The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-12-08 00:00:00

business to :Mend thnie meetings—it was es necee-
wry for them to attend public ineetinzs as it was for
the Attorney-General to attend Courts of Lie,.
It was of impoilaiice to the community that they
should be allowed to attend thew outings. for
otherwise there could be en neon rate ncemitit of the
~ proceedintot pliblielietl. These cotteideration+ were,
i ...! CASTLEREAGH wished to withdraw the, however. beneath the lion. and L.91'111111 Gentle-
„se, for the littrpome of inserting, errisia mall. Ile could not descend s+ much—he could
. peeling meetings for purpoees of trade. not Ink sufficiently low to see hoes reports are pre-
-
ores, or C4lllllnerVe• or any Krievatiers root- pared for public inforaintion ; but as he (Mr.
!It them. lie wished them to he Specs. • Brougham), was 'tearer in vlation to those in-
tro ci ie Bill, that Ito advantage might be taken, dividuale, he knew stomp-41ot snore of the ea-
o heti *wen the case at a trade meeting its Scot- ture of their busitteee. Boom'
-41st very laudable anti
I,
to introduce political discussions.
meritorimie persone were oil that claw which were
!:!Mlr. MAItaYATT was afraid Of the effect of the not entitled to attend politic meeting.; they were
e„feic Leak ttlieretioit. on .11e ineetinge of vier- not fireholdere, Ireenten, or burgesses, and if the
teats and bankers in the Cry, the expressito uf clause was carried willow. :my amendment, they
'.hoise opinions at such meeting., had been so use- ennui not, without subjectitig thetneelvee to the
ail heretofore, in etrengthening the hands of the penalties of the 14w, attend any ineetiegs, not
Executive, and keeping up the confidence of the i met
rely thonse w
every which hich were con ied
dered objectiettevery
able,
people in the Government. let meetigs go patriot, end
Lord CASTLEREAGH protested his veneration for loyal leor would l". 1,11 to promote, *mil the
first
the great body of Loudon merchants aitil beekere ; ceee.ittg+ of which it would be the interest of
Met their meetings being held within doors, would the
the c itu Gover
rynmnt
reporters witeelf to dieredetttointa to ehxe tclu deroughout
not be at all affected by the Bill. t. Ifd—
Sir C. MOUE moved for the omission of these and they were excluded by the clause—from what
words, requiring the subdivision of large part•hes i miser womites public nr that Dowse reCeive infot-
Into townships. n ? Th ould in the firm Once have for their
After wine exclionsrof m riotous
the amendment was rejected. likely to be expert short-hand writers---(A irsugh)—
Lord Coale
moved for the insertion before o
culists tey would have Sheriffs, highly respectable
the word parish in the Bill, of the words 66 city. gen„ no doubt, hut toot skilled in the art of
Isnotieli, corporate or market town." stenography—(A hough )—and if the clause recent-
ow a long discussion between his Lorilehip, mended by an Hon. Gentleman* were received, they
Lord CoTLEREAGH, the ATTuRNET and SOLIct• would only be able to get reports from freeholders
Tos:ee eai., the amendment was urgotived, and and yeomen. Under th?se cirettinstancee. could
tee clause was then agreed to. the public have any chance of receiving a fair or
%When the clause prohibiting persons to attend SCcorate account of pnblic meetings ?
mretinge unless freeholders of the county, or mem- The ATTORNEY-GENERA!. complained that the
lees of the corporation, or householders of the city. non. and Learned Gentleman who had just sat
parielt, or township for which the meeting Audi be &wit lied made a most unprovoked and most un-
hidden. was read, an amendment. the exact import deserved attacsk on him.
H Ile never
an said
Learnea word
of which we were unable to discover, old proposed about reporter; yet the onourable d d
by Lord CesoLetteann, and gave rise to a long Member asserted, that lie (the Attorney-General)
conversation, in which Sir R. FERGUSON, Mr. treated the reporters with contempt—it wee not Ins
AVILLIANS, Mr. W. WYNN, Sir R. IlEioN. 1
th intent Holt. and ion, nod hLe arne had d
not
ember done so. l
int ho?w did
Mr. TIERNEY, Lord ALTHoitr, the SOLICIToa. e M treatem By
GENIRAL, Sir C. Nloecx, and Mr. Pittunosc
liable
them, punshmeut o tratportation. -tansywithout a division. remained after the proclamation should he read.
In the courts! of the discussion on the clatter--
the Ht
the Hunt could not l
and Lp sa
earnedying, tMemberhat it ap
madepeared
that to har_im
Mr. GRAHAM said, lie wishetl to have it ex-
a
plained by the Noble Lord, whether or tint it was tack, for the purpose of reitderitig him obtioxions
am (*.nice within that clause, for a Geutfrawo who to that class of persons, with whom, undonbietlly,
had been a Member of the House, on a dissolution he did not expect so stand on the same term+ us the
cif Parliament, to call together his former cotieti. Hots. and Learned Gentlenaan. As to the amend-
tuents, for the purpose of learning their eentiments ment, it was not neeevsary for the protection of
on the meuster in which he had discharged his persons happening innocently to attend public
trust, and to attend the meeting to ask them to I meetings; for the words, ', wilfully and knowingly
return him again, if they approved of it, lie not atteuMditßßOUGHAMig," were introduced in the Bill.
that he had
being either a freeholder or a householder of the r. e
borough or corporate town--Itecause it did so hap- been induced to make the obeervations which fell
pen, that he represented a borough. the town of from him, because when he mentioned the sub-
-1101, in which therefore neither a freeholder nor ject of reporters, lie thought he saw on the
houeeholder, and felt an interest in having Attorney-General an expression of contempt,
this difficulty solved. ( Murmurs and cries of "Oh!oh !" front the
Lord CASTLEREAGH said, that to obviate this I. Ministerial side. j—Hou. Gentlemen, he said, cried
objection he should propose to take out of the rope- 1 6' Oh! oh !" who sat above the Attorney-General,
ration of the clause, all meetings held in places who could not bosibility see his countenance ;
rooming Members to Parliament for election put- yet they roared ouy tapo s
if they were quite certain Oil
poses between the teate and the return of the writ. the point. The Hon. and Learned Gentleman hail
Mr. BROUGHAM pledged himself that when the himself disclaimed any intention of treating the
Noble Lord should bring up his clause he would • individuals he alluded to with disrespect. There-
shew that it would not at all answer the objection fore lie (Mr. Brougham) was now satisfied that lie
made. understood him.
Urfa ALTHORP proposed an amendment to the The ATTORNEY-GENERAL explained.
clause imposing penalties on persons attending The SoLiciT
ent oR-GEshouNERAL thought the Hon.
nodu
meetings contrary to the provisions of the Act. Learned Gleman ld gs
LordCASTLEREAGH defended the clause us being ' for
amaking an attack of that nature.
necessary to prevent meetings front becoming tu- r. making
spoke at some length in favour
moistures. I of the Amendment.
Mr. W. Semi' opposed the clause. I Lord CASTLEREAGH replied.
Mr. MARKTATT was of opinion that the Bill con- Mr. STUART WoRTLEY was anxious some ex-
tented other provision* which effectually guarded i ception should he m.ide in favour of reporters, as
the business of meetings from degenetating into i lie was coevied
ace thatth in the meetin
thegcouw ,
ntr hich had
ad
tumult. already takencn plroughout y
Mr. llonttesow considered the donee necessary to publication of their proceedings were of the utmost
;nevem masses of persons from ettendieg meetings. I importnuce in opening the eyes of the community.
If the clause were put out of the Bill it would Mr. Maxwet.t. agreed with the Hon. Meather
destroy the principle on which the Bill uvas foutided, as to the subject of reports ; it was right that
Ale. PRIMROSE said, before the Rint Act the i they should be conveyed to the public. Perot's,
country was in a much more alarming state than it he said, who had attended those meetings, were
could be said to be in at present ; yet it was not j ',reseed into service by the It olicale, as flieurls
ever thought of to make it a misdemeanor by the I to attend Parliemems and universal suffrage. The
Riot Act for persons to attend public meetings. I Hon. Member concluded by saying, flint he was a
The lien. Member complained of the ereerity of i very sincere friend to Parliamentary Reform, and
the punishment intended to be inflicted by the Bill 4 a great and respectable portion of the people of the
on persons attending public meetings contrury to I county which he represented were anxious to see
its provisions ; he complained also of the ex- that measure completed.
treme haste with which the Bill was pressed I Mr. DOUGLAS KIN NAIRD supported the amend.
through the House and the Committee. A Bill went.
affecting to deeply the liberties of the people Mr. WILLIAM SMITH spoke also in favour of
was hurried through its stages with greater precipi- the amendment.
/mum than a common Tax Bill. He could not 1 Mr. 51aatit4 (of Galway) did not think that the
but feel that a law inflicting two years ',Uprisen. i publication of these meetings should he eticott-
WO, for an act innocent in itself, deserved much raged—he for one was against it ; but if the Ilouae
none consideration. were of a different ot )i tt ion, it would be easy to
Mr. BATHURST supported the clause, introduce an exception in favour of teportere.
Lord FOLRSTONE said, the object of the clause Lord CASTLEREAGH said, that there ought to he
was to render any person who might intend a pub- a separate clausei for the puranpose; hut
rvi ing uft appmucheared
lie meeting, from any cause, however innocent, to hint • very eerous r, d deee
liuble to a fine, which was riot limited, therefore it consideretion.
might be 10,0001. nod to two years imprisonment. The clause was carried.
The amendment was hi protect innocent persons Mr. DENMAN wished some amendment to the
aelio might go there from curiosity or imolvertenry. clause esiabliug Magistrates to commit, on cowrie-
The subeequent chitties of the Bill, which, after i tion, for two years, ally stranger who attended a
proclamation, tendered persona who remained liable • comity meeting.
to transportation, went surely far enough to prevent Mr. BROUGHAM complained of new offences
tumult. being created by this Act.
Mr. Bnounnett adopted the same line of argot- Lord CASTLEREAGH had nn objection that the
meet. The amendment was intended merely to linotution of panialmient to strangers for attending
Protect Gomm tine and imorierminent innocent per- meeting, out of their district:should be reduced to
tom., who might have beets lea to the meeting's twelve months imprisonmeat instead of two years.
from curiosity. As the clause stood, persona who The clause was then agreed to, restricting the
might attend them for laudable and necessary pm- penalty to twelve months istsprisountent,
pout* would be guilty of • inialemeamtr ; re- Mr. W. Saturn then suggested the propriety of
portent, for inetance.—those persons who were adjourning at this hour (half-post one o'clock), MO
110 doubt too log and too inaignifivant to enter I out proceeding further with businees of so much
n
into the contemplatio of the Attorney-General. . public importuner. it was, much
into thought, qte
Ht could not dercesoi from his dignified station to I notio that at such an hour no discussion (amid
soy confederation respecting then), but lie sl ttttt Irl i take place commensurate with tha intereet briong-
at least reflect on what he might have tutees himself i dig to such a question as (//enr.)
this.—
were it dot for the liberal opportundice afforded by Lind CASTLEREAGH did not thick that accord-
that C'esusuitution which lie was
now employiiir, all I ing to parlitritientary usage the House had no yet sat
his energies to subvert. It was of importnuce that to an utiusuul or inconvement hour. 112 wits there-
'evinces 'Amnia filleted meetings witl ttttt t falling I fere averse to any postpostment, which sous nut
-tinder the oppreesive lash of the law—it was of int- 1 called for by the real neeeestty of the case.
revtaece to theniselves--it was in the hue of their Mr. iN. SMITH replied,, that it then only remain-

• • :at be put in his sets% Ile wnul,l not
I -commend his Ilan. Friend to divide the
• . aA there was no prospect of success.
• tom conversation between the Suit CITUR
L. and A Idermen WOOD, W• [TIM AN, ;and
, the amendment was rejected with t a

ea far hint in the discharge of his parli!ir dotv
move. that the eltairntsu do now relied proves..
and ask leave to sit ruin.
The Cosnptittre then divided upon this
prnpo-
whim the namhors were—
For tke Chairumes reporting !Ingress 64
Against ttii l6B

DRURT-I.ANr.