the States of
Germany, but we scarcely perceive it, and it is evident that
it is not oppressive by the manner in which the Junctril called
7'he Friends of the People expresses itself. The Editor con.
tissues frankly to blame what be thinks blameable, and even
Rives us the sequel of the "Caroni:pc Sconslulettre," which
a year ago excited so many entllgie7l agatu.t NM.
IPPLASKIORT, DECENEFII 11.
_

According to accounts from 3letim, the Central Commit-
tee of Inquiry is coanplet-, but has out 'et entered on its
functions, though several preliminary coulereuces has.: beret
held. It is certain that it waits for isistructiuns from the
Committee of the Diet appointed for Hod purpose.
A Jourual of Gotha speaks of a new ci,smlatiois among:
the students, to renounce the use of biaiii4 slid tobacco.
Undoubtedly every associatiou which has so laudable au
object will be received with pleasure.

Yesterday the Duke of YORK came to town from
Oatlands, and afterwards had an audience of the
PRINCE REGENT at thulton House upon military
business.

Letters were received in town yeatertlay, which a e
understand mention the death of the A retilashop of
Dusux. His Grace has been a long time in bud
health.

The Staff of the Northumberland Militia, his
Grace's Artillerymen, and the Coquetdule Ranger~,
were reviewed by his Grace the Duke of NORTH-
UMBERLAND, at Alnwick, on NVednesday last.
Alter the review, his Grace treated the ❑ou-com-

missioned officers ■nd privates with s dinner ; the
commissioned officers dined at the Castle, with the
Duke and Duchess.

Admiral Lo►d EIMOUTII has returned to Ply-
mouth, and re-hoisted his flag on board the im-
pregnable.
On Thursday last, RODGER, the Prerident, and
511I.LAR. the Secretary to the Airdrie Radic,,ls, were
admitted to hail, and liberated from flumilton tol-
booth. On Friday morning a messenger was dis-
patched from Airdrie for a post.chaise,which drove
up to the gaol-door about twelve o'clock, the Radi-
cals being resolved to enter the chaise at that place.
Shortly alter, RODGER and his wife (oho is a gen-
teel-looking young woman), with the Secretary,
walked from their lodgings to the gaol, wearing
the in.ignia of the order displayed it, the tame matt-
tier as the Waterloo medal., The insignia are
three pieces of ribbaud, red, white, and blue, pen-
dant on the left breast. On stepping into the car-
liege, the pri►oners within the gaol, and the crowd
collected without, gave the Radicals three hearty
cheers when they drove WI. On arriving at Green-
end, near Airdrie, they were niet by au immense
multitude of people, who took the horses front the
carriage, and drew it into Airdrie, amidst thunders
of applause.


" HUNG BE THE HEAVENS IX BI.ACK!"
NuairrAtc

FREEDONT
OF SPEECH.

RIGIIT
OF PETITIONING.

LIHERTY
OF THE PRESS.

IDeparted this life,

ttca ml rr

1819.

Oh, now fur ewer
Farewell the Tranquil Mind! Farewell Content !
Farewell Free Speech! Farewell the Patriot Fire
That makes Anthitiuu Virtue! Oh, Farewell!
Parody oft Othello.

This day departed this life "Freedom of Speech,"
" Right of Petitioning," and " Liherty of she
Pre.is"—the three principal Suns of BRITISH LI-
BERTY.

They were descended from an ancient Saxon fa.
miry. of which the origin is lost in the obscurity
and darkness of early time.. IVilliam the Con-
queror obliged them to live in secret and in Silence;
hut during the reign of King John, the Barons
stood forth their champions, sad, for the lint lime,
established their Rights in an agreement called
Magna Clorta.
From that period there three young Gentlemen
passed through a variety of scenes; sometimes they
were countenanced, hut generully oppressed, till
I(ii3, when King William 111. established them in
lila, us the principal supporters of their mother--
Burn's' LIBERTY.

Since that perjod (with the exce•ition of what has
been very properly denominated the Gagiting Bills,
which received the Royal Assent on the 1701 of
December, 1793) they have lived a blessiNg to the
land—The first, " Freedom of Speech," was the
soul of every company—The second, " Bight of
Petitioning," had often prevented disagreements
bctween the King and people from breaking out
into actual hostilities—and the third, " Liberty
of the Press," was the terror of all had Ministers;
but at last -- ,Vaiiters, by their intrigues rand
-- majorities, have put a period to their exist-
ence, and, therefore, it becomes the duty of their
friends to bemoan their loss.
Nole—Tbe above notice was prepared and sent to a. to
be inserted immediately after the pendia: Rills in Parha_
anent shall have passed; but presuming, as we do, that the
Bills will certainly pass, we hope our Currespoudent will
excuse its present premature lost two.