The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-12-02 00:00:00

IMPORTANT FROM THE SPANISH MAIN.

We had an ti rival this morning from Margarita.
by which we learn that the Island has lately been
very sickly. General D'Evereux had not arrived
from Angostura, Information hail been received
that Aria►neudt had effected a revolution in the
Government, and that General Urdasieta was march-
ing in force to oppose hint. It is certain that Leer,
late Vice-President of the Venezulan Republic,
has been deposed, and that Arismendi has been
elected, or. more properly speaking, appointed Pre-
sident in the room of Bolivar.—(St. Thomas's
Paper. October 164

WASHINGTON. NOVEMBER 1.

Commo•!ore Rogers left New York on Tues.
day last for the Lakes. It is, we understand,
the purpose of this able Officer to visit all
the navy yards ■nd depots on the several
Lakes. and by personal inspection to make him-
self acquainted with their condition, as he is
by a similar examination with the state awl opera-
tions of the naval establishmeitto in the northern
sea board. The Commanders of the navy yids
were unspprised of this visit, and the public ser-
vice cannot tail to derive benefit from the observa-
tions of an officer so welt qualified to judge cor-
rectly. and who occupies a station which will en-
able him, with his experiesiced colleagues. to ap-
ply to the public advantage the knowledge acquired
in his tour.

from the Curoco4 Conran: of October i.

Accounts from Maracaibo .rate. that the town
of Cucuta. which is about three days journey
limn the forager pl4ce, bra been occupied by the
Independents, under Bohvar. who is said to be
front Santa Fe. having left a 'irking force behind
him to garrison that place. A great uouilfer of

The Bill proposed by the Ministers for prevent-
ing seditious meetings and assemblies has been
printed, and will, we fear, be found a much more
formidable weapon in the hands of an arbitrary Go-
varnment than was generally apprehended from the
abstract of its provisions, given by Lords SID.
MoTITII and CASTLEREAGH, on Monday night, to
the Houses of Parliament. The preamble states,
that assemblies of large numbers of persons, col-
lected from various parishes and districts, under
the pretext of deliberating upon public grievances,
&c. have of late been held in divers parts of this
kingdom, ‘, in disturbance of the public peace. to
the great terror and danger of his Majesty's loyal
and peaceable subjects, and in a manner manifestly
tending to produce confusion and calamities in the
nation." As the preamble of a Bill is always sup-
posed to he historically correct, we are surprised to
find it here asserted, that the assemblies of the
!triple lately held were "in disturbance of the
public peace," when it is notorious to the world
that the conduct of the people in all their recent
meetings was in the highest degree remarkable for
propriety, and that even their strict decorum, so
far at least as the public tranquillity wail concerned.
has been urged as an argument to prove the unity
of their proceedings and the dangerous determines
tion of their spirit. Proceeding from this pre-
amble, which is certainly inaccurate, the Bill pro-
vides that no meeting of any description of persons
exceeding a certain number (the blank not yet
bring tilled tip), exceptiog alt meetings convened by
High Sheriliii, Lords Lieutenant, or other regular
audios ities, shall be held, unless in separate parishes
or townships, or unless notice of such intended
meeting, specifying the objects proposed, and
signed by a certain number of inhabitant house-
holders, be delivered personally to some Justice of
the Peace, usually acting for the parish, township,
or district, in which the meeting is to be held.
This Justice is empowered to alter both the
time and place mentioned in the notice for
holding the meeting. All adjournments of meet-
ings err declared illegal ; and all meetings what-
ever are confined to the freeholders, or other Wm-
Infants of the county, district, township, o► parish
for which the meeting shall be held. Persons
contravening this provision ere liable to fine
and imprisonment, and should any individual not
authorized by this Act appear at any meeting,
and not depart therefrom on proclamation being
made, the Alerting itself shall thenceforth be con-
sidered an unlawful assembly, and as such shall be
dispersed. And after proclamation made requir-
ing the persons there present to disperse, should a
certain number (we suppose twelve) continue to-
gether for the space of half an hour, they shall
suffer death. There are the customary clauses for
punishing persons obstructing Justices, and for
indemnifying the Justices in killing or maiming
those who shall oppose them, or not disperse ac.
oording to the terms of the former provision. The
Act further prohibits persons from attending meet•
tugs with arms or flags, and lest a meeting of the
inhabitants of a parish or township may be too
large, a power is granted to the Justices to divide
parishes or townships for the purposes of this Act.
The right of traversing is not allowed to persons
prosecuted under this Act; but should the Court
think proper, it may postpone proceedings. and in
such case the Defendant must either remain in
confinement until the time appointed for his trial,
or find bail for his appearance.

These provisions not appearing sufficient for the
purposes of the framers of this Act. we find tacked
to them the provisions of the Act of the year
1817 relating to club., lecture-rooms, and debut-
ing eacieties. The holders of such places must.
under a severe prosily. be provided with licenses.
as was requited by the former measure. and Justices
are empowered to inspect such places. ■nd to be
present St the debates and lectures.
In this Bill some wholesome provisions are mixed

- -401..4411N0w

up with measures cuicolated to produce the link
pernicious result.. Whatever &demotion the Mi 4
nistera may put forth respecting their attachment
to the privileges and rights of Englishmen, nod
their desire to guard them only from abuse, it is
pretty manifest that if this Bill pen into a low,
the right of publicly meeting for the discussion of
grievances. ■nd for petitioning either the Sovereign
or the Houses of Pediment with effect, is for
ever taken away from the people of this country.
The discretion of time and place is transferred from
the people, who alone can judge of either, to the
Magistrates, and a provision is artfully inserted,
which places in the hands of the Ministers and
their agents the legs' existence of any meeting
whatsoever. It is declared that no individual, no
matter how respectable or how insignificant, shall
attend at any meeting, whether convened by the
tegular authorities. or through all the difficulties
and intricacies of this severe measure, if he be not
an inhabitant of the county, district, or parish for
which the meeting is holden. Possibly this provi-
sion might not in itself be very unjust, and if any
pen should offend against it, one would imagine
that some means might be devised to remove the
offending party, or to punish him individually and
subsequently for his intrusion. But it seems that
this mode of proceeding would not effect the ob-
ject in view; it is therefore declared, that if after
proclamation made. such offending individual shall
not depart, the whole meeting shall be declared a•
unlawful assembly, and be exposed to all the severe
consequences denounced by the Riot Act against
persons continuing together after the meeting
shall be required to disperse. By the act of an
obscure individual, sent thither for the purpose of
interrupting the meeting, not only may the whole
meeting be dispersed with violence, but thou-
sands of persons, not conscious of a guilty
intention, may he made to commit a capital
felony, exposing them, or any of them, to the
punishment of death. Yet this is one of the
measures which the Earl of LIVERPOOL in the
House of Lords, and Lord CASTLEREAGH in the
House of Commons, declared were not inconsistent
with the general principles of British liberty, or
with the privileges of Englishmen ! If the Bill
were confined to prohibiting persons front attend-
ing public meetings with arms, flags, inscriptions,
or devices, we certainly should give it our humble
support; but if it pass into • law in its present
shape, we may bid farewell to public meetings in
England at the discretion of the people—we shall
be deprived of the only effectual means of collect-
ing or expressing public opinion—the voice of the
people will be placed under such a restraint as to be
rendered wholly inaudible, and it becomes • matter
of serious reflection whether it be wise or politic to
prevent the angry or discontented spirit that occa-
sionally prevails among the multitude from evapo-
rating in speeches and in public assemblies, and
thereby compel the seditious and disaffected to unite
in private. where the restraint in public will give
more bitterness to their sentiments and greater vio-
lence to their actions. But how can the Ministersj us-
tify their propos:a of extending this revere restraint
upon public liberty to all parts of the kingdom ?
It is admitted by themselves, that the agricultural
part of the community is wholly untainted by the
political poison that is unhappily disseminated
among some of the manufacturers, and that only
two or three districts are polluted with a treason-
able or seditious spirit. If the measure be one of
restraint and punishment, it is unjust to involve
in the same calamity the innocent with the guilty ;
and if the measure be one of correction only, it is
urinecessary to extend it to those whose conduct is
free front reproach. If the evil be local, the re-
medy likewise ought to be local ; and that the
measure might be applicable to future contingen-
cies, let • provision be introduced into it similar
to that contained in Mr. PEEL'S Peace Preservation
Bill in Ireland, whereby the remedy might be ex-
tended to the scene of danger, as events may arise
to render the exercise of its powers necessary.

We received hot night the Paris Papers of Sun•
day. 7hey contain nothing of any interest.

We have received American Papers to the Sth of Novem-
ber. An article, dated Boston, the 26th October, states, that
there is a perfect understanding between the Government of
the United Slates and Great Britain; asA that the ratifies-
tion of the Florida Treaty is only delayed by the time limit-
ed in the Spanish grants. Commodore Roocia bas left
New Turk, to visit the naval establishments on the Canadian

Lakes. Gen. BOLIVAR is said to hate utarcbed 401111 Santa
Fr, leaving a strong force iu tbat place, and occupied
Clients.

At a Meeting of Manufacturers. &c. of Norwich*
held at the Guildhall on IVednesday seimight.
JOHN HARVEY, Esq. iii the Chair, it was unani-
mously resolved to petition Parliament for a tie•
peal of so much of the Duty upon all Foreign
Wools, as was imposed by the Act of last Seioiou;
which tax, it was stated. will have the effect of rams.
mug the price of imported Wools, which are about
the value of those used in the manufactures of that
City, from et) to 30 per ceut.
Lord EBRINGTON is appointed Provincial Grand
Master of the Freemasons of Devonshire. vice Sir
C. W. Baum I.DE. Bart. who has resigned.

There was a full attendance at Norwich market
on Saturday, and a good supply of Wheat and Bar-
ley, but much of the latter was of inferior quality.
The former declined about Is. per coomb.—Large
supplies of Scots and other Cattle were ezhibited on
the Hill, and such as was 'old obtained.lsigh prices.
The sheep-i ens were well tilled.